Location vs house

hazyjo

Not pretending to know the area, this could be a terrible location, but just to give you an idea of things to look out for if you do add flats into the mix. This has 990-odd years so you'd never need to do a lease extension, peppercorn ground rent, new roof, and share of freehold so no outside freeholder.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119849039#/?channel=RES_BUY

Good luck 👍🏼 

Mishca21

anaspiringhobbit said:

I think this house sounds like the right choice for you, right now. Certainly if you’re going down to a single income and will need to work to rebuild emergency funds, then you’d rather have a house which is fine as is, and needs no work.

Thank you. I am generally a logical cautious person and look for facts and evidence to try and back up any gut feeling and support a decision. This is the conclusion I came to logically as the best approach and what I would probably tell others asking me for similar advice. It’s hard to tell exactly why I am feeling so wobbly about it! 

elsien

I’m a woman living on my own. I’m not in a preferred location because I couldn’t afford that without living in a flat. I have lived in some very poorly soundproofed flats in my time and was absolutely not going back to that. 

So once I’d ruled out the really dodgy areas my choices were very limited and I ended up where I am. It’s not dangerous  (there was a recent stabbing but the sort that can happen anywhere) but it is run down - lots of HMOs and a transient population who don’t particularly care about the area.

But. I have a garden. I am close to town and public transport. I have some good neighbours who will look after my house and water my garden while I’m away. I have lots of space for working from home and some green bits close by to walk my dog to.

I would move for a better garden. But that’s not in my price range. Sometimes there isn’t a great choice, just a least worst one, and least worst has worked out ok for me over the last few years. 

PS - end terrace can be a bonus because there’s only one side to get noise from.  

How many other places have you looked at? There’s nothing to stop you from keeping looking even if you have an offer in. That’s what made me realise that mine was probably the best I was going to get. 

youth_leader

I do understand your feelings.  I am in the NE and went down to house hunt in  Broadstairs/Margate and Exmouth.  I could only really afford flats and in both of the areas I wouldn't have felt safe coming home alone at night. 

Do check the address in the local newspaper archives too.  One of the tiny houses I could afford in Kent needed lots of work, but I thought it would 'do', a terrace.  When I checked the newspapers a few years earlier there had been a roof fire in one and it had spread along the roofs/rooves?.   Didn't get to the one I was after but did scare me off.

Catpuss66

having been in both as a single person, definitely go for run down house in better area. Feeling safe & secure is something money cannot buy. My last house had gas light piping still in situ . You learn how to do DIY, Google is a god send. Still posting for information on house renovations. You need somthing to get your teeth into rather than just carrying on as before. Get out of your comfort zone, sure you won”t regret it, I didn”t. 

skint_chick

I've been there twice with this situation! For me the most important thing is that you can afford the house and it's liveable without doing anything major because that's what you're saying you want - and picturing your furniture in a house is a very good sign that it's right for you. Some of your feelings about moving back to the area you grew up in could be coming from a feeling a sense of failure over the end of your relationship and selling a larger home to downsize and this is hard to overcome even though it's not the case, you are just working through big changes. I cried the day I got the keys to my current house and regretted my decision for months while I did the place up to my style. It was really horrible though which doesn't sound like it's the case with your purchase.

It's OK to feel wobbles because it's not your dream house, your move is being forced on you, everything is now down to you, it's a lot to take on. You've thought about the alternatives and moving further out isn't affordable, and you don't have DIY skills and the cost of materials is increasing and it's near impossible to find good tradesmen here that aren't completely booked up so I'm sure it would be the same for you. 

Mishca21

skint_chick said:

I've been there twice with this situation! For me the most important thing is that you can afford the house and it's liveable without doing anything major because that's what you're saying you want - and picturing your furniture in a house is a very good sign that it's right for you. Some of your feelings about moving back to the area you grew up in could be coming from a feeling a sense of failure over the end of your relationship and selling a larger home to downsize and this is hard to overcome even though it's not the case, you are just working through big changes. I cried the day I got the keys to my current house and regretted my decision for months while I did the place up to my style. It was really horrible though which doesn't sound like it's the case with your purchase.

It's OK to feel wobbles because it's not your dream house, your move is being forced on you, everything is now down to you, it's a lot to take on. You've thought about the alternatives and moving further out isn't affordable, and you don't have DIY skills and the cost of materials is increasing and it's near impossible to find good tradesmen here that aren't completely booked up so I'm sure it would be the same for you. 

Thank you. Everything you’re saying makes a lot of sense and you are absolutely right, a lot of my hesitancy is tied up with a mix of emotions about the rough year I’ve had, everything I’ve lost and the down to earth bump that this commitment means I’m ‘settling’ for a life I’m just not sure I want, but what alternative is there? I must seem like such a snob or a some sort of entitled brat… I’ve asked myself the same question many times in recent weeks! I know I have to get my independence as I can’t face the same headache of untangling lives and finances with another person all over again. I just need affordability and stability for a while so I can start to rebuild my life. 

Mishca21

elsien said:

I’m a woman living on my own. I’m not in a preferred location because I couldn’t afford that without living in a flat. I have lived in some very poorly soundproofed flats in my time and was absolutely not going back to that. 

So once I’d ruled out the really dodgy areas my choices were very limited and I ended up where I am. It’s not dangerous  (there was a recent stabbing but the sort that can happen anywhere) but it is run down - lots of HMOs and a transient population who don’t particularly care about the area.

But. I have a garden. I am close to town and public transport. I have some good neighbours who will look after my house and water my garden while I’m away. I have lots of space for working from home and some green bits close by to walk my dog to.

I would move for a better garden. But that’s not in my price range. Sometimes there isn’t a great choice, just a least worst one, and least worst has worked out ok for me over the last few years. 

PS - end terrace can be a bonus because there’s only one side to get noise from.  

How many other places have you looked at? There’s nothing to stop you from keeping looking even if you have an offer in. That’s what made me realise that mine was probably the best I was going to get. 

Thank you I have looked at four places so far but been scouring Right Move and Zoopla for weeks and these were the only houses I felt like I actually wanted to look at. Mostly for the same reason, the area was too dangerous or if even a sniff from the pictures or description that work of any kind was required I was immediately put off as can’t face it after the issues with the bigger house I just sold. I guess I probably could have given it a little longer looking around before offering but I’m now afraid equally to commit to this place and to let it pass by in case I don’t find anything else in as good a condition inside! 

Mishca21

Catpuss66 said:

having been in both as a single person, definitely go for run down house in better area. Feeling safe & secure is something money cannot buy. My last house had gas light piping still in situ . You learn how to do DIY, Google is a god send. Still posting for information on house renovations. You need somthing to get your teeth into rather than just carrying on as before. Get out of your comfort zone, sure you won”t regret it, I didn”t. 

Trouble is I literally just sold a house like this and it very nearly ruined me, both financially and mentally. I get what you’re saying and wish I was much braver but I just can’t face a project house!! 

youth_leader

Once you've made your decision, do be prepared for the unexpected, and try to take things in your stride. Make a decision to 'bloom where you are planted'.  Things will be sent to test you and you are stronger than you think.   I sold my house that needed new boiler, roof etc and according to the survey needed £200K spent on it. which I didn't have.  I was anxious as it was listed and it is a criminal offence to allow buildings to fall into disrepair.  The man that came to quote for the windows before I sold never gave me the quote, I realise now it must have been exorbitant.    I did manage to sell, albeit for peanuts,  and find this 'nice little bungalow'.  I paid over asking at the vendor's request to secure it but was lucky as it was during the stamp duty holiday. 

L3 survey was good, cavity ties at the front needed doing and possible woodworm in the loft.  Nine months after moving in the flat roof (apparently new in 2019) was blown off in Storm Arwen, ceiling came in a few days afterwards. Cowboy roofer had only nailed it rather than screwing it to the joists.  Ten weeks of broken sleep and emptying buckets later got it fixed mid February, very luckily the insurance paid for all of this.    I already knew all the floors were rotten, I was alerted to it by the window dresser when they came to fit the rail last October.  I've got to move out completely in the future for weeks while all the rotten floors are replaced - I've got to find accommodation, a kennels, a cattery, a storage unit for all my stuff, and someone to take down the fitted wardrobe/fitted cupboards and shower cubicle. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!