I am looking at buying a house/cottage/flat near the coast. It would be a second home/holiday let/investment to be determined. Probably different things
I don't need a mortgage for anything I am looking at. DH and I have savings/investments and inheritances (I know, we are very lucky!) I normally live clos(ish) to the area and know it but not the housing market like I do where I normally live (which is a hotspot so all the rules about buyers market etc just don't apply and never have whenever I have bought before here you bid what you can afford and hope not to get outbid and beg borrow and steal because prices are still going up).
We thought we wanted to chose a place in one of a very small number of villages, just back from the coast 1 hr and 20 mins ish from home. We want 3/4 beds so we can have extended family to stay. Must have parking, outside space and a good kitchen.
We viewed a place about 5 miles away from the small number of villages which ticks all the boxes. I love it, despite it not being my usual kind of place. DH really likes it despite being in the wrong location. Historically however I have always bought with my head not my heart and largely bought on paper, floorplans, practicality and counting cupboards! It has 4 beds, is a refurb and is very well done. It has parking. But it's not what I thought I wanted and its 1 hr 35 mins from home. It woud also be harder for my DH to be at without me as he doesn't drive and so we had looked at bus routes and cyclability from the main train station. In both cases its possible but much harder for DH and DS if I am not there. (DH works from home much more and so we thought we may spend some time apart while I was in our main home).
Vendors don't need to sell, but want to as they could do with but don't need the money. We don't need to buy but probably want to. Its priced at £390k vendors paid £400k 2 years ago. Went on the market at Offers over £400k at end May, they changed agents and then reduced the price by £10k. Since then had 5 viewings of which we are one. DH and I think we will make an offer so long as it is a low one, but what is too low? I am so rubbish when its not a sellers market. I suppose i was thinking about £350k. Or do we wait a few more weeks and see if its still there. I would I think be disappointed if it sold elsewhere but I don't need this house, and it may be something better comes along but historically i think there may be 8-9 possibles a year and even then they may not actually tick theboxes (we saw another house in the right place which is in that category - looked right but because of the use of radiators, door openings etc you couldn't actually fit a double bed in anything but the main bedroom.