Owning a home ... is nice, even if the current real estate market may be headed downwards, which could mean a good time to buy in your area.

Your card collection will not go far to a mortgage, if anything, it will really only go to the "little things in life", which will be like utility bills and insurance for the new mortgage or the simple haircut. It will be tough the first few years, but you will adjust.

Sell some of your cards if needed to get by, but hold onto what you like the best. It doesn't have to me the rarest, most expensive item. Selling part of your collection for a good purpose will help short term, but the items you keep will make life better.

the total of my collection is worth about 10k to 15k

OK...That is a very healthy collection.

It will go a long way to a down payment, but it depends on the value of housing. Selling part of your collection will be good, but I say don't give up everything in life that makes you happy. Just focus on what makes you happiest, because less can be more.

Not having a collection is an option too, but maybe scaling back over time is the way to go.

I personally quit for a number of years when I bought a house and started a family. Average house in San Francisco is $650k. I kept my stuff, and have been trading/selling it for Catch-up after I adjusted.

i havent given up everything i am still adding to my 300 madonna cds which i will always keep collecting and adding to and buying the records as well these mean more to me than cards.

houses where we are looking cost £70k for what we want

I did sell a high end autograph to go to Hawaii with my friends last year. I'm so glad I did too. Like everyone says, it's really your choice.

Jewel

just wanted to let you know that i sold some of my cards and we now have a deposite of £3000 to put towards a house now

Topic question: Absolutely, though in my city I'd need more than my entire collection would be worth. I've priced my collection before and I could have afforded to move out and rent but I'd prefer my own place so can't really do that at the moment.

quote:

Originally posted by charmedmad:
just wanted to let you know that i sold some of my cards and we now have a deposite of £3000 to put towards a house now

I thinked I helped via some eBay wins

what did you win? and thankyou for helping out

quote:

Originally posted by charmedmad:
what did you win? and thankyou for helping out

Lost Season 3 mini-master set, A32 & PW3.

Not too much, probably get you all of 2 minutes with a solicitor!

that was you cool i know who you are now

and yes the cheques went straight in that account for the morgage and yes might get me half hour with one lol.

I thought about property. But the Melbourne property market is soooo over-inflated its not worth being saddled for years with mortgage. I would rather live life and travel than be bogged down. Especially when the place I am in the rent is only 40% of what the mortgage repayment per month of the same type of property in the suburb I live in.

Found out yesterday that I am going to have to do just that! Anyone want to buy a RC13 Casino chip card from the latest Bond?

quote:

Originally posted by charmedmad:
just wanted to let you know that i sold some of my cards and we now have a deposite of £3000 to put towards a house now

Congratulations! You made the right decision. I just wish I had known you'd been selling.

Well there's no question that people's priorities change over time. Cards are not as important as the rent or the utilities or any of the other necessities of life. If your saving for anything big and selling the collection will contribute in a sizeable way than it has to go.

However if you begin to sell your personal cards, not just your extras or the ones you don't really care about, than you should have a solid plan as to why you need the money right now and you have to stop buying as a collector. There is no purpose in getting rid of your best pieces only to throw the proceeds back into new stuff and, if you don't have an immediate need for cash, you can just cut back on the buying and you will still be saving.

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by charmedmad:
just wanted to let you know that i sold some of my cards and we now have a deposite of £3000 to put towards a house now


Congratulations! You made the right decision. I just wish I had known you'd been selling.

hi roger i have sent you a email about this so have a look at emails matey.

quote:

Well there's no question that people's priorities change over time. Cards are not as important as the rent or the utilities or any of the other necessities of life. If your saving for anything big and selling the collection will contribute in a sizeable way than it has to go.

However if you begin to sell your personal cards, not just your extras or the ones you don't really care about, than you should have a solid plan as to why you need the money right now and you have to stop buying as a collector. There is no purpose in getting rid of your best pieces only to throw the proceeds back into new stuff and, if you don't have an immediate need for cash, you can just cut back on the buying and you will still be saving.

you have a very good point here and it is just what i have done we have keptr the ones we really wanted and we have not purchased another trading card since last year as there hasnt been any we really wanted yet. if there is a billie piper auto in the dr who set i will be buying that and thats it really that i am after for this year..

going to go an dlook at a house on monday so will you know how it all went

quote:

Originally posted by willgull:
Found out yesterday that I am going to have to do just that! Anyone want to buy a RC13 Casino chip card from the latest Bond?

No! But I don't think you'd have any problems getting a nice chunk of change out of that one on eBay! The last one that was on there for a while had a BIN of £500/$1000 and that's gone now.

quote:

Originally posted by charmedmad:
going to go an dlook at a house on monday so will you know how it all went

Good luck Colin!

While on the subject of UK realty... is it true that if you squat in an abandoned building you eventually gain rights to it? Seems I remember readin something about that.