Need to buy a house, budget £150k

[croyde]

Ok, I know most of you would spend that on a garage, possibly a double but it's all I have. I could stretch to £180k but that'll mean no money for fixing, painting and..... living.

If I spend too much I'd have to find a job, which is difficult considering that my budget only really covers places a bit out of the way.

So I'm 64 this year, got pushed out of my job last year and haven't worked since. So I'm either unemployed or retired, still haven't decided.

Londoner born and bred, renting and it's a massive chunk each month and I'm burning through my savings.

I want a 2 bedroom house with some outside space and easy parking. A garage would be nice. This will hopefully mean that I can get by on my state and small private pension

I accept that I'll have to move a long way from London in order to do this but I'd prefer to stay in the South.

I've seen online some possibles in Cornwall and Devon. This morning I had a look at Herefordshire and some really nice places came up, some well below £150k.

But, hang on! they all have cheaply tiled lounges as are the rest of the ground floors (very Spanish) and are cash only.

I'm a cash buyer but why cash only?

Mortgage company won't touch them?

That lovely River Wye that meanders across the flat fields. Great for walking, cycling, boating, fishing and...... Flooding

My eyes are going from scrolling Zoopla/Rightmove for months, so if anyone fancies searching on my behalf

Edited by croyde on Sunday 7th June 10:25

[ColinM50]

Have you thought of Park Homes? Should get one in the S/E for round your budget

[croyde]

I have to swerve Park Homes due to the monthly cost. Some are not far off what I currently pay for rent.

Has to be a freehold house

[J6542]

Move to the east coast of Scotland. Have a look around Angus, Forfar, Brechin, Arbroath and Montrose.

[Saleen836]

Have you had a look in the West Wiltshire area?

[loskie]

here in dumfries and galloway you could get something

its in the south but not the s of england


https://espc.com/properties?p=3&locations=dumf...

[Huzzah]

East Anglia, low rainfall mostly pleasant climate.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/161251103#/...

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/174048179#/...

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/174423518#/...

Edited by Huzzah on Sunday 7th June 10:49

[J6542]

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/169564217

[Slow.Patrol]

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/162458036#/...

Harwich in Essex

Close to a train station too.

[Regbuser]

Mumbles? https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/153945410

Prestatyn?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/171579668

Llandudno?
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/174845408

Edited by Regbuser on Sunday 7th June 11:00

[GliderRider]

In addition to your £150K budget, if you're not planning to work, you have another major asset - time.

Provided the property can be lived in, you can refurbish it at your own rate as and when your funds permit. Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Ebay and even Freecycle are full of things that people have bought and changed their minds about, or just lightly used. Only a fool or a-time deprived person pays full retail.

You may say you don't have the skills or the equipment, however Youtube is full of videos showing the how to, and the above sources plus car boot sales can provide the tools.

If you work on the basis of putting in something that does the job initially, and replace it with the one you really want when it comes up at the right price, your budget will stretch much further.

You may also find that you can trade the skills you do have with tradesmen or competent DIY-ers who have the skills you don't.

[Blue_star]

Mumbles is lovely; an hour in the car and you are hiking the black mountains. However, do you have any friends or family you would like to be close by? Is everyone in London?

I also recommend being not far from the national trust membership sites. I always have lots of fun when I go. Always people your age who want to chat (ladies too )

[bristolracer]

Curiously one of those Facebook reels popped up today of cheapest places in England
Hull
Middlesbrough
Sunderland
Bradford
Stoke on Trent

When my daughter was at uni in Liverpool there was some cheap stuff up there, and the scousers are a friendly bunch too.

[snuffy]

loskie said:

here in dumfries and galloway you could get something

its in the south but not the s of england


https://espc.com/properties?p=3&locations=dumf...

There's a few there in Langholm and I was there only a few weeks ago. l looked in one estate agents window and saw one place for £45k. I dont know what you got for your £45k - but even so, I could not believe my eyes.

[Tracklover]

I would suggest a small market town in the midlands, but on the east coast mainline to London for visiting friends and family.

Best of both worlds then - you're moving to a much nicer area, with cheaper houses, but still "connected" to London.

[OutInTheShed]

There are one and two bed terraced places in Devon in this budget.
Including a lot of former holiday homes in some nice places IMHO.
But I think you need to be clear what you are buying into.
What kind of community, environment, economy, facilities etc.
The whole 'what lifestyle am I committing to?' question.

I'd be asking questions like 'what can I do with my time?' and 'could I pick up some casual work around here?'

As for the 'cash buyer' properties, they vary a lot. Mostly not mortgageable, some want lots of work, pick up the phone and ask.
Go and see a few, estate agents charge vendors a lot of money to cover punters wasting their time.
Find out about similar places which have sold etc.

[Little Lofty]

Cash only can be a few things, not habitable eg no kitchen/bathroom, none standard construction is a common one, sometimes is due to unlawful work such as a bodged loft conversions that has caused structural or fire safety issues, it can also be a short lease, under 80 years can cause issues with some lenders.

[loskie]

Coming from Scotland leasehold seems like a very odd thing.

[Little Lofty]

loskie said:

Coming from Scotland leasehold seems like a very odd thing.

It is, and seems to becoming more problematic. If the lease starts at 999 years with a ground rent of a few £ they are fine, if they start at 99 years with a ground rent that doubles every 10 years they are pretty much un-sellable.

[A500leroy]

Head for Lincolnshire mate