Living in Urban sprawl

Check out this property for sale on Rightmove!

House we're viewing tomorrow

 

Nice house, gardens and location. Lots of space for the dogs. Good price but would need more money for renovation.

What is in the field across the road?

Only problem I see is the neighbour ... way too close for comfort! What if you don't get along or they don't like the dogs?

 

@Vince
I grew up in Boston (PE21 8HF), haven't been back for any length of time for 40 years. It's flat with a lot of brassicas and not many trees. Soil tends to be alkaline and water very hard due to underlying chalk and water comes from boreholes. Prevailing wind is from the East and can be cuttingly cold, had some pretty cold winters back then. Area gets very little rain, about the same as Jerusalem, many houses had cisterns to collect rainwater from the roofs; worth checking and hopefully not filled in as it it saw us through regular hosepipe bans.
The field across the road looks as if it could be a trials field as it appears to a number of small plots, although this could easily change and also be aware of tractors working early and late in the fields and on the road. Be careful of the drains and ditches that run along the roads numerous drivers have ended up in them; including me.

 

I had a quick look at the adopted South East Lincolnshire Local Plan 2011 - 2036, but didn't see any major development proposals for that immediate area, but it's allways important to look at all the proposals put forward by various landowners/agents/developers for your area in the background documents. Plus check out the planning history of immediate neighbours on the Local Planning Authority's website. Then you'll get an idea of what might happen around you.

 

@NigelJ we drove within metres of your old address, didn't fall into any ditches and Lincolnshire today was slightly damp!


2 of the 4 properties we viewed today are of real interest, 1 with cabbages in the field opposite, the other with calabrese, I'll eat either so I won't make a decision based on that!

The one listed above is probably favourite (Carol asked me to make an offer there and then), now she's unsure because the following property we viewed also had merits.

I'll have a good think about it before making a decision but I will put in an offer on one or the other.

 

@Vince I'm glad you and Carol had a good trip and look forward to hearing how things go.

 

OK, I've made my decision, we're going for the property highlighted above, I'll be putting in an offer today.

Now I need some advice GC friends. The property is solely reliant on electricity for all it's energy needs (heating, lighting etc), all supplied from "the grid". Obviously this is not ideal and expensive! I'd like to change that, maybe solar panels, air sourced heat pumps etc. I know you can apply for government grants for this, that and the other but researching all this at an already stressful time is not something I really need at the moment (although I will do it and have done some initial research) but thought if anybody here has gone through the same experience and can offer advice, I'd be more than grateful for any help!

 

Oh, @Victoria forgot to mention, next door have a Black GSD, we have a Black GSD, can't see the dogs being an issue

Unless their Male GSD gets to our Female GSD when she's in season????????

 

A good point, @shiney

Here, the cost is more than offset by the savings on the water bill. I think around 100€ to empty the septic tank - once every 5 years, and an annual saving of 50€ on the water bill.
I’m afraid I know nothing about solar panels and heat pumps!

 

We have both...all electric and no mains waste water outet...no problem at all, been here nearly 40 yrs now . But obviously you have to weigh up all the additional costs to suit yourselves.

 

Everyone's none the wiser (especially me) it appears?

ok, how about,

Air sourced heat pump - heating (government grant)
Solar panels (with battery storage) [part government grant]
House insulation (government grant)

It might be a hefty initial outlay but I would re-coup a fair amount from the government but could I afford an "hefty" amount? Depends on what price I get the house for!

 

Thanks Michael, perhaps one or both will be about later, I hope so, I've just had an offer accepted!