Bobajobbob

Long walk

Not entirely as these children will potentially be contributing to your state pension when you retire.

I love the deluded couple who bought a flat for £150k, were told it was worth £750k at the height of the bubble, tried to sell and didn't get a single offer. Now rather than simply drop the price to a more attractive or realistic level they are trying to sell 10,000 lottery tickets at £75 a pop to get their £750k. To date they have sold 2000 in a year or so which is in itself a miracle. How long will they wait to sell the other 8000?

Given it is only an additional 5 minutes to the station that looks like astonishing "value" for the area. I can't see how big the plot is from the web site but I can only assume it is not as big as it looks and the house itself must be pretty small. It looks too good to be true so I suspect there is a hidden reason for the price.

Since when has a Repo trade been a derivative?

European banks can go to the Fed for € liquidity at EONIA +50bps? The Fed is going to print for the ECB?

When I sold my house I asked for and was given a clause to the effect that in the event that I found a private buyer I would pay the EA zilch. It is pretty standard practise I believe.

Is there anything else that I can help yourself with .... at all?

Give it a few months and move to Greece. Civilisation will rise from those ashes again and the sun will be shining.

I'll believe that when I see it.

Someone earning £150k a year is already paying more than 50% in income tax once you factor in NI etc. They are unlikely to burden the national health system, use state schooling or commit crime. If they bought a house for more than £1 million then they have paid 5% in tax (£50K +) simply for exchanging a contract. I am all for lowering the cost of housing but the politics of envy from those that haven't to those that they perceive to have gets my goat. The tax burden in this country is ridiculously high and complicated and should be reduced. If someone buys a house "worth £2m" with a mortgage then do they pay any mansion tax on the equity in the property or the total value of the house? If the bank effectively owns the house shouldn't the bank pay the tax?

More city accumulated wealth in Kent/Hampshire whereas Middlesex is older money?

Getting married ruins future sex life not stretched parts.

For what it is worth I am currently short gold and long platinum, effectively buying the spread between the two. A couple of days ago the prices were nigh on the same. I.e. you could buy an ounce of platinum for the same price as an ounce of gold. Historically the spread between the two averages about $400 and peaked at $1200 just before the crisis. How long will the distortion in the market caused by the massive demand for gold last and will gold eventually become more valuable than platinum? Who knows but I don't think so and I am happy to buy the spread.

I grew up in Wolvercote. Ugly house but my back garden was Port Meadow and my views were the dreaming spires. Quiet little village in North Oxford but if you can find a house facing the meadow it is hard to beat. Short drive to Summertown or Oxford city centre.