From where I'm sitting, it looks like people these days expect to get everything with no effort (sweeping statement, I know, but read on)

Many people complain about not being able to afford to get onto the property ladder, but how much of this is because they don't want to make any effort?

When we bought our first house, we bought in a ok-ish area (not our first choice, but..) and ran up a carefully calculated debt to pay the deposit. Our first furniture was all donated by relatives... a washer that didn't know when to stop spinning, a sofa that narrowly escaped collection for the tip, a table and chairs dragged from the back of a shed, and a fridge that had spent a week in the garden...

Friends of ours some years earlier wound up busting their budget to buy their first place, and had to live on soup for a month they were so skint.

How did you afford your first place, or how much would you sacrifice to get your first place?

well if you an find me a house for 50k

I'd sacrafice the Wednesday team and anyone who has ever been on reality tv

For 3 years I showered with polythene dust sheets stuck to the wall with gaffer tape cos the wall was in such bad shape that until I did some major work it couldn't be tiled. And of course I couldn't afford to do the major work until I'd saved for 3 years.

All of my furniture, crockery and cookware were hand me downs from rellies, and I didn't get my first sofa until I'd been in almost 5 years.

I still have the fireplace and fire that I've loathed since the day I moved in though, and that won't be changed until I've finished the new roof (done) and reconverted the attic (nearly done) and got new carpet and vinyl for the bathroom and stairs (nowhere near done yet).

Not much suffering, but plenty of patience!

Originally posted by robbie
well if you an find me a house for 50k

I'd sacrafice the Wednesday team and anyone who has ever been on reality tv
That's worth a bit of digging for ;)

http://212.50.188.107/cgi-win/vebra.cgi?details1?src=vebra&PropertyCode=1086010/ALGAR/54054/2

:wave: reality TV :wave:

When I bought my first house I also had 'hand-me-downs'.

This sounds horrible, but an old relative died just after i had my offer accepted on the house so I got some furniture from her house along with kitchen and electrical things.

This was also just before Christmas so my parents bought me a washing machine and friends bought housey things like a bread board, a clock, picture frames etc.

When I got the house I wrote a list of jobs that I wanted to do and things I wanted to buy, room by room, then when i could afford it gradually crossed them off.

It was very difficult at the time and I did have to sacrifice a few things - there were too many Saturday nights that I was sat at home watching tv when my friends were out on the town, but I knew that I had to save the money if I wanted to get through my list! I was the first of my group of friends to get a house but when they started getting them they realised how hard it is and we started to have nights in at each other's house - we'd take it in turns to cook or just have drinks and nibbles - it only costs us the taxi home if we were visiting (obviously more if we were hosting but that was only every 5/6 times)

I found it difficult to cope with expense etc when I bought in 1999 and almost as difficult now having just bought my second house even though I made a huge profit on my sale.

I think people need to be prepared to make sacrifices and be sensible but take advantage of every situation possible!! :thumbsup:

so the best thing to do is to find a partner who owns their own home? ;)

are you single? :D

What does no chain involved mean, is it a type of mortgage ?

Back of the house looks better than the front but for that price would be worth an investment to buy and rent out for a few years then sell...make a killing then.

I'm planning on moving (approximately) 138 miles to buy my first house! Admittedly I have the added bonus of living with my girlfriend when I do but hey, it's a big move.

House prices are amazing up there, two simlar houses (2 bed mid terrace, garden front and rear newly decorated, fitted kitchen etc.), one in Sheff one in Consett, in similar areas. £150k is Sheff, £85k in Consett. It's madness I say.

We've already had things promised to us by relatives so we won't need stacks of furniture. We also know that it's going to be a struggle at first. I don't think a lot of people expect everything to be easy but a lot I think don't realise how difficult it can be. We're alredy prepared for many a saturday eating soup watching Casualty but it's going to be worth it.

All I need to do now is find a job up there.....

No chain means that the seller isn't relying on another person moving out of a house they are buying.

Originally posted by poppins
What does no chain involved mean, is it a type of mortgage ?

Back of the house looks better than the front but for that price would be worth an investment to buy and rent out for a few years then sell...make a killing then.

Think it means that the seller isn't relying on anyone else. In a chain, you would buy a house, the people who own that house now would buy another house, and those people would buy another house and so on. For it all to work out every house in the chain would have to be sold in order for you to get your house. If the people you are buying off end up not getting the house they are buying, it falls through for you because the other people can't move out.

Originally posted by robbie
so the best thing to do is to find a partner who owns their own home? ;)

are you single? :D

I thought that you'd just put up a very strong argument against home ownership on another thread. This is just trying to get the good bits without going through the tough times to get it!

And yes, I am.

Nothing ... now. I went through all that when I was younger, we never had any money and we were always putting our hands in our pocket for repairs. For reasons I wont go into here, things changed, and now I rent. And I like it. I can live here as long as I want as I rent from a housing association. The rent is reasonable, the repairs are prompt, modernisations and updatings take place periodically. The property is in very good order. I have less worries now! I cannot afford to buy any more, but I like the area I live in.

I know its not everyones cup of tea, but it suits me and mine now.

Originally posted by robbie
so the best thing to do is to find a partner who owns their own home? ;)
Never thought of that option!!

are you single? :D
Afraid so! :(

I know where you're coming from alysonpeach.

We've only recently bought our house and could only afford to do so as it was a council house that I'd been living in for some years.

I'd always been happy to rent for the same reasons you mentioned.
It was only when I met my now husband who lived in London that I could (or he could:D ) afford to buy this house. He sold his house in London and with my discount we were able to buy this house outright so now have no mortgage or rent:clap: :clap: .
We've managed to do it up as well so I've been very lucky.

When living alone as a single parent though I had to make sacrifices just to rent. When my daughter and I moved from a one bedroomed flat into this house we couldn't afford carpets and all furniture was donated.
But renting has it's perks too, never worrying about repairs etc.

When I bought my first place I took in lodgers for the first couple of years, which paid the mortgage while my money went on decorating, furniture etc. All the people I had living with me were friends which made it easier. Sharing my house was a small price to pay to get the ball rolling.

I didn't really sacrifice anything when I bought my first property but talk about 'hard up', for a while. I didn't move in for 2 months because I coudn't afford a bed. Had two hand me down chairs a fridge and a second hand cooker. I was so skint.

Seems like a lifetime away now but only 23years in reality, which could be a lifetime I suppose. Have moved twice sacrificing things like cars on the way to help fund the next property, and seem to have acquired a cafe, shop and flat and a derelict shop which is next years renovation project. Will have to see what we sacrifice to do that!

When I met my wife she already had the house, so the only thing I sacrificed was my sanity! ;) (hoping she doesn't read this...) I also inherited her debts so that's slowed us down a little, but we both have good jobs now (my contract ended a bit before we got married and it took 6 months to get a new job, that was a bit of a strain) and so we're getting there. We had a couple of lodgers for a while - including our newlywed period - so we also sacrificed a bit of privacy! :)

well we are in the process of buying our first house with my husband and I'm already trying to work out what things I can do without. So it's very likely that we won't have a landline and broadband for the first couple of months. We're also planning on having a few nights in instead of our planned nights out. But we know it will be worth it and it'll only be for a few months until he gets a job. I've already got a job lined up but I'll have to work a month before I get paid. Also I won't be going to my native land until next Summer instead of my usual Easter visit.
So yes, it's going to be tight but it's more rewarding than having everything handed on a plate, isn't it?
As for the area, we chose one that hasn't a great reputation because we couldn't afford anywhere else but it seemed fine when we went back there at night.
:P
Oh and we had to forget our dream of a 3 bed semi with garage, double glazing, big garden etc. We're now getting a nice little 2 bed terrace with patio and on road-parking but double glazing. C'est la vie!
:thumbsup:

Originally posted by medusa666
I thought that you'd just put up a very strong argument against home ownership on another thread. This is just trying to get the good bits without going through the tough times to get it!

And yes, I am.

I have no problem with owning my own home. If I could get a nice house in a nice area for say 40k I'd be there :D

my issue is people geting crippling mortgages of 3/4 or 5 times their wage just to get on the housing ladder.

if the interest rates go up then there will be lots and lots of trouble

Originally posted by Strix
No chain means that the seller isn't relying on another person moving out of a house they are buying.

I thought THIS (http://www.buyinnovations.com/images/html_editor/closeup_cross3.jpg) is what no chain means.

Brilliant, a shaft drive bicycle. If interest rates get too high again [ like during Mrs Thatchers leadership years] I will get rid of a car and get one of these for the wife.

Peope moan about not being able to get on the property ladder and then happily spend hundreds and hundreds of pounds each month on alcohol. Lots of hangovers or a house?

It would help if going to university didn't cost £20,000 and all the good first time buyer homes weren't bought by student homes developers.

I would sarifice a lot to buy my own home - yes, even alcohol :o

If I was single I don't think i would bother buying a house, I'd rent, from the council if possible.

I don't see the point of buying your own home if you are then condemned to sit in it every night bacause you have no money left over from paying your vast mortgage, that would be misserable, especially if your young.

We sacrificed nights out and had no holiday for 3 years to afford our first house.....

Once bought we then could not afford decent furniture and managed with the second hand ''white goods'' and the ''cheap black ash'' stuff from Argos.....

The following year we booked our wedding only for me to fall pregnant whilst having a 1 week holiday in Turkey where I was sick for over half of the week....

We postponed the wedding and had our lovely baby.....more second hand goods followed...

We then rebooked the wedding only to have it cancelled when I was rushed into hospital seriously ill with encephalitus....

The wedding was rearranged and we eventually got married only to find I was again pregnant, another lovely but unplanned baby later we found ourselves needing a bigger house....

Due to a new housing estate being built over the road with amazing £99 move in offers inc all carpets etc etc we could not compete to sell our starter home....so we ended up selling at a loss of about £5k... :(

We then spent another 3 years of no nights out or holidays to be able to repay family as we needed to borrow our deposit again to make our next house purchase...:rolleyes:

It was 10 years of hard slog but the last 2/3 years have been mucher kinder to us....we choose to have another baby in 2002, it was nice to experience the 'planning of a child' :hihi: and now live in a 5 bedroomed house with plenty of equity and no need to move again....phew!!

Who said life was easy......:rant:

I agree with Strix though....so many 20 somethings want it all...city living...nights out....holidays....fast cars....for minimum effort and no sacrifices!!

I have advice for them....unless Mummy/Daddy has a million in the bank and is willing to share... it ain't gonna happen...:hihi:

:)

I have a graduate job with good prospects, very rarely go on nights out and do not have the expense of a car. However, I still cannot afford to buy a house without crippling myself financially. I have very little to sacrifice. I don't really mind renting but the thought of not being able to leave anything substantial to my child is upsetting.

Originally posted by psyn
the thought of not being able to leave anything substantial to my child is upsetting.

Why do parents agonize over this, my mum is constantly going on about moving to Greece, I keep telling her to sell her house and go, but then she says "but then I won't be able to leave it to you when I die". Mum, if you're reading this, I don't need your house, I already have my own, sell it and enjoy yourself.

Originally posted by nick2
Why do parents agonize over this, my mum is constantly going on about moving to Greece, I keep telling her to sell her house and go, but then she says "but then I won't be able to leave it to you when I die". Mum, if you're reading this, I don't need your house, I already have my own, sell it and enjoy yourself.

mine do that as well. really annoys me . they have lots of capital in the house but wont use it.:rant:

I don;t want their &&^%^ money or house.

I'd rather they wasted the money enjoying their retirement

Awww, its because they remember you when you were a helpless little baby in nappies, and deep down, they still think of you like that :D

Originally posted by kathythebean
Awww, its because they remember you when you were a helpless little baby in nappies, and deep down, they still think of you like that :D

I've grown! :D

We sacrificed the idea of a house and got a flat instead!
Less than ideal but after 10 years of paying other peoples mortgage I was getting a bit desparate. Looking forward to moving in soon!

The mortgage payments on this flat are slightly less than currently paying in rent, and our rent is very cheap!