Real Estate..Show Us Your Local Listing

15 August 2022, 05:05 AM

https://v4.salesandlettings.online/browns/rv?id=80435

Here's one we viewed as on paper it looked full of potential as a project.
Detached with the space downstairs to separate piano from TV, wood panelling, spare bedrooms to allow for a craft room for Mrs AD, green space opposite, outskirts of town with excellent hospital, 15 minutes drive to sea, not pretty but just imagine wisteria growing up the facade etc.

15 August 2022, 05:22 AM

Did I mention how cheap it was? I had an inkling about the plot and state of the place from google maps street view. It proved quite a lesson:

We found it on a mega busy road, with a huge cemetary opposite (quiet neighbours lol), approach road shared with two other houses. The brickwork of the wall had been repaired both ends and the house had a crack high left above the entrance that had been subtly repaired.
Hmmm.

Inside, initially ok, but the kitchen areas had rising damp. Then we went upstairs, ducking under the lowest lintel of any staircase I have ever seen. Seriously low, you can judge from the photo.
Upstairs there was a huge structural crack on the left of the building with warning signs (£30k had been knocked off the price said the estate agent). On the other side both lovely corner windows showed structural weakness.

Nuff said, the stairs were a deal breaker for me anyway. I think they would be comfortable for anyone less than 5' tall, anyone else duck!.

It was being sold off by the Church of England. It would seem they usually redecorate their empty vicarages and rectories when selling, we saw a couple of others that were very nice. They hadn't bothered with this house because so much building work was needed.

15 August 2022, 09:20 AM

wtg

The cemetery is quite lovely. But I wouldn't want to live across the street from one. And at 5' 10", I'd be smacking my head into that lintel too. I had to look up damp rising....

I noticed that the sites for the properties you posted seem to belong to individual agencies. Just curious...does the UK have real estate listing sites that aggregate properties from various sources? In the US individual agents and agencies may have their own sites but for the most part they also put their properties on aggregating sites like realtor.com, Zillow, Redfin, and Trulia. Not all properties are listed on all sites, but it does make it a lot easier to look for houses when there are just a few sites to look at.

--------------------------------
We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb

Bazootiehead-in-training

15 August 2022, 11:44 AM

Rightmove.co.uk

Fineandcountry.com

also zoopla.co.uk

Some of the Estate Agents often use their facebook page to allow their local customers first chance. Then the property goes on rightmove a day or so later.
Posh places use Fine&Country.

There is a trend towards self-selling, and I'm not surprised, 1% is a lot of commission for very little work.

15 August 2022, 12:52 PM

wtg

1% is a bargain compared to the US, where commissions are typically 5 to 6 percent.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth (pre-internet), I think realtors had 95 percent or more of the market. FSBO has become more popular, but I'm not current regarding what percentage of sales are by owner versus what is sold by realtors.

15 August 2022, 01:50 PM

ShiroKuro

quote:
FSBO has become more popular, but I'm not current regarding what percentage of sales are by owner versus what is sold by realtors

Also, what are the potential problems with FSBO, from the standpoint of the buyer? I'm trying to remember, I thought I read something about it back when we were house-hunting.

Or maybe it was just that FSBO properties tended to be overpriced? Or maybe it was just that FSBO is a risk for the seller??

My memory is useless.

15 August 2022, 02:09 PM

wtg

I visited York and Harrogate, having gotten hooked on the James Herriot (aka Alf Wight) books. Absolutely loved it up there. Made multiple visits to Betty's at their locations in both cities.

Here's a residence in Harrogate that was once a Methodist chapel. Amazing.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/pr...29#/?channel=RES_BUY

15 August 2022, 02:17 PM

Daniel

Beautiful.

15 August 2022, 02:31 PM

ShiroKuro

quote:
Here's a residence in Harrogate that was once a Methodist chapel. Amazing.

Indeed! And lots of cool stuff to look at. A square piano hidden in there as well!

15 August 2022, 02:46 PM

wtg

No home is complete without a place from which to make pronouncements:

15 August 2022, 03:02 PM

ShiroKuro

quote:
No home is complete without a place from which to make pronouncements:

15 August 2022, 03:13 PM

wtg

Our washer and dryer are located in the basement, as most are for homes of our vintage (1960s). I would prefer a first floor laundry, or better still, one on the second floor where all of our bedrooms are located.

I've been perusing some of the more modest (and newer) homes in different English cities and towns and am seeing a lot of them with washers located in the kitchen. Not sure if they are just washers, or those washer/dryer combos. In any event, I'm finding it hard to wrap my brain around the concept of doing laundry in the kitchen....

15 August 2022, 03:24 PM

wtg

And greenhouses. Lots of these homes have greenhouses in the back yard.

wtg approves.

15 August 2022, 04:21 PM

Given a choice everyone would have a utility room. Washing machines are still common in the kitchen here, my old family home included. And most houses don't have basements, never been in one!

We looked at a couple of places in the N Yorkshire Dales and Moors) but they were small; actually finding a house to separate the piano from TV/living room was far more difficult than I expected. Open plan seems to be fashionable in larger modern houses.

Closer to your homes if not local, here's a house I'd love to live in, the river views and Sutton Square (Jon, you know the area?)

https://www.christiesrealestat...ce-new-york-ny-10022

15 August 2022, 05:49 PM

ShiroKuro

quote:
Open plan seems to be fashionable in larger modern houses.

Yep, this seems to be a huge trend everywhere. We were lucky to find a home that had a traditional living room at the front of the house, and then there's a separate family room that opens up to the kitchen (and the dining room is on the other side of the kitchen). We use the living room as the piano room and still have a separate room with tv and sitting area etc.

Oh and our house also has no fireplace! I'm not fond of fireplaces because they just take up valuable wall space. Sure they look nice, but I know we'd never use it (esp. in our warm southern climate) and it just reduces the different ways you can arrange the room.