Jump to content
House Price Crash Forum

A Mate Has Just Ftb'd


Recommended Posts

0
HOLA441
1
HOLA442
South East, 40 mins commute time to London, 3 bed semi, near seaside.

130K.

Get in!

ok, the place is a wreck and if I named the town many of you would laugh, but I think he's made a good buy.

Me personally am awaiting the crash, which could well not materialise for at least another 2 years.

So long as he is prepared for the risk that it could be worth less in the future, can live with that and hasn't over stretched himself, then fine, why not?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2
HOLA443
3
HOLA444
4
HOLA445
5
HOLA446

A friend at work is who lives with his family in South London is thinking of buying on the south coast in a couple of years.

I said it was a good move as if the country went into recession it is the places whose economy is based on weekenders, shopping and tourism who will suffer most. ie. coastal towns.

Is that sound logic?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6
HOLA447
7
HOLA448
8
HOLA449
My guess would be Southend. Mind you, its not really the sea side, more like mud flats as far as the eye can see.

Is it really a 40 min commute door to door? Everyone lies about how long it take them to get to work in London.

SO TRUE!!!

Anyone who commutes into London lies as much abvout this as home-owners do about the market.

They also quote the time the train takes but conveninetly forget to factor in:

the walk to the station.

the delays or the problems if they miss their train.

Why is this?

I always feel it is people justifying the decision to themselves for moving outisde London.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9
HOLA4410
South East, 40 mins commute time to London, 3 bed semi, near seaside.

130K.

Get in!

ok, the place is a wreck and if I named the town many of you would laugh, but I think he's made a good buy.

Me personally am awaiting the crash, which could well not materialise for at least another 2 years.

It's not one of those garden sheds at Jaywick is it? :lol:

I hope it goes well for him and he invites you to the housewarming party.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10
HOLA4411
My guess would be Southend. Mind you, its not really the sea side, more like mud flats as far as the eye can see.

Is it really a 40 min commute door to door? Everyone lies about how long it take them to get to work in London.

correctemundo.

yep, prob a bit more than 40 i guess. he only has to travel half the distance though

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11
HOLA4412

To be honest (and I am a bear), £130k for a 3 bed seems reasonable to me. I don't really know the Southend market that well. But on the face of it it seems a decent enough price.

But... I did a house up a few years back and it cost a LOT more than I expected it to and it took years of my weekends.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12
HOLA4413

its not reasonable. 80k is reasonable. he is probably only earning 30k if hes lucky.

btw: i work from a home office, so my morning commute is 12 seconds, or 9 mins if i go to the toilet first.

40mins and im already on the 2nd task of the day.

no one can catch me after my morning dump.....

same for coming home. no terror bombs and bus fumes for me thanks. im here watching newsround by then or looking for a good place for a cat nap.

Edited by right_freds_dead
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13
HOLA4414
14
HOLA4415
15
HOLA4416
SO TRUE!!!

Anyone who commutes into London lies as much abvout this as home-owners do about the market.

They also quote the time the train takes but conveninetly forget to factor in:

the walk to the station.

the delays or the problems if they miss their train.

Why is this?

I always feel it is people justifying the decision to themselves for moving outisde London.

I agree with that. However, I have some sympathy, because I commute into London every day by train, and I am absolutely amazed that when I tell people that I meet what job I do, where I live, etc. The ONLY question I can guarantee will be asked is "How long does it take you to get in to work then?" *YAWN* Why that? It is like a nervous tick people have. It makes me laugh how this is the "most interesting" aspect of the situation to them. Why not ask me if I like my job (yes, lots). Why not ask me if I like being able to walk out into the country in ten minutes at the weekend (yes, lots)? Why not ask me if I like not having to shop in grotty overpriced London shops, or battle up and down the congested road to the supermarket (yup)? Why not ask if I like the fact that I can breathe clean air (uh-huh)?

Sure, I wish it didn't take so long to get to work every day. But I always get a seat on the train, over the last year the trains have been very punctual, I like listening to music, reading etc. on the train, and it is the only time I get to myself now that I have a family to look after.

I think just as people who commute feel bullied into justifying their commute by people who seem obsessed with that aspect of lifestyle over everything else, people who don't commute are also trying to justify why they don't do it; for example they are secretly wondering whether they could get a better job in London, or if they could have a better home life outside London.

Everything in life is a compromise. Different people will choose different solutions to the compromise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16
HOLA4417
Guest The dude
I agree with that. However, I have some sympathy, because I commute into London every day by train, and I am absolutely amazed that when I tell people that I meet what job I do, where I live, etc. The ONLY question I can guarantee will be asked is "How long does it take you to get in to work then?" *YAWN* Why that? It is like a nervous tick people have. It makes me laugh how this is the "most interesting" aspect of the situation to them. Why not ask me if I like my job (yes, lots). Why not ask me if I like being able to walk out into the country in ten minutes at the weekend (yes, lots)? Why not ask me if I like not having to shop in grotty overpriced London shops, or battle up and down the congested road to the supermarket (yup)? Why not ask if I like the fact that I can breathe clean air (uh-huh)?

Sure, I wish it didn't take so long to get to work every day. But I always get a seat on the train, over the last year the trains have been very punctual, I like listening to music, reading etc. on the train, and it is the only time I get to myself now that I have a family to look after.

I think just as people who commute feel bullied into justifying their commute by people who seem obsessed with that aspect of lifestyle over everything else, people who don't commute are also trying to justify why they don't do it; for example they are secretly wondering whether they could get a better job in London, or if they could have a better home life outside London.

Everything in life is a compromise. Different people will choose different solutions to the compromise.

Good for you...if you're happy with it. Would it be possible to work from home?...I appreciate this isn't for everyone but surely working from home has got to be the way forward. No congestion.....no hassle. I personally wouldn't commute into London. To me it is the epitome of the Rat Race.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17
HOLA4418
Good for you...if you're happy with it. Would it be possible to work from home?...I appreciate this isn't for everyone but surely working from home has got to be the way forward. No congestion.....no hassle.  I personally wouldn't commute into London.  To me it is the epitome of the Rat Race.

Yep I can relate to right_freds_dead but since going into this rental property it means the WC is two floors up from my home office. But those two flights of stairs are sure doing wonders for my figure. :rolleyes:

Sat here listening to Radio Five Live, lifes one long commute

mypc1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18
HOLA4419
Sure, I wish it didn't take so long to get to work every day. But I always get a seat on the train, over the last year the trains have been very punctual, I like listening to music, reading etc. on the train, and it is the only time I get to myself now that I have a family to look after.

Rather you than me. I last took a train trip to London about 9 months ago. Even though the trains ran on time it was a depressing experience. Things weren't so punctual on the return trip.

I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who has to go through that 5 days a week, EVERY week just to get to work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19
HOLA4420

I agree. I sometimes go in, sometimes WFH... the more WFH the better for me.

Although I did WFH nearly 100% of the time a year or two ago, and talking to my dogs all day I am sure I started to lose my social skills :blink:

I'm sure I would've started inviting Jehova's Witnesses in if they'd been sociable enough to call on me :ph34r:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20
HOLA4421
Rather you than me. I last took a train trip to London about 9 months ago. Even though the trains ran on time it was a depressing experience. Things weren't so punctual on the return trip.

I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who has to go through that 5 days a week, EVERY week just to get to work.

I'm just about to switch to doing just that... gone will be my 20 minute commute and an hour in the pool before work, hello expensive, crowded, germ-laden public transport hell. Which is why I'm considering south essex due to relatively cheap housing & fast train line.

And back to matey, yes, the house probably is only worth £80K max going on underlying long-term trends, but I think he's done pretty well to find somewhere so relatively cheap. I'm really pleased for him cos he's now got a home, as opposed to a place to live temporarily + he's a high earner so 130K is nothing.

On the other hand someone in his profession should be living in a detached middle-class residence, not a bolt-hole for cockney refugees from east London. Not for everyone at all, but on balance I think the boy's done good.

Like I said before, I'm a full-on property bear sickened by the current market bubble and all the pain its causing people, and hope to be able to make a move in late 07 early 08... I'll be having to get a 20 year mortgage too, cos I'm fast running out of years to repay :-/ . But my point is it aint necessarily 100% black/white whether someone should FTB now or not. Its all down to individual circumstances. And such people are so thin on the ground their presence is hardly going to affect the price crash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21
HOLA4422
Rather you than me. I last took a train trip to London about 9 months ago. Even though the trains ran on time it was a depressing experience. Things weren't so punctual on the return trip.

I genuinely feel sorry for anyone who has to go through that 5 days a week, EVERY week just to get to work.

I don't have to. I choose to. Like I said, I hardly suffer delays at all, and I always get a seat. Yes, it would be nice not to have to spend the time doing it, but it's a compromise. If I had the money, I'd buy a house next to the office. That's not going to happen. Just like it's not going to happen for 99.99% of people.

Edited by Levy process
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22
HOLA4423
I always feel it is people justifying the decision to themselves for moving outisde London.

Correct, a very prevalent phenomenon. I can't understand why people put up with the aggravation of working in London without being able to enjoy it. Why piss off back to Welwyn (or Hastings or Basingstoke or Luton . . . . . ), soulless in the extreme because they have been sucked dry by the great metropolis, when life is for living?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23
HOLA4424
rofl - it's about 1hr and 20mins to London on the train from here

40mins would be a dream m8

Just check thetrainline.com and it came back with these times.

Depart 06:43 07:02 07:24 07:51 08:10

Arrive 08:27 08:48 09:06 09:42 10:01

Changes 0 0 0 0 0

Duration 1:44 1:46 1:42 1:51 1:51

That's the train time add on to that to and from at both ends and it all adds up. I lived in Ashford (mid way between the London and Hastings) and that was a nightmare journey. Especailly in the evening, miss your train and it's another 30 minute wait.

The other thing people don't think about is the cost of the train ticket. From Ashford it was £300 a month, now living in London it's £100 a month. You might save a lot on the house but the travel costs are huge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24
HOLA4425
Correct, a very prevalent phenomenon. I can't understand why people put up with the aggravation of working in London without being able to enjoy it. Why piss off back to Welwyn (or Hastings or Basingstoke or Luton . . . . . ), soulless in the extreme because they have been sucked dry by the great metropolis, when life is for living?

Well if you're in your mid twenties, then you wouldn't want to go out to those places every night, you'd want to be in London living the young person's life. But if you're in your mid thirties, with kids, you might value more ease of access to the country, a slightly slower pace of life, cheaper shopping etc. I can't speak for Hastings or Luton, but nearly anywhere in Hampshire I'd rate as being good from the point of view of countryside, accessibility, good services and shopping facilities etc.

I lived in London for years, and really liked it. Now I'm older and the trade off between having the chance to feebly attempt to relive my youth and denying my kids access to the countryside is not one I want. I know lots of people who do like bringing up kids in London, and that's fine too. But it's not for everyone. Anyway, I know loads of thirty somethings that say things like "but in London you can go to the theatre etc...", and if you ask them how often they do it, the answer is about once a year. You'd have to be a serious theatre addict to merit living 40 minutes tube ride away from it as opposed to 40 minutes train plus 20 minutes tube ride away from it.

Don't be so narrow minded. There are places people want to live outside London as well as in London, and when one is passed the single-and-no-kids youthful twenties, a lot of the London attractions lose their appeal.

And don’t think that by living in London you avoid a dreadful commute to work. I share an office with lots of London dwellers who have a 45 minute tube journey from hell. I have a 45 minute generally quiet and peaceful train ride with a seat followed by a twenty minute walk. I’m not sure one is clearly any better than the other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information