Houses

[FoyleFox]

1 hour ago, Greg2607 said:

We did that, had a drive out to the local area.  We also did it two or three different times, so that we could see the area at various times of the day / weekends etc.  It's a lot of effort, but a house is a significant investment.  Street view on Google Maps is also really useful to check out what it looks like in a general sense. 

We'd definitely be doing that if we could, I seem to spend half my life on Google maps satellite or streetview. It's great though, we've looked at a few where the house seems great and then discover it's near a school or opposite an industrial estate. Thought I'd found a nice one today but Google has a playground the otherside of the garden fence. Probably great if you have a family, not so if you like peace and quiet.

 

The environment of the house is as important as the house for us and when you're making a significant investment as you say, it all needs to be right for you.

Edited 21 October 2020 by FoyleFox

[ajthefox]

3 hours ago, Greg2607 said:

We went on to the market at "offers over".  Essentially, we looked at the minimum amount that we would be happy to accept at and marketed the property at that value.  It was £10,000 below the valuation that we had got from two estate agents, but we wanted to generate a quicker sale.  There is always the chance that you get more than one interested party (we didn't in the end)

 

My advice would be to put in a cheeky bid below that "offers over" number, but be prepared to have to go up to it. 

Cheers for that - logically that's pretty much what I was thinking. I'd probably be willing to go slightly over but I think a little under would still be a reasonable amount for what I'm looking at.

I'm curious how set people have been/how people have felt on during the process as well - I can't help but feel quite nervous about the whole thing, although a chunk of that is related to work and the current environment. 

[DB11]

Friday's house move went great, sale completed shortly after 10am and I had the keys to my new house at mid day! The people moving out were still loading the van when I got there at 1030am so parked up round the corner and waited for them to finish and they handed me the keys once the phone call came in to say purchase had gone through. Went really smoothly and if anyone is struggling to find house removals I used the website anyvan.com and would certainly recommend

 

Now the next week or so is getting utilities, Internet, etc all set up!

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Just had an offer accepted on a house in Sileby!

 

Previously owned a place with my ex in Birstall, we sold up when we split up so I've been living back with my mum in Loughborough for a year now, saving up. Been to view a few places within my budget, and this house plus one in Mountsorrel I took an instant liking to. Trouble was the one in Mountsorrel was right at the top of my budget and needed work, whereas the Sileby one was on for a fair bit less so allows me to put money aside to get it how I want it as soon as I move in (all going to plan). Fingers crossed this all goes smoothly 

[Strokes]

2 hours ago, Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo said:

Just had an offer accepted on a house in Sileby!

 

Previously owned a place with my ex in Birstall, we sold up when we split up so I've been living back with my mum in Loughborough for a year now, saving up. Been to view a few places within my budget, and this house plus one in Mountsorrel I took an instant liking to. Trouble was the one in Mountsorrel was right at the top of my budget and needed work, whereas the Sileby one was on for a fair bit less so allows me to put money aside to get it how I want it as soon as I move in (all going to plan). Fingers crossed this all goes smoothly 

Good luck pal,

I used to live in sileby, it’s not a bad village. 

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

1 minute ago, Strokes said:

Good luck pal,

I used to live in sileby, it’s not a bad village. 

Cheers - yeah I grew up there, it's not bad at all and good value

 

Ideally I'd love to live in Quorn, but you can't get anything for under £200k there - so that's something to aim for in a few years time

[Strokes]

1 hour ago, Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo said:

Cheers - yeah I grew up there, it's not bad at all and good value

 

Ideally I'd love to live in Quorn, but you can't get anything for under £200k there - so that's something to aim for in a few years time

That’s what drove me from south Leicester to sileby, it’s incredible value. We made a decent sum on ours too 

[The Fox Covert]

On 21/10/2020 at 18:23, FoyleFox said:

We'd definitely be doing that if we could, I seem to spend half my life on Google maps satellite or streetview. It's great though, we've looked at a few where the house seems great and then discover it's near a school or opposite an industrial estate. Thought I'd found a nice one today but Google has a playground the otherside of the garden fence. Probably great if you have a family, not so if you like peace and quiet.

 

The environment of the house is as important as the house for us and when you're making a significant investment as you say, it all needs to be right for you.

I would definitely do that. The behaviour of kids does not lie. I would stake out the street at the end of the school day and just watch what the kids on their way home are like. And talk to your potential neighbours. I have been in my house for over 20 years and it is a very settled neighbourhood. Of the 15 households at the end of my lane 6 of them have been there longer than I have and several of the ones who have moved are not very far away and I still know them to talk to. The small children when I moved here are now adults buying their first houses and having children.

I did it again a few summers ago when my mother decided she wanted to downsize and move from a large apartment near Victoria Park. She was adamant that she wanted a normal residential street with a mixture of households of different ages, not a purpose-built development for older people. She did the research and found the places she was interested in and I spent almost every other weekend for months driving her up and down checking out the neighbourhood and the house from the outside. She ended up moving to a place two streets from where she lived before she moved to Victoria Park.

[ajthefox]

Put a bid in on my potential first house on Wednesday. Estate agent comes back within an hour or two saying there's been an offer of the asking price. I put a second offer in yesterday nearly a grand higher. Agent goes back and tells the vendor, but unfortunately the other bidder had already spent money on surveys so the the Vendor has opted to press ahead with the sale despite my improved offer. 

 

I respect the decision of the vendor going with people who they have already started the process with, but am I bit frustrated. The vendor had the property on with two agents and didn't tell the one I had been speaking to that they had received an offer until I made mine. It's a shame, given the flat is being sold to someone else for less than I was willing to pay but C'est la vie. Back to the drawing board. More time to save up I suppose.

Edited 30 October 2020 by ajthefox

[UniFox21]

So I've been scouting houses out with some mates to potentially rent for a while. Always knew agents were shitty having dealt with them as a student, but the number of times I've had viewings cancelled without being informed. Meant to be viewing at 10:30 today, my friend rang to check and it had been cancelled without any notification ffs

[FoyleFox]

The industry leaders have appealed to the Chancellor to extend the Stamp Duty holiday.

 

https://propertyindustryeye.com/dear-chancellor-the-letter-requesting-a-stamp-duty-extension-of-six-months/

 

The current timescale for completion has extended fron 12 weeks to 20 weeks due to the time taken to complete searches etc. It was reported this week that 50% of those currently proceeding with purchases will miss out on completing by 31st March and if you haven't started the process by end November there's pretty much no hope of benefiting.

 

If, as widely reported, a second lockdown will be introduced next week, then it'll become worse.

 

We'd accepted that we'd miss out. Fingers crossed it's extended.

 

Edited 31 October 2020 by FoyleFox

[ajthefox]

1 hour ago, FoyleFox said:

The industry leaders have appealed to the Chancellor to extend the Stamp Duty holiday.

 

https://propertyindustryeye.com/dear-chancellor-the-letter-requesting-a-stamp-duty-extension-of-six-months/

 

The current timescale for completion has extended fron 12 weeks to 20 weeks due to the time taken to complete searches etc. It was reported this week that 50% of those currently proceeding with purchases will miss out on completing by 31st March and if you haven't started the process by end November there's pretty much no hope of benefiting.

 

If, as widely reported, a second lockdown will be introduced next week, then it'll become worse.

 

We'd accepted that we'd miss out. Fingers crossed it's extended.

 

I read something about this the other day but part of their justification for extending it was that some people would miss out/there would be a rush and sales would fall through for those who can't complete in time. I get it, but that's going to be a problem for a while you'd imagine, it can't be extended forever..

 

2 hours ago, UniFox21 said:

So I've been scouting houses out with some mates to potentially rent for a while. Always knew agents were shitty having dealt with them as a student, but the number of times I've had viewings cancelled without being informed. Meant to be viewing at 10:30 today, my friend rang to check and it had been cancelled without any notification ffs

I know the feeling mate. I've found several places I lived in as a student through spare room and the quality of communication from many is shocking.

[Leicester_Loyal]

1 hour ago, FoyleFox said:

The industry leaders have appealed to the Chancellor to extend the Stamp Duty holiday.

 

https://propertyindustryeye.com/dear-chancellor-the-letter-requesting-a-stamp-duty-extension-of-six-months/

 

The current timescale for completion has extended fron 12 weeks to 20 weeks due to the time taken to complete searches etc. It was reported this week that 50% of those currently proceeding with purchases will miss out on completing by 31st March and if you haven't started the process by end November there's pretty much no hope of benefiting.

 

If, as widely reported, a second lockdown will be introduced next week, then it'll become worse.

 

We'd accepted that we'd miss out. Fingers crossed it's extended.

 

I was hoping as a first time buyer that after March that would be the end of it and prices would drop slightly (compensating for the uplift due to the stamp duty holiday). To be honest I think if you haven't started the process of buying in the next couple of weeks you'll miss out anyway.

[FoyleFox]

6 minutes ago, ajthefox said:

I read something about this the other day but part of their justification for extending it was that some people would miss out/there would be a rush and sales would fall through for those who can't complete in time. I get it, but that's going to be a problem for a while you'd imagine, it can't be extended forever..

 

 

Indeed. It wasn't anticipated that the sales process was going to be still taking as long as it is and that by now we'd have to situation under control and more normality would've returned. That's far from the case, so hopefully they'll see reason for one further extension. As with all the measures, they can't continue indefinately.

 

Not pretending that I'm not looking at this from a selfish point of view, it would save us a good few grand

[newfox1]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/house-prices-property-market-crash-furlough-stamp-duty-holiday-mortgage-b1450559.html

 

Good article on houses and prices especially with mortgage holidays and furlough coming to an end now. I'm still prepared to wait for a couple of more months to buy as it seems 2021 will give us a clearer idea of what covid recession will do to house prices long term, not the short term pent-up demand.

 

 I know, could be waiting for a long time but a few months won't harm anybody...

[The Fox Covert]

9 hours ago, FoyleFox said:

The industry leaders have appealed to the Chancellor to extend the Stamp Duty holiday.

 

https://propertyindustryeye.com/dear-chancellor-the-letter-requesting-a-stamp-duty-extension-of-six-months/

 

The current timescale for completion has extended fron 12 weeks to 20 weeks due to the time taken to complete searches etc. It was reported this week that 50% of those currently proceeding with purchases will miss out on completing by 31st March and if you haven't started the process by end November there's pretty much no hope of benefiting.

 

If, as widely reported, a second lockdown will be introduced next week, then it'll become worse.

 

We'd accepted that we'd miss out. Fingers crossed it's extended.

 

The current arrangements are a win-win position for solicitors who have no incentive to complete the search and the conveyancing in a timely fashion. If, like estate agents, they received nothing if a sale falls through they would soon change their ways.

[Leicester_Loyal]

On 28/10/2020 at 17:12, Strokes said:

That’s what drove me from south Leicester to sileby, it’s incredible value. We made a decent sum on ours too 

Thurmaston & Syston (where I want to live) seems to be really high priced compared to Sileby and Mountsorrel, even though it's only 10 minutes down the road.

 

I've been looking for almost 6 months now, reckon it'll end up taking 18 months or so by the time I finally get a house and move in.

[Strokes]

18 minutes ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Thurmaston & Syston (where I want to live) seems to be really high priced compared to Sileby and Mountsorrel, even though it's only 10 minutes down the road.

 

I've been looking for almost 6 months now, reckon it'll end up taking 18 months or so by the time I finally get a house and move in.

Tough ain’t it?

Are you struggling to find many houses in the area for your budget or is it that they don’t suit your standards? 

[Leicester_Loyal]

21 minutes ago, Strokes said:

Tough ain’t it?

Are you struggling to find many houses in the area for your budget or is it that they don’t suit your standards? 

Started off being happy for a 2 bed, but the longer this goes on the less I want to ever move again So think I'll just go for a 3 bed and stay there for many years, that way if I meet someone and decide to have a family I haven't got to move again. I'm probably on the lower side of budget for 3 beds, about 200-215k, so the variety isn't that great. We've had the first lockdown, then I had a dick of an estate agent and a lower mortgage valuation, then I've had estate agents who 'forgot' to contact me about my rejected offer, so I missed out on another house, plus the stamp duty freeze which has chucked prices up by about 5%, it hasn't been pleasant!

 

In the last 8/10 weeks the market has slowed down massively, even more so now we're going into the winter months, so I doubt many will come on between now and February time, but I'm hopeful. I could easily move somewhere else further out, but I've grown up around here, I know all the boozers, I like the train being so close (for football and getting to town) and it's generally a nice place to be with good people and shops.

 

Still, there's bigger problems in the world at the minute, living at home for another 6-12 months is no big deal

[fuchsntf]

On 28/10/2020 at 16:16, Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo said:

Cheers - yeah I grew up there, it's not bad at all and good value

 

Ideally I'd love to live in Quorn, but you can't get anything for under £200k there - so that's something to aim for in a few years time

I lost my heart to this area,from Cossington to Quorn. I fell in Love with a Great Girl from Barrow-on-Soar, unfortunately after a Great coutship, we broken each

other hearts....I often had to walk from Cossington or Sileby (according to bus times & rarity) to B.o.S. Loved the area,though I see its changed quite alot in

42 years....!!

Edited 4 November 2020 by fuchsntf

[UpTheLeagueFox]

15 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

 think I'll just go for a 3 bed and stay there for many years, that way if I meet someone and decide to have a family I haven't got to move again.

Exactly my thoughts when I bought my current house (3/4 bed, quiet area, perfect for future partner and kid or two)

That was 15 years ago... and have lived on my own ever since  

[Costock_Fox]

3 minutes ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Exactly my thoughts when I bought my current house (3/4 bed, quiet area, perfect for future partner and kid or two)

That was 15 years ago... and have lived on my own ever since  

Seems there is a perfect solution for all involved here  

[Leicester_Loyal]

28 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

Seems there is a perfect solution for all involved here  

I'm way out of his league

[ajthefox]

On 03/11/2020 at 21:16, Leicester_Loyal said:

Thurmaston & Syston (where I want to live) seems to be really high priced compared to Sileby and Mountsorrel, even though it's only 10 minutes down the road.

 

I've been looking for almost 6 months now, reckon it'll end up taking 18 months or so by the time I finally get a house and move in.

 

On 03/11/2020 at 22:05, Leicester_Loyal said:

Started off being happy for a 2 bed, but the longer this goes on the less I want to ever move again So think I'll just go for a 3 bed and stay there for many years, that way if I meet someone and decide to have a family I haven't got to move again. I'm probably on the lower side of budget for 3 beds, about 200-215k, so the variety isn't that great. We've had the first lockdown, then I had a dick of an estate agent and a lower mortgage valuation, then I've had estate agents who 'forgot' to contact me about my rejected offer, so I missed out on another house, plus the stamp duty freeze which has chucked prices up by about 5%, it hasn't been pleasant!

 

In the last 8/10 weeks the market has slowed down massively, even more so now we're going into the winter months, so I doubt many will come on between now and February time, but I'm hopeful. I could easily move somewhere else further out, but I've grown up around here, I know all the boozers, I like the train being so close (for football and getting to town) and it's generally a nice place to be with good people and shops.

 

Still, there's bigger problems in the world at the minute, living at home for another 6-12 months is no big deal

Similar boat for me mate.

 

Missed out on a place last week essentially because of a lack of communication (not on my part). Got my first agreement in Principle in Feb and have renewed it twice but at this point it looks like it's going to be Feb/March before I even get to the point of having an offer accepted.

 

Annoying thing for me is that I'm in a house share which is doing my tits in.

[Leicester_Loyal]

43 minutes ago, ajthefox said:

 

Similar boat for me mate.

 

Missed out on a place last week essentially because of a lack of communication (not on my part). Got my first agreement in Principle in Feb and have renewed it twice but at this point it looks like it's going to be Feb/March before I even get to the point of having an offer accepted.

 

Annoying thing for me is that I'm in a house share which is doing my tits in.

Mine was July so it's expired now, will have to renew it again once I have an offer accepted on a house. That's mental that it'll have been about a year between have an AIP sorted and an offer accepted on a house.

 

Hopefully we'll both still be employed come next year and the property market will have slowed down!