Funn3r

How soon during the construction cycle do sales begin, and at what point does concern arise if sales are below expectations? Years ago I bought off plan before construction even started. I assume it is similar nowadays. Where I live there are loads of construction sites with half built houses. How do they know they can sell them?

That's very interesting, didn't know. I do agree that what we call England today is not the real England. A proper Catalán - style independence movement would likely redefine England as something more like an expanded north, east, and south version of the area controlled by the "British Atrebates".

"Londependence" ? My belief is that if things continue as they are then we will get to the point where so much of our lives are lived in "cyberspace" (sorry for using that word) that the imaginary geographical lines will diminish in importance, and I mean a lot. My kids don't in their hearts consider themselves part of the "British" horde they consider themselves part of the Instagram tribe or the Counterstrike clan or whatever. So I agree with TonyJ about the fragmentation definitely. I also believe that we are in for a massive sudden change though. No evidence for it I just feel it in my water. Maybe "only" the sharp economic collapse many of us expect, or maybe an asteroid will hit or a zombie outbreak. Just feels like we're kind of on the edge waiting for something. Apologies I'll put the bong away now.

Hard to argue with that

They have been in the news today though for "restaurant" closures in America. Funny about Subway I have never liked their stuff. Recently I thought maybe they got better but tried to buy something nice from their shop in Birmingham International train station and it was all just as horrid as I remember it from years ago. It's not a bad British translation either I have had "submarine sandwiches" from normal snack bars in America that were a lot better than their Subway. In UK with sandwich competition from such as the excellent Pret or M&S, Subway have no chance with their plasticky rolls.

I am English and I don't like "The United Kingdom" and I would be very happy for all these Wales, Scotland and Ireland people to exit our so-called "union". The dedicated Brexiters demanding control of our own borders and so on paradoxically love the UK and go very quiet when I say good idea let's go the whole way.

He's not really the CEO. A CEO is as you say a leader who should have the vision and the temperament to say this is what we're going to do. It's hard being country manager of a subsidiary. This guy is really just a mid-level manager having to say Yessir to the board of Banco Sabadell.

"High load on server"

When we IT people f things up we do it right, no half measures. The thing would not be staggering drunkenly along as now with people being able to login and look at random strangers' accounts, no it would be a smoking offline crater.

Everyone in the IT biz has been speculating on what went wrong exactly. Pretty much everyone agrees management set a deadline based on cost, engineers all said f-off that is stupid and impossible, ye cannae change the laws of physics and she'll blow, but then got told do it anyway.

I thought the poor sod was dead in fact but I guess not if he's unhappy about property prices.

I wouldn't even have thought people would have holiday lets in Palma. It's a nice enough town but for a holiday you would surely want one of the many actual resorts nearby.

I think that's almost true. They meet up with each other at Davos or their BIS meetings or whatever illuminati funny handshake club. Then they agree what they are going to do in concert so that no individual gets the blame. Occasionally it's someone's turn to take one for the team. But otherwise they have each others' backs.

For those who have not been following the fortunes of Count Dankula, amateur comedian with huge following on YouTube... As a prank he taught his girlfriend's cute dog to raise its paw in a nazi salute. Went down well on yt but then he got prosecuted for hate speech etc. Guy comes across as a bit of a canute on a personal level in my opinion but a lot of people think this is a fundamental attack on free speech if you can risk jail (he only got fined) for a joke. Him leaving court yesterday, well worth watching just to see humiliation of slimy Sky News reporter. Crowd funding going on for landmark appeal to set a precedent.

That's brilliant I am in with a chance! I've scoured central London to find a new build flat but there don't seem to be any. /sarc "Nine Elms Disease" again

They did actually use the word "Islamic" not Muslim, my bad, but surely same thing. Disclaimer: I strongly disagree with organised religion of any brand.

How does a story about Spanish property mutate into a rant about Muslim refugees. Some people are obsessed.

The official story about effect on local housing costs is not exactly untrue but there is a lot more to it. Don't know about Palma city but on the mainland south of Valencia there have been similar rumblings for ages and some think they will follow with a ban. It's not because of popular demand though as non-holiday rents are well-regulated already and remain in line with historical local standards. The holiday let licensing or banning is primarily and heavily lobbied for by the hotel industry which doesn't want the competition. Can't believe I am effectively sticking up for BTLers on here but is true.

They kept wondering why customers delayed payment for as long as they could... then they realised their slogan, "In three years these windows will pay for themselves"

Is that even possible, when you have a magic high-speed laser printer and an unlimited supply of toner, and exempt from normal laws about counterfeit money?

Watched the first 20 minutes or so. Seems to be a cross between promoting Chinese companies as thriving and profitable when in reality they are a backwater tiddly business. Local investigators actually went there and found dirt roads to the factories which could never have supported the claimed thousands of trucks in and out tunneling intothe good name of a US legit (but defunct and not trading) business to look OK on the stock market. A bit like you go into a sports shop and buy something made by Dunlop or Karrimor - but they merely bought the name to stick on their own dubious products. I think Wharfedale or Tannoy speakers are a similar example

A lot of BTL have a sort of quasi-religious belief in the power of positive thought. There are loads of seminars called Think Rich You'll Be Rich or things like that. She is one of them. I could definitely have a conversation about practicalities but would be completely pointless. The only thing that will work is suddenly being faced with a stunning massive tax or similar real-world problem. Sadly (or not) I don't feel that is very far in the future.

I know the person very well and good mother, well behaved mid teens child doing well at school, the opposite of what you would stereotypically imagine. But ultimately someone happy to be a people farmer. She thinks she is an entrepreneur moving up from being a wage slave. I know a couple of other BTLers and one is the complete slime ball you would expect, always going on about "our tenants", now having to talk to him would definitely grip your shit.

I actually know someone, an OO with a mortgage got made redundant and decides next step was 3 BTLs. Single mum with 1 child; some sort of nail-bar type non job and lots of benefits.

I always feel like a shill when I say how great is Revolut, but it is. Just for starters on foreign currency transactions I am saving around 6 quid in every 100. That is money that used to go straight into someone else's pocket. This is my personal real money and I purposely didn't quote it as a 6% saving. That's just by not getting robbed on the exchange rate; I am also not paying all the fees that the bank used to charge me ON TOP OF THEIR POOR EXCHANGE RATE for using my UK debit card in currency other than GBP. Revolut and the others have no commercial real estate to pay for - those money change outlets you see at airports will be crushed. Throw in the other benefits of extra control and convenience and you've got a winner. As I say I prefer Revolut but I am sure the other ones are fine as well.