Tampa Real Estate

Are You Becoming Stressed About The Universal Economic Slump We Are Now Experiencing? Avert Recession Anxieties With A Quick Home Sale

// August 15th, 2010 // Comments // Real Estate

Leading figures in the world of banking are pointing to a growing wealth of economic indicators that suggest that the UK economy will go into recession with no certain sign of recovery. And some economic specialists believe that to Sell property fast for cash now is the best process to start taking advantage of this global economic downturn. Even after the Bank of England has cut its interest rates significantly over the last few months and a major financial advisor was quoted as saying that the rise in interbank interest rates means that the peril of a very sharp and prolonged economic downturn is growing by the day. The website in which this article can be located also carries a story with the headline mortgage downturn stokes fears for the economy.

Falling house prices and recession is a general downturn in a country’s financial activity and will normally go hand in hand together. A recession can be the signal for an increment in unemployment, which can affect the amount of spending on the high street by customers and a fall in corporate profits that will lead to a corresponding dip in share prices of the major companies. To put it simply customers will end spending and an economy will suffers as a result.

One characteristic of a recession is a dip in the prices of certain goods and services and housing being an obvious example. This is why plenty economic specialists would suggest making a Quick house sale and buying it or another one back for a lower amount of money as the market bottoms out. This is an investing trick known as shorting the market and is a system that is being used by plenty home owners who need to make a Fast house sale for whatever reason. Sell property fast for cash and renting for the short term can take advantage of a fall in another price and that is the rental price. Rents will often drop or at least stabilize during a recession because of market conditions as more unemployment among tenants will prevent landlords from increasing rents.

Similarly the price of plenty high value goods will fall, so if you can wait before purchasing that new settee then you could snap up a bargain in twelve months or so. As shoppers lose the will to spend, retailers are forced to reduce prices to get whatever income they can. Similarly if you are due a new car, a new television set or even something like a fitted kitchen then during a recession is thecorrect time to buy specifically if you have got some money left over from making a Quick house sale for cash.

What do you need to make a Fast house sale for? Is it for cash for investing somewhere else? Whatever the reason it is best not to get carried away by a large cash balance though, especially if you are planning on buying another property in the future. To prevent squandering your money you may consider investing it in the stock market which frequently falls during recessions. This means you can invest in secure, profitable household name businesses such as Microsoft, British Gas, BT, Sky and plenty others at a discount. In plenty cases the dividend they pay is as much as bank interest, and sometimes even more and when better times return you should hopefully be able to sell your stock and make a tidy profit.

In a few years’ time you could be richer than you are now even after having to go through a harsh financial period. It only takes one step to start and that is to Sell property fast for cash. In order to achieve this there is now an abundance of Quick house sale businesses that can now be seen online. All you have to do is search for Fast house sale on your favored search engine to locate the best company for your wants.

Don’t Be In A Rush To Buy A New House, Or Why You Must Check Out Everything When Buying A Home

// August 15th, 2010 // Comments // Real Estate

A couple of years ago I decided to Sell My House in the centre of Reading. When We Buy Homes we don’t normally consider that fact that somebody else else may move in next door who plays the drums. It’s ok , I was thinking of selling up and moving anyway but I must say an enthusiastic drummer moving in next door certainly managed to concentrate my mind on my next move a bit . I put the house on the market after tidying the house up a bit, lick of paint, get rid of all my junk , well you know the sort of thing. Also dutifully remind myself to put myself in the mind of a prospective new buyer and also consider that there is no requirement to mention any arguements with the neighbour because if I Sell My House to someone who is just not in love with the fact that next door is a restless drummer then there must be no come back on me. It’s a bit cruel I know, but then we should all be doing our homework as and when We Buy Houses and, really, it’s buyer beware for some of these purchases .

I sold my house in quick time. As it was it sold to a large family who happened to be even noisier than the drummer next door, even without the drums, so I didn’t in fact feel very guilty about it all. I made certain that I had deposited most of my belongings into storage and came the day there was little more for me to do than to give the keys to the estate agent , take one last look over my shoulder, and move on. I was moving into a room in a shared house anyway and my intention was to buy a more expensive house as I was still quite young and had the idea that when We Buy Homes it’s always necessary to buy bigger and better particularly if one is going to achieve real status by having that ideal home.

I was taking a break between IT contracts . “Resting” as they say in the acting profession . So I had quite a bit of time on my hands for doing my research well and properly and within a reasonably short time I had decided on a range of neighbourhoods that I would like to live in. I had a number of criteria which were as follows:

1. Away from any busy roads, if possible a close
2. A a lot more spacious house than I had before. Well it is just common sense really doesn’t it? It’s the old “more bang for your buck” scenario.
3. A huge garden. Even though I am not a gardener by nature the thought of a beautifully laid out formal garden has always appealed to me.
4. I needed at least one car parking space. I only have one car so any more was pointless to me.

A semi detached came up in one of the areas I have decided was a good area. It was to be offered for sale on a sealed bid basis with the highest viable bid winning. I won and was advised that I needed to move hastily as the owner was very keen to sell and considered that it had gone for below the market price. I also thought this and bypassed my usual checks and expedited the purchase and moved in.

The first night I moved in I was a bit surprised that around eleven in the evening a large collection of teenagers turned up in and around my front garden smoking, drinking and generally being a pest . It turned out that all the houses in the close had at least one teenager and as it was a close they sort of ruled the roost. If you were a parent of one of these then you would probably be glad to get them away from your own property so they all seemed to congregate around my house. Not good news.

The next day was the weekend and I met my next door neighbour. He proudly announced “The best thing about me is I can whisper across a meadow”. I dare say he could too. House construction was not really an issue to me so I had decided not to make it a priority but If I had discovered in advance who my neighbours were going to be I would have specified three foot thick solid stone walls!

To cut a long story short I found myself increasingly not wanting to stay in the house. My driveway was always blocked by groups of teenagers at night, my neighbour shouted at his children from dawn to dusk and I felt I couldn’t invite any of my friends over as they would be quite shocked. My DIY and improvement plans for what was a large house needing some upgrading melted away as I really didn’t want to stay there let alone invest further in the property. I spent increasingly more time away from the place and it wasn’t long before I decided to sell up and cut my losses.

At last I sold the house. Because I found it increasingly difficult to live in that neighbourhood I made a small loss on the property , and that’s not the sort of thing we expect to happen when We Buy Homes. The whole experience was not one of the best in my life it has to be said but looking back with the benefit of hindsight I should have followed some simple rules :

1. Before We Buy Houses we must always think of who else in that neighbourhood would buy that house. If you think that you in fact aren’t going to fit in then it’s best to hold back no matter how much of a bargain it appears .
2. If you have plans for a property that you want to grow into then for goodness sake follow it through. It’s no good being half hearted about interior improvements etc and just leave the place go to rack and ruin. Have a plan and follow it through. I can’t stress this enough.

Want To Sell Property Fast? Is The Reason To Attain A Good Value? The Answer Is In Recruiting A Rapid House Sale Firm

// August 15th, 2010 // Comments // Real Estate

Selling a property during this universal economic decline can be one of the most difficult tasks that you will ever conduct in your life. Attaining a good market priceworth for your house within a very short timespan is not always that simple. Apart from all the emotional[s/pin] involvement there is also the legal and economic matters that you system to Sell property fast. Do you need to make a Fast house sale? Does the reason for making a Quick house sale outweighing your want to acquire the best market value? If so then a property investment company may be the best resolution for you to know how to sell your home promptly without all the hassles and here are the some of the simple phases to sell your home promptly for cash in order to sort out any economic worries you may find yourself in.

First and foremost you need to locate a regarded investment property business. To Sell property fast within the United Kingdom you will find plenty of businesses who will offer their services. It is ideal to perform a thorough research within your area to locate a renowned Fast house sale company that you can trust for that better cash deal for your house. You just simply need to fill in their web request form to find out more about the business and their Quick house sale services. Next you will want to arrange a date for a home inspection as in reality no one is going to buy a house without actually inspecting it as buying a home is regarded as a huge decision. Furthermore before investing in a house it is always best to know whether the investment is a sound one or not before actually completing a deal. So after you have discovered your selected property investment company you must arrange a date for the home inspection and inform your property investment company about it.

Next you must make sure that you clean your premises as the overall look of your home is the ultimate factor upon which you are dependent on a positive decision from your picked Fast house sale business. Therefore try to make your home to look presentable by moving away any clutter lying in the entrance, removing any dirt that is gathered in the corners, clean the windows, wash down the kitchen units and plenty more. Remember that along with cleaning the interior you must also clean the exterior as well so keep the paths and pavements clean and free from leaves, cut your lawn, plant some colorful flowers, mend any broken house numbers, and repaint your front door as well as lots of other duties.

Next you will need to be prepared to welcome your potential home buyers. You’re picked Sell property fast business will need to see your home without any connected interference and will also need to feel the appeal of the house and would love to visualize another home owner living there in the near future. So do not fuss around them and just let them roam around your home to see the positives and negatives on their own. Normally a Quick house sale business does not fuss over the condition of your property and will make you an offer after maybe the first visit. So when a cash property business decides on a price then they will ask you whether you are happy with the value offered by them. If you think you want bargaining for the correct offer then discuss it with them to get the best price acceptable for your home.

Finally make sure that all the legal paperwork is in order and once you are happy with the price given then move steadily towards finalizing the deal. After the completion of all the legal paperwork then selling your property briskly should be completed within days. By following these steps mentioned you can unquestionably sell your house briskly to ease any financial stresses that you have.

Matters Relating To A Prompt Home Sale Can Be Complex And Frustrating – Maybe It Is The Time To Choose A Property Investment Firm

// August 14th, 2010 // Comments // Real Estate

Concerns correlated to a Fast house sale are tough to handle if you are a house owner who is either seeking for a new home or just requires to Sell property fast then you need the advice of experts in managing your property matters. That is why it is best to recruit a property investment firm especially if you are seeking to make a Quick house sale to manage your property matters for you. These professional businesses will give you the best advice for your property related matters even if you are either seeking for a new house to live in or wish to sell your existing home. Many property investment businesses will provide you with several services and features that will aid you to sell your home quick no matter the standing. You will need to get a full assessment of your house and know the worth of your home as it will aid you in getting the right worth of your house.

Buying and selling are two different aspects of the property market and selling a home to the right possible home buyer at the right time is also very crucial. No matter the standing you have in selling your home you will always want good knowledge of the property market. Maybe you are seeking for a house for yourself to live in or you wish to Sell property fast and then rent your house back then a respected property investment firm will be able to help you to make it happen and for you to meet your aim as a house owner.

There are several ways to make a Fast house sale so it is best to ask your selected property agent to aid you in discovering a possible home buyers for your home. They will arrange an auction for selling it, contact estate agents or select net home selling businesses. An online Quick house sale is getting very popular and it is a very easy and quick way to sell your home without investing much time and money in the house selling process and acquire the right worth for it.

To Sell property fast you will need to give proper attention to home staging as it really helps in the process of a Fast house sale now that many property investment businesses are giving more emphasizes on a proper home staging method. This could turn a possible home buyer into a real home buyer in that they will make an offer that you will be more than happy with. Home buyers will pay close attention to minor details even a slightest error on your side could turn down the possible home buyer. With proper home staging you can acquire that Quick house sale in even less time in comparison to not employing a staged home method.

In order to sell your home with maximum benefits get the service from professional property investment businesses. Buying or selling of a home is not easy and there are several points that a possible home buyer will need to consider before making an offer and finalizing a deal to buy your home. Selling your home with a property investment company will surely make your home more visible and in demand. If you want to sell your property rapid in slow property market then net selling could be the best option for you to make that rapid sale that you undoubtedly need.

Hiring a reputed property investment firm will also take away any complexes and frustrations that are involved in selling a property promptly.

Moving Home Can Occur For Many Reasons And To Sell Home Fast May Be The Answer How A Quick Sale Can Aid

// August 13th, 2010 // Comments // Real Estate

Moving to another house can happen in the United Kingdom for a variety of different reasons. A property owner might be moving because they are going to be heading out to a new property that is nearer to where they are going to be working in. A move can also happen in the case where a property owner ends up wanting to move to a smaller house after the number of occupants in the house goes down. No matter what the reason is a Quick house sale can be used to get a property owner to move out of their home with ease. A Fast house sale is something that can help in that a property owner will be able to Sell property fast in as little time as possible. Sometimes a move can happen in a short period of notice and this is specifically something that can happen when a property owner wants to move for business or military reasons. A typical prompt sale of a house may be able to work for the property owner’s needs in about a couple of weeks or so.

A prompt sale of a house can also cater for property owners who require to make sure that they will be able to get their dwelling sold off before their moving dates actually happen. One of the most problematic things about a traditional property sale is that there are no guarantees that a property will be sold off before that property owner actually moves. A Fast house sale on the other hand will work with a fast system that will allow a property owner to be able to move out before a certain amount of time passes without any of the woes that go with a traditional property sale. This can also work even in the case where a property owner is not going to be moving for a few months or so. A typical Sell property fast investment business will be able to work on a deal with a property owner allowing them to be able to move out of the dwelling on a certain date. This is normally going to be the date when a property owner moves and will no longer have the use of the dwelling. Most property investment businesses will allow a Quick house sale to work with a move out date that is maybe between one to six months in advance of the actual move.

This is a great feature to see because of how a rapid sale of a property will allow a property owner to be able to live in their property prior to a move without having to deal with any annoying homeloan payments to their bank or building society. It does not make a good amount of sense for a property owner to handle homeloan payments when that property owner has to deal with moving out of their property in a short period of time. A Fast house sale can be used to make it easier for a property owner to get out of their property and not deal with the expense of mortgage payments that are being insisted on by their bank or building society.

These are all things that make a Quick house sale a good thing for any property owner to see when it comes to moving out of their dwelling for any kind of reason. A property owner who is moving should be able to Sell property fast even before the moving day happens. That property owner should not have to deal with any charges that relate to their homeloan either. A rapid sale of a house can be used to get a property owner to get their home sold before moving while avoiding bothersome homeloan payments that are being demanded by their bank or building society.

Moving property can be very worrying at the best of times without you having all the other hassles of finance on top. That is why it is now highly suggested that you look for a regarded property investment business. They will be able to relive you of all the financial woes and at the same time being able to offer you a good value for your property rapidly and in a professional manner.

The Private Rental Sector Must Be Due For A Huge Boom It’s Really Logical !

// August 13th, 2010 // Comments // House and Home

It’s pretty obvious . The country is overcrowded. Barely a week goes by without an article on the National news about a shortage of housing somewhere in the country . Government initiatives to provide affordable housing seem destined never to keep pace with the insatiable demands of the public and the varying demographics within the country taken as a whole . Governments are hardly ever proactive and are usually playing a game of catch up. Therefore at any given instant , the demand for housing within the country is outstripping supply and anything the government does is often too little too late.

Public housing construction has been in a severe decline for decades now, and even modern planning regulations requiring developers to provide a quantity of so called “social housing” with each new development over a certain size does not create a meaningful impact on the burgeoning demand for housing within the country.

A question to ask is why do We Buy Houses at all? Well the answer to this is pretty simple. We Buy Homes because we are addicted to the perception that when We Buy Houses we get a security of residence – it’s one of the basic wants after all , to have a roof over our heads. If I was to Sell My House more than likely the first thing I would do is to look at the property market with a view to getting another house . But there may well be a time where I would have to think about a time in rented digs and there I may well have something of a surprise .

When I come to Sell My House I may in all likelihood find that the period between vacating the property and buying another one would not be adjoining each other so I would have to rent for a while . But rental property is at a premium round by where I live and top quality properties are hard to come by. So demand is very high for anything that is more or less decent and at a reasonable rent. This of course inflates pressure on the less than premium property area as all the top quality rentals are being taken up. It’s something of a pinch all round and I am just an example of why someone needs or wants to enter the rental sector as opposed to buying a property .

When We Buy Homes generally it is assumed that the property is to be bought as a main or sole residence. Probably external factor will have caused a landlord to start renting the property out to tenants, a move away from the area, say, or a temporary financial difficulty. However this is usually with a view to getting the property back to live in at some stage. Thus when the property is turned over to the private rental sector it may only be for a short period before the landlords circumstances change. It’s well known that these are difficult fiscal times so a number of house owners are forced to rent. But it’s not true that the supply of rental properties is going to increase because of this phenomenon. In practice people that have relinquished their own property for the time being are still going to need somewhere to live escalating the demand for more inexpensive rental accommodation in the short to medium term. And if families with children are obliged to find accommodation other than their own house then the local authorities are legally obliged to find them somewhere to live again increasing the demand for affordable rental properties.

Certainly the medium to fine quality, good value sector of the private rental market is going to go through some busy times recession or no recession.

What Are Your Options For Freeing Some Of The Value Tied Up In Your Property

// August 13th, 2010 // Comments // House and Home

Usually when We Buy Homes it’s not with a view to the long term value of the property, it’s mainly because we need to find some place to live. There are a few fundamental human essentials that even our brisk paced modern society has not learned how to overcome in total . Food , shelter , company and , oh yes, sex , are all on the list and are basic drivers that have made modern man what he is currently . But even if your spouse has run off with the milkman , your larder is empty and no one is texting you there’s always the roof over your head, isn’t there ?

Odd thing is that basic shelter is not the name of the game these days. Investment is. A house , a flat , any sort of property has a price tag attached to it and in recent years that tag seems to have shot up . As long as We Buy Houses there will be a price tag attached to them as We Buy Homes these days with the hope and intention that they will make money on the quiet for us. By and large we don’t really have to do anything to get this rise in our capital. Just live in a nice house in a nice area for long enough and you will discover that over the longer term you will be sitting on a nest egg that you haven’t actually earned. Getting at that cash isn’t necessarily so easy though.

I had a recent requirement to find some capital. I was in something of a difficult situation and could foresee a time before very long I may need to Sell My House if I had to move to a city with more employment for the types of myself. I needed to look at my choices and getting finance out of the house and into my hand . I went to my bank but was deterred by their interest rate and costs which I felt were much too high . So I looked at the options for releasing some of the equity in my properties. And that was where things started to get get confusing.

Equity release schemes generally require that you fit within a certain age range. This tends to be between fifty three to eighty five years old. I was also advised that I should have no intention to Sell My House in the near future as there would be early repayment costs and that any mortgage company interest in my home would be paid off by the equity release. I was also advised that I should have little or no mortgage on my property and that the house should be of standard construction (whatever that means! ) and that it should be freehold or if it was leasehold then it should have a lease of a minimum of seventy five years.

I was also advised that any equity release system would reduce the total value of my estate. This seems obvious but it seems to be part of the advice stipulated by law. I was also given advice to the effect that some income or means tested benefits may be reduced or taken away altogether and that I should contact the DWP to request a consultation about how this would affect me.

Finally I did not go for an equity release scheme despite the fact that I may have qualified for it. My current mortgage lender was very happy to stump up the temporary finance that I wanted and, with the benefit of hindsight, this is actually what I should have done in the first place. It sometimes comes as a bit of a surprise that when We Buy Houses we expect to have to look after them. We don’t usually expect that they could have to look after us too!

The Private Rental Sector Could Be Due For A Massive Rise It’s Simply Obvious !

// August 12th, 2010 // Comments // Real Estate

It’s pretty obvious . Great Britian is overcrowded. Hardly a week goes by without an article on the Local news about a shortage of housing somewhere in Britain . Government initiatives to provide cheap housing seem destined never to keep pace with the insatiable demands of the public and the changing demographics within Britain taken on the whole . Governments are rarely proactive and are always playing a game of catch up. So at any given instant , the demand for housing within Britain is outstripping supply and anything the government does is very often too little too late.

Public housing construction has been in a steep decline for years now, and even modern planning regulations requiring developers to provide an amount of so called “social housing” with each new development over a certain size does not create a real impact on the burgeoning demand for housing within Britain.

A question to ask is why do We Buy Houses at all? Well the answer to this is pretty simple. We Buy Homes because we are addicted to the perception that when We Buy Houses we get a security of residence – it’s one of the basic requirements after all , to have a roof over our heads. If I was to Sell My House probably the first thing I would do is to look at the property market with a view to getting another one . But there may well be a interval where I would have to think about a interval in rented property and there I may well have something of a shock .

When I come to Sell My House I may very well find that the period between getting out of the property and buying another one would not be adjoining each other so I would have to rent for a while . But rental property is at a premium round by where I live and good quality properties are difficult to come by. So demand is high for anything that is half decent and at a sensible rent. This of course creates pressure on the sub premium property sector as all the good,high quality rentals are being taken up. It’s something of a constriction all round and I am just an example of why someone needs or wants to enter the rental sector as opposed to buying a property .

When We Buy Homes generally it is assumed that the property is to be bought as a main or sole residence. Probably external factor will have caused a landlord to start renting the property out to tenants, a move away from the area, say, or a temporary financial difficulty. However this is usually with a view to getting the property back to live in at some stage. Thus when the property is turned over to the private rental sector it may only be for a short period before the landlords circumstances change. It’s well known that these are difficult monetary times so a number of house owners are forced to rent. But it’s not true that the supply of rental properties is going to increase because of this phenomenon. In practice people that have relinquished their own property for the time being are still going to need somewhere to live escalating the demand for more reasonably priced rental accommodation in the short to medium term. And if families with children are obliged to find accommodation other than their own house then the local authorities are legally obliged to find them some place to live again increasing the demand for affordable rental properties.

Certainly the medium to good quality, good value bit of the private rental market is going to go through some busy periods recession or no recession.

A Quick House Sale Is What A Property Owner Can Only Fantasize Of What Actually Prohibits A Rapid House Sale

// August 12th, 2010 // Comments // Real Estate

Habitually in today’s prevailing financial climate there can be quite a lot of stops and problems that will set in to prevent the house selling method. And at an already stressful time for most house owners this type of disappointment can have serious economic and emotional repercussions. Plenty house owners require to find a buyer quickly for their house before they can move on for whatever reason. Nevertheless the entire Sell property fast method and transfer of deeds can often take a great deal longer than lots of house owners assume that will leave them either homeless or with two homes to look after and to deal with. Add to that all the normal strains of daily life and full time employment and it will become easy to see why moving house can be a stressful time for many house owners to deal with.

There are plenty factors that come into play when you require to make a Quick house sale that can slow down the entire method. The first thing that prevents a Fast house sale is the condition of the actual house itself and if the premises is not up to scratch in terms of d?cor and cleanliness then the chances are that a house owner will find it hard to Sell property fast. If the dwelling is not up to the standard in terms of look to possible home buyers then it can add weeks if not months to the selling of the dwelling as possible home buyers will be fast to take their money elsewhere and buy another dwelling.

Selling a house brings with it the dreaded but inevitable surveyor’s report that will study the structural condition of the whole dwelling. So if you are considering making a Quick house sale then you should consider commissioning your own chartered surveyor to study the dwelling. That way you can avert any feared delays later down the line that will allow you to make a Fast house sale. Locating a local respectable chartered surveyor can often be the best choice and there are many to be found advertising in the local newspapers or on the net so you should not have any problem locating one that is based in the local area.

Most house owners looking to Sell property fast will look to hire estate agents to aid with the entire house selling transaction and the advertising method. However it can often be very hard to determine which estate agent is best for you as they can often be hit or miss when it comes to getting the duty done promptly. To avert lengthy delays to this method then you need to make sure that you thoroughly brief your selected estate agent on the standard of the dwelling and make sure that they proactively promote your home to possible home buyers. Many estate agents will sit with a house and do very little in terms of advertising so unless you are seeing a continual stream of potential home buyers viewing your home then your selected estate agent could be to blame. Getting to the bottom of any problem like this is never as easy as it sounds but by consistently asking your estate agent for updates on the progress of the sale then you should be able to avert much of the unnecessary delay that can set in and make that Quick house sale that you desire.

Finally the conveyance method can bring with it many delays and disruption and you are undoubtedly going to require to employ a solicitor to get the complete method done correctly which can also undoubtedly mean added expense and hassle. From the house owners point of view there is very little that can be done to urge this method along and if it begins to cause a hold up then you can only tough it out and wait for the result in the hope of a Fast house sale.

A Year On A House Boat On The Kennet And Avon Waterway Or “How You Can Take Your Home Down The Pub With You”

// August 11th, 2010 // Comments // Real Estate

I was living in rented accommodation on the outskirts of Wokingham in Berkshire. This is a really expensive area to buy a house in and at the time I was a short term worker for a software development company. It suited me at that time to be what is often called a “Weekend Commuter”. I would stay in my rented digs in the week from Monday night through to Thursday night and then make the substantial trek down the M4 to my proper home which at the time was a large house with land in a rural hamlet in South Wales. Occasionally We Buy Homes on a bit of a whim and I had certainly done that as in that particular spot of Wales there wasn’t a great deal of work anyway let alone my sort of particular IT work. It didn’t stop me though and I was used to staying away from home during the week and didn’t consider that as you get older you can start to tire of this sort of thing.

My digs were pretty good . Well sort of OK. In fact they were like any other sort of temporary accommodation, a room in another persons house. My temporary job was to be extended into the foreseeable future and I began to dream of getting myself a small property in the local area as a second home. Maybe I could even let out a room or two and get the complete thing to fund itself.

But I didn’t really want to Sell My House in the country . It gave me far better accommodation than anything I could get in Reading and after all when We Buy Homes we generally consider value for money. And in fact considering what I could get for my money the last thing I wanted to do was Sell My House in the country and move into a one bed flat in Reading. So I decided to extend my finances to the limit, keep the house in Wales and buy something half decent in the Thames Valley. After all when We Buy Houses it’s such a huge investment that sometimes you just need to let yourself go a bit and very occasionally more is less.

I walked miles through many neighbourhoods and found a property adjoining the Kennet and Avon canal. It was a two bed terrace and backed onto the canal itself. I submitted an offer and waited for the process to go through. But after walking up and down the towpath for a while I managed to clear my thoughts to the extent that I realised that I actually didn’t want to buy a house – I wanted to live on the waterway . A boat! Could it be done? I bought a copy of Waterways World, saw an advert for a forty foot narrowboat, withdrew my offer on the house and started my year on a boat.

Of course it wasn’t all that easy. First I had to find the money for the boat which was close to the same as the deposit I had for the house , well after all when We Buy Houses we have to have some sort of deposit. I wasn’t too worried as the narrowboat I was buying was built in the seventies, was in really good condition and was unlikely to depreciate any further so my rationale was that I was already involved in the property market and was not going to lose any enormous sums on the boat so I might as well go for it.

Second problem was the mooring. Residential boat moorings are a bit on the rare side but I managed to get a non residential mooring next to a boatyard. There were only a few other boats there and I decided, correctly as it turned out, that nobody was going to notice as long as I didn’t start hanging my washing out or holding wild parties etc. The mooring was in the order of a thousand pounds a year. Cheaper than the rent I had been paying.

Thirdly was the cost of the license from British Waterways. I was on the Kennet and Avon so the license was in the order of five hundred bucks a year. But this gave me the right to up sticks at any given moment and cruise all the way from Reading down to Bath if I wanted to.

The final hurdle was my own personal comfort and the day to day living on the boat. And even though this was the bit I was most worried about this turned out to be the easiest of the lot. The heating could be run from the engine or from the wood burning stove on board. Even in the worst weather of winter the boat never really got cold as it was well lined and even the tiniest of flames in the wood burner kept it all cosy. The shower was fine as long as I ran the engine every day for a while – easy enough when you are on red diesel and don’t pay wasteful Government taxes.

Every couple of months I would take the boat round to the boatyard to have the sewage tank emptied. Easy as one of the yard hands would do it and the charges were much more reasonable than paying for water and sewage charges on a house!

The biggest problem was electricity. There were leisure batteries on the boat but the AC inverters I had were not up to the job. Given my time over again I would have invested in a diesel generator as these are cheap to run on red diesel.

Would I do it again? Of course I would! There’s nothing quite like it. The guarantee of a boat trip every weekend or summer evening. The fellowship of the other boaters. Being woken up by swans gently pecking at the weed on the side of the boat in the morning. My waterway had a pub about two miles from my mooring and it had a small jetty outside. Perfect for mooring up on a Sunday afternoon for a few drinks and a meal. And when it comes to summer holiday time , well , you’ve got it made!