Well, had to happen sometime. I’m putting in an offer on a house tomorrow and i’m all stressed because it’s grown-up, shit scary and sort of cements my feet in Edinburgh for at least a year hence. Quite daunting stuff too. Maybe the rest of the world know all about this somehow, but I was shocked at quite how hard the system rides you as a first-time buyer. For example, do you know that a typical offer over the asking price is 22% here? Yes indeed. That’s twenty two grand’s worth of your own subway-steak-and-cheese pennies you have to magic out of any available money oriface for every hundred grand the property’s worth. No one will give you a mortgage for the actual amount. Then, right, there’s this thing called Stamp Duty, right? A fee introduced by the government in December 2003 to help pay for postmen or something. Basically, up to 250k it’s 1% of your total house price* and after that, it climbs to 3% *of the entire sum*. So if the place is 100k, you pay £1000, and if it’s 251k you pay over £8,000. Then you have to pay for surveys and solicitors, (fees being subject to 17.5% VAT) and that’s before before you even start letting the mortgage company stick it to you sideways**
I deserve Damehood. I totally do.
* ie, offers over the asking price.
** Apparently you repay your mortgage more than twice in twenty years. THE SWINES!
05-Nov-06 at 8:03 pm | Permalink
Oh, my (hopefully) new cave is here. I loves her:
http://www.espc.com/EspcPublic/UniversalPages/PropertyDetails.aspx?rid=226626
I’ll wash your car for a fiver.
05-Nov-06 at 9:42 pm | Permalink
Uberluck…the market is evil!
06-Nov-06 at 5:08 pm | Permalink
Man, my stomach is still in knots. It’s a complete lottery – beauty being in the eye of the beholder and all. Put the offer in at lunchtime. It’s ‘healthy’ says my solicitor. I think its fucking obscene. 50 quid over should be the norm, and then you should throw marbles for it.
07-Nov-06 at 11:51 am | Permalink
I’m going to rent a flat until I decide where I want to live and then I might eventually buy a home to live in.
But Catherine, don’t you want to get on the property ladder before it’s too late?
Too late for what? And ladder to where?? That is about the least appealing metaphor I have ever heard. They’ll have to drag me up.
07-Nov-06 at 2:25 pm | Permalink
Any news?
07-Nov-06 at 3:46 pm | Permalink
I got it. Partyyyyy
07-Nov-06 at 3:46 pm | Permalink
Oh, make that fucking stupid smiley go away.
07-Nov-06 at 6:26 pm | Permalink
Congratulations!
07-Nov-06 at 7:14 pm | Permalink
Congratulations! How cool is the little quirky sink in the bathroom?! I’m moving to Ed on Thursday…bring on financial ruin.
07-Nov-06 at 9:58 pm | Permalink
Can you cook?! Would you like to move in?!
08-Nov-06 at 1:39 am | Permalink
Oh dear god. You have a house, I have a place to be a teacher. Aren’t we growed up?
Ugh. Send me back to pre-school, please.
: )
08-Nov-06 at 3:38 pm | Permalink
Oh Fred, it’s all working out! Splendid, splendid.
08-Nov-06 at 6:59 pm | Permalink
I can cook! I have bought a wee pad of my own though…you’re more than welcome to come round for dinner. Can you paint?
08-Nov-06 at 9:05 pm | Permalink
> I’m moving to Ed on Thursday
Oh exquisite timing Carruthers, just as I’m leaving : P
Excellent news all round though. Let me know via telephone the instant you are resident in Embra and we can rejoice with drinks and impractical shoes.
08-Nov-06 at 10:49 pm | Permalink
Carruthers. I like that name. Carruthers, Carruthers, Carruthers. I’m a demon with a paintbrush, me. I like fishes and vegetables! Where is your pad, lady?
08-Nov-06 at 11:00 pm | Permalink
Ah fishes and vegetables my speciality. I’m way south, in Newington. Very excited! Although in saying that I have never been to Newington before, except to view said pad!?!
08-Nov-06 at 11:01 pm | Permalink
property ladder before it’s too late . . .
Too late for what? – Well, y’see, it’s like a wee boat leaving a harbour. The price of houses is increasing exponentially to the quantity of people willing to pay for one. So EVERY SINGLE SECOND I am getting richer whereby you are still a mere peasant. MO HA HA!
And ladder to where?? – Geniune fulfillment. God favours rich people. FACT.
08-Nov-06 at 11:17 pm | Permalink
> God favours rich people
INTER-POST LINK WARNING
Apart from Ted.
09-Nov-06 at 11:10 am | Permalink
>So EVERY SINGLE SECOND I am getting richer whereby you are still a mere peasant.
But that’s only if you measure richness in terms of money.
The only possible way of gaining genuine fulfillment is to shun mass society and become an existentialist in a crazy culture sustained by myths such as the value of ownership.
09-Nov-06 at 2:34 pm | Permalink
Comedy streetname.
12-Nov-06 at 8:42 pm | Permalink
Richness in terms of money > I was only messing with you. The thought of having a space to call my own after spending so long living in a million different student hovels is pretty lovely. The thing that makes me smile like a loon every time I think of it is being able to get my books out of my parents’ spider-ridden attic and put them on proper shelves
That is going to be awesome. Also just asked Leo if he wants to move into the boxroom for free, so he can discontinue living with his mommig. Be just like uni, but this time we’re proper grown-ups*
* Except, we just bought space-hoppers frrom Habitat.
13-Nov-06 at 3:46 pm | Permalink
Awright, it would be nice to have a bedroom more than 6 feet wide and not painted magnolia (not that I am complaining, I love our flat even if everything breaks.)
I would like to have a black carpet and lots of mirrors like in the Douglas Gordon exhibition. In fact, a mirror would do : )
(I was really moaning about money grabbing buy-to-let landlords who live in Russia and partition rooms.)