Disillusioned and just buying anything

FlaatusGoat

Fed up. Gloucester area must have the worst selection of housing stock in the country. The market consists of two types of property sub 300k. A run down terrace in street filled with HMO's. Or a semi in a labyrinth of suburban 70's/new builts/whatevers and completely car dependant to get to any local convenience at all. Any mixture of those are up 30% from 2021.

Not looking for sympathy here but I've pretty much given up looking for anything that's within my area and I'm pretty much now just looking at the worst area which is about 30 miles away because it's the only option it seems. I'm destined to lose all my local contacts, friends and family to live in an anonymous suburban blob.

Anyone else ever been in a similar situation? Rage buying some box because it's literally the only way to not have to be bled out by paying rent. Idea would be to practically drop the place on right move the day I move in however, and just use it as a A to B house and save on doing the same but in a rent. What are the implications here, good strategy or not? Should I just keep waiting to find my OK home (not my dream home just not some complete dives in the middle of nowhere)

Sunsaru

Patience Padawan....

It can be disheartening at times (took me 11 months of searching) but the right house will come up.

FlaatusGoat

Sunsaru said:

Patience Padawan....

It can be disheartening at times (took me 11 months of searching) but the right house will come up.

I've been looking for 2 years (granted I took some breaks one fell through and then the prices/demand were insane) Question though is what really is the money saving option here? I'm paying a grand a month on rent and I've got all the deposit I need to get out of here. What's more mad?

• Renting when I can easily afford to move / FTB
• Buying some S hole to live in
  

Sunsaru

Personally? I would rent till I find somewhere. You can pretty much leave a rental anytime (within reason) you want but you'd be stuck owning an s hole.

Nelliegrace

That sounds so frustrating @FlaatusGoat We started miles from work in a 15 year old jerry build town house, the decorative tiles which were the front and back walls, had just hardboard behind them, and the single glazed widows had rotten frames.The draught blew the curtains. We could hear every conversation and use of the stairs and lavatory by our neighbours. There was no central heating and we had five miserable year there. We could not afford a TV or the licence. DH did a lot of overtime. We had furniture our family were throwing out. There was a lot of vandalism, broken glass, litter and worse. There was a dog who barked all day every day.

It was a start. 
It was a toe hold on the housing ladder. 
It was ours, and the building society’s. 
From there we were able to move up to buying the worst house in a better street. 
Houses nearer to work were still way above our price. We made this home. 

diystarter7

Hi OP

At times, it may be best to move and move to somewhere you did not consider.

By the worst house in the best location as prices are lower and may go lower a little, time to buy rather than trow away your money on rentals, IMO

your choice

Good luck, bud.

tacpot12

If you a buying a house as a temporary measure, it's even more important that it is easy to sell. 

I think patience is the correct strategy here. Keep your ears open, let everyone you know what you are looking for and where. 

Have a look at the auctions, just in case you find a repossession that might be a good buy. Be very careful though; lots of properties go to auctions because they cannot be sold any other way.Talk to the neighbours who will tend to know what problems the house might have. It's a good way to open a conversation with someone who might know of a property that is coming onto the market. 

ProDave

40 years ago my first house was a 1 bedroom new build in a lousy location, bought as literally the only house I could afford due to being small and a poor location.  I knew it was lousy but in a fast rising market at the time it was that or nothing.

I moved on to bigger and better 3 years later.

It seems most people today want to buy their perfect 3 bed semi as their first time buy.  Great if you can, but few can.  the rest have to make do.

I take it you don't drive then?  My complaint with a lot of the small developer boxes is poor car parking, in the price range of my first house you just got an allocated space in a car park at the end of the row.  Wanting your own off street driveway and garage was a pipe dream for a first time buyer.

doingitanyway

I have been looking for nearly 2 years. I've had a few properties fall through at a late stage. Not suitable properties coming up. I understand the temptation to buy somewhere, anywhere....but I've come this far. I'm not looking for perfection but need it to be in the right location and have the basics I need. 

Don't despair! Compromise on what you can but stick to what you need. Good luck.

RelievedSheff

Our first house was ex local authority semi in a not so great area. It wasn't where we wanted to be but it got us on the ladder.

We have since moved on and bought a 3 bed detached in a nice area but the compromise with this one was moving 25 miles from work. It was a move worth making for the better quality of life.

Don't always dismiss a move further afield. It ca  be a good move. 

We knew no one when we moved here but in the 4 years we have been here have made lots of new friends while still seeing our old ones.

SandyN21

I sold my north London 4bed house last March and looking to downsize to a 2bed/2bath first floor only 'forever' flat on a small development (no conversions..maisonettes..bungalows..or houses).  Looking for first floor cause I'm in my mid 60s and thinking of the future when I get older.  I've been renting in Hertfordshire as that's where I want to live now and had budgeted for 2 years of renting.  So far I've viewed 41 flats and not one of them suitable.  I think it's because I'm spoilt in my rental as it's just over 900 sq ft with everything I'm looking for (even has it's own garage and beautiful well kept grounds and views) but unfortunately the landlord is not selling.  

Oh well I keeping scrolling through Rightmoves, Zoopla and Purplebricks and keep in contact with the estate agents around the areas I'm interested in to let me know if they go and value a suitable flat to let me know before it goes on the market.  I'm also a cash buyer...so fingers crossed.