Buying a flat, getting a mortgage, and the BS that comes with it...

Drew_TNBD

C'mon... you can hardly blame me. I *am* a musician, that is just a fact of life. As much a fact of life as somebody deciding to have a baby in a block of flats. I will not be buying a flat for 320k, getting myself into huge amounts of debt, and lose the one thing that I truly care about. It's just a nonsense suggestion in my opinion. Sorry Jal!

joneve

boogieman said:

@joneve. If a new build suits you then go for it. That sounds like a pretty sweet deal too. Personally I don't like modern houses but each to their own. I've always found modern builds to lack decent soundproofing and the windows are usually too small for my tastes cos of the modern building regs.

I don't mind modern houses, per se, and I like the convenience of them...They're usually pretty well insulated and energy efficient (windows are a bit small - but this one has french doors on ground and 1st floor, so it's quite decent!), but we'd originally thought about buying a "second hand" place a bit more in the country...but there just aren't places that we like for our budget...and you have the extra expenses of appliances (we're renting out our current place, so the appliances will stay), can't negotiate new carpets and stamp duty/legal fees....so it makes sense for us.

If we could some how make it work, we'd be buying off-plan, which helps with negotiations of getting "free" stuff, but is always a bit of a roulette, but the plot we've seen is perfect for our needs....just a matter of finding the rest of the deposit (read: most of)...:D It's all a bit of a pipe dream at the minute unless a few things come together to make it work. 

Fretwired

Drew_fx said:

See the government has brought this in the last few years:
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/parte/approved

There's a UK company which has designed modular pods which are built in a factory and then assembled and stacked on a frame. The idea is you can have a small one bed flat with a kitchen and bathroom or a four bed flat with two bathrooms and a large dinning area - whatever you want. Everything is assembled in the factory so the bathroom and kitchen come fully kitted out. These are then fixed to an outside framing system and then cladding boards fitted to add colour. Access is via a pre-built staircase or lift. Just add services [electricity, gas, water and sewage] and away you go.

One big advantage is noise - you can have a party in a flat and your neighbours wouldn't hear it. Each pod is heavily insulated and they're attached to other pods via a bracketing system which doesn't transfer any noise. Each pod is around six feet abway form a neighbours pod so they are technically detached.They can also be put up on small bits of waste ground or on disused industrial sites. A prototype has been set up and is being tested by some young people - it was on BBC News. The future of affordable housing in London.

d8m

I live in a flat at the moment and aim to never live in one again.

Since we moved in 2 years ago my playing time has decreased drastically.

I am far to polite about noise so rarely play as I don't want to be the noisy guy causing an inconvenience (normally if there's no cars on the drive I know the buildings empty so let it rip).

We have decided that we are going to move soon (hopefully end of this year) but we need to find the right balance of increasing property size vs budget vs location.

One thing I have got defined though is well get a house (ideally detached or at least free of houses on one side so that I can get playing again!

Jalapeno

Drew_fx said:

C'mon... you can hardly blame me. I *am* a musician, that is just a fact of life. As much a fact of life as somebody deciding to have a baby in a block of flats. I will not be buying a flat for 320k, getting myself into huge amounts of debt, and lose the one thing that I truly care about. It's just a nonsense suggestion in my opinion. Sorry Jal!

No need to apologise, you said you wanted a discussion ... that's my opinion, and my experience of living in a block of flats, it's a form of communal living and compromise is needed. You do whatever you like chief !

jonnyburgo

What are the possibilities of a move to Japan?

Drew_TNBD

jonnyburgo said:

What are the possibilities of a move to Japan?

Family out there. Have already been told that we could stay at the parents house while we look for a place. Really, the only things stopping me are band, language barrier, and insecurity about job prospects.

EricTheWeary

Every house was a new build once, I can assure you they weren't doing a great job of them in 1973. London is a different planet than the rest of the UK in terms of house prices. Good luck.

jonnyburgo

Drew_fx said:

jonnyburgo said:

What are the possibilities of a move to Japan?

Family out there. Have already been told that we could stay at the parents house while we look for a place. Really, the only things stopping me are band, language barrier, and insecurity about job prospects.

Easy for me to say Drew but Im married with kids and 42 years old. If I was in your position I would be off like a shot. 

Drew_TNBD

jonnyburgo said:

Drew_fx said:

jonnyburgo said:

What are the possibilities of a move to Japan?

Family out there. Have already been told that we could stay at the parents house while we look for a place. Really, the only things stopping me are band, language barrier, and insecurity about job prospects.

Easy for me to say Drew but Im married with kids and 42 years old. If I was in your position I would be off like a shot. 

You know when you have an idea, but everything about it makes your bowels jump into your throat?

Yeah, that.

jonnyburgo

Yeah sure but theres no better time than when you are young and without ties. It takes a lot of balls but If I had the chance again etc etc..... what's the worst that could happen?

d8m

Drew_fx said:

jonnyburgo said:

Drew_fx said:

jonnyburgo said:

What are the possibilities of a move to Japan?

Family out there. Have already been told that we could stay at the parents house while we look for a place. Really, the only things stopping me are band, language barrier, and insecurity about job prospects.

Easy for me to say Drew but Im married with kids and 42 years old. If I was in your position I would be off like a shot. 

You know when you have an idea, but everything about it makes your bowels jump into your throat?

Yeah, that.

He who dares Rodney.

stickyfiddle

Drew_fx said:

jonnyburgo said:

What are the possibilities of a move to Japan?

Family out there. Have already been told that we could stay at the parents house while we look for a place. Really, the only things stopping me are band, language barrier, and insecurity about job prospects.

I had all that. Big moves are scary as fuck but it's not bad once you jump

FWIW all the new builds I've lived in have been good quality with thick walls but thin ceilings/floors. Not great for music sadly.

Phil_aka_Pip

Drew_fx said:

jonnyburgo said:

Drew_fx said:

jonnyburgo said:

What are the possibilities of a move to Japan?

Family out there. Have already been told that we could stay at the parents house while we look for a place. Really, the only things stopping me are band, language barrier, and insecurity about job prospects.

Easy for me to say Drew but Im married with kids and 42 years old. If I was in your position I would be off like a shot. 

You know when you have an idea, but everything about it makes your bowels jump into your throat?

Yeah, that.

You must have been listening to Vogon poetry. Grunthos The Flatulent would be proud of you

Grunfeld

Drew_fx said:

underdog;340688" said:

Yeah I'm sitting here shocked at how much people are quoting to live there. Honestly if it were me I'd just move somewhere cheaper

My house cost 120k 4 bedroom, 3 story with huge back garden and large front, and I wasn't happy paying that

It's the best place to live in England imho. I've been too a fair number of places, and there is no where else I'd like to live. Going back to the Midlands is not an option. Brighton is too small. Southampton is grim as fuck. Bath is boring, etc.. etc..

Okay.... [deep breath], have you considered 'Nam?

The People's Republic of Barking & Dagenham is one of the cheapest places to live in London.  Solid 30's build houses and flats.  And good connections on the District and overground.  People go "Euuuk, it's East..." but that's bollocks IMO.  Which is cool by me cos it's my win.  I have a house and a flat [2 bedroom, solid, 144k] out here. 

Stevepage

I bought my 1 bed flat last year with my wife. We managed to save a decent deposit so we didn't need a help to buy scheme to buy ours. We live in Watford and unfortunately to buy a house that's not in the slum part of Watford is near impossible for us. I'm not going to get a pay rise any time soon and neither is the wife so we're having to think of moving further away to be able to afford a house.

So far we've looked at Dunstable, but I hear pretty bad things about there. Ideally I'd move more towards New Forest/Cornwall and try to start fresh with new jobs but we're thinking of having kids in the next couple of years so we don't want to be too far from our parents.

My advise, look around. Don't buy the first thing you see and definitely don't settle. Get something you BOTH want and would be happy to live in. Also, consider the costs of service charges, ground etc as that can be a real kick in the teeth.

boogieman

Dunstable's a shithole. Luton is even worse. Avoid both like the plague.

Phil_aka_Pip

Stevepage said:

I bought my 1 bed flat last year with my wife.

she must have been highly desirable. wish I had such a wife so I could swop her for a thatched cottage out in the sticks

Stevepage

Haha, I didn't realise what I'd done. Ah well.

I grew up in Hatfield so if Dunstable is like Hatfield, I can deal with it. Luton however I'm never going near. I used to do some gardening jobs in Luton and I hated every moment I was there.

holnrew

The only time I've been to Luton is when my cousin married his cousin.