tinker Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Oops just noticed Tinker has just posted on this. Mods please merge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spaniard Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Some background reading: http://www.moneyweek.com/investments/property/how-john-prescott-wasted-22bn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doesn't Commute Anymore Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 (edited) 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 February 19, 2013 by Does Commute Alot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Totally agree! Old areas should be tidied up, not demolished! What good did this do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bomberbrown Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 (edited) 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 February 19, 2013 by Venger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Are they freehold? Another glorious waste of taxpayer money. I found a £1 yesterday on the floor and now I can buy a house with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motch Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monks Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted February 19, 2013 Author Share Posted February 19, 2013 (edited) 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 February 19, 2013 by tinker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motch Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 (edited) 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 February 19, 2013 by motch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Self Employed Youth Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I had looked into these schemes not long back, and you could get them for £1 if you took on a £35k mortgage to fund the repairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufflesTheGuineaPig Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Knimbies who say No Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 (edited) 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 February 20, 2013 by cheeznbreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funinhounslow Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 [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" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juvenal Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 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" IIRC it cost around £17K to renovate a typical Prezza demolition terrace house to a reasonable standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted February 19, 2013 Author Share Posted February 19, 2013 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" 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!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufflesTheGuineaPig Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venger Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 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 conditionComplete renewal required. Upgrading cost £100,000s source = google: One from the heart 2005 issue 25 By Josephine Smit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil S Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufflesTheGuineaPig Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naturals Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 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" Pretty sure there was also a George Clarke show there also. It was certainly somewhere oop norf; Liverpool rings a bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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