Toilet

Who cares? An ex council flat in Hoxton with rapists and muggers as neighbours is hardly something to brag about. But I guess the estate agents will tell you that it's desirable so I guess it must be. Read your mini biography again and add the words arrogant, self-indulgent, boring and POINTLESS to the same colourful description that you use. The question was "Should I buy now or rent? Do the advantages of waiting indefinitely for a crash outweigh the disadvantages of renting?" Clearly the question wasn't aimed at you as you have no constructive view. No-one is interested in your life story except you. The fact that you need to tell complete strangers that you live in "one of the most desirable areas of central London" in the same breath as insulting them is sad. Rene Artois from the TV show Allo Allo had a very funny catchphrase that he always would say to his wife. What was that now.........................?

Here's my address; Foxtons 355 - 357 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 0PD Give my love to the wife.

I might be the father.

Jeez, don't cry. You're the one trying to rile me and resort to childish name calling accusing me of being an estate agent. I'm just giving as good as I get. Ok, now hold on a minute. I have never mocked anyone or their posts. In fact if I recall it was you and your hilarious friend Paddles who did your utmost to mock me for asking a simple question and having a pinned thread to try to shame me as your were so annoyed that a newbie asked a question. Which was along the lines of if there were a slight correction and it took 5 years, is it worth paying my landlord £60,000 or biting the bullet and buying now. I too think a crash is likely or a slight correction at the very least. However, it may happen this year but it may not too. Either way, having some bozo bong dream that I'm going to get a house for 40% less in 24 months and getting annoyed if someone asks a question of "what if that doesn't happen" is somewhat stupid. Damn stupid. Well actually, I think you are wrong. It made a difference to me as I won't even entertain the thought of buying for at least 12 months now. If others did the same on a mass scale, that would make a significant difference. Responses from intelligent forum members were invaluable. Responses from the comedians were pathetic and irrelevant. And on that note Scott, I have nothing further to say on the matter as I've done no work this whole week whilst reading this forum. I'd love to stay and joust with you and help you with your delusion that Estate Agents are trying to come here to get you and upset you, but I have £1000 in rent to pay each month. Need to earn some money. Good luck to all of us. Now, we were discussing Foxtons.................................

I owe it to Paddles for his attempts to ridicule and deride me for being a newbie who dared to start a new topic recently. Just trying to even the score that's all. No harm meant. (It would be so funny though).

Hello Scott, I am a bear. I am also intelligent enough to question and research. That's the kind of wild unpredictable guy I am. Sometimes, I just go POW !! and I think of something. The next thing you know is, POW!! I ask a question. Outrageous I know. If I thought for one second you were actually interested in my views as a bear or bull, I'd have given you a detailed explanation. However, judging from your facetious opening post, I believe you just want to try and out me as an estate agent. Anyone that dares ask a question is obviously a "Vested Interest" or an "Estate Agent" right? Let's look at your opening post... That's right. "Pllleeeaaasseee." That's what I said also. This is how I interperet your first post, forgive me if I have misunderstood your intentions. I do apologise........... "There are a small minority of us that use HPC forum as a dream world where we can all convince each other that we are going to get houses 40% less in 24 months. Recently, some naughty people have been coming past and rattling the sides of our play pen by asking questions. These questions shake our tyre-kicker dreamer fantasies and make us cry. These people are obviously Estate Agents. Only a VI or Estate Agent would ask such questions. They are very naughty. Let's put a stop to them." As I've said, Scott, I have found some very excellent information from the kind people who cared to answer this question. Almost every response was valid There is of course a very small minority that have been most unhelpful. Judging from the wording of your first post, I fear that you are not one to empathise with someone who didn't buy two years ago because they were convinced a crash was imminent and has concerns about drawing this out to 4 or even 5 years. Will I buy now? No. I will wait 12 months. I can put the idea out of my head now. But you know what? It wasn't a very easy decision. Unless I asked the stupid question, "Should I rent or buy now" and was rewarded by the kindness of forum members, I wouldn't have reached my decision. Just so you can still continue to be outraged by my lack of posts and questioning, here is a picture of my dream car.... ......and my favourite band, Black Lace. Singers of the hit song "Agadoo."

I'm listening. It's an ongoing discussion. Does it stop as soon as you state that the biggest falls happen in the first 2 years? End of story, no need to discuss it any further? Evidently not. If I were not the listening type, I wouldn't have dared asked such a question. I would have put my fingers back in my ears and refused to listen to anyone else. Crash 1990 took 5 years from peak to trough. A house purchased in 1992 was problably worth less in 1995 yeah?. I'm no economist, but I fear neither are you. You have a view based on your understanding and I'm grateful you shared it. I, on the other hand, am confused, which is why I asked the question of fellow citizens as myself. A guy standing near the train station told me the other day that I am going to hell. He said that if I am born again with the spirit of Christ, I will be saved. Otherwise, I'm screwed. He KNOWS this. He is convinced of this. Can I be sure that what he says is correct? DUH! Of course not. No more sure than anyone claiming to know that everything is going to drop drastically over the next 2 years. I hope it does. It's a public internet forum. I have just as much right to be here as anyone else. If I have a question, I'll ask it. I'm sorry if that upsets you, but since you don't own the forum, it's too bad for you. I could "do research" as you suggest. I chose instead to ask some kind people a question. That's my business yeah? Thus, I was rewarded with some excellent information, including your observation that the biggest falls happen in the first 2 years. Thank you for your view on the matter.

Hi Smac, Your previous comments about your experiences were well noted. Thanks for that. I'm not joining any bubble. I asked for opinions from adults. Predictions about bubbles about to burst were abound in 2004. No-one knows yeah? No-one. Not you. Not me. No-one. We can predict. We can make a best guess judgement based on the past. We can ask the invaluable opinions of people and form a decision based on hearsay and opinion. But we don't know what will happen. Prices may drop 30% over the next 5 years. But hey, guess what, they may drop a very tiny amount to. It may take 10 years for house prices to slowly reach the bottom of a trough. The approach of "Ha ha ha ha your're all fools, I've seen the graphs, I know about Northern Rock, your bubble is going to burst, I know" is just as silly as the bird from Location Location Location, saying she'll eat her panties if there is a crash or whatever it was she said. I didn't say that I want to buy now and that I am cheerfully ignoring all the media at present. I was asking a question whether buying now MIGHT just have some sense in it. I spoke of my situation and asked the opinions of others who have a view. I recieved those opinions. Excellent opinions. I also received childish comments from people, who after reading their recent posts, had contributed nothing recently to this forum. Real funny commedians too. Not. All living with their parents no doubt. Everyone knows that questions are stupid. No-one should ask them. The world is flat, you can sail off of the edge. Anyone who so much as asks for an opinion on the matter is a fool. Especially those that don't have many posts on an internet forum. It means they are dumb. Best of luck to you too.

Hello friends, I was the original poster of the thread "Should I rent or buy?" My original thread had no less than 42 or so reponses. The advice was extremely helpful. Especially since a few individuals condemed my question as a waste of time. I find today that someone has made a pinned thread on the back of this to those that dare ask the same question. Again 40+ responses and a very interesting discussion. I'm most grateful for such valid opinions as people have put forward a view from both sides. My question arose out of the fact that I will be paying my landlord £60,000 in rent over the next 5 years. As no-one can see the future, despite what they claim with lame graphs of the past etc. I thought this was a valid question. Furthermore, what many fail to understand is if I purchased a flat/house, despite paying high interest rates and risking nothing more than the mere possiblility of huge negative equity, the property would be mine. I know some will not agree but being in your thirties and not owning property does not impress anyone. You can tell people all you like about how you are watching out for the forthcoming HPC but there is not going to be a rush of women wanting to marry you. That's the way it is. Some of the anorak wearing single guys that have never had a girlfriend will disagree no doubt. If you don't believe me, try mentioning at a dinner conversation that you have been renting for 15 years. So to those that have responded, I thank you very much. It was an intelligent question and I received some fantastic responses to it. For a forum entitled, "House Price Crash" the responses were suprisingly balanced. Let me tell you a little story...... 10 years ago, I was learning to drive. Most drivers when they see a learner driver, take extra care and show patience. However, there would always be some turkey that would drive up behind the car within inches of the bumper, flash their beam lights, sound the horn etc. A-holes if you will. Even though they too were learners once they felt that because they had been on the road a little longer, no-one else had the right to be there. A-holes indeed. Gotta love 'em. We're all very impressed if you have a higher post count on an internet forum. I'm sure that would help you in many situations in life and would really impress people. Personally, I couldn't care less. If you don't like someone's post, ignore it. It's an internet forum. There is no need to respond if you don't like it. If it annoys you so much, ask your mum for some money and go out and play. If the post is inappropriate, tell a mod. Leaving 3 responses in a thread to say how silly you think the question is, is somewhat pathetic. Do have a comment to make about the housing market or a possible house price correction? Thanks again to all for your kind responses.

Thanks very much. The intelligent replies here have been very helpful today.

Thanks Bomber, Before I moved here, I'd looked for 6 months. The link you sent looks nice. In practice though, finding a decent place was so difficult. Every Saturday for six months was wasted on looking at dumps that EAs had lied to me about. As soon as I said I'm freelance, I'd be treated like scum. Private landlords didn't want to know as anyone who doesn't fit into the 9 to 5 bracket is an abnormal freak. Thus, it's not just the priviledge of choosing what colour to paint the walls that appeals to me about owning somewhere.

Hi, I'm in Ealing, West London. I'm freelance and Ealing is well placed for all the areas I work in. I'd live elsewhere but it would be hell commuting when I have no idea where I'll be working next.

No not an EA. I had given the interest payable some thought, but ignorantly, had not calculated it to the specifics. My reasoning is blinded by the fact I am paying so much money to this ogar for such a tiny little flat in a conversion. I can hear the loud italian students upstairs having sex and arguing. It makes me sick I'm paying so much for this. I guess my question has been answered. Thank you.

Hello friends, I have a question. I wanted to buy a flat 2 years ago. Common sense told me that a smelly filthy dump should not be worth £270, 000. Despite what "The Market" is for such things, I just felt wrong buying horrible place for so much money. So, I waited and have been waiting ever since and watching this forum. I am currently renting a one bedroom flat in London. Each year I pay £12,000 to the greedy landlord to pay the flat off for him. Now, if I wait for the crash, it may take 5 years or even longer to hit the bottom. In 5 years, I would have given the landlord £60,000. So my question is this; Is there any point in waiting for a crash? Am I not better off just buying now and using that £60,000 toward an overpriced place now? Thanks for your help.