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I just bought my first house!
James - 14/5/07 at 12:45 PM

I just bought my first house!

Actually, a few of you know about this already as I completed about 4 weeks ago, but somehow have only just got round to posting it.

This unflattering picture is of the house opposite that's for sale (since we moved in? ). It's basically the same house.




Unfortunately it doesn't come with a garage- but there's a block of them nearby so hoping one will come up for sale soon.

Dunno why I'm posting it here really... probably just cos I'll have a bunch of DIY questions to ask you lot soon!


Cheers,
James

[Edited on 14/5/07 by James]


ned - 14/5/07 at 12:49 PM

So have you finished with my steam wallpaper stripper yet then James, you've had it a few weeks?


graememk - 14/5/07 at 12:50 PM

i'm going to be really rude here but may i ask what a house like that costs down your way ?

around here 2/3 bed semi around the 100 to 130 mark

[Edited on 14/5/07 by graememk]


James - 14/5/07 at 01:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by graememk
i'm going to be really rude here but may i ask what a house like that costs down your way ?

around here 2/3 bed semi around the 100 to 130 mark

[Edited on 14/5/07 by graememk]


Hah! I wish!

I just paid £214k for mine (3 bed) on an asking of 225k. The house in the picture which has a small extension on the back and a garage is up to £275.

So I've only been there 4 weeks and I'm already rich!


Cheers,
James

P.S. Ned, yeah done with it- thanks. Will bring it back whenever you want. We had the sitting room and all three bedrooms stripped in the first weekend! Not bad when my girldfriend had only just had her appendix out as well!


graememk - 14/5/07 at 01:07 PM

wow i dont know how you can afford to buy down there

i have a small detached 3 bed it cost me 100k (4 years ago) and the guy next door has his for sale at £159

when it was built 18 years ago it was 38k new


juneoutside
juneoutside


flak monkey - 14/5/07 at 01:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by James
I just paid £214k for mine (3 bed) on an asking of 225k. The house in the picture which has a small extension on the back and a garage is up to £275


I knew living in norfolk had some advantage, think I just found the biggest!

Thats bloody expensive (comparatively anyway). Looked at a 2 bed bungalow with garage and nice garden for about £120k the other week.

But nevermind, its a good step in the right direction. You'll never do anything on the car now though, as you will always have something to do on the house

David


bob - 14/5/07 at 01:10 PM

James

How much did she get for the appendix ?

I know its bad down here for 1st time buyers but i didnt think it had come to that.

214K is a good deal down here, the only new builds going up are flats at the moment so houses are set to rise in price.

which pleases me


Lawnmower - 14/5/07 at 01:12 PM

Congratulations

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey

But nevermind, its a good step in the right direction. You'll never do anything on the car now though, as you will always have something to do on the house

David


Too true


carlgeldard - 14/5/07 at 02:04 PM

Jesus!!!!!! 214K that's 175 thousand more that I paided 10 years ago for the same type of house.

Carl


whitestu - 14/5/07 at 02:08 PM

I misread that one first time round, and thought you had bought a horse!


James - 14/5/07 at 02:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
You'll never do anything on the car now though, as you will always have something to do on the house

David


You're right there! There is sooo much to do. Especially as we're meant to be having a party there end of August so we need it semi respectable by then.

Every room is a wreck except the kitchen currently.

We've spent every week night, every weekend and I've gone home most lunchtimes for a couple of hours for 4 weeks now!

But that's the benefit of not living there... can trash the place and it doesn't matter too much.

Anyone else fitted their own windows?


Cheers,
James


TheGecko - 14/5/07 at 02:15 PM

Wow! I've just had a reminder that Australia is relatively cheap to live in!

We've been in our current house since March '02. It's a 5-bed, 2-bath, 2-car garage (+ extra workshop space), on 1100 sq.m at the end of a cul de sac with lovely mountain views. We paid just over $200k for it then (about £84k) but due to a boom in the property market over the last few years (plus some improvements we've done) it's probably worth twice that now.

Oh, and it's 12km from the centre of Brisbane and only 18 minutes on the train to work in the city.

Fuel (98 octane) is 53p/litre. Good fillet steak is £8.50/kg. Median salary is around $50k => £21k. Senior analyst like me on about £30k. No heating bills - mild air conditioning in summer.

Why would I live anywhere else

D


Peteff - 14/5/07 at 02:18 PM

Does anyone not fit their own windows? I've concreted floors, put ceilings up and plastered, knocked walls out and bricked door holes up. Also felted and tiled a roof a couple of months ago. I made window frames 20+ years ago but now am replacing them with dg plastic as they get ready.


James - 14/5/07 at 02:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Does anyone not fit their own windows? I've concreted floors, put ceilings up and plastered, knocked walls out and bricked door holes up. Also felted and tiled a roof a couple of months ago. I made window frames 20+ years ago but now am replacing them with dg plastic as they get ready.


As far as I can tell 99.9% of people pay to have them fitted.

But with the daft quotes we've been getting for windows I need to look into doing it myself. I went over to a friend's last night who has fitted them himself and has done a really top looking job. So I'm interested in attempting it myself.

Cheers,
James


James - 14/5/07 at 03:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by CaLviNx
Hi

Holy S*it £214k for a semi.........



Joys of living in the South East!

Commuter belt- tastic!

It's a 3/4minute walk from a Waterloo serving station which doesn't help to be honest!


mcerd1 - 14/5/07 at 03:10 PM

£214k I knew that there had to be somewhere in the country more expensive than here (Edinburgh commuter belt)

Mine cost me £130k last November for a 2 bed ex-council end terrace (circa 1950) with decent size garden and a shed and a wooden garage (not big or good enough for the kit though )

It had been on at offers over £115k and most round here would have gone for at least £135-140 (but the decoration was/is that bad - not badly done, just bad taste) so I was the only offer

[Edited on 14/5/07 by mcerd1]


fesycresy - 14/5/07 at 03:27 PM

James,

Fitting windows is a piece of p*ss. Bought mine straight from the factory.

They're just fixed in with 100mm screws and after 10 years they haven't fallen out, must have done it right !

You'll probably need a yankee screwdriver, but no big deal.

Have fun, Lyn.


matt.c - 14/5/07 at 03:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
quote:
Originally posted by James
I just paid £214k for mine (3 bed) on an asking of 225k. The house in the picture which has a small extension on the back and a garage is up to £275


I knew living in norfolk had some advantage, think I just found the biggest!

Thats bloody expensive (comparatively anyway). Looked at a 2 bed bungalow with garage and nice garden for about £120k the other week.

But nevermind, its a good step in the right direction. You'll never do anything on the car now though, as you will always have something to do on the house

David


Where the hell did you see that? mine is a detatched 2 bedroom bungalow, no garage and its worth around the £175000 mark!


flak monkey - 14/5/07 at 03:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by matt.c
Where the hell did you see that? mine is a detatched 2 bedroom bungalow, no garage and its worth around the £175000 mark!


Terrington, the parents nearly bought it but couldnt get the money quick enough. Went up for sale on the thursday, had 3 bids by the end of the day. Went to the first person to turn up with the cash!

David


ned - 14/5/07 at 04:03 PM

Well my 2 bedroom semi in guildford (about 5 miles from James' is worth at least £205k as that's what next door's went for and mine has off road parking for 2 cars, garage, conservatory and bigger garden

Believe me when I say (no offence James) but for a 3 bed semi his was actually quite 'cheap' in our area of Surrey!

Ned.

ps I paid £181k for mine 3 years ago...

It's not hard to see that now I'm living alone I don't have the money to get my locost finished and pay for the house!!

[Edited on 14/5/07 by ned]


NS Dev - 14/5/07 at 04:08 PM

Holy cripes, I'm pretty happy with where I live then!!!!

I paid £44k for my 3 bed semi, with 100ft x 30ft rear garden, front garden etc, just under 6 years ago, in Barwell near Hinckley, Leicestershire.

pS well done though, now you will be REALLY busy, not just busy!!

[Edited on 14/5/07 by NS Dev]


spaximus - 14/5/07 at 04:23 PM

congratulations James, as others have said you will find lots of more pressing things to spend your money on now.
I guess with the cost you will have a big mortage, so I will tell you what i was when I got my first home. Pay as much off as quick as you can, sacrifice some pleasures now as it will save you thousands in the long run. It will seem hard but at 32 years old I had cleared my mortage after 10 years, which was a huge amonut in 1980.
Some of my friends who did the opposite, lived life and paid the minimum each month still have huge mortages as every time they trade up they take the maximum they can, and tell me how lucky I am.
If you are handy, which building a locost, i assume you are, you can easily fit windows kitchens bathrooms etc and but some value on the house.
Whatever you do good luck for the future


bob - 14/5/07 at 04:23 PM

I doubt if i am 20 miles from ned/james, paid £109K eight years ago this month for my victorian semi (villa) and next door just sold for £295K.

It is stupid money down here especially near the airport, i would just not want to be starting out again.

Good luck james it will all be worth the hard work


Lightning - 14/5/07 at 04:54 PM

Well I bought this 5yrs ago and i just keep on spending money on it like its going out of fasion.Fortunatly as I moved down from London I managed to pay cash.
Benefits of being an old git. 50 next year


[Edited on 14/5/07 by Lightning] Rescued attachment 28 September 2002.jpg
Rescued attachment 28 September 2002.jpg


James - 14/5/07 at 05:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Lightning
Well I bought this 5yrs ago and i just keep on spending money on it like its going out of fasion.Fortunatly as I moved down from London I managed to pay cash.
Benefits of being an old git. 50 next year


[Edited on 14/5/07 by Lightning]


Wow! That is amazing!

I see what you mean when I've read your 'Faulty Towers' profile in the past!

Do you run it as a hotel/guest house? Or just a massive house?




As for the price of mine.... it was about average for size/area. To be honest I've been seriously looking for a house for over a year. The amount of places I've lost through trying to be clever and put in a low offer is ridiculous. With an average house price rise of £13k in this area in the last 12mths it was actually costing me money just *not* buying a house!
I've been saving for many years to buy a place, but I couldn't save a fast as prices are going up, so by waiting I was just throwing money away.
My brother in law said to me: "stop farting around...if you buy somewhere and don't like it, just sell it 3mths later.... you'll probably still make money even if you don't touch it". So I did. And so far I'm very pleased with the area.

Not so pleased with the state of the plumbing and the electrics. But as someone who's built a Locost having previously only changed the oil, I'm clearly willing to give things a try and learn new skills!

Cheers,
James

P.S. It helps that my cousing is a plasterer, my Dad is an electronics engineer, and one of my best mates is a plumber!!!


Peteff - 14/5/07 at 05:13 PM

Young whippersnapper, I'm 55 next month but I'm not admitting to it . If you go for internal beaded windows you won't need to carry the glass up a ladder James, and the burglars can't get them out as quick.


Lightning - 14/5/07 at 05:16 PM

Would you beleive I paid £250k No one wanted it as it used to be nursing home ....and stunk
We have one holiday flat which pays for the bills....p.s. it doesn't stink now

[Edited on 14/5/07 by Lightning]


Fozzie - 14/5/07 at 05:34 PM

Congratulations James!
Now to get the water board sorted, and that bathroom re-fitted!

Living about 16 miles from Ned and about 20 miles from James' new place.......and about 4 miles from Bob.........

I was given 3 valuations just recently......

1...In a 'buyers' market..... £290,000
2...In an 'average' market..£320,000
3...In a 'sellers' market.......£380,000


What is it?....just a 3 bed terrace...with a garage and off road parking for 3 cars.....

Blinkin' stupid prices

Fozzie


bob - 14/5/07 at 05:38 PM

And my neighbours wanted a quick sale

i've got the better access and the garage plus the utility/shower room, i think i'll retire


Fozzie - 14/5/07 at 05:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by bob
And my neighbours wanted a quick sale

i've got the better access and the garage plus the utility/shower room, i think i'll retire


Yup...thats my plan....
My silly house price goes with my post code sadly .....

Fozzie


Alan B - 14/5/07 at 06:00 PM

Our house is worth around 200 to 250k (pounds)....stands me at around 90k....

Fozzie, what would it fetch in your street?

Scary money I bet.....


JoelP - 14/5/07 at 06:09 PM

congrats james, its a nice feeling to own your home. Been here 3 years and need to extend now! The neighbours and plot are too good to leave, but theres no space for kids really.


stevebubs - 14/5/07 at 06:13 PM

quote:
Originally posted by graememk
wow i dont know how you can afford to buy down there

i have a small detached 3 bed it cost me 100k (4 years ago) and the guy next door has his for sale at £159

when it was built 18 years ago it was 38k new


juneoutside
juneoutside



Graeme, looking at the picture, that would be about £250k round here...


Fozzie - 14/5/07 at 06:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Alan B
Our house is worth around 200 to 250k (pounds)....stands me at around 90k....

Fozzie, what would it fetch in your street?

Scary money I bet.....


Alan...you know my house...and when I say 'silly' money...you understand....

My parents have a house of a fairly similar size to yours.....(yours...I remember it well... ..)
on a private estate.....not 'quite' as much ground as you have.....but not far off..... over a squillion on good day,.......£850,000, if not... ......and its still not quite as big as yours, not quite as much ground...and...no swimming pool...

Alan....you know you would be hard pushed to fit yours and your plot.....into 3/4 of my road!

James did very, very well with his purchase! again...congratulations

Fozzie


Pezza - 14/5/07 at 09:47 PM

House prices where I live are ridiculous now, mates tiny 2 bed flat is 120k.
My parents paid 30k for their place, added a conservatory and extension in that time.
It's now worth circa 650k

[Edited on 14-5-07 by Pezza]


RK - 14/5/07 at 10:22 PM

Best investment you can do I think. House prices are nuts everywhere.


martyn_16v - 14/5/07 at 10:35 PM

That does sound like a decent price (relatively speaking). A friend of mine has his 2 bed flat just off Weybridge high st up for sale at the mo - £280k

... which is why I live in the poop end of Addlestone


Fozzie - 14/5/07 at 10:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by martyn_16v
That does sound like a decent price (relatively speaking). A friend of mine has his 2 bed flat just off Weybridge high st up for sale at the mo - £280k




Yes Martyn, our KT12 and KT13 prices are utterly ridiculous...how the youngsters who were born and bred in these parts can ever get on the property ladder now, without having to move miles away is beyond me!

Well done James.....

Fozzie


Pezza - 14/5/07 at 11:36 PM

I can't see myself being able to buy anytime soon round my way.
Planning on building a place, only thing I wont be able to so myself is the brickwork.
Covered pretty much everything else int he last 12 years in the building trade.


Mr G - 15/5/07 at 10:54 AM

Your not going to have to change that avatar on the 1st of July are you pezza?


James - 15/5/07 at 11:02 AM

Thanks for the congratulations everyone.

Give me a few months (like when we've got a loo and parking sorted) and we could maybe have a WLM meet there!

Cheers,
James


Fozzie - 15/5/07 at 11:16 AM

quote:
Originally posted by James
Thanks for the congratulations everyone.

Give me a few months (like when we've got a loo and parking sorted) and we could maybe have a WLM meet there!

Cheers,
James


Do we have to bring our own paint brushes and sand-paper ? ........

Fozzie


brynhamlet - 15/5/07 at 12:27 PM

You lot should stop complaining about house prices. Theres a two bedroom flat up for sale 100 yards from were I work near Tower Bridge in London, which is £1.6 million. Mind you I live in a more sensible area i.e. Newark were my 3 bedroom detached bungerlow is valued roughly £170,000, which is still more than £50,000 more than I paid for less than 4 years ago.