HOME HUNTING PART 7: PREREQUISITES FOR A MIRACLE

So, after last week's disappointment, it's back to the hunt.

I think it must be Estate Agent Bingo Day today. All of a sudden, and without any particular warning, Rightmove emailed every estate agent they could think of (on my behalf) about every property in my search filter. As a result, I've had quite a few calls today, letting me know about houses which have already been bought by somebody else. In fact, the first email I got back was unexpectedly predictable:


Hi Matthew

This one sold first day over the asking price

Just wanted to let you know

Best regards


Look at that! I thought. No punctuation at all! That is someone who writes quickly and is keen to dismiss people like me without stopping even for a full stop or a comma. Nice. It wasn't even me; it was Rightmove!*

We are getting closer to miracle territory now. The house price curve is steeper than my financial curve, which means at the point of singularity, the two will inevitably cross over and house prices will forever spiral out of reach.

It's exactly what I need for a miracle. In fact, the prerequisite condition for the miraculous is that you have to live inside the impossible, in a place where the thing you want just can't happen - and I am getting closer to the impossible every day.

The second prerequisite for a miracle is hopelessness. That's where these shiny-shoed clipboard warriors come in with their punctuation-free emails. They serve up hope like a waiter with no hands.

"Yeah, sorry Mr Stubbs, that property was sold some time ago."

"OK," say I, deliberately cheerily. They seem surprised on the end of the phone.

"Please let me know though won't you, when something comes in."

The more hopelessness they deliver me, the closer I get to the miracle.

Thirdly, you need a bit of good old-fashioned faith - a little confidence that you're doing the right thing in the right direction.

I gots me some of that, and weirdly, the more depressing things get, the stronger it grows. It's bigger than my emotions (which are weird) and it's louder than my circumstances (which are noisy).

I am going to do this.



* I should add that I did say thank you. I sent a reply saying, "Thanks. They all do, these days, don't they?"