£200k deposit and can't afford a family home

[Catcakes]

We have a sizable deposit, household income just shy of £100k and we can't find a basic 3 bedroom house (that's not a flat) that we can afford. Our budget is circa £600k but everything in our range is either a total dump, in a dodgy area, or we get totally outbid. I know the housing market is bad but seriously, what the hell is going on? We have don't have time or money for a big renovation. Where is everyone getting all their cash from to afford these basic houses?!

And yes we're in the SE and sort of in the London suburbs. And no we can't move to the north East 😂

So you need to amend your requirements to suit your budget. You can have a nice small house or a not nice bigger house. You cant have both within the same area / budget

Yes, in your circumstances you'd think you'd be able to find something half decent - having said that, nowhere is perfect. Have you got two children plus of different sexes, ie longterm you really need three bedrooms? Not easy, having set your heart on a certain area, but could there be anywhere else a bit further afield that might tick the boxes?

Bracknell, Berkshire, 15 minutes walk to Martin's Heron station (1 hr to Waterloo)

4 bed, fully done up with recent extension 600k https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141067391#/?channel=RES_BUY

It was reduced late last year so they would probably go for 560-580.

@JohnMajorJohn that made me laugh 🤣

100k combined income is low for London.

It kinda is, but OP said she couldn't find anything for a 600K budget which means income is irrelevant really.. that's an OK budget for living further out and commuting

Why can't you live in a garden flat?

I've just had a 5 minute look on Right Move and found many family houses for £600k and under in Penge, Sydenham and Beckenham.

I'm not asking for sympathy, I'm actually asking why isn't it easily possible to find a livable home for this sort of money. It's ludicrous.

It is possible. You have a 'you' problem. Just outside zone 6 https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147795800#/?channel=RES_BUYY*

I've had a brief look and found 280 houses. I call bullshit, OP. I'm in a lovely house, 400k, 37 mins into London Waterloo.

In Essex you can find a three bed house for 400 k easily

It is possible though

You can get a house in London for 600k. Yes it will be overpriced for what you get but that’s the housing market. You could borrow more?

Seen you want Surrey. Ewell, Caterham, Whyteleafe?

Did it ONLY have an outside toilet or did it ALSO have an outside toilet. There's a difference. If it ONLY has an outdoor toilet, please could you add the link as I'd be really curious to see what the rest of the house is like if it's for over £600K but doesn't have an inside bathroom!

A search of Rightmove for Dorking +1 mile, up to 600k turns up 133 results and some lovely looking places, might be time to revisit your searches!

Some of the properties posted look very nice. What it is that makes them not "liveable"?
You will have to either save up a bigger deposit or lower your expectations

You may need to redefine what you class as "liveable". That's an amazing budget and you can easily find "livable houses" not far outside of London for this.

Sorry don't believe you.

"nothing liveable at £600k" pull the other one OP it's got bells on. What is the point of this thread? Are you actually trying to sell your Dorking house and have thus got many more hits on Rightmove?

Either move further afield or embrace buying a “dump” and learn to DIY and decorate to an instagrammable level.

The joy of living in a ridiculously expensive area means that any upgrades you do are likely to pay you back tenfold.

OP I completely understand. It doesn’t matter what the house is listed at. Lots of houses were going 60k over when we tried to buy two years ago. Could not find a proceedable house so had to stay put. Our budget was even higher than yours, but we could t make it happen. Everything was jumped on by cash buyers. Completely bizarre.

I can remember the EA sympathising with us as we had to sell our house to buy. It was like the Twilight Zone. How many people honestly have £750k in liquid assets. The answer was ……. Everyone!

I couldn't live in Croydon. It's just vile no matter which way you cut it.

@JamSandle have you been to Croydon? It’s a borough.

For the area you are looking, your household income is quite low.