My grandma sure asks some odd questions. Like, this morning she asked me if I was thinking of entering the property market. Nothing out of the ordinary there, although I did think her phrasing a tad formal: ‘enter the property market’? Really? I told her that, yes, I was thinking of it, although it wasn’t exactly at top of my to-do list. Then she asked me if I’d go for a new house over an older one.
Okay, I suppose it’s not that odd of a question. But knowing my grandma, it’s more than simply her way of making conversation. There’s something else she wants to know, something deeper, and she’s trying to find out in a roundabout way. What could it be? I know she’s got some cash stashed away, but I know her better than to think she might want to help me out with a deposit. If anything, she’s looking to buy a flashy new pad for herself.
I’m not sure why she’d be asking me for input on that, though. It’s not like she’s short of friends who work for real estate magazines and conveyancing firms. St Kilda, if my grandma’s life is anything to go by, is populated almost exclusively by people with a keen interest in these matters. In light of that, I suppose she could be looking for an opportunity to educate me on the subject, out-of-the-loop northern suburbs resident that I am.
To take a stab in the dark, I’d guess that newly built houses are simpler than older ones in terms of conveyancing. That’s based on the fact that all the documentation about the property would be more streamlined, having not been passed along through a chain of owners who’ve progressively made changes to it and then lost the paperwork. Then again, maybe there are special regulations with new properties that I don’t know about.
Maybe next time I should ask my grandma for answers, instead of hastily changing the subject. Maybe she has some wisdom to impart.