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

[randomxx]

Er , how you doin hope things are ok. lf you happen to drop back , took your tip and tried that girls place again and she answered this time. Had a great chat found out lots of town juicy bits. She's very just nice actually as l remembered from yrs back.

Bit like me too in that she grew up in Melb, lived interstate, later on came here 12 yrs ago now. Between her and old mate cross the road, think l pretty well have the picture ha ha.

Could be something in that for your town or any decisions later on talk to a local you feel might be similar to you.

Between her and old mate need a few wks now to soak things in.

rx

[Eagle Ray]

Hi rx,

That's great you went and visited the local woman again and had a great chat. That's funny how between her and old mate across the road you pretty well have the lowdown on the town now 😂 A couple of days ago I spoke to someone in my nearest larger town, and she told me how all the grumpy people retire to my town and the happy people retire to another town to the north. I think I picked the wrong town 🙈 I should have listened to more local knowledge first.

I do think that connections eventually get made, even if slowly. So that is what I am hoping for and I really hope that keeps happening for you rx.

Take care,

er

[randomxx]

Morng er , how r you doin have you been ok ?

Oh no, you chose the wrong one 🤗 , isn't that typical eh that's the sorta thing l'd do 🤣. How far is the other one ?

l know , you can live at yours in incognito and hang out in the other one if it's not to far. Sounds a bit like my old town that wound up being the kinda die hard locals there forever thing but the next one over had all new people coming into it from all over. So l pretty well used the next one over mostly and it worked out pretty good l liked being able to disappear again later back over to my town and vice versa incognito.

Mind you though , would've been just as happy using my old town to if l happened to have a few people locally it'd make all the difference as you say and that'd happen there for you eventually to soooo, never know.

Only takes one or two. For me atm , yeah just hoped to get a feel from someone you know about things round here and an idea of whos around and any happenings ha ha. She was great, really nice. Reminded me of you actually in that she;d just wound up here thing she said 12yrs or so back bc it was all she could afford and just decided to stay.

Well, a bit like your saying, she found her flock up in the main town 30mins away, they're all into permaculture and meet up every wk or two, one of them comes down to hers to, she likes the two separate worlds so there ya go, works for her. She's done a great job with her property too and loves just messing round with that in her spare time , got more goss ha ha, and a more feel for things.Bloody funny.

Yeahhh, but anyway, what l am doing, Goooddd almighty. One things for sure, couldn't be bothered with finding another place l know that much and starting everything over, unless it was a house/unit or already established something. l've browsed it all though and l couldn't even afford anything in any better position than this anyway, especially established that'd mean financing and even if l could that'd mean going back to repayments again, that seems mad, and all just too much at this stage too, couldn't handle it.

Not only but that'd completely change and stuff my v cool little financial setup got goin on here to now where l can still save don't have to work and can live free. Probably have rocks in my head to mess with that now right, sooooo, it's looking atm like l might just stay put and to hell with it all. That'd def be the easiest and the very very most practical anddd, it doesn't actually seem to bad really with meeting a few locals sooo, we see.

As dad always said, ya never get perfect in life, there's always something.

rx

[randomxx]

The only option l'd have without a whole new mortgage, would be just a block in somewhere in a better spot, well that'd be the idea, and then build the same thing on that instead of here.

l have seen one or two, def in better spots but trade offs would be other things like not near the coast or this or that. One in particular for example it is way closer into the main town, and melb and stuff, but that main town isn't on the coast and no where near as nice as my main here soooo, can't win. But something like that be my only other option l think.  

Was thinking of  unit or a cheapie reno job somewhere but there's just nothing without a new mortgage so. A block closer into somewhere and doing the same thing l'd do here with that, about the best l could do sooo, that's about it on that front unless l took another 12mths out and waited for something, whether that'd pop up is pretty unlikely though from what l see so ldk.

lt's like one already in the hand worth two in the old bush yaknow.

Take care

rx

[randomxx]

Still struggling with going for it here, ldbloodyknow. 

All the driving and distances and not having anything closer or even a 24hr handier, all really turns me off.

l could be starting the place right now, l could be living in it in 3mths time all comfy and set and be just playing around finishing things off from there and doing things to the property and what have ,you l mean l'd be set - but l just can't commit to it.

Every time l make up my mind l change it again. Really deep down, l'm just really struggling with the above and the location, that's the long and short of it. l'm still just not comfortable about all that, not long term. 

Yeah it'll all be fine a few yrs but l just feel long term it'd really start getting on my nerves and just not be practical.

l'd def feel much much better somewhere closer to things , l know that.

Trouble is, there's bugger all choice out there and what few l've seen would also mean building too.

l could only do that here though seems as l'm already here.

l couldn't go through selling this off and buying somewhere else if l could find something , and then building on that later.

Just don't feel up to all that restarting on something else.

A unit or house would be the go l know that but there's just nothing.

rx

[white knight]

Hi RX

I'm different, I'm very decisive and act quickly, in fact it would be torture waiting for the house to be sold if I was in your situation.

I'd decide if I wanted high maintenance like large lawn area that could become problematic in a decade or so mowing it when older. Therefore I'd look for a unit. But with a unit, without those tasks I'd need to have activities away from the unit plus most of the TV channel like foxtel netflix etc to keep me occupied at home. So they'd be an amount of planning needed. But, I'd have all that planned in a week, financial cost, what activities would I be suited to etc.

I had a friend that was indecisive, in fact I used to make his decisions as he acknowledged his inability and also my capability in that area. In particular buying cars, he couldnt weigh up and conclude what car he wanted as they had so many differences. eg without my input he bought a big 4x4 and didnt consider the fuel usage towing his caravan. My caravan rig is half the running costs which can be a saving of up to $100 in one day. 

So I understand your hesitation but such indecision can be a burden. You seem to need the larger town and how you go about that doesnt matter but its a step that must be made.

TonyWK

[Eagle Ray]

Hi rx and wave to Tony,

The other town where the happy people go is an hour's drive from here. It's a bit of a hike but I have gone there on an occasional day trip. It's way bigger. I'm kicking myself now as I could have gotten something there in 2021 when I was looking, but now there is consistently nothing in my price range. So I really get where you are coming from with your dilemma.

It's very true and wise what your dad said, that we never get perfect, so it's kind making the best of things whatever we do.

What you could do is just really try reaching out more and more in the existing surrounds to see if there might be potential community and a sense of belonging in the future. Yesterday I went to a daytime concert in a neighbouring town about 25 minutes away which was really good. I'm trying to find out what is actually in my area and really know what the options are for making human connections.

At the same time, I tend to agree with Tony that if you really feel the need for a larger town, making that happen may be a priority. When I really listen down in my heart, I know I am lonely here and I need more options for human connection that are more easily available. It will take me a while before I can move because I have a lot to sort here and doing a lot of work on myself at the moment in terms of processing past trauma stuff. But eventually I think I need to get out and will just find a way when I am ready.

The appeal of Melbourne to me is there is actually more housing availability than in Perth or many other places here in WA. There's actually quite a few options with units. I'm still not sure whether to move to the big city or not though. But I think Tony is right too, that thinking about how we might feel in say a decade's time is also important. I'm reflecting on the kind of life I'd like to lead going forward and the sort of things that make me happy.

Take care 🤗

[randomxx]

Gday Tony and thx for the thoughts.

But nah, l'm not an indecisive person at all actually, got no time for it normally. l've done 30k business deals in seconds many times, moved state in days,bought properties on the spot , knew l'd meet my ex w before l met her knew l'd marry her a day after l met her, only need a second to decide on a car knew l'd buy mine now before l even went to see it.

Butttt- in saying that, if there's a hold up mentally bc something's not sitting and it's something big then nope, l need to figure out why if l don't already know bc that stuff has bitten me hugely in the past and l've lived to regret it.

And that's what's going on here and yeah especially as you said and now er just then too - it's not only the here and now that has it's issues bc ofc l'd rather be nearer a good town but it's a real worry long term too and that's big stuff if your on your own as you know later on.

lt's totally unpractical long term and l know it pure and simple. Not even all that practical short term yeah bc it's tiny and miles from anywhere , don't even like that l knew that already.

So it's not right for me no way in those ways- upsides though a huge to.

l can just stay put, put up with things l don't like, be set financially and have a lovely little property lovely little house all that stuff, in all that way it's perfect. 

So like, yeah, the dilemma itself is the thing. Bugger.

rx

[randomxx]

Heya er.

Well funny, my d and l were talking about melb just today actually and l told her about you and your last trip.

She said too what you just said now and that she can actually find stuff and opportunities in Melb quite cheaply really too, so there ya go eh.

But yeah , an hr always pushing it sadly not the sort of thing you can just wander off and go to anytime or a few times a wk and that is it. What a shame though yeah that you prob could've bought there earlier God almighty tell me about it. Use to be cheap as chips up here and in all the towns along and just in from the coast even some on the coast , some even just a couple of yrs back there'd be dozens to choose from but my God, should see it all now.

My sitch though , yah , starting think l better not go against myself here bc man, l'd be ashamed to even talk about the costs of things in the past l've lived to regret. And hell yeah, ofc l'd prefer much bigger and much closer to stuff that's not even a thought but the money , the prices the lack on offer now and the messing around restarting is the issue.

But anyway, your end, l reckon playing it nicely atm eh, and your doing really well too. l can see it taking shape for you in it's own sweet time and your happy to let it right now sooooo, way to go er eh.

rx

[randomxx]

Problem is Tony , as l said, due to my last house going bad and divorce and all that, this is all l have now, and l can't work any more with MH. So l can't afford anything better but l'm also burned out in all things RE after everything else.

Yrs back l would've easily wangled a deal on something better but those days are gone no one's desperate to even do deals in these times. l don't think long established especially older people can appreciate just how bad the market is out there now.

So yeah , l know what l'd prefer but my options with what's out there now, plus finances, l probably couldn't even get any finance anyway but then Mental energy in it all are also rock bottom too. But to if l couldn't sell this one at a good price there's no hope anyway.

So damn shame but so yeah, staying here and that all just goes away like magic, all of it. No more of any of that and setup v nicely.

Funny though, speaking of ageing in places like this too one of the things l wanted to suss out was just how people manage later on round here but yeah. Found out there's older people here some can't even drive any more, some just on their own too. But B was saying l dunno, they all seem to wangle this and that and talked about a few.

Lady gross the rd from her is 82, she still drives up to town once a fortnight, bit of a classic good for her.

rx