How can people be so greedy?

MrsE_2

Badger_Lady wrote: »

So some areas are unaffordable, but the OP's isn't, my new area in Wales certainly isn't (I keep meeting other young, single homeowners here!) and there are plenty of other places that aren't. So it's a mixed bag. Just as there are some areas that are still benefitting from HPI (like mine), and are worth stretching yourself a little bit more for. If home-ownership is that important (more important than living near friends / family / work etc), just move here! If it's not that important, it's not worth whinging about.

Its really easy to say that when you live in a cheap area.
My husbands work is in London (& ONLY London).
I work for Surrey council.
I doubt our daughter would move & we wouldn't leave her.
We can't/won't move.
You are suggesting that people in the south of England need to move country to Wales to be able to afford to buy a house!
There must be a better solution than that.

gm47

[quote=PasturesNew;9208893]When I grew up we had one coal fire in one room, the living room. Yes and I had to make it every morning !!
In the winter the ice was thick on the inside of the bedroom window.
We had blankets, not duvets (!!!!!!' cold) we had old coats !!
We had lino on the floor in the 60s, which made us a bit posher than the others in our street. You were lucky !!
We only got a telephone when I was 10 and we moved into a house with one connected. Wasn't allowed to use it though.Yes I remember that too.

As a kid we'd have a holiday every year. We'd drive (£40, hand-painted wreck) to the seaside, Maybe 1-2 nights we might have chips as a special treat.[/quote] Drive... chips twice... you were definetly spoiled big time :-)

But they were good days...most of the time !!

Davesnave

You are suggesting that people in the south of England need to move country to Wales to be able to afford to buy a house!
There must be a better solution than that.

OMG, there must be for you dear! With a signature like that, I can't see you enjoying life in Llanybydder, though Llanelli might suit I suppose. (Wales in-joke.)

It has always been the case that those who want the best value need to up-sticks and go to another area. Look at merlinthehappypig's post; North Devon used to be very affordable, just like Pembrokeshire & Ceredigion are now......then the gentrification brigade found it (well, they built a decent road.) On the other hand, kids who do well there don't have to leave the area to get a decent job.....they just can't afford to buy a house!

Swings & roundabouts.

Oh God, I've just upset everyone in Llanelli......as well as Mrs E!

margaretclare

Caffca wrote: »

I'm sorry Blue_Monkey but I have to disagree with you entirely with this remark. I'm 39, my brother 38 so we were growing up around the same time as you. We were latch-key kids and I can assure you we weren't wealthy.

My mum worked because she had to, not because she wanted to. She felt guilty as hell about us being latch-key kids but there was no alternative, dad's income just didn't cover all the bills never mind paying for anything over and above the basic needs of shelter, heat, food and clothes for growing kids. It was bloomin hard for my parents to keep everything together for us and they would go without if we needed something e.g. new shoes (not designer trainers or anything - they didn't exist) - but because our others were worn out or no longer fitted and I can't tolerate all that effort, hard work and love as parents being totally discounted by a remark that is not actually accurate.

On behalf of your parents' generation, thank you for that. How nice to think that someone of the next generation actually appreciated all that we did, in opposition to the oft-repeated remark that older generations 'shafted' the younger ones.

Possibly some mums did work because they wanted to and not becuse they had to but I really think you must have rose-coloured spectacles on if you think your sweeping generalisation applied to the entire country at the time.

To be fair, in my case at least I don't think it was either wanting to or having to, but a combination of the two. I had postnatal depression following birth of second daughter in December 1963, and a few weeks later I saw a consultant psychiatrist who told me that I was too darned intelligent to be 'just a housewife'. I was a part-time staff nurse from June 1964.

Whether I wanted to or had to, it became an absolute godsend when we couldn't manage the mortgage and had our first home repossessed, that was in 1971. Husband had been in and out of jobs ever since leaving the RAF in 1964, health problems, repeated infections, you name it, culminating in the start of heart disease in 1972 (he died in 1992 after a long downward spiral of heart surgery, strokes, you name it). What a godsend that I was by then a qualified midwife and I got a house that went with the job (those don't exist any more either!) He never worked from 1976 onwards so was at home for the kids, but the decisions I'd made earlier, to train and qualify, certainly paid off. I don't know what we'd have done otherwise. Lived on benefits, me trying to fit the stereotype of dependent not working wife? I don't think so.

Margaret

izzybusy23

But these people will eventually have no option to sell and FTB's time will come. It may be 4-5 years down the road, but it will come.

Think yourself as lucky. I am 36 and will be looking at buying a house when I am nearer 40. At least you have age on your side!!

Patience is a virtue.. and I agree, this stupidity is all over greed and people think its a quick way for them to make a small fortune. Unfortunatley greed will also be their undoing.

Keep your chin up, your time will come!

izzybusy23

carolt wrote: »

Totally sympathise, but just to add - you can have kids in rented accommodation - I have 3; you don't have to put your life on hold, just because of what house prices may do. Enjoy your life - you sound financially sensible.

Don't worry - prices are already coming down and have MUCH further to fall!

As others have said, you'd have much more cause to worry if you'd lied to buy your colleagues over-priced starter home or similar....

That is so true. You CANNOT put your life on hold waiting for house prices to fall. I found myself pregnant in 2004 in a really bad situation and low part of my life. I was told by professionals that I could not become pregnant, so here I was going through a mega rough patch in my life, pregnant with the possibility of being homeless due to a messy divorce. Now what do I do.. get rid of that much wanted child that I'd had test for years for just because I was going to become homeless (council would not house me, even pregnant) or abort that much wanted child and stay in the rough patch of my life just for a roof over my head. Guess what, I chose to keep my child and rent privately. Four years on my gorgeous daughter is nearly 3 and although I am still renting, my finances are in much better order and I am so much happier with my lot. Granted, I would love my own home but said daughter starts proper school next year, finances will improve so I will be able to save more. Hopefully in four years time houses would have downturned significantly and I would had saved up enough of a deposit to have a 60% mortgage.

Renting isn't the end of the world.. and nobody please put your life on hold because you rent. Ok, its carp having to move with 2 months notice, but I would much rather do that then see my biological clock ticking away whilst trying to pay off a huge mortgage.

Davesnave

Four years on my gorgeous daughter is nearly 3 and although I am still renting, my finances are in much better order and I am so much happier with my lot. Granted, I would love my own home but said daughter starts proper school next year, finances will improve so I will be able to save more. Hopefully in four years time houses would have downturned significantly and I would have saved up enough of a deposit to have a 60% mortgage.

Renting isn't the end of the world.. and nobody please put your life on hold because you rent. Ok, its carp having to move with 2 months notice, but I would much rather do that then see my biological clock ticking away whilst trying to pay off a huge mortgage.

Great attitude, and I'm really pleased for you. Best of luck with your plans.

I hope OP reads this and begins to understand why I, among others, understood his frustration, but didn't feel particularly sorry for him. Like you, I've been making plans for years now, but my 'biological clock' has struck the hour and those have to go out the window. Doesn't stop me making new plans though.......Adapt & survive.

Phirefly

Oh B*GGER I'm gutted I missed the playing out of this thread. It looks right up my street

Dylanwing

OP - Spot on. Student debt will really kick in soon, and the longer term damage to the UK will be immense. Lax renting controls have made BTL easy money for the cowboys. Longer term, we have a generation of people who are unlikely to be able to lay down roots, so will continue with a single lifestyle, never having children. Conversely, the workshy get pregnant and a Council House to go with it, and extra children means more income and a chance of a bigger house, all paid for by the working people, stuck in over-priced Private renting. You could argue that we are breeding from our weaker stock rather than our better stock, another time bomb ticking away.

The Government needs to act sooner, rather than later, but that requires either a fundamental shift back to Social Housing and a re-write of the qualifications criteria, or much more stringent controls on private letting to allow tenants greater security of tenure and freedom to personalise the property (Along with greater protection against bad tenants).

Phirefly

Phirefly wrote: »

Oh B*GGER I'm gutted I missed the playing out of this thread. It looks right up my street

In fact thinking about it, the fact I missed it is actually hugely relevant.

Instead of bemoaning my circumstances which a few years back were quite similar to the OPs, I'm too mad busy setting up my business with the ultimate aim of financial freedom. Perhaps a few more round here ought to try the same.