Badge

Been a while since I actually posted an update.

We've just bought a home, 1hr from Melbourne, on 1 acre for the sale price of around one third of a million aussie dollars. The mortgage will be about 1,000 dollars a month, which is what we were paying a month for rent anyhow. This is a reasonable cost to expend, and would be a realistic (or reasonable proportion of even a single modest income) so we have not overstretched ourselves.

We are very excited as it is one of the cheapest (sounds ominous I know) 1 acre homes we have seen - we knocked them down considerably as they wanted a quick 30 day settlement - which we are halfway through already.

It's actually a 'smallish' home, needing a little work in areas, but it has 2 living areas, ensuite, canoora, a large deck (if somewhat shabby in places) - summer entertainment!, good size new kitchen, pool, back yard and a fenced paddock opening out on to a reserve in an area of some natural beauty. It is established, not brand new which was also important - it seems that Aussies want the new houses on tiny blocks. We didn't. If you are prepared to buy something not brand new you can pick good stuff up..

We are going to agist a horse for income, and maybe get a goat to keep the grass down. The wife will get some chooks. I'll have to get her a chook-chaser! :-) My first job will be to inspect the fencing to earmark points of interest and we will install ducted heating for next winter.

The cost of wood for the coonara is expensive but I plan to get a wood license, chop my own wood at sites where there is wood going, and load the ute up..

I will also start a bush fire plan and keep to it. ie. keep gutters clear. Pool on hand to pre-soak roof. I've been told by my boss at work, in the event of fire, to send my wife down to the 'township' (his words), find an offsider, stay in the house whilst the fire goes over - it is the roofs that catch - and then come out with buckets to kill the spot fires.

I feel great. I have gone from a flat in London I hated - but it was all I could afford in a real dump area - years away from gentrification - to this.

I am on good money now, but even on a low average Australian salary I am still better off here in 2004 than in the SE of UK in 2004.

Bloody hell I'm practically landed gentry!! Owning some real estate is a great feeling.

So, for all of you out there, if this is what you want, stick with it...don't let the buggers get you down.

BM

cresta57

Congratulations on the house Badge.
Forgive my ignorance but what's a "canoora"??

Bordy

Congrats Badge, sounds excellant. Do we have to call you "Lord Badge of such & such" now.

Badge

Bordy.

A change of user name is long overdue.

As I am charitable in nature, I will allow the plebiscite to freely roam my grounds for nothing more than a nominal entrance fee.

Come up and see us.

A coonara (sic) is a wood-burner and will keep us warm on many a Victorian winter night and will cheifly be employed to keep my backside warm..

BM

cresta57

Ahhh I feel so much better now that I know.

vicky o

About time we heard from you. Congratulations badger, nice to hear you are doing well for yourself.

Bordy

I look forward to roaming Sirs grounds one day, maybe in better weather. Tugs my forelock as I leave.

Badge

you'll do OK..

just gonna add more ideas:

we are also going to renovate all the gutters which are, quite literally, piss-'pour', and look in to a scheme where solar energy harnessed in the summer months offset our winter fuel bill.

The timber is pretty rubbish on the decking so I might get some proofing coats to spruce it up a tad.

I'm also going to ensure that all trees are well away from power lines, vegetation is cut back. The paddock adjoining the back yard needs clearing.
I haven't had a chance to walk the whole property yet ..(!)

BM

Don

Looks great. Not going to Cancun for the winter, then?