Well only as Iffy asked in the BT thread...
After 18yrs living on the fen in a fairly isolated position... and even longer travelling and working the area... we've crept away to a *normal* location.
Put the house up for sale in April and it sold in 6wks after huge interest and 3 offers. Went with a buyer at a good price for this market knowing they could be a little slow. Took an agonising 14wks from the day the buyer offered until completion.
We only wanted to move to one village and this obviously reduced the choice of houses such that there was nothing suitable that could be bought to fit with our buyers timescales so we are now happily in a rental (in the village we wanted) waiting to pounce on a winter bargain.
This is a difficult market with most people seemingly staying put (unless repossesed) in the best houses and just the dregs left on sale.
Only been moved 4 days so still surrounded by boxes which we keep frantically looking through for this or that. Mrs F collects the cat/dog from kennels today so we'll have to see if they'll do their worse on the off-white carpets. Who in their right mind would put that colour carpet in a family size property to let?
May have to change my username to Exfen.
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Congratulations Fen, and good luck on your search for that bargain property. if the economy nose dives as some are predicting you may end up with a stately home and a little holiday retreat as well for your money.
14 weeks to completion? That's quick my son, my last move took nearly six months to go through!
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Whereabouts are you now?
We could run a small competition for a new username.
I know you are not daft, but I do have a cautionary tale from a friend who moved to rented to wait for the ideal house.
The market blipped, and he found his cash pile wouldn't buy the property pile he was hoping for.
As a cash buyer you can move quickly, but only as fast as - and for the price - the seller will allow.
My friend was gazumped on a couple.
He got sorted in the end, but concedes his property buying plan caused him stress and worry for no benefit.
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>> The market blipped, and he found his cash pile wouldn't buy the property pile he
>> was hoping for.
>>
I think we all know there's not a cat in hells chance of that happening for many years, house prices are only going one way, like the rest of the country.
Mind you i suppose if they print enough notes we could go Zimbabwe style, your money isn't worth the paper it's printed on but you seem to have lots.
Best of luck with the search FL.
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...I think we all know there's not a cat in hells chance of that happening for many years, house prices are only going one way, like the rest of the country...
House prices in this country do not move in a rational way.
I don't know which way the market will move, but it may not follow other economic indicators.
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>> We only wanted to move to one village and this obviously reduced the choice of houses such that there
>> was nothing suitable that could be bought to fit with our buyers timescales so we are now happily in a rental
>> (in the village we wanted) waiting to pounce on a winter bargain.
It's a long shot I know, but my cousin's 2-bed in a village a few miles S of Cambridge has just been put on the market...
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Always worth a long shot Dave... I've had a deal on the most surprising items from a chance forum comment. But we have 2 teens at home and need 3 absolute min but very likely 4 beds. Also our chosen location will still be Cambridgeshire but the noth end and only just... being on the western fringes of the A1.
I think we'll be OK renting in the short/medium term Iffy. We really do know what we're doing and in the modest area/price range of interest to us houses are definitely coming down at the moment**. If for no other reason the usual seasonal poor selling prospects from now until next spring will keep them depressed and by then we should have found somewhere. Once we've bought somewhere and funds are converted into a home we don't really care what happens.... we'll just get on with life.
**As in actual sale prices are dropping... what folks/agents hopefully ask does sometimes make it look a rising market though.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Sun 25 Sep 11 at 15:10
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>>House prices in this country do not move in a rational way.
>>I don't know which way the market will move, but it may not follow other economic >>indicators.
I agree with Man from C & A; house prices may continue to drift lower, or they may not.
:-)
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>> May have to change my username to Exfen.
So you have moved from the rim of the plughole of England somewhere up the chain, village called overflow is it?
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You don't seem to be keen on anywhere north of the M4, Zero...
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Aye, nowt above the u-bend :)
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Not true!
Suffolk is lovely, and North Norfolk is gorgeous.
Its that marsh to the east that's the worrying bit. Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire they call it. Oh and Lincolnshire, dont ever go there.
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>>>So you have moved from the rim of the plughole of England somewhere up the chain
Hmmm previously I've said should the great disaster come and the whole Fens flood from from The Wash in then where we hope to settle will be at the top of the new beach and I'll start selling ice creams.
>>>village called overflow is it?
There was a guy in a village a little East of our old house who commented...
The picturesque olde worlde character of most neighbouring villages can be guessed from their names: Rat Dyke, Foul Fen, Dank, Guttering, High Camp, Down Market, Snare, Wrath, Dry Bicker, Scab, The Nackers, Great and Little Harm, Scum, Crudely and Blight Fen.
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You left out my favourite Linconshire place name: Spital-in-the Street.
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"...Lincolnshire, dont ever go there."
The Lincolnshire Wolds - officially an Area of Outsanding Natural Beauty.
I take it you disagree.
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>> "...Lincolnshire, dont ever go there."
>>
>> The Lincolnshire Wolds - officially an Area of Outsanding Natural Beauty.
Seriously compared to other areas of outstanding natural beauty, the Lincolnshire Wolds are pants - Its only the wet flat bits next door that makes them outstanding.
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>> May have to change my username to Exfen.
Does that mean we're distant cousins?
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>>>Does that mean we're distant cousins?
??? Perhaps I'm a bit on the slow side tonight.
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VxFan
Exfen
Got a similar ring to them.
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>>Does that mean we're distant cousins?
Daddy?
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Ahh OK. I just wondered if Vx might have hailed from the land of dykes... I'll miss the dykes... we have some great big ones nearby.
Mind you we're all distant cousins anyway aren't we... in my semi downtime didn't I read Stu post he was related to King Frederick of Prussia.... or did he say Katie Price... something like that.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Sun 25 Sep 11 at 20:39
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>> Ahh OK. I just wondered if Vx might have hailed from the land of dykes...
>> I'll miss the dykes... we have some great big ones nearby.
"Big dykes" - ooh - you are awful! ;=0
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The university I went to was called 'that obscure Fen seminary' by a pompous professor in the city famous mostly for making Morrises and Minis.
If you're still in Cambridgeshire I think you can still justifiably call yourself Fenlander. My late father, whio hailed from Long Sutton, was proud to call himself a fenlander even though he wa a naval officer for 36 years and then had 30 years of retirement on the Surrey-Hants border.
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Assume you have your cash deposited across the different banking licenses etc to help make sure your deposit is hopefully protected?
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Fair point. Only just paid it in to clear through a current account but we'll consider this when it goes into medium term storage next week.
Understand the licence rather than bank name issue OK.
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Thought it worth a mention as it may get a bit turbulent.
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It appears a joint account doubles the guarantee limit to £170,000, since each person is entitled to claim £85,000.
Putting it with RBS/NatWest is another option, it's owned by the government so is less likely to go bust than the others.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12099592
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>>>It appears a joint account doubles the guarantee limit to £170,000
Yes we'd planned around this allowance. Only needs a couple of joint accounts with different banks (licences) and you've a good start on things.
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...Only needs a couple of joint accounts with different banks (licences) and you've a good start on things...
I thought that might be the case, but decided not to speculate on the size of the Fenlander family fortune.
Must be tempting to try an investment with a higher (projected) return than bank savings accounts.
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Just a general theory re account amounts... not a guide to our stash up or down!
Not looking to earn the max on it really as we are hoping to buy within 6mths and the discount we'll get for our position will be many times the interest in the best accounts over that period... of course some folks would want both.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Mon 26 Sep 11 at 12:48
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That could be your new handle Fenderlander = XFL :o)
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"Put the house up for sale in April and it sold in 6wks after huge interest and 3 offers."
"the discount we'll get for our position"
I am having difficulty in reconciling these two positions.
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I would have thought you of all people would have understood.... you'll have to expand on what's not clear.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 27 Sep 11 at 13:09
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'Discount' and 'buoyant market' do not usually go together.
Equally, 'discount' and 'desirable item' do not usually go together.
The conclusion is you will only get a cheap house if you buy a dump in a falling market.
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I don't want to say more than the minimum but to explain...
Our old house, modest that it was, had been superbly restored internally and benefited from paddocks/stables/workshops. There was not one competitor in its price range/area all this year hence the amount of interest.
We don't have to buy a dump to get value as sitting in rental has massively increased our ability to get best price on many of the places we might want.
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...We don't have to buy a dump to get value as sitting in rental has massively increased our ability to get best price on many of the places we might want...
It has, although you will not be the only cash buying pebble on the house buying beach.
From your previous posts, I gather a suitable house has not been available, no one can buy what is not for sale, which makes temporary renting the obvious solution.
Seems to me your plan will work fine provided you have room to manoeuvre financially.
The correct house for you which sells for £200K today may make £190K, £200K or £210K when you are ready to buy.
None of that really matters if you are able - and willing - to pay the market price.
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>> The conclusion is you will only get a cheap house if you buy a dump
>> in a falling market.
>>
Not at all, you just have to keep your eyes open.
My mate who's very clever at DIY has bought his last two bungalows from retired people eventually going into rest homes.
Both obviously needed updating and refurbing, but structurally sound and the second one especially in a very posh sought after village.
Both bought for a song, being non sellers because..and i know this will take some believing so sit down...the walls weren't beige, neither were the carpets, no double glazing, and the kitchens, oh my Lord, no oak veneered modern fitments...aaarrgh....honestly some people have no imagination.
Both he has turned into very desirable well fitted modern bungalows and all work by his own hand, including DG.
He's just about to sell the second one at roughly 70% increase after 4 years, probably cost him 10% of that profit for materials, he lives in them whilst doing them.
He'll do the same again, i wish i had his hands on skills and aptitude, and his way with the fair maidens who worship him..;)
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You suggest that there are plenty of buyers and lots of offers, so I do not see why you think there will suddenly be no buyers and only desperate sellers.
I should have thought you of all people would have understood... ;)
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@ XFL ... Getcha money under yer mattress quick!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqN3amj6AcE
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He is a trader Dog listen to him he don't give a toss as long he and his ilk is ok.
And he has no answers the markets this the markets that.Here in Brough 900 jobs down the plug hole thats the real economy.
Listening to Angela Murtel she isn't going to print any money to save the Euro.Its all in the balance spend your money while we still can.>:)
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>>He is a trader Dog listen to him he don't give a toss as long he and his ilk is ok<<
It's all coming unravelled Dutchie - 2012 here we come!
We need to get rid of Monetary-ism and have a new form of Capital-ism, instead of the present state of affairs whereby 90% of the wealth is owned by 10% of the people.
Keep watching the skies, like I told thee.
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I've got a bottle of Genever ready its vintage about ten years.If I'm goind down its with a song.>:)
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>>If I'm goind down its with a song.>:)<<
LOL :-D
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>> He is a trader Dog listen to him he don't give a toss as long
>> he and his ilk is ok.
He only confirms what many have been saying for a long time, you cannot keep borrowing to pay back borowed money, it doesn't work in a household, it doesn't work no matter how vast the numbers.
It seems we are to have only a partial default on the Greek debt...it'll be spun with clever words to mask what's really going on....the Greeks and others have been loaned huge amounts thay cannot pay back...ever...so the solvent (at the moment) taxpayer is going to let them not pay at least half back..with money borrowed to make up the shortfall.
Now i'm a simple bloke so can someone explain to me just how far down this slippery slope we can go before the brakes won't work, cos i reckon we're past stopping this slide.
Live BBC, whatta mistaka to make, i'll bet someone's head will roll for allowing that to be aired, he said what wasn't supposed to be heard by the proletariat...they'll be busy finding the usual tame suspects to allay the fears of the truth.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Tue 27 Sep 11 at 14:02
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We'r honest Gordon they haven't got the answer,you listen to ten economist and you will get ten different answers.
The name of the game is recession depression wars.Then start over again.A circle what's being going on since time and memorial.
The Greeks can't pay the moment back and the international mafia fund isn't the answer.
It's only money print some more like the yanks are doing.Obama the great hope they are having a laugh.
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>> It's only money print some more like the yanks are doing.Obama the great hope they
>> are having a laugh.
>>
Absolutely right Dutchie, and as our wise mate Madf pointed out a while ago, the blinkered bamboozled mislead ignorant greedy lazy and idiotic electorate won't vote for a politician that tells the truth, not as there's many of that caste lurking about.
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>>He only confirms what many have been saying for a long time, you cannot keep borrowing to pay back borowed money, it doesn't work in a household, it doesn't work no matter how vast the numbers<<
As I've said before gb, we need people of your ilk to sort this country out (and I mean that most sincerely folks)
Did you see that Shyster on Ch. 4 last night, with all his mi££ions, I'd like to project a piece of hot lead into his cerebral hemisphere, the crook.
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>> Did you see that Shyster on Ch. 4 last night, with all his mi££ions, I'd
>> like to project a piece of hot lead into his cerebral hemisphere, the crook.
>>
No i didn't D, working evening/early night shifts, so probably luckily for my blood pressure and the telly screen i missed it, and from your description sounds like i did the right thing.
I think what gals me the most is that people after hundreds if not thousands of years of snake oil salesmen politicians lying to them still believe in them, with adoration as awarded to some demi god in some cases...grr i'm going for a wash and shave, i'm feeling like getting that time machine fired up and going back for Guido..;)
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>>i'm feeling like getting that time machine fired up and going back for Guido..;)<<
Nah, he was a Catholic, gord :(
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>> Nah, he was a Catholic, gord :(
>>
So am i, well of a very lapsed type...we talk a lot of sense yernow, or the other which is more likely..;)
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Don't mention 'the other', for gawds sake!
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>>Dog, he is apparently as authentic as Daisy the Dog<<
Well Mn, I'm going to stick my head in a bucket of sand, and sing Sweet Adeline :¬)
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>>>You suggest that there are plenty of buyers and lots of offers, so I do not see why you think there will suddenly be no buyers and only desperate sellers.
But you know well Mapmaker every deal is individual. Just because we sold something unique and well presented for a robust price doesn't mean we have to pass that benefit onto those selling what we might want.
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What you are saying you made a good profit and want to buy cheap.
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>>>What you are saying you made a good profit and want to buy cheap.
Well sort of. Of course there is no profit as such selling a family home of 17yrs to buy another family home... it's just a case that every £10k we avoid spending now is more in the girls uni/car/housing fund for the future so we are going to maximise the opportunity.
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Of course. I do hope you get what you want, but you are looking in just one village where nothing is suitable at the moment. Maybe there are three people renting in that village, all with cash?
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Don't assume that cash is automatically king. A seller will look warily at someone who is alleged to have cash. His money might not really be good, and he might decide to pull out at the last moment.
For security a seller wants a buyer locked into exactly the same kind of chain as he is in. Then you all move together, and no one is tempted to pull out.
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>> Don't assume that cash is automatically king. A seller will look warily at someone who
>> is alleged to have cash. His money might not really be good, and he might
>> decide to pull out at the last moment.
>> For security a seller wants a buyer locked into exactly the same kind of chain
>> as he is in. Then you all move together, and no one is tempted to
>> pull out.
If that were the case, then no chain would ever be created. Someone has to have the cash somewhere in the pile. Also plenty of cases where people in chains have pulled out. I have been in three such chains. In fact three out of four ended that way,
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 27 Sep 11 at 14:35
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>>>Don't assume that cash is automatically king
I really don't want to say too much more but our experience at the moment is the availability of funds and nothing to sell is throwing doors wide open. The agents do ask for proof of funds though.
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>>>Maybe there are three people renting in that village, all with cash?
Well then we'll have to pay a little more than them but still way under chain laden mortgage buyers price levels.
Seriously Mapmaker we know what we're doing and will be fine. We've done well with property for over 35yrs in both up and down periods by being basically cautious but knowing when an opportunity needs to be taken.
There's loads of stuff about specific houses and circumstances that would help explain my confidence in this situation and give some amusement about sellers and agents... but it's not for forum sharing.... at least until the deals are concluded and well in the past.
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When we (March this year) bought our little house, there were three offers of the asking price on the table on the Monday morning, [it had just been reduced by £10Kon the Friday before].
Ours was the only cash one - we bought it!
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Yes quite Roger.
There is a place at the moment we could have a go at... 5yrs old, no issues, empty and asking £15k less than the last one of the type sold for just 2mths ago. The *owners* of the place currently will not consider offers from anyone with a place to sell and they've made it known anyone who needs to go through a mortagage application will only be considered as a last resort. They just sensibly want it gone in the quickest timescale with the least things to go wrong.
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...and asking £15k less than the last one of the type sold for just 2mths ago...
Makes we wonder why they don't auction it - prices there often seem close to retail.
Too simple I expect.
Better to put the word out, hush-hush like, in the hope of creating some mystique, which in turn will draw in a buyer who can be fooled into thinking he's onto something special.
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>>>Better to put the word out, hush-hush like, in the hope of creating some mystique, which in turn will draw in a buyer who can be fooled into thinking he's onto something special.
Ah yes that is the agents job and one they practice at all possible opportunities. They'd sell you the house next to the sewerage farm if they could get away with smoothing the viewing experience saying "but it has a lovely shower room".
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 27 Sep 11 at 16:04
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Fenlander no more! - Robin O'Reliant
