Really confused about what I want :(

Atlas234

Being a single person with a modest budget, the property is unlikely to be your 'forever home'. In 5 years time you could be married looking to move to a different part of the country for all you know! 
I would just look for something that is good value, maybe needs a little work doing to it, that you can do slowly over time and possibly make a small profit on it a few years down the line when your situation may be entirely different. 

danlightbulb

MFWannabe said:

Some more nice properties OP if you are serious about buying: 
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/74314485#/
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86607037#/
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86487478#/

Thanks.
The second two are definitely further away than I want to go.
The first one is a little outside my area but not too bad. Its already over budget though and its in Wolverhampton council's area which has alot higher council tax than either Dudley or Sandwell. Its band D, which in Sandwell or Dudley is affordable but in Wolverhampton is starting to be pulling away from where my budget allows. Combined with my max mortgage, its a bit too financially stretching I think.

MFWannabe

danlightbulb said:

MFWannabe said:

Some more nice properties OP if you are serious about buying: 
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/74314485#/
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86607037#/
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/86487478#/

Thanks.
The second two are definitely further away than I want to go.
The first one is a little outside my area but not too bad. Its already over budget though and its in Wolverhampton council's area which has alot higher council tax than either Dudley or Sandwell. Its band D, which in Sandwell or Dudley is affordable but in Wolverhampton is starting to be pulling away from where my budget allows. Combined with my max mortgage, its a bit too financially stretching I think.

Did you look at the first three I posted before these? They were in DY4 + 1 mile 

AdrianC

The OP seems very focussed on one particular postcode district, but unless the pub is slap bang central in that postcode (which seems unlikely), there would seem to be nearer residential areas in other districts than the further fringes of this particular one.


If the focus is on Tipton, as it appears to be, that's right up to the W edge of the district, and parts of DY1, 3, WV14, and B69 are much nearer than the E/NE reaches of DY4.

It would seem to me that the RM map-drawing search may be the most effective way forward here.

getmore4less

AdrianC said:

The OP seems very focussed on one particular postcode district, but unless the pub is slap bang central in that postcode (which seems unlikely), there would seem to be nearer residential areas in other districts than the further fringes of this particular one.


If the focus is on Tipton, as it appears to be, that's right up to the W edge of the district, and parts of DY1, 3, WV14, and B69 are much nearer than the E/NE reaches of DY4.

It would seem to me that the RM map-drawing search may be the most effective way forward here.

Agree and if the OP posts that link others can use the same drawn area

danlightbulb

MFWannabe said:

Well within budget and a project: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85889884#/

Lovely bungalow, live in condition but scope to make it your own. Detached! and a garage: 
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/99227663#/

Very nice house with massive outbuilding whichever you could turn in to a really nice music room! 
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/98254577#/

I do appreciate you making suggestions, sorry if Im coming across as making excuses.
Again the first one is a bit too far in the wrong direction plus I have to say I really don't like it.
I just don't want a bungalow Im afraid. I was unsure last time and the experience made me certain its not what I want.

The last one is certainly interesting. It is slightly out of area and its not necessarily the distance but the direction in which its located - the back end of Dudley is not a location I really like very much. Would be interesting to have a full size snooker table though! It is a (large) wooden shed, internally boarded. Would be no good for a piano as it stands (would need properly insulating and heating) but in any case I wouldn't want to have to go down the bottom of the garden every time I wanted a 10 minute practice.

Im viewing this one tomorrow: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85516811#/
I like the house itself, it seems spacious and a good layout. The garden is elevated but interesting and private. The only downside is where it is located.


@getmore4less is it possible to post a rightmove map drawn area? I think ive tried before and it doesn't work. If there is another map tool I can use to show my preferred areas then I could try that and post an image.

getmore4less

try this one.  (embeded under text)

or 
------------------------------------
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/map.html?locationIdentifier=USERDEFINEDAREA^{"polylines":"_zo_IfqpKgz@`yEivAkk@mKafA|LgaC`pCrZ"}&maxPrice=180000&minBedrooms=3&viewType=MAP&numberOfPropertiesPerPage=499&includeSSTC=true&_includeSSTC=on
-------------------------------------

do your map then click view properties then put the url  into a  link.

the old site could not do long links properly  seems fixed now but still better to embed 

danlightbulb

Here is how I originally drew my search area:


But what I do is add +1 mile to it so that it takes into account some areas beyond that hard boundary which gives me this:
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=USERDEFINEDAREA%5E%7B%22id%22%3A5757590%7D&minBedrooms=2&maxPrice=220000&radius=1.0&propertyTypes=detached%2Csemi-detached%2Cterraced&primaryDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=false&mustHave=&dontShow=retirement%2CnewHome%2CsharedOwnership&furnishTypes=&keywords=

That search goes up to £220k so I can see what's just beyond my reach.

However within that area, there are some quite a few sub-areas I don't like. I don't really want to go south/south west of Dudley, and I don't want to go over towards West Bromwich, nor close to Wolverhampton/Willenhall. Some areas of Wednesbury are ok, as is Coseley. Within the centre of my area are some places I don't like as well. Its very built up around here so within a mile radius there are very very different characteristics.

seradane

Atlas234 said:

Being a single person with a modest budget, the property is unlikely to be your 'forever home'. In 5 years time you could be married looking to move to a different part of the country for all you know! 
I would just look for something that is good value, maybe needs a little work doing to it, that you can do slowly over time and possibly make a small profit on it a few years down the line when your situation may be entirely different. 

Oh, don't even start on "good value", that's what's derailed a whole bunch of previous properties. He doesn't know if any given property is good value until someone else buys it. So if it hasn't sold yet he worries about it being overvalued and whether he's paying too much...

GixerKate

I haven't read every single post so I'm probably repeating what others have said.  You appear to realise that you need to compromise but can't seem to.  From what you have written I would say your 'must have' is the piano and personally I would say that another 'must have' would be the drive or the ability to erect a large shed and/or land that can be turned into a drive.

I know that being exactly in one area is important but my question is - is it really that important?  Are your friends so rigid that they won't be friends unless you live nearby?

I've just completed a move where I am now 70-odd miles from my friends and family.  The distance sounds huge but its only a 45 minute drive which to me is not a biggie.  In fact, since moving I've seen more of my friends (apart from lockdown) than before!  Local pubs are nice but you don't actually have to drink alcohol to have fun with friends and if you like cars etc, why not drive to see friends?  When I was most social was when I used to meet up with my mates 3-4 times a week every week plus weekends and I was driving everywhere.

I've found being 40-odd has meant pubs have less importance but time with friends is more important so we tend to have dinner/BBQs/ hang out in each others homes more than go to pubs.

Personally I would think the location is something to compromise on as you have your own transport and can travel.  There is nothing stopping you making friends locally and have you thought about finding groups in Facebook or forums etc to do with your hobbies?  I've meet loads of friends this way.