Another Time Lapse ... and adieu to our lovely home.

SELLING & BUYING. We didn't even mean to stay here for almost ten years but it's been difficult to find something affordable that is as good! Here goes with a long story that is still unfinished...

Our home was completed about eight years ago and we still love the house and garden; we also love the nature reserve (walkable) and the old town centre (walkable). "So why move?" I hear you ask. We always promised ourselves that we would return to the open countryside - we only moved into town to be within walking distance of the school for seven years - but we have spent three years looking for a new home.

Finally, we found something. It was another project (although we keep saying 'never again') that we could just about afford to buy and make livable, in a fantastic location where we had often dreamed of living but where property rarely comes up for sale and most houses are way above our price range.

Property #1

We offered the full asking price and were one of three offers put forward: a cash purchase from a developer, £35k less than the asking price, and one other offer, slightly below ours. We needed to be in a position to proceed and were given a week to sell our house - this was a Thursday in early May. It actually took us eight days to receive an offer on our house (these were the first people to view and they offered the next morning); the next couple to view our house also made an offer and, with a completed, short chain, wanted a quick move.

We called the vendor's agent with the good news but were told that the vendors of the property we wanted had accepted an offer from a cash buyer the previous day. Gutted, we decided that as we had finally started the moving process, we should continue...

Property #2

A house we had previously seen for sale three months earlier had dropped in price and was now of interest to us. It was in a nice location and had a lovely garden but the property, whilst livable, needed some work. We were told that the price had been reduced because the owners had now found somewhere to buy and wanted a quick sale.

We offered just under the asking price and had to wait for a response because the owners were away on a cruise. In the meantime, another would-be purchaser viewed the house and made a similar offer so both parties were asked to submit a 'best and final' offer. The owners were still on holiday but, after a few days, we were told that, again, the offers were similar and we were asked if we would be prepared to offer more. Apparently, we both did. The owners were still on holiday but promised to inform us of their decision on their return to the UK..

We are now into June and the owners finally arrive back on Thursday evening. At 5.20pm on Friday, we were advised that the owners are no longer buying the property they wanted and do not wish to rent a property. They asked whether either of the potential purchasers would be willing to have their offer accepted with a delay while they looked around.

No! Enough is enough! We felt that we had been 'played' by the vendors who procrastinated while they enjoyed their relaxing holiday yet we had agreed along our chain to target a moving date of mid-to-late August. Having wasted almost a month awaiting various responses, we currently have only ten weeks to find somewhere to move to. We were told that the other offer has been accepted and we wish the purchasers lots of luck in their dealings with the procrastinators.

Property #3

This will need to be covered in the next blog post as we are in limbo at the moment. We hope to get back to you soon with a happy ending, third time lucky and all that! Meanwhile, some photos of our completed project, our 'Sold (stc)' house, are featured above for you to see.

January - May 2007

Our Plan:

Downstairs: we like open plan, space and light. First of all, we decided to extend (single storey, as next door) right across the back, losing the lean-to before it collapses of its own accord and incorporating a personal door to the garage. Of course, we didn't intend to put a car in there at any point but acknowledged that someone may wish to do so at some time in the future; there was a brick shed at the end of the garage so we thought it might as well be included as part of the project.

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The L-shaped lounge-diner would be open plan to the kitchen and also feature a wall of folding-sliding glazed doors to the south-facing garden.

Rather than have a large family bathroom, we decided to put the loo in the bathroom. As there would then be no room for a bath, it would become a shower room. The loo and part of the kitchen would then become a laundry/utility room. We decided to keep the downstairs bedroom as a guest room.

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Upstairs, we wanted to enlarge the second bedroom and create more light by putting in a dormer window to face the rear; we then stole the equivalent space at the front to create a small "cloakroom" (loo & sink); the main bedroom already had a dormer but also had a large eaves cupboard which we wanted to turn into an en-suite.

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We gave our plans to the architect then sat back and impatiently waited ... for months ... from January till March, then April and, finally, in May, we got the go-ahead - not in time to keep our slot with the builder, though; originally booked for May but with no confirmed permissions, we then had to wait till the end of August for our chosen builders to start.

Intro - how it began...

Not again, we decided, firmly, having lived in building sites at three lovely locations. This time, we shall take our time and find a house we like as it already is, then relax. But it wasn't to be. Even looking significantly upwards of our price range (just for the hell of it), we were unable to find our ideal house in the location that we needed. We caved. Once more unto the bricks ... and here we go again!

Background

The house we lived in for eight years was purchased as a single storey, four-room shell. Whilst renting elsewhere, we appointed an architect, acquired planning permission and appointed our trusted builder who worked for us on a similar project a few years earlier (see below).

We don't have any photographs of work-in-progress but, basically, at the front of the bungalow, we kept the two front rooms, built a porch to accommodate a cloakroom and replaced the bathroom with a set of stairs. At the back of the house, we kept the kitchen and extended the lounge into the garden. 

The bungalow became a chalet-bungalow by removing the shallow roof and replacing it with a higher pitch, which enabled us to accommodate four double-bedrooms, an en-suite and a family bathroom.

After we moved in, we added a small side extension that provided a study and W.C. (easily accessed by a side door) and a utility room. Oh yes, and we added a pool. Here are some photographs from when we sold it ... 

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The previous house that we renovated with the builder mentioned in the next few posts was purchased with no heating!!! It was a two-storey, three bedroom house with a litchen/diner and lounge, untouched for many years but with great potential. 

We developed it twice. The first time was just a ground floor extension and the second time added an upstairs so that's another 'story' haha! Below are some before, during and after photographs; the first and last are about ten years apart.

Moving on to the next post...