Anyone else having a nightmare trying to find a home?
Discussion
I've been looking seriously for a year or so now, and it's so very difficult. I'm looking in an incredibly popular city centre location where houses come up rarely, are expensive (for the city), and go insanely quickly. I've tried for 6 so far, and failed on all! 1 i got very close to completing on (and had a mortgage app accepted), but pulled out due to the work being too much, and being in a different financial situation. Another i got accepted on, but then they told me about the subsidence... and 4 more i've failed to get accepted on. I'm in a very good position, renting, massive deposit, ready to move as soon as possible, but flexible on time scales. This whole situation is so very frustrating! The last two i've been rejected on have been over asking price offers, and the last failed because the vendor ended up doing an effective house swap with someone.
Is anyone else going through something similar?
It's almost tempted to just give up and go on a very long holiday.
Is anyone else going through something similar?
It's almost tempted to just give up and go on a very long holiday.
We are looking to move and are really struggling to find anywhere, particularly frustrating as we've had an offer on our current house after just 4 days on the market.
What's crazy is that we have a very large search area, we have favourites, but we're not tied to a particular town or village and yet still we're struggling to find much.
What's crazy is that we have a very large search area, we have favourites, but we're not tied to a particular town or village and yet still we're struggling to find much.
i looked at two properties in west sussex that needed complete renovations, they were on the market less than a week and got full asking prices. Im not saying this is true but feel that those developers who have £££££s in cash sitting around are able to shall we say tempt some agents to put it their way !!!!
I did a little tester on this theory and registered with a few agents as a developer cash buyer, viewed a few that were on the market and showed some interest, then I started to get calls from some agents saying have a property not on the market yet but inviting those with cash to view first !!! so I had some views on places that were not avail to the general public buyers.
I did a little tester on this theory and registered with a few agents as a developer cash buyer, viewed a few that were on the market and showed some interest, then I started to get calls from some agents saying have a property not on the market yet but inviting those with cash to view first !!! so I had some views on places that were not avail to the general public buyers.
Yes.
Been looking for 4 years. We still own our first home in London which is rented out so that is also paying our rent in Hertfordshire but it's been very frustrating as we are really set on staying near where we are at the moment and sod all is for sale.
It's not all bad though. Value of the London place has gone bezerk so the Hertfordshire budget keeps climbing!
Been looking for 4 years. We still own our first home in London which is rented out so that is also paying our rent in Hertfordshire but it's been very frustrating as we are really set on staying near where we are at the moment and sod all is for sale.
It's not all bad though. Value of the London place has gone bezerk so the Hertfordshire budget keeps climbing!
Inkyfingers said:
We are looking to move and are really struggling to find anywhere, particularly frustrating as we've had an offer on our current house after just 4 days on the market.
What's crazy is that we have a very large search area, we have favourites, but we're not tied to a particular town or village and yet still we're struggling to find much.
Exact same situation as us......accepted a full price offer 4 days in, now where is our next house?What's crazy is that we have a very large search area, we have favourites, but we're not tied to a particular town or village and yet still we're struggling to find much.
Also been looking for 12 months, 3 mile search radius but all that seems to come up are newer builds with postage stamp gardens and even smaller bedrooms.
May have been spoilt with the size of our victorian bedrooms but by eck some of them are pushing the "double" spec.
One came up last week which we're viewing Saturday but it's a 3 bed so would need an extension which is do-able but eats into the garden.
Frustrating
May have been spoilt with the size of our victorian bedrooms but by eck some of them are pushing the "double" spec.
One came up last week which we're viewing Saturday but it's a 3 bed so would need an extension which is do-able but eats into the garden.
Frustrating
Sargeant Orange said:
Also been looking for 12 months, 3 mile search radius but all that seems to come up are newer builds with postage stamp gardens and even smaller bedrooms.
May have been spoilt with the size of our victorian bedrooms but by eck some of them are pushing the "double" spec.
One came up last week which we're viewing Saturday but it's a 3 bed so would need an extension which is do-able but eats into the garden.
Frustrating
To be blunt, you either need more money, a different location or live with a tiny garden/rooms.May have been spoilt with the size of our victorian bedrooms but by eck some of them are pushing the "double" spec.
One came up last week which we're viewing Saturday but it's a 3 bed so would need an extension which is do-able but eats into the garden.
Frustrating
In the day of the internet, it's easy for everyone to find out what something is worth (property/car/etc) especially when there's plenty of stock knocking about also either for sale or just sold.
Inkyfingers said:
We are looking to move and are really struggling to find anywhere, particularly frustrating as we've had an offer on our current house after just 4 days on the market.
What's crazy is that we have a very large search area, we have favourites, but we're not tied to a particular town or village and yet still we're struggling to find much.
Same here. Just about to go on the market, but been looking for ages and nothing suitable turns up.What's crazy is that we have a very large search area, we have favourites, but we're not tied to a particular town or village and yet still we're struggling to find much.
Our tick list is:
- Detached
- 4 beds or if less room to extend
- Quiet plot (not on main road)
- Sunny aspect to garden
- Garage and good driveway or space to build garage
It's surprising how few houses tick those must haves.
I have been looking for the best part of a year now. Sold my house and we're living in a flat which we own but don't need to sell to move.
Finding the right balance of location, decent shcools to send our child to and space is proving almost impossible.
Sadly coming to the realisation that it doesn't exist at our budget.
What I find ludicrous is I have a good job with a good salary and all I am after is a reasonable place to raise my family. Prices are ridiculous, even with a decent deposit and the lowest interest rates in history I am struggling. Can only go one way this market, simply not sustainable... and that is what is putting me off committing to a big mortgage. I can see it all coming crashing down.
Finding the right balance of location, decent shcools to send our child to and space is proving almost impossible.
Sadly coming to the realisation that it doesn't exist at our budget.
What I find ludicrous is I have a good job with a good salary and all I am after is a reasonable place to raise my family. Prices are ridiculous, even with a decent deposit and the lowest interest rates in history I am struggling. Can only go one way this market, simply not sustainable... and that is what is putting me off committing to a big mortgage. I can see it all coming crashing down.
Looked for 5 months, got fed up of wasting my weekends and after narrowly missing out one yet another sealed bid, decided f'ck it as have large deposit, long term move, and was worried the mortgage product I want would be stopped so bid a large percentage over asking.
I suspect a large amount of people who turned up at the viewings I went to were either prepared to take on a silly mortgage or were were people who wouldn't actually be approved mortgage wise, some came with their well todo parents.
Things will get easier though
1) In April the new rules kick in http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/a...
2) Interest rates rise in 2015
It is very much a supply issue as the number of immigrants has gone up yet again by hundreds of thousands and the government refuses to do anything about it. Another 200k net migrants last year! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration...
Vote UKIP!
I suspect a large amount of people who turned up at the viewings I went to were either prepared to take on a silly mortgage or were were people who wouldn't actually be approved mortgage wise, some came with their well todo parents.
Things will get easier though
1) In April the new rules kick in http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/a...
2) Interest rates rise in 2015
It is very much a supply issue as the number of immigrants has gone up yet again by hundreds of thousands and the government refuses to do anything about it. Another 200k net migrants last year! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration...
Vote UKIP!
Completed on our house mid December, done the place up slightly and had a letter through the door yesterday asking if we are interested in selling! We are lucky enough to have an extra garden to the side and the letter states they are looking for somewhere to extend. Needless to say we aren't going to be moving any time soon, the refurb nearly killed us. We were lucky to get the place- thankfully we got the vendor onside and had great contact with him which helped a lot.
It is mental around our way too (London). We did think about trying to upsize, but anything we go and see goes under offer pretty soon and EA's give a lot of pressure to offer asking at least.
Staying put for now. I fear we've been priced out of moving to a bigger place for the foreseeable.
Staying put for now. I fear we've been priced out of moving to a bigger place for the foreseeable.
Viewing another place next weekend, so at least property is beginning to come on the market more frequently now.
1hr open house, 20+ people already booked in to view, and the only house the agent was really getting calls about on the day it went up. The advert went up with incorrect details (didn't even get the street correct), no photos, and no descriptions of rooms. They expect to sell with only the 1hr open house.
It's competitive out there!
Thinking of starting to bribe estate agents (and i'm not so sure i'm joking about that anymore!).
1hr open house, 20+ people already booked in to view, and the only house the agent was really getting calls about on the day it went up. The advert went up with incorrect details (didn't even get the street correct), no photos, and no descriptions of rooms. They expect to sell with only the 1hr open house.
It's competitive out there!
Thinking of starting to bribe estate agents (and i'm not so sure i'm joking about that anymore!).
Matt.. said:
Viewing another place next weekend, so at least property is beginning to come on the market more frequently now.
1hr open house, 20+ people already booked in to view, and the only house the agent was really getting calls about on the day it went up. The advert went up with incorrect details (didn't even get the street correct), no photos, and no descriptions of rooms. They expect to sell with only the 1hr open house.
It's competitive out there!
Thinking of starting to bribe estate agents (and i'm not so sure i'm joking about that anymore!).
However this is also a ploy by agents to get an 'auction room' atmosphere on the day so that people will bid up.1hr open house, 20+ people already booked in to view, and the only house the agent was really getting calls about on the day it went up. The advert went up with incorrect details (didn't even get the street correct), no photos, and no descriptions of rooms. They expect to sell with only the 1hr open house.
It's competitive out there!
Thinking of starting to bribe estate agents (and i'm not so sure i'm joking about that anymore!).
If people were left to view at their leisure they'd see the property for the dump it probably is.
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