Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article .com,
Martin Bonner wrote:
(Footnote: At least that's what I've always thought, but it's funny how
all our houses have been pretty well done-up when we moved it. The
next one we are going to be much more careful about looking behind the
coat of paint etc.)

This is I suppose what I meant. Fresh paint everywhere could be covering
up a multitude of sins.


I think you (and Mary) have misunderstood me. I like to think I am a
keen DIY-er who wouldn't buy the house with the nicest looking surface;
but instead would buy the best value house, even if it needed a bit of
work. In actual fact, looking at the houses we have actually bought
(four so far), I am forced to conclude that either the best values
houses also happened to be the ones that were in pretty good nick - or
I am as likely to be swayed by the surface as the next man.

NEXT time we move: a) we will dress the house carefully; b) we will be
careful about not dismissing houses that need a lick of paint.