Help to buy ISA worthless as all houses in this area are more than 250000

duchy

Plenty of people have to move area to afford to buy a home.
Nothing new has always been this way

Running_Horse

Where do you live?

Running_Horse

bobobski wrote: »

I'm with the OP on this one. I live in Cambridge where there is extremely little for £250,000 or less, even in the dodgy areas.

Cambridge doesn't really have dodgy areas in the sense most would understand the term.

Just did a search of a ten mile radius and found loads of 2 & 3 bed houses under £250,000.

bobobski

Running_Horse wrote: »

Cambridge doesn't really have dodgy areas in the sense most would understand the term.

Just did a search of a ten mile radius and found loads of 2 & 3 bed houses under £250,000.

The clue is in what you said there - 10 mile radius. If you read my post, I wasn't complaining, just saying that the OP has a point that in some areas the HTB ISA is useless. There are all sorts of reasons why someone wouldn't buy 10 miles out of Cambridge. Some people would do so to be able to buy, sure, but personally I'd rather save for longer and focus on career progression to be able to afford a house I actually want to live in. Is that a crime? I've already said. sod the HTB ISA.

kinger101

bobobski wrote: »

The clue is in what you said there - 10 mile radius. If you read my post, I wasn't complaining, just saying that the OP has a point that in some areas the HTB ISA is useless. There are all sorts of reasons why someone wouldn't buy 10 miles out of Cambridge. Some people would do so to be able to buy, sure, but personally I'd rather save for longer and focus on career progression to be able to afford a house I actually want to live in. Is that a crime? I've already said. sod the HTB ISA.

If only someone would invent a method of travelling a reasonably short distance of under 10 miles in say less than a 1 hours reasonable commute time.

bobobski

kinger101 wrote: »

If only someone would invent a method of travelling a reasonably short distance of under 10 miles in say less than a 1 hours reasonable commute time.

a) It would help if you actually read what I'm saying.

b) Why do you care where I live? I was responding to OP's original point. I've never seen so much slagging off in one thread, of OP far more than me, mind. Bearing in mind this is most people's biggest ever investment and the scariest thing a lot of people will do, given that they're probably spending their life savings on it, I don't see why there's so much emphasis on throwing your money potentially towards crap just to get on the property ladder, regardless of what it is, where it is and how the length of the commute may affect your mental health or other aspects of your life. No, I don't want to live outside Cambridge for various reasons, and I recognise that is my choice and it will make it harder for me to buy a house. So why do you care?

I'm not complaining about anyone getting the HTB ISA (I do think it is a good idea) and I realise the line has to be drawn somewhere, but it also leaves a bad taste in my mouth that I'm working my butt off, scrimping and saving to do this properly, while others who live elsewhere (again, for various reasons) who may already find it quite easy to save for a house (given that, by definition, the houses are of relatively low value) get my tax money.

marksoton

bobobski wrote: »

a)

I realise the line has to be drawn somewhere, but it also leaves a bad taste in my mouth that I'm working my butt off, scrimping and saving to do this properly, while others who live elsewhere (again, for various reasons) who may already find it quite easy to save for a house (given that, by definition, the houses are of relatively low value) get my tax money.

I actually have some sympathy with this. Living in the SE means the ISA is worth less in real terms.

But then that's the case in all things property. Supply and demand will always rule.

I've got a 1 bedroom flat whereas people in other parts of the country could get a 3 bedroom house. It's all relative.

ognum

Running_Horse wrote: »

Cambridge doesn't really have dodgy areas in the sense most would understand the term.

Just did a search of a ten mile radius and found loads of 2 & 3 bed houses under £250,000.

I think you are wrong, I live in Cambridge and they are areas in the city I would not choose to buy nor would I choose to go there at night. This may not to you make a dodgy area but it does to me!

bobobski

ognum wrote: »

I think you are wrong, I live in Cambridge and they are areas in the city I would not choose to buy nor would I choose to go there at night. This may not to you make a daddy area but it does to me!

Agree, it's all about how you feel there, after all. I lived in one part of the city for a couple of months and I was terrified to go out by myself once the sun had set. A boxing champ may feel differently, in which case he has a wider search area than me

AdrianC

ognum wrote: »

I think you are wrong, I live in Cambridge and they are areas in the city I would not choose to buy nor would I choose to go there at night. This may not to you make a dodgy area but it does to me!

bobobski wrote: »

Agree, it's all about how you feel there, after all. I lived in one part of the city for a couple of months and I was terrified to go out by myself once the sun had set. A boxing champ may feel differently, in which case he has a wider search area than me

Yeh, I couldn't agree more.

These look like absolute hell-holes to me.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-56583944.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-53914286.html