Sunday musings on house prices in London

It’s become a little tradition that on Sundays, my husband and I go to our nearby park, get a cup of coffee and go for a walk. We talk about various things, do a bit of people and dog watching and generally just enjoy the fresh air.

One of today’s musings was about house prices in London. After our travels to south east Asia, we’re thinking of where to come back to and whether we’re going to buy a house in the UK, a.k.a. London or surroundings.

It is rather depressing, when you think you have a good enough income and already pay extortionate rent prices, that a house is near impossible. And let’s not even get started on the houses close to the park, cause they are absolutely stunning with flawless original glass doors and windows and early 20th century pathway tiling. And yes, occasionally there is some google-map stalking involved.

Our curiosity for how much such a house would cost (note, a house that also needs some improvements) got the better of us today and, surprise, it’s a whopping £2.25 million. Mind you, that is also before bidding. I mean, I get that it is a prime location, park and all, in London, but really? I suppose the Jaguars and Porsches should have been an indication… You could probably buy a castle in Sweden for that amount, or 10 houses in the countryside for the same price.

We’re a bit deflated now that we know. I enjoyed the blissful ignorance and would love to just continue dreaming. Who am I kidding, I kinda knew but I was in denial and should have left my denial in peace.

We’re still no closer in making a decision on what we’re going to do. The where’s and how’s and what’s are still open. For example, shall we bite the bullet and go for it in the area we live in now? What about cities that are well connected to London? Do non-Londoners, in London’s “vicinity”, really go to London all that often, especially when you’re working mostly from home?

Feel free to chip in, if any of you have any thoughts on the above. Would love to know what you think.