twobears

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has contributed to this thread and an especially massive thank you to Colin who has been extremely helpful and, thanks to him, I now know a lot more about planning and I have a starting point I think it is pretty unlikely that I will get planning permission but at least I will have tried.

Thanks rabbitstew Colin has kindly agreed to have a quick look for me to see if he can find anything that would definitely prevent me from getting permission so I will take it from there. Maybe this line is more tangible than I thought?

Keyser, I've never heard of that before. Seems an odd way to go on since the agent is then effectively working for the buyer so surely their loyalties are torn? I guess they will still try to get the highest price though so that their cut is bigger?

Fair enough Craig if you're not currently in a hurry. I have just rung a local estate agent to come out and value mine but he's a friend so I know he will do me a good deal. My next door neighbour (well a mile up the road but no other houses until you reach his place), on the other hand, is a slimy sort of chap and I would resent giving him the instruction. From a buying point of view I, personally, wouldn't be keen on buying direct from the vendor. It might work out fine but I would be worried in case the house was overvalued by the owner

Wow Tim, five children! You are a brave man. I stopped at one and have never regretted it because she's a "good one", ha ha I normally get bored and fancy a change and/or I have had the car for two or three years. Mr Zed was different. I would never have grown bored of him but I simply had nowhere to park him in Weybridge and couldn't leave him at home off the road for years on end. Still sad that someone else is enjoying him now. I wonder if they are on the board?v

I'm no expert although I have bought and sold a lot of houses because I get itchy feet if I stay anywhere too long but I wouldn't try selling privately if you are in a hurry to sell/not in an area where properties fly off the shelf. I think most people search on the internet first so being on RightMove is essential and only estate agents have access to that I think.

Thanks Daryl but I'm miles away, in East Yorkshire.

Thanks Graham. I've messaged Colin AliveBoy, that is a little larger than the cottage I had in mind

Thanks everyone I think what i probably need is pre-pre-planning permission! I have no plans and just want an idea whether planning permission is likely to be rejected out of hand before I start thinking of getting an actual plan drawn up. My neighbour told me that there was some sort of line beyond which planning permission was never going to be granted but I am not sure if this is a figment of my neighbour's imagination or if it may have once existed but no longer. Also, we are, like many others, living on a flood plain so that might count against us (although big house builders seem free to ignore this?) and have no mains drainage.

I've just messaged Colin

Thanks Andy. I'm not sure what i think about planners yet as I haven't managed to communicate with one thus far

I am trying to find out if I can get planning permission for a small house or bungalow in my garden and want to enquire tentatively of the local council's planning department before going to the expense of getting plans drawn up. Previous applications by a neighbour have failed but they were submitted years ago so I am not sure if I am still doomed to failure or if, with planning regs seeming to have been relaxed lately, it is worth me applying. When I go to the planning portal it tells me that I can speak to someone at the local council for preliminary advice but when I ring them they just tell me to e mail them. I would rather talk to them but they are not keen so I was looking for advice on what I should put in the email so that I don't inadvertently scupper my chances of getting planning permission. If anyone has any expertise in this area I would really appreciate it if you would get in touch. Thanks

I make it 6 mins before we can all have a slice! Can't wait. Happy Christmas to all at the Zed Shed

When I read that twobears it sounded sarcastic in my head. Maybe it is. Congrats AliveBoy. Thanks gannondorf, gandalf, gondor, galadriel, goofy, gargamel, gary, george, geppetto or whatever other name you have this week Noooooooooo, not sarcastic at all. I think it's sweet that AliveBoy is so happy

Well done you Father Christmas is going to have to bring you a splendid gift tomorrow to outdo the excitement of that achievement

SMD, I see what you saying but I think there are a lot of people in this country too poor to buy food if that helps? I think it is appalling that we need food banks but some may disagree?

coldel, I see what you are saying i.e. that houses are worth what people will pay for them but a lot of property is bought by investors to rent out rather than by people who want to live in it. On the one hand there is nothing wrong with this and I would do it myself if I could afford it but on the other it seems wrong that many hard working people can't afford to buy houses even if they have two fairly decent incomes. I am not sure what the answer is because I am not very clever at understanding economics etc but I can't help thinking that we need to find a way to enable ordinary people to buy houses and not force everyone into rented accommodation Incidentally, the flat we live in is worth nearly 600K and whilst it is very nice, I far prefer our house in Yorkshire and we pay much, much less on our mortgage than we do on this flat. It seems unbalanced

Their so many mistake's Not two meny shorely?

You is clever I is jealous

Doesn't matter what you eat to an extent imo twobears, ...just as long as you burn more calories than you intake you should lose weight or at least not gain weight. I think the calories I burnt off probably didn't equate to the ones I ingested at lunchtime I have been very good for the remainder of the day though and took myself off for a walk lasting well over an hour this evening so that should help a bit. I can't wait to get home tomorrow and start riding my lovely pony again. Much more fun than rowing machines et al

Very good post Bockaaark When I was in Yorkshire I was aware of the London 'property bubble' of course but it didn't impact on me, personally. I guess it still doesn't unless I want it to but I agree with you that house prices are grossly overinflated in many areas and I don't see how we can continue along this path. Like you say, what will happen if interest rates rise? I am old enough to remember the last boom and bust and that didn't end well for a lot of people, including some of my friends who had a huge mortgage. We were ok because we had never over extended ourselves financially. However, like I said before, we have never made a profit from property like others who were lucky enough to buy and sell at the 'right' time. Weybridge, where we are currently renting, seems to have very unrealistic property prices, especially when I know what houses and flats were selling for only a few short years ago. It feels a bit like the emperor's new clothes to me and I can't see how it can continue indefinitely. Interesting turn of phrase about the lost badgers Rock_Steady

coldel, it doesn't seem right though does it? Ordinary people with ordinary jobs should be able to afford modest houses in most towns and cities but they can't. The couple next door to you both have very good jobs as you say but most people don't so how on earth can they afford to buy unless they compromise and live miles away from where they work (in which case they will almost certainly incur hefty travel expenses and possible child care costs) or are prepared to live in very run down and crime-filled areas where most of us wouldn't choose to settle? I'm not really talking about me and Mr Two Bears here because we are old and, although I'm moaning (sorry ) because we can't afford a big house in Surrey with land, we can definitely afford something nice in another part of the country. I am just worried for the younger generation who seem to have been sold short in so many ways, education being another area. Maybe I'm just getting like this because it's because it's Christmas and I am feeling all philanthropic

350zedd, that's a shame Like I said, we've never been lucky with houses either. We always seem to buy in a boom time and then have to sell in a depression. Bloody annoying that we never seem to go forward!

gangzoom, yes, we'd like to live near to London but I don't think we can realistically afford to I need a house with a bit of land for my horse and other animals and they are eye-wateringly expensive in most places down south it would seem. coldel, I can see how people who have profited from rising property prices can afford to trade up but what is puzzling me is how on earth people who've not been so lucky or are just starting out, can afford a house in a decent area?

Yep, honorary will do. Right, off to find me tweeds and unlock the gun cupboard...I think that's what chaps do isn't it?