shufflelot

Sadiq Khan has done nothing for housing in London and as far as I can tell is just another muppet who fooled voters by using his upbringing and religion to appear as if he stood for the working class and cultural diversity. The first time I saw him speak and use that lame thumb point gesture I knew he was a tool. The best part of this is when people start thinking the housing bubble props were running out and how could they possibly create new schemes to keep it all going, in comes micro properties....

I live in a shared ownership in Holloway. The prices here have been rising like mad the last few years and probably because, despite being a bit dumpy still, it has a few pearls and its quick to the centre. Add scarcity with London bursting at its seams, all these idiotic gov schemes and voila..insane prices. I moved here 8 years ago after getting priced out of camden, many people I know kept going...finsbury park....green lanes...seven sisters...walthamstow....M25

Watching friends try to buy flats in London has left me pretty disenchanted the last few years. I work for a company that allows me to move and work remote so I have been thinking about Berlin a lot. Can anyone recommend additional information about buying in Berlin? I will scower through that other thread but Im just interested in buying to live in and not 'investing', which sounds more like infesting to me everytime I hear that word.

I'm currently in London having moved from Canada because my family inherited some property in Malta. Funny thing is it turned out they all had tenants, except for one, that have the right to stay on at WWII rent levels for the rest of their lives, it was like winning the lottery and then losing the ticket. So here I am in London giving half my salary away to rent a little shit hole. Malta has some messed up laws regarding property but in some ways I guess it's a bit communist/socialist and makes a little sense. I did meet some UK citizens that bought during the peak in 2007 and prices have dropped a lot since. I'm keeping my eye on the market though because it does seem like a greater crash is imminent there, but considering Maltese life (I lived there 6 months in sliema), such a small island and very little non maltese with not a lot going on, I'd rather buy something cheaper in Berlin or Montreal.

Thanks for the feedback, especially nice to hear from someone in a similar situation. (glad to hear about the leasehold in scotland too, only learned baout them recently, couldn't believe how stupid it was) Im curious Muswell, do you feel flats like those shown need to drop 50% before you buy in, or how long will you hold out for? 10K a year in North London yields pretty poor living , tiny 1 bedroom flat without even enough space to buy a treadmill and Im still about 15min walk to a tube station. I've looked at 1 bedroom flats and my only chance is one of these equity schemes where you buy 30% at 70K on a leasehold,blah,blah, its absurd and pisses me off to be frank, would take me the rest of my life since Im nearing my cap regarding what I do for a living. Im really surprised to hear those flats are still 50K too high,perhaps on closer look they are a bit rundown, I can only imagine theres a little exageration in that though? I mean thats what my parents townhouse was worth 10 years ago in rural ontario, but maybe there's still much for me to learn re relative salaries and rent levels. I suppose I was thinking Id wait atleast a year anyways if I did move, but for me its more about whether taking the job would land me in a better situation then what Im in now, but I suppose that comes down to salary in the end, because its all relative, and here in London Im really cutout of the market, 8 more years here in london and I'd pretty much have paid off one of those overpriced edinburgh flats anyways

Hi Im pretty new to all this but I'm reaching my mid 30's and feel its time to start considering getting out of the renting trap. I realize the markets not in the best shape currently and with a salary only in high 30's and living/working in central London there's not much choice to be made. This week I'm in talks with a company in Edinburgh where I could possibly retain a similar salary to what I make here in London. I see alot of 1 bedroom flats on rightmove like this http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-28841960.html http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/new-homes/property-27057116.html http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-28927487.html and my dreamy mind takes off. It seems quite realistic if I could keep my current or similar salary but move to Edinburgh I could get out of this vicous cycle, I realize some properties may be overpriced, but Im paying 10K a year in rent in London so I'm wondering does this seem realistic or is there something I'm missing with the Edinburgh market and these 100K flats?(ie leaseholds?) thanks for any comments