dotty

Well a big decision was made this weekend, I am going back for a few weeks to house hunt in the UK. Probably a mental idea as I have never ever bought property there but with the length of UK contracts I would like to see if its possible to arrive in Winter with a house to move into.

Area has finally been narrowed down to around Ascot/Yately/Crowthorne which we briefly passed through in December. Reasons, its very close to London, Heathrow as we plan to be overseas at least 4 times a year, plenty of significant sized towns nearby, and easy access to all major relatives without living in their pockets If we could find somewhere green and woody enough it would save buying yet another house further out, we shall see.

As I say tho, it was a brief visit and looked like it had some really nice green leafy areas but any comments on these places well appreciated, no namby pamby polite stuff please, if its crap please say so.

If the area does not stack up, I can always check out more rural areas while there. But I have to start somewhere.

Hoping to buy airline ticket tomorrow. Could be off in next two weeks depending availability.

Any house buying advice welcome too, all the dirty tricks please I usually view salemen as crooks but any UK specific catches would be useful.

Quick edit, Heathfield Sussex anybody know it my brother just sent me a piccy of a die for looking house but knowing the internet its probably a right hovel

The fun begins :scared:

Pants

Dotty Heathfield..very nice area.....pretty expensive I think but very nice...do u need lodgers??!!!

Pants

dotty

Pants does detached 5 bedrooms for 469,000 quid sound right? It sounds too reasonable, it must be located next to a pig farm or something

Badge

Bloody hell Dotty - that is a lot of money. So people can afford to move back to the UK after all - Australia gave you some payback after all.

Parts of Bucks, Surrey are very nice. I know Camberly and Sandhurst which is near Yately I believe. (May not have the counties bang on there). It is very much like where I live in SE Melbourne. Open green spaces, pubs, walks, good road corridors - A3, M3, M329 to London and Heathrow. Shopping not as nice - the little towns are getting smaller, and there are less malls I would say like here. Some small towns a bit of a hole, eg Basingstoke etc, plenty of undesirables there for you(!) , but the rest very nice; the pubs will make up for it.

Keep us posted Dotty.

BM

acer rose

Don't know the area so can't comment.

Have sold/bought in the UK and top tip would be to keep on top of things. Although you are paying professionals to provide a service for you, it is important to make sure everybody is communicating with each other. The quality of the professionals the other party uses is out of your control - and it can be very variable. Some cheaper conveyancers will only process certain phases of the transaction at certain times of the month (I guess to deal with batches of transactions and keep costs down). This will be intensely frustrating as the estate agent, buyer's solicitor and seller's solicitor all seem to have a different ideas of what is happening and where the hold-ups are. There will also probably be threats to pull out of sales in order to get things moving (not a recommeded ploy as everybody gets upset). Just got to be prepared to keep phoning everybody and making sure they are doing the job you've paid them for (sigh).

It is now very common for mortgages to calculate interest daily so the old rush to 'complete at the end of the month' of years ago is no longer important.

It does all work, in a fashion, but efficient it usually isn't.

Sandra

I lived in Shinfield - near Reading but the South side of the M4. I never took a job in London as I do not like commuting. Yately is lovely on the drive through but there are some rough areas (like anywhere!) And watch out for the estates - I do not mean the council ones . There are some housing estates being built that side of the M4 with large houses on crap plots - very like the McMansion ones here in Kellyville etc. . Check check and check again on planning permission for the area. Worth your own visit to the local council buildings and asking Estate agents lie as you know. Ask about requested permission too for future plans not just what has been granted.

We moved from Shinfield four years ago, only about 5k over to Winnersh for the schools for our children. We were back last Easter for a longish visit and were horrifed at Shinfield were they have every bit of land they can covered in new houses and more planned, so watch out for this. This is prime green belt but do not believe a word the council says about it never being built on. The corridor between the M3 and M4 is getting thinner and the traffic round there is a bitch, many travel down to M3 from Reading area to get to M25 further down and miss the M4 Heathrow bit. Those leafy lanes are jammed packed as is Ascot. Especially on race days!!!!

PS - I also recommend all three you have named as I love this area, easy to get anywhere else you want to from. Especially driving at off peak. I got to Potters Bar and Gatwick easily in an hour each evening if I travelled after 9 pm. We spent many a weekend in the West Country and Down on the South Coast and as long as we did not try peak weekends it was a doddle.

Transport is great and long weekends in Europe can be achieved by Train, including a service to Gatwick that can include a taxi to the local station!

Gosh I miss Royal Ascot so much - we never went on the Royal days but always waited till the Saturday, a great day out!

Have loads of fun looking and let us know what you find.

Cheers Sandra

Pants

sounds about right..don't know about the pig farm lol !!worth a look I reckon.

dotty

Between these messages and several PM's I am getting some good info. Heathfield seems popular with several people, although I think its going to take a bit more time to get to London which is why we were looking at the Yately to Ascot stretch. But if its much nicer it might be worth it.

We wont be looking at any housing estates , detested them here and would feel the same anywhere, it will be a one off on a bigger block, we found one on almost half an acre but its a livable shambles of mis matched rooms. But at 330Quid we would just gut it, buy it for the land really.

Main shopping will be in London, but I need a small town nearby for me groceries, so Badge I'll manage to fight off the undesirables, it should be just like going shopping here on Dole day Badge Your comment on 469Quids being expensive surprised me, thought in SE England that would be a pretty popular price bracket does that mean there wont be quite so many buyers in that price range and vendors might look at a little negotiation in the price.

Keep the info coming, honestly I am totally unexperienced in the UK market and any info will help. Thanks for all the info so far too

Pollyana

Dotty,
Heathfield is a lovely area, pricey, partly cos of the ease of getting to Gatwick, but I had lots of friends living round there and they loved the peace and quiet and the countryside. Do you know exacytly where this house is? I am still in touch with a friend in the area if you want to pm me an address or anything.

dotty

Blimey it wasnt a Pig farm Dratt!

Brother sent me a piccy of it, but I found the house on rightmove.co.uk just looked up Heathfield 469quid price range and up it popped! But I had to tick the box include subject to contract houses. SOLD it seems. Still at least it looks like I have found a nice area.

dotty

Poll I just put a message (just above yours) to Pants, looks like its sold, so dont know when my brother saw it? Knowing him he saw it ages ago hes the one in Brighton.

Do you have any idea what sort of travelling time it is to London from this lovely sounding place, not to work but for essential weekend shopping trips Nearest railway station looked 6 miles away or am I lost.

Pants

Damm...Have a look at this website as you view houses by any agent. Not just rightmove.

http://marketplaceproperty.rightmove.co.uk

good luck I know how daunting it can be searching via the internet.!!! soooooo many..!!!

Pants

Dotty look at this one

£307,000
4 bedrooms
Detached


Heathfield

A modern four bedroom detached family home with four receptions, four bedrooms, en-suite facilities, double garage and garden. Gas central heating and double glazing.


Pants...on website

janeyray

See, I knew it!!! You're going back before me!!!!!

We have just about sold the house (buyers have to sell thiers first ) so could be looking at June time. Horrah!!!

You'll have fun looking for property, I can't wait.

The area sound lovely. Hope you find something.

dotty

Congrats Janey, on the house sale, will keep my fingers crossed for you too.