Jump to content
House Price Crash Forum

Prescott's Pathfinder Houses To Sell For £1


tinker

Recommended Posts

0
HOLA441

I hereby post a Daily Mail link!

Purged homes bought for £70k to be sold for £1.

Homes in the Granby Triangle were part of former Deputy Prime Minister Prescott's plan, launched in 2003. to raze thousands of homes across the country.

An estimated £2.2billion was blown on buying and demolishing homes - but far fewer new homes were built for the displaced occupants and others on waiting lists.

Pathfinder was the very worst of New Labour, emperor's clothes housing policy. Clear an area of poor people. Knock down and rebuild, sell for 3 times the amount. Of course, it didn't work, they ran our of other people's money and left whole areas and communities decimated.

Could have refurbished but that wasn't cool enough; nor did it allow favoured friends to make some easy money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1
HOLA442

My suit HPC types with DIY skills..

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news//2013/02/19/we-quid-you-not-some-of-liverpool-s-granby-houses-to-be-sold-for-1-100252-32834933/?campaign=Northwest_email_echonewsemail:20130219#.USO7NMnPg8k.twitter

Now, the council proposes to sell off a cluster of houses for just £1 to residents – on the condition they will be brought up to a decent standard.

Private landlords will also be able to bid for the tender to refurbish some of the vacant homes and then buy the freeholds for £1.

Last night, deputy mayor and council finance chief Cllr Paul Brant said: “This allows people who may be excluded from mortgages but have construction skills to play a part in the regeneration of their communities.

“It’s been proven to work in other parts of the region.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2
HOLA443
3
HOLA444
4
HOLA445

I hereby post a Daily Mail link!

Purged homes bought for £70k to be sold for £1.

Pathfinder was the very worst of New Labour, emperor's clothes housing policy. Clear an area of poor people. Knock down and rebuild, sell for 3 times the amount. Of course, it didn't work, they ran our of other people's money and left whole areas and communities decimated.

Could have refurbished but that wasn't cool enough; nor did it allow favoured friends to make some easy money.

I had a few enjoyable years in Liverpool - the city and people are vibrant and friendly. It's got a lot going for it (except quality jobs in my field, why I left)

Granby is in Toxteth not Kenny (Kensington to non-locals) and is a right dive. To quote Obi-Wan Kenobi it is a "wretched hive of scum and villainy." Bits of toxteth are actually ok, some leafy near Sefton Park (Uni VC has his residence there) but the part near Granby pulls it all down.

The houses are all boarded up and in a state of collapse. The area is very non-desirable, indeed unsafe (daytime, sometimes). These £1 houses need many thousands to do up to any state at all, are vadalised and stripped of all useable materials, and are then only perhaps worth about £30-40k to sell once done up. Only a BTL slumlord, and then one with a group of heavies to fight off other gangs in the area, would be interested. Indeed, probably worthless.

Sorry to be negative and a bit snobby, but this area has nothing going for it. Remember Liverpool is a depopulating city and has an excess of this type of low quality housing stock already.

Edited by Does Commute Alot
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5
HOLA446
6
HOLA447

Looks like this 18 year house price cycle is running approximately 3 years later than anticipated. This is classic 1992 territory yet we are currently in 1995 if this cycle is to go by.

I blame ZIRP in knocking this cycle off its axis and I do not anticipate it going back on course or for us to be getting out of this mess at this rate for at least another 10 years.

Yes, it is a new paradigm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7
HOLA448
The houses are all boarded up and in a state of collapse. The area is very non-desirable, indeed unsafe (daytime, sometimes). These £1 houses need many thousands to do up to any state at all, are vadalised and stripped of all useable materials, and are then only perhaps worth about £30-40k to sell once done up. Only a BTL slumlord, and then one with a group of heavies to fight off other gangs in the area, would be interested. Indeed, probably worthless.

There's a list of problems from the original pathfinder 'delivery' team (2005). Some of the problems don't seem that serious and could be patched up cheaply, some are an exaggeration, but overall I tend to agree with you.

No foundations

There is often evidence of settlement as deep as two or three brick courses into earth. Much of the city is built on old clay pits that were infilled in the 19th century. This contributes to settlement problems.

Cost to upgrade to new home standard

£70,000 plus VAT and fees

No firebreaks between homes

New firebreaks are need, as is insulation on the underside of the roof.

Upgrading cost Up to £10,000

No cavity walls

The houses have SAP energy-efficiency ratings of less than 50 out of 100; new-build homes score more than 80. This leads to penetrating damp and decaying bricks.

Upgrading cost Internal drylining would cost up to £7000; alternatively, an external insulated render system would cost between £5000 and £10,000

Edit: link was membership subscription read only

Edited by Venger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8
HOLA449
9
HOLA4410

So basically it's something you could buy for a pound, but you might be £0-£55,000 out of pocket once done up.

I like the ebay ads saying you could get a new 1080p 50 inch plasma for a pound, but thats just the start price, and it ends up costing half a grand or something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10
HOLA4411

Only a BTL slumlord, and then one with a group of heavies to fight off other gangs in the area, would be interested. Indeed, probably worthless.

Our first student house after Halls of Residence was a tiny new build student BTL on Bird Street, off Smithdown Rd. Can't remember the name of the scouse landlord, but he was a big operator in that field and "others". His offices were an old warehouse, like something out of Goodfellas, with iron bars on the doors and security cams on every corner.

Anyway, we had some trouble from the young kids (12 years old) living over the road, sitting in our porch, giving cocky abuse etc. After putting up with it for several weeks, the final straw was a broken car window and stolen stereo. We went to complain and were told to "leave it with him". A couple of days later the front door had been kicked down and the house was deserted.

Restored my faith in the criminal justice system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11
HOLA4412

Yes, some of these areas are run-down and struggling economically, however, £2b is an awful lot of money to throw at a problem that a. was exaggerated and b. had cheaper alternatives. Where on earth did all the money go?

I'm familiar with some of these areas and when you hear about housing waiting lists and the need for affordable housing, it is criminal that this has happened. People with lots of money, making decisions affecting people without such healthy resources.

At the time, and there was an outcry about what was effectively ethnic cleansing, there was a TV programme showing how much cheaper these houses could be refurbished and modernised rather than knocked down and rebuilt. All it would take: a little money, community and liberating the little people. It's criminal what that man did.

Edited by tinker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12
HOLA4413

Yes, some of these areas are run-down and struggling economically, however, £2b is an awful lot of money to throw at a problem that a. was exaggerated and b. had cheaper alternatives. Where on earth did all the money go?

I'm familiar with some of these areas and when you hear about housing waiting lists and the need for affordably housing, it is criminal that this has happened. People with lots of money, making decisions affecting people without such healthy resources.

At the time, and there was an outcry about what was effectively ethnic cleansing, there was a TV programme showing how much cheaper these houses could be refurbished and modernised rather than knocked down and rebuilt. All it would take: a little money, community and liberating the little people. It's criminal what that man did.

when you think about it £2b would build enough houses to accomodate say approx 1 MILLION people with new eco friendly abodes ! If my maths is correct - there's a lot of 0's in £2b ! (or should that be 100,000 people ??)

edited to say it should be 100,000 people, still a lot of people though

Edited by motch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13
HOLA4414
14
HOLA4415

Buy them up, gate of the end of the road, fully refit them, (shouldn't cost more than £15k a piece) and then rent them out privately.

Might even be worth knocking through and turning them into sheltered housing for old people, with rooms for the old people downstairs and on-site accomodation for the carers etc upstairs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15
HOLA4416

I had a walk around the Welsh Streets in Toxteth recently; quite eerie and very sad. A kid, maybe 7 or 8 was pushing a pram around desetrted streets, the houses on some of which are painted completely black for some reason. There's no reason why some of the properties could not be refurbished, but others might need knocking down. I suspect the Government feels it can wait until they have to be be bulldozed, job done.

There are in a potentially nice location, views to the Wirral closeby and near the city centre/Sefton Park.

edit clarity.

Edited by cheeznbreed
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16
HOLA4417

[snip]

At the time, and there was an outcry about what was effectively ethnic cleansing, there was a TV programme showing how much cheaper these houses could be refurbished and modernised rather than knocked down and rebuilt. All it would take: a little money, community and liberating the little people. It's criminal what that man did.

I think that show was "Cheap Homes for Sale" by a chap called Alex Riley. It's always stuck in my mind because, for the documentary, he set up a fake estate agents selling these houses in need of refurbishment called "Norfolk and Holmes" :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17
HOLA4418

I think that show was "Cheap Homes for Sale" by a chap called Alex Riley. It's always stuck in my mind because, for the documentary, he set up a fake estate agents selling these houses in need of refurbishment called "Norfolk and Holmes" :lol:

IIRC it cost around £17K to renovate a typical Prezza demolition terrace house to a reasonable standard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18
HOLA4419

I think that show was "Cheap Homes for Sale" by a chap called Alex Riley. It's always stuck in my mind because, for the documentary, he set up a fake estate agents selling these houses in need of refurbishment called "Norfolk and Holmes" :lol:

I remember that one; but there was another one, might have been Tonight - they did a street in Liverpool (I think in the area we are talking about).

Plenty of imaginative things could have been done with these terraces. Mentioned earlier in a climate of property speculation of which many politicians benefited, proximity to water and city centre would have had speculators rubbing their hands. Unfortunately, the bubble burst and Labour spent all the money (well magicked it away!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19
HOLA4420
IIRC it cost around £17K to renovate a typical Prezza demolition terrace house to a reasonable standard.

And that's doing just one. Imagine buy the materials in bulk and hiring the tradesmen on longer contracts.

£15k easily covers a full refit including rewiring, new plumbing with central heating, full insulation, new roof with loft conversion, full replaster, new kitchen with appliances, new bathroom with bath and powershower, carpets and decorating throughout, exterior pointing and painting, new windows and doors, alarms, security cameras, garden turfing and a shed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20
HOLA4421

And that's doing just one. Imagine buy the materials in bulk and hiring the tradesmen on longer contracts.

£15k easily covers a full refit including rewiring, new plumbing with central heating, full insulation, new roof with loft conversion, full replaster, new kitchen with appliances, new bathroom with bath and powershower, carpets and decorating throughout, exterior pointing and painting, new windows and doors, alarms, security cameras, garden turfing and a shed.

That pathfinder problem list I mentioned had some other concerns which sound expensive, if they're actually an issue. No damp courses, poor sound barrier between homes, wiring out of date.

Although again, all points against keeping the houses, against their ambition for 'regeneration' with the money that can never run out, at prices people can't really afford.

Drains and sewers in poor condition

Complete renewal required.

Upgrading cost £100,000s

source = google: One from the heart 2005 issue 25 By Josephine Smit

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21
HOLA4422

I had a few enjoyable years in Liverpool - the city and people are vibrant and friendly. It's got a lot going for it (except quality jobs in my field, why I left)

Granby is in Toxteth not Kenny (Kensington to non-locals) and is a right dive. To quote Obi-Wan Kenobi it is a "wretched hive of scum and villainy." Bits of toxteth are actually ok, some leafy near Sefton Park (Uni VC has his residence there) but the part near Granby pulls it all down.

The houses are all boarded up and in a state of collapse. The area is very non-desirable, indeed unsafe (daytime, sometimes). These £1 houses need many thousands to do up to any state at all, are vadalised and stripped of all useable materials, and are then only perhaps worth about £30-40k to sell once done up. Only a BTL slumlord, and then one with a group of heavies to fight off other gangs in the area, would be interested. Indeed, probably worthless.

Sorry to be negative and a bit snobby, but this area has nothing going for it. Remember Liverpool is a depopulating city and has an excess of this type of low quality housing stock already.

Bizarre that just 3 miles down the road from there houses are on sale for a million or more!

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-37581289.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36026263.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22
HOLA4423
That pathfinder problem list I mentioned had some other concerns which sound expensive, if they're actually an issue. No damp courses, poor sound barrier between homes, wiring out of date.

Stuff like this is expensive to do in just one house, but doing 30 houses it suddenly becomes very cheap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23
HOLA4424

Buy them up, gate of the end of the road, fully refit them, (shouldn't cost more than £15k a piece) and then rent them out privately.

Might even be worth knocking through and turning them into sheltered housing for old people, with rooms for the old people downstairs and on-site accomodation for the carers etc upstairs.

Single room HMO properties like university flats.

That's the future.

Can make them for old people, young people and just tweak the edges of the age boundary until they mix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24
HOLA4425

I think that show was "Cheap Homes for Sale" by a chap called Alex Riley. It's always stuck in my mind because, for the documentary, he set up a fake estate agents selling these houses in need of refurbishment called "Norfolk and Holmes" :lol:

Pretty sure there was also a George Clarke show there also. It was certainly somewhere oop norf; Liverpool rings a bell.

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