Broken biscuit

Jesus wept. Get a grip. Man up. You're coming across as an angry loon.

I suspect your life might have been a whole lot stressful if you simply hadn't stepped out of the market in 2007. Are you really sure it's a case of "refusing to give up" rather than "refusing to accept I made a bad call". Just think. All the hours you've spent venting your spleen on here could have been used for something more constructive instead.

Indeed. You'd have a job even covering the Rightmove fees at £99 per property.

The pound is already down a couple of percent against the dollar from when Carney spoke. The market doesn't believe him.

This nonsense about a rate rise in November has got out of hand. Of course there won't be a rise. The whole "rate rise in November" story was created by the BBC and picked up by every other new outlet when Carney did an interview on the BBC R4 Today programme last month. Carney never actually said that rates would rise in November, only that rates "could rise in the relatively near term". That was typical Carney-speak. He's been saying similar things for years, yet on this occasion the BBC decided to wet themselves and declare that rates would rise in November.

Yes. A house is indeed a depreciating asset when land is excluded. You have to spend money just to maintain its value over time.

More like 10 years I suspect.

Oh, come now - don't put yourself down.

No. They're just getting better at lying - practise makes perfect.

I'd love to be a fly on the fence when you do that. Well look on the bright side; your place is obviously worth a fortune now - even though it is in Northampton.

Why would they do that? You're clearly one mightily brassed off individual regarding the state of the UK property "market", yet how much protesting in the street have you ever done? Bashing endlessly on a plastic keyboard may have some cathartic value, but it's not going to change anything.

That's the spirit. I presume you're referring to the Rightmove index which is highly respected around here.

You never learn.

Capital Economics have been peddling that message since about 2010. Maybe they'll be right one day, but probably not until Carney's gone home.

Actually it's +5.1, but it's an annual rise not a quarterly rise. They compare quarters with the corresponding quarter last year.

Houses aren't necessarily cheaper in other counties that Brits are likely to find work. I get your point about survival trumping aspiration nowadays. However, that's the reality of life for the vast majority of people on this planet today, and has been since the beginning of time. The difficulty with aspiration is knowing when to call it a day and become realistic. I used to want to be a professional footballer. It was never going to happen and thankfully I realised it before I'd wasted too many of my teenage years pursuing it. When I bought in 2012 it wasn't a case of giving in, but more a case of doing what made the most sense financially based on the circumstances I found myself in. Until 2012 I felt that renting made sense, but since then buying has made more sense. My aspiration in life is centred more around my work and relationships than my shelter. My home is merely a shelter that keeps me warm and my possessions dry.

Bought in 2012 when the interest on my banked equity no longer covered the rent. (sold in 2005 due to a job change and couldn't find anything I wanted to buy) With hindsight it's turned out OK for me (currently paying £50 interest a month and mortgage will be cleared in 3 years time). The person I bought from was desperate to emigrate and accepted a lowball offer.

It depends on the type of thatch - some can last up to 30 years. But of course, the owner isn't allowed to choose the thatch. Any yes, it'll be full of bugs, and mice and birds pulling it to bits, and mould - especially on the north facing side. etc. etc. About half of the cottages in my lane are listed. When I talk with the owners about problems/issues with their properties they either roll their eyes (the rich ones) or openly rant about the local authority and the unreasonable restrictions they impose on them. Personally, I would never buy a listed property unless I had really deep pockets and considered property maintenance / restoration a hobby.

Only if you fully understand the responsibilities and commitments that you are taking on and you are happy to do so. Otherwise, no. Listed properties aren't necessarily money pits (although they can be), but they do impose restrictions on what you can do with them. This can lead to frustration (even anger) with the authorities, making you wonder just who actually owns the property!

Your wife laughed when I showed her that.

The list price is massively inflated these days to make PCP deals look good. As of today, the non-haggle cash price for an entry level Focus is around £13,700 (i.e. 30% off). If you're prepared to haggle and the dealer already has the car, £13K is probably possible.

9 - Reintroduction of MIRAS - that would be a real game extender, particularly with 40 year or IO mortgages.

For some it's more of a religion than a pastime.

This probably says more about individuals incomes vs their living costs than whether we are technically in recession or not.

I found this in the Telegraph. Apparently there's going to be a sharp rise in rates in 2012 - quite likely 2.5% by the end of the year. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/7982303/Warning-of-sharp-interest-rate-rise-in-2012.html