Shitsville

I say that I live in Shitsville but I don't really, it is just the affectionate term that D and I have given it.

So, we have been living in Shitsville for nearly 4 years. In those 4 years we have replaced the windows, fence, kitchen, bathroom, en-suite and down stairs toilet. Needless to say, it was a shit hole when we moved in. In fact, the day we got the keys I stood in the middle of the living room and just cried. It was our first house purchase and I felt that we had just made the biggest mistake of our lives.

Before we bought our own home we lived in tied accommodation. The cottage we lived in was quaint but it was too small (even for two people) and there was a lot of damp. When we decided to buy we had the option of:

1. buying a three bedroom detached house with an integral garage and an en-suite in a fairly respectable area but, unfortunately you had to drive through a renowned council estate to get to it
2. buying a semi-detached two bedroom bungalow with no dining room in the more respectable side of the village (with no council estate)*

We chose 1 because we wanted a home where we could have a family. Four years on we are no closer to having that family and we are desperate to be living in the more respectable side of the village (where comparable property is valued up to £30,000 more than ours).

We are unable to sell our house because of the area. We have had a lot of viewings but they have all said pretty much the same thing, if they could pick the house up and move it, it would be ideal.

I do like our house and I will be sad when / if we do eventually sell it but, at this moment in time, it feels like another thing that just isn't happening for us. Like IF, it is completely out of our control. Looking on the positive side, at least it gives me something other than not conceiving to think about!

* I have nothing against council estates, I was brought up in a council house. My beef is with this particular council estate because it is quite run down and is renowned for having lots of criminals living on it.