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

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] said:

theoretica said:

Another option would be to look throughout the UK at where might combine jobs, more affordable housing than London and a social life that appeals.  Glasgow?  Manchester?

Thanks. Yes I've been considering Glasgow. I have no desire to live there and would resent having to move away from my family and friends to live in a city I have no interest in, but it seems like this is the kind of choice that people have to make if they are from the southeast and aren't wealthy. 

Small comfort, but if you do go to Scotland you might get your EU citizenship back in a few years, and then you can get a job somewhere nice like Ireland. In fact in tech companies in Europe, the working language is often English. When you have Germans, French, Dutch and more all working together, it's the common denominator.

[Deleted User]

AFF8879 said:

[Deleted User] said:

zagubov said:

In my last workplace (in inner London) the staff were mainly recruited from all over England and beyond. They came to start work in their mid-20s and invariably left for promoted posts in the midlands and points north when they were getting married and starting families.
It didn't cross their minds at all to stay here and raise a family. It was always obvious to them that London's not set up for that.
Just about every other big city's got all you need. Even some small cities have it.
Can I please ask, what is it that's stopping you from exploring other more affordable and liveable cities?

I live in Norwich. I moved there because I couldn't afford to live in London or anywhere near London. I'm miserable in Norwich because all of my friends and family are in or near London. I don't know why I go to work for 5 days a week to sit in a flat in a city I don't want to be in, hundreds of miles away from my friends and family. 

I understand the situation. A generation has been hung out to dry by the one above it. 

I’m in your generation, and this is quite frankly a stupid take on the situation (although I understand it, given you’re stressed and anxious about the future)

People of any generation buying houses are not cackling whilst rubbing their fingers wanting to pull up the drawbridge. People took advantage of the opportunities at the time. There’s lots of things you can blame for the current housing situation but entire generations is not one of them.

One of the biggest problems is buy to let. Having screwed up the economy and climate, boomers are now looking to owning other people's homes as a way to supplement their adjust generous pensions (which are closed to younger generations).

[Deleted User]

Shaztastic3000 said:

Skill up and earn more

Work full time and study enough to double your salary isn't very helpful.

Retireby40

ripplyuk said:

Retireby40 said:

Everyone wants big city life, yet that isn't affordable for everyone. I would look at the towns and cities close to London and try get that step on the property ladder. 

No they don’t. I wouldn’t live in London if you paid me. 

Lol actually I wouldn't either. But a lot of people do. 

Retireby40

OP what is your actual out of work life schedule like? What is it that you do outside of work that makes living in Norwich and not able to do it like witness protection?

Like do you meet friends every single day? Do you go to each other's houses every evening or what is it like? What are your hobbies?

I'm interested because I don't know anyone in their 30s who works full time who meets their friends every day. Most people (not everyone) meet at the weekend. Which you could do from Norwich.

You certainly won't be able to see them often if you are in Bangkok or Hoi Ann.

tooldle

[Deleted User] said:

sheramber said:

[Deleted User] said:

sheramber said:

It is not a new situation.

20 years ago a colleagues daughter and son in law moved from London to Edinburgh when she became pregnant,  as , despite having two salaries, , they could only afford a small 1 bedroom flat.

House prices have risen over 140% in most UK cities in the last 20 years. Salaries haven't. So, respectfully, I think you're very wrong.  

How can I be wrong about a statement of fact.

This is the kind of stuff I hear from my parents. "It was hard when we first bought a house too". Their first house cost 40k in 1991. Unless they were earning about 4k a year (they weren't), it's entirely incomparable to the situation first-time buyers face now. 

Definitely incomparable. In 1991 house prices had crashed from their 87/88 peak, and in most areas had not begun to recover. Anyone with the funds to purchase was potentially in a far better position than a few years earlier. Comparisons are not helpful, and rarely does anyone drill down into the circumstances of the time, the area, the economy, the base rate etc. Focus on what is within your gift to change, location, job, social circle etc. 

p00hsticks

[Deleted User] said:

AFF8879 said:

[Deleted User] said:

zagubov said:

In my last workplace (in inner London) the staff were mainly recruited from all over England and beyond. They came to start work in their mid-20s and invariably left for promoted posts in the midlands and points north when they were getting married and starting families.
It didn't cross their minds at all to stay here and raise a family. It was always obvious to them that London's not set up for that.
Just about every other big city's got all you need. Even some small cities have it.
Can I please ask, what is it that's stopping you from exploring other more affordable and liveable cities?

I live in Norwich. I moved there because I couldn't afford to live in London or anywhere near London. I'm miserable in Norwich because all of my friends and family are in or near London. I don't know why I go to work for 5 days a week to sit in a flat in a city I don't want to be in, hundreds of miles away from my friends and family. 

I understand the situation. A generation has been hung out to dry by the one above it. 

I’m in your generation, and this is quite frankly a stupid take on the situation (although I understand it, given you’re stressed and anxious about the future)

People of any generation buying houses are not cackling whilst rubbing their fingers wanting to pull up the drawbridge. People took advantage of the opportunities at the time. There’s lots of things you can blame for the current housing situation but entire generations is not one of them.

One of the biggest problems is buy to let. Having screwed up the economy and climate, boomers are now looking to owning other people's homes as a way to supplement their adjust generous pensions (which are closed to younger generations).

At the risk of extending a thread that is veering dangerously into verboten 'discussion Time' territory....

I'm not sure it's entirely down to boomers. It may jsut be my perception but we seem to see quite  a lot of posts on these boards from (I assume) youngish people who either both own their own properties and decide to continue to hang onto both when they move in together or who are upsizing due to growing families but still want to keep the existing one...

Retireby40

p00hsticks said:

[Deleted User] said:

AFF8879 said:

wildbilljones said:

zagubov said:

In my last workplace (in inner London) the staff were mainly recruited from all over England and beyond. They came to start work in their mid-20s and invariably left for promoted posts in the midlands and points north when they were getting married and starting families.
It didn't cross their minds at all to stay here and raise a family. It was always obvious to them that London's not set up for that.
Just about every other big city's got all you need. Even some small cities have it.
Can I please ask, what is it that's stopping you from exploring other more affordable and liveable cities?

I live in Norwich. I moved there because I couldn't afford to live in London or anywhere near London. I'm miserable in Norwich because all of my friends and family are in or near London. I don't know why I go to work for 5 days a week to sit in a flat in a city I don't want to be in, hundreds of miles away from my friends and family. 

I understand the situation. A generation has been hung out to dry by the one above it. 

I’m in your generation, and this is quite frankly a stupid take on the situation (although I understand it, given you’re stressed and anxious about the future)

People of any generation buying houses are not cackling whilst rubbing their fingers wanting to pull up the drawbridge. People took advantage of the opportunities at the time. There’s lots of things you can blame for the current housing situation but entire generations is not one of them.

One of the biggest problems is buy to let. Having screwed up the economy and climate, boomers are now looking to owning other people's homes as a way to supplement their adjust generous pensions (which are closed to younger generations).

At the risk of extending a thread that is veering dangerously into verboten 'discussion Time' territory....

I'm not sure it's entirely down to boomers. It may jsut be my perception but we seem to see quite  a lot of posts on these boards from (I assume) youngish people who either both own their own properties and decide to continue to hang onto both when they move in together or who are upsizing due to growing families but still want to keep the existing one...

Also many people also inherit properties while owning their own. Some don't want to sell because of sentiment. Some don't want to sell because they may in the future need that property and the most suitable thing to do is rent it.

Landlords in general get a bad name. Many people ignorantly call them greedy, however it's purely a form of investment and being smarter with their money and making the most of earnings or savings.

anotheruser

OP:

I have read a few of your posts and they do not make sense.

You say you miss your family but then also say you are looking at moving further away.

What is your priority?
Decide that before anything else.

If you're in your 30s, many people your age are settling down / looking to settle down / full time relationship (note, I said "many" not "most" or "everyone").  Is this you?  If yes, try and find someone - it's much easier now with technology.  If it's not you, then you need to find some other hobbies that can help you get to know people of all ages - even older people will invite you to stuff where there may be younger people there.  Local churches, cafes, hell even our local park has a users group - all good choices to start looking at.

If you're not happy to work work work and get promotions meaning you will earn £100k a year and be able to afford to live in London, then your only choice is to look outside of London, thus sacrificing being close to friends and family.


It seems you don't know what you want and until you start making decisions, you will be like this.

anotheruser

[Deleted User] said:

onetimeatponycamp said:

just wondering how you decided on Norwich, and have you looked at other options?

Thanks. I chose Norwich because it's a nice city, has beautiful surrounding countryside and the train to London only takes 1hr50. 

One hour and 50 minutes?
Have you looked at places like Sheffield / Nottingham / Derby?  The train from Leicester only takes an hour.
On the West Coast you have loads of locations...  Northampton / Rugby / Stafford - all with connections to London that are under 2 hours.

I should think you haven't really checked all those locations, and that's okay, but if you're good with a ~2 hour commute, that broadens your livable areas significantly.