Town Lane building site.

[grassroots]

Does anyone know what is being build between the hospital and the GPs surgery on Town Lane .

[hindy54]

Does anyone know what is being build between the hospital and the GPs surgery on Town Lane .

Houses.

[grassroots]

Houses.

Private or rental .

[bambi275]

Private or rental .

Affordable apparently.

[said]

Affordable apparently.

Affordable? Like Doll's Houses you mean?

[bambi275]

Affordable? Like Doll's Houses you mean?

Quite possible.

[Taxi Driver]

Affordable apparently.

What more affordable housing?

There's nothing like cheapening a town.

[said]

What more affordable housing?

There's nothing like cheapening a town.

Well, I don't see any demand for luxury mansions being built any time soon in Southport. Anyway, what does 'affordable' mean with regard to these houses. When they go on the market they are priced double that of some of the traditional houses for sale?

[in the shed]

Going to be 152 dwelling on the site been told the start building in February and beside the Doctors it’s going to be link up to the nature trail across the road

[said]

Going to be 152 dwelling on the site been told the start building in February and beside the Doctors it’s going to be link up to the nature trail across the road

Yes, that is going to be quite amusing. People have bought up these new houses on what appears to be a quiet estate. There is to be a road through that estate as I understand it, to link up with Ormskirk and Liverpool to replace Town Lane that was closed. Town Lane was always busy and now with so many houses being built there, it is going to be like a major road. In addition to that, the houses each had to be pile driven due to the accumulation of underlying water - the houses may be stable, but the land is not and rainwater forms rivers alongside the road and ponds on the flattened land as could be seen over the weekend.

[VB123]

Well, I don't see any demand for luxury mansions being built any time soon in Southport. Anyway, what does 'affordable' mean with regard to these houses. When they go on the market they are priced double that of some of the traditional houses for sale?

House builders only show the words affordable housing on plans, what they often don’t tell you is that a good portion of these are social housing with companies like Liverpool Housing Trust owning/managing them. All new estates have to include social housing. The true affordable housing are homes where you initially only own part of the house, but you can buy the remaining share in the future. It is often the only way people get to have a home of their own nowadays, especially young people.

[said]

House builders only show the words affordable housing on plans, what they often don’t tell you is that a good portion of these are social housing with companies like Liverpool Housing Trust owning/managing them. All new estates have to include social housing. The true affordable housing are homes where you initially only own part of the house, but you can buy the remaining share in the future. It is often the only way people get to have a home of their own nowadays, especially young people.

That is not much different to a normal mortgage, except you do not have as many rights. By taking out a mortgage, the lender owns most of the property until a substantial amount has been paid back. By using the method for 'affordable' housing - a third interested party is introduced which increases the costs. A buyer also loses out drastically if they want to sell and move out on this latter scheme. There is also dubious practices with a ground rent being imposed on new builds. The buyer can only buy out this ground rent after being in the property for seven years. During this time the rights of the ground rents are sold over to a finance company, who then charge a hugely inflated price to buy up the ground rent on each property. People would be far better advised to purchase houses by the traditional method if they could possibly obtain the deposit required.

[VB123]

That is not much different to a normal mortgage, except you do not have as many rights. By taking out a mortgage, the lender owns most of the property until a substantial amount has been paid back. By using the method for 'affordable' housing - a third interested party is introduced which increases the costs. A buyer also loses out drastically if they want to sell and move out on this latter scheme. There is also dubious practices with a ground rent being imposed on new builds. The buyer can only buy out this ground rent after being in the property for seven years. During this time the rights of the ground rents are sold over to a finance company, who then charge a hugely inflated price to buy up the ground rent on each property. People would be far better advised to purchase houses by the traditional method if they could possibly obtain the deposit required.

Why did you ask what affordable housing was if you already knew? I live on a new build estate so I know exactly what is involved. Many of us prefer new houses than old houses. I have had a few traditional houses in the past and you spend your life doing them up and they are nowhere near as well-insulated. Many of those who bought their homes outright on new-build estates were not made aware that they were buying their homes as Leasehold, as their solicitors did not raise the issue with them. They too have been left to pay ground rent, on top of high maintenance costs of the estate. The high costs involved with purchasing the Freehold of these properties has also been widely publicised. It is the builders and council who benefit (Sefton Council sold the land to the builders and also make plenty from the additional council tax). It is the property owners who are left to pick up the bill for it all.

[said]

Why did you ask what affordable housing was if you already knew? I live on a new build estate so I know exactly what is involved. Many of us prefer new houses than old houses. I have had a few traditional houses in the past and you spend your life doing them up and they are nowhere near as well-insulated. Many of those who bought their homes outright on new-build estates were not made aware that they were buying their homes as Leasehold, as their solicitors did not raise the issue with them. They too have been left to pay ground rent, on top of high maintenance costs of the estate. The high costs involved with purchasing the Freehold of these properties has also been widely publicised. It is the builders and council who benefit (Sefton Council sold the land to the builders and also make plenty from the additional council tax). It is the property owners who are left to pick up the bill for it all.

I did not know - I merely wanted a clarification of the term 'affordable' even more so after what you have said. It sounds as if the new builds are pretty expensive actually. Considering that when you purchased your house at the price you paid, it was a brand new house. When you sell it, it has lost that novelty surely? You must have been pretty unlucky in choosing a traditional house - mine is a traditional house with large rooms that has been regularly maintained. If we have the central heating on for more than an hour or so a day on a low setting, it becomes too hot and I have only closed the windows tonight because of the high winds.

[VB123]

I did not know - I merely wanted a clarification of the term 'affordable' even more so after what you have said. It sounds as if the new builds are pretty expensive actually. Considering that when you purchased your house at the price you paid, it was a brand new house. When you sell it, it has lost that novelty surely? You must have been pretty unlucky in choosing a traditional house - mine is a traditional house with large rooms that has been regularly maintained. If we have the central heating on for more than an hour or so a day on a low setting, it becomes too hot and I have only closed the windows tonight because of the high winds.

Lost the “novelty”? You could equally say the same for older properties. My home has increased in value since I purchased it. Lots of people still prefer to buy newer homes. When I had my previous houses I had the properties re-plastered, new central heating, new windows, new kitchens and bathrooms - the list goes on - a lot more than just general maintenance.