Would really appreciate peoples thoughts on a housing situation !

[randomxx]

Hi to all.

lt's an unbelievable time in life to find myself stuck in this position, just don't know how to look at it, or what to do about with it, if l can anything at all. 

Problem is, at almost 60, yeah l've mixed up details in other threads just a bit concerned some l know may also be here and haven't wanted any connection here that l might know, butttt, yep.

Thing is l didn't get anything out of my last house, the people l went into the property with as it was a big place, went broke.

Well , sort of lucky although maybe a curse , not sure anymore but l do still have a 1ac country property, 18yrs now, from back when l was married.

l can't work anymore for mh reasons but if l took care l can survive until l can get the pension- living at the 1ac place- it only has a small over nighter atm but l could extend and it'd come up quite nice .

Problem is, it's in a ting town, 30mins to the main town which is a really nice place and there's also a couple of tiny ones in between before that main buttttt, out where this place is, is tiny and out on it's own .

l always planned selling it about now but problems are now that for 1, even if it did sell, it's just a cheap little country block it'd only be a good deposit on something closer in- but circumstances now that'd mean a new mortgage and l'd have to keep working too, don't think l could stomach either of those especially the stress in trying to make it happen.

2nd thing highly possible it doesn't even sell anyway.

l know l'm lucky to at least have it and all , with the housing crisis and so many in worser positions , l just never dreamed l'd be living on it though and honestly, just don't know but it looks like l might be forced to.

l grew up in the city and have lived in some of the nicest places in the country but to have to settle on this place out there now- look the property itself is a really cute block and in a nice little back street- if l could put it on a truck to somewhere else it'd be really nice - but this town.

rx

[Eagle Ray]

Hi rx,

My unit complex is from the 70s so things got built a bit bigger then, unlike now where usually things are ultra compact. The population was smaller and blocks were bigger. I have a patch of grass and a garden area which includes some fruits trees. I do have a light hedge trimmer, but I still find it hard to keep on top of the garden. I find it requires a lot of work to keep it in good condition, hence it's not looking so orderly at the moment, not to mention grass growing through from the other side of the fence. But it does bring in lovely birds which I appreciate so much. I even had a Baudin's Cockatoo in my peach tree the other day. They are huge and this one seemed to be chatting away to me, just a few metres from my screen door.

Yes, hopefully when you get paid for the new job it will feel worth it - something to look forward to. That's exciting you have a new kayak. Have you got some trips you are planning with it? I imagine it can be fun just thinking about where to go with it. It's just a different way to see things on the water.

I do understand what you mean about loneliness even though technically there are people close by. I feel like I'm experiencing something similar, in that I thought getting away from it all was what I needed, but now I feel like I'm more alone than I want to be, and I just struggle to feel connected to what is here. Weirdly, when I go to the city and I'm just anonymous amongst many other people, I actually feel more part of humanity than I do in this town where people know one another. I don't know if you feel anything like that? 

Yes, I think a lot of people are opting for a low cost lifestyle in order to get out of the rat race. It's like thinking of creative ways to live a more fulfilling life. I think as people get older they often value their health more (mental and physical) and realise it's going to be compromised if they stay in the same patterns they've always been in. The houseboat life would definitely be interesting. Again, it's a more compact way of living, and that appeals to me. The downside could be rivers flooding more often as seems to be happening, but otherwise I feel like it would be a lovely way to live.

Well take care and sleep well rx

[randomxx]

Yeah the unit l spoke about was from around the same period.

Love parrots, cockatoos, all of them. l tried bringing them into my last place with feed buttt, no luck. Sometimes they'd be in that tree, but still didn't see the feed.

That compact simplicity you talked about yeah, that's all about exactly what becomes so nice about caravaning, same thing. l could live in one full time here on my block doesn't even seem any point in a house tbh.

The new kayak yeah, haven't really had a decent test of it as yet with the mods l've been finishing. But nah def' no trips or anything planned, not up to it. My main town , can mention it now deep in here, Warrnambool, has lots of beautiful waterways to play on that'll do me. Figure l can go up do my shopping and other stuff then go for a yak while l'm at it but we see. Feeling so run down atm.

That loneliness thing though, yeah. Realizing l was at least better off at my old house and twon then here, and it was close to my main. God whata stuff up, although the house deal was kaput anyway, nothin l could do.

But cities yeah, l remind myself they can be lonely to, even my old town was lonely yet shops pubs and people, ldbloody know.

l'm 50k in form the coast here and Warrn, but l can't see anything so far all the way down to Geelong in an better spot than this that l could afford now, it's all gone so mad and def' no units or houses.

lt's bloody depressing as hell.

[randomxx]

ps , yep, have felt all that and more . when l first moved regional the lack of anonymity was torture for me, really missed that about the city. l'm sort of use to it now but still way to guarded .

was gonna ask, does it being unit and so in a block of units help loneliness at all ? gf ex's , not so much. 3 other unit front doors running of the same little hallway, always felt very conchy coming and going. She had some troubles with one or two of those too so they were pretty close if it hits the fan.

one reason l was thinking about units is that there are others in the block, even though l'm a very private person on the other hand thought it might help a bit to if you were lucky enough to get some good neighbours.

hope your holding up on er.

rx

[Eagle Ray]

Hi rx,

I have been to your main town many years ago when I was 17. I have a vague memory of being in a museum-like place there that had a display emulating a volcano, demonstrating the historical volcanic activity in the area. I can't remember if we stayed overnight there, but I do remember staying in Portland and Apollo Bay on either side of it. It's such a beautiful part of Australia and I've always remembered Erskine Falls in the Otways as we just don't get waterfalls like that in WA as we don't have that wetter, lush rainforest. There are very impressive falls up in the Kimberley but they are a different thing again. Anyway, I totally hear you about the challenging nature of real estate now and how it's super tough to find anything between Warrnambool and Geelong. I was looking at Geelong in 2024 actually as I also went to Melbourne that year. It's still less than Melbourne and certainly less than going the Mornington side of Melbourne, but if looking for a less big town anywhere near the coast, it's pretty hard now.

My sense is that we have to somehow get creative to think outside the square. I have thought about trying to live in a caravan park, but then you don't own the land you are on and it feels a bit vulnerable going forward. My main worry is being able to cover the general costs going forward over time (rates, strata fees, maintenance), but I'm trying to think that I will find ways to manage somehow. I've realised I'm just not in a position to move soon as I am dealing with a lot on many levels and can only move gradually on anything. And I feel like I'm risking a lot if I do sell and try to buy somewhere else in the current climate with housing in Australia, wherever I went. Anyway, I imagine it's good for you too to just sit on things for a while rather than jump into a sudden change, unless you know it's something you feel really right about.

In terms of my block of units and loneliness, it's a mixed blessing. For the first couple of years I was here I had a lovely elderly neighbour who became a wonderful friend. She has now moved to another town into a nursing home, organised by her daughter when her cognition really declined. I miss her a lot and have been to visit her where she is now. I still have a lovely neighbour here, but there's also some challenges, mainly with one person who is an extreme busy body who can be very gossipy in a hostile way. I have to attend strata meetings where she has fully yelled her head off at another owner. I think if you do live in closer proximity to others there's always the chance of both good and bad experiences, but one good thing is knowing there are people nearby if you do need some help with something like an emergency, health issue etc. I'm not good at asking for help at all, but should I really need it, people are there. It's a bit hard to know in advance about what your neighbours are going to be like if you move into units. But what I would suggest if you are ever looking at a unit with a real estate agent, is get them to send you previous minutes from strata meetings. I was able to predict the trouble maker in my units just from the minutes which described her complaints, statements in meetings etc, and just as I suspected from this info she is the most challenging person to deal with. But basically, as long as people are not doing anything too terrible and there are at least some friendly and kind people around, it can be ok. I think you learn people handling skills as well!

Take care rx and I hope things don't get you down too much, looking at the cost of places etc. The median house price in Perth is at $1 million now so I think very similar to Melbourne. It's truly hard to believe. The increase in just a few years is incredible. But we are both lucky to have something at all, so I guess it's thinking of how to make the most of what we have and find a way forward that allows us to hopefully feel settled and connected, whatever we do.

All the best and hope you are holding up too rx

[randomxx]

testing

[randomxx]

Yeah it was a tny country town back in those days l came up here once, lovely thriving small coastal city these now.

D and l use to holiday at Apollo unfortunately that's over ran these days but as you know we still go to the Otways all the time and many falls.

l may get logged out here dunno what this thing's doing and lose yet another post so l'll make this quick .

But yeaah , u should know me by now wouldn't know what a square looked like ha ha butttt, she's a challenge even for me in this country now.

Heard something just today on Perth prices actually, my God, crazy crazy stuff isn't it.

[randomxx]

This stupid things still cutting me off.

Sorry about your friend there though, what a shame. Never know though maybe we're both meant to just stay put right now, reasons, something good, who knows.

l'm glad your pacing yourself though and holding back.

As you know l've only lightly scanned but my price range covers everything to Geeling in 5 pages and there's only blocks nothing else within that. did find one nice one though 15mins closer to our main but it's towns half the size of this one so trad offs. Dunno if it's worth starting from scratch again though for just 15mins either right.

You look after yourself er hey.

rx

[randomxx]

Craziest thing about vanning. l can go live anywhere l want in beautiful places scott free.

None of this bs and nothing to do but enjoy ha, v v tempting.

[randomxx]

More testing.

Updated firefox , see if that helps.

Been so frustrating if a reply takes longer than a few minutes to do it won't post, looks like the forum logs out while doing the reply.

rx

[randomxx]

lt might be fixed, waited 40mins to post the tester and it went though so we see now.

Anywayyy, thing is for me er, l can't afford to be any more creative just to get into another place. l'll be paying the price for that on my house forever now bc l did a deal they didn't hold up their end and l made nothing.

But caravan parks yeah, another thing l've considered myself to actually. l suppose that there's nothing needed just a van and you could move to anywhere, there's other people within the park so you'd have company. l liked the idea after vanning 12mths bc vans were just so nice to live in as you said compact simplicity and the things above there.

Have you got family er ?

Families one reason l wouldn't do it bc they're all well off and l know l'd be talked about forever if l did wouldn't matter how l explained it.

Anyway, hope your doing alright er.

rx