That feeling when you step into another potential home

[ippy]

We were discussing feelings with friends about, in my case, the feeling you have when we look around a house at the time you're thinking of uprooting and moving house.

We moved to a small bungalow in the same town about a five minute walk from our previous address, I can't explain why but wherever we moved to it had to feel right as well as fitting in with our general living requirements, had the place not felt right we wouldn't have moved there.

I cannot give any rational explanation for this feel right feeling about a new home other than we're both the same on this one and we know this feeling when we feel it, the good friend of ours we were discussing this with couldn't get his head around it, what do the rest of you on the R & E Forum think, I'll accept being told I'm daft because I already know that I'm daft.

Regards and a happy new year to all, ippy.

[SusanDoris]

For me, the question has never arisen. When I lived abroad, accommodation was allocated and the choice given to my ex was one looking over the bay from the highest point in the road, which itself was not that high, but the setting was just right. Later, we moved to a stone house over in 'ghadir, and the back had a completely open view and in any case everything had plenty of space. When I moved back to England, I didn't care where the house was, so long as I could move in with my children. Fortunately, this house has an open outlook, a large, room-width window and I have never had any desire or need to look anywhere else. It would be an open area in front which would be the deciding factor.

[Roses]

We have moved home quite a number of times in our 50 years of marriage as my husband got promotion after promotion. Some houses I preferred to others, I particularly like the one we live in at present.

[Robbie]

I know exactly how you feel Ippy. A house does have to feel right if you buy & intend to stay there.

The house in which I live has always been a happy one, we moved here just over thirteen years ago (eldest daughter was 13,youngest 10) but bought from my parents who wanted something smaller in same vicinity & it had been my home from age of eight. They offered house to me or sister but sis was happy in her home which was quite big (3 kids & nanny), & she's still there. Charlie & I lived round the corner with our two in a very nice but smaller, more compact, house. I wanted something bigger so what happened was we 'bought' each other's houses. My parents lived in my ex house until both died & now eldest daughter bought & lives there with husband. It's funny in a sense becos looks like we have a tradition of buying hosues within family but it's just us (my parents bought from my grandparents when mum was eight).

Saw cousin and his wife & eldest+ family yesterday at my sis in law's, we travelled home this morning & had lunch together en route. They are a bit older than us and plan to retire year after next when they'll think of buying something smaller. We talked about moving & what sort of place we'd like forever. I was mindful of friends of ours who always said they'd have a flat when retired; they've had two very good flats & now want to buy a house having decided living in a flat is not for them!

I've been happy in all my homes so far but we will definitely move when we retire, maybe sooner. This place is too big for two people, incorporates a self contained flat in which my nephew & fiancee live at present but they will move soon, are looking to buy; we also have a "Filey cousin' in two rooms + bath on one side of the house, he's a student in London. When they've gone we will seriously think about it. The question is,"Where?".

It has to feel right. Not overlooked, solid walls & reasonably peaceful, not too far from where we are now. We have time to look around.

LR I'm glad you're content in your home, same to you Susan, sounds as though you've had an interesting life. I've never lived abroad.

 

[SusanDoris]

roibbie

That was very interesting about the house exchanging arrangements you have had. 
I could if it was absolutely necessary live in a flat, but I'd hate it if  it did not have a front door which opened straight on to the outside.

On google Earth, it is possible to zoom right in on the exact spot where the  first (detached with space around) accommodationwas. I don't think I could find it now - I'd have to wait until someone could find it for me, but it was in Bandar Sheikh in the BP Refinery area in Little Aden.  When I viewed it a few years ago, I could see the words Bandar Sheikh written on the screen. I think too that it would be possible to move the picture so that the view over the U-shaped bay could be seen. It is so long ago that I long since separated the memories of the colours, the heat, contrasting with the essential air conditioning, the many interesting people I met, etc from the shudderingly  bad memories of my ex. The sea journeys between there and England were very interesting experiences.

(Apology to Ippy for tangent.)

[ippy]

roibbie

That was very interesting about the house exchanging arrangements you have had. 
I could if it was absolutely necessary live in a flat, but I'd hate it if  it did not have a front door which opened straight on to the outside.

On google Earth, it is possible to zoom right in on the exact spot where the  first (detached with space around) accommodationwas. I don't think I could find it now - I'd have to wait until someone could find it for me, but it was in Bandar Sheikh in the BP Refinery area in Little Aden.  When I viewed it a few years ago, I could see the words Bandar Sheikh written on the screen. I think too that it would be possible to move the picture so that the view over the U-shaped bay could be seen. It is so long ago that I long since separated the memories of the colours, the heat, contrasting with the essential air conditioning, the many interesting people I met, etc from the shudderingly  bad memories of my ex. The sea journeys between there and England were very interesting experiences.

(Apology to Ippy for tangent.)

I can hardly complain about something I'm always doing to others S D; it's interesting anyway.

Regards, ippy.

[SusanDoris]

And another apology - to Robbie for mis-spelling!

[ippy]

I know exactly how you feel Ippy. A house does have to feel right if you buy & intend to stay there.

The house in which I live has always been a happy one, we moved here just over thirteen years ago (eldest daughter was 13,youngest 10) but bought from my parents who wanted something smaller in same vicinity & it had been my home from age of eight. They offered house to me or sister but sis was happy in her home which was quite big (3 kids & nanny), & she's still there. Charlie & I lived round the corner with our two in a very nice but smaller, more compact, house. I wanted something bigger so what happened was we 'bought' each other's houses. My parents lived in my ex house until both died & now eldest daughter bought & lives there with husband. It's funny in a sense becos looks like we have a tradition of buying hosues within family but it's just us (my parents bought from my grandparents when mum was eight).

Saw cousin and his wife & eldest+ family yesterday at my sis in law's, we travelled home this morning & had lunch together en route. They are a bit older than us and plan to retire year after next when they'll think of buying something smaller. We talked about moving & what sort of place we'd like forever. I was mindful of friends of ours who always said they'd have a flat when retired; they've had two very good flats & now want to buy a house having decided living in a flat is not for them!

I've been happy in all my homes so far but we will definitely move when we retire, maybe sooner. This place is too big for two people, incorporates a self contained flat in which my nephew & fiancee live at present but they will move soon, are looking to buy; we also have a "Filey cousin' in two rooms + bath on one side of the house, he's a student in London. When they've gone we will seriously think about it. The question is,"Where?".

It has to feel right. Not overlooked, solid walls & reasonably peaceful, not too far from where we are now. We have time to look around.

LR I'm glad you're content in your home, same to you Susan, sounds as though you've had an interesting life. I've never lived abroad.

Yes a happy home that'll be the one, a good description, our last house, we were there for thirty three years and this one about two and a half years neither of us miss the old place even though we were very happy there.

Now I'm retired I've a 150 ft by 50 ft garden to deal with, love the garden love my roses, I've planted about a 250 bulb mixture of varieties of Daffs, a mixture of varieties of Tulips and the same again of Hyacinths, my wife doesn't know how many yet but it is our 50th anniversary soon so Mr Creep is counting on brownie points, might prevent me from getting a clipped ear, well for a little while anyway. 

Regards, ippy. 

[Gordon]

In our case we had the opposite experience: other side of the coin, etc.

In 2016 the two of us sat in the house that had been the family home since 1982, we moved there when our eldest was 3 and two others followed, and realised that now that our three children had all flown (as they say) and that they weren't coming back (thankfully), so the old house had done its job, so to speak, and it started to feel empty and too big for just the two of us - so we sold up, gave each of the kids some cash, and downsized to a flat (but with a garage for the essential motorcycle) - and we have absolutely no regrets.

 

[ippy]

In our case we had the opposite experience: other side of the coin, etc.

In 2016 the two of us sat in the house that had been the family home since 1982, we moved there when our eldest was 3 and two others followed, and realised that now that our three children had all flown (as they say) and that they weren't coming back (thankfully), so the old house had done its job, so to speak, and it started to feel empty and too big for just the two of us - so we sold up, gave each of the kids some cash, and downsized to a flat (but with a garage for the essential motorcycle) - and we have absolutely no regrets.

Could the partnership with man and motorcycle be used as evidence for the soul?

If not it'd be a pretty strong contestant, I know it's a deeply intellectual question for the new year but there has to be, must be something in it?

Regards & a really good new year to you Gordon, ippy

[Gordon]

Could the partnership with man and motorcycle be used as evidence for the soul?

Perhaps God loves motorcycles, ippy: but, if so, that raises the profound theological question of why on earth God would also allow those Harley Davidson (and clones of) abominations to exist - after all they aren't true motorcycles (said the true Scotsman).

Of course it maybe that God has a sense of humour, or perhaps.......

Happy new year to you, ippy.

[Robbie]

Susan, your posts are interesting but despite having googled I have no idea of the whereabouts of 'ghader or Bander Sheikh. I presume it is somewhere around the UAE which was a place lots of English used to go to work, especially engineers and medics.

There are nice flats which open onto the outside world. This not bad, and others, about *three four miles away from me; I'm not thinking of moving right now& when time comes will look for smaller house but am interested as someone I know is looking to downsize:  https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75191557.html . There are others in same area with private garden. My biggest concern would be - can I hear the neighbours through the walls. I couldn't bear that.

*actually 2.7 miles, I just googled.

[Aruntraveller]

My biggest concern would be - can I hear the neighbours through the walls. I couldn't bear that.

HI Robbie

We moved to a flat last year (as well as relocating to a different part of the country) and fortunately for us the flats are very quiet. Never hear the neighbours at all. There are, of course, things you can do to minimise the possibility of noise. So top floor obviously (no noise from above), end of building (so neighbours on one side only), but before you buy, ask the residents already there. We did and it allayed our worries about noise.

[Roses]

I would hate to live in an apartment or a house which is attached to another. I like to be in a detached property, with a reasonable space between us and the neighbours. We are very fortunate that our neighbourhood is reasonably quiet.

[Robbie]

Yes these are all things to be considered when moving. I like where I live so when we do move it won't be far away.

[ippy]

Perhaps God loves motorcycles, ippy: but, if so, that raises the profound theological question of why on earth God would also allow those Harley Davidson (and clones of) abominations to exist - after all they aren't true motorcycles (said the true Scotsman).

Of course it maybe that God has a sense of humour, or perhaps.......

Happy new year to you, ippy.

I've had three Sunbeam S Sevens in my time all Mist Green, as should any self respecting S 7 be, I think they should qualify.

Can't think why but all Japanese bikes although they on the whole are extremely well engineered they still seem to be soulless and no I can't back that up with any evidence, it's a feeling.

Regards, ippy.

[Robbie]

Most Triumph-ant ippy, no apologies to Bill & Ted.

(Susan I like 'roibie', it's classy )

[ippy]

Most Triumph-ant ippy, no apologies to Bill & Ted.

(Susan I like 'roibie', it's classy )

Yes I had a Thunderbird too, much like a Bonneville but as I'm sure you knew it was a single carburettor version of much the same.

Regards, ippy. 

[Gordon]

I've had three Sunbeam S Sevens in my time all Mist Green, as should any self respecting S 7 be, I think they should qualify.

Can't think why but all Japanese bikes although they on the whole are extremely well engineered they still seem to be soulless and no I can't back that up with any evidence, it's a feeling.

Regards, ippy.

I have a soft spot for old British bikes, ippy, mainly due to my late uncle's passion for 1950's AJS and Matchless machines, which I rode constantly in my late teens after getting my bike licence - and a couple of his friends were into Sunbeams, though I never rode one. These older British bikes were heavy, sometimes hard to start (kick start only, some with valve lifters), they leaked oil, had useless brakes and were painfully slow (at around 20 hp or less) - but they were proper 'bikes'.

Don't be too hard on the Japanese bikes though: their bikes actually work, are well built and if you are into sports bikes (as I was) they have the brakes and handling to match the power - the best bikes I ever owned all had 'Suzuki' on the tank, as does the current one, though I've now given up the outright sports models for something more comfortable that doesn't result in aching wrists and back after every ride.     

[ippy]

I have a soft spot for old British bikes, ippy, mainly due to my late uncle's passion for 1950's AJS and Matchless machines, which I rode constantly in my late teens after getting my bike licence - and a couple of his friends were into Sunbeams, though I never rode one. These older British bikes were heavy, sometimes hard to start (kick start only, some with valve lifters), they leaked oil, had useless brakes and were painfully slow (at around 20 hp or less) - but they were proper 'bikes'.

Don't be too hard on the Japanese bikes though: their bikes actually work, are well built and if you are into sports bikes (as I was) they have the brakes and handling to match the power - the best bikes I ever owned all had 'Suzuki' on the tank, as does the current one, though I've now given up the outright sports models for something more comfortable that doesn't result in aching wrists and back after every ride.   

I'm a great fan of Japanese engineering such as if you ride their bikes wearing white gloves none of the dirt you're likely to pick up while riding will usually come from the bike, and of course, annoyingly, mainly because we Brits couldn't equal them, they're so reliable too.

Didn't need a valve lifter on a Sunbeam anything but I did run a Panther 650 single cylinder jobbie, that without lock tight on every bolt an screw would shake its self to bits in no time flat and as a matter of fact if you find someone that could kick one of those over without using the lifter don't pick a fight with them.

The Sunbeam could be leak proofed with Hylomar as a sealant with two strands of wool embedded and tracing along along the outline of any gasket that was needed for the job.

Oh yes the workshop manual managed to give the info for the timing chain at a half a link out, they run as smooth as silk once you found out about this mistake gutless as you more or less say but paid off with a second to none silky smooth ride.

I didn't have much to do with the other bikes you mention but I never heard any bad said about them either oh yes another thing I think you'll find somewhere in the history of Suzuki there was an Irish chap involved with the design and set up of the frames thus the exemplary handling characteristics.

Mind you Gordon, I'm not really that interested in motorbikes.

Regards ippy