Oh you just wouldn't know how much I can't wait Natalie, peace and quiet at long last!

Think you're right there Chris, because being near the top of a very long hill, plus the house is then built on the side of that, in a forest on sandy soil, doesn't smack of stability does it! There IS subsidence in the area apparently, but according to the surveyor it is all down at the bottom of the road, nothing has shown up at the top where our bungalow is......yet!!!! Most of them have been underpinned and that's not cheap is it, so Dave could well be right, let's hope not, coz it will put me right off with the thought of major building works. Talking of which, when I visited last Sunday about the white goods purchases, the neighbours have got bladdy scaffolding up all around their roofline, oh gaaaawd!!!!! Must check that one out methinks!

If there isn't subsidence at the moment couldn't you be covered by insurance?

I am just sorting out a subsidence claim on my cousins behalf, it's been going on for years (the subsidence) but my aunt didn't claim, the insurance policy was transferred so the property is still covered luckily!

Don't let the neighbours scaffolding put you off. That could be for anything, but coastal areas are renowned for slippage in parts so it's always worth have a thorough check out.

From what you've been told already, chances are that Villa Helena is sound as a pound, but why take chances when for £150 extra you can guarantee that it is

Subsidence would be covered (if there hasn't been some previously, if there has been then you will have to stay with the insurer that paid out for it originally) but, living next to the sea, you need to be aware that most home insurance policies will exclude coastal erosion. Not sure how close to the sea you are H but just something to bear in mind.

some insurers won't insure at the coast because most coastal areas are flood plains (you can check out your new area on the Met Office website). When we first moved we were with the AA. A couple of years ago they tried to hike the premiums from £168 to over £900. Needless to say we shopped around, but I was surprised at how many wouldn't touch us with a barge pole even though our bungalow has never been affected by flooding. We ended up with the Post Office for less than £200.

For all the potential pitfalls of coastal living, it really is worth it. It's just such a different, more peaceful way of life

Thanks for that info there Chris, I will check it out with them. We aren't on the coast per se, we have a big town (Hastings) going South, we're behind Hastings, right on the border of St. Leonards on Sea, and it's right at the very top of this very long hill, it would never get flooded in a million years.....although having said that of course, the back garden also goes very high behind us, but we have 4 big walls separating the tiers of it, which hopefully, would hold back any potention hillslide! (I hope!!!).

I got through

Wow that new place looks wonderful Helen.

Many congrats with that

How exciting

Thanks Jeanette, I can't believe your stamina!!!

It's such a complete and utter bargain I can't quite believe it myself, since we are meant to be downsizing, we're actually UPsizing for a lot, lot less, purely because of area, but it's an up and coming area, they are spending a lot of money over there, just built a big, new art gallery which is drawing in thousands of people to Hastings, so it's all good.

Had the survey done yesterday, that's all good too! No subsidence which was a big worry for us being in forest and on a hill, with that suspect bouncy lounge floor, but he said the exterior cracks are purely repairs which have been carried out by Bob the Builder who used cement which was too hard, therefore, it couldn't "move" with the building - you learn something every day dontcha! Anyway, he has passed it all with flying colours and in fact the builder who built these 4 spanish style bungalows still lives around the corner. The bounce in the lounge floor is purely the t & g which needs to be exposed and screwed in, in places - another job for Dave then!

I reckon by the end of next week we'll be in contract stages ready to exchange! I blooming well hope so, coz I've just sold the wardrobe and chests this morning and once they've gone we won't have much left in this house to show it off if we have to go back on the market! I told the buyers of the wardrobe though, they can't have any of it till I get a date after exchange - too risky!

Just received both draft contracts today for purchase and our sale Yipeeeeeee things should move on quickly once we send these back then! I've got a few answers to provide, nothing out of the ordinary, just the radon gas bit which Dave said is the in thing to ask questions about apparently but mostly applies to new properties which might have been built on landfill, but Dave said it's all legalities, these are usual questions which they probably couldn't get the answers to through their searches perhaps, dunno.

I will do a letter to my solicitor later on with all the answers and put it through her door ready for Monday morning, and maybe, just maybe, we might be having an exchange next week perhaps if all is ok???

The vendor of our new house e-mails me most days, we keep each other informed, and she's just sent me a lovely picture taken out the front now that the trees are coming into leaf, it looks so very beautiful, I just can't wait to be sitting on that balcony up there minding me own business!!!

Hope the move goes very smoothly for you. You seem to be managing it all without too much stress.