Midlife Musings and Measurable Goals

jwil

Glad things are progressing with the sale.  I hope you get some good news from the viewing  

beanielou

Sending you positive vibes on your house to be. 

MovingForwards

Independents are great for getting special, unique gifts or a very occasional treat, not for every day living. Have a search online to see what places are around; that's what I spent months doing while waiting for mine to go through and I used street view for 'walking' around.

Seeing various properties allows you to pick what you like / dislike and know what to look for in the next batch. Keep looking at loads online too, especially the floor plans and compare it to the photos to see if doors and windows are in a good position for your furniture.

Try to build up a float, £50 - £100 makes a huge difference and doesn't feel like you're dipping into normal savings.

Please don't be scared, it's a very exciting stage in your life, next year you'll be all settled in and preparing for Christmas 😊

doingitanyway

another_casualty said:

It sounds great news about your Sale DIA . So pleased that you seem to have a nice reasonable buyer . 🤞everything goes smoothly there as it should . 

Glad you braved everything and looked at that maissonnette . Obviously you were out of sorts etc but at least you know what way the land lies . You seem to be getting familiar with your soon to be new surroundings , and are coming a long way from when you were slightly apprehensive  in the beginning of your search . 

I wouldn't beat myself too much about the overspending tbh , as I'd treat it as a  stress relief system albeit short term . You know you'll be back on track eventually .
I'm going through the same scenario as with the food as you just mentioned in my diary 😸
Anyway , keep going and all will be well 😼

Thanks for the positivity AC. You reminded me that I am a lot more sure about what I want than I was when I started looking. You are right, I just need to keep going.

doingitanyway

MovingForwards said:

Independents are great for getting special, unique gifts or a very occasional treat, not for every day living. Have a search online to see what places are around; that's what I spent months doing while waiting for mine to go through and I used street view for 'walking' around.

Seeing various properties allows you to pick what you like / dislike and know what to look for in the next batch. Keep looking at loads online too, especially the floor plans and compare it to the photos to see if doors and windows are in a good position for your furniture.

Try to build up a float, £50 - £100 makes a huge difference and doesn't feel like you're dipping into normal savings.

Please don't be scared, it's a very exciting stage in your life, next year you'll be all settled in and preparing for Christmas 😊

Thanks MF. I have learned how to look at houses online now. I use the floor plan straightaway and pay attention to floor space in particular. I view fewer places in person but when I do I tend to stay for the day and stroll about the new area.

You make a good point with building up a float, so much so I am starting a savings diary!jwil said:

Glad things are progressing with the sale.  I hope you get some good news from the viewing  

beanielou said:

Sending you positive vibes on your house to be. 

Thanks both.

doingitanyway

House news
So, after days of backwards and forwards and a trip to the new area to view and an offer and increasing my offer twice, the maisonette went to the highest offer that was 20,000 over the asking price. It is sad for me as the house felt so very right and I couldn't help imagining myself into the space. Now I am understandably disappointed.

The EA called me and used words like 'probably going with the higher offer and you know the figure I have hinted at' at that stage I had the feeling the days of waiting and calls back and forth were designed to increase offer prices. Fair enough but I felt 'played' It is his job to get the highest offer but by then I was exhausted so thanked him for his time. 

I sent an email to ask to be considered if the high bidders drop out for any reason.

It might not be the worst thing as next year it is likely to be less of a heated market.

MSE wise I am concentrating my efforts on building a £1,000 emergency fund. The credit for the clothes goingbeing sent back can go in there for a start!

Have a good day everyone.

MovingForwards

Channel the disappointment this weekend, next week tell yourself there's something much better waiting for you and that's why this one wasn't meant to be.

The EF target is a good figure.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I'm sorry you didn't get the maisonette but I agree that it wasn't meant to be. The house that is meant to be yours will turn up in time. An EF is an excellent idea.

mark55man

Sorry to hear your disappointing news, DIA - you'll find a way back onto your mojo. 

I'm not sure that the EA are that bothered about gaming the system for a few £k on the price as they are typically on 1-2% - so each extra £k is like £20 on their fee.  ie not they would say no to it, but its unlikely they will play games to get it.  I think your analysis that the market is heated is closer to the mark.  Although the EA wont say no to a higher offer, but its more likely to be because it was there and of a little bit of professionalism than a manipulation of the market.  The EA is more likely to want to get the £1-2k for selling the house quickly. 

But then its been 25 years since I bought a house so what do I know

doingitanyway

Thanks everyone for the commiserations. I agree @HairyHandofDartmoor and @MovingForwards, it wasn't meant to be. I loved that house enough to talk myself out of a garden and hope for an allotment. Perhaps a garden is in my future. The house next door is vacant so I took a cutting from a quince They grow as bushes and according to my gardener friend now is a good time to take a cutting. Maybe one day I will be able to make quince jam with quinces picked from the garden of my new home. Who knows? Life is a mystery but it keeps it interesting.

MSE news is I set up a SO for PBs. I've said I would in my OP but hadn't got round to it. The plan was one a month but I've gone for 2. 

Decluttered a big teapot that never did keep the tea warm and decluttered/broke a cup too.

It is very cold here but dry so I will be taking a walk at some stage.

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday