Our day will come

Did you exchange/complete your sale? Sorry, not wishing to pry just trying to assess whether sales are actually going through, because if you look at houseprices.co.uk you get the impression that hardly anything is selling.

You mustn't be invited to very many of the social events you evidently crave so wildly. "Oh no, here comes that ghastly Edhutch, a little new money and he thinks he's one of us. How awful." You protest far, far too much about just how "wealthy" you are. I sense deep, gnawing, desperate unfulfilment in your life Edhutch. I feel sorry for you.

In my experience those who feel the need to disclose how much money they have invariably have much less than they'd have you believe... How very uncouth. One can't buy class, that much is all too obvious. I can't resist though...I have nothing to envy you in terms of buying power old chap. North Oxford is entirely and very firmly within my means. I just think £700k for a poky 3 bed terraced house is poor value.

If North Oxford is full of pretentious social climbers like you I think I'd rather avoid it. Do you honestly think having the Chief Exec. of the BBC as a neighbour is a plus? How quaint. I've been looking in North Oxford on and off for the past couple of years. I can't see how the current proces there are sustainable - there just aren't enough £200k p.a. jobs in the Oxford area to support these insane prices. And the commute to London is horrendous, whatever anyone says.

I'm seeing exactly this phenomenon in Reading. Dozens of houses coming on to Rightmove marked as already "sold" or "under offer". How can they do this though?

I'd agree with your analysis. I'm looking in the same price range and there is very little for sale. Quite a few have been SSTC for several months though. I tentatively registered with some EA's recently - they haven't even bothered getting back to me despite me saying I'm a cash buyer with nothing to sell. It's stalemate in Reading IMO. But I think that is about to change over the next 3 - 6 months when prices start dropping again. I hope.

That sums it up...it will no longer be socially acceptable, far less encouraged, to get into debt.

I heard this too. Unbelievable! Fortunately the estate agents have mde the statement, so it will surely be readily dismissed by anyone with half a brain. Or maybe not.

8 months' of mortgage arrears. Has an "agreement" with his mortgage lender to only repay one third of his debts. He is absolutely indignant - how dare the mortgage company ask for their money back! He was made redundant, which is obviously unfortunate. But why go heavily into debt if you don't have a stable job?

It's a ploy to make it appear as if they are relaxed about selling the houses. I'd offer 20% below whatever they're asking. You have absolutely nothing to lose by doing this.

I'll be a cash buyer...unless prices keep rising. But I take your point. Just looking for reassurance really!

I'll keep the faith for a while longer. Been waiting since 2000 so can wait another few months. Cheers

That's what logic tells us, but there seems to be no logic to this anymore. I didn't actually believe the Government could have an effect, but they clearly have. And that scares me.

I too am finding this all too depressing. I can't understand why the prices seem to be rising and am beginning to (slightly) question whether my logic is flawed. But the fundamentals still do not add up...that said if we get to Spring next year still rising I will bite the bullet and buy a place. Against all my beliefs, but I can't wait too much longer. I am still holding out hope for 2001 prices to return, but that seems rather a forlorn wish now.

Bit annoying they turned a profit but I suppose they caught the few months' bounce just right. The Reading market seems pretty stagnant still, do you agree?