Location, Location, Location - What We Are Not Told About Buying a House

[Lat-Literal]

Hiya Lat-Literal,

Personally I often wonder if the programme is completely staged. I doubt the prospective purchasers are genuinely looking at properties in the price range shown. I sometimes wonder if the prospective purchasers are genuinely looking to move at all.

I checked on one property on Zoopla. It was in a place called Downderry. I had never heard of it. It's in Cornwall. The price and the timing were right. That wasn't in "Location, Location, Location". It was in a programme along the same lines. But there must be an element of staging in all of them. I wonder how much the people are paid by the programme makers. The ones who say "yes" and put in an offer, only to change their minds a couple of days afterwards supposedly because of "a change in circumstances". I am doubtful about their motives.

Television is clever. You get programmes in which the drama is all about how terrible something is or how wonderful it is reckoned to be. Where there are a few nuances built in that is down to the editors' own viewpoints. What you don't get are the routines or frustrations experienced anywhere - traffic jams, the flu etc. Plus it is all literally inside a comfortable frame. When I see a vista now I picture myself there and recall how there can often be a feeling of bleakness. I love the countryside and gardens but only where there is a sense of enclosure via treelines etc. More space than in a claustrophobic urban environment but not to infinity. The sea wouldn't be as attractive to me if there weren't cliffs that framed it and a horizon.

[eighthobstruction]

Unfortunately, the one thing it is not is an adjective...

....can we agree tho' that it is a word....(sort of ?)

[jean]

Oh, absolutely - but there are words and words...

[Dave2002]

I love the countryside and gardens but only where there is a sense of enclosure via treelines etc. More space than in a claustrophobic urban environment but not to infinity. The sea wouldn't be as attractive to me if there weren't cliffs that framed it and a horizon.

Intersting comment re aesthetics. I once went on a ship several miles out to sea off the USA, and was surrounded by water on all sides, with almost 360 degrees views of almost nothing. I felt that somewhat scary, though it was only for a few hours, and I knew it was going to end. Maybe sailors get used to this, or even like it.

I'm not over fond of "artificial" urban landscapes, but you have a point about framing and other interest in what we look at.

[cloughie]

.....goodness next you will be saying that those celebrities don't really want to buy antiques....whatever next....vets that don't like animals....bogus builders wanting to put in a proper damp-course which is guarenteed for 25 years....

...and Nigella Lawson always has a houseful of people who adore her eats!

[french frank]

An over-confident couple in their early thirties with a child on the way have £450,000 to spend on a house. Each is, quote, a boarding school teacher. How did they get that sort of money?

Going back to this point; did it actually say that they had that amount of cash, or the amount of deposit that would allow them to borrow that amount? Otherwise, perhaps they won an actual lottery?

[Lat-Literal]

Going back to this point; did it actually say that they had that amount of cash, or the amount of deposit that would allow them to borrow that amount? Otherwise, perhaps they won an actual lottery?

They didn't say they had the cash. I can only recall one person who could buy outright. Her father had recently died and left her the money. But let's say they somehow had a 10%
deposit. That would leave over £400,000 and even if they were being offered 3 x one salary and 1 x the other they would both have to be on £100,000 pa. That is, as teachers!!!!

Intersting comment re aesthetics. I once went on a ship several miles out to sea off the USA, and was surrounded by water on all sides, with almost 360 degrees views of almost nothing. I felt that somewhat scary, though it was only for a few hours, and I knew it was going to end. Maybe sailors get used to this, or even like it.

I'm not over fond of "artificial" urban landscapes, but you have a point about framing and other interest in what we look at.

A friend and his wife, both in their 60s, have recently returned from a two month trip on an Italian cargo ship. Just them with the crew after Montevideo, their one stopping off point which was only because the captain was taken ill, although beforehand there were two or three other couples. They went via Senegal in each direction. He, ex South African navy, looked at the sea and she read 59 books. I am quite with him on atmospherics - when they did a week's trial I thought it sounded quite good - but two months worth. Not for me. I would have wanted to have seen a dotted line at a certain point for security. Interesting, though, that this sort of thing can be done. I don't know how much they paid for the privilege.

[french frank]

They didn't say they had the cash. I can only recall one person who could buy outright. Her father had recently died and left her the money. But let's say they somehow had a 10%
deposit. That would leave over £400,000 and even if they were being offered 3 x one salary and 1 x the other they would both have to be on £100,000 pa. That is, as teachers!!!!

As far as I can see, the standard is 4 x the salary. I don't think they would both need to earn £100,000, though I suppose the point is that at least one of them is, which explains why those individuals can afford a £450,000 house.

[Lat-Literal]

As far as I can see, the standard is 4 x the salary. I don't think they would both need to earn £100,000, though I suppose the point is that at least one of them is, which explains why those individuals can afford a £450,000 house.

Perhaps the message to students, then, is if they don't want to become GPs that they should consider becoming boarding school teachers.

[vinteuil]

Perhaps the message to students, then, is if they don't want to become GPs that they should consider becoming boarding school teachers.

... probably nowadays the most useful message to the young is : make sure you have wealthy grandparents.


[ sadly I inherited little else than some books and a double-jointed thumb .]



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[oddoneout]

Going back to this point; did it actually say that they had that amount of cash, or the amount of deposit that would allow them to borrow that amount? Otherwise, perhaps they won an actual lottery?

It tends to be phrased as 'they have £x to purchase...' Reference is sometimes made to a deposit, and family money(inherited or Bank of M&D), so that amount is what they have to spend, whether outright(very few), deposit plus mortgage(usual) or some variation in between.
Regarding the level of 'staging' of such programmes, some at least of the sales go ahead because some subsequent repeat programmes visit the participants in their new homes, and I know of two such that went ahead in my part of the world.

[oddoneout]

too much emphasis in the programmes on properties that are not affordable to most people and that they are to some extent fuelling discontent.

One could level that accusation at a great many 'reality' type programmes on TV, but frankly that's human nature. A great many people are unhappy with their lot, many justifiably so. Some will be envious of what they see on such programmes, others will regard it as escapism('well I can dream can't I?').
What I would say for Locationx3 is that it does spell out for people when their expectations are unrealistic(Ms Allsopp can be quite blunt on occasion) and suggest alternatives/compromises, which is a useful message I suspect for not a few watching.

[Dave2002]

As far as I can see, the standard is 4 x the salary. I don't think they would both need to earn £100,000, though I suppose the point is that at least one of them is, which explains why those individuals can afford a £450,000 house.

I think the combined salary would do, though more than £100k would be helfpful. Mortgages can run for 30 years or more nowadays - which might also make things feasible at the start for people who are young enough. However lenders might also look at how likely the incomes are to be steady and stable over long periods. They might (maybe, just, perhaps) prefer teachers to some "high flyers" in the City who might have promise for a year or two, then either burn out or be made redundant ..... then on the other hand .... nah - they wouldn't!

[Lat-Literal]

... probably nowadays the most useful message to the young is : make sure you have wealthy grandparents.


[ sadly I inherited little else than some books and a double-jointed thumb .]



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My grandparents on both sides of the family died in council housing although they had also been in private sector housing.

They had over 100 years of work between them (one man and two women) but never earned enough to have any savings.

(MPs who feel that they fought for all the little women who were just there to serve the man never lived in the real world).

Two didn't complain. The other thought she was privileged. My opinions are shaped by their attitudes - and their examples.

One could level that accusation at a great many 'reality' type programmes on TV, but frankly that's human nature. A great many people are unhappy with their lot, many justifiably so. Some will be envious of what they see on such programmes, others will regard it as escapism('well I can dream can't I?').
What I would say for Locationx3 is that it does spell out for people when their expectations are unrealistic(Ms Allsopp can be quite blunt on occasion) and suggest alternatives/compromises, which is a useful message I suspect for not a few watching.

Now, that is a fair point - Ms Allsopp and her co-host do show exasperation when their clients aren't willing to compromise.

[teamsaint]

... probably nowadays the most useful message to the young is : make sure you have wealthy grandparents.


[ sadly I inherited little else than some books and a double-jointed thumb .]



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You were lucky. I didn't even inherit my grandfather's ability to wiggle his ears.

Anyway, these programmes are designed to make you feel inadequate. The property market in the UK, in the south certainly, is completely mad, driven vast amounts of credit.