Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

SuperSecretSquirrel

The sore throat and crisps combination sounds like an effective torture method to me, are you sure about that? 😲

savingholmes

SuperSecretSquirrel said:

The sore throat and crisps combination sounds like an effective torture method to me, are you sure about that? 😲

I just crave salt when I feel ill.  That balanced by ice cream of the blast kind... with honeycomb.

Had today off sick as felt carp still.

I spent some of today on RM - and have requested to view a house locally at the weekend. There were others I was interested in but they would be too far away to be realistic in the short term. This one has a huge garden. There is updating work needed inside but it would depend on what I could get for mine and whether there was competition for that house and/or mine to know whether or not I would have any 'change' in terms of equity to them spend on doing the house up a bit. If that house isn't feasible/available - there are a couple 90 mins to 2 hours away that I may try and get an appointment for.

I saw the more local house a couple of weeks ago online - and it's been nagging at me. I figure that this way I wouldn't be making DD homeless unless she chose to be - but I would get a fresh start. I think the work the handyman is doing is making my home much nicer but even so having lived here a long time - and being mostly a WFH person now - I'm desperate for a different view. If that house doesn't work out the other two houses (far way) were cheaper (£15k) so if I did go for them - I could potentially give DD something towards moving out... They would be a bigger hassle for work on the odd time I go in for work - and a lot more rural and isolated but even better views and land. Possibly smaller houses.  The more local one looks rural but is close enough to town not to be an issue and wouldn't be isolated. I could keep my existing friends, gym, dentist, counsellor, cleaner etc. It would be slightly closer to 3 of that list. It's probably a similar distance to work or could be a nudge closer. It's closer to motorways just by a couple of miles but it  helps.

If I did like the house on viewing it - I'd have to work fast to get my house on the market. It would force me to be more radical with my clutter but that wouldn't be a bad thing. I'd be tempted to get an upstairs room painted but I think the rest while not perfect would be good enough.

MovingForwards

Good luck with viewings. When a good one pops up it's hard to resist.

I'm guessing there's no spare money to rent a storage unit, deposit a lot of things to declutter and deal with it afterwards.

skint_spice

Oo big changes afoot! Exciting news 

savingholmes

Thanks MF and Skinty

Still off sick today. Still feel groggy and having coughing fits.

I've got an appointment for Saturday. I think if that house doesn't come off - I'm not in a rush and would stay put for now.

I think the rose tinted glasses have faded... Having slept on it overnight - the potential house needs a lot of work:

• The best views are to the rear - but they've used that space to put a toilet and possibly utility towards the back of a very long garage.The backdoor isn't even glazed and there isn't a window there.  To add insult to injury - they've then put a small shed there. 
• The kitchen needs replacing - it looks 1970s with a standalone oven and bright yellow units.  The kitchen has a nice view onto the garden but only from waist height up. 
• There's a separate dining room but that doesn't have french doors. It's dark and worse it doesn't make the most of the views on to what is a stunning garden. 
• It has a weird tiny conservatory that appears to block light to what should be the dining room but is too small to be of much use. I'd be tempted to knock that down or move it. 
• The house itself looks big enough but needs reconfiguring... It has the kind of garden that would merit bifold doors for at least part of the back.
• I'd want to add an ensuite. 
• The current bathroom would have novelty value and appears functional. As a first step I'd paint the tiles - but that would still leave pink fittings!!
  
• The photos only show one of the bedrooms. The second bedroom is a double and the third a single. 
• All the flooring would need replacing.
• The house is poorly insulated and would potentially benefit from new radiators and boilers etc. 
• The front room has a built out fire place, very old gas fire and central chimney. I would potentially block up the chimney - and take out the surround unless the chimney was good enough to fit a wood burning stove in.
• I would want to replace the internal doors to have glazed viewing panes at least downstairs. It limits the risk of accidents and improves light.
  
• I think I'd potentially need to ask about the wiring too. 
• Virtually every wall has wallpaper and would need stripping.
• It has a flat roof garage - it would be interesting to know how much that would cost to make double height to extend the house upstairs.

My house would need to perform really well in this market for me to be able to afford what needs doing. I think the fact it needs that kind of work is the only reason it's in an 'affordable' range though given the apparent size of the garden. Looking at that list - I think I'd want to cost up all the work before even entertaining whether to offer for it.

Hmmm more thought needed... and more funds from somewhere!!

Chrystal

Reading through that list my immediate thought is... don't even think about it.  The stress, mess and anxiety that would be involved is horrendous.   Finish doing the house you're in, and get your garden sorted as you want it.  Then relax and enjoy it for a while before you even think about moving.  Things are changing so  quickly at the moment and everything is in flux.. including house prices.  I think you need to concentrate on you for a little while, your health and wellbeing won't thank you for this possible move! ((((hugs)))) XX

savingholmes

Thanks Crystal. You are probably right. I deliberately wrote the list to force myself to think through the implications.

Just noticed it has horrible polystyrene ceiling tiles in every room! It could easily turn into a money pit. I think I will still go and view it if I'm well enough - but it did amuse me that my overnight brain could see everything that needed fixing where as yesterday all I could see was the garden. It is absolutely huge!!  

In comparison the house I'm in needs tarting up but not major structural work. Kitchens and bathrooms are functional - although they would benefit from replacement it's not critical.

The cleaner's been today and tamed the house. She tried bleeding the radiators - but said they could be full of sludge but no air came out. She reckons the valves have gone on the upstairs bedrooms so I've ordered 4 from Am**** for about £19. I've moved some pictures around - so one of my recent paintings is in my eyeline and one by someone else is now on the landing.

Merlin's_Beard

I think you're right to go and view the house - if nothing else, there's every possibility you might go and hate it and the what-ifs just disappear by themselves. If you go and absolutely love it then you can consider if it would be worth the hassle.

beanielou

Step away from the house!

savingholmes

Thanks Beanie and Merlin - love the different perspectives. 

I think it could be the closest I get to the country dream - but at significant cost... 

Back to more mundane things. I'm still ill and have a fever. It keeps coming in waves.