southernchick

I got a 17 % reduction agreed by the niceley niceley route, and my friend got a 20% discount the same way. Don't p off the vendors - they would rather never sell than sell to someone they dont like. (remember most people think of their house as ahome, not an investment, and are quite likely to be friends with the neighbours. They would not impose an arrogant agressive chancer on their friends.) Both of us were chain free.

Approximately 1000 square feet spread over two floors 28’ large kitchen/reception room with granite work-top 17’ separate living room Access to basement patio garden En-suite bathrooms for the two double bedrooms £1800 pcm Appx. 760 sq ft over the top two floors 18’ large kitchen/reception room with granite work-top Views across to historical Battersea Power Station Potential for access to roof terrace (approvals required) En-suite bathroom for master bedroom £365,000 Different Properties - still wouldn't pay £1800 though

Like all jobs, there are some people who are fantastic amd natural (and deserve more pay, perks and conditions), and there is dross. In union led industries, like teaching, everyone gets treated equally, despite of their ability. So crap teachers get the same pay and hours as amazing teachers. In a competitive market, the rubbish staff would fall at the way side. I say unions are detrimental to good teachers, and deter the best in the field entering the "profession". SC (school governor, so i know what i am talking about)

5 bathrooms? i counted 4 shower rooms and a downstairs loo. SC

We played this game in May 1991. First time buyers. Found the town we wanted to move to, found 6 suitable properties, priced between 120K and 150K. We offered 93K on each - telling all the agents what we were doing. We said we would purchase the first house that accepted this offer. Got lucky - one had a job relocation so had to sell. BINGO. Its identical neighbour had gone for £160K ish a year or so before. Best of luck to all, SC

The EA staretd on 10k salary, and now drives an Audi - is that not the classic Foxtons route - 10 K base, mini to start and audi for those who are successful?

Just recieved a heap of applications for a reception job I am advertising. There are four applications from EA negotiators all at different companies who state they have been made redundant. Also, another 3 from car dealerships, again redundant. That is out of 35 replies. Interesting (West Berkshire)

Seem to be selling here again. I know two houses that accepted offers within 1 week!! Lots of new houses have been built over the past three years, most are sold. There was a dip 8-12 months ago, but things have picked up again. Newbury is one of the lowest unemployment towns in the country, something like 556 people out of work!! Lots of jobs advertised, and people commute to London and M4 silicon valley too. This keeps housing market bouyant. House are expensive, but as there are loads of jobs, people will pay. Also, lots of apartment complexes have gone up everywhere, and these are all occupied. Neither many for sale or sold boards outside them. Car park spaces full. Don't move here thougt, we have enough residents already, too much infill to accomodate everyone who wants to move here, is piXXing off the locals, the gardens are all being built in. It will soon be a sprawling estate rather than garden suburbs. NIMBY. SC

My house also appeared on Nethouseprices, correctly, but then disappeared. Bought in Aug 05, was definately on sites in Jan 06, now no longer there! SC

Hey, I've not posted on here for ages (since I bought my house, at a bargain price, and have been too busy decorating and turning it into my fab home), so dont know if this has been covered yet: An often quoted statistic is percentage of asking price acheived. As the majority of properties in my region have been dropping in asking price over the past 14 months, this masks the real drop. A house returned to the market at £575 this week. It was up for £600 15 months ago, but didnt sell. If they get 500 for it (fair market price, IMHO) it will show as 87% rather than the 83% it has actually changed by. My point is that vested interests can quote percentage of asking price acheived, which masks previous drops. SC

I thought I did well with my 20% off. 35% is great. Just need to spread the word. The crash is happening. SC

You have to find the desperate/forced seller. Its these who accept offers and change the market prices. They are the only properties selling at present. I am now living in my dream house, have been here for one month. I offered 20% under asking. Stuck my heels in, vendor finally gave in, as had no choice but to sell. Took one year. Similar house did sell for the 20% higher amount one year ago. Local builder, finally slashed same 20% off and instantly two out of six properties sold. Others finally getting viewings. All his money tied up, contractors paid, needed cash flow. Same for second local builder. No matter what the statistics say, Berkshire has dropped by 20% in the half million region in one year. New properties coming on books are priced lower that a year ago, but not yet low enough. Vendors still in denial. Not sure how much further they will fall, but having been in the last crash and bought at the right time, this is similar to 1991/1992. The crash was only seen and pinpointed as 1989/1990 through the rear view mirror. It is difficult to identify during the drop period. 20% drops are here now. Is just being hushed up. Find those forced sellers (divorce, illness, job relocation, redundancy) This is not cruel, they need the cash. Anyone who will sell and clear their mortgage, as opposed to negative equity, is fair game to target. There are forced sellers. Let you estate agents know you are serious, and they may identify the forced sellers to you. Cheers SC

I am in the same situation to, BUT, I live mid way along the M4 (10 miles from where I grew up). Friends who now live here used to live in London, but could not afford the prices, so moved west. The west move pushed up prices here, so other friends have moved further west. If you work locally, you buy West of the town, and displace those locals further west. Im not sure what happens to those on the devon and wales coasts. Do they fall of the cliff or emigrate? Remember, the incommers have often been pushed out of their own local towns too. What is the answer? I think I am explaining the ripple effect. (or affect?) The answer must be to pop the center, which is London in this region, so Londoners can stay there. SC

I lived in Sydney, Australia from 1988 to 1992. We returned to catch up with our friends in Jan 04 for three weeks. Just at the start of the crash. The first talk of price falls was about two weeks after we got back. Sydney in 1992 had the city, the suburbs, and lots of corrugated roofed wooden houses sporadically spaced between the city and the Blue Mountains. There was lots of building going on in the southern suburbs, but there was patches of green. 2004 - The land between the city and the Blue Mountains has been completely filled, mainly due to the Olympics being held there. The Sprawl from the northern reaches of the outer city to the southern national parks must be 60-70 miles, chocablock with houses. I would say the commuting distance to the city is one big connurbation, and is full. There are no jobs - except farming, mining and shops outside of this, until you get to the next town, ie Newcastle to the north. Newcastle is a really dire town to live in. Sydney is not the capital, but most international companies have their Oz office in Sydney. I have no idea how Perth, Brisbane etc are doing. I can only speak for Sydney. Sydney commuting distance is full. SC

Sounds like they think they will get a bidding war. Should they not have just said "sealed bids in by XXXdate, guide price 145 - 180K?" If the local price really is 170K, and £145 is really priced to sell, then you would think they may get a couple of bids at true market value, and a quick sale, around the 145-150 mark. Similar to auctioning it. SC

Asking 850K accepted £712 (nethouseprices, was a new build though) W Berks SC

Complaining may not be enough. This is the number of complaints about a Jerry Springer Program, I feel we will not enter enough: Overall the night was the subject of over 65,000 communications with the BBC. Around 96% were complaints, and the vast majority concerned the transmission of Jerry Springer - the Opera from 10pm. Over 84% preceded transmission and the purpose of those was, in general, to persuade the BBC not to transmit the programme. SC

Complaining may not be enough. This is the number of complaints about a Jerry Springer Program, I feel we will not enter enough: Overall the night was the subject of over 65,000 communications with the BBC. Around 96% were complaints, and the vast majority concerned the transmission of Jerry Springer - the Opera from 10pm. Over 84% preceded transmission and the purpose of those was, in general, to persuade the BBC not to transmit the programme. SC

My first ever BBC complaint in too, although now i know how to, I may submit more in the future, Cheers SC

Don't count your chickens yet. The busiest day should be today, saturday. Lets see how many SOLD STC boards go up next week. I'm betting not many, although you may get the occasional chain that loops in a circle and therefore get 6 or 7 SOLD STC in one go. It would be useful if anyone who is viewing today posts EA's comments, be they lies or truths, when they make the follow up calls on Tuesday. SC

Lots of development near me. Knock down large old house and squash in as many new builds as you can. The apartments are selling - one block of 9 apartments and 4 town houses - 3 apartments left, all four townhouses left, not yet finished. Big push to get visitors round this coming weekend. One developer is building town houses and detached houses (3 storey, 1 roll of turf for a garden). Houses were around 700K + off plan. Now 620K ish. Sold one in a development of 4, none in a development of 3. He has planning for another 3 on a seperate site. These are all just about complete. I would think they are fairly priced at around 500K, but wouldnt actually buy them myself - who wants a five bed three storey house without a real garden in a country town? Funnily, the previous lot that sold, over 2 years ago, all went to Londoners moving West. Locals all bought older properties with real gardens for the same money. I guess the target audience is Londoners who havn't realised you can get a garden adjacent to your house for around half a mill. I think this weekend is the crunch. Easter is usually busy for viewings. I would expect agents to receive lots of offers from tuesday. If they dont, or the offers are low, then crash. If however, they get offers near asking, then no crash, but stagnation. SC

Thanks for the comments, SC

Unfprtunately, all the properties we are looking at are large family houses. All vendors are cashing in, downsizing, retiring overseas etc. They are the person at the top of the chain.

Yes, but is that my offer price 20% below original, or the near asking offer prices?? SC

Hi Viewed 3 houses over the weekend. It appeared to me to be very quiet, I could choose the time to suite me, and was shown round by agents, even though I only booked the appointments the day before. This is the weekend before easter, traditionally the busiest time of the year for selling houses. However, during monday feedback calls, I was told that it had been a very busy weekend, lots of interest, and that the house I was interested in had people interested at higher amounts than mine (although none accepted, I suspect they have properties to sell first) and also the one I said was over priced, had two offers well over my estimate of realistic price. My offer of 20 % under asking was rejected oughtright, as no one else though it was overpriced. The Spring bounce is here. There are people who do not think properties are overpriced. The agents are still bullish. The vendors have unproceedable offers that are setting their expectations. That is stalling the market. Someone who offers asking price, but is in a chain that wont move, sets expectation levels, and stalemate situations happen. SC