Things I wish i knew before buying my house

mint_chocc_chip

That everyone in the road would allow their visitors to use my driveway like it was a public car park, and then have a go at ME when they are politely asked to move off my property so that I can park my car on my own driveway. It's funny how everyone's response is the same when they are caught doing something they shouldn't be, and that is to get loud and abusive and go straight to attack, in an attempt to defend their actions. I've not once had someone apologise for it!

Doesn't happen with anyone else's driveway in the road, only mine because of the way it is positioned. Next house will have the driveway within the confines of the actual property and BIG gates! 

rexmedorum

mint_chocc_chip said:

That everyone in the road would allow their visitors to use my driveway like it was a public car park, and then have a go at ME when they are politely asked to move off my property so that I can park my car on my own driveway. It's funny how everyone's response is the same when they are caught doing something they shouldn't be, and that is to get loud and abusive and go straight to attack, in an attempt to defend their actions. I've not once had someone apologise for it!

Doesn't happen with anyone else's driveway in the road, only mine because of the way it is positioned. Next house will have the driveway within the confines of the actual property and BIG gates! 

Could it be a situation that the previous owner allowed before? Not an excuse of ocurse.

lookstraightahead

That there is actually "being too young to buy" and that buying a house early isn't always an investment. 

Not everyone gets through life without divorce, job changes and negative equity.

To rent until you're settled. 

RS2OOO

I wish I had not been so sensible and conservative when buying my first home.

At 20 years old I bought at a price I could easily afford mortgage payments for and still be able to go out and have fun.

That price was £69k for a 2 bed leasehold maisonette.

I could easily have stretched to an £85k 3 bed freehold with garden and driveway but didn't because i was too cautious.

I stayed in the maisonette for 16 years and when it came to moving up the ladder into a 3 bed freehold I had to shell out £150k extra and add another 10 years to mortgage term.

Should have bought the best I could afford in the first place.

MrsBrush

Wish I hadn't been so trusting when I met first husband, and protected my financial position properly. A disastrous 3 year relationship cost over £100k. 

Roll forward 20 years and I still have a mortgage that should have been paid off 15 years ago!

desthemoaner

We've just discovered that spending 3 quid to find out whether the property you're buying is registered with Land Registry can save a lot of time, and a lot of money. 

gab3x

desthemoaner said:

We've just discovered that spending 3 quid to find out whether the property you're buying is registered with Land Registry can save a lot of time, and a lot of money. 

And Land Registry's Property Alert email service is a very useful tool too for ensuring nothing untowards happens without you being aware. It could be a simple conveyancer error that results in failing to register your title deed.

lookstraightahead

desthemoaner said:

We've just discovered that spending 3 quid to find out whether the property you're buying is registered with Land Registry can save a lot of time, and a lot of money. 

Yep, our £3 and the good folk on here saved us half a garden.

roxhas123

Not all houses are mortgageable.
The area i have been looking to buy, 60% are ex council which means in most cases are concrete built. If the house hasnt been bricked up then you need a pretty large deposit to be able to get a mortgage and still only 5 lenders (as told by an EA) will offer you a mortgage. So many houses on the market in the area were cash buyers only and we were getting fustrated but now i know why. 
Honestly the buying a house process has also made me become a stronger person. Dont get me wrong i am stressed as hell but i have learnt how to deal with things in a different manner and manage emotions better than 6 months ago (cant say the same for my other half though haha!). Dissapointment has become such a regular feeling that i am just numb to upset!
Its been a very traumatising journey - still no where near completion but the house we managed to bag is a dream come true so it will be all worth it in the end, as they say - Good things come to those who wait... AND ARE KIND! 
 

Stangi

I wish I had known that estate agents can be very cagey and that their office staff can get things wrong. Was told, some time after having an offer accepted, that vendors of the "no chain" property were in fact waiting for probate to be granted. Two weeks later got a phone call from same office girl saying she "got the wrong P word" it was actually power of attorney!! Killing off their client is a bit off..... power of attorney, according to govt website, was taking 20 weeks instead of 6-10.