Owning your own home

I think it's one of my very favourite things about being here, I turn into a big kid when we get a storm warning...

We had a couple of very close strikes yesterday afternoon, that's probably what took the broadband out... Our friend's dad lost five TVs yesterday, why you'd have five TVs I don't know but it made me laugh anyway... Poor old bugger... 😂

Man, if I lived in Texas I'd be a storm chaser for real!!

Ta!

But when the cupboards come out the walls may need patching, I'll need carpet etc.

I investigated removing the cupboard in my daughters room and found there is no skirting behind it for example. Lots of little things, some I can manage but many not.

Late to respond but differential movement is not subsidence. Out last place had an extension built on shallower foundations which were then effected by changing ground conditions (clay soil) and consequently moved causing cracking.

I think it’s where you grow up is your normal, as it were- I grew up in Winchester where everything was a walk away. The idea of having to start every journey in the car just isn’t for me.

Yeah we had similar situation from water damage and also stripping cupboards. I’ve skimmed the walls, and patched the ceiling. I’m not happy with the ceiling tho, it kind of stands out as the walls are like new.

Surge protectors are no joke.

Thanks for posting these - I've bookmarked as we did the floors in our current place with standard Osmo and they are too orange for us. Will use this in the next place.

What do naughty children and surge protectors have in common?

You'll be shocked if they aren't grounded.

Presumably Sturgeon will follow in two weeks time then somehow make out that it was all her idea.

Lucky you've got a good car.

However - I like to be able to walk from my house to a cafe, a pub, a high street environment, and Kenley doesn't appear to have anything like that. I think that for a coffee and a paper you'd be in the car, driving to Purley, and I'd hate that.

I noticed this when I looked on the map. Unfortunately this is often the trade off with mid-century modern houses, they are often further out/in suburbs on the edge of town with very little going on. I'd love one but they don't tend to be in places we (well, my other half tbh) would want to live. Committed mid-century-modernists tend to trade location for the property. I can't remember where @villa-ru lives other than south but his take on this might be interesting.

I think it's a doable level of project and you could make it amazing with a loving restoration and I would be very envious of your house. The surprise parcel of land is an obvious bonus. When you say clearly belonging to, have you checked with the Land Registry? It only costs a few quid and land which logically would obviously belong to one property doesn't always...

But yeah, I agree with your reasoning. Except the problem with West Hoathly is the location, not the weather - have you not got a rain jacket? HFTU ;)

(I'd actually flip that around and say that feeling more connected to the weather and being able to observe it changing is one of the nice things about living in the country. Also SE England is normally very dry, we've just had the wettest October ever or something).

I think that for a coffee and a paper you'd be in the car, driving to Purley, and I'd hate that.

Also Purley look distinctly rideable from Kenley, no? But still a pain yes.

You could fix coffee and a paper by having your paper delivered and buying a fancy espresso machine.

But I don't think that's the point.

All well reasoned. IDK, maybe I should bang in a Tibbs guided offer of £685,000 just as a ranging shot to see what the other offer is.

Mental. I saw the snow on @|³|MA3K Instagram. Isn't it meant to be summer?!

Are you sure about snow?!? 😂 It's been pissing down with rain in Sydney, no snow that I've heard about!! It's already heating up, 32°c tomorrow...

Thanks - our current place was built in the early 60s and cos we’ve had very little movement over the past 11 years here it’s not something we’re used to.
It’s all clay soil around here (Peckham/Dulwich) so it’s very common.

Indeed. It was a total lifesaver yesterday. Spent nearly 12 hours driving around "doing errands" until the workers were finished in the house.

I think mid century houses tend to be more suburb based, but not exclusively. We're in Streatham and there are others in the area.

That does look an awesome house - and even if a bit rundown, ime is likely to be really solidly built. Ours is mostly reinforced concrete (nightmare for picture hanging).

I'd be the same as Neil and want to be able to walk to at least some amenities, but I have plenty of friends who've moved out and seem to have adapted to living in the back arse of nowhere.

After years of saving I have a garage, with a house attached #gaffpic

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Nice! Welcome to the neighbourhood (ish).

That means multiple motorbikes, surely?

Nice! Congratulations man! 👍🏘🥳Very wise to have added a garage, we kind of fooled ourselves thinking that it wasn’t necessary and now look at a metal shed for 2 bikes 🚲 full of contempt missing our old one (first world problems I know)

That Subaru is serious #goals

It's a nice part of the country. I know most of the good places to live around there and Kenley is nice if you have a big place on one of the private roads at a time when you have children and have to work all the hours. I'm not sure you'll find what you're looking for in East Surrey.

Reigate might suit you or Dorking.

"if you want to go anywhere you get in the car" nature of the place.

i cycle past so many nice homes in and around surrey/hampshire that I would love to move to. but this car-reliance is just not for me... feel like I will forever be bound to some sort of town/village with bare minimum cafe, pub, off license within walking distance. train station with somewhat fast travel to london would also have to be within 10-15 min drive

@Soul thanks buddy! That's one option, the other is selling the Aprilia and getting a car project on the go. We've a workshop out back so plenty of tinkering space. Finally:D

@frankohara you're very right. Ignorance is bliss i guess. It is first world problems but we all know having safe bikes is also needed unfortunately.

@NickCJ it's really come into its own the last couple of days hauling all kinds of furniture. So grateful we don't have the 2 seater anymore!