Buy a flat

Questions and Answers

Where is the best place to buy a flat screen in London?

Q) I live in London - wanted to know the best retailer to buy flat screens in & around London. Please only respond if you live in London, or have also purchased a TV in London recently. Any links to websites would also be helpful.

A) Tottenham Court Road is generally renowned as THE place in London for all audio-visual equipment including TVs. The best option is to start near Tottenham Court Road station and work your way up looking for the model and price you want. One tip in dealing with the shops here is that they are mostly independently owned, so you can haggle! There is a lot of competition between the stores so this can often work in your favour.

Best part of London for a first time buy flat?

Q) Hello everybody, I'm looking to shortly buy a flat in London that I can move into immediately, but I'm happy to consider moving shortly thereafter if I find a place with scope for decent price increases, i.e. that will help me take a step up the property ladder. What do you think are the most 'up-and-coming' places? Thanks

A) It does all depend on how much money you've got. Pockets of SE London are good and according to Phil and Kirsty the best place to invest is Elephant & Castle. Yhe problem with all potential hotspots is they might not be that great now so balance somewhere nice to live with not so big capital investment versus better capital investment and not so great to actually live in. propertyuk-news.co.uk is good for property advice and reads that prices are increasing in most places but could drop in 2010 so everywhere is a gamble.

Should one buy a 100,000 flat in central London?

Q) I'm looking for a flat / house at the price of about 150,000 - 170,000£. With this money, I expect to live far from central London. But I was surprised to find one can still buy a flat at 100,000£ in London (SE6, SE7 is an example) . Do you think those flats are a good investment, which means the price will rise in the near future? Or the fact that these flats are relatively cheap while the market is hot means that people are avoiding these areas ? Many thanks for your advice. On second thought, perhaps the phrase 'central london' is not really accurate. But searching at property websites, I can find those 100,000 flats at areas with postcode like SE6, W15, SE18. Perhaps these areas are not central, but they are still nearby. That's what makes me wonder.

A) Check it out first...they may have a very short lease...£100k for a flat near central london seems a little cheap to me!!

what does it mean when you buy a leashold/sale flat?

Q) in bristol england. want to buy a flat.

A) OK, a Leasehold basically gives you the right ot own that flat until the end of the lease. If the lease is 250 years then theres very little probem and is good as a freehold (owning it outright) However, if its a short lease (say 20 years or so) then in 20 years, your place is goign to be worth nothing because it isnt yours. Hope this helps.

Is it worth to pay an independent advisor to buy a flat in London?

Q) I want to buy a flat in N1 and I'm a bit lost in terms of the steps and people I have to deal with in order to buy a property. thanks fo your help

A) Buying is very simple! Check websites like www.rightmove.com, www.houseladder.co.uk or contact estate agents in the area where you want to buy. When you find something you like make an appointment with the agent to view it then put an offer in if you like the flat. Then all you need to do is find a solicitor and a mortgage lender and they will take it from there. You can easily find a solicitor (conveyancer) in your area online and even a lender on line too. The legal cost to yourself should be 700 GBP and maybe another 600 GBP to the mortgage lender.

Is it advisable to try and buy a flat by yourself when you're only on a £20k salary?

Q) Buying a property is a very scary thing but I feel I'm just throwing my money away renting. Most of my wages goes towards rent every month and with the ever increasing prices of property, I feel if I don't act soon I'll never be able to afford a place of my own. I'm a first-time buyer and will be going at it alone since I haven't got a partner or family member willing to buy with me. The flats I'm looking at are priced between £110k - £120k and I've already got my life savings of £10k to put down as a deposit. With a low salary of 20k, I'm scared I might be making a mistake. Could really do with some advice. Thanks in advance.

A) Hi! Well, you know what Kirsty and Phil say! Get on the ladder as soon as you can walk!! ;-) Firstly, have you spoken to a mortgage advisor and got your finance sorted? What I mean by that is - do you have written confirmation from them that they would be willing to offer you a mortgage to the value of £100-120k? If not, and if you are just guessing what you can afford, you need to make an appointment to speak to a mortgage provider. Speak to a few! Shop around :-) You will need to have your finances sorted by the time you make an offer on a place anyway - the agent will want immediate proof that you have been granted permission for a mortgage of a certain amount, so getting something in writing now will get you a step ahead. Get them to put something in writing for the maximum mortgage they will give you - that way, if you see something cheaper, you've got proof that you can easily get a mortgage for that amount. Next, if you haven't already, you'll need to work out what the mortgage repayments will be. Google 'mortgage repayments calculator' to get an idea. A good one is this: http://www.alliance-leicester.co.uk/mortgage-information/repayment-mortgage-calculator.htm Once you've worked that out, you need to budget on paper. Write down literally EVERYTHING that goes out of your account - include socialising, food shopping, smoking (if you smoke), clothes and a savings allowance. You always need money left over to save - even if it's only £50 a month. Just because a mortgage provider will give you a certain amount, it doesn't mean you can physically afford it. Alliance and Leicester will give my boyfriend a mortgage of up to £220k.. but when we worked it out on paper, he could actually only really afford £190-200k. That's why it's best to work it out for yourself once they've approved your finance. If you've already done all this, or when you've done it, then I would say go for it. £20k isn't that low of a salary. Teachers earn £25k to start with! I've just finished uni and i'm looking at jobs for £13k - my mom has spent 15 years on £13-18k. £20k is a reasonable wage hun. In short - if you can actually afford the mortgage repayments as well as everything else you need, then go for it. Of course, the other option is to look into a 50% shared ownership. You can read more about this here: http://www.mortgagesorter.co.uk/first_time_buyer_fifty_50.html http://www.godirect.co.uk/mortgages/shared-ownership-mortgage.php And here is a website that is very helpful for first time buyers such as yourself! http://www.firstrungnow.com/ xx Emmie

What problems could I run into if I buy a flat that has been converted without planning permission?

Q) I'm buying a flat in Hackney, London. It's in a house that has been converted into three flats. My solicitor called me to tell me that the vendor converted the flat without any planning permission but is offering indemnity which will protect me from any action from the local authorities if I go ahead with the purchase. I'm also told that Hackney Council are unlikely to take any action against this and after a few years will not be able to take any action. It all seems a bit too easy to sort, but am I missing something here?

A) There is always the possibility of being refused a mortgage in the future because of this. Even if there seems to be no risk mortgage companies are always more than careful

how to sell my flat and buy a house?

Q) I own 50% of a one bedroom ground floor flat - the other half is owned by a housing association. I would like to to sell my half and buy a new home. Do i have to reapply for a mortgage like I did in the very beginning - what is the process. p.s i was thinking of purchasing the other 50% and selling the flat as whole.

A) Step 1. Get lots and lots of money, more than an honest man could earn in a lifetime. Step 2. Er... that's it.

Hello does anyone know the cheapest area in south wales to buy a house rent a flat?

Q) Hello I wonder if anyone can help. Me and my boyfriend are looking to get a place together. We're only 18 and he lives in USA and I in S. Wales, UK but we are both very serious about living together over the next year. We realise buying a flat would be virtually impossible as house prices these days are insane with £100,000 a minimum so renting seems the best option. I just wondered if anyone can point me in the right direction where to look as we want a rough guide so we know how much we need to start saving. One crucial thing though is I'm disabled in the sense that I can't walk so would need adaptations in the home like ramps for my electric wheelchair, rails etc so does anyone know what procedures I'd have to take to get everything in place? Thank you ever so much, Sasha xV^^Vx

A) try www.rightmove.co.uk and go from there. a very user friendly site. Just put in postcode eg.SA2 and follow the dropdowns. It will also guide you to estate agents in the various areas. Probably worth speaking to local council planning dept about alterations such as ramps etc to establish if any planning permssion is needed and also if any grants are available for that type of work. If you dont ask, you dont get & the worst that can happen is they say no. Good luck

when you buy flat-packed furniture..?

Q) Do you jump right in or read the instructions from start to finish first?

A) Oh I always start right away without reading the instructions properly...like a pure fool! The last thing I put together was my telly unit for the sitting room...once assembled, I realised that I had 4 screws left over..I have no clue where they were meant to go!!

Buy flat in jaipur?

Q) I want to buy an small flat in jaipur...my budget is 12 lacs...which areas should I look at and what are the things I should keep in mind while searching for a flat?

A) I wont be able to tell you which areas but i can advise you about what to keep in mind: 1. Proper Documentation checked by a Lawyer 2. Water Supply in that area. 3. Electricity 4. Green Cover in the area. 5. Security 6. Parking Space 7. Check walls and ceilings for water seepage (These small issues can blow out of proportion later and bug you seriously) Well, there are a lot many things, so its better to take guidance from an elder or a friend who is well versed with the procedure and intricacies of this!

Where can I buy flat speaker wire?

Q) I want to buy flat speaker wire, like what is shown here: http://www.decorp.com/images/products/audio.jpg The kind that you stick to the wall and paint over. Does anyone know where I can buy it? I don't want to have it shipped, I want to buy it from a store like Best Buy or somewhere. I cant find it at Walmart, BestBuy or HomeDepot. Could you please post a link if you can?

A) Never heard of it but thanks for the info. Neat looking stuff! Why didn't I think of it! :-(

Buy a Flat or Take land and construct a house ?

Q) what is the best things to do in bangalore for residence build house or Buy Flat ? what are advantages and disadvantages

A) <>You are always better off to build. You can make it the way you want it. Instead of having of fix what someone else messed up.

Need to buy flat screen computer monitor for super cheap price? Anyone know a good store or web site...?

Q) that sells flat screen monitors at a discount - I"m talking like $50ish... ebay isn't cutting it and neither is Best Buy, CompUSA, etc. HELP - I want a monitor but I'm broke!!!

A) Try www.tigerdirect.com they have pretty good prices.

where to buy flat pack home kit?

Q) Where can I buy a flat pack home kit (Ikea)?

A) IKEA

Is it logical to buy Flat in Pune for 30 to 35 lacs and take loan for 20 years?

Q) Now in Pune the Flat or own house rates are incresing day by day and To take 2 BHK flat it costs almost 30 to 35 lacs also far from main city center. So is it worth to buy and have that liability for 20 years of house load.

A) Property prices in Pune seem to be at its peak now. There are rumours of a possible slump, but they are rumours all the same. If you do not belong to Pune and do not intend to stay here and are buying property only as an investment, then probably you should confirm with good investment advisers first, before making a decision. The property rush (investors) is now moving towards Nashik and Nagpur, where prices are slightly lower. You should consider all of these before getting into a 20 year debt commitment.

is it right or wrong to buy flat without my husbent know?

Q) i am working in real estate field and i gain good money from my job, i don't tel my husbent everything i gain, i keep some mony without he knows and i want to buy a flat to keep it for me in the future in case i need it and to keep my money in something usefull, i fased so much problems in the past and i don't trust in people anymore speacily in money, also he will refuse to buy a flat and he will take the money to make trading with it and i don't want that in the same time if i refused to give him the money he will feel that i don't trust in him, i love him and don't want any problem with him, so am i wrong in what i do or not???? pleas i need some answers

A)

Flat Screen TV: Is there a difference between Costco, Best Buy, Circuit City, etc?

Q) I'm gonna move into the 2007s and buy a big ol' flat screen. I suspect that plasma or LCD is personal preference. My question is whether there is truly much difference between buying a flat screen and sound system at Costco vs. Best Buy vs. Circuit City vs. all of the other stores out there. In terms of quality, I'm not interested in buying the BMW of flat screens. A Toyota or Nissan or VW will do just fine. Whatch'all think?

A) I tend to find great deals at costco.com. And their return policy is the best with 90 days a no fees required. Bestbuy requires a 15% restocking fee and circuit city has a 30 day return policy plus a 15% restocking fee.

need to buy a flat iron!?

Q) i have very thick, frizzy, curly hair... it's actually very damged and dry from chemiclas and coloring... so i'm looking for a flat iron that wont fry my hair as much... i have been using ceramic infrashine for about 5 years, and it worked great until one of the plates fell out... so i want to buy a chi flat iron, becuase i hear it's a best seller... is Farouk CHI Turbo Flat Iron a good kind? i read some reviews saying that it doesnt heat up enough and that ppl had shortage problems with it. true?? anyways if you have any other suggestions i would really appreciate it! (i'm looking for a ceramic flat iron that heats up quick, has a high temperature mode, and is great for smoothing out thick curly hair.) please recommend some flat irons!

A) I've just purchased a GHD IV salon styler and i've only used it once, but my word it works wonders. My hair is naturally ringlettly curly...and gets frizzy pretty darn quick. I just got my hair cut into layers...and i needed a new straightner that would show off my layers, so i bought the GHDS for £110 which is about $225, but WELL worth it. My friends with GHDS are all pleased with the results too. My hair stayed straight the WHOLE day considering it was windy and rather humid. So if you have the money, i'd reccommend them. I'm not sure how long they last but they come with a guaruntee so if anything does go wrong you can return it i'm sure. GHDS are a top selling brand btw :) try ghdhair.com or HQhair.com to order yours :)

I want to buy a flat in Vijayawada or Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. Where can i find available flats list?

Q) I am from Hyderabad. I want to buy a flat in Vijayawada or Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Is there any possibility to get a list of available flats for me on interent? If yes please let me know where can i find that. Which is the best site to buy or sell properties in India especially in Andhra Pradesh.

A)