More expensive ??
Jul 28th 2014, 11:11 am
#46
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Location: Back in the UK!
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Re: More expensive ??
To be honest bigglesworth, I doubt that Scouse will be any more eager to visit these places than I am. The upkeep on the typically stupidly big house here is nearly killing him, and he refuses to even have a gardener in to take some of the load off him.
That was part of the attraction of a flat, almost zero maintenance and no garden.
That was part of the attraction of a flat, almost zero maintenance and no garden.
Jul 28th 2014, 12:37 pm
#47
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,564
Re: More expensive ??
Chainsaw is just one of many examples. I want a small, low maintenance place, preferably with a garden. But an English size garden, not five acres!! An allotment is a possibility, too.
Jul 29th 2014, 2:11 pm
#48
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Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,168
Re: More expensive ??
We felt much the same. Our 2+ acres and far too big house in VA was killing us - we were slaves to something we no longer loved or wanted. Those feelings led us to look at townhouses. We knew we didn't want a flat, so a TH with a patio and no garden to manage seemed a nice compromise.
Had there not been issues with the management company and the directors (and I've only posted part of the long list of things that happened) we might have remained there. Having said that, we were finding that we missed outside space and did not like the stomping/pounding sounds from the neighbors when they went up and down the stairs, nor did we like the boom of the bass through the party wall when they cranked up the stereo.
Moving to this nice little detached house was the best thing for us. It's a small garden, and DH (who is 74) likes to potter around. Maintenance takes almost no time, and the exercise is good for both of us. We also realized that we had gone too far in the opposite direction from our previous 'slaves to the house and garden' situation. Now we are where we think we should be. It's quieter, with more privacy and we have a lovely family of hedgehogs who visit every night.
Your experience may be totally different, and I hope it is.
Had there not been issues with the management company and the directors (and I've only posted part of the long list of things that happened) we might have remained there. Having said that, we were finding that we missed outside space and did not like the stomping/pounding sounds from the neighbors when they went up and down the stairs, nor did we like the boom of the bass through the party wall when they cranked up the stereo.
Moving to this nice little detached house was the best thing for us. It's a small garden, and DH (who is 74) likes to potter around. Maintenance takes almost no time, and the exercise is good for both of us. We also realized that we had gone too far in the opposite direction from our previous 'slaves to the house and garden' situation. Now we are where we think we should be. It's quieter, with more privacy and we have a lovely family of hedgehogs who visit every night.
Your experience may be totally different, and I hope it is.
Yours is a bit of a 'silver lining' story too, as moving from your townhouse led you to your current place which sounds absolutely lovely! I'm glad you're enjoying your home now and I'm jealous about the hedgehogs, I've never ever seen one.
I'm not too sure how we'll go with having a flat after living in detached houses for so long, but I'm hoping it'll be ok. It does have a decent sized balcony, that was about the only 'non-negotiable' on my part - Scouse wasn't bothered but I think I'd go ga-ga if I couldn't get outside regularly. The development's on the waterfront of the river Mersey so I'm hoping the view will also help quell any feeling of being too confined.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences, Vadio, it's helped a lot.
Jul 29th 2014, 2:18 pm
#49
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Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,168
Re: More expensive ??
I did previously look at a few ground floor flats with a small garden (would be called a courtyard here), as balconies aren't the norm in Liverpool and I really must have my outside space. But Scouse was worried about the security aspect - I told him it was his own fault for being born in a City where that would be a concern
Jul 29th 2014, 5:47 pm
#50
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,564
Re: More expensive ??
If you enjoy gardening then you should definitely get a flat with a garden, the whole visa/move thing is stressful and you need somewhere to live that makes you happy and contented. We're not gardeners' bottoms so we're doing plants a favour by not being in charge of any
I did previously look at a few ground floor flats with a small garden (would be called a courtyard here), as balconies aren't the norm in Liverpool and I really must have my outside space. But Scouse was worried about the security aspect - I told him it was his own fault for being born in a City where that would be a concern
I did previously look at a few ground floor flats with a small garden (would be called a courtyard here), as balconies aren't the norm in Liverpool and I really must have my outside space. But Scouse was worried about the security aspect - I told him it was his own fault for being born in a City where that would be a concern
Some places there is a waiting list, sometimes you get lucky. Our son lives in Cambridge and asked the parish clerk about an allotment, and got one immediately. He used to go off to Europe every other weekend, now just potters off to the allotment (probably spends the money he saves at the garden centre
)
Jul 30th 2014, 2:32 pm
#51
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Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 21,168
Re: More expensive ??
You could look into allotments. It's outside space, grow vegetables, flowers, anything you like ... Many folks just go there to shoot the breeze with other allotment holders, brew up a pot of tea on the camping stove, maybe watch the trains go by (most allotments seem to be by the railway line!)
Some places there is a waiting list, sometimes you get lucky. Our son lives in Cambridge and asked the parish clerk about an allotment, and got one immediately. He used to go off to Europe every other weekend, now just potters off to the allotment (probably spends the money he saves at the garden centre )
Some places there is a waiting list, sometimes you get lucky. Our son lives in Cambridge and asked the parish clerk about an allotment, and got one immediately. He used to go off to Europe every other weekend, now just potters off to the allotment (probably spends the money he saves at the garden centre
)
Jul 31st 2014, 4:34 pm
#52
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Joined: Nov 2012
Location: Back in the UK!
Posts: 2,404
Re: More expensive ??
If you enjoy gardening then you should definitely get a flat with a garden, the whole visa/move thing is stressful and you need somewhere to live that makes you happy and contented. We're not gardeners' bottoms so we're doing plants a favour by not being in charge of any
I did previously look at a few ground floor flats with a small garden (would be called a courtyard here), as balconies aren't the norm in Liverpool and I really must have my outside space. But Scouse was worried about the security aspect - I told him it was his own fault for being born in a City where that would be a concern
I did previously look at a few ground floor flats with a small garden (would be called a courtyard here), as balconies aren't the norm in Liverpool and I really must have my outside space. But Scouse was worried about the security aspect - I told him it was his own fault for being born in a City where that would be a concern
Not really sure where we will end up. Whether it is with our own garden or an allotment, OH will insist on having somewhere to exert his green thumb.
