No Muggy Bear

This is what I am hoping to do in five years time. I don't want a s*****y pad straight off. I want something in a family area where most work and thats it. Live there for 5-10 years and save the money you would be paying on the mortgage and plough it into the next property. Only thing is, unless House Prices come down by 50%, I will be only able to buy in a crime riddled area. I was going to buy a house in 2000 for £25k, which I worked out I would be able to pay off easily in 5-10 years but I had personal setbacks which prevented me from buying and I got stuck in the renting game. A friend of mine managed to buy a run down cottage in a rural setting for £25k in 1994 and he did it up, paid the money back to the bank within 5 years. Hey presto, he was mortgage free. I wouldn't mind doing something like that in the future. Not to make a profit, but to get somewhere cheap, make it suit your taste, and be able to buy it cash.

£40bn, thats a lot of money, tax payers money, that has helped some get onto the property ladder. I have looked into Council housing in Leeds as I was interested to see if there was any decent family areas that still hadn't been snapped up. Its amazing how many council houses are now going on the free market for £200k. Doesn't seem right somehow, these were built with the intention of giving families somewhere to live that didn't charge crazy rent, if they wasn't in a position to buy (sounds like todays market?) Check this out and this

I wrote to the Labour govt, Conservatives and local govt (Lib Dems) regarding the BTL crisis and to ask what they are doing about the lack of social housing. Heres the letter I sent to Leeds council: Please address the following questions: What is the Leeds council doing about the Buy To Let crisis? Do they see it as a good thing? I have been priced out of my area, if there was more control over the Buy to let industry, I feel that I would stand a better chance of owning my own home, rather than going for the pathetic new proposal Gordon Brown has offered first time buyers. Why are landords not responsible for the council tax? Really they should pay it as it is their property. This would put most landlords off, who are in it for a quick buck. Also I believe that a house even when empty, should pay council tax, unless it is in the process of being sold. This would make landlords reconsider the profits they can gain, as they would be responsible for this along with void periods. There are so many investors of the housing market, but they don't invest in the local area at all, all they do is price out first time buyers and lower the standard of the area. When will the council make better provisions for students? If they have cheaper accomodation, it will make Leeds more attractive to students and move the control away from landlords who offer substandard accomodation, no good for students and no good for residents. Why is there a shortage of council housing? We ought to address this problem, stop selling the remaining stock or at least replace the sold stock. Please respond and tell me what you are doing to make housing fairer for all. I have a well paid job and put money into this government, but I am getting nothing back in return. I lot of would be first time buyers are thinking of leaving the country, or have already left. Is this what the government wants? Who knows, I have no faith left in this country I have not heard back from them yet (will still be on holiday after Bank Hol Monday?). But the Labour Party got back to me (I did change a few bits in the original letter so that it was relevant to the Labour govt. but the bones of all the letters were all the same): Thank you for your email expressing concern at depletion of social housing stock. Labour continues to be committed to improving the social housing stock for those who require it, as demonstrated by our record. Since 1997 we have reduced the number of non-decent homes by 1m and improved the private rented sector. We are committed to investment of £2bn by 2007/08 double the 1997 level, meaning an extra 10,000 units pa for the next 3 years. £7bn is being invested between 2004-06 to improve council housing – more than double what it was in 1997 However, it is the case that home ownership has increased by 1m under Labour, largely thanks to a stable economy and low interest rates. Over 70% now own their own home, and 90% say that they would like to. But with rising house prices (houses used to cost 3.5 times annual salary, now they cost six times) in many areas of the country, many people on lower incomes have been priced out of the market. Addressing this issue is not just a housing problem – it's a matter of fairness, opportunity and social justice. By giving more people the chance to own or buy a stake in their home we will widen opportunity and narrow the wealth gap between those with housing assets and those without. 'Homes for All' offers a comprehensive package of schemes to help more people become homeowners. It includes: · New 'Homebuy' scheme offering up to 300,000 council and housing association tenants the opportunity to buy part of their home, increasing their share over time if they wish. It will be targeted at tenants who cannot afford the full cost of Right to Buy or who don't have the Right to Buy. It will also protect the social housing stock, because social landlords will have first refusal to buy the home back if the owner moves on to the private sector. · New 'First Time Buyers Initiative' to help over 15,000 first time buyers who could not own or part own a home without extra help. We will use surplus public land for new homes, enabling the buyer to take out a mortgage for only the building. · Strengthen existing home ownership schemes, such as the Key Worker Living scheme and Shared Ownership. · 'Homebuy' is not a replacement to Right to Buy, which will continue to be available to 80% of social tenants. We believe RTB helps boost homeownership and promote mixed communities, but the scheme is costly (total cost of RTB since 1980 is over £40bn) and in high demand areas has exacerbated shortages of affordable homes. You can find further information on the our housing policies by clicking on the link below: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odp...using_page.hcsp Thank you again for contacting us. Regards, The Labour Party Please feel free to rip this to bits. I will get back to them once I can think of what to put so I come across as well researched and not just someone with a catalogue of hearsay.

I doubt very much that the Doncaster blah blah airport is going to keep prices static never mind anything else. Actual prices have fallen in Doncaster, thats from the countless research I and a few people with VI's have underaken in the last couple of months. Not going to release info on a website, but dig a bit deeper and you will see it for yourself Faithman, and take it from someone who knows Donny very well. Its gonna crash big style. wages are not that great in Donny. Wage statistics look good on paper, but that wealth is gleaned from white van workers travelling outside the area. I had a £10k pay rise by moving to Leeds, didn't want the hassle of commuting, plus theres nowt in Donny (apart from a future new crop spraying service and a future bargain outlet mall)

Yes and hamster cages come with wheel you can run around in all day, I don't see Redrow offering anything like that…

Name of programme: Holiday homes from Hell? Love how they use anything nowadays to instill fear and amuse the general public. This one will get my vote however, as I feel for all those poor bug@ars in Spain who have been priced out by our ex pats. Imagine how unpopular they will be? If our HPI was due to a bunch of foreign holiday makers I would be p1ssed right off. But then again, hold up? I believe this has happened in Brighton etc. Now can we resurect some skanky East London wide boys to start up a racket down there?

Thing is, I could have bought a 3 bed semi in Doncaster for that only 4 years ago, and I thought they were over priced then! We need family homes for 55-75k to sort out this housing mess. Thats 3 x salary of average working folk.

I have just gone off on one, posting to ll the major political parties and the the council. Prbably won't get a reply. This is what I've put, on reflection it doesn't sound that authoritive or well thought out. It was more a frustrated blurb than anything else, here it is if you want to read it, this is the email sent to the council planning dept: Please address the following questions: What is the Leeds council doing about the Buy To Let crisis? Do they see it as a good thing? I have been priced out of my area, if there was more control over the Buy to let industry, I feel that I would stand a better chance of owning my own home, rather than going for the pathetic new proposal Gordon Brown has offered first time buyers. Why are landords not responsible for the council tax? Really they should pay it as it is their property. This would put most landlords off, who are in it for a quick buck. Also I believe that a house even when empty, should pay council tax, unless it is in the process of being sold. This would make landlords reconsider the profits they can gain, as they would be responsible for this along with void periods. There are so many investors of the housing market, but they don't invest in the local area at all, all they do is price out first time buyers and lower the standard of the area. When will the council make better provisions for students? If they have cheaper accomodation, it will make Leeds more attractive to students and move the control away from landlords who offer substandard accomodation, no good for students and no good for residents. Why is there a shortage of council housing? We ought to address this problem, stop selling the remaining stock or at least replace the sold stock. Please respond and tell me what you are doing to make housing fairer for all. I have a well paid job and put money into this government, but I am getting nothing back in return. I lot of would be first time buyers are thinking of leaving the country, or have already left. Is this what the government wants? Who knows, I have no faith left in this country. Its only a small effort but at least someone gets to hear my rants, besides you lot!

To be honest, I am dreading having a mortgage, because thats when the real treadmil of life kicks in. You can't move and get somewhere cheaper/more suitable in the timeframe you can like when you are renting. I want to save a good enough deposit (about 50k) and either keep on renting or buy something for the money, then you only have to worry about the bills and hey presto, the good life! All this talk of leaving the country, whilst I love an adventure, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else permanently, so I am a bit stuffed. Unless I get to an age where I KNOW its not gonna happen, this buying game I mean, I might go and live in the jungle!

Good advice, Japhy, its going to be a long wait, a couple more years, but enjoy your freedom whilst you can - you won't be able to when you have a mortgage! I think in ten years time we will all look back on this and think "Did I really spend so much time on an internet forum talking about House Prices???"

RFD, okay, put it into perspective, you are alive, you have no restraints, you can move to where ever you like, you are saving money, you can do things like NOT pay! (can't do that so easily when you've put down roots). Its not so easy to think like that i know. i think the same as you and it gets me down from time to time. i must think about my situation at least once a day, which i am sure, a psychologist would deem as obsessional. On the other hand, when you are having a sh!t day at work, you can toy with the idea of getting out of your seat, smacking the bast$rds, and walking out victoriously ( ). You can't do that with a mortgage (okay, you can but you would sh!t yourself the next day!) Don't let them get you down. I had a dream the other day where my dad was talking to me 'Look where you live, its a sh1thole. Bite the bullet and buy somewhere, its always been hard and you don't earn that good a salary, be happy with what you have got in life, theres no point worrying about the future'. Probably was my other half of the brain kicking in. Then I mulled it over and came up with so many reasons to not go down that path, the answer was I was doing the right thing. People will think I am crazy for renting a one bed flat when I could afford to rent a 'luxury' residence. Me, I know that I will win this in one of two ways: 1. House prices will come down and my deposit I am saving will mean I can buy a better place for the money verses the mortgage I could get, 2. House prices will stagnate and my deposit I am saving will mean I can buy a better place for the money verses the mortgage I could get Win/Win!

Thats gone on my list of favourites in my browser. Wait till Mr No Muggy gets in, he will be hot footing it down to Wilkos in no time!

Not sure of that one! Its a new account so that work probably printed a while ago. Unfortunately, I can't cash in on the comps side of things being part of the marketing team. Shame cos we did the Charlie and the chocolate factory promotion on the Nestle merchandise. If only the prize was to meet our Johnny Depp, I would have got in there!

Lou G, contact Towlers at www.Towlers.net They have good rents in Leeds, good rates too. Mostly deal with flats but have some good houses if you keep your eyes peeled. They were offering me a 4 bed house in Headingley, a vicarage for 500p/m. Only thing was, it was for 6 months guaranteed, I was looking for something which would guarantee a longer tenancy, or I would have been in there like a shot. Fantastic location, massive gardens, slightly quirky as each room had a toilet and wash basin (for the clergymen, when it was habited by the cloth!). Pretty cool gaff, but it's worth ringing them as they don't update their website often. They do rents in Adel, which would be closer to where you live now, but they do rent all over the Leeds area. Try them!

I am a pro hoody wearer. I have three hoody tops. this makes me a real chav. I will be going round the estate agents this weekend to do my bit for the good of the crash.

Thanks Burnt before for the link And thanks to TheChuz for your loyalty! Baked beans rock!

Where did you get this news? I currently am working on Heinz packaging, especially the Weight Watchers range, so I am interested to see how this pans out! OK. I've found it but I can't access all the info. Bug@ar!

This guy knows he is talking rubbish. Why would someone want to own more than one house? Because he is an international jet setter, because he is the Royal family and wants to spend Christmas at Balmoral? No. Because they think of it as an investment. why do you think that there has been a big downturn of pension contributions? Because there has not been the growth, the growth HAS been in property, and lo, people invested. That is why people own two houses or more. They believe it will see them into a good retirement. When there is a mass supply in houses on the market the prices are driven lower due to competition. Thus creating the same drive as the market was when it was going up, it goes the same way with fear and greed forcing it down. Simple. People will 'lean down' if they believe they will not get the same price for goods tomorrow as they paid yesterday. They will off load! And they are now all over the country. You are SAD SAD SAD!!!! HA HA AH HA HA!!!

Thats his cover blown, wait till he gets back in here, he will have questions to answer!

Well it is in the top 5 of their league of petitions today!

Leeds have had a maildrop through the door today - urging them onto the property ladder through one of Bellways 'great' deals! Go for option 1: Pay only £111,996 for 2 bed apartment, Pudsey (usually £139,995 but with 80% off). Pay the remaining 20% over 10 years. Option 2: 100% Part Ex at full market value for 2, 3 and 4 bed homes. Other deals are on the back of the flyer: Option 1: 10% more for your old home in part ex.* Option 2: FTBers £99 move in (Deposit and legal fees paid)* Option 3: Up to £15k in cash discount.* *Small print: Available on selected plots only. (The ones that have been sitting around for a while?) Another catch? You must bring in the flyer to claim these offers. Bit like those Domino flyers you get posted through the door. You can smell the panic! www.bellways.co.uk No sign of the deals on the website though! Are you tempted?

Ha ha! Lets bombard them and stuff up their switchboards! How did you do it? Wheres the number?

Yes, does this mean that the 48 hour week will be abolished? Will it mean that we won't have to keep subsidising the Brussells Gravy Train?

The point is that FTBers are striking because they have to. You physically can't get a mortgage for the shoebox, never mind the house you actually want. So it is self perpetuating. We have no choice but to stay out of the market, hence this 'radical new move' ahem. It smells of desperation and every first time buyer will know this (I hope!). It will be interesting to see how many FTBers will go for this new scheme. But as someone pointed out, it is too little too late, as by the time this deal comes to fruition, the crash will be well on the way and this deal, which will take years to be brought through legislation, will be a white elephant and a joke for the future. Although it would be pretty cool to get in the media, just to stuff Gordon in the youknowwhat!

My dad has been decorating out some flats in Pudsey, he told me they were being sold for £65k. Whats the catch? You only own 1/2. Seems like the news is slow to let on again. Not that I would buy a flat for £65k anyway. OK for some but I want a house with a garden, Oh, I'm just being picky...