Owning your own home

This looks even more haunted than @stevo_com 's place

I guess it's not for everyone. Some people want to be 5 mins from a tube at all times.

I wfh pretty much all the time and maybe go into work once a week or once every two weeks. I obvs cycle.

My missus goes to work v early (teacher) so can be at Wanstead Station on a bus in about 12 mins in the morning.

I was tempted to sack London off and move to the country but I'd get tired of the racism and whitevan man stuff that inevitably comes with that move. So I see this as a fairly reasonable compromise.

I also anticipate being able to sell up to some chinless rich boy from stokey or Islington in 25 years time for approx 3m the way things are going. Ill buy a ranch style bungalow with concrete lions out in Essex then I guess and cash in my chips.

from stokey

They are the worst.

Their money is as good as anyone else's when it comes to me cashing out and seeking my concrete eagles lions et al in 25 years time.

🤣 ps - didn't realise your wife is a teacher. Mine also (primary).

My wife was a solicitor in the City for a few years but hated it and took redundancy In 2013. Whilst she was lounging around the flat at that point she decided being a teacher sounded jolly nice.

Tbf she works at a primary school in Canning Town and the kids are fine but some of the parents attitudes to how to properly bring their kids up leaves something to be desired.

I am also a lawyer and have fantasised occassionally about becoming a history teacher at a cosy school out in the sticks, wearing a tweed jacket and cords. But the reality is that I have a very short fuse and would end up throwing a mouthy child out of a window and losing my shit during the first week, so it's probably for the best I stay an anonymous pen pusher for now. I can also wfh all the time and do a lot of painting and decorating...er in my lunch break...of course.

I feel like you know what it is from having lived the other side of the flats, so wasn’t a comment on you! just that over last 2 years prices have gotten pretty nutty for an area which whilst nice housing stock and some lovely green bits isn’t super convenient for most people. Might go for a run down Northumberland avenue tomorrow and try and find that place irl

A good friend and colleague of mine bought a fixer upper last year on Northumberland Avenue in Aldersbrook. He is a lawyer, with primary age kids, an occasional mysanthropic streak, and a desire to avoid coming into the office as much as possible. I should introduce you.

We certainly have a great deal in common.

No no I get that and didn't take any offence. I must admit I am scratching my head about others moving here that don't have my cushy lifestyle. It wouldn't be super convenient to go into town 5 days a week from here via public transport. But hey maybe some think aldersbrook v bath or Kent or whatever and think fuck it maybe a bus ride to the tube isn't so bad.

The other person I know who bought a fixer upper in Aldersbrook last year was the guy who owns Fully Charged. I mean, I don't really know him, but I got chatting to him in the shop and found this out. I imagine a lot of the new neighbours will be speeding about on electric cargo bikes, which makes the nursery run / grocery run / coffee run a fair bit easier.

https://youtu.be/2Q9OcluSnnM

Ha! Enjoyed that. I clearly need to avoid gentrifying language like fixer upper in future.

I always felt like that about Vicky Park. Obviously less extreme, but the desirability seemed out of odds with the transport links.

But I guess if you're riding your Brompton to your architects studio in Spitalfields, you don't need a tube*.

*no Mile End doesn't count

Looks like less work tbh

Hah

+1. Never used the tube when living there.

Nor did I. Cycle, walk, or no8 bus if going further afield.

Anyone else feeling that everything they buy for their home - products / materials / whatever - is defective or in some way broken? Had a massive scrap over furniture which was defective, had orders from good suppliers that have been destroyed in the post and then they'll work your really hard before sending a replacement, took delivery of some wood where half of it was from a completely different and defective batch then had to have a scrap with the supplier who was claiming it was fine etc, etc. Countless hours wasted.

Have we been unlucky or is this something that is happening to others or am I just a massive Karen and I should put up with it?

Total middle class privilege bullshit I know and I should be much more thankful.

There is a reluctance to sort issues out. Two recent examples:

The other day I got a wood burner delivered (boo hisss). I unpacked it and the glass was all smashed up and the side was scratched up to fuck. I called the retailer who very firmly suggested they would send Me out a new bit of glass for me to fit and that would be it. Er no.

And the defective dishwasher I purchased from ao.com. yes the one I had to wait 3 weeks for despite buying it with expedited delivery. Took me 3 hours to remove the old one, take the door off. Put the new one in. Level it. Fit the integrated door. Adjust the sink trap for the funny waste pipe it came with. 1 trip to screwfix. And then I turn it on, it all lights up, and the fucking thing won't call for water. I could have screamed into a pillow.

And now ao.com are ignoring my emails and it's easier to get an audience with the pope than trying to speak to someone there who wants to help and resolve it.

This is where paying on a credit card comes handy, dont wanna deal with my problem you call them and they kick up fuck for you.

The generous party saved it over a period >=6months and bank statements can show that. I think this would cover @disq ?

There's no generous party in our case, but that would work for someone else I think. In that case (I'm told) they also want to see if the generous party has funds left over to cover living costs etc.

Christ. Tells me this place is worth a King's ransom. Absolute madness!

Their staff is too busy cold calling customers to sell extended warranties, maybe email them you are interested in one.