Owning your own home

Whilst a crackhead slides the Mac Book out of your recycled hessian bag.

I don't have a Macbook. That aside, it's really not like that! I genuinely feel completely safe and comfortable walking about. I'm not the sort of person who is oblivious to these things by any means.

There are other areas I can think of (not naming names) where the gentrification exists in complete disparity to the surrounding area, it's really not like that and I wouldn't feel comfortable living somewhere that was.

I genuinely don't recognise the Hackney you are talking about Fox- where, exactly, is this paradise?

I lived on Mare Street a few years ago. One day we came home to find a note from the residents' association: downstairs had someone bust through the door, tie them up at gunpoint and rob them. Charming. Just a friendly note to say "watch out, you live in a shitty area".

I genuinely don't recognise the Hackney you are talking about Fox- where, exactly, is this paradise?

Hackney, Arkansas?
Hackney, KS 67156

Buying at auction intrigues and scares me.

I researched by watching homes under the hammer, piece of piss.

Lower Clapton. But I don't just stay in my own little area all the time.

@Sparky - I wouldn't want to live actually on Mare Street. I think you could say the same of lots of main roads/streets that are the focal point of a wider area.

As a period snob the hatcheting of most of the nice property in Hackney is heartbreaking, but that's nothing next to the cold-hearts of the landlords who rent the dilapidated boxes out for £1200 pcm

What's a 'flat white', I often read it in reference to some perceived Macbook and Guardian media-class?

also, Hackney is huge and non-homogenous.
most of my friends have bought in Walthamstow/Leyton/Leytonstone. you get a lot for your money and very quick tube connections.
I disagree with the "Warner effect" - they are nice houses but not so significant in number and there are many houses that could be subdivided that haven't simply because there isn't such intense demand for tiny places.

we will be looking south/southeast though, partly because not having to cross the Lea Valley is a big deal for me, and we just like it this side of the river. there seem to be more trees. we are not interested in flat whites (although Fox's patch of lower Clapton is in some ways very lovely).

Aren't the Warners protected? Stopping people from hacking them up. I could be wrong but they seen suspiciously untouched

some of them are in conservation areas

What's a 'flat white', I often read it in reference to some perceived Macbook and Guardian media-class?

A Range Rover Evoque, painted white. Something to do with the low windows and its ability to only work effectively in cities where the occupants should really be cycling but like to feel important.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_white

Ugh, Australians!

I love flat whites. Coffee with milk in for people who actually like coffee.

Hah, I just got hippy's car joke.

also, Hackney is huge and non-homogenous.
most of my friends have bought in Walthamstow/Leyton/Leytonstone. you get a lot for your money and very quick tube connections.
I disagree with the "Warner effect" - they are nice houses but not so significant in number and there are many houses that could be subdivided that haven't simply because there isn't such intense demand for tiny places.

we will be looking south/southeast though, partly because not having to cross the Lea Valley is a big deal for me, and we just like it this side of the river. there seem to be more trees. we are not interested in flat whites (although Fox's patch of lower Clapton is in some ways very lovely).

See hoefla actually knows what she's talking about when it comes to houses, not like me.

I should say though there are lots of trees on the marshes and down the Lee Valley. There are lots of trees down my street too. I love having all that near to me and because I work in Canary Wharf I can commute down the Lea which is great.

What is your aversion to crossing the Lee Valley, all the A roads?

Only joking, fockin' love you guys

^^ but I know nothing about the property market... only that my friends have bought big places that aren't Warner houses so it can't just be that.
I know there are trees and parks a plenty all over london, I love the Lea/Lee Valley too and I've spent a lot of time just wandering around there over the years. there is a big chunk of southeast that just feels "leafy" to me. there might be no empirical basis to this.

crossing the Lea - there aren't many options and none of them are pleasant. it's psychological, but significant.

Ugh, Australians!

Taste the motherfuckin rainbow!

What, Enfield?

You could spunk up £385k for an oven

we will be looking south/southeast though

yay!

#nosarcasm

In a Warner now, renting though just off Lea Bridge Rd, I like them. Decent size flats (ours is 2 bed), and both upstairs and groundfloor get their own access to the garden. If you're thinking about buying one, aim for one of the upstairs ones though, and learn to lug the bike upstairs. - the sound proofing isn't built for today's stroppy shouty stampy nocturnal teenager on laminate floors above. We're currently buying a house in that same Lea Bridge Road bit.

Crossing the Lea is fine, you get used to it, it's mostly long stretches of pavement cycle path across the valley towards town, not so nice coming back granted, but it's quick - it's only 5 mins extra ride from Clapton Pond.

Buying process is a massive pain in the backside, have to say. Anyone know about the necessity of gas certificates prior to exchange? Our solicitors are demanding them. Vendor installed a brand new boiler this year but didn't connect the condensate pipe or the overheating pipe and left it to drip on the electric plug below. Not promising. Trying to get the vendor to fix+get gas certificate or find a gas engineer prepared to fix it and give it a gas certificate is proving difficult...

That sounds like a possible self install which is illegal if not Gas Safe Certified.
If you are prepared to do so, you could instruct the Solicitor to exchange and complete without them but I would get it checked yourself before using it if you choose that route.
Maybe have a sum of money held back for check / repairs?

Darford nice and quiet.

:-)

#justsaying

This one bed in Muswell Hill is excellent value:
http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/30065468

What the hell does this mean?!

Note

Buyers are asked to research the history of this property.

Oh ha ha ha;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Nilsen

Hahaha!