How hard can it be to find a boring 1930s semi in suburbia??

[narmada]

Beware, ranty post ahead. We really need to buy a house. First time buyers, large deposit, good for a mortgage, but can we find a house that's in a reasonable school catchment?? Can we buggery. Recession, pah. Decent houses around our way are under offer within 24 hours. I can't believe that now we have the money to buy, there is seemingly nothing to buy.

I have just tripped over the same sodding toy that I've tripped over the last 3 days in a row because our current rental is the size of a shoebox and we have 2 kids. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggh.

Does anyone in the Kingston/ SUrbiton/ New Malden area want to sell us a house??!!! Garden and near a decent primary a must, budget up to 450k.

Can't help but just wanted to sympathise - were in a similar position about 12 months ago - supposedly the worst housing market for decades, ideal for buyers, everyone apparently accepting offers well below the asking price. Were in rented for 18 months whilst we tried to buy - anything that was in our price range went before it was even advertised. Ended up going to sealed bids for the house that we're in now - just a box standard 1930s semi. Good luck - hope you get something soon.

Thanks mandy, it's bonkers, isn't it??! If I hear 'oh, it's a buyers' market' one more time I will shoot myself.

We have just been gazumped. In this current climate it seems utterly insane but there you go.

Hope you like where you are now, at any rate

Agree. Is very little on market in that area (still get blurb from our house hunting a year ago) and there are still properties going in for optimistic prices which amazes me. (Friend has recently rented her property as could only sell it at optimistic level as had bought at same.) We struck lucky in end, but didn't get as much off as we should have given the work that needs doing.
My top tip would be to look at the schools that are bulging permanently and temporarily. You need to be near one of those (preferably one of the permanent ones). My 2 yo hasn't got into pre-school because of the number of children her age wanting a place. Friend's 3 yo has same problem. So think school bottleneck is to stay for a few years.

If you want to move to St Albans instead, my landlord is selling our current house and it is EXACTLY what you want - great schools, 1930s semi with loft conversion and back extension, and weirdly only one viewing in a month so I reckon you'd have no prob getting offer of 450k accepted. PM me if you want the details!

The other option is to look into the schools that appear to be less good. Quite often there is inertia in school reputation of a good few years - a new HT for eg can make a massive difference very fast but it might take a year or so for people to start thinking of that school more favourably. And longer again for house prices in that catchment to rise.

yomella It's bonkers. I called about a house we'd seen - surprise surprise already under offer. For 25k more than asking price!! Good grief. We quite fancy worcester park near either cuddington or mead primary - seems better value than further north of there.

porcupine thanks for offer but sadly we do want to stay around here. All our friends are here and we love it.

bran good point about the recession and increased demand for state places.

ormirian not a bad idea. DD will be going to school next year tho, so some of them would have to improve sharpish!

No I meant some might already be better than you think or than their current rep suggests. It might merit further investigation that's all.

Oh I see what you mean ormirian. I'm not a slave to ofsted reports nor schools with posho kids going - would much rather one with a good dynamic head. Will keep researching schools!

Not saying it will help but it might.

The secondary school our eldest 2 are now at has improved massively. Every teacher I knew in the area seemed to be saying it was one of the best schools in the area. But for years it was a dive - you wouldn't send your worst enemy there - so it is taking a long time for people to view it differently. We sent DS1 there and that term they were rated outstanding by Ofsted. Now it's oversubscribed. We bought a very lovely (not at all boring ) semi just down the road from it.

Narmada I'm right with you on this one. Been looking on and off for a place to buy for a few months now. Nothing special required, we are cash buyers, no chain (living with my Mum - at least we have enough space here!), can move to any timescale the vendors want. Is there anything, NO!

I think part of the problem is the EAs, even if you're on their books, they don't call with the new instructions, so by the time it gets on their website or rightmove for ppl like us to see, someone else has taken it! I also believe that many of them feed friends who are BTL investors with cash budgets info and give them first refusal. A lot of the investors will not even instruct a survey, or not a full structural, so again we are at a disadvantage.

UGH! It's soooo annoying.

GL narmada, hope you find something soon, you are in a great position as buyers and it will pay off eventually.

Try www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-28632307.html?premiumA=true

Raynes park in catchment for Hillcross - outstanding and Hatfeild- good

If that doesn't work try SW20 in right move

Thanks Jules good idea to look at Raynes Park too. Alas, garden too small for two boisterous kids!

Phone the estate agents every week or even twice a week. They will try and find you a house just so that you get off their backs!

One thing I did notice is that often the EA like to keep the whole chain so are keener to be selling a 2 bed flat, who are buying a 3 bed house and are buying a 4 bed house all from them. So being a first time buyer may not help.