What Is Wrong With Ex-Local Authority Houses?
By
HuutiMoney
This blog post aims to answer the question of what is wrong with ex-local authority houses. To understand the responsible factors in this regard, we will discuss the potential cons of an ex-local property. In addition to this, we will also discuss whether these factors will affect whether or not ex-local authority houses can be purchased or sold in the open market for real estate.
What Is Wrong With Ex-Local Authority Houses?
Local authority houses, or council houses, are a type of public housing that is owned and managed by local councils. In the United Kingdom, these houses have often been associated with poverty and poor quality, which has led to a negative stigma surrounding them.
One of the main problems with local authority houses is their design and lack of space. Often, they are small and cramped, with little to no storage space. This can make them very difficult to live in, especially for large families. Those that are spacious may lack in design or layout.
In addition, they often lack modern amenities and features, which can make them feel dated and old-fashioned.
Another downside of living in a local authority house is that it can be very difficult to resell. Because of the negative stigma, they can be very hard to sell on the open market. This can mean that people who live in them may find it difficult to relocate, even if they want to move somewhere else.
Local authority houses are often seen as being for low-income families. This can be a problem for people who are not in that income bracket, as they may feel like they do not fit in.
Council houses are mostly aged properties since most council houses were constructed in the 1950s and then there were more developed in the 1980s. This means that they require regular upkeep and maintenance.
If you purchase a council house and wish to resell it in the open market in the future, you will find it more difficult to find interested buyers keen to buy a council property.
Additionally, if you compare a local authority house with a private property of the same design and features, the private property will be more valuable than a local authority one. The same rule will apply when the values of both properties increase over a period of time.
Private properties tend to increase in value at a much faster pace as compared to local authority houses.
All in all, there are many downsides to living in a local authority house. However, for some people, they offer an affordable place to live especially when finances are limited.
Can You Get A Mortgage To Buy Ex-Local Authority Houses?
Yes, you can get a mortgage to buy an ex-local authority house; however, if the property is not well-kept or is not located near a central location, your options for mortgage lenders may be limited.
While mortgage lenders may not outright refuse your application if you intend to purchase a council house, some of them may demand a larger initial deposit. The reason for this lies in the fact that ex-local authority houses are generally difficult to resell in the open market and may become a liability for mortgage lenders in the long run.
To reduce their risk, mortgage lenders will also conduct more invasive scrutiny of the owner of the ex-local authority house. This often means that someone with a bad credit history will find it difficult to have their application for a mortgage approved.
If you are interested in buying an ex-council house, you can get in touch with your local council office or look for ex-local authority property for sale online.
Can You Sell Ex-Local Authority Houses?
Yes, you can sell ex-local authority houses. However, since such properties are purchased by the original buyers at a discounted price from the local council authorities, they will need to make sure that they have lived in their ex-local authority house for at least five years before attempting to sell it in the open market.
Otherwise, if they purchased the ex-local authority house under the Right to Buy scheme, homeowners will have to forego the discount they received from the local authorities when they made the purchase.
Another important point to keep in mind is that even though ex-local authority houses increase in value over time, their rate of increase will not be the same as is the case with privately rented property available for sale in the real estate market.
Conclusion:
The above discussion has brought to light some of the factors that may serve as the disadvantages of ex-local authority houses. The main factor that may count towards something being wrong with ex-local authority houses can be their old age which requires regular upkeep; making them difficult to be resold in the open market.