Bruce Banner

I can't keep track of it, changes every couple of years. Like my Ray-Ban Aviators, had 'em for over twenty five years, sometimes they're the height of fashion, other times not .

Note to self... Do not wear flip flops when viewing a house. Actually, I always dress down (old faded jeans with holes in them, rather than smart new ones) when going to buy expensive things, it confuses the salesman and they're off guard because they think it's a waste of time .

Me too. But there was one exception and that was the purchase of an annuity. When I decided to purchase an annuity, four years ago, I contacted many companies for quotes and the best I could get was under 7%. I then contacted an IFA I knew as I had been told that they had access to comparison databases not available to the general public. After he had given up trying to convince me to go down the income draw-down route, he checked his database and came up with 7.4%, he obviously made a commission on that but it was still the best deal I could get. Pension providers seem to discourage direct contact by offering inferior deals than are available through an IFA. Jobs for the boys .

Actually, the supertanker analogy is quite appropriate for the housing market. Tanker steaming along merrily, until it runs out of fuel. Due to it's inertia, it continues on it's original course for some time until it comes to a halt. Then it drifts aimlessly, going whichever way the current takes it until, inevitably, despite attempts to save it using ocean going tugs, it sinks. It is then salvaged and sold off for it's scrap value.

He will, in the same way as a supertanker will grind to a halt when it runs out of fuel. It never ceases to amaze me that people seem to genuinely believe that this housing bubble will stay inflated indefinitely.

Buy now or lose out on benefits .

http://www.landsearch.net/lost_deeds.asp

I kept mine in my sock drawer.

Yup, Wyle E Coyote's legs are getting tired, it's only a matter of time before gravity has it's way .

Perhaps he arranged the mortgage and still gets his commission.

It would be interesting to know the percentage of SSTC that become sales.

September is pretty much the peak month for house hunting, as the holidays are over and kids are back in school. Does it surprise you that the Nationwide chose now to show a rise? No, I thought not . But remember, asking prices are just that, asking prices. If I were looking to buy now, which I'm not, I would offer what I thought the house was worth irrespective of the asking price.

It cuts both ways as you can't offset any capital loss .

Your days as a house husband may be numbered then?

One of our daughters just got head-hunted, within her company, and promoted to her first management position, so I suppose that's a good sign, unless the company goes tits-up. The nature of her job should give her some advanced warning of that, though. But you can never be sure. I was working freelance for a company in the early 70s and accepted a junior management staff position, at half the money, as the economy was looking rather dicey. Sure enough, within six months, they laid-off most of their workforce, including yours truly, but kept the freelance subcontractors on .

Why not ask him?

Arguably not as dangerous as a house. Instant access savings accounts at about 3% interest, not more than £85K per person per banking licence to be covered by the FSCS. For a couple, that's £170K per banking licence, so three joint accounts would do it.

It's not me, honest . Looks like you may have dodged the bullet, good luck and fingers crossed that no more nasty housing news comes out before you complete.

Don't buy that one .

2004 prices are/were way too high .

I know a French guy who sailed around the world single handed. His wife didn't go because she hates boats. He returned two years later and in his words... "My wife was still there so I did it again the following year and when I got back she was still there" .

That Hughes bloke was just on TV saying that the rich should pay more. I thought they already did (income tax and NI).

I'm confused. You were the buyer yet you took loads of stuff, from where? Or were you doing a house swap?

What was the outcome?

He'll welch if you win.