uro_who

My letter; I'm a surgeon. If we get together to find out what we're all charging and to then use that information to set prices it's a cartel and illegal. If rightmove does the same thing, collect together a load of asking prices from Estate Agents isn't that the same thing? http://www.rightmove.co.uk/template/public...boutus%2CAVM.vm Although you could argue that it might be in the benefit of the vendor to get a higher price, most are purchasing a further and likely even more overpriced house, all first time buyers are making an initial purchase and likely to be disadvantaged. Greater confidence in pricing has been shown to increase prices. Therefore it acts against the consumer. I would be very grateful if you could look into this and the other pricing models which are cropping up in this sector. Although Rightmove as market leader are clearly the most important. Kind regards,

I'm a surgeon. If we get together to find out what we're all charging and to then use that information to set prices it's a cartel and illegal. If rightmove does the same thing, collect together a load of asking prices from Estate Agents isn't that the same thing? Although you could argue that it might be in the benefit of the vendor to get a higher price, most are purchasing a further and likely even more overpriced house. Therefore it acts against the consumer. I think we all ought to report this model and all others to the office of fair trading. I have so can you. Director of Cartel Investigations, Simon Williams on 020 7211 8117 or email simon.williams@oft.gsi.gov.uk and http://www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_resources...cartels/confess

Like the sig Ash. One rainy day, with nothing on the telly would be great if you could visit the BoE site and put 1965-2007 on your graph. SHow's even more clearly how low interest rates are at the mo. (Sadly it's only in pdf and I don't own acrobat). Cheers.

I've just emailed rightmove to tell them how much it benefitted their own traffic and service and requested that they lay off PS. Might be good if some others could join in.

I hope they get it sorted, its a brilliant resource, so much so that I offered some cash to keep it running (and I'm seriously tight). I agree it is a benefit for the agents, what's the purpose of reducing a property if not to attract more sellers, hence the new price sticker on the adverts. Can surely only help to increase volumes.

Just shows you the pernicious effect of property porn. March is almost 9 months away! Yet on TV it's still all glowing for the property developer and auction houses are bursting with happy punters getting wealthier with each new IO mortgage they take out. Our auctions in Derbyshire have dropped to about 50-60% with prices on terraces down from 100k last year to 60-70k now. Local removals firm however told me they were fully booked till September. Maybe its all repossessions and downsizing!

I called my usual removal company to check on business near me (Derbyshire) still busy they said. In fact booked until the end of August. C heered myself up by explaining to myself that all of these are probably deals that started April/May. Wonder how busy they'll be come November December?

HOw does owning 3 homes and only living in one, whilst we know that they're aren't enough houses to go round sit with 'Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal'. Matthew 6:19-34 Not much point in paying a tithe if you don't follow the principles. Seems a very middle ages papist sort of religious belief to me.

There you go even the Bible is anti BTL

This was the front page news on the evening standard and evening said 'it will be alarming news for GB's new government and raises the risk of a housing crash' so there

It already is for lots of postcodes/regions around the UK. If you look at http://www.houseprices.uk.net/articles/odpm_regional/ the effect of Northern Ireland and London will however keep the overall picture looking very different. What remains to be seen is whether the investment money that has bought new build property in London (60% of new build purchases investment) will continue to come with world interest rates rising. And if the traditional ripple effect will get any further than Esher. I for one doubt it this time round. In my locality of DE6 prices are already 11x average incomes, can't see how they'll increase with borrowing costs increasing.

Actually baz if you look at http://www.houseprices.uk.net/articles/odpm_regional/ you can see that prices in the west midlands and even more in the east midlands have been dodgy. The east midlands dropping recently. These are average prices and at the top end of the maket sellers are struggling. Rather oddly people are less likely to borrow huge amounts of money if it looks like the rug is shortly to be pulled. When you include the fact that these are from earlier in the year and sentiment has if anything worsened I think that these figures will be much more impressive in the autumn. It also interesting to see the effect of the mistaken reduction in interest rates and it's effect on house prices, it was about to go TU and then the turbo kicked in for a time!

No don't think so. Labour Perspective Who needs houses and can't afford them - young people - ex students On the whole the young vote left rather than right so no benefit there Older middle class voters have put labour in power - upset their BTL's ouch good bye Gordon Everyone is petrified of upsetting middle England. They currently hold the balance of power. Cameron's overtures regarding green matters etc. are designed to woo the younger voters away from the red flag. They are not daft and will have already run focus groups on those who are priced out of the market and you can bet your bottom dollar that it doesn't stack up. If it did they'd both have it as a policy already! Hence all of the nonsense about increasing home building etc, make the right noises and blame the lack of progress on those selfish builders. It's the same as fill the NHS with a huge number of clipboard holders and internal market nonsense and when it all fails to deliver increased productivity it's the greedy doctors.

I know a women who as a young nurse bought a flat with a friend the last time this all happened back in the late 80's. The rush was to get on the housing ladder and all the newspapers said the only way to do it is buy with a friend, borrow from mum and dad etc. All the same stuff as you read now. Her and her friend had to go there seperate ways, and she couldn't then afford the mortgage. The house was re-possessed and she was left with her share of the debt. It took about 8 years of working in Saudi Arabia (which she hated) to get back to zero. Ok this time it'll be different - declare yourself bankrupt - easy. I suggest you watch how quickly the government change the bankruptcy laws if this truly gets nasty. The IVA - bankruptcy rug will be pulled out from under our feet quicker than you can say debtors prison. Who do you think runs this country - those with the cash stupid.

Great, just what I need a steady supply of hose. But how do I hide it from my wife?

They look alright for a student bloke. But look at the size of the wardrobe, how's the average women going to cope with that, wouldn't even fit her shoes in it.

It's bound to be the threat of legal action, I'll happily pledge some cash if needed, anyone else?

that's a real shame is was a superb resource for haggling

I'm not keen to buy but I have found a place which comes as a package of 2 houses and a bit of land. One of the houses would be bought by a family member and the other by me at a cost of 2.5x me and mrs uro_who's income. We can afford it, it would be bloody nice and if it comes off we'll do it. But said family member has to sell their house first, I therefore for the first time in 4 years find myself yearning for a BTL to do the decent thing and buy an overpriced shoe box so that a little further up the greasy pole we can move! If it doesn't come off we'll continue to place offers at sensible prices until someone accepts!

The article was the 'standard' poor quality. It said that the bonuses were the cause of the increase and then went on to say how many houses were bought by foreigners as investments. This is the real reason why we are short of houses, nothing to do with increasing life expectancy etc. Its limited stock with individuals owing multiple houses. And before anyone says strawberry pickers (ie. immigrants) there's no way they'd buy the houses at the current prices, they rent at way lower than the mortgage cost.

What is this TV of which you speak? Amongst listen again wireless programmes, podcasts and t'internet how can you find time to sit down and stare at a small box without moving for hours on end?

Just read on the beeb website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_d...s/html/37uj.stm that prices in West Bridgeford (where the cricket is etc) are down 5% this quarter on 636 sales. That's an annual crash speed of 20% and another interest rise has been piled on since these figures were gathered. Nice.

Ah, and they lead to prostate problems, vasectomy(or reversal), and bladder cancer. And that helps to keep me in business.

I don't want to take on a mortgage of any size! Especially one thats 3 times more than my rental without bringing any improvement in quality of life (including on costs).

two weeks ago I toyed with the idea of buying the sort of palatial mansion that a man of my standing should own. Obviously it entailed a huge mortgage. Then I worked out the stamp duty, insurance, life cover, blaa, blaa and at was clearly bonkers. I looked at keeping more of my deposit and increasing the mortgage and the nationwide gaily told me that they would lend me up to £850k (what??!!). 90% LTV, no problem. Then the 25 year rate was withdrawn (still not come back) and 10 year fix re-adjusted. Suddenly 85% LTV is the max. So my spending power (via borrowing) is reduced. More to come? Don't panic, I was never serious. Changing sentiments all around, rising interest rates, tightening credit, I wonder what might happen?