walaj

You have to be careful when seeing 'affordable' properties on the Web - we viewed our first lot of open houses at the weekend. First one was a battle axe and so close to the neighbours you could get to know them really well without need for introductions It looked cosmetically good in pics but closer inspection showed shortcuts/poor finishes etc.

Another had a drive nearly as steep as a wall (obviously not mentioned on the web) and was bad enough to walk/climb up (& down) when temp was in 20s let alone in the 30s or higher

Another (apart from shape of the building looked like a swastika), the layout was completly impractical. Another done up with very little room to improve & none to extend - ie trying to gain the max price it can, which many have done (we want something with flexibilty over at least 7yrs ideally 15yrs and spend when we can afford rather than ultra massive mortgage now).

But if you can find a suitable property (obviously not in Sydney!) for that price then good on you - even the guy who cleans the (rented) pool has a $500k mortgage.

annqldau

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Who has 500,000 to 600,000 to invest, jammy gits.

annqldau

We viewed that many high price sheds it was unbelievable. Went for old but nice with a bit of character. Lots of new houses around for anyone who wants them.

The Crow

We had a typical 3-bed semi in Bristol and now have a 4-bed detached with 4 reception areas, a great garden and a huge garage. We love the space and the area. However, it does very much depend on what area you want/like. We had a budget and searched/researched those areas (which took us around 45 mins out of the city). We also have half the mortgage - which means I don't have to work, which is nice.

I would have quite liked a Victorian house in Williamstown or a beachfront villa in Brighton - not much hope of that!! However, neither, I'm sure, would have been as peaceful or as beautiful as where we are. The only downside for me is that we are 40 mins from the beach (still in Bristol it was 40 mins to Weston-super-Mud ).

Wendy

Not on the amount of money I have it doesn't

My rent is $280 a week, haven't looked at how much we've made in interest but I wouldn't expect it is a great deal

BadgeIsBack

Good point! You can have a piece of house which is lying 'fallow' when the other parts are over harvested.

I would say it is good having at least 1 big room apart from a lounge/dining area and maybe a study.

TrickyTree

Certainly bigger I had a good old 2 up 2 down in Nottingham now its a 4 bed 2 bathroom place. But sadly with the bigger house comes a bigger mortgage!!

Olibeneli

This has been an interesting thread.....

We had a 4 bed with ground floor extended detached house in Sussex......Garage was cut off to make a bigger eat in kitchen but it meant you had no garage for a car....only junk. Yep we did have some mortgage, credit cards and loans and a car loan......Usual UK family finances I suggest with too much debt.

Now, we just bought a 4 bed in the Illawarra area of NSW. We still have mortgage.....it's manageable and now over a longer term because I know that one day we will down size and trade out the debt that remains when we do that. We have a small spa pool and to be honest I'm glad we didn't buy a house with a bigger pool for cost and maintenance reasons. We have large kitchen with a farmhouse table in it that seats 8 easily with space to spare.

Next to the kitchen is family space for easy-chair and large sofa and TV. So I can watch TV while dinner is being made !

Next to that is formal dining room for 8 people.

Just off kitchen is the BOYS room.........snooker room and bar which although I thought very tacky and I wanted to rip it out I am growing to like it especially as I have three boys.

Then there is a formal lounge which we use as a library and music room....a place away from TV for adults to talk and drink, listen to music and read.

Then there is a big laundry which houses the washer, dryer, big stand up freezer, double sink and cupboard...and usually a few cockroaches.

Then there is the study.......room for a party in there.....houses a computer desk and a large wardrobe that was in my sons bedroom in UK...plus my electric guitar and amplifier (not small and very loud).

UPSTAIRS
4 bedrooms - pretty large all with BIW........walk in BIW for the lady
Main bedroom has ensuite corner spa bath AND shower

Main bathroom has shower and large corner bath
Separate toilet.
Rumpus room area with TV and sofa for late night TV watching

Double garage.......room for two cars with room to spare for a workbench

Views over the Lake and out to see beyond.

May not be in the top area just yet, but I know what is coming near where I live that I hope will raise the areas attraction.

PLUS............and here is the lifestyle choice, my three kids now go to a private school. Time will tell if the school is good but so far they seem pretty happy and doing OK.

I have no credit cards, no car loans, no loans of any sort......just a bit smaller (in UK pounds terms) mortgage over a longer term.

I think we net out with less debt for sure.

PS..........The POOL room attached............10/10 on a tackymeter but it will be fun at Christmas I think:

iPom

Great room, Ob. Lovely table... have you a game sometime.

I agree about the credit cards and other debt... We have no debts at all, though do have school fees (fairly ok). But without the credit card and bank overdraft, things are much better, so we can choose a bit more wisely in getting the right house for us.

TrickyTree

Hi Olibeneli

Please tell me you have at least once said the following........"now thats going straight to the pool room".

Olibeneli

If I get your drift...I have said this many times since we moved.....

I saw a Homer Simpson talking bottle opener the other day.....as you pull the top off of a beer bottle the opener lets out a huge sigh (in Homers voice) and says....

Aghhhhhhhhh beer, what a lovely sound!

Plus a few other lines I can't think of.

I have also seen a neon bar sign in the shape of AC/DC but that could be step too far for `er indoors.

iPom

Yes, lounge/dining plus a spare room for another lounge space or rumpus... Great if you've got kids with toys... then they get area for toys and you can keep one area tidy!

Amazulu

The upstairs main bedroom in our house here is bigger than the whole upstairs (3 bedrooms & a bathroom) of our house in the UK.
Our upstairs floor space is bigger than the whole floorspace of our UK house.
We paid less for our house here than we sold our house in the UK for.

Deadmeat

I didn't have a dream but I was hoping for a more space for my money around whichever house I bought.

I knew I'd met the right woman when we both agreed that a big house on a small block just looked ridiculous.

That and the sex was great.

DunRoaminTheUK

Isn't that a line from a Goldie Looking Chain song?