Moving house...

[Ajarn Philip]

How happy I must have appeared in my little home!
Munch

... or possibly, how demented? Obviously didn't put him off, anyway.

[Angela Woodford]

Oh well.. perhaps I may have appeared demented.. so long as all the legal stuff goes though, what does it matter?

But whatever does one do when confronted with teeth like that?

Munch

[Ajarn Philip]

Tell him the toothbrush holder is included in fixtures and fittings, and that there's a wonderful cosmetic dentist just round the corner! (Hope you know I was kidding, Angela, I just had a picture of someone staring, not quite at my eyes, with a big grin...!)

[Angela Woodford]

Exactly, Philip! I couldn't resist telling him about the terrific GP surgery, community centre and dentist all just minutes away! There's hope for the demented, not to worry.

Now I feel all excited at the the thought of a new home.

[Katharine]

Great news Munch, let's all cross fingers and whatever else that all the legal side goes through without a hitch.

Hope the Devon sortie produces a house that you can both agree on. This house is the only one we ever seached for, it did not fit any of our criteria but we both fell in love with it and after the first viewing went to pay the deposit. What I am trying to say is, go with an open mind and you may be surprised by what you find!

[cj]

go with an open mind and you may be surprised by what you find!

I would second that. View everything you possibly can as details on paper can't convey everything, especially that special something you need when buying a home.

[midget]

We came to Devon to buy a bungalow and instead bought a late Victorian pile (sounds better than heap) that costs a fortune to run BUT has big rooms with nice high ceilings, when all the bungalows in our price range made even me feel tall. Good luck with it all Angela.

Maggie

[Angela Woodford]

I've just seen a lovely house online which sounds very similar to yours, Maggie. My dream house, according to the photos! I am really tempted to make an appointment to view "just to see what it's like". Although it's a bit too expensive, and hard to tell if the road is cat-friendly.

Edited: a road really needs to be an ancient cart-track to be cat-friendly?

Mr Brown Fangs has arranged his surveyor for tomorrow - Philip, would you give another spin to the prayer wheel - if you're passing one, of course?

Carolynn's super husband Roland has just stayed here a couple of days on an artistic mission. He found me doing a little dance whilst looking at the "SOLD" board and... (in sensible voice) "Munch, it's not actually sold until the money's in the bank!" Quite right I know; I mustn't be too excited.

So it's over to Devon tomorrow, back Friday. The dream house is there somewhere.

Munch

[Mid A 15]

I've just seen a lovely house online which sounds very similar to yours, Maggie. My dream house, according to the photos! I am really tempted to make an appointment to view "just to see what it's like". Although it's a bit too expensive, and hard to tell if the road is cat-friendly.

Edited: a road really needs to be an ancient cart-track to be cat-friendly?

Mr Brown Fangs has arranged his surveyor for tomorrow - Philip, would you give another spin to the prayer wheel - if you're passing one, of course?

Carolynn's super husband Roland has just stayed here a couple of days on an artistic mission. He found me doing a little dance whilst looking at the "SOLD" board and... (in sensible voice) "Munch, it's not actually sold until the money's in the bank!" Quite right I know; I mustn't be too excited.

So it's over to Devon tomorrow, back Friday. The dream house is there somewhere.

Munch

I hope you sort it all out relatively painlessly!

[Angela Woodford]

Thanks Andy - as everyone keeps saying, open mind, look at loads of different places, hoping for painlessness!

[Angela Woodford]

Well! Mission accomplished! But not as I'd expected.

First I must tell that any property I saw was blighted, absolutely blighted after having coffee and deeply chocolated biscuits with cj. Her house is just a dream house - superb - after seeing it I whizzed off in an overexcited state of having seen - well, gorgeous. Catherine has wonderful taste.

I must also admit that her dear little girl thrashed me at Trivial Pursuit; kindly dumbing down my questions to give me a chance. How shaming!

I wanted a smaller version of Maggie's Victorian house, but the only versions that were available were in the wrong location/too expensive/ on a road where Ferdinand would be zapped if venturing a whisker out of the front door.

I was rather taken by an 1850's cottage which was too small and in a very dreary village. The main shop here sold giant polystyrene vividly painted garden ornaments - bunnies, gnomes eagles - but I'm still haunted by the savage expression on the face of a huge ornamental collie dog, seemingly about to leap onto the pavement with evil intent. Maybe not. The cottage was very small!

My current husband wanted to look at a new house. "No! No! No!" I shrieked. But none the less I found myself gazing at a little cul-de-sac of pretty dolls' houses painted in pleasing whites and creams. The Sales Person tip-tapped her way out of her office and before I knew what was happening I was drinking coffee with this Jennifer (unutterably chic, tiny and immaculate) and hearing all the advantages of one particular new house at exactly our maximum price, in the right location, safe for a cat.

"Open mind" I kept thinking. The current husband had the blissed-out expression of a DIY refusenik who realises he will not be pressed into service.

After a second and third viewing, we have decided to buy it.

As I signed on another dotted line, a guy in a hard hat appeared. There was a brief bizarre consultation that went along the lines of

"Has Mrs Woodford made The Choices?"

"Mrs Woodford hasn't yet made The Choices!"

"It's time to make The Choices, Mrs Woodford".

(Me, anxiously) "Choices?"

And so it was that within a brisk hour I chose tiles, units and floor tiles for kitchen and bathroom. I crawled all over the office floor selecting carpet. I've always envied people who would brag outside the school gates about their new kitchens, bathrooms, dream decor etc, and there I was, doing it myself!! Weird.

Then things seemed uncannily Stepfordesque. Jennifer fixed me with a penetrating blue gaze, and managed warmly to grasp both my hands while patting my shoulder.

"You're going to fit in really well here my dear, with your personality. Really well! I know it!"

I nodded, half hypnotised by this assurance, and tottered out of the office. I noticed a gorgeous builder with a huge power tool in his hand, maybe hurrying off to install somebody's Choices, but for once my mind was not on blokes. I felt dazed, and was only restored by a visit to a local fish and chip shop where I scoffed down enough to raise my blood sugar back to normal.

Open minded? I took your advice!

Munch

[englishangel]

Congratulations, just think, good sound and heat insulation, fewer spiders, no painting (for a few years at least), is there room for all of us to visit?

[cj]

As a person who lives in a battered 'period' house (Munch - you are too kind with your plaudits, and obviously didn't see the peeling woodchip painted a lovely shade of 'bile' or the artex everywhere), the thought of living in a brand new house has its attractions. A kitchen that no-one else has ever used, a toilet upon which no other buttocks have rested, bliss! And The Choices, oh! Plus someone else to get on with it immediately and not dreckly like yer.

Bring on the celebratory game of Trivial Pursuits after the move!!

[cstegerlewis]

If you are buying new, and you want something different, just tell them you want it changed, don't take no for an answer, and certainly do not accept any ridiculous charges for doing so (things like haven't a decent cooker rather than the one they plan to put in the luxury fitted kithcen etc)

When we moved into our new build 4 years ago, we meekly asked for the hob to be changed, a few sockets moved, and one different light fitting, and paid a few hundred quid for the privilege. Our neighbours in an identical house 2 doors away, had spotlights, completely different appliances, different fireplace, extra sockets and full Cat5 computer cabling installed for about the same amount of money!

The difference, it was their 4th new build and hubby is a Quantity Surveyor who happened to work for one of the builder's competitors, so knew all about how much it would cost (not a lot) and how much disruption it would be (none if done before second fix electricals and plumbing). Lesson learned for next time

Good Luck!

[kayinbaja]

Munch, I'm delighted for you! And, writing from this 150 year old crumbling pile, green with envy that you will NOT find yourself suddenly having to fork out for new chimney linings, a roof, new windows which are non-standard sizes and have to be hand made.. I could go on and on. Next time I buy, if I have my way, it WILL be a new house!
love
K