LL75

Asking prices are going a bit silly here now in Langdon Hills (and South Essex, Basildon, Wickford area in general) as people I imagine are spilling out of London further in to Essex One 2 bed house (terrace Langdon Hills), went up in February for £220k, sold within a week. Just before Christmas there was a 2 bed terrace (a bit of work needed doing) that was up for £210k, an identical property (bit better condition) was put up for £225k, that sold quickly. There is very little on the market at the moment, there are a couple of 2 bed properties for £240k! A little further out, (in Steeple View, still a reasonable area) a 2 bed semi with garage sold for (I believe) just under £210k just before Christmas. There are now two 2 bed semis up, one with just allocated parking (no garage), both for £240k. It's ridiculous that in the space of 4 months that houses have gone up by 20k-30k. It is barmy that small, effectively two bedroom starter homes, in a new town, (where wages aren't brilliant), are now touching quarter of a million pounds. In 2001 my parents bought a 4 bed detached, big drive double garage, un-overlooked, down a quiet road, backing onto the woodlands for £250k, mind boggling when you think of what that doesn't get you now. I looked at a small 1 bed property in Langdon Hills for £175k on a Saturday a few weeks ago, that had sold STC by Tuesday morning. I also drove past a nice "couple of year old" 2 Bed Semi with Garage, Bellway build that I had seen on Rightmove, in the dump of an area Lee Chapel North (19 burglaries in two weeks, doors being smashed in, cars taken off drives, Police warnings out, etc) there was a spate of women being attacked in the area last year as well. That was up for £225k and sold in a week. It doesn't help when Basildon was bandied about earlier this year as being the most affordable area for City workers! Even further out the prices are still solid or going up. Small 2 bed centre terraces with allocated parking spaces in Wickford, £210k-£220k. You just can't save enough to keep up with these rises. The other thing you are getting in that area is nice looking houses for £200k-210k, and when you click on them they are homes for life, and over 60's plans.

Haven't read all of this thread, but it is a similar situation with me. I was on the train once a couple of years ago, a couple of women started talking to me, asking where I lived etc. They weren't all that to be honest ,(and I wouldn't have gone there), but talking about where I lived. Being a bit more talkative than normal (after quite a few drinks with mates in London) mentioned living with parents whilst looking for a house, there response was a bit of sympathy, but also "some of our friends wouldn't go out with anyone that didn't have their own house." One of our neighbours's has also said that her daughter, who has a flat, also "wouldn't go out with anyone who doesn't have their own place." So yes it is a difficult situation I can totally sympathise with, I can't start any relationships until I get my own place, by that time any chance of starting a life and family will pretty much be over. Still, such is life, everything happens for a reason I suppose.

Well last year I got a 3% pay rise, this year, just 2%, and that was the highest anyone could get on my grade!

I don't think the bubble will burst. The Government won't let it, too many people are making money out of it to let it fail, just like the banking sector, they will pull every conceivable lever to stop it. What you will end up with, in 20-30 years time is the rich city bankers/accountants/fund managers and Buy to let brigade owning large swathes of properties to fund their retirement or lavish lifestyles. The rest will be forever renting, until they retire, then you end up with a crisis, millions of people retiring (or never retiring due to their piss-poor stakeholder pensions), still having to pay sky high rents into their 70's and 80's. It is a complete shift in society IMHO, The rich get richer, the poor or average worker can never aspire to anything better, as the rich have taken it away to fund their lifestyles. I don't think anyone in the street cares about the election, so I don't predict there will be any drop, all parties are a bunch of self serving cretins with their snouts in the trough. People can't really connect with any of them or believe anything they say.

There is nothing in Langdon Hills, or Steeple View, where I want to buy. Properties have gone up by about 40k in two years. £225k is now the going price for a two bed. Everything that comes in goes straight out of the door, because it is a more desirable area. No-one wants to live in the main part of Basildon or Laindon unless they have no other option. I am now putting in lots of extra overtime to try and catch up, as I don't get bonuses and will be lucky if I get a 3% salary rise again this year. Who said Financial Services was well paid? I just don't know what the answer is? Buy an ex-council dump, with neighbours with their cars on ramps and mouldy caravans in the front garden, just to get on the ladder, even though I would leave it empty and never even live there (instead staying with the parents). Just don't know what to do for the best. Do you jump now, buy anything in case everything just keeps on going forever upwards, or buy now and find you have bought something you didn't want, and then get saddled with it if the prices drop, and you find you could have bought what you wanted originally.

Sounds like a couple wanting to live the high life and will borrow regardless of the cost or scheme. If you have to rely on the Government on £143k p/a than you are living beyond your means or have expectations that are too high. Surely being sensible, you could save for a few months and make up the difference. HTB has screwed over people like me, average salary + £70k deposit. Two years ago properties were £185k, now they are £225k and shoot out the EA's doors as soon as they come in. I can't borrow any higher multiples of income, I can only keep saving more of a deposit, which is barely keeping up with the price increases. I am now around £25k short of what I need. So if you are a joint or above average earner, the Government will bail you out with HTB, if you have the deposit, but are a single average wage earner you are stuffed. It is infuriating as if you do the right thing and save you are screwed, if you only save the bare minimum the government will reward you and give you free money (for a few years).

Still no sign of any price softening here: One property is up for £200,000, an identical property (and in better décor) sold in November 2013 for £180k. The one up for sale is now having an open house day in January after being up on RM for a month or so. I don't know whether the seller is being overly optimistic, but the same property sold in March 2007 (wasn't that near the peak?) for £161k!

Is the UK's obsession with houseprices damaging the economy? Might be interesting.

That 3 bed Semi looks great value compared to Basildon, Essex. I am looking in Langdon Hills (nicest area of Basildon, but not as ott price-wise as Billericay or Brentwood). A 2 bed with Garage is north of £215k here. They were £165k-£190k two years ago. I saw one for sale the other day (in the worst part of Langdon Hills), the house is unoccupied, 2 bed a strange shape 1980s build semi. The kitchen and bathrooms are unusable and are in pieces and would need to be completely refitted. The conservatory looks a bit mouldy and all of the rooms would need total redecoration. It was up for £194,500. They have had an offer for £198k and are still open to offers of more! So £189k for a 3 bed semi with garage would be within my grasp, if only I could get a mere 2 bed semi for that in Essex I would be in there like a shot

One property in my area (2 bed house, Garage at end of cul-de-sac, not in the best street) and needing extensive work has been on Rightmove for a month or so at £194,500. An offer has been put in for £198,000. So no sign of dropping prices here, considering the house needs a new bathroom, new kitchen every room redecorating, (and the house looks as if it has been empty for a while) there are still people offering above the asking price.

I work in Financial Services and for 5 years got nothing in the way of rises. Everything was done to make getting a rise extremely difficult, and basically a tick box excercise (i.e over 70 criteria you had to meet for a £1k rise). Being admin (non management) staff we are excluded from Bonuses as well. I finally got a 3% rise this year, however a £750 rise is nothing in the space of 6 years. I don't know how much further this can continue, looking on Rightmove tonight a House in the area which I was frantically saving for has just gone sold STC (asking price £230k). It last sold in January 2012 for £168k. House price rise £62k Pay rise £750 Doesn't add up at all, either everyone is getting huge rises, bonuses, or finding well paid city jobs, or are mortgaging themselves into oblivion.

Prices still ridiculous here in Langdon Hills, Basildon. 2 Bed end of terrace with garage sold STC (£230k). Last sold January 2012 for £168k! Can't post the link but the postcode is SS16 6EA

Just looking through some of the STC ones on Rightmove in Langdon Hills, Basildon, Essex. I haven't been able to post the link here, but one that was up for £179,995, now sold STC. It is a small 1 bed (1980's build) terraced house. Looking back through the history, the same house sold for £138,000 in August 2008. I thought 2008 was the high point of prices, obviously not. That asking price is over £40k (approximately 29%) more than the 2008 figure it sold for.

Looks like my brother's neighbour's one has fallen through at £355k (originally up for £345k), it has gone back on the market now, marked up at £375k!!

I was wondering how you get a 187k mortgage on that as well. Whenever I stick a salary figure just under 26k on the online calculators with a 60k deposit, the figures only show a maximum of around 120k. 187k on 25k (with a tiny deposit) is unbelievable, dare I say a reckless. I thought that 4.5x income was still being offered, but banks could only lend a certain percentage of their mortgages at more than 4.5.