Jul 19

Looked at a couple of houses last weekend. Both very nice bijou dwellings, one for 5k more had a garage, a lovely upstairs but a funny shaped boundary. The cheaper one had an allocated plot for a garage but a larger, nicer garden, and a larger, nicer kitchen. But it was situated at the end of a three-hour* drive over speed bumps.

* subject to speed of driving, rest breaks etc. aw, ok, about 6 minutes of speedbumps.

I don’t think I can afford either. Well, I could, but if interest rates went up by a single percent that would be it. Without the interest rate rise it would be two years of rice & cabbage, taking my own bottled water to the pub and fixing my bicycle with bits of string I’ve found in the gutter.

I got a nasty awakening when I went for my last mortgage interview. They’re lending over 35 year period nowadays, which means it’s cheaper to borrow, so you can BORROW MORE. Except I’m too old, so I can’t borrow as much more.

Every year that passes now, my borrowing strength decreases.

I have to come up with a convincing scenario that doesn’t end in impoverished old age, nor a sudden repossession due to negative equity.


7 comments so far...

  • Me Said on July 19th, 2005 at 12:19:

    It’s called winning the lottery, isn’t it?

  • kate Said on July 19th, 2005 at 12:40:

    the whole house thing scares me! I don’t think I’d ever be able to afford a place on my own, would have to be either win the lottery, or a joint ownership.
    I’m too scared to even go for a mortgage interview! which is really stupid I know.. The age thing had never even occured to me!

  • fak Said on July 19th, 2005 at 13:33:

    “Without the interest rate rise it would be two years of rice & cabbage, taking my own bottled water to the pub and fixing my bicycle with bits of string I’ve found in the gutter.
    ” You are miarke, AICM £5 :)

  • Carol Said on July 19th, 2005 at 13:34:

    What you want is a ‘modern marriage’. This is where people just share the purchase of a house (and depending on how much they’ve put into it - either as capital, or repayments - they get a proportion back when it’s sold. Does mean that you’ve to share with someone, and I don’t know if you’re currently doing that, but apparently it’s all the rage.

  • Carol Said on July 19th, 2005 at 14:15:

    Alternatively, you could always move to Merthyr Tydfil ;)

  • sweavo Said on July 19th, 2005 at 14:47:

    Hmmm. I’ll have to see about teleworking.

  • Lorri Said on July 20th, 2005 at 08:30:

    I can only afford mine because I intend to rent out the 2nd bedroom. Not the ideal solution though as I’d prefer to live on my own.

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