TwentyOneEleven

With the volatility of the regular markets such as it is at the moment, and all the press about interest rate rises and a slowdown in the housing market, who in their right mind would think this is a good idea? "The price and value of investments and their income fluctuates: you may get back less than the amount you invested. Remember that how an investment performed in the past is not a guide to how it will perform in the future." (http://www.stockbrokers.barclays.co.uk) Edited for spelling/grammar!

I particularly like the blue tiling in the kitchen ... well, they might be blue when you scrub all the grease and grime away! And what's with the open plan ceiling?

So a 20% profit from shares bought in mid February and sold last week is a bad investment then?

The way I read it, it's only the amount of money lent that has risen, not the amount of people taking out a mortgage ... or am I wrong? That would make sense if prices are still going up, as obviously more money is needed to buy a property. However, it does perhaps show that there is starting to be a slowing in the market of people actually wanting to buy a property at the moment? (These numbers certainly haven't increased by any great margin anyway!)

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/A...amp;oref=slogin

Link ... Families queue for ex-RAF homes

Only as long as prices don't fall lower than what you paid for your house initially!

Exactly!!! That's fine for those who bought many years ago then, but won't be the case for many who have bought in the last few years. These people would not only have to find the difference between what they can now sell their house for and the cost of the new one, but also add to that the shortfall in what their original mortgage was!!!

Yes, of course I understand that, but nohpc seemed to be implying that his house wouldn't lose as much value (percentage wise) as the ones higher up the ladder!

Sorry, am I missing something here? Is your's the only house that won't go down in value along with the others then?

FYI: http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?...03260701486734T

Completely! I was just about to post how amusing it was that the OP put an angry face after stating that one of his creditors wouldn't let him take out an IVA and only pay back a fraction of the debt! How inconsiderate of them!

"Ignorance is bliss" so they say! Edit: Jimmy2Times ... De La Soul - The Magic Number

That's assuming you don't HAVE to sell! What if you lose your job and can't afford to keep up the repayments?

Not usually one for pointing out the woes of those on the MSE website, but just saw the following one and wondered how many more of these stories we might see over the next few months/years?... http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=410130 Less than they originally paid for it, how very dare they!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/24/us/24sta...amp;oref=slogin "The group will develop strategies to help homeowners facing foreclosure and to educate buyers." ... horse, stable door anyone?

Nice to see the Halifax are very generous when it comes to letting you spend more money, but not when you want to save it ... ISA Saver Direct rate only increased by 0.05% after the January 0.25% base rate increase! :angry:

On the front page of the NY Times website today... http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/17/business/17dream.html?hp Expensive houses bought with no down payment and low interest rates? Fixed rate mortgages coming to an end and the initial low rates being replaced by much higher ones? Reposessions aplenty? Good job that hasn't/won't happened here in the UK, eh? (He says as he sweeps the "100% mortgage at a low fixed rate for the first few years" leaflet under the rug! ) The American Dream is over ... long live the American Dream!!! (Edited to reduce the amount of red in the initial quote ... it was like the opening scenes of "Saving Private Ryan"!)

Absolutely loads for sale in the area I live ... maybe it's me? Not all I know of listed on there though! Certainly one in my road not showing, but another that I didn't even know for sale is showing ... same kind of property but at £30k less than the one I know of!

FTSE following suit ... good job our house prices won't fall like some of their's over there though, eh!?!

Edited due to not enough s!!!

or http://www.advfn.com/

Around negative 30 at the moment!

Not sure the Barclays share holders would agree with you ... http://www.advfn.com/p.php?pid=qkquote&amp...amp;x=0&y=0 DOW in negative numbers now!!!

Slipping ... up only 20 now! Early doors though ... need to give it a while to settle!