Too expensive to trade up

As someone who has just left Halifax don't do this. Horton St is a run down area and the only thing going for it is the proximity to the Railway station. Also ask yourself how many people from Halifax can afford 600-700 quid.

BBC reporting big drops at Aspect14 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7061814.stm. Also on main board. http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/ind...showtopic=59414 No surprise to us but it looks like the mainstream media has finally woken up.

Also they are still building them! But yet there doesn't seem to be any changes in price. At best the market has been stagnant. What really annoys me is that there were some great plans to transform the town centre of Sowerby Bridge with new doctor's surgery etc etc. Instead all that gets built is more BTL flats and a new Tescos! There's absolutely no co-ordination or planning.

Here's some more future council flats in Sowerby Bridge near Halifax. Yours for 75K (75% ownership!)

I think the EA may have a problem selling these apartments in Halifax. Apparently drug gangs have taken over! http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/The-l...they.3396575.jp

If my family is anything to go by they've all gone to Ilkley.

Have to agree with you there. There's no value left in the Halifax area. Even the poorest areas are now 100K+. Lots of places to rent though.

By all accounts half of those properties were bought by investors down south so I suspect they are trying to get out as quickly as possible. As much as I like Urban Splash's work this project is in a really bad location, I can't see many locals wanting to spend 110K to live in Manningham. Also who is going to rent one of these places as you say it's one of the worst areas in the one of the worst cities in the UK.

Where do they get their data from? Flats down 80% to 24K? I suspect that's down to some ex-council flat sale. According to the land registry prices for fell around 6% in the last quarter. For some strange reason that hasn't been mentioned in the local press... It wouldn't surpise me if Halifax is one of the first up north to go, there's a glut of new build 2 bedroom flats and I can't see the local economy where most people are on 12-17K supporting the current house prices.

Just sold my flat in Halifax for 120K (bought for 70K in 2002). There was a complete lack of FTBs all the offers were from baby boomers downsizing. I was surprised how quickly my flat sold, I suspect this market has a bit of life still in it despite the lack of FTBs.

ETF's are normal shares so you can buy them from any stockbroker. I personally use Halifax Bank's Sharebuilder. http://www.halifax.co.uk/sharedealing/sharebuilder.shtml There's also squaregain http://www.squaregain.co.uk/ were you don't pay commission when you buy shares. For more info on what shares are available look at www.ishares.net

Guy I know uses two Paypal accounts, one UK and one US to transfer funds. He claims that it's one of cheapest ways of transferring funds from one country to another.

Spreading your assets sounds like a good idea. If you go for another pension just watch those charges especially if someone suggests a SIPPS. Also it may be best to talk to a fee paying financial planner rather than an IFA who may just go for the pension that gives him the biggest commission.

Two things. One was realising I couldn't trade up without bankrupting myself (hence the name) Also my 30yr old cousin who despite being on a good wage could only get a mortgage for a place in the sh**iest area in town.

Not in the UK. There's a load in the US (Ishares.com) but I don't know if you can get them from the UK.