Buying my flat was the worst mistake of my life.

[bibshamed]

6 months ago, at 22 years old, I bought a 3 bed duplex/maisonette flat in Aldershot. It was fine, I liked living there, and we made it home. Well, my 4 year relationship fell apart, and I realised I only bought it because he loved it and I wasn't happy there. I moved back with my Mum in Cambridge and realised I made the biggest mistake of my life. It's in a terrible area of Aldershot, with electrical issues.

I had 2 nightmare lodgers who eventually left and are now threatening me with small claims court for not returning their deposit, despite leaving the place in a bad condition after, constantly complained and lied about extent of repairs needed, only 2 months (smoking weed inside, not ventilating or heating it, so mould) AND running into arrears.

I put down a £50k deposit, which I saved for 5 years while living at home and studying, for that money. I have priced it so that hopefully to break even after estate agent and conveyancing fees. I don't know why I moved so far away from my family, it was a huge mistake, and I realised I was only happy living there because I was with Him. I don't know what to do I just want to cry. I don't think anyone will buy it. I paid 165k for it. I think I may have overpaid. I feel so stupid.

You are 22 and bought a 3-bed apartment in Aldershot, lived there happily with your then partner, split up with XP, moved back to Cambridge and rented out the flat to tenants, who eventually left leaving arrears, in the space of 6 months?
Something doesn't add up.

@HotChoxs ridiculous it may sound after the poster has filled in the gaps. We call that drip feeding on the forum you’ll get used to it as unfortunately you appear to be sticking around..

Oh, dear, you gonna get in trouble now with @HotChoxs she’ll have your legs smacked by the moderators 🤣

Many people have made mistakes buying property, it is very easy to do, especially if you are in a hurry to find somewhere.

If I am looking at the correct house, the listing would not encourage me to view and I think it might be worth trying to make it look more attractive to buyers with more photos and much better shots. The listing says three bedrooms, but there is only one bedroom photo. Good luck.

The photos of the flat aren't great, it looks like it needs cleaned, the grubby outside, wrinkled carpet, cable in the kitchen, depressing living room.

It was pretty easy to find the flat for anyone with half a brain and a minute to spare.

I worked as a carer in nursing homes from 18. I did a gap year and saved up for uni, then worked nights and weekends/ holidays once i started at uni. I was with an agency in my uni town and in my home town, zero hours contracts and picked my shifts around when my lectures were. I averaged 5 or 6 12 hour night shifts a week, did about 18 hours of lectures and basically slept/ partied/ did coursework the rest of the time. I came out of uni with £23k saved and a 1:1, then lived with my parents for another year, got a graduate job that paid £18k a year and basically saved all of it. I bought my first house for £100k (it was a total wreck) aged 23 with a £30k deposit, did it up and sold it 5 years later for £170k.

I can't work out why you think you overpaid? £165k sounds like a bargain for a 3-bed flat in that part of the country.

It could do with a new carpet in the living room but other than that looks perfectly serviceable. It's a shame the outside of the building needs a bit of TLC but there's not much you can do about that.

How did you do three degrees by the age of 22?!

Yes. After hearing about how hard it is/going to be for our kids to buy property I’m heartened to see that, judging by some of the posters on here, it’s actually really easy to save £50k and be a property owner in your very early twenties.

were they tenants or lodgers op youve used both terms-tenants will have more rights than a lodger and the deposit shold be in a legal scheme where they decide if it shold be witheld or not

Sorry if I missed it, but why on earth did you move back to your parents? Why didn't you stay in your home, fix it up, and then sell?

You have 3 degrees and you are 22?

and a PGCE presumably, and can up sticks from Aldershite to Cambridge at a drop of a hat

I would say you could definitely make more of the inside. There seem to be towels over the back of the sofa and bed for instance. Make it look loved. Make the bed properly etc. Then get a decent set of photos taken.

Why is everyone being so mean to OP on this thread?

She’s 22 and it’s had tenants in, it’s hardly going to have had the interior decorators in.

OP, it looks fine. I’m sorry you’re having a hard time and I hope you sell it soon.

Also - I’d done two degrees, undergrad and masters at 21. One year PGCE makes three.

God mumsnet is unnecessarily nasty sometimes. Lots of people unhappy with their own lives.

The cables in the kitchen are fairy lights, as any one with half a brain can see.

I wasn't mean, @Nordix , just pointing out that the story didn't add up.

@MerryChristmasToYou Except it does?

i gave the estate agent a picture of the third bedroom but he didnt use it, i might send it again and ask him to include it in the listing.

thank you guys so much. i recently dropped the price from 170 to 185 for a quick sale, maybe i should hike it back up? i just am not confident anyone will bite for that price considering its a bad area. it doesnt need any urgent work and is in good decorative order.

the lodgers were only there for 2 months, they both quit their jobs and couldnt afford the rent anymore and left without paying me the full amount of rent for either months. last time i find tenants on facebook marketplace i can tell you that.

also i am 23 now. thanks to you guys who shared your stories, it feels good to know im not alone, i truly thought i would be the only one with this sad story.