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Well i can assure you i wasn't being smug and only trying to help. :angry: No i don't have property in cambridge city centre. My apartment is not a council property,it is in a converted stately home The rtm is run by the owners of the apartments, hence we price check and employ everyone, so we don't get ripped off. Nothing smug about it, just people being sensible and not paying over the odds.

yes, i am serious william h brown in brandon, suffolk asked to see our bank statement ! :angry: thats why i said , if this happens to you don't give out the information, let your lawyer confirm.!!

I think you should point this out to your landlady and ask her to sort it, in a nice way. Just say you are a little scared/worried and could she see her way forward to making the property more secure. The other possible way is to ask the local neighbourhood watch policeman to give you a visit and see what he says. That way you could get some back up with your landlady.

In the past I haven't found multi agent a problem. It keeps a good stream of viewers through your door. The agents work hard because they want that larger commission. I personally don't think it looks desperate, just looks like someone who wants to sell.

Have a look at the recent sold prices for similar locally. Then go to the land registry website and pay for a copy of the title deeds. That way you will know what they paid for it and when, the prices for similar now. It will give you good scope to put in an offer.

I don't like the idea of shared ownership full stop, but then maybe i am just old fashioned. From reading everyones posts here my thoughts are that if you are going ahead with buying this property then you should get a good conveyancing lawyer to go over the legal side of it and explain everything to you fully. Get together a list of questions and what if's and put it to the lawyer. They are best qualified to explain all. As for the service charge it sound far to much to me, especially if you are buying a new build. We have an apartment in an old converted country house in East Anglia, my service charge is on 50 gbp per month. What services are you getting for that large amount? porterage or something??

Beware of telling any agent that you are a cash buyer in the first instants. William h brown asked us as cash buyers to prove it by showing them our bank statement! Just say you have your finances arranged, and get yourself a solicitor in place, that way if they ask for proof you could get your solicitor to confirm you have the money, without showing them all. I believe that you are in a very good position and can bargin considerably. What about taking along with you a more experienced friend or relative, who understands more about the buying process? That way you wouldn't feel so under pressure. good luck, go for it and bargin.

We purchased an apartment last year which was a repo, advertised with an agent. I would say if you are a cash buyer put a bid in now, they can only refuse and if you want then you could offer more. They will still advertise it until exchange of contracts but unless they get someone who is also a cash buyer my thoughts are they will stick with you. This is what happened in our case. As a cash buyer, get a lawyer in place for the paperwork so that if they accept your offer you can move fast. We were expected to be done in 4 weeks, but it was them who held things up in the end. If you go to a closed bid situation i would walk away. Did this in the past and didn't get the house. Met the new owner a few months later and found out they paid about 30k less than we had offered. There was no reason they purchased it over us as we were cash buyers. I do wonder if the agent decided who they wanted to buy it as it wasn't about money. Avoided that agent ever since! Go for it, good luck!

Why not go to the bank and explain that your mortgage promise is running out and ask them to renew it now, so you don't have to rush in and buy something so urgently?. We renewed ours many times over a two year period and it was never a problem with the halifax, they were very understanding. Take your time and find the right thing, if any property needs work doing make sure to get quotes for that work and then offer accordingly. We a few years ago went after a cottage in a bad state, by having a damp report done we saved 30k. A damp report is always a good barganing chip with a seller, cos if you found it the next buyer may also find it! Good luck.

I think East Anglia always has so many more properties for sale during the summer. Priced hightly looking for the passing person who doesn't know the area but may consider buying because its such a lovely area in summer. It may be better to wait until the winter, when those who are serious about selling are those on the market. Then you have a better chance of buying something at a reasonable price. Good Luck.

Thanks for that. Looking at the accounts for the last few years, these managment companies appear to be such scammers. I can't believe what they have been getting away charging for things. Our building has had one bad experience after another, i am sure that when you employ these people they just look at what last years charges were and go with much of the same. The company we have are not that bad, i just feel we maybe need to re-negociate their role, as somethings they do well and other things badly. Maybe its me expecting too much, but as they are employed by us, i feel we call the shots not them. I am not sure they will like it next year when their role is redifined but i don't think we have much to loose. I am interested in hearing other peoples experiences with these management companies. Any guidance would be welcome.

We have a friend who has about 4 houses now in the Lincoln area. Rents to students. We have looked there ouselves but still see better investments south into Suffolk. Prices similar but returns better. (and suffolk is much prettier) One thing we did learn is that if you buy in central Lincoln be carefull of the flood risk areas. I have been told if you buy in a flood risk area your insurance will be sky high, so something to keep in mind.

Good luck with the house purchase and don't worry about the people from house one. After all business is business!

I would just hang on in there and ride out the sole agency contract. Then you owe them nothing for the hips?( i shouldn't think ?) I can't see how they can charge you for work not done especially as the hips is no more?? you could try checking this with trading standards. Then when that is up,call in as many agents as you can find and play the multi agent game.(minus them) Look at sold prices in your area and you decide the price. Good luck with what ever you decide, but don't let these agents push you around, after all you 're employ them not the other way around.

I have to disagree on this one. There are far better places to live than cambridge. In the uk you work very high hrs for the wages return. Look at any med country and the working week is much shorter. It depends if its money you want of quality of life? For us relocating was the best thing we have ever done, and i feel sad that we couldn't have afforded to do it while our kids were young.

We sold everything and relocated , then 5 years down the line have purchased a small apartment in the uk for holidays and as an investment. If I were you I would rent your house at for the first two years, by then you should know if you like the new place enough to stay. if you do then you can sell the house but until your sure I wouldn't give it all up just yet. Another thing you will need to remember is that if you are not on the electoral role you will have trouble getting bank accounts/mortgages when you return to the uk. Even if you have been a uk tax payer and have a good credit history, nobody will touch you if you have let the electoral role slip. Something we found out even though we were registered at a friends place for tax returns, banking ect. Are you getting medical cover included in your job? Most countries charge for medical treatment and the charges can be quite high, no more gp's and nhs. Something people fail to remember as they get older. Good luck, enjoy.

We brought and sold houses making a profit on each for a few years. Then had enough cash to buy the house we live in without a mortgage.Total life style change/relocation. Then last year we decided to buy again in the uk as prices fell and we were fed up with staying in hotels on our visits back. We purchased with our savings and a small mortgage. Life style wise we couldn't just sit still so we still work but insted of all those hours we put in, we have more quality time and are at least doing it somewhere where the sun shines. Wages are not as high as in the uk but we enjoy what we do which is another bonus. . Will propbably return to live in the uk at some point, and we just look at our uk place as a retirement bonus and holiday home.

Hi all, Looking into a new management company for our converted house of 17 apartments for next year. We are located on the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk/Suffolk county borders. Please can you give me both your good and bad experiences with any property management companies in this area. Thanks in advance.

Hi, Our apartment block uses a property management company for the day to day running of the building. They are employed directly by the leaseholders rtm company. They are not that good but are better than some we have had, does anyone have any advice on how to choose a new company for next year? Or should we put our foot down and stick with the same one? Can anyone from either the Cambridge area or Norfolk area suggest anyone, which they have had a good experience with? Looking back over the last few years accounts from previous ones, the findings are shocking. At present we are using Atlantis estates.

I posted on this all agents website a few years back .I came across it when we had an ongoing court battle with an agent who has sold our contract onto another agent and then robbed an old lady from the church of 100k and driven off into the sunset. Sounds unbelievable but it did happen. They are out there and i for one see no reason why there shouldn't be a website advising people about the rogues. I don't believe all agents are like that but it has made me aware after my experience. So if anyone comes across a guy calling himself Martin Bristow stear well clear. He was involved in letting and sales working from Downham Market in Norfolk,( he also uses many alias's.) Takes the rent money then doesn't pay the landlord. Lots of people i am sure would love to catch up with this guy, so if anyone has seen him lately please speak up. So what would you look for when choosing an estate agent or letting agent?

Why not start viewing rental properties now, that way when you do get your deposit it wouldn't be such a rush.? Just explain this to the rental agents i'm sure they will understand.

We have been living using both sterling and euro for a few years. At some points you are better with sterling and other better with euros. One point it was nearly 1 to 1, so it didn't matter. We keep our savings in sterling just because the euro is so up and down, you know where you stand with sterling. the currency i have seen do well over the last few years is turkish lira. Five years ago i could get nearly 300tl for 100 gbp. Now i am looking at about 230tl for the 100gbp. The turkish lira has consistently done well. The down side is I personally wouldn't trust the Turkish banks as they are a law unto themselves. They offer good interest rates 5% was the last quote i got on sterling.( but also charge high rates for borrowing.)

I think the failure in these systems wftc housing benefit ect ect are because the people employed to do these jobs are 9 to 5 workers. They don't understand self employment or much else, they have never been self employed or owned their own company, hence they just don't understand how things work. thus making a mess of peoples assesments.

I look at the right move info as if i were a buyer. Problems and things which would off put me are : price : slopping ceilings : main bedroom looks at little cramped. The other thing is what are the service charges? if they are high then it could be just that. If it were me i would be looking at the recently sold apartments in the area and price inline with them as a guide. Good luck with selling.

Go to the house you like view and put in an offer. If they accept just go back to the first estate agent and tell them you have changed your mind and the reasons why. When buying and selling houses stuff like this happens all the time. Our last house we sold we had three buyers all who made offers which we accepted but who then pulled out because they couldn't get a mortage. Luckily the fourth buyer could get his finances in order! It happens all the time, don't worry about it, do whats best for you. Good luck.