Buying and Selling

There is a version of "sods law" which seems to apply in my life. Whenever I want to buy something it is scarce or other people want it too so the price is high. Conversely when I want to sell the bottom has dropped out of the market, so I lose money. Currently it's "brown furniture" hitherto known as antiques.

My proposed move to Oxford is the ideal opportunity to really look at what I want to take into my new home and life. I've done the antique thing - in the right setting the furniture & objets d'art are great. What's not to like about skill, craftsmanship & taste? I enjoyed the furniture in my last home. I brought a few chosen pieces here & still love them. Now I've had the valuers in and although some pieces have appreciated, the majority are the same or less than I paid for them.

But, and it's an important but, I have had real pleasure from them for up to 40 years. Furniture has been functional as well as beautiful. Objects have been decorative & pleasing to the eye. I have happy memories of the excitement of antique auctions & pottering around antique / junk shops with my husband. I wonder how many things mass produced today in factories will stand that test of time? I don't believe in form over function, both are necessary and antiques give you both. So I will sell & take the loss in some cases. I doubt I would even be able to sell modern stuff.

Similarly with houses. I'm moving from an area where the property market labours under the current financial situation to an area where there are far more buyers than sellers. Both the properties I have been really interested in have had several prospective purchasers & the sale has gone to sealed bids. That extends the time & the stress of buying. You have to take a guess as to how much to offer & hope. The whole thing is down to luck & I don't think there's much of that in my DNA.

It just goes to show that you shouldn't be too attached to possessions and money. Ultimately you don't own anything because everyone leaves this world with nothing. I'm still keeping everything crossed that I get my house when the sealed bids are opened this Friday though.