Rural Decay
Originally uploaded by Son of Groucho.
Sog and Wosog are currently on the lookout for a little flat for Gdog to inhabit while she is attending The University of Life in the Nearby Metropolis. Gdog has made it quite clear that she cannot bear the thought of living with us for the next few years. She wants her "independence" which appears to mean having her board, lodgings and utilities paid for her by someone else, but not giving her generous benefactor the opportunity to scrutinise or, God Forbid, criticise her comings and goings. Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind a slice of that sort of independence!
Anyway, this exercise has given the older Sogs renewed exposure, after many years of protection, to the joys of house hunting, and the intricacies of that mysterious language Estate Agent Speak.
For those unfamiliar with the Scottish system, most houses have an "offers over" price. Many years ago offering 5-10% over this price would have given you a good chance of securing the property. Now if you can't bid 25-30% over you may as well not bother (as we have found to our cost)! One good thing is that some of the leg work of house hunting can now be done over the Internet, but you still have to translate what the schedules say into what they really mean. For example, "needs some remedial work" or "ideal for the home improvement enthusiast" probably means that the kitchen and the bathroom both need totally gutted and replaced. "Studio" probably means that you can wash the dishes, watch the tv and answer the front door while sitting on the toilet. "Convenient for local transport links" tends to translate to built next to a railway line/ the M25 etc.
Anyway, assuming we do manage to buy a charming, deceptively spacious apartment that benefits from a door, several windows and two bedrooms (aka one bedroom and a cupboard), at least I'll have something new to worry about in the form of an even bigger mortage. I was starting to get a bit relaxed in my old age....
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