In my 30s and in London - what do I do?

Helplesssheep

Hi OP - if Croydon is still looking out of budget then my next suggestion would be to search around 20k above budget and go back through results to find those advertised for a while (2 months for eg). I buying right now, and what I was wanting was actually 25k over budget - i watched for reduced places/ places that hadn’t been budging, as these sellers may be more likely to accept less, particularly if you are FTB with a good deposit able to move fast. Might be there is some “flaw” to the property that stopped it selling straight away, but something that is not a big deal, rather than structural. Just requires a bit deeper sense checking to make sure no actual big issue. No harm in putting offers in to see if they will go lower.

Also call up estate agents in relevant areas and see if they have anything on their books they think the vendor could accept 190k (i think that is your budget?) for. 

Here is an example - clearly was overpriced when first advertised https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/62051448/?search_identifier=089da43858a3450571acff19be28cbb1

Further have you got an AIP from a broker? You might get a higher maximum. 

Helplesssheep

Here is another one that has been marketed for a while https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/58016042/?search_identifier=ee62313d5f1368fde2c125ee07fb0057

[Deleted User]

Helplesssheep said:

Here is another one that has been marketed for a while https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/58016042/?search_identifier=ee62313d5f1368fde2c125ee07fb0057

Thank you very much for this. Good tips. I'll definitely look into the area. Commuter links are good and not far from areas like Crystal Palace. 

[Deleted User]

I dont know if it has been said but making progress in life is generally more realistic with a partner. Modern society does not cater for one of a couple to stay at home. Both will work. According, you really will be up against it when as an individual  your rival for a property has 2x incomes. As much as we cannot change such circumstances overnight, being in a relationship and having a combined income, will open up new areas in better locations. 

hazyjo

There have been a few suitable options quoted (2 by me). You don't need a choice of 100, you just need 1. So book an appointment for the weekend! Actually get out and look instead of saying how there's no real options. Why can't you get a train for 45 minutes? I do, and am often out in London and travel up there for work every day. It's hardly a long distance or unusual commute, it can sometimes take longer on a tube to go the way distance of half a tube line!

AFF8879

hazyjo said:

There have been a few suitable options quoted (2 by me). You don't need a choice of 100, you just need 1. So book an appointment for the weekend! Actually get out and look instead of saying how there's no real options. Why can't you get a train for 45 minutes? I do, and am often out in London and travel up there for work every day. It's hardly a long distance or unusual commute, it can sometimes take longer on a tube to go the way distance of half a tube line!

This is a really good point. I’m hybrid working at the moment like a lot of people, so only need to go in 2-3 days per week, but I stayed over at my friends place one night because I thought it would save some time/stress in the morning. 

I plugged in the commute to Google maps using the public transport option- from my house in rural Hampshire to my office in Canary Wharf took 3 minutes LESS than my friend’s flat in Uxbridge, despite the distance on the map itself being massively shorter.

And not only did it take longer, but being stood up on a stuffy/cramped tube for over an hour (stopping every couple of minutes) was far more uncomfortable than a nice roomy leather seat with a power socket on an air conditioned (direct) train

hazyjo

AFF8879 said:

hazyjo said:

There have been a few suitable options quoted (2 by me). You don't need a choice of 100, you just need 1. So book an appointment for the weekend! Actually get out and look instead of saying how there's no real options. Why can't you get a train for 45 minutes? I do, and am often out in London and travel up there for work every day. It's hardly a long distance or unusual commute, it can sometimes take longer on a tube to go the way distance of half a tube line!

This is a really good point. I’m hybrid working at the moment like a lot of people, so only need to go in 2-3 days per week, but I stayed over at my friends place one night because I thought it would save some time/stress in the morning. 

I plugged in the commute to Google maps using the public transport option- from my house in rural Hampshire to my office in Canary Wharf took 3 minutes LESS than my friend’s flat in Uxbridge, despite the distance on the map itself being massively shorter.

And not only did it take longer, but being stood up on a stuffy/cramped tube for over an hour (stopping every couple of minutes) was far more uncomfortable than a nice roomy leather seat with a power socket on an air conditioned (direct) train

Yup, exactly that. I literally always get a (comfy) seat. Usually nobody next to me either thanks to covid and everyone wfh. Free WiFi too. I hate it when I have to get a tube! I'm very lucky that it's only a slow 6 min walk to work from Fen St Station so my full commute is not much more than 1 hour door to door. I wfh Fridays which makes life even easier.

Oh, plus I have some lovely scenery for some of the journey! It's not an epic long commute, I quite enjoy getting that time to myself!

lisyloo

AFF8879 said:

hazyjo said:

There have been a few suitable options quoted (2 by me). You don't need a choice of 100, you just need 1. So book an appointment for the weekend! Actually get out and look instead of saying how there's no real options. Why can't you get a train for 45 minutes? I do, and am often out in London and travel up there for work every day. It's hardly a long distance or unusual commute, it can sometimes take longer on a tube to go the way distance of half a tube line!

This is a really good point. I’m hybrid working at the moment like a lot of people, so only need to go in 2-3 days per week, but I stayed over at my friends place one night because I thought it would save some time/stress in the morning. 

I plugged in the commute to Google maps using the public transport option- from my house in rural Hampshire to my office in Canary Wharf took 3 minutes LESS than my friend’s flat in Uxbridge, despite the distance on the map itself being massively shorter.

And not only did it take longer, but being stood up on a stuffy/cramped tube for over an hour (stopping every couple of minutes) was far more uncomfortable than a nice roomy leather seat with a power socket on an air conditioned (direct) train

Absolutely, you always need to work out the “door to door” commute time and also the comfort factor in all weathers.
I live about 1 miles from a train station but would allow 25 mins on foot (trains not regular enough to chance missing one.
that might be fine in the summer and might be part of your exercise regime so not totally wasted time, but not great in horizontal rain.
also can you use the time.
if you have a comfy train seat and can use the time (which you can’t on the tube or when driving) then it might be that some of the time is not entirely wasted.

tooldle

I used to come in via train from West Sussex. Quite a long commute by some standards, although there were some on the train who got on at its start point in Portsmouth. Much easier now with hybrid working, i would think. Daughter is in Reading area and often uses the train into central London (around 30mins i think).  Plenty of properties at your price point or lower in Reading.

[Deleted User]

tooldle said:

I used to come in via train from West Sussex. Quite a long commute by some standards, although there were some on the train who got on at its start point in Portsmouth. Much easier now with hybrid working, i would think. Daughter is in Reading area and often uses the train into central London (around 30mins i think).  Plenty of properties at your price point or lower in Reading.

Thanks. I think it's around £60 a day to commute from Reading so I'd probably rule that out. I will look closer to London though. Unfortunately the extortionate UK train prices make commuting (and non hybrid work) a lot less feasible.