Burrito

I watched the Panorama programme... What I didn't quite understand, it that all of the problems didn't seem to be specific to shared ownership at all? Increasing service charges, construction problems, short leases and high cost of extending leases - all of these are problems with new-build leasehold flats, regardless of 75% ownership or 100%.

Looks like this browser plugin has stopped working on listing pages now that Rightmove have changed their listing design? Anyone know if it will be updated? Thanks,

Those of you talking about CGT - go listen to the Michael Saylor interview from John Valis. In it, he talks about _never selling your BTC_. As the ecosystem matures, you will be able to get a loan for something you want to buy (e.g. a house) against your BTC as collateral. No sale happens, no tax due. This is what property investors have done for years (and incidentally why Donald Trump pays close to no tax).

I rent in Notting Hill. Absolutely love it. Holland Park, Kensington Gardens, beautiful walks. Quick on the tube into the West End and the City. Paying about a 2% yield (asking price), maybe 2.5% with a realistic sale price. Very happy.

Been following this 2-bed flat in Islington for a while now: - https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/48444092 24th Jan 2019 £750,000 Price reduced by £50,000 16th Oct 2018 £800,000 Price reduced by £100,000 18th Sep 2018 £900,000 Price reduced by £75,000 19th Jul 2018 First Listed £975,000

-- http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-07-04/bear-stearns-20-uks-largest-property-fund-halts-redemptions-fears-vicious-circle

You have to non-resident (and therefore spending the majority of your time outside the UK) for at least 5 full tax-years. Not for the faint of heart.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/de675bce-f751-11e5-803c-d27c7117d132.html One my favourite parts of FT.com is the comments section. Edited by moderator and link to original article added.

I recently moved into a horrifically expensive rental in Notting Hill. While doing the viewings, the cute girl from Marsh and Parsons told me it's much better for her to be in lettings; her colleagues in sales are completely and utterly dead right now.

Interesting FT article: - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/56d07144-ce5e-11e5-831d-09f7778e7377.html "Hedge funds short London luxury homes Hedge fund managers are taking short positions against the biggest listed provider of luxury London homes in a bet that weakening emerging markets will put the once buoyant sector into reverse. A small group of funds are targeting the shares of Berkeley Group, the main listed proxy for new high-end London property, amid signs that Asian and Russian buyers are deserting the market..."

- http://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-stock-slides-cool-red-hot-luxury-property-markets-1453308699

Feudalism, noun: The dominant social system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (villeins or serfs) were obliged to live on their lord’s land and give him homage, labour, and a share of the produce... Defined broadly, it was a way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.

Yes . "Allowable expenses are things you need to spend money on in the day-to-day running of the property, like: letting agents’ fees legal fees for lets of a year or less, or for renewing a lease for less than 50 years accountants’ fees buildings and contents insurance interest on property loans maintenance and repairs to the property (but not improvements) utility bills, like gas, water and electricity rent, ground rent, service charges Council Tax services you pay for, like cleaning or gardening other direct costs of letting the property, like phone calls, stationery and advertising" - https://www.gov.uk/renting-out-a-property/paying-tax

Hi, Stumbled upon here from the ‘Simple Living in Suffolk’ blog. Had a browse. Found myself nodding in agreement with much of the sentiment - BTL outbidding FTBs, impending rising interest rates, BTL income tax relief tapering, etc. I’m incredibly frustrated. You could say I’m part of ‘generation rent’. I would LOVE to buy somewhere - but can’t bring myself to mortgage myself to the hilt for a shoebox in a crap area. It’s absolutely nuts. I’m in a fantastic position for someone of my age. I say this not to brag - but to highlight the absurdity of the situation. I’m 26. I have £240k in liquid assets (cash/equity/bonds/gold), mostly from getting lucky working for a tech startup, with a bit of saving. No debt. Salary of £60k pa. So by borrowing 4.25x income, I could in theory get me a place of £500k - 8.3x income - by leveraging a mortgage of ~50% LTV. IF - and a big if in my view - I sign my life away to pay £1,500 for 25 years - more if interest rates rise. I live and work in London. I recently went to look at a 2-bed new-build somewhere called ‘Catford’(i) - ~20 minutes train out of London Bridge. It’s £400k for a shoebox 2-bed new build. The sales goon told me that all other first-time buyers are using help to buy. So the genuine buyers are effectively bidding 20% more than they could otherwise afford. FFS. ALL my friends and family - pretty much without exception - are telling me if I don’t buy now, I might miss out on ever being able to own a home. “Get on the ladder while you still can!” Well that’s a risk I think I’ll be have to take. Worst case I can still (currently) migrate up North and buy somewhere cash, at least. Here’s hoping that you lot will keep my sane while I try to ride out this madness. — Dave. (i) http://www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/greater-london/h637801-catford-green/