iaink

Short answer is b i'm afraid. No amount of grafting in the UK helps with a 6x salary mortgage necessary to get on the housing ladder. Of course a bit of graft in my professional arena was enough to get me headhunted out of the yUK, so maybe a bit of A too, but mostly B, and a good dose of dumb luck to end up somewhere I would otherwise have never considered. Utopia is a relative thing, I doubt I would find any better life for myself than where I am now, so in that respect it is a Utopia. I could just as likely ended up in Mississagua and hated it as much as Julius. Maybe happyness is really all based on personal expectation.

I didnt do any of the graft that created this nice civil friendly community I live in, but I do my bit to help maintain it. You have to stand up for whats right sometimes rather than just bitch about whats going wrong. The problem in the UK as I see it is too many good people shruging there shoulders about the crap going on around them. Of course thats rather hypocritical coming from a rat whos already deserted the sinking ship.

Deb+Chris

Each to their own they hey Alison. I've just returned from New Zealand, which I see is where you're heading. I know where I'd rather be and it aint NZ that's for sure.

baileyalison

why have you come back especially to manchester

iaink

Why not manchester? There are worse places. And thats comming from a reformed psudoscouser!

Manc

Here's another thing about the houses.

You can buy a house in Little Hulton (Bolton) 3 bed semi for £75,000 right now.

example

Ok you may ask, whom wants to live in Little Hulton.
the answer is first time home buyers at this point.
and if lots of First time home buyers snap up the houses, the chavs soon move out as the the place goes upmarket.

ok the place doesn't have the greatest reputation in the world but it isn't impossible to buy a house in the UK with a decent mortgage to income ratio.

Materialism has convinced people half the time they need to buy way beyond their means.

The main reason the housing prices are the way they are is because people are willing to pay stupid prices.

That's not the UK's fault. that's daft buyers fault and the banks fault for lending it them

baileyalison

because its another northern hell hole thats why dont tell me you would come back here after seeing and living where you are

Manc

centre of the universe.


oooh and Iain, took the misses to the Cavern club 3 weeks ago. She loved it. Tribute band playing and everything.

you don't get that in bum***** Michigan mate.

Deb+Chris

We didn't like NZ. We were very poor over there.. we're doing OK here (we're not rich but we certainly don't have to deprive ourselves of food or anything).

We love Manchester.

Wierd hey? but it's true!

Manc

My wife said she prefers Manchester to Chicago.

the place is buzzin'

baileyalison

people want to move away from crap areas full of scum thats why they pay more money to get somewhere to have a decent life away from idiots druggies etc and then the kids can play safe not materialism we live in a 4 bed double garage detached house on the edge of town drive a bmw and a shogun ride motocrossers and have all the toys but the countrys still knackered so were off leaving a rotting sinking ship

Deb+Chris

And you're giving all that up for NZ?

Manc

you seem to have done alright in a place that is apparently knackered.

or 'rotting' as you say.

I personally. think you are delusional.
and a closet racist too.

baileyalison

how come you couldnt make a do what is your line of work

Manc

people don't know what they have until it's gone.

emmals

could I just interup for a moment.....but what is wrong with manchester?.....I don't live there but i have spent time there....it is one of the most up and coming places in the uk.....sure I want to live abroad......but each to their own....you shouldn't be so cut and dry