How has this house gone up so much?

Herzlos

Mark_Glasses said:

@herzlos we do go on holiday, we went to Southend this year. We do both feel we've now seen enough of Southend and would like to see more of the world. Wouldn't you agree though that it would be more sensible to buy a house first? Not only would it take £3k out of our fund but the bank would also see we spend £3k on holidays and lend us less accordingly.

Regarding a car, neither of us are going to use it to drive to work. I would have to park at an expensive car park some distance away from the office, pay the congestion charge and negotiate heavy traffic. I work right next to a tube station and live pretty close to one too, it would be mad to drive there instead. When visiting family, we can get cheap advance tickets to see my parents in Leeds and her parents live right next to a train station in Kent so can't see us using a car for that. Going to the local shops is probably quicker walking. If we had a car we'd use it very rarely so doesn't make much sense to have one when we're trying to save money.

I'm honest about my finances with her. She has access to our savings too. She just takes no interest in anything financial.

Those are questions to ask your wife, not the internet.

You mentioned before that she doesn't like you being so tight about money, so you really need to see how she really feels. Is she miserable? Is she on board with living in poverty until you're a millionairre? Even if that means not getting to have fun until she's 80?

You've got, from what we can tell, at least £100k in savings and another £125k in equity. The bank isn't going to care about a £3k holiday and having £3k less deposit is only going to impact you to the tune of about £12k worth of mortgage.

If you're just about to buy a house, then maybe hold off on the "expensive" holiday, if you're not then at least let your wife live a little.

RHemmings

Mark_Glasses said:

@RHemmings Birmingham is big enough, only London is bigger. However it's not a very nice city from what I've seen.

Birmingham, like most cities, has nice bits and not so nice bits. Are there really no bits that you like? 

Here's a list of places that were voted the best places to live in Birmingham. https://sevencapital.com/property-news/best-place-to-live-in-birmingham/

hazyjo

@hazyjo I've been to the beach, along the cobbled streets as you walk away from the beach and have also been out to the castle past the train station. Don't know if there was anything else to see. 

I do believe a lot of people do have some money stashed away somewhere. I know it's fiction but the way Del Boy is broke but then finds a stash of money when he needs it happens in real life. My parents were working class without much money, but if they suddenly needed £3k for something they'd have it. The only person that knows I have any savings at all is my wife and I'm forever telling my friends that I'm broke.

I mentioned earlier about where to visit in Leigh-on-Sea. Yes, there's a lot more to it. Lots of restaurants and shops, etc. A good alternative to London.

RelievedSheff

Enjoy your life and your earnings while you are young and fit enough to do so.

You will only regret not living your life to the full when you are older and unable to do so.

BikingBud

Stop feeding!

Mark_Glasses

@Herzlos her biggest complaint is the fact when her parents were our age they were living in the house they still live in now. They live in a sizable house by a station in a commuter town that isn't cheap. It makes her feel like she's got nowhere in life. She questions why we haven't managed to do the same, only her dad worked and he never made more than £50k, I make more than £50k and she's bringing in a wage too. 

She won't ever believe we'd be able to buy a house until we've bought one. If I ever talk numbers she's not interested.

I don't think either of us want to wait until we're 80 before we start living our lives. 

What's the solution though? 

@RHemmings whatever I've seen of Birmingham I don't like. A friend of mine lived there for a bit and I remember going to Broad St and Digbeth and thought they were horrible. He did too and moved back to Leeds.

@hazyjo I can't remember street names or pub names but looked on the map to say where you suggested to visit and I've been there. It's a good place for a holiday but not sure about living there.

@RelievedSheff I completely agree, I already regret not going on holiday to Ibiza when I was young enough to enjoy it. How do you do it when you're always dreading going to work and always have the risk of unemployment round the corner?

@BikingBud what do you mean?

PartyOfFive

Boring……. 

hazyjo

@hazyjo I can't remember street names or pub names but looked on the map to say where you suggested to visit and I've been there. It's a good place for a holiday but not sure about living there.

It's a residential town so I'm not sure where you're looking.

Think I've 'helped' all I can. There ain't those so blind... 

RelievedSheff

Mark_Glasses said:

@RelievedSheff I completely agree, I already regret not going on holiday to Ibiza when I was young enough to enjoy it. How do you do it when you're always dreading going to work and always have the risk of unemployment round the corner?

We have both been in our jobs for 20+ years. Our jobs are as stable as they come. I don't dread going to work, equally I don't see it as the be all and end all. It is a job that pays the bills and gives us a very comfortable standard of living.

We go out and do things and see things now, while we can.

Yes you never know what is around the corner, but you can't always live by "what if"

Herzlos

Mark_Glasses said:

@Herzlos her biggest complaint is the fact when her parents were our age they were living in the house they still live in now. They live in a sizable house by a station in a commuter town that isn't cheap. It makes her feel like she's got nowhere in life. She questions why we haven't managed to do the same, only her dad worked and he never made more than £50k, I make more than £50k and she's bringing in a wage too.

£50k was a LOT more money 30 years ago, when house prices were much lower. You're not going to get the same level of property success as your parents did.

Mark_Glasses said:
What's the solution though?

Enjoy life now. Buy a house you like and can afford, and spend some of your money instead of hoarding it against a magic number.