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Original poster

Buying my flat was the worst mistake of my life.

232 replies

bibshamed · 08/12/2022 14:57

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.

OP posts:
AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 15:59

NoelNoNoel · 09/12/2022 15:57

Why are posters so baffled by the OP, some people are just very driven?. My DS is the same.

Tbf, doing a full time masters while also earning a full time NQ teacher's salary (in order to get the mortgage) is very unusual.

HotChoxs · 09/12/2022 15:59

@MrsMinxy

Has that answered your question, or is there anything else the OP can do for you today? Perhaps an extensive guide on the structure of a PGCE? What she eats for breakfast?

LakieLady · 09/12/2022 16:00

TwoBlondes · 08/12/2022 15:38

Thé local authority might be interested in it. You're guaranteed rent every month and they take the risk

This is an excellent suggestion, OP.

Councils round my way that do this undertake to return the property in at least the condition the got it in, and pay an amount equivalent to the local housing allowance for the area. They usually want a 3-year minimum term. The council pay the owner, so if the tenants don't pay the rent, the owner still gets paid.

It's relatively risk free.

DesertIslandCondiment · 09/12/2022 16:01

Nordix · 09/12/2022 15:57

@bibshamed I’m sorry you’ve been hounded by the people on this thread. There’s a lot of sad/jealous/angry little people on the internet.

Definitely.

I'm sat here 😂at how angry some people are.

healthadvice123 · 09/12/2022 16:02

Your young and you did well to save so hopefully you can do again and you learn from mistakes.
Don't beat yourself up your back home so now concentrate on what you want to do and yourself ,

NoelNoNoel · 09/12/2022 16:05

OP once you’ve sold your property what’s your plan?
I remember realising buying my first house was a muck up after living there just a couple of months. Thankfully I moved 16 months later. These things do happen.

Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 16:08

HotChoxs · 09/12/2022 15:59

@MrsMinxy

Has that answered your question, or is there anything else the OP can do for you today? Perhaps an extensive guide on the structure of a PGCE? What she eats for breakfast?

this made me laugh IRL

also to the other poster, i never said i was teaching i was a head librarian at a school as my masters is in that area. they allowed me to go part time until my dissertation module.

OP posts:
WishIhadacrystalball · 09/12/2022 16:10

@bibshamed i don’t know much about the area but had a wee nosey. Only 5 photos is quite poor considering it’s across 2 floors be good to see different angles of each room. There wasn’t a pic of the bathroom, toilet or bedroom 2/3 when I’m looking I always think that means they are bad if not shown so could put people off. Just my opinion on maybe showing it off a bit better. Best of luck

Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 16:11

LakieLady · 09/12/2022 16:00

This is an excellent suggestion, OP.

Councils round my way that do this undertake to return the property in at least the condition the got it in, and pay an amount equivalent to the local housing allowance for the area. They usually want a 3-year minimum term. The council pay the owner, so if the tenants don't pay the rent, the owner still gets paid.

It's relatively risk free.

Show quote history

i looked into it and sadly my borough council is RUBBISH with this. basically they don’t guarantee you rent or help you manage the property, they just put a dodgy tenant in there and offer little to no assistance of rent is unpaid. i know other councils are much better, but mine is not.

OP posts:
Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 16:12

NoelNoNoel · 09/12/2022 16:05

OP once you’ve sold your property what’s your plan?
I remember realising buying my first house was a muck up after living there just a couple of months. Thankfully I moved 16 months later. These things do happen.

immediately buy another nicer one in bury st edmunds/soham/ely where my family are from and where my work is.

OP posts:
AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:13

I wouldn't immediately buy another flat if I were in your position. The market is unsettled right now and prices are trending downwards. I would give it at least 6mths before jumping in again, I really would.

AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:16

WishIhadacrystalball · 09/12/2022 16:10

@bibshamed i don’t know much about the area but had a wee nosey. Only 5 photos is quite poor considering it’s across 2 floors be good to see different angles of each room. There wasn’t a pic of the bathroom, toilet or bedroom 2/3 when I’m looking I always think that means they are bad if not shown so could put people off. Just my opinion on maybe showing it off a bit better. Best of luck

Agree with all this - make your estate agent earn their fees by doing some decent photos.

AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:23

Also - staging really does make a difference when selling. Get rid of the bottles of cleaning fluid etc. on the kitchen worktop; put some cheap pictures on the bedroom and lounge walls; stick some cheap colourful cushions on the sofa.

And I dont know what funds you have available but I can see 2 more major changes that would add value. (1) The door to the toilet needs to come from the hallway, not the living room; (2) It doesn't appear to have central heating(?) - adding this would instantly make it more desirable.

AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:32

It actually looks like it used to be a 2 bed, with a proper bathroom on the same floor as the bedrooms. I'm guessing a previous owner was a fairly unscrupulous landlord who wanted to maximise rental by adding the bedroom, and didn't care about how nice it was to live in. If it were mine, I'd turn it back into the 2-bed layout, turn the downstairs bathroom into a utility/storage, and get rid of the downstairs toilet so you have a proper size living room again. That layout would appeal to more buyers/renters than the current one...

MrsMinxy · 09/12/2022 16:42

@bibshamed You did actually post at 9.55am that you are a teacher.

So I'm not imagining it. Nowhere did you say you were a librarian.

Also, being picky (I am a teacher, been in education 35 years, and know about HE) you have a BA and a masters. The other qualifications are not degrees.

@HotChoxs You have already had a lot of your posts deleted so maybe you ought not to post sarcy comments at other posters who ask genuine questions.

MrsMinxy · 09/12/2022 16:43

bibshamed · 09/12/2022 09:55

im a teacher now, but i worked full/part time during my 3 uni degrees.

Just so you know I didn't imagine it!

Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 16:51

MrsMinxy · 09/12/2022 16:42

@bibshamed You did actually post at 9.55am that you are a teacher.

So I'm not imagining it. Nowhere did you say you were a librarian.

Also, being picky (I am a teacher, been in education 35 years, and know about HE) you have a BA and a masters. The other qualifications are not degrees.

@HotChoxs You have already had a lot of your posts deleted so maybe you ought not to post sarcy comments at other posters who ask genuine questions.

bloody hell who cares it’s totally irrelevant, this post is meant to be about my nightmare flat why has it become an evaluation of my fitness to teach?

OP posts:
AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:52

Maybe you could stretch to turning the bathroom into a shower/toilet room and get rid of the living room toilet that way? The more I look at that layout, the more I think your living room toilet is your biggest problem! A proper living room with some colourfully pictures and cushions would look so much better....

Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 16:52

AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:52

Maybe you could stretch to turning the bathroom into a shower/toilet room and get rid of the living room toilet that way? The more I look at that layout, the more I think your living room toilet is your biggest problem! A proper living room with some colourfully pictures and cushions would look so much better....

i think that would cost more money than it would add value

OP posts:
AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:55

What about just changing the location of the door so that it opens into the hallway if possible? It'd need an RSJ and some joinery/plastering.

Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 16:56

i’ve sent this photo to the estate agent this is the smallest bedroom

Buying my flat was the worst mistake of my life.
OP posts:
AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:57

AmI right about the layout btw? Are there remnants of plumbing/soil pipes etc that indicate that that small bedroom used to be a bathroom?

There's no way an architect would design a house with a toilet in the living room.

Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 16:57

AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:55

What about just changing the location of the door so that it opens into the hallway if possible? It'd need an RSJ and some joinery/plastering.

i could look at knocking down that annoying wall as it’s not load bearing and would open up the living room, that’s what buyers who’d viewed the property before me were so put off by

OP posts:
AreOttersJustWetCats · 09/12/2022 16:58

And make your EA earn their keep! They should have sent a professional photographer!

Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 16:58

the layout of my house is definitely it’s biggest weakness but i’m not sure that changing it would add substantial value

OP posts: