House search a disaster - considering withdrawing

NeilCr

victoriavictorious wrote: »

We have had a heart to heart and from our part at least, we've decided to carry on with the sale as we'll only want to move further down the line and probably be faced with the same scenario, so best to get it over with now.
(Sorry, can't get multi quote thingy to work!)
Smodlet - thank you, took your good advice and massively widened the search area to the entire county, not just a certain radius - and found exactly the place we've been looking for in 'Plan B' region, in a lovely street / small pretty town close to the 'Plan B' city we wanted, but I'd never even heard of it!
This house has only been on the market a day. We've managed to book a viewing for tomorrow a.m. with the owners showing us round, but there will be (and have been) other viewings this weekend. At least this agent got back to me, which is more than I can say for 5 others I'd tried to book viewings through! So fingers crossed we won't be pipped at the post. If we are, I'll cry and stamp my feet! :mad:

NeilCR - of course you are right, we should not have left it for 8 months before revisiting Plan A town, but I hadn't really been well enough to go out and about until fairly recently (recovered now). Even so, we hadn't expected to see it so choked with traffic and not actually be able to navigate the streets at all.

Kittie - no, nothing to tie us to one region. We had found 2 regions we were happy to move to, but once we went under offer, every single property we had intended to view had gone... with nothing to take their place. I've never known there to be so little on the market and it has never been so hard to arrange viewings when you do find something.

Okay.

I don't really get the way you are house hunting.

Have you actually been to small/pretty town near City B recently and/or spent some time there? I'm pleased your OH has been able to get time off at such short notice as I know that was an earlier problem for you.

I am still of the opinion you need to take a break and have a think. Given this is such an important move for you I am more than a bit surprised at your scattergun approach. And that comes from someone who is known to be a bit flaky!

AdrianC

victoriavictorious wrote: »

Our house search is going badly.
The once-lovely town that we had been meticulously researching /planning/looking forward to relocating to for the past 5 years, has changed beyond all recognition and has become so choked with traffic and such serious (and illegal) parking problems that it's now a hellish trial to even try and navigate the streets, let alone park anywhere.

Look on the bright side... You could be living there already.

What town are we talking about?

victoriavictorious

NeilCr wrote: »

Okay.

I don't really get the way you are house hunting.

Have you actually been to small/pretty town near City B recently and/or spent some time there? I'm pleased your OH has been able to get time off at such short notice as I know that was an earlier problem for you.

I am still of the opinion you need to take a break and have a think. Given this is such an important move for you I am more than a bit surprised at your scattergun approach. And that comes from someone who is known to be a bit flaky!

Its not exactly scattergun, we do know our chosen general regions (A and very well. I'm not sure that everyone who has ever moved house has always had extensive experience of the exact town or village they may actually end up in; sometimes fate takes you to a different place (long story) amd works out for the best. Not everyone buys with the same 'cookie cutter' criteria. The way you buy property may not be the way I do.
Sometimes we have to make diversions and go where a house that ticks all the boxes is available at the time (especially in times of property shortage), and often people do have to settle for closest to where they'd like to be, maybe for financial reasons or to get a house that fits their requirements, You can't always choose.
We've been around long enough to be able to suss places out and know where we're most likely to be happy living in.
Any move is pretty much a gamble, as even in a seemingly ideal situation, all manner of things can change.

NeilCr

victoriavictorious wrote: »

Its not exactly scattergun, we do know our chosen general regions (A and very well. I'm not sure that everyone who has ever moved house has always had extensive experience of the exact town or village they may actually end up in; sometimes fate takes you to a different place (long story) amd works out for the best. Not everyone buys with the same 'cookie cutter' criteria. The way you buy property may not be the way I do.
Sometimes we have to make diversions and go where a house that ticks all the boxes is available at the time (especially in times of property shortage), and often people do have to settle for closest to where they'd like to be, maybe for financial reasons or to get a house that fits their requirements, You can't always choose.
We've been around long enough to be able to suss places out and know where we're most likely to be happy living in.
Any move is pretty much a gamble, as even in a seemingly ideal situation, all manner of things can change.

But, having some current knowledge of somewhere you are moving to (especially a long distance away from where you are now ) must surely be more than just a little positive. After all, the disaster you outlined in your OP was partly brought about because you hadn't visited the town for eight months.

I moved down here for retirement - as you will be doing. I knew it was a move that couldn't be reversed if I got it wrong. It was a gamble (as you say most are) although I did do some reasonable research. You can't find out every nut and bolt, for sure, but you can discover things by mooching around the neighbourhood for a few days before committing to the house search.

ETA.

Maybe letting us know which areas/towns you are talking about would be a help. I have a good friend who lives down here and her insight was invaluable. Folks are helpful, on this forum and someone may live in/know about the places you are considering. I've seen a lot of good stuff when people have asked about particular locations.

Cakeguts

Smodlet wrote: »

Oh, come on, Cakeguts, you know the influence of the Gulf Stream is within a very precise area. A certain part of the west coast of Scotland is probably warmer than London in winter. It's the Torquay of the north. I got an A for 'O' Level geography, me, so I know these things. :rotfl::cool:

ETA: Cross posted with victoria.

That A at O level would now be an A at A level.

OK yes I knew that about the Gulf Stream it just amuses me when people say that the weather gets worse the further north you go. I mean it rains in Manchester and Devon. So if you don't like rain...

Smodlet

Cakeguts wrote: »

That A at O level would now be an A at A level.

Awww, thanks, Cakeguts, you've made my day.

AdrianC

"O level"... You're showing your age there...

They were replaced by GCSEs in the late 80s, 30 years ago. Nobody younger than their mid 40s did 'em.

Cakeguts

AdrianC wrote: »

"O level"... You're showing your age there...

They were replaced by GCSEs in the late 80s, 30 years ago. Nobody younger than their mid 40s did 'em.

I don't think any 16 year olds would be educationally advanced enough to pass them now. I did O levels. Didn't get any As though. Actually thinking about it mine were marked in numbers. The letters came in when I did my A levels so I do have a grade C for German O level. At my school you could take extra O levels in the 6th form along with your A levels as long as you could learn fast enough.

Of course I am old I have an old gits bus pass.

Smodlet

AdrianC wrote: »

"O level"... You're showing your age there....

So what if I'm showing my age?

AdrianC wrote: »

They were replaced by GCSEs in the late 80s, 30 years ago. Nobody younger than their mid 40s did 'em.

And education standards have been falling ever since.

Grumpelstiltskin

VV You say you want to be somewhere within easy reach of London, don't know where you are looking but have you considered Nottinghamshire?

OK I know the nearest coast is the Costa Del Skeggy, but ignoring that you are close to the Peak District, if you don't know it it's one of the most underrated areas of countryside in England.

Then there is Sherwood Forest and The Dukeries.

Also depending on which area of the county you are looking at there is a choice of fast train services to London either from Nottingham or Newark/Retford.

On top of that the M1 and A1 run through the county.