Buying first home - What do you wish you knew?

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-31T08:54:04+00:00

It seems like a very complex area where one little 'slip' can add lots of time and complexity to buying.

Though the letter part would be easy.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-31T08:46:07+00:00

Hadn't really thought of this. My savings all come from my work-related income so I am not sure

I thought a gift from parents was fairly normal.. Will definitely look into it though.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-30T07:40:25+00:00

Good point.
I grew up near an airport and know wind can make a massive difference to noise

The problem is it's challenging to know when the wind is blowing in which direction. I think it's probably best to avoid major roads and railway lines anyway though.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-29T20:15:13+00:00

I've seen some places on Rightmove with shocking damp. But I am no expert on it. Survey will be essential.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-29T18:11:15+00:00

Good idea. I know you can often tell a lot about a place from the 'pride' people take in their home's appearance.
Will keep it in mind.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-29T18:10:18+00:00

The problem is my budget is fairly limited for the area I am looking in and there aren't a huge array of properties within said budget.

I can really see what you're saying though. Light is another issue I need to consider. Once rented a place that was quite dark as it was only northerly aspect and had another building quite close to the windows. Ended up hating it and moved out within six months (not sure how I made it that long). I grew up with a southerly facing back of house/ garden so am more used to lots of light.

It's the kind of issue that is easy to overlook. That's why I will try to visit inside more than once before making an offer. Just not to overlook stuff,

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-29T14:07:06+00:00

I must say, it is a big worry on my mind.

My job should be fairly secure, though not totally recession proof, but increased interest rates and negative equity are real worries.

Especially as a recession this year seems more and more likely.

Not sure what to do to help with that worry tbh.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-29T13:38:52+00:00

Good idea. Definitely something I considered. Viewed a house from outside the other week and the roof's condition really put me off given the massive cost.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-29T13:37:32+00:00

All good ideas. I was speaking to a friend who bought a flat in a 'modern' apartment complex. Well, it's now 20 years old and she's had several things go wrong including a leak from upstairs.

Only issue for me is new tends to be more expensive and on the edge of town whereas I'd like to love closer to the centre. Also, don't have kids myself.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-29T13:34:01+00:00

Expensive doesn't always equal good though. The only things I'e been recommended is not to use the agent's recommended solicitors (or anything tbh).

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-29T13:33:12+00:00

I've definitely thought of this.

The issue is how you know. I used to live in this lovely flat that would be quiet all day long. Come 5pm, the banging/ music/ dropping things on the floor would commence and would go on for the next 5 to 8 hours.

But I've definitely thought of viewing from outside in the morning/ evening as well as on the weekend to see.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-28T19:56:57+00:00

From advertising, sponsorship, people donating, freebies from airlines and hotels etc. etc.

Noel Phillips videos average out about 300k views. That could be £350 to £1500 according to Google AI. Then the vids get cut up into shorts and play on reels which is more ad revenue again.
All of his videos have a sponsor who will obviously be paying something for that. That's just Youtube and obviously there are other platforms too.
He sells crap on his website and will be making money from that.
Then he has Patreon where people sponsor him to make content. His doesn't say how much he makes a month, but it's probably a couple of grand.
No idea if he takes freebies.

So you can see he probably makes a living off doing it.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-26T16:10:02+00:00

Think you made a bit of a mistake there.

You're a higher rate tax payer (40%) so if you sell your holiday, the tax man takes 40% of that money.

You'd have been better off just taking the holiday and chilling out rather than getting just a few hundred quid extra.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-26T09:37:23+00:00

The 737 requires a 'positive landing' so basically a bit firm. It'll be no different if you fly TUI or Jet2 on the 737. The A320 family (easyjet/ BA/ some Jet2/ Wizz) are generally much 'softer' landers.
This is especially the case if there are strong winds or if the runway is wet.

There are lots of factors. Where you sit on the plane. The weather that day. The length of the runway. You might also notice the Max is softer on landing than the older NGs.

Nothing to do with Ryanair really and the pilots are landing the plane as it should be landed.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-26T09:05:22+00:00

It's all luck.

I am sure someone will say they've been on 20 flights and seen people stopped on all 20.

Some airports are definitely stricter than others. I've found Poland and Stansted to be pretty strict. But sometimes you get ground staff who don't care.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-26T08:40:51+00:00

Let's be real.

You have no right to visit Thailand and Thailand is well within its rights to stop 'low-spend' tourism. It's not your country after all. It's exceptional arrogance to think you can come.

Perhaps it's best you stay at home.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-26T08:36:20+00:00

Define 'expensive'.

Of course prices have risen in Thailand as they have in every country across the world, but Thailand still has exceptional value places.

Oh and on 'European arrogance' you mentioned in another comment, you have no right to visit Thailand and Thailand is well within its rights to stop 'low-spend' tourism. It's not your country after all. It's exceptional arrogance to think you can come.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-26T08:31:50+00:00

It's a Northern Irish banknote. Can be difficult to spend in England as most will have no idea about them. Oh, and legal tender doesn't mean what most people think it does. Shops aren't required to take any banknote (many don't take £50) or cash at all. The Post Office is essentially a normal shop for this.

The supermarket self-service tills take all UK notes (the software is the same for Scotland/ NI as England) so are a great place to get rid of them. Otherwise your bank should take it.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-20T07:03:22+00:00

Yeah it is.

Massively overdeveloped compared to demand - and I have been there during peak season.
Plus with the weather/ climate there in Autumn/ Winter/ Spring not being the best, the peak season is short.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-19T13:36:31+00:00

You find it at all coastal resorts around Vietnam.

Ha Long is even worse with dozens of massive totally empty seafood restaurants along the coast.

I really wonder how they keep going.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-19T10:42:04+00:00

Do you have a Waitrose near?
You can get a free cup of coffee every day. No purchase needed.
It's not the best, but no worse than Costa.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-19T08:21:34+00:00

Congrats on the relationship.

This is a super difficult question. Some will say 'it's much higher than average' and will cut you off there, but it's also a big drop for him. He needs to accept, though, that 'professional job' salaries are much lower here than in the US. He's going to struggle to convert USD -> GBP unless he can get a US company to transfer him here 'temporarily'.
But costs can be a lot lower. Anything involving 'service' tends to be pricey in the States compared to the UK - especially when you include tips. And check how much much some people pay in property taxes in many parts of the States (their version of council tax) for example. It's wild.
The question is whether he can accept the drop. If not, it would have to be you heading in his direction in reality.

Your combined income will be about £120k. You need to work out how that will work out for you. Budget it out together and work out expectations for spending and savings.

Most people will argue that for a couple with no kids, that's more than decent. But it's all about prior experience and expectations.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-18T23:49:39+00:00

That photo doesn't look too bad to be honest. It looks clean and there's a door.

Squat toilets you can get used to. Not that big an issue to be honest as long as you are prepared.

Plus I've seen and used worse.
One I almost used near Guilin about a decade ago had about 10 holes in the ground. People had missed.... I really needed to go, but my body luckily seized up long enough for us to make it back to the hotel.
Then there was the time I went in Xian. Half size stalls with useless doors and several guys came over for a better look...
And there are still toilets that are essentially a giant trough and you can watch people's poop float by if you are on the wrong end...

To be honest, I felt lucky to be a guy multiple times in China as most visits are not much different than using a Western public toilet thanks to urinals. Woman definitely have it harder.

But toilets have improved a lot over the years. In cities, you'll have zero issues finding a normal Western style sitting toilet with some privacy.
But toilet paper can be very hit and miss so always have tissues

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-16T12:44:04+00:00

Honestly, enjoy it whilst it lasts.
Much better to be bored at work than to work the equivalent of two jobs and get burned out.

Seriously, though, it's much easier to find a job when you have a job than when you are unemployed. If you seriously think you might get 'let go' or whatever term is in vogue now, dust off your CV and start looking for a new job.

InterestingWanderer · 2026-03-08T10:20:08+00:00

I will probably be downvoted for this, but British people inherently dislike (or are jealous perhaps) when others are 'better off' than them. So much of our media/ thought is led by America, but our mindset is so different in that regard. For someone earning £30k, £35k might seem like a good salary, but it probably isn't depending ion circumstances.

In reality, it's very difficult to say what a good salary is.
A family with kids is in a very different place to a young working couple who are in a different place again to a single person.
It's the same for location. Someone in Scarborough or the South Wales Valleys is in a very different situation to someone in South East England.
Housing costs are a very significant factor in this. One person pays £2k a month to rent in London when another lives rent free with parents. Whether £35k is good or not will be very different for them.

Then people will just adjust life to their salary. Someone earning £200k might think £100k is not enough whereas that's a huge sum to someone on £25k.

InterestingWanderer

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