Sibley's Love Child

Only en passant RnR; couple of days off with the nipper so not much EA baiting to be had...

You're right, you've just highlighted the most deplorable typo; duly corrected.

Setting alarm clocks? I'll be refreshing the page throughout the night chewing on Khat and coffee granules. I've got a large stash of barbituates if it turns out to be +ve%

That we've heard not a sniff of them in the media indicates that they have yet to flog-off their empire. I sincerely wish them both the worst.

Speaking of Barratts, it's been argued that Shapps' new (nicked off Labour but not as much as a profligate waste of public money) FTB scheme has helped push up Barratts' shares further: 'The shares of housebuilder Barratt Developments rose strongly yesterday – up almost 7% and fuelling criticism that the Firstbuy Direct scheme is a ‘Barratt bonanza’. http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/news_features/New-first-time-buyer-scheme-could-make-things-worse

Lovely stuff; listings up, sales up, % of asking price received up. Prices still down.

There's been much gnashing of teeth and wailing in the press (ostensibly from VI feckers a la CML) regarding the FSA's proposed Mortgage Market Review (MMR). Had this been implemented it would have ensured stricter (than now) mortgage lending practices. Innovative stuff like lenders ensuring borrowers could repay their mortgages. Unfortunately, Shapps & Cameron also got on the band-wagon; followed by Shapps' recent meeting (read: showdown) with Sants of the FSA. Suffice it to say, it appears that the City have leaned-on the FSA sufficiently to all but kill the MMR: http://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/regulation/sants-no-mmr-changes-before-2012/1027124.article Had this gone through, it would have been a further nail in our Ponzi scheme's coffin. Does anyone have a plan B?

That's ludicrous. You haven't included a decimal point.

Housing Benefit reforms as of April.

A bit like being mugged for twenty quid; being offered a fiver back out of pity and then expected to be grateful. *****s.

Very good, although for a moment I thought I was having an acid flashback. Still, i'm expecting a sea of umber and sepia by the year's out....

Absolutely, it's common knowledge that any index reporting a rise is patently fabricated. The reverse also applies. I doesn't make the rules, guv.

Mortgage approvals. Doesn't necessarily mean the feckers bought... Still, roll on the Halifax and it'd better be good news or i'll do a 'Falling Down'.

Strangely enough, that was my impression exactly. In terms of content, the programme gave more coverage to the saps buying a 50% share in the part-rent/part-buy new build. Cue lots of smiling faces and a congratulations from John Craven. The narrative went on to say that not everyone will be this lucky and that the building of 'affordable homes' (what a fecking misnomer) falls short of meeting demand. Thus, it focuses on another couple who - unfortunately! - won't be able to find an affordable house of their own. Cue to young lady bemoaning how her and her partners' wages simply can't keep up with prices in her home town. Mind, it finishes right there. In other words, feck off with ya; maybe you'll be able to get a shared ownership yourself one day. Loathsome subtext.

Exactly, the MPC can go f*ck themselves as base rate is simply a laughable irrelevance now (in terms of mortgage rates). Still, some nice IR rises would put the fear up the hanger-ons. Hope the people that rent from the banks get their mortgage fixed (if, even they can...) quick smart. After all, they wouldn't want to miss the boat now....

Oh, this is just great; my day - nay, my year - has well and truly been made.

Exactly, this should be banished to the anecdotals. TMT, i'm beginning to suspect you a plant...

Heh, that's nowt; this bad-boy's a repo; asking price of £144,950 (not bad either, had a look around it): http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-17974875.html?premiumA=true Last sold data: 2007-01-22 86, Upminster Road South, Rainham, Greater London, RM13 9AA Terrace, Freehold add details... £215,000

Found the bugger and yes it was Neath: http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/news_features/Local-council-sets-up-its-own-estate-agency

You've just reminded me; I posted a blog on the home-page a while back (I think from Estate Agent Today) in a similiar vein. I'm not sure if is was the same Council but they were basically undercutting the local EAs (with their fees) if I recall.

I'm inclined to believe it's real unfortunately; primarily because of the attention to detail though were it a HPCer, it'd have a far better grasp of grammar and punctuation (as an aside, isn't ironic how BTLers are often thick as sh*t?). Compare that with this little gem from another article (good to know someone's benefiting from ZIRP): "Whether you have 1 mortgage or 10 mortgages, a interest rise of .5% will cause YOU problems. I have 85 mortgages, if interest rates were to rise say 1% or 2% , i am affriad it will be the BANKS problem. Low interest has helped me through a time with so many bad tenants payments. If mortgage payments were to rise to quickly, i think i would throw in the towel. Many individuals have only got through the last 2 years because of low mortgage payments, it would not take much to tip them over the line. So even if you do not have a mortgage, quick base rate rises would seriously affect YOU too. NO BASE RATE RISE FOR 18 MONTHS PLEASE" - Poor Landlord, Midlands

Yeah, I saw that. Feck, Sentance's lone vote (until last month) was the only thing keeping me going; keeping the dream alive that maybe, just maybe, this month they might...nah.

Christ, it's a cross between Ewan McGregor, There's Something About Mary, and Robinson Crusoe.

I have it on good authority that King - realising the error of his ways - will coerce the MPC (including a teary-eyed and remorseful Posen) into raising IRs back to the long-run average of 5%. Okay when I say 'good authority'; a vagrant accosted me this morning for some loose change and half of my cigarette. He muttered something by way of thanks which i'm certain was the aforementioned 'insider information'. I've just checked on Forex and they're still forecasting 0.50%; if only they knew.