Mortgage Free now aiming for FIRE

savingholmes

All sounds exciting. 

Belated happy birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 

LadyWithAPlan

Sounds like a lovely vacay! Enjoy 

TallGirl

So I am home and it was lovely having the weekend much needed. I got back just after 10pm on Friday and then I had to get up to get the house ready for pictures on Saturday morning not the best plan. It all got done including the garden and I have just checked the brochure and bar one photo we are good to go. Feels unreal but I am ready to move now. 

I wanted to update on the house hunting I did in Denmark as I know you love to see properties. I managed to get over there on Tuesday so not long to sort out viewings but I did get two done. The first one was this one build late 70's but modern bathroom and lovely garden with sea views. Garages are fab too and loads of space inside. I would need to reconfigure the layout in order to get two bathrooms but as it has a cloakroom and you do not need two entrances it could be done. Prices at £218K plenty to play with budgetwise. After we had seen the house the estate agent took us for a 5 min walk to a private beach only accessible by the home owners of this estate (130 in total). It has a key to get in and you will see pictures of it at the end of the link to the property. It was a hot sunny day and honestly it was unreal the beach and they have parties for the residents down there so you would get to know your neighbours quickly. 

We then went to see a modern house built in 2014 slightly smaller but the layout was just perfect. I loved it however there was a unbuilt plot of land to the left of the house that was miles higher and it would be built above this house so they would look straight into the house like this one can into next door. Turns out the developer of this areas refused to pay the resident associations about £60K for these residents to have access to the private beach so that is a no. It was actually nearer to the beach and the main road which was really really noisy. The house is nolonger listed so it might be sold so sadly I cannot show you. It was more expensive than the first one but and you could just move in it was that perfect. 

We then went into town which is 2miles away and is the most beautiful little town with shops restaurants (live music on the square in Summer). It also has a harbour with yachts and a place to swim. We had lunch at a smokery on the quayside looking over to a load of little islands. They also have small ferries going over that you can use. I am fully aware it look amazing on a summers day but things will still be open in Winter so no worries there plus there are gyms etc. 

We then went to see another town where the house huge house was that I really liked the layout off. When you saw it in reality it was so squished in it was unreal. I would not want to live there and the town was totally dead. I am now sold on town one and I can really see us living there. The golf course that is near this town was really lovely a bit smaller but seemed very friendly. 

The first areas is a large area so many houses for sale. I did like that first one but I doubt it will still be around at Christmas let alone when we sell this. It did stink of smoke and would need new flooring as the radiators would need to come out and underfloor heating laid to go with the heat pump that had just been installed. 

Anyway enough about properties time to get the diet under control as the Vinted dress I bought is perfect for the wedding in September i just need to lose my belly or wear strong shapewear. I am really motivated to do it so lets really try.

Signed up for gym Tuesday to Friday day off today. My toes must be broken as it is still not right. I did not get started on C25K sadly and I cannot find my headphones now which is annoying. 

I will need to dig out the big to do list but we have friends coming this weekend they are staying in a hotel due to their dog so not as bad hosting and it is only overnight. Right be get on with some work. 

TallGirl

TO DO
- Change my address and marital status on DK site - DONE changed address I cannot change civil status but I have asked them what to do. 
- Sort will out to include civil partnership
- Work out fee and submit forms to land registry
- Look into international pensions
- Book lunch venue for civil partnership
- Find clothes for CP - ordered dress from Vinted which fits just need accessories to match what DG is wearing. 
- Do CP invites incl asking friends to do bits on the day (photo's music etc) 

Get ready for sale 
- Paint the 2 back fence panels 
- Repoint worst bits of patio - materials and tools READY to do needs to get done asap

daisy_1571

That house looks really nice tg.  Sad that your favourite house is probably sold however I'm glad it is, as hopefully you will be able to put it out your mind and not get hung up on it being perfect inside as it sounds like you would get fed up with it quite quickly with the overlooking issues and the noise.  You can change anything in the house but you can't change things like that. 

Daisy xxx 

TallGirl

Morning sorry I have been missing for a while I managed to catch DGs lurgy and I have been so ill since Monday afternoon. Not great that I managed 1/2 day at work and then I went off sick. I really am struggling with a nasty cough and fever plus aches and pains. I think it is covid but we have run out of tests so I am just staying at home. 

We have 4 viewings booked I am quite surprised and pleased. I did read the housing market is set to pick up as prices are predicted to rise later in the year so that is all great news. 

We have friends coming over on Saturday and Sunday and I am struggling to even think about entertaining them right now but hopefully I will feel better soon. 

daisy_1571 said:

That house looks really nice tg.  Sad that your favourite house is probably sold however I'm glad it is, as hopefully you will be able to put it out your mind and not get hung up on it being perfect inside as it sounds like you would get fed up with it quite quickly with the overlooking issues and the noise.  You can change anything in the house but you can't change things like that. 

Daisy xxx 

Thanks Daisy yes it was the perfect layout and the did really seem the perfect location as well but reality was so different to the pictures. It was quite surprising. Also we had not considered living in the larger seaside town before we went thinking it was better to be closer to my sister and her family. It just goes to show why you need to visit things in person rather than just do everything online. 

I am going to get my free birthday treat from Costa as it runs out today. I have lost 4 pounds as I am just not hungry that is how this lurgy is making me feel. One silver lining. 

savingholmes

That house looked lovely. Decent size garden too.

TallGirl

Morning I am now finally logged in at work again after more horrible days off sick. I have done an urgent medial request with my GP I really think it was Covid but the cough is still there and I am struggling to shift it. 

We did have a good weekend with our friends and their lovely doggy. We did get up to the club but not use the free passes as it was just too hot to go in the spa. I was still feeling rather rough but as they were in a hotel it was very easy hosting. We have two maybe 3 viewings today so going to be a busy one but if there was a more perfect day for having a house with a pool it is today. I have a meeting with my manager today at 3pm so I have to be back for that which is when the third viewing is but we shall see. 

Being off sick has not only helped the diet it has also helped the moneyside as I have had no desire to spend any money. We did use joint funds when we went out at the weekend but I wasn't drinking so it did not cost too much actually. 

Some non illness news the first viewing we had the feedback was quite positive. They are looking for a much larger than ours house as they have a big budget but they saw ours in desperation as they cannot find what they like. They did really like it which surprised them so who knows could be a possible buyer. With a big budget you could extent out the front or even change the roof and go up there which would give you amazing uninterrupted views. 

Off to have smoothie and then tackle those emails. 

TallGirl

Got my GP appointment at 10.15am after I sent the urgent request at 8am and I had my prescription at 4pm. Pretty top notch service for the GP I was well impressed. 7 day course I do hope I feel better soon but at least I slept ok.  

I also had a meeting with my manager and she was really nice I have got a new project but only one and there is then only 1 more waiting to be started so that is good b efore the onslaught in September. 

We went out for the 3 viewings luckily none of them had kids but sounds like two of the three wanted to know if they could buy a bit of the field next door. Well we know the Council said no to us but who knows they might be more desperate now. 

Feedback from the promising first viewing the husband loved it but the wife said no as they have two small children. Well that is no surprise then our house with its stone steps really are not suitable for little kids. We did hear back from another that downstairs is too small. I think it is the price range it is in that makes them say that but also everyone seems to want the huge kitchen dinner extension which we do no have just open plan. I am thinking of moving our sofas around as it would give the room a very different look and we could live with the that change to be honest. 

As you know I have resigned myself to the fact that we will not sell until next year so this is just a test.We only have two more booked now today and on Saturday so lets see and take stock.

The pool man asked if we wanted him around yesterday instead of Friday so I agreed £60 later and the pool is now sparkling and balanced correctly and will look good for the viewing today. 

Another expense was the plumber I decided to get out to look at the three loos. I learnt how to take the covers off which was really easy and although he could not get the part done yesterday he will order it in and get it replaced as it makes a noise when it is refilling as it does not switch off. We have ordered the required washer for the shower that was so simple to fix could have been done ages ago. The upstairs look could do with some part replacing but it is an expensive system and it is working fine he said so that is all good. I think whoever buys this will rip those bathrooms out anyway. 

Joint account is really struggling as the car insurance was due for the cheaper car. I hope the other one and the house is not until October but it could be September. 

I have a lot of work catch up to do so best get on with that. Have a lovely day and hopefully get out in the sunshine. 

TallGirl

Other financial news. 

I won £50 on the Premium bonds I think I forgot to say but that is below what I would get had it been in the bank. Still going to continue to pay in £500 a month and go from there plus I have £2.7K saved in a fixed bond to April 26. 

I also got £100 more in wages as the back pay was added. £1300 went into my pension last month so I did some calculations and if I paid in for another year and then waited until aged 60 it would be worth £70K and I could take £17K as lump sum and then £3130 a year. That would give me £600 a month from ages 60 from two of my pensions without even use the large one. That would be helpful towards bills as I DG would be 65 by then so unlikely to would want to work still. I also found out that my final salary scheme is actually based on the 2 years I was at another employer prior to joining the local authority one. I never knew this until it said 9 years service and I know I was only at the LA for 7 years. I was very low paid but definitely a nice one to have. 

It is so hard to work out if you have enough in retirement or not especially as DG does not have a lot. She does however have the ability to earn good money in a very short space of time especially if I help her so it will provide a good income while working in Denmark. 

I can't remember if I mentioned that my exBIL called me on my birthday and we talked about him buying me out of the business. That would be amazing and extra pennies to add to the retirement pot. I really must get the forms done so they can go to the land registry. I am going to update the to do list now.

More feedback from the estate agent house too small for a family with 3 adult children living at home (well surprise me lol). They do not want us to move the lounge around but have suggested we lose a piece of furniture in the 2nd bedroom which nearly killed me putting it in the loft. All done and the room does look much bigger now.

 TO DO
- Work out fee and submit forms to land registry
- Look into international pensions - partially done
- Book lunch venue for civil partnership
- Find clothes for CP - ordered dress from Vinted
- Do CP invites incl asking friends to do bits on the day (photo's music etc) 


- Repoint worst bits of patio - materials and tools READY to do