Wishful Thinking

It seems the VI's and good old BBC are re-programming us for economic hardships ahead in the new 'post-boom' economic society... Just take a look at the below programmes regarding personal debt problems; 'Bank of Mum and Dad' 'Beat the Bailiff' new series to appear on BBC1 see link below: http://www.debtadvicebureau.org.uk/media-latest.shtml " With UK personal debt now hitting the £1 trillion mark, increasing by a shocking £1 million every four minutes, and with newspaper headlines daily highlighting the plight that debt can cause – BEAT THE BAILIFF – the new BBC1 television series sets out to take a fresh look at the subject, not only by showing how it can easily happen to anyone but also how to deal with the problem if it spirals out of control." Whilst in the property/credit boom we were programmed to invest in property or MEW at all cost etc we are being manipulated into sorting out our increasing levels of debt (which might not be a bad thing). Anyone care to comment, or add to the list of new 'debt' programmes appearing lately in the media - could this be on 'higher' (government) orders???!! Or is it more cynical; it simply makes good viewing... in a sort of morbidly fascinating way. Have a good weekend all!

And Cornwall TR1 - TR12 areas: Q1 2004 618 Q1 2005 332 46.27% down love it....

PL25 - Mid Cornwall 2004 Jan-Mar 159 Sales 2005 Jan-Mar 83 Sales 47.79% drop

They've just announced they're knocking down the multi-storey car park (at long last) can't remember when, but it's sometime this autumn I believe. So they will probably finish that around Xmas then Just in time to leave a nice mess for the Xmas shoppers. I've seen the latest plans for the redevelopment and wasn't too impressed, thought it might look a bit dated in 10-15 years time.

The obsession with owning property is deeply ingrained in the British pshyche.. It's a peculiar British trait which it has taken me many years to try and understand (and I still don't). I think the main reason for this obsession, is the lack of decent alternatives ie. reasonably priced, comfortable rented accommodation with long term security. Many countries in Europe (especially my own country Sweden) renting is no big deal and once you sign a contract (we call it 1st hand contract, you can also sublet this for upto 2 years, then it's called a 2nd hand contract) you can stay as long as you like, nobody can force you to move out - in fact I've never heard of this happening before. Unless of course you are a nuisance to your neighbours or mistreat your place, in which case they could force you out. Landords are (mostly) very professional and owned by big corporations or indeed the council which provides a majority of the rented housing stock in Sweden. Oh, and we don't pay a deposit either!!! Why did I ever leave and come here.... I've noticed a snobbery in this country when you tell people you're renting. It's almost as if you're a different breed of person altogether. Example, we showed a friend around our very pretty rented detached cottage, all our own furniture and all paid for. He was surprised to find we owned everything in the house, why wouldn't we, we live there! Why wouldn't we want to purchase our own 3 piece suite if we wanted to? Don't have to live like a scumbag because you're renting!

Jeez... I can't believe the hassle some people are having in this country trying to rent a decent place and not be ripped off in the bargain! When we signed our first rental agreement we didn't have to pay any fees at all. In fact, I think we must be the luckiest renters in the UK. Been renting since I came to the UK about 12 years ago, never missed a rent payment. NEVER paid deposit and didn't have a rent increase for about 6 years in our previous rental property. In fact, I remember our landlord had tears in his eyes when we said we were moving out since we'd found a nicer place with a huge garden etc. We'd been such good tenants Our present rental cottage is fine, although unmodernised and very reasonably priced for the space we have. Maybe that's why we never got off our arses and tried to scrape a mortage together. By the time we got round to looking at buying a house, the prices had gone insane and we were (are still unfortunately) both on low incomes, so it looks like we're stuck renting for the foresable future (if we decide to stay on in the UK). Still there's more to life than owning a house.. Kirei, I wish you best of luck with finding a better place and landlord. I agree with Topher Bear, it always pays to be honest. I'm sure they will see that you are trustworthy and good tenants.

Anecdotal from village outside Snozzel... Our neighbours house in a highly desirable area outside Snozzel was recently up for sale at £360K. They had a local buyer within a few weeks of it going on sale at the asking price. Surprise, surprise, I've just found out the sale has fallen through as the buyer couldn't raise the finances. Not sure of the circumstances. I think the buyer wanted to let out as holiday accommodation, and was obviously trying to borrow against the value of their existing house, which is run as a luxury B&B. Massive amounts of 'For Sale' boards throughout this area... particularly in and around the clay villages....

BBC keep churning out a positive spin on the housing front. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4081282.stm "The housing market has cooled markedly in the past year, with sales currently 30% lower than a year ago. But with interest rates seemingly stable, activity is slowly picking up. "

What/Who's a Dorothy????

Not if you're earning an average Cornish salary...

Just found out my colleage has purchased a new build 2 beedrom flat for £149K!! It comes with garage apparently, hence the higher price. Absolutetly crazy... I didn't know of her plans or I would have given her my advice, not that I think this would have stopped them. Apparantly, in her words... prices are only going up and up and rent is money down the drain. I feel the larger majority of the population have not got a clue as to what's going on. PS. Sorry this should probably have been posted under - what are prices doing in your area - Don't know if moderater wants to move?

Yep! I've just been taken on permantently though (nick of time!) I think our department is OK. Thanks for the link, I've been searching the net to see when it would hit the media.

The company I work for has just announced around 120 jobs to go!! That's the second redundancy announcement in less than 6 months! :angry:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/4532231.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_d...ml/county24.stm Average of £141.70 for a flat for Christ sake!! Most people here earn around £14K many earn a lot less... it's a tragedy. Rents are extortionate too...

Like it.. spring bounce Could be recorded on webcam for all to enjoy here at this eminent website. I'm getting carried away now...

WHAT ABOUT FLASHMOBBING A PARTICULARLY ANNOYING EA OFFICE? At a set time and date a whole bunch of HPC contributors, friends and family turn up at the same time to a 'handpicked' EA office (probably won't all fit inside mind you) all holding FTB beware leaflets. Perhaps asking the hapless agent(s) for details of an 'affordable' first time buyer property for sale. I guess it would have to be somewhere like London or another large city. Might be fun?

Well said COAB - Chav's seem to be blamed for everything these days, they've become the new whipping boy. Shades of HG Wells Time Machine springs to mind... Chav = Morlock - upper mobile (white) professional (male) = eloi PS. The Morlock were cannibalistic

Hi all, I'm lucky (?) to live in the South West (Cornwall) I don't have much hope for the future. I can't see things changing back to what they were say 10 years ago, when you could have picked up a cottage for £45K. There are so many more wealthy retired people around these days, I fear if the prices were to drop, the 'bargains' would be snapped up quickly by the second home owner brigade or BTL investors. Everybody wants a piece of Cornwall so it seems. It's a far trendier place than before, Newquy airport for easy and cheap access, lots of trendy Hotels and Bars have opened up recently. My vision is of a retired or city slicker (house in the country, flat in London) types populated county. Most of the ambitious young people will have moved away, there will be a severe shortage of 'service' personnel (shop assistants, waitresses etc.) since they won't be able to afford buying or renting in Cornwall, they will move away for a better quality life. You can't live on beautiful views and sandy beaches unfotunately. They will have to import people from feg. Eastern Europe, to service the local economy (clean those pretty 2nd home owner cottages) maybe they can put them up in their garden sheds. Last year there was a lot of writing in the local press about Eastern europeans picking daffodils (the locals won't work for the salaries offered) they were put up in tents (in freezing conditions) rightly complained and were sent home, since they were all illegal anyway. I fear this is the future!!! Sorry for the long rant, but this is an issue I feel strongly about.

Forget agents, rent directly from the owner if you can.

It's even worse... It might be £16K average, but most jobs advertised are around £12K. Just curious... Is there anyone out there living in Cornwall looking to migrate to better paid wage area / cheaper housing in the UK or abroad in the near future???? What makes you stay, or were you lucky to have bought when prices were cheap?

I must be wearing the oldest clothes on this website!! I reckon this must be a record. Found a top I wore first time about 22 years ago... and still wear occasionally today! How time flies... it nearly went into the 'throw away' pile (felt it was too worn to give away to charity) but couldn't bear to throw it away, it still fits nicely after all those years

Right! Did you look at the guys in the photos... not surprised their wifes won't shag them anymore.

Picture this scenario... Seller needs a quick sale, starting to panic, reduces price to 'compete' with house next door already competitively priced. It's now a buyers market.. buyer actively searching out the best deal they can get for their money. Some FTB's have been renting for years... all the time building up a sizeable deposit, do they really want to jump in now? No better wait a bit and see how low it will go.. nothing to loose anyway, quite happy at home with mummy & daddy paying (most of) the bills, still have money left over for holidays etc. What's the rush? There's more to life than owning property. Sellers now getting more panicked by the day.... price drop further... CRASH IS ON.

If this re-banding does go ahead, I know several people in rental properties including myself, that will not be able to pay their bills (or rent). I live in band D cottage, which is expensive enough on a low salary. I really do hope we're not living in the UK at that stage, or else we will be sleeping in the inlaw's garage... Seriously, lots of poor folk in the countryside, subside on less than £15K a year, have not been able to get a foot on the ladder and are renting small cottages, flats etc. and are already paying high rents, due to this being a very pretty, touristy area. What are they going to do? I can see a max exodus from the countryside into the cities, or emigration for many young people. Maybe they will increase our salaries... (not)