Pete Tong

From Lifehack

Everything has gone a bit wrong with the selling and buying of houses.  We have taken stock, sat back, thought about it.  Cried a little = Me.  Slammed doors = Me Stamped foot = Me.

Then logic came through the door in the shape of 3 large gangly men, known by Posh Boy since they were all first thrown together as scared 8 year olds in a cold room and told to unpack and that their parents had gone home, (boarding school is not like Hogworts where everyone is happy to have been left... ).

I tried to leave the snacks and retreat to the bedroom with the laptop to watch Sleepless in Seattle.  But as normal they drew me in and we chatted and then got down to the nitty gritty.  "what exactly are you trying to achieve by moving?"

More room, better area, better planned rooms, a bigger kitchen (I have a 1930's galley kitchen).

'The Broker' being more logical and mathematical than the rest said do the pros and cons whilst we are here.  They added their input.  Everything was assigned an importance number against each one and then averaged out against the last property we saw.  there was less in it than 1% difference.  

Then we added in the side about the difference in money it would cost to purchase, renovate to bring it the new house out of the 70's, stamp duty and outside space.  Then all of a sudden our house becomes very appealing.  Was changing area worth all that money?

It goes back to the move or improve.

Then Little Ben, all 6'5 of him, said let me do a video of the house, and email that and the satelite view from google to my BiL and see what he says.  

I served the pie, from {Frugal in Derbyshire's Blog }(I have a lot of venison in the freezer and 4 rabbits and soaked it all in red wine and thyme),with oven chips.  By the time I had handed out {Artic Roll}, which they all seem to love.  we had a quick diagram with some clauses about drains and the starts of a new plan.  They all agreed whole heartedly with their knees all up around their throats that we could do with a larger lounge, as I had to sit in the doorway on the kitchen steps as there isnt enough room in their for me to sit as well.

It seems ridiculous that I just want a little more space and to do that we were going to move.  With all of this and a lot of soul searching we are giving up the idea of moving.  The average house price has apparently gone up £30k this year.  When you start moving the percentage of change up the property ladder price it becomes a lot more like £70k-80k plus stamp duty.  We have just been left behind.  

What are we going to do?  Well, to start with, we need a workshop.  We had been looking at a shed for the new house, the Lady we were buying from, has with drawn this house from the market as she doesnt want to sell now as it has too many memories.  which I can understand is heart wrenching to leave.  So, a workshop we will have. 

I contacted "our Man Friday", who is a semi retired Italian from around the corner who fixes things we cant.  He came around, Pronto, had an espresso with me.  Surveyed the back garden, all 150 feet of it.  Tutted.  Walked back and forth.  "OK", he shouted, "I know a man"...

Out came his mobile phone.  "Hey G*****, comesti? *pause*.  Si Si, *lots of really fast talking none of which I caught, whilst he gave me a cheeky wink*, Siiiiiiiiiiii, siiiii *lots of wild gesticulating*, Ok, so you come now, he said in English.  and then something that sounded like "regatsi ciao bello."

20 minutes later and half a pack of biscuits and a further espresso, 2 vans arrived and 5 men poured out.  They were taken to the garden.  Lots of tutting.  What sounded like shouting.  A shovel was brought in from the van.  a hole dug.  "Prego".   Ciao's all round.  and gone.  Man Friday says, tomorrow you will have prices.  Ok for them to start new year?  Not till after the 6th.  In the mean time you need to buy 2 windows and a door.  I look in the skips for you.  if not The Boss will have to put his hand in his pocket.

There you go, the answer was here.  We just fell out of love with it.  

Is this the end of our adventure in finding some land?  Never.

Their is a hole in my heart and it is barn shaped. 

The difference in price from us extending this house and the price that the other house was up for, means we can maybe buy and investment for our retirement.  Who knows.  For now we need to start to like this house again and getting the workshop done will help with this.  Bits of motorbike and car in my very small dining room will be a feint memory in March.  

The urgency and stress seems to have melted away.  I feel quite calm.  Its like when you have a headache and all of a sudden the pain goes.  You are relieved and cant quite work out why.

Just maybe it wasnt a new house I needed, maybe it was new eyes.  Sometimes you need a kick in the pants by people you have known for a long time.  Who test you and stretch you and tell you when you are being a down right fool.  Those friends are true gold.  

We are very fortunate people.   We have a house, we are warm, we are OK. It will all come good.

Is this the end of the dream?  Never say never, but sometimes dreams need to stay dreams. For now anyways.  

Thank you for all of your support and well wishes previously.  

Now to make this house a home...

Sorry I dont know the origin of this.  If this is yours please contact me in the comments