So depressed about house-hunting.

[WhatsGoingOnEh]

Sorry about this... Just letting off steam.

In the past six months, I've sold my old house and moved into my parents' house, changed the kids' schools, am getting married in October... And we can't find a house to buy.

I have a big £100k+deposit and a MIP (although I know those don't mean much) of a decent amount with my fiancé, but we can't find anything. There have been two very nice houses, but we've been gazumped on both of them. Once after six months.

It's so stressful, for me, fiancé, and my parents. Every house we see feels like it's going to be The One but there's always some issue. And we can't even relax when we've had an offer accepted anymore, as we've seen it fall apart even after the surveys have been done.

Our budget has shrunk dramatically over the past six months. What would have bought a nice 3-bed in January won't even cover a nice 2-bed anymore. I'd love to just rent a place but fear we'll get priced out forever.

The horrible uncertainty is the worst part. The roller coaster of hope followed by the crash of disappointment. Every week. Every viewing.

Sorry for horribly long mopey rant. Anyone else want to moan about house hunting? Join in! Or did you ever feel this way but things turned out well in the end?

I guess the thing is that my whole life in this town (schools, family, gym, nightlife, shops) is within one square mile. So living outside that seems a bit daft. I'd rather not have to drive EVERYWHERE.

But the houses within that square mile are either ££££££££ or on quite a notorious estate. So that's the issue. Either try to get a lot more money from somewhere (where??) or buy something tiny, or move further out.

Do you not drive (you mention a cab)? If not, could you plan to learn and get a cheap car which would make everything much easier within 6 months or so?

We moved from a city to a West Berkshire village with no local shop. I really thought I would find it difficult, particularly the having to drive for a pint of milk thing. I was used to it in weeks though and loved it.

Can we see no 2 and no 4 or rightmove??

OK. Taking a bus to secondary school is one thing (i.e., totally normally and not a reason to reject a house. My 11 yr old daughters takes the train and then walks across town). However, having to drive everywhere (shops, friends, primary school etc) is a different thing and something I personally wouldn't do. But then, because it was a top priority we didn't bother going to see any houses that weren't within walking distance of one shop and a primary school. You do have to decide what really matters to you - and what you can be more relaxed about.

Hello, I feel your pain. We've been looking for a few months without finding the right thing, while the prices seem to head forever upwards.

I've got a house to sell (we're also in Berks), but I managed to buy in an area that is sh*t and doesn't rise in price, whereas all the areas I'm looking at have risen stupid crazy amounts.

We've put in an offer on a house and had it accepted, and I've just paid for the survey yesterday, but I'm having kittens because I don't love the house and can't work out whether it's a good move or a terrible idea. The house is in a really really pretty (and expensive) village, so the house, inevitably, is small and not really very nice at all. But the only way I could ever afford to live in a location like that is to live in a small, meh house.

Last week, when we stood in the pretty village watching the swallows in the sunshine, buying any house there seemed like a great idea, but today, when I compare the house to my existing house which is lovely but in an awful area and has no garden, then it just looks like a really dumb idea to buy it. And also I'm flapping about travel to and from the new secondary (also starting in Sept). It's all just so arrghghghghghgh!

We were in this same dilemma - we're in London.

Thank goodness - prices are now dropping. They really are. Everything has come to a standstill and every day 5 - 10% is being taken off handfuls of houses etc

If you're outside London it may take a couple of months for this to travel to you - but i reckon you should wait and not panic.

Good luck.

My mum grew up in Pontypridd!

The lovely-but-miles-away house got an offer over the weekend of £5k under asking price, and we can't afford it. We're in a better position to proceed than the other buyers, but have less money. So I think it's out. I'm not devastated so I think it wasn't the right house.

I'd like to hold out for a house in my preferred area. It's quite a big area really, and houses are coming up.

Thank you all so much!! You REALLY REALLY help with all your lovely advice.

I'm obviously all for you to find the house you want but ever since you mentioned you were an writer all my advice has gone out of my head - I just want to hear all about your job! I love hearing little snippets of people's lives :)

Good luck with the house hunt, hope it all works out.

Thanks to the amazing advice here I've walked away from an overpriced house in a dodgy area and put an offer on a house in a completely out of the blue destination - and had my offer accepted. The advice on MN has been amazing - go with your heart, any wobbles about a property, don't do it! It's worth the pain of waiting - I know it's expensive, time consuming and angsty, but wait - My DH and I have secured a 3 bed (rather than the 2 we were looking at 2 months ago), on the Jubilee Line (rather than Overground / train), in a fab "up and coming" area (Willesden) for the same over bloated money we were offering on a house next to a scary estate only with train / Overground. Thank you all. I had the courage to call the sh*y agent this afternoon and walk away from the rubbish house. Wait (we did, 3 months of hell looking, probably another 3 before we are in, followed by renovations), but worth it!