Thursday 21 October:

It’s been two months since I wrote my last reflection. It’s been a busy time settling into our new home (a constant matter of two steps forward and one back), but we’re gradually ‘getting there’. We’re constantly aware that we haven’t actually downsized enough to fit into number17! We probably still need to get rid of some books; we have far too many empty plastic boxes left over; the kitchen is too small (and not as well designed storage-wise; lots of framed pictures and not enough wallspace to hang them…
We’re about to have a few days away in Lancashire (2 days in Lytham, followed by 2 days with Alice+Dave in Buckshaw). It’ll obviously involve several train journeys and, given our recent experiences of high proportions of people on public transport NOT wearing face masks, it’s something that really concerns us. Yes, we’ve been double-vaccinated and boostered but, nevertheless, with weekly Covid cases and deaths beginning to rise again in quite high numbers, it makes both of us feel very uneasy (and vulnerable). In some ways, it would be easy to take the cautious option and cancel our plans, but (significantly) we haven’t seen our Lancashire grandchildren for TWO whole years and we haven’t had a holiday since our time in Skipton – again, just over two years ago. 
So, we’ll go… and just be as careful as possible.
Image: our new balcony home.

Monday 16 August:

It’s been more than 2 months since I last wrote a ‘reflection’…
Much has happened in that time… the house is sold; the apartment has been purchased (well, not quite until the completion, but…) and we move in just over a week’s time (next Tuesday 24^th – with packers in on Monday 23^rd). All the outstanding matters have either been dealt with or ‘deferred’. I’ve been back to Deanery Road while the electrician was there but, as far as our house is concerned, George has only visited once – and he put in an offer on the basis of his one and only visit (and has indicated that he’s been too busy to come round for a drink or check on stuff etc… which seems a little strange).
Hannah, Cormac, Roz, Simon, Claire and Geraint invited us to a mini street party last Saturday evening to say goodbye and to wish us well (which was very lovely of them).
We’ve managed to get rid of a whole stack of ‘stuff’ – including the dining table, four dining chairs, two throne chairs, well over 30 picture frames and a whole range of odds and ends. The pavement outside our house has been full with collect-for-free goods for the past few weeks. This week will see the last of our rubbish-to-the-tip-trips (‘everything must go’!).
The really scary thing is that there are absolutely ‘piles of stuff’ that we’re proposing to take with us – boxes and boxes of things (not to mention all the plants and pots Moira has earmarked for our balcony!!). Depressingly, I think the boxed stuff will all end up cluttering up the two bedrooms – I don’t think they’ll be much room for manoeuvring around the beds.
Ru and family were on holiday last week and so there’s a AWFUL lot of clearing for her to do this week to vacate her studio! I feel very sorry for her (and guilty too)… so much stuff and not enough space in her new studio at BV.
Image: a couple of photographs illustrating some of the stuff we’re supposed to be taking with us! 

Wednesday 9 June:

We’re still very much in limbo land. The building survey was duly produced (we haven’t seen its content) and our prospective buyer (George) is still very keen to progress matters. We’ve ended up reducing our sale price by £10K (which feels something of a relief, because I feared it might be a lot more!) and, understandably, there are still concerns about the Japanese Knotweed our neighbour’s garden. I’ve been pressing Solon Housing Association (owners of no.42) to provide details of all the work carried out since I first identified the problem in May 2019. What I wanted was: a treatment management plan detailing all the measures taken since May 2019 AND the on-going treatment programme AND sort of guarantee (and, if possible, confirmation that our property remains unaffected and/or that an indemnity can/will be issued to re-assure George’s mortgage company). In the event, all I’ve received to date from Solon is that their ‘specialist’ contractor had “indeed visited the property on 19/05 and proceeded with the first treatment”. I’ve subsequently tried to get more feedback from them but, thus far, nothing… and, frankly, this doesn’t surprise me at all. George has organised a specialist to carry out an inspection etc on Friday 11 June and so, hopefully, this will clarify things… one way or the other. Feeling very anxious about everything (although somewhat relieved that a ‘proper’ specialist has been asked to report back on the issue).
Image: blue petals+toenails… 

Saturday 22 May:

We’re currently living in ‘house-move limbo land’.
Things seem to be progressing well as far as our solicitor is concerned – although we’re still currently awaiting details from the vendors’ solicitor (outlining the various management charges and maintenance schedules etc). But the crucial element is the forthcoming building survey of number40 (due to be undertaken on Thursday 27^th). We’re only too aware of the key areas on the house that require expenditure… damp-proofing of basement loo/steps; kitchen extension insulation+heating; and roof insulation etc. But the list is pretty long and I have absolutely no doubt that the surveyor will have a field day in listing every defect of our 170+ year house! We’ve not tried to hide any of the defects AND we’ve undertaken an awful lot of improvements over the past 18 years… but we have an obvious fear that our ‘buyer’ will be frightened away (there may be mortgage implications too?). Moira and I both anticipated having to reduce the price of the house in the impending negotiating process following the survey. Moira sees this as a fairly modest price adjustment, whereas I see it as a potentially fairly hefty amount. I just hope that there’ll be an opportunity to negotiate sensibly with our prospective purchaser (either through Laurence or directly).
We ended up agreeing a price of £375K for Deanery Road (although things might crop up that mean we try to negotiate a slightly lower figure?). The good news is that the Deanery Road price is slightly less than the price we thought we might have to pay in order to find a suitable apartment (we’ve accepted an offer of £495K for number40). In our airy-fairy way, we’d aimed at securing a £75K price difference… and, as things stand, this price difference is currently some £120K. In order words, in theory (and on the basis of our back-of-an-envelope assessment), we might be able to allow a £45K reduction on number40 and still achieve our financial ‘objective’.
So, the next week feels hugely significant (and, frankly, incredibly stressful!).
I’m glad that Moira and I have each other to help keep our emotions in perspective… but it’s a critical and somewhat worrying phase.
Fingers crossed.
Image: old number40 logo… 

Saturday 15 May:

I’m posting this just a week after my last ‘reflection’ comments.
Yes, it’s still very early days in the process, but we’ve now had our offer for a two-bed apartment in Deanery Road (in the heart of the city centre – less than 100m from the cathedral and a two minute walk to the harbourside).
The diary of ‘events’ has been pretty incredible:
Friday 30 April: our house went on the market.
Thursday 6 May: we accepted an offer of £495K (the asking price) from a prospective buyer (he had £175K cash and needed a mortgage for the remainder; no chain).
Saturday 8 May: we viewed the Deanery Road apartment and put in offer later that afternoon for £365K (asking price £375K).
Monday 10 May: two other parties had put in offers for Deanery Road; we ended up increasing ours to the asking price (no chain involved).
Tuesday 11 May: our offer was duly accepted!
So, once again (with fingers firmly crossed – because we all know how easily these things fall down!), it seems that the Broadways have bought and sold their homes in ridiculously short time. I seem to recall us selling Percy Street within a matter of days (certainly less than a week); Windmill Road the same (the man who owned the High Street bakery bought it); Kings Road was sold quickly too… and we also managed to buy Mount Pleasant Terrace without fuss.
But, we’re left feeling as if we’re living in a world of uncertainty… plans all falling into place and yet which could collapse at any time. We’ll know more after the building survey on MPT on 27 May. Anxious times!
Image: Estate Agent’s photograph of Deanery Road (the decoration/lights/pictures probably put off most punters!). 

Friday 7 May:

We’re currently in a strange limbo land. The house went on the market a week ago (30 April). There have been perhaps five groups of viewers since then and , yesterday, we learnt that one of them (George Burgess) has put in an offer for the asking price (£495K), subject to full building survey. This obviously represents excellent news… (I’d convinced myself that no one would be interested in what is effectively a 2-bed house for that sort of price).
But I’m also very conscious that this represents just a small (albeit significant) step in the process… there are bound to be frustrations and irritations ahead… an emotional roller-coaster… preparing ourselves for inevitable bumps in the road.
I have absolutely no doubt that the building survey will reveal a long list of items requiring action (we’re only too aware of them ourselves – waterproofing/upgrading basement loo and ceiling; insulation/heating to kitchen plus a whole list of incidental things). We’ve not tried to hide the building’s deficiencies… and it’s therefore reflected in the price (even if we regard house prices as something akin to Monopoly money!).
By the same token, we’re also aware that we need to start the process of finding somewhere to move to. Although we have specific ‘search criteria’ (2-bed apartment within easy reach of harbourside and, ideally, Southville), our budget is limited… maybe £375K?
Will there be ‘chains’ involved? ‘George’ doesn’t have to sell a property and is able to move at a pace to suit us. What about the place(s) we ended up targeting?
We always knew this was going to be a time of continuing uncertainty… living with uncertainty is the one thing the pandemic has taught us!
I’m conscious that Moira and I will need to remain positive and smiling (and as relaxed as possible) during it all. It’s going to be difficult, but we’ve just got to be prepared to let things happen/go with the flow. I know it’s much easier to say these things than to actually implement them, but we just need to keep reminding ourselves that this is what we NEED to do!
Image: one of the Estate Agent’s photographs of our house details!