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HouseDog

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HOLA441
Merry's in Duston village is closed and premises are empty.

Their website appears to show just the following offices at the moment.

http://www.merrys.co.uk/

Abington Office

Wootton Fields Office

Town Centre Office

Brixworth Office

Town and Country Office

Web Archive from last year shows a different set:

Abington Office

Duston Office

Wootton Fields Office

Town Centre Office

St. James Office

Far Cotton Office

Brixworth Office

Town and Country Office

& Lettings

Oh and I nearly forgot Parklands as well ..!

------------

I wonder what could be going on?

:unsure:

Edited by HouseDog
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HOLA442
Their website appears to show just the following offices at the moment.

Web Archive from last year shows a different set:

Abington Office

Duston Office

Wootton Fields Office

Town Centre Office

St. James Office

Far Cotton Office

Brixworth Office

Town and Country Office

& Lettings

Oh and I nearly forgot Parklands as well ..!

------------

I wonder what could be going on?

:unsure:

blow me down - i was just about to post exactly the same post!

my two penn'oth in this thread is that i read a brief gloating piece a couple of weeks ago in the chron property supplement that O'Riordan Bond were now the only estate agents in st james (thus implying that someone else has closed)

strangely enough there is not anything under the 'jobs at merrys' :P

their home page claims that they have been going since 1815 - and yet they have had to close nearly half their offices. it must be carnage out there!

still - simon bond still reckons everything is just fine... :lol:

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HOLA443
blow me down - i was just about to post exactly the same post!

my two penn'oth in this thread is that i read a brief gloating piece a couple of weeks ago in the chron property supplement that O'Riordan Bond were now the only estate agents in st james (thus implying that someone else has closed)

strangely enough there is not anything under the 'jobs at merrys' :P

their home page claims that they have been going since 1815 - and yet they have had to close nearly half their offices. it must be carnage out there!

still - simon bond still reckons everything is just fine... :lol:

Was 18:15 a time or a date ?

Looks like merrys has officially downsized now their website has 4 less offices listed. No mention on the website what is going on.

I wonder if the C&E will pick up on this.

Surely they have to say something!!!!

Edited by TheCountOfNowhere
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HOLA444

Sorry for the double post, more Northants news though.

Looks like more doom and gloom in Northants:

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/90-...ning.3718946.jp

"90 jobs lost as award-winning firm closed."

Someones left a post pointing out that merrys may have shut 4 branches and the Land registry report shows a drop of 3.3 % in house prices in the east midlands...."glood and doom"....shame about the spelling !!! :-)

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HOLA445
Their website appears to show just the following offices at the moment.

http://www.merrys.co.uk/

Abington Office

Wootton Fields Office

Town Centre Office

Brixworth Office

Town and Country Office

Web Archive from last year shows a different set:

Abington Office

Duston Office

Wootton Fields Office

Town Centre Office

St. James Office

Far Cotton Office

Brixworth Office

Town and Country Office

& Lettings

Oh and I nearly forgot Parklands as well ..!

------------

I wonder what could be going on?

:unsure:

Merrys don't appear to be advertising in tonights C&E Property Section [local paper] - did they used to before ? :unsure:

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HOLA447

At last, the local Northampton news has reported that prices have been dropping:

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Hou...4219.jp#2435392

"House prices fall for a third month"

"Figures released by the company show property prices in the UK fell by 0.1 per cent in January" - No point panicing people.

"Phil Sexton, a senior negotiator at Merrys Estate Agents in Bridge Street, said: "It's been a little bit slow recently, but things are picking up now" - No mention of their branch closures !!!

"but in the new year people are looking to sell." - Who in their right mind will be looking to buy though !!!!

"Nationwide's senior economist, Martin Gahbauer, said: "The weakening trend in house prices during the last three months is consistent with the loosening in housing market conditions that has become increasingly evident in the data." - The CountOfowhere said "Black equals Black".

"But he added there were some early signs that the falls in demand could be 'bottoming out', as potential buyers were expecting the Bank of England to make further cuts to interest rates this year." - The house buyers mantra: location location location - The house price crashers Mantra - Inflation Inflation Inflation.

They've tried to gloss over the plummeting prices again.

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HOLA448
At last, the local Northampton news has reported that prices have been dropping:

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Hou...4219.jp#2435392

"House prices fall for a third month"

"Figures released by the company show property prices in the UK fell by 0.1 per cent in January" - No point panicing people.

"Phil Sexton, a senior negotiator at Merrys Estate Agents in Bridge Street, said: "It's been a little bit slow recently, but things are picking up now" - No mention of their branch closures !!!

"but in the new year people are looking to sell." - Who in their right mind will be looking to buy though !!!!

"Nationwide's senior economist, Martin Gahbauer, said: "The weakening trend in house prices during the last three months is consistent with the loosening in housing market conditions that has become increasingly evident in the data." - The CountOfowhere said "Black equals Black".

"But he added there were some early signs that the falls in demand could be 'bottoming out', as potential buyers were expecting the Bank of England to make further cuts to interest rates this year." - The house buyers mantra: location location location - The house price crashers Mantra - Inflation Inflation Inflation.

They've tried to gloss over the plummeting prices again.

Well I am surprised that the C&E covered the story.

I suppose it would seem quite at Merrys ! :unsure:

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HOLA449
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HOLA4411
Some joker in Wootton appears to be trying to flog a converted garage for nearly £200k:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-168...=2&tr_t=buy

Hilarious, one for the overpriced sh*thole thread methinks.

Are Aran's still going in the town? Used to be opposite the old ABC Cinema which I think it is now a Jesus Centre! The Jesus Army were always strong in Northampton. If I still lived there I'd probably join them in desperation! ;)

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HOLA4415
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HOLA4416

Barclaycard axes 160 jobs in town http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/business...s-in.3745310.jp [ 06 Feb 08 ]

Up to 160 people have been told they will lose their jobs when Barclaycard closes its credit card production operation in Northampton.

Staff were called into an emergency meeting this morning to be told the company was shutting down its card production and statement mailing centre in Northampton.

Print production will be outsourced to RR Donnelley in Buckinghamshire and Gloucestershire, with mailing operations moved to Leicestershire.

Card operations will move to Gemalto, based in Fareham, Hampshire.

Employees will continue to work at the firm's Brackmills base until the end of the year.

They will then have a further three months on full pay in order to find alternative employment.

---------------------------------

More decent jobs go in Northampton ... the Citizens Advice Bureau is going to be busy! :unsure:

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HOLA4417

I reckon there won't be a crash in Northampton, here's why: On Saturday we went to look round a house in Wootton Fields, listed with O'Riordan Bond. We waited outside in the freezing cold for 15 minutes for the agent to turn up but she never did. So we phoned her office: "Oh, I'm sorry Mr M, I'm not sure where she is, I'll give her a call on her mobile and call you back". We waited outside for another ten minutes, getting colder and colder, and was finally told "We've had a computer crash and lost all our appointments. I've been having to phone viewers up ALL morning. She can't be with you for at least another hour. Sorry". Its odd that she never mentioned this when I first called her. And its odd that she spent all morning phoning viewers yet somehow forgot to phone us.

But the thing is, they've never phoned me back to make another appointment. So its obviously a sellers market! Here I am with 250 grand burning a hole in my pocket and and can't even get anyone interested in taking it. I'm sure when O'Riordan Bond explained to the vendor that they left a buyer standing outside their front door in freezing weather for half an hour before telling them they'd have to wait for another hour if they want to actually go inside, the vendor told them not to bother trying to get us back as they've had sooo much interest already?

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HOLA4418
I reckon there won't be a crash in Northampton, here's why: On Saturday we went to look round a house in Wootton Fields, listed with O'Riordan Bond. We waited outside in the freezing cold for 15 minutes for the agent to turn up but she never did. So we phoned her office: "Oh, I'm sorry Mr M, I'm not sure where she is, I'll give her a call on her mobile and call you back". We waited outside for another ten minutes, getting colder and colder, and was finally told "We've had a computer crash and lost all our appointments. I've been having to phone viewers up ALL morning. She can't be with you for at least another hour. Sorry". Its odd that she never mentioned this when I first called her. And its odd that she spent all morning phoning viewers yet somehow forgot to phone us.

But the thing is, they've never phoned me back to make another appointment. So its obviously a sellers market! Here I am with 250 grand burning a hole in my pocket and and can't even get anyone interested in taking it. I'm sure when O'Riordan Bond explained to the vendor that they left a buyer standing outside their front door in freezing weather for half an hour before telling them they'd have to wait for another hour if they want to actually go inside, the vendor told them not to bother trying to get us back as they've had sooo much interest already?

You could be on to something. I went for a viewing on a house, adverised as offers over 250K. Told agent It didnt even look worth that and I woudl probably only offer about 210K. He said he'd have a word with vendors and was defo worth me viewing. I turned up to view. Agent turned up 10 mins late. I told him I didnt want to view due to the microwave dish aerials overlooing the back garden. He went and told the vendors. I drove away. I looked on rightmove on monday and the price of the house has been put up to 275K !!!!

So either people in Northampton are deluding themselves or the prices are rocketing !!!

In my opinion....delusion !!!! :-)

I've been looking at wootton and the house prioces there are sooooo over-priced it's laughable. Nothing much is selling and people are in for a BIG shock.

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HOLA4419

Here's a good one for you, I said months ago the Upton development was going to be the worse place to buy a new build in Northampton.

Now:

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Hou...oper.3752240.jp

"The future of a new village has been put in jeopardy, after a developer pulled out because of the state of Britain's deteriorating housing market.

A new developer must now be found to build homes and shops on part of the Upton development, in which Prince Charles has taken a special interest, after both the developer and the site's underbidder opted not to build on the site."

The houses on that estate will be worth 50% of their new build selling price in 2 years time. Its ridiculously overpriced.

Also, more bad news "184 Avon (in Corby) jobs to be axed":

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/184...o-be.3754404.jp

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HOLA4420

As far as Wootton is concerned, the new estates do look stupidly overpriced. But there was a 1950s semi that went last year for around 220k. I wish we'd bought it now. Now I know people like new houses, and they like detached houses, but why would you pay an extra 30 grand to live somewhere that is tiny, has barely any garden to speak of, space for only one car, and your detached neighbours are built 6 inches away from yours? Correct value or not, I just couldn't bring myself to part with a quarter of a million pounds for a shoebox.

We are about to try and sell our 3 bedroom 1930s detached house in Delapre in order to buy a more expensive semi in Hardinstone. Good idea? Or should we rent for a while? My view is that there will be a big correction in new builds and flats in Northampton, but old semis will remain reasonably static. Round our way, older houses have barely risen above inflation over the last 4 years, whereas new builds and flats have gone up by considerably more - I think its that inbalance that will need correcting.

It annoys me when the BBC says "house prices will fall by 35%". No they won't. Some houses will fall by considerably more that 35%, and some will fall by considerably less.

But I'm new to all this. Any advice would be most appreciated.

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HOLA4421
As far as Wootton is concerned, the new estates do look stupidly overpriced. But there was a 1950s semi that went last year for around 220k. I wish we'd bought it now. Now I know people like new houses, and they like detached houses, but why would you pay an extra 30 grand to live somewhere that is tiny, has barely any garden to speak of, space for only one car, and your detached neighbours are built 6 inches away from yours? Correct value or not, I just couldn't bring myself to part with a quarter of a million pounds for a shoebox.

We are about to try and sell our 3 bedroom 1930s detached house in Delapre in order to buy a more expensive semi in Hardinstone. Good idea? Or should we rent for a while? My view is that there will be a big correction in new builds and flats in Northampton, but old semis will remain reasonably static. Round our way, older houses have barely risen above inflation over the last 4 years, whereas new builds and flats have gone up by considerably more - I think its that inbalance that will need correcting.

It annoys me when the BBC says "house prices will fall by 35%". No they won't. Some houses will fall by considerably more that 35%, and some will fall by considerably less.

But I'm new to all this. Any advice would be most appreciated.

Hi. I totally agree with you on wootton, Grange park is the same and Upton it has to be said is a ridiculous. The only reason I can see for people paying such ridiculous prices to live on the new estates is for the schools. Maybe they are good in Wootton ? I've heard the government is changing all this soon though so people buying there wont be guaranteed a school place there !!!! Watch the prices tumble then!!!!

I've noticed this new build phenomina also. The developers have been conning people into paying more and more for a new built even though,as you say, prices in Northampton havent really risen in 3 years !!! They will have to return to some level of normality as no one seems to be buying them. Ive viewed a couple and had to laugh at a) the size and B) the price.

Regarding your move, here's my opinion, for what it's worth...If you are trading up the housing ladder by 50K say, then you might save 10-20K in 2/3 yars by hanging on for the crash. Not a massive amount to win or loose really in the grand scheme of things. So if you like where you're trading up to then go for it. Some people in Northampton have now realised the prices are dropping and they cant sell so if you negotiate hard then you will get a good deal. As they keep saying on this site, when you put an offer in then if you're not embarrassed by how low it is then it's too high :-)

Whether or not SaleToRent is for you depends wholely on your circumstance and how much you can like a gamble. I've done it and Im very happy with my circumstances at the moment, but it's not for everyone.

Good luck with the move and welcome to the Northampton thread.

:-)

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HOLA4422
I reckon there won't be a crash in Northampton, here's why: On Saturday we went to look round a house in Wootton Fields, listed with O'Riordan Bond. We waited outside in the freezing cold for 15 minutes for the agent to turn up but she never did. So we phoned her office: "Oh, I'm sorry Mr M, I'm not sure where she is, I'll give her a call on her mobile and call you back". We waited outside for another ten minutes, getting colder and colder, and was finally told "We've had a computer crash and lost all our appointments. I've been having to phone viewers up ALL morning. She can't be with you for at least another hour. Sorry". Its odd that she never mentioned this when I first called her. And its odd that she spent all morning phoning viewers yet somehow forgot to phone us.

But the thing is, they've never phoned me back to make another appointment. So its obviously a sellers market! Here I am with 250 grand burning a hole in my pocket and and can't even get anyone interested in taking it. I'm sure when O'Riordan Bond explained to the vendor that they left a buyer standing outside their front door in freezing weather for half an hour before telling them they'd have to wait for another hour if they want to actually go inside, the vendor told them not to bother trying to get us back as they've had sooo much interest already?

Call Tim O'Riordan directly and tell him of your experience!

Your treatment by an O'Riordan Bond EA is not a true sign of the current market in Northampton - don't read it in any other way - its a sign of an estate agent who needs to be promoted to the unemployment benefit office.

PS. Have got Property Bee http://www.property-tools.co.uk/ installed in firefox?

Edited by HouseDog
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HOLA4423
Hi. I totally agree with you on wootton, Grange park is the same and Upton it has to be said is a ridiculous. The only reason I can see for people paying such ridiculous prices to live on the new estates is for the schools. Maybe they are good in Wootton ? I've heard the government is changing all this soon though so people buying there wont be guaranteed a school place there !!!! Watch the prices tumble then!!!!

Wooton has its own primary school (no idea if it is any good).

Both Wooton Fields and Grange park are pretty close to Caroline Chisholm school.

I am not a teacher (or an estate agent... ;) )

Wootton Village isn't bad from what I understand and I've driven through Hardingstone a few times and it seems like a pleasant enough village, with the positive side of being within easy reach of the town centre and junction 15, but not so close as to feel like you're actually living in the town. Wooton Fields, Grange Park and Upton developments all "suffer" from being new estates. The houses all look nice and shiny, but they're really shoe boxes with no garden and no community.

We've decided to stay put in our 3 bed terrace in Abington for another 4 years, got our 2nd child on the way, and are hoping that when my wife goes back to work full time, prices will have dropped enough to allow us to move up to somewhere that feels more like a family home. Bit of a gamble, but we were fed up of having our life on hold waiting to move up. Maybe it's a big mistake, maybe not. Time will tell... :rolleyes:

As an aside, did anyone see the property section in the local paper tonight? (Sorry can't remember which one). Loads of new prices, no chain etc, but more telling; at least two articles stating that now that prices have dropped a little, it's the right time for FTB's to buy! :blink:

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HOLA4424

Wootton and Hardingstone have four or five very good Primary Schools, and that is the only reason we're moving. If we don't, our son will almost certainly be made to go to his local Primary next year, of which Ofsted recently said "In accordance with legislation, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school."

So we'll pay around forty grand to give him a good chance of a good education (though he's not guaranteed to get into any of the local schools). So much for our free and fair education system.

If we lived in a terrace in Abington, we'd almost certainly stay there, although the traffic does my head in.

Thanks for the Firefox link, Housedog. Looks good!

If anyone could recommend a good estate agent to sell our house, I'd appreciate it. Or a bad one to avoid!

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