anto

I saw £1.03 for 4 star in Marlborough, Wilts at the weekend, and slightly more more diesel - shocking! Oddly, several garages within a few minutes drive were selling at 10p/litre less, so it seems you can get a much better deal if you look around.

That sounds like Farringdon Rd - the park opposite has a (justifiably) bad reputation after dark, which keeps prices lower. It's a shame. What are prices doing wheree you're looking, Ozz?

I've spent ages lurking, and no-one *ever* talks about Swindon so here are a few examples of falling flats I've noticed. Would love to hear what anyone else thinks, especially about SN1 (and not just flats, either). 1) http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-711...pa_n=3&tr_t=buy Started off at £145k late last year, and has come down £5k at a time - just last week down to "Guide price £125k". This is one of the best streets in Old Town, too. Interestingly, the smaller 1 bed flat upstairs went much faster last year - was advertised at £130k if I remember right. 2) Plaza 21 prices are through the floor - check out the same 1 bed flat, a different price at 4 agents - last year similar places were advertised for anything between £120-£130. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-826...pa_n=3&tr_t=buy http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-711...pa_n=2&tr_t=buy http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-463...pa_n=2&tr_t=buy http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-748...pa_n=2&tr_t=buy http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-463...pa_n=1&tr_t=buy ...but then it'scompeting with one even cheaper that's also not shifting: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-774...pa_n=1&tr_t=buy. 3) http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-381...pa_n=6&tr_t=buy Started off at £172k (or was it £175k?) over a year ago - has been reduced to £150 since before Christmas, and now on at 4 agents! Flat next door is now on at £155k (no street frontage, hence higher price) and also going nowhere. Why don't they realise it's overpriced? Things are getting INTERESTING! 4) And I just love this one - http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-725...pa_n=5&tr_t=buy - a candidate for the 'most overpriced sh*thole' thread, maybe. Can't wait to see how long it takes to sell an average sized 2 bedroom flat above an empty double-glazing showroom on Victoria Road at £150k. Thoughts, anyone? Anto.

I totally agree with you about the house, Marina. About graduate salaries...I agree that more and more grads have to take non-grad jobs, because there are many more gradates than there are graduate jobs. But those that manage to get in at a big firm where a degree is required are paid rather better - and £20k starting salary outside London is common. Swindon has many good, large employers - Honda, Zurich, Motorola, Intel, Burmah Castrol, BT, Dolby, Lucent, Nationwide, WH Smith - so many people (though by no means all, of course) are on reasonable money. Sorry, way off topic I know but you hit a 'pet' subject of mine

I think you're way out on the salary estimate: £25k is what a graduate with 2 yrs experience can expect after 2 years at a large company - and there are lots of big companies in Swindon. Cricklade is distinct from Swindon - it's a pretty market town on the banks of the Thames. Also, it's not a flat (as stated in another post), it's a house - and it does have many character features. Property with exposed beams is always priced higher, it appeals to those chasing the "Cotswold" dream. Having said that, I've never seen a 1 bed property anywhere in the area for £150k. I think £125k is too much too, though it's not far out of line with how similar properties are currently priced. I'd rent, and wait and see.

Interesting question. Assuming 25 yr repayment, and ignoring the opportunity cost of investing the money, then you would walk away with a loss of £1k on your intial £10k. HPI just covers your buy/sell costs, but you lose out because the rent doesn't cover the mortgage. Maybe the benefit of such a painful lesson could be factored in too, but I don't know how to model that! So the answer is: better off not buying.

I've been STR in Swindon since October, and try to follow the town centre & Old Town (and Highworth, a little). Prices are definitey lower than last year. There seem to have been lots of price reductions in flats the last few months, often >10%, and even then they're often not shifting. New build flats has been manic the last 5 years, and there is a definite oversupply - and yet there are still several other projects in progress. A rash of horrid-looking conversions on Victoria Rd seem very expensive. Houses have also been tracking downward too but not as much as I'd have hoped, and are still selling. Maybe it's just me, but there seem to be many more large BTL houses on the market than I can ever remember - suggesting BTL market is oversupplied, to me. What are you specificaly interested in? A.

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