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Snap! (This registered date is four days earlier.) I wonder how many more there are. ADDRESS: 2, Forbes Street, Bredbury, SK6 2NP PROPRIETOR: HOMESELECT FINANCE (NO. 3) LIMITED COUNTRY: JERSEY DATE REGISTERED: 11/02/2005 PRICE PAID: £48,295,950 TITLE: GM600125 An otherwise ordinary working-class terrace house.

According to the CEO of Zoopla reported in the Yorkshire Post: Prices rising an average 11% per year over the past 5 years is a good thing; It is the result of government initiatives which were hard-won; A Miliband win could reverse this; It would also damage the prospects for first time buyers. <http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/business-news/a-miliband-government-would-reverse-housing-recovery-warns-zoopla-1-7211870> If reversing the recovery means average prices fall 11% every year for 5 years, then that would be interesting.

According to Slough Borough Council: There "could be close to 9,000" sheds with beds in Slough - http://www.ukauthority.com/LocalDigital/tabid/226/Default.aspx?id=4802 There are 50,800 households in Slough in total - http://www.slough.gov.uk/council/key-statistics-and-data/census.aspx That's very roughly 1 household in every 6 living in a shed. This phenomenon is not unique to Slough. It would appear that the natural outcome of high house prices is high shed prices too, though the supply of sheds is somewhat more elastic.

Does anybody know what is going on with Homebase right now? They seem to be having closing down sales at stores all over the place... or is that just a north of England phenomenon? I've heard that their Ireland stores are in administration.

69% = 1 / 145% Clearly someone divided the original cost by the cost increase (£3,632 / £5,290) instead of the other way around. So, is it Lloyds TSB who can't do maths, or the "financial website of the year", or both?

You don't say where you work, so it's hard to advise. However. http://www.mapnificent.net/manchester/ is an interesting site as you can plug in your and her places of work, and find areas within reasonable commuting time of both. The limitation is that it assumes you commute by bus or tram, and not car or train. Maybe they'll fix that someday, but until then it's probably only of curiosity value to you.

I'll check the link works this time... Manchester Evening News

According to The Manchester Evening News: So, not only did the market stay difficult, and not only did it decline further, but the rate at which it is getting worse has accelerated!

The advice above is all good. Two other points to consider... Didsbury prices may hold up better than other parts of Stockport, as the new tram line to Manchester is due to open in a few years. Driving to Chesterfield could be a no-no in bad winter weather - it's not unknown for the roads to become impassable due to snow and ice. As an alternative, trains from Stockport to Chesterfield take about an hour - some go direct whereas others require at change a Sheffield - but rail is not immune from the worst of winter weather either. By contrast, trains from Stockport to Manchester City Centre are extremely quick and frequent.

I've not seen the Express, but will this one from The Press Association do? The actual article is somewhat more balanced though. Whilst the press might be "getting the message", they're not all there just yet.

Beware, Santander have changed the small print on ex-A&L accounts. If you do not use your account often enough they can class it as "Dormant", and charge an annual fee. It's all on page 8 of leaflet SA0248/NOV/JW... you did read it, didn't you? It might be safer to keep a £1 STR fund under the matress.

In 2008, Nationwide Buiding Society took over several smaller building societies, including The Cheshire Building Society. The Cheshire runs a substantial chain of Estate Agents in the northwest of England, the Midlands and Wales. But now, the Nationwide has decided to close not one branch, not two branches, but every single one. All through the first dip in house prices, The Cheshire carried on if nothing was happening, reliably filling the local free newspaper with multi-page adverts, and was the last to revise asking prices downwards. In my part of town, six estate agents and mortgage brokers closed down, leaving The Cheshire as the last one standing. They never even blinked. But now, with the recession "officially over" and George Osborne confidently predicting booming house sales in the years ahead, the Nationwide have decided to shut up shop as quickly as possibly. This Friday. Nationwide say the closure is in order to "build a sustainable future". I wonder if this reflects their view of the sustainability of the current market. As well as closing every branch of the estate agency, in order to "keep the Cheshire brand on the High Street" they are closing a string of branches of the building society too. Perhaps they think saving for a deposit is unrealistic too. Their staff don't seem to agree though. A new estate agent opens its doors on Saturday, and they've already got their adverts in the window... funny how all the photos still show Cheshire "For Sale" signs. Time will tell if this is the right moment in the economic cycle to set up a new business. They may need a lot of luck. Source: <http://www.thecheshire.co.uk/about-us/nbs-news.htm>

Olivers Court is off Suthers Street in Oldham. It's a new-build development of terraces and flats - the postcode won't be recognised as it's so new. 24.4% price increase in 8 days is 2,119,200% per annum (compound), so should be worth about £1.7million by now. Who said inflation was dead? The CGT bill will be pricey if the new owners don't sell soon... by Christmas next year the tax will be enough to pay off the national debt.