PalmerEldritch

Met some old colleagues in central London last night. One of them stated they were looking to get into BTL soon. When I mentioned the recent stamp duty rise and the mortgage relief changes they looked at me blankly. Absolutely no idea, just "knew" that BTL was the promised land. There's going to be some serious losers when the market finally turns.

Yes DB was and remains the worst ever MPC member in living memory. Haldane seems to be fighting hard for DB's mantle. The markets are hooked on zero rates and it's hard to see when Yellen or Carney will have the guts to move but one thing is for sure, with increasing wage inflation, decreasing slack in the employment sector and the oil price collapse to disappear from the numbers in a few months time they will all be behind the curve. At that point we may find their promises of slow and steady rate rises become forgotten. Fingers crossed!!!

Haldane is the only loony circulating this guff. He's an absolute idiot. Wage inflation is now around 3% and unemployment the lowest since before the recession. Inflation could be 10% and the vote would still be 8-1 for a raise with Haldane arguing his case for a drop and more QE.

Jesus did anyone actually read past the headlines. The first small tranche of shares will be at the current price which will be at a loss. To get rid of the full government shareholding will take years and it is hoped, as per Lloyds, that as more shares reach the open market and the business slowly reaches profitability, leaving behind legacy issues, the prices achieved will rise. There is no sudden loss to the government/taxpayer. It's the first step in a long game.

They need more liquidity in the portion of shares available on the open market to get it moving again. This is only the first of many sales phased over the next 5 years and once they get the last fines out of the way, return to profit and begin paying a dividend the share price will rise significantly. Brave move by Osbourne IMO and could see significant returns in 3-4 years.

"Federal Reserve policy makers were split several ways over the right moment to start lifting rates at their latest meeting, with some advocating a move as soon as June while others suggested waiting until later this year or into 2016." Killer Bunny - stating opinion as fact is rather patronising. It clearly could go either way and market conditions can change as suddenly for a rise as they have recently for a hold/drop.

I see no interest rate rises at all - maybe a cut at some point - and a demand for a return to more realistic yields. So you don't care that the Fed are priced in to start raising by the end of summer? The oil collapse will fall out of the numbers in 6 months and the EU QE will have been in full effect to create a magical support to the global economy. I wouldn't be so sure of interest rate stagnation if I was in your shoes.

Absolute rubbish. Been in the same flat in N2 for 4 years and not one rent increase. Similar flats on the market at the same price or slightly lower than what I pay. This report does not reflect reality. I don't know one person in London who's rent has gone up even marginally in the last 5 years. What's their agenda?

Yeah, £500k for a 2 bed maisonette in an average street in N2. These were going for around £150k in 2002. They are right. It's not a bubble. It's a bubble on top of a bubble. VI Muppets.

Rubbish. I wish it was true but don't see it. Flat above me went on for £450 p/w and was let in no time at all. Demand is still there and until rates rise from 0.5% there will be more landlords coming to market and making a killing. It's all about the rate of return and until Carney and his mates raise rates nothing will change.

So we should just pay for her to sit at home instead then?

One thing I've learned from the past 8 or 9 years on this site is that irrational behaviour goes on far longer than I'd ever expected. Personally I think the stock market boom has just begun and I'm going to try and follow it all the way.

Dramatic headline nonsense. They'll sell their first tranche at a loss, prove to the markets that they are serious about returning it to private hands, approve the revival of a dividend and slowly drive the share price upwards selling more tranches on the way. Intelligent strategy in a difficult market if you ask me.

To think I used to come here for intelligent, reasonable, well thought out information on the economy and the housing market in particular. It's no wonder columnists ridicule this site's users nowadays with this kind of utter nonsense. Can't you keep this kind of drivel "off topic"?

Meanwhile here in East Finchley it's now over £350k for a 2 bedroom flat. Until London drops the media will not be interested.

YAWN. You are stating it as fact that they have a large, unaffordable low interest rate "stoopid" loan when in fact the article does not state anywhere the size, length or interest rate of their mortgage. Unless you know their finances better than they do then you are stating your assumption as fact.

Their income is £80k. That's approx £55k after tax. That's approx £4,600 per month. Their mortgage cost is £708 per month. They are not over extended on their mortgage. The numbers don't add up because it's a ridiculous DM fabrication. Sorry that doesn't fit into your "everyone in London has an enormous uncontrollable mortgage" scenario.

Wrong. You are stating your assumption as fact.

£8.5k per year on mortgage interest can hardly be described as a "stoopid big mortgage". We pay a lot more than that every year on rent and would certainly not describe ourselves as being poor. The numbers in the article are a made up nonsense. Typical junk from the DM.

Stiil means they require a minimum deposit of £100k. Not many people have that kind of dosh lying around....even in London.

Wrong. It's based on Gross Income. That's why nobody has seen your "simple fact". Try again.

On the contrary the shares are up 7%. If you strip out PPI they would have made a rather large profit this year. If (and it's still a big if) there are no more major setbacks, ie Libor investigations, then the share price should see a significant gain in 2013. After that if they begin paying a dividend then there should be major upside.

Don't do it. Using reasoned argument will get you nowhere here. Some posters here just aren't interested....not when they have their narrow minded, socially prejudiced agenda to follow.

Not getting an education and doing well for yourself and your family is a "life choice". Should I refuse to pay tax to subsidise other people's dole and tax credits? p.s. £50k-£60k for a single earner family in London does not put them in the wealthy bracket.....far from it. Perhaps it goes a long way in the rest of the country but not here.