Right - help me find a house!

[The Moose]

I know this might end up a bit like GG but I thought it's worth an ask if anyone has some interesting ideas...

Hours of trawling RightMove/PrimeLocation/FindAProperty/etc don't really seem to be getting anywhere so time to tap the font of all knowledge that is Ph...if you don't mind

Price: I've been searching for up to £400,000 - but would be looking to spend a little less than that.
Bedrooms: Minimum of 3 - I would like to have at least one lodger to help out with the bills.
Location: (This is the tricky bit!) - I work just on the West side of Uxbridge...but not too near a train station. I don't mind a commute of 45 mins to an hour - any more would kill me... I think! I would prefer not to be in the centre of London as I don't really fancy that type of living. I'm relatively easy about country or town living.

Other Requirements:

• Single garage a must - double garage would be nice
• Without the 'perma-curry' would be fantastic!
• Garden - some would be nice - place for a barbie etc is always good
• Preferably not ex-caahhhncil/affordable housing area if poss

I've just today put an offer in on a place between Burnham and Taplow but I doubt it will be accepted because the fella bought at the wrong time and paid over the odds for the property and doesn't seem willing to come to terms with this.

So, I guess the question is - any smart ideas?!

Cheers

The Moose

Edited by The Moose on Saturday 5th February 23:27

[Harpo]

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12063/theres-a-...

Cheers

The Harpo

[The Moose]

Harpo said:

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12063/theres-a-...

Cheers

The Harpo

Hopefully there will be one soon....

Cheers

The Moose

[The Moose]

Oh, I forgot to add - I'll whack a cheque for £100 in the post to anyone who brings a property to my attention that I then buy .

Cheers

The Moose

[Zeemax_Mini]

Have you narrowed it down to any locations in particular? I live in Taplow, there's Maidenhead and Windsor nearby?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Something like those?

Dom

[The Moose]

That's the type of thing Dom...but I've already seen both those properties!

That is what I think the biggest problem I'm having is - I have so many options open to me in terms of what I buy and its location. I am thinking near a station (with a reasonable run into London) would be useful as I am planning on having a lodger to chuck some money in the bills pot. Other than that, location wise I'm easy!

I know it sounds like I've got it relatively easy on the property hunt front (flexibility all round) ...but sometimes that makes the decision harder!

Cheers

The Moose

[Zeemax_Mini]

Maidenhead's OK - nice parts (river) and not so nice parts, one advantage is the trains at rush hour take only 19 minutes into Paddington. Windsor town is lovely (aside from the flight path noise) though more expensive, less parking and not so great trains. Looking a bit further afield:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

They're all within 15 miles of Uxbridge - any of them close to what you're looking for?!

Dom

[The Moose]

Zeemax_Mini said:

Maidenhead's OK - nice parts (river) and not so nice parts, one advantage is the trains at rush hour take only 19 minutes into Paddington. Windsor town is lovely (aside from the flight path noise) though more expensive, less parking and not so great trains. Looking a bit further afield:

1. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
2. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
3. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
4. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
5. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
6. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
7. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

They're all within 15 miles of Uxbridge - any of them close to what you're looking for?!

Dom

Thanks for those Dom.

2. Certainly worth an in depth chat with the agent
5. Got to be worth a look also
6. Had my eye on that for a bit - am wondering about viewing it - can't hurt
7. Garden looks nice. House doesn't look too bad either! I don't know - is that area of Hemel ok?

I also wouldn't be adverse to spending less on the property (lets say 300k-325k) and spending a bit of time/cash sorting a place out.

Cheers

The Moose

[Zeemax_Mini]

I don't know Hemel at all I'm afraid so I wouldn't be able to help with that. What's more important to you - house or location? Also in terms of commute, wouldn't you prefer something shorter than 45 mins? I'd be trying to narrow it down to a few locations and then searching around there - looking at a map (and this is a huge generalisation I'm sure) it seems that the west of Uxbridge has some nicer towns than the east...excluding Slough that is! So Maidenhead, Taplow (though I'd get annoyed at that commute), then Gerrards Cross (expensive) and Egham (well connected but maybe not the nicest towns). Windsor is only a 25 minute commute and a lovely town (where I'd chose to live!), and whilst very expensive there are some lovely places on the outskirts.

May I present...

Not this one, without a garage at £350k....http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-28567621.html
But this one, next door, with a garage at £325k...http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32371574.html

If my flat had sold yet (in Taplow) I'd be bloody tempted by that! Lovely area, close to windsor, 25 minute commute to Uxbridge, nice garden and garage etc. Only downside is only one parking space on the drive infront, but if you look at streetview it looks like there'd be parking on the road!

Dom

[Zeemax_Mini]

If you did want to consider Maidenhead, this would be worth a look:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

I know it well, it's on quite a busy road but would be literally under a minutes walk to the station and about 2 minutes walk into the town centre, whilst still being far enough out to be away from it all. You'd never have any problem renting out your spare rooms, and i expect if you did it up nicely you could increase the value a fair bit as it's very well connected and the station will be part of Crossrail in a few years when it's built. Lots of room for cars too on that nice big drive!

Dom

[The Moose]

It looks like I've got 2 more houses to view now

Good shout on the £325 Windsor and the Maidenhead one!

Taplow to just West of Uxbridge wouldn't be more than about 20/25 mins - I love those backroads all the way in.

To answer your question, the house is more important...but the location does have some relevance. E.g. I wouldn't want to live in the nicest house on the Britwell (are there any nice houses there...). I wouldn't want to worry about the misses being hassled from the car to the door if you know what I mean.

The house I made an offer on was this one: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Cheers

The Moose

[Turbodiesel1690]

5 bedroom detached with detached garage, £175,000

http://www.danielhenry.co.uk/11-hall-stevenson-par...

Something of a commute though as its in Northern Ireland. Bloody cheap though

[The Moose]

Turbodiesel1690 said:

5 bedroom detached with detached garage, £175,000

http://www.danielhenry.co.uk/11-hall-stevenson-par...

Something of a commute though as its in Northern Ireland. Bloody cheap though

That would certainly win the 'I haven't looked at it yet' competition!!

I guess with the spare £200k I could get my helicopter license, buy a helicopter and fly to work as we have landing facilities here

Cheers

The Moose

[Zeemax_Mini]

I'd been putting location first really, if you're not that bothered then I'm sure there's more available. That oakley green house is a lovely location, but obviously a bit smaller for the money. The Maidenhead one is a very well connected location, though a fairly busy road. How about a bit of a project (and a cheeky low offer):

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Dom

[The Big G]

Bexley Street - Windsor - A large punt for £340000

I lived in Windsor and still have a house there. I tried to buy a couple of houses on this street. Two good pubs at the other end of the road and a very short walk into town. The place I eventually bought is only a couple of mins walk from here.

This would be a large gamble and would need a change of use to turn it back into a house. Doing this, returning the front to a plain brick fascia as the rest of the houses on the street it would not stand out. Also extension at the back would create a fantastic living dining area and a upstairs bathroom. Running along the back of the property is a private lane full of garages for the properties, you will also be the owner of the part of the lane next to your house so will be able to park on it too. Parking in Windsor can be a nightmare unfortunately.

I loved living in Windsor and really wish to return one day.

If I were you location would be my main priority followed by garage then accommodation.

[BoRED S2upid]

Here you go:

4 Bedrooms and your own private wood! http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Not enough bedrooms? heres 10 bedrooms and a sea view http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Ok more of a drive to work than you ideally want but they are nice big properties for your £400k

[Zeemax_Mini]

The Big G said:

Bexley Street - Windsor - A large punt for £340000

My granny lives in Bexley Street! It's a nice part of town, quiet street but only a few minutes walk into town! Just fairly small houses with not much outside space!

Dom

[Puggit]

Hemel is a tad too far - the M25 isn't going to let you have a 45 min commute

How about Rickmansworth?

Self contained annexe: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope... (oops, where did the garage go!?)

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

[koolchris99]

you used globrix??

good easy to use site. can search on the map and select features such as garage etc..

[koolchris99]

http://www.haart.co.uk/buying-house/Mapsearch/sear...

Spend the rest of the cash doing it up
http://www.rowanwebster.co.uk/property_details.php...