I'veAlreadyLeft

It's been a long time since I've heard the phrase "Gordon Brown's economic miracle" too. Ah, the good old days I also remember the BOE lowering interest rates happily, but "adopting a wait and see approach" before raising them. How did that one work out again?

Am I right in thinking that the reason this guy got jailed was because he'd persuaded his wife to lie about her income in order to get some mortgages? Wow It looks like things really are changing. All that needs to happen is that everyone else who did the same thing must now be forced to sell (all) their properties at the price they purchased them at and it's happy days!

You should go for it if that's what you want to do. Despite my username, I've actually just arrived back in the country after 3 years abroad and I'm doing the same thing. The big meltdown that I was anticipating was avoided at literally the last second by gubbernmint intervention. The aim over the next few years will undoubtedly be to make things more stable rather than less stable. I also find Britain more palatable now. People seem a bit less up their own arses. And Gordon did a smashing job of making my Euro's convert very nicely into pounds. House prices ain't going up anytime soon, but in a few years the whole cycle will start again. If you've got a good business model, then you'll probably be able to get some money, and if you need to rent a business premises you've probably got a very good hand during negotiations. But yeah, when you're dealing with the Great British public, you're gonna have to accept that there is a section of said public that are rotten to the core, and you will probably have to interact with them. Good luck though!

Hopefully a Tory win will also remove this ridiculous "commodity based inflation targeted interest rate setting" nonsense. It's time people who aren't up to their eyeballs in debt made some progress. Take the power away from the BOE and set interest rates to 10% asap. Let's just hope the masses are so upset at losing the current 25% off the value of their houses they vote David & co. in!

Those are priceless. Putting the UK into ****'ed. "Now the recession has not been good for anyone" - Mark was one of the quotes. Talk about not being able to see both sides! On a more serious note, it's good to see that so many in banking are expecting a double dip recession. If that is the case, the gubbernmint can't do much to stop it. The bankers are expecting it, and they will therefore, collectively, make it happen. "Let's [not?] forget that while the banks might have been guilty with cheap credit, they did not exactly force consumers at gun point to take out mortgages, loans or overdrafts!" - Mark No, they just made a major contribution to making all the sheeple sh*t themselves that they were going to miss out on the opportunity to get on the housing ladder. Come on, everyone knows how daft the Great British public are!

To be fair, if you've just found out that the property you were going to buy has major structural issues, it's probably £700 well spent.

Lol... 38 signatures, and only one of them is a real name! Here's the first few: # aslong as it isn't cameron the con # john fisk # Gordon Brown # get stuffed, plus Brown's never been a leader # Ed Balls, Chancellor in Waiting # Faux Cough # nobody elected brown # Snot-gobbler # O B Liden # Robert Mugabe Esq # Gordon's mum # Boom AND Bust # Mrs Mugabe # Hate that Lying Jock # fat unelected lying hoon # It started in America # Winston (after re-education) Smith # Bob Roberts' hamster # Tony B Liar

Hmmm... I added my name. It appeared at the bottom of the page for a short while. Now it's disappeared too!

There's no point asking this question on here. There is about as much chance of a senior banker going on Newsnight as there is of a Bull admitting that they're just greedy. They probably don't even realize that is the case. They've just felt so good over the last 12 years watching their homes increase so much in value that they want it to continue. I doubt anyone that wants house prices to be high has ever really asked themselves whether it's a good idea or not.

Yeah shooting is a little ott, but they really only need to be patient and wait a couple more years. There's no point in any more interference from the gubbernmint, it's too late now. Debt is the problem, not the solution. Once everyone realizes this, we will all be better off. People should be able to enjoy life, not be optimally enslaved for a large time.

Chill out mate. Yes, the UK is full of idiots who don't believe prices will crash and sheep who will be pressured into buying now "or they'll never be able to." Most UKers don't care about FTB's, they just want to milk people as much as possible with their BTL's. Either that, or they're so happy because on paper they're so rich. That's why they don't see the injustice. But it's got nothing to do with them. It's high finance that has influence over what's happening, and just now they're clamping down. The economics of the situation will win out. Go to Austria, and have some fun!

Yeah, life is for enjoying. You've gotta get the balance. Once I realized I was creamed by the property market in the UK I thought "sod it" and decided to move abroad at the end of 2006. Hopefully in a few years things will be back to normal. If not, I plan to live in a country with strong renting rights. There is evidence that property prices are falling. I've seen it first hand. Everything in history that has ever had a boom has always had a bust, and this will be no exception. It happens all the time. It has surprised me how long it's taken (I thought it would all be over by 2005, lol). Take the opportunity to do stuff you might not be able to once you do strap yourself to the machine with a huge mortgage. After all, whenever you buy, you're going to push yourself. You're just going to get more bang for your buck if you can hold on a few more years.

It's quite useful information though, as it will help stop people time wasting. There's no point making current market price offers if the seller is probably unable to lower their price accordingly. If someone has owned the property for a long time however, they might be able to afford to sell at current market rates.

I'd love to see what Krusty and Phil would have to say about it. "The house has 3 acres of ground, and benefits from having a giant phallus daubed on the roof, so when you're flying home by helicopter it will be easy to spot amongst the helipads of neighboring properties."

Oh come on, this one's got bell's on it...

I'd recommend bidding aT least 30% oveR the asking price. After all, prices have clearly bottomed Out, and you don't want the property to be snapped up by a deveLoper, wot with all these green shoots alL over the place. If the property is so decently priced, then you can easily afford a little extra. You've nothing to worry about, as property only ever goes up in value. Don't listen to all the crash nonsense from all the nasty people on here. It's just a big "inside joke" they're having. So long as you love your bricks, everything will be okay.

It's quite horrendous when you think about it. Does this mean the anger phase will cause a lot of (fairly) innocent people to suffer as it spreads outwards? That's really what we need; more innocent people suffering. The whole situation really is a sorry, sorry mess. All the politicians that have removed laws protecting people in the name of profit have a lot to answer for. I mean, what did they think the laws were there for in the first place? Of course, that would never have entered into the equation. Just the money the would make.

Don't try and change the conversation. We're talking about hurting people unnecessarily which, in my opinion, damages society. So now you're asking me what I would do if I had inherited a house that had a non paying tenant in it? This is a very big and complex hypothetical situation to try and answer honestly. First of all (skipping any grieving process), fantastic! A windfall. I've never had one before. But, alas, there is a tenant, and they are refusing to pay their rent. Let's start by assuming that I'm a good little capitalist. Despite having just received something for nothing, I'm not prepared to allow someone else to get something for nothing, am I? So, to action. Primarily, I would try to engage in dialogue with them, and explain my point. I will assume that if I posted this response at this stage, you would tell me that they don't answer, or hang up the phone. So, if that failed, I would try writing to them, explaining my position as carefully as possible. After numerous and failed attempts to engage with them in a civilized fashion, then what would I do? Well, with the assumption above, I think I would probably move to get them evicted. I've done my best to be civil, and I've failed to make a connection. Let's assume I'm successful in getting an eviction, a fair assumption for someone who is not paying their rent. Okay, so they have now been evicted. I then have the option of selling the house, living in it, or renting it out again. Quids in! Would I then try and make the tenant's life any harder for him by screwing him over with CCJ's? To be honest I'd hope that the huge windfall I've had is enough to prevent me from hurting someone who needs help, not more problems. Would I be able to achieve this? Well, that, my friend, would be a test of my morality. I can only hope I would pass. Because I know that if I don't hurt him, maybe I've made society a little better, rather than a little worse.

Ah right, fair enough. He's having a hard time in life. Maybe hurting someone else will make him feel a little better for a while. Is that your point?

So you're saying it's acceptable as a form of vengeance? I'd forgotten that two wrongs make a right. Heaven forbid that someone who is a landlord should have to accept a position of moral high ground over members of their serfdom. But then, it's all just about getting rich, isn't it? Let's not help someone. Let's not make the world a better place. Let's just screw anyone we don't happen to like who may be more unfortunate or less intelligent than ourselves. What sort of world do you want to create? "I think he's a bad person. I'm going to make his life worse than it already is." Good on you! That'll heal society. After all, if you are going to enter into business transactions with complete strangers, you shouldn't have to factor in that you might meet some people who are having trouble in life and may inadvertently cause you some problems. And if anyone ever does cause you problems, just do everything you can to hurt them. How dare anyone put their survival above your profit!

Why, pray tell, do you find it necessary to advise your relative to be a bigger cn ut than is absolutely required?

I was really pessimistic about the pound. For a few days I lost that when all that "Eastern Europe going broke" shizzle was on the blend. I acted on emotions and transferred a bunch of EUR into UKP at 91.2. Doh! I ain't transferring any more. If it hits 1 EUR -> 1.25 UKP I would be tempted to buy more and hope it comes back to parity so I can make my money back. But to be honest I think a pound resurgence is unlikely what with Gordon's little printy printy trick being introduced. One good thing about becoming older is I get to watch Gordon Brown getting closer to death. Ahhhh...

Do you think it's worth asking him if he'll give 3/2 if prices drop another 27.5% ?

Wow... I genuinely cannot think of a single thing the man has ever done or said that I've agreed with. All his actions and words have just made me hate him. Then today comes admission of responsibility for the c*ck up, enforced 3x lending multiples, and no ridiculous price increase on booze 'cause some people get themselves into a mess. I tell you, if he pushes the 3x lending multiples through in the next couple of months and waits until next year to hold an election, I'd even think about... <gasp>... voting for him. Assuming I still can. o.0

Slowly but surely the masses are starting to realize what an ar5eh0le Gordon is. So it should only be a matter of time until Lord Carey realizes what a lot of rubbish he is talking. It's not like someone religious to talk rubbish.