to sell or not to sell....

[Pavlovthecat]

sell our two bed flat to first time buyers who might not get a mortgage, and potentially move into a house with a garden

or

extend into our loft space and create an additional room, making it a three bed masionette in an area which used to be shite but is actually now more des res?

i'd go for a house with a garden EVERY time.

flog the flat. you may get an investment buyer who pays cash.

A garden would win every time for me.

ok. So expat. if we have a good size deposit (say er 30%) and DH who had bad credit history, but old, will that make a difference. (flat is in my name, now we are married I have his shite credit)

I would go for garden too.
but...will selling a 2 bed flat get you a house with garden?
Woudl selling a 3 bed maisonette in a couple of years be a better bet...?

don't know, Pavlov. you need to speak with an adviser for that.

what if apartment does not sell?
We do have a yard with the flat, not much but outdoors at least.

And it might be a house in a village env, which I would love but DH is not quite ready for...so he says...

tigana - A potential investment from mother who wants somewhere to come stay one month a year, plus increased salary since we bought the flat.

the area that we live in is improving. Its why we bought here originally.

European investment in local area. More than that, neighbours have started taking pride in properties, front of houses being repainted tastefully, plants outside, houses being sold at quite good rates. Recently a lot of house have been done up and sold at good prices, good people moving into area. Neighbours are people who have lived here for years and are great.

So, I am thinking, three bed maisonette, with the street becoming more affluent, in three years, might be a better option. If we can sit tight.

But. A garden for DD makes me want to just move, and max ourselves out. Which we will do, even with MIL help (not unlimited, with conditions)

Cool.
Are you still plymuff area?
If flat doesn't sell, it doesn't sell, but I think market here is still fairly healthy.
Lots of investors, students and just-finished-being-students.

Village environment is great, but bear in mind it impacts on social life - taxi versus walking home from pub, friends coming over for meal may leave earlier in order to get home/taxi/not drink so they can drive ( and same goes for you visiting friends 'in the city').

Its all what ifs right now. She has offered us X amount. And its up to us to decide how we play it, we can get a reasonable house with a garden in an area that we would not ideally choose but can cope with, or a fantastic house in an area with awful schools but a nice street, or we can stay put, and not give estate agents lots of money but get more space anyway...

Estate agent was a bit concerned we might struggle to get asking price for property due to mortgage problems many might now face.

tigina - I remember you live near me I think?
Friends live far enough away in Plymouth to get a cab from here when they go home, they are so lazy! We are too, we drive to places anyway, and dont go to the pub that often, and have places we could stay when we do, and have friends out of plymouth. DH is concerned about that tho. I am more reclusive I think, than him, and although he is not a part animal I think the idea of not being able to go the pub with his mates is as much of a put off than actually doing it, which he does rarely!

tigana - apologies - spelt your name wrong sorreee

hi..yeah, think I did live nr you, have moved now...over the water...nr mountbatten now..in village, hence "sage advice".

oooh tigana -how very nice! You dont live in one of those blue houses do you? If you do, I will be very upset....

Do you mean the new builds near Oreston, right on waters edge nr readford park? Or the more 'traditional' but new estate in mountbatten with the pastel colours?
We are in neither!

radford park ( is late, have had G&T, apols!)

With a bit of work yard can = urban garden and better £ when you sell

noddy - agree with yard garden. Have done a little work, but it really is very small. I have pot plants and herbs out there.

Tigana - I was thinking of those big blue ones right by the water!!!! .

Its lovely out there. Really is. We are thinking of Staddiscombe as an area to move to. ts affordable for us, some nice places have come up. And its near Bovisand which is a bonus for us!

Yep, just before we moved we did up our yard. Sorted out drainage issues and got rid of pointless 'beds' that just leached soil onto gravel and never grew anything, regravelled and put in new step. Looked great, would have looked really nice with some pots and maybe a lick of paint. Sort of regretted we hadn't done it sooner (although still would have moved for a garden for ds and pets).

Ahh, I think you do mean the disney village ( not meant snottily, just how we refer to them) They are nice, but don't seem to have much in the way of gardens.

Staddy is near Jennicliff too for lovely walks and views.

Would be near-ish me...again...are you stalking me?

tigana - lol