New to the South West and hello again

[Seaview]

Thank you!

I don’t have many photographed items but I do have some and will get them posted up soon

[Seaview]

Thank you @Greybird.  Hopefully Trowbridge will re-generate as is often the case when there is a demand for an area which seems to be the case at the moment.  I’m looking forward to exploring bath for a day out too.

[SewRuthieSews]

I have many happy childhood memories of visiting my grandmother in Chard, Somerset. No idea what the market is like now though.

[Seaview]

The market very good if you are a seller from what we’ve seen in the short time we’ve been here.  I think the situation is partly driven by the stamp duty holiday.

[UttaRetch]

I think the situation is partly driven by the stamp duty holiday.

Would be second homeowners and the stampede from the cities when the pandemic began is also a problem.

This evening's Radio 4 PM programme is going to have a feature on the overheated housing market.

[Kenora]

@UttaRetch - the stampede is certainly being felt here in Cornwall. At this rate the peninsular will sink into the sea very soon, to say nothing of the price of houses.

@Seaview - a warm welcome from me too.

[UttaRetch]

Cornwall has long neen a second home bolt hole, but the whole country seemed to have gone into mass hysteria. 

The PM programme soundbite interviewed Kirsty Allsop who put the blame largely on the stamp duty holiday (as mentioned above), but she also said that there is a degree of panic too.  So much for the pandemic cooling the market.

[LeilaMay]

A welcome from Glastonbury! 
I haven't been in the area long enough to help with recommendations, except to say it's unlikely any modern estate-based house will have enough room for your vehicles - they are ridiculous these days, some have garages too small to actually get a car in!

Good luck
Leila

[Seaview]

Thank you.

Yes, have to agree with you on the parking and modern houses, some older houses too have the same problem.  A sweet spot could be 20 or so year old houses when you still got decent sized gardens and parking.

[Catllar]

Welcome back Seaview!

[charley]

Welcome from me too @Seaview. I wish you luck in finding a house for you all.

[Surest1tch]

Hello @Seaview, welcome.
As long as your machine is sewing well and not making noises that don't sound normal you shouldn't need a mechanic service. Keep it clean, fluff free, well oiled and it should be ok, however in saying that I prefer to use vintage/ancient machines so can't really say if the newer high spec machines need more attention, sorry.

[Ohsewsimple]

@Seaview, as someone who worked in the business  for many years I would definitely recommend having your machine serviced regularly.  They come back quieter, purring, everything reset where it should be.  They should be stripped of cases, oiled and greased where needed.   If done regularly machines can go on  for years.  If neglected they can seize, bearings split and then it can be a very costly repair or a new machine! 

Of course you need to find a good mechanic and that’s not easy nowadays as no youngsters want to learn! 

[UttaRetch]

@LeilaMay and @Seaview, the garage on modern homes is about the same size as those built 50+ years' ago when the family car was the size of a Morris minor.  It's only purpose is as storage.  Modern estate homes are also small and a lot of them poorly built to say the least.

[Greybird]

@Seaview - our house was built in 1998 and when we viewed it, there were 7 cars in the driveway.