TIME - AS IN TOO MUCH ON MY HANDS AT PRESENT

I had the prospective house buyers' building inspectors around this morning to do an appraisal as one of the conditions in the conditional sale. This is the one that concerns me the most, not because there are any major problems with our house but, being old there are lots of small things that can give buyers with cold feet a way out.

The other conditions I'm less concerned about are the geotechnical report, insurance assessment and finance confirmation which I'm expecting to be rubber-stamping more than anything.

The inspectors this morning gave away nothing but I know that, as they were thorough, they will make some negative comments about the plumbing, window frames, floorboards and guttering. I decided not to worry about this but instead to offer back some money for any repairs or alterations - hopefully not more than a few thousand. I don't expect anything major and structural but ...

Meanwhile The Old Girl and I have done what we said we would never do - look at prospective places to buy before we have the money in the bank. Here are three of them:

Frederick Street, a very large apartment on two levels with 2 garages and great views. We could afford this but the body corporate is a whopping $38k a year and, with over $8k rates on top of that the weekly outgoing would be over $800. Hey! We could rent something for that and keep the capital in the bank.

This Hill Street townhouse is very attractive but time has been against us. It was on a deadline sale that ended a few days ago. The real estate agent told me that it has a conditional offer on it but if that goes nowhere he will contact me. I don't have my hopes up but we would really like to buy this.

This Buller Street (just off Vivian Street) old villa is magnificent.  I think we could afford it but, like the Hill Street townhouse timing is against us. This is a sale by tender that ends on 6th October. Our house sale might go unconditional on 3 October. "Time is Tight" as Booker T and the MGs said.

Hey Ho.