Thank God For Housepricecrash

[Elizabeth]

I am coming to the end of my time on this fair isle, plundered by the rich and the odious in the same feudal way that it has been plundered, for eons. Only the names and the bloodlines have changed. The Tallyhoo princes and hunting set have been replaced by the bland university educated 'creatives' using every fly by night pop American Managment technique. 'Blue Sky Thinking' or 'Thin Air Management?'. You decide.

Vampires abound in the hallowed halls of the 'management classes' everywhere. Behaving as the controling elite have always behaved, giving nothing to the peasants and the minions but demanding that the peasants pledge loyalty to their contaminated logic and mad 'innovative' practices, and be their pawns to protect their exhalted jobs and pay, like tin soldiers in the time of plastic.

It is this apparachic manager class that has driven the boom as much, if not more, than anyone else, by devising schemes such as Share Buy and Key Worker flats to allow the spiral to continue to develop when supply had outstripped demand at the level of money supply available. Without these schemes it is likely the whole thing would have halted in 2004, and possibly slid down in a glide rather than plummeted to a heap.

Anyone who knows my posts will know that I have recently left my job due to bullying from my previous manager. Hence a jaundice. But during the past 2 years at work in I have been constantly exhorted to buy a house. 'Security' they said, 'Property won't go down' they said 'Share buy' they said. 'There won't be a crash'. Well I do work in housing, so they have a bit of a vested interest.

So I said 'I can't afford it'. Now that really upset them "What do you mean? you can afford it" (in that cajoling tone that suggests that the magnitude of the decision is similiar to a decision around whether you should get that second packet of crisps at the pub) "you don't want to rent for ever".

What I had learned not to say was "I can't afford the negative equity in 2 years time". It just caused too much ill will to pop so many bubbles before the inevitable march of circular economic fate got in the way (of course they would be better off financially if they had heeded my advice but it would have gone against the social contract in the place not to join the club of vested interests in home ownership, modest ambitions propping up grandiosity)

Anyway, I dunno, something always stopped me. Beyond the general sense that this had to be a bubble (and anyone who worked in 'DotCom' had an insight into bubbles that perhaps was missing elsewere), things did not feel right at work from the very start.

If I had felt alright about my boss maybe, but she always made me feel a bit queasy. There was just something not right. (it started very early when she told me I had done a 'brilliant interview' when I knew that it had been frankly mediocre. It just didn't feel right. She also managed, within a week of knowing me, to convince a good longstanding mutual friend to try and confront me about 'an alcohol problem' even though I barely drink. That I thought a little weird Why didn't I just trust my gut and run right back to the big smoke?). But the thing is, if I had bought:

• I would be in massive negative equity now
  
• I would not have any option but to stay and be 'performance managed' around her incompetence
  
• I would probably be considering the potential of one of the local car parks as a launching pad (I did briefly - that was the night I decided to quit)
  

So I surrounded myself with House Price Crash advice instead and weathered the badgering and the demand that I act like a 'normal person' and expose myself to the whimsies of fate and the global economy because 'more expert' people than me (ie. those with more kudos and better pay) put forward the social demand that my bank account be subject to their life aspirations and the goverment's need for more suckers to feed the spiral.

Actually because of housepricecrash I was able to meet a completely atypical personal life aspiration that goes something like "never seeing that bitch again as long as I live so will ensure I have a long string of good days... with a few bad days, but that is just life". Its a shame I can't keep my new job (which is unfortunately far too close to the old job) but shite happens.

But I could only meet that life aspiration because I made an independent decision, outside of social demand

NOT TO COMMIT TO SOMETHING I COULDN'T AFFORD TO WALK AWAY FROM.

A HOUSE IS ONLY A BLOODY BUIDING

Keeping that perspective against social pressure was the great decision of my life.

FINANCIALLY, SOCIALLY, ASPIRATIONALLY, NOT BUYING A HOUSE WAS THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE...

did I add SPIRITUALLY. Spiritually, not buying a house prevented me from turning into a complacent, self congratulatory git with no soul but pebble finish on the front of my house.

[Darkman]

Nice post

[drrayjo]

You didn't let them grind you down

Well done

[bimyo]

I feel the same

[It's a good size]

Good for you! Been in similar work situations and felt much happier knowing I could walk away without a mortgage shackling me to the desk. This website has been frighteningly ahead of the wave...

[Frank Hovis]

Result!

HPC has some extreme views floating about, but you ignore the consensus at your peril. Herd mentality works if the individual members are clever.

I could see buying a house was a bad idea, and this site gave me some stats to rebut the inevitable "are you still renting?" questions.

[Thread Killer]

Yes I would like to add my thanks to the collective known as housepricecrash.co.uk

It prevented me from losing around £30K (so far) on a property I would otherwise have bought.

Instead I managed to blow £30K on the markets in the past year.

Frying pan and fire come to mind.

[council dweller]

Yes.

.....leaving the country? Where are you going?

[eightiesgirly]

It always amazes me that a lot of people seem to think they can run your life better than you can, especially when their own is a mess.

Advice is free, action costs.

[buzzardo]

But I could only meet that life aspiration because I made an independent decision, outside of social demand

NOT TO COMMIT TO SOMETHING I COULDN'T AFFORD TO WALK AWAY FROM.

A HOUSE IS ONLY A BLOODY BUIDING

Keeping that perspective against social pressure was the great decision of my life.

FINANCIALLY, SOCIALLY, ASPIRATIONALLY, NOT BUYING A HOUSE WAS THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE...

did I add SPIRITUALLY. Spiritually, not buying a house prevented me from turning into a complacent, self congratulatory git with no soul but pebble finish on the front of my house.

+1

Except I wouldn't have put it so eloquently. And I'm stuck here for family reasons.

Best wishes for your future... Have a large drink for me somewhere nice

B

Edited: to snip some stuff out of the OP, and take up less space...

Edited January 29, 2009 by buzzardo

[deadman]

Permission to kick the shit out of your old boss Liz?

I turned down a substantial redundancy package 18 months ago because of this site and avoided wasting 75k on a house.

Rock on.

[eric pebble]

Permission to kick the shit out of your old boss Liz?

I turned down a substantial redundancy package 18 months ago because of this site and avoided wasting 75k on a house.

Rock on.

I just hope there are lots of people out there like the OP Elizabeth and you, Deadman.

Sigh...

http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/ind...mp;#entry152647

My post in July 2005 when I warned all potential FTBs to NOT buy [and I thought the "market" was turning then.... ]. Makes me weep just reading that 2005 post now......

Edited January 29, 2009 by eric pebble

[deadman]

(((((((Hugs Eric)))))))

[tinker]

Good for you Elizabeth. HPC is great, I see you went all Eric in the end.

Your former boss sounds like a right cow, typical useless empire builder, full of hot air and displacement strategies to cover up their own inadequacies..

Give us the nod and we'll send the boys round.

Good luck with whatever you're planning.

PS - check your bold spelling 'building'.

[keef]

Yes I would like to add my thanks to the collective known as housepricecrash.co.uk

Agreed. I've made at least £40k over the last 18 months thanks to the smart advice from folk who've posted on this site (sell house, rent, stick proceedings in high interest bond, etc.)

I owe some people a pint.

[the anti krust]

I must admit that while I don't agree with all the big 60% crash idea's the sites helped me.

I was a classic victim of HPI. My house went up so much I did start to feel like I actually HAD the money in my pocket.

Credit cards and flexible mortgage trying to ram money down my throat all the time. I was getting a bit carefree with the spending. The sites done me good. I stopped spending and paid the cards off.

I'll always thank you lot for that.

Well played Sibley & to Liz too.

HPC kicks ass.

Edit: Sibley- let us know when you save some cash too, lol.

Edited January 30, 2009 by the anti krust

[Frank Hovis]

I must admit that while I don't agree with all the big 60% crash idea's the sites helped me.

I was a classic victim of HPI. My house went up so much I did start to feel like I actually HAD the money in my pocket.

Credit cards and flexible mortgage trying to ram money down my throat all the time. I was getting a bit carefree with the spending. The sites done me good. I stopped spending and paid the cards off.

I'll always thank you lot for that.

Sibley! <gasp> <goes for lie down>

Um.. well done.

[50%deposit]

if only more people would stabd up to the corporate lies and financial tyranny of the established norm.

[Captain Cavey]

I must admit that while I don't agree with all the big 60% crash idea's the sites helped me.

I was a classic victim of HPI. My house went up so much I did start to feel like I actually HAD the money in my pocket.

Credit cards and flexible mortgage trying to ram money down my throat all the time. I was getting a bit carefree with the spending. The sites done me good. I stopped spending and paid the cards off.

I'll always thank you lot for that.

OMG!!!

Is this the contrarian shoeshine moment and time to buy, or just the end of the anger and into acceptance phase?

[Umiapik]

Good for you! Been in similar work situations and felt much happier knowing I could walk away without a mortgage shackling me to the desk. This website has been frighteningly ahead of the wave...

This has always been one of my big worries about taking out a mortgage. Because I've never bought a house (and have kept my personal possessions to a minimum), I've always been able to pack up and move easily and at short notice. Over the past 5 years, this has been massively useful to me, as I've been able to move around the country, chasing the best jobs I can find. In that time, I've increased my salary by approx 150%! (admittedly, from a low base )

If I'd shackled myself with a house, I'd still be stuck in the same series of low-paid jobs in my hometown!

[winkie]

Good luck to you Elizabeth, spoken from the heart, people that bully others are sad unhappy individuals and will never win, sometimes bad things happen for a reason. You are now the real winner.

[Freeholder]

I must admit that while I don't agree with all the big 60% crash idea's the sites helped me.

I was a classic victim of HPI. My house went up so much I did start to feel like I actually HAD the money in my pocket.

Credit cards and flexible mortgage trying to ram money down my throat all the time. I was getting a bit carefree with the spending. The sites done me good. I stopped spending and paid the cards off.

I'll always thank you lot for that.

He was lost and is found. Luke 15:24

[shindigger]

Good for you! Been in similar work situations and felt much happier knowing I could walk away without a mortgage shackling me to the desk. This website has been frighteningly ahead of the wave...

Yup.

And that scares the crap out of me tbh.

[Elizabeth]

Lot of lovely points, and I have to say to all those people who have offered to go around and settle with my ex-boss, I would take you up on it if I thought I could get away with it (and SOD the morality!) The other draw back is one of the the two following scenarios would no doubt occur:

• You guys would all get round to her place with all the best of intentions and be dazzled by her stunning smile (she actually has the most stunningly beautiful smile whenever she is planning something really nasty - I got to the point where I would get this stunning smile and think 'hmmm. That was an amazingly beautiful smile. What are you planning for me now?') and then you would be distracted by her still crackingly good legs at 54 (shown off to perfection in her little red man-bamboozling tartan skirt). If you got past the psychopath trap of feigned but perfect emotional expression and engagement, then.
  

• We would probably be caught and I would be locked up for a long time! Of course I've got to say that in this country I would no doubt get community service, and she would get to commission a bleeding heart religiously driven service for me, that lies on its performance returns, and pillorises anyone but practicing christians, and joining in unholy alliance with this skull bearing vampire, would judge me as wicked and help me sort out 'my huge personal changes' - all in the name of Best Practice - she would then hold case conferences with them like some sadist mother, where she would tell everyone that it was tragic how I lost it after all the support she had given me.
  

• SOMETIMES ITS JUST BEST TO RUN LIKE A HUNTED DOG! I think I will just skip it and find some other cheese! (PS, don't get me wrong, i quite like Christians, just not these particular trolls disguised in nazareen robes!)
  

Good post Elizabeth and good luck.

But about herds and all that...

I was thinking about this the other day. It is interesting that we are able to pick our herd. So you rejected the consensus and sought 'confirmation' on hpc. So you have nothing to thank hpc for. You did it yourself.

But beware that because you have agreement with hpc, that it doesn't subtly change your independent thought processes without you realising. That is how you get a herd mentality. So you could at some point in the (distant) future miss out on the benefits of home ownership because of your repudiation at a time in your life and backed by inappropraite advice received from hpc.

Keep your independence.

Thanks for that. I do agree, and the point you make is about time I believe, and about being able to analyse the moment against the ideas within it. We live in circular economic time, and at another moment in economic time, and another moment in my life it would quite possibly be the wrong decision.

Yup.

And that scares the crap out of me tbh.

Thing is, despite their sometime extreme reactivity, Tin Foil Hats have their own wisdom. Never throw out the seed, just weed the outgrowth at the sides of the path!

And on that final point about Ericisation of the page, Yep, I too was found (also Luke 15.24)! ERIC MATE you are a gem.

Deadman too. LuvYa mate.

[deadman]

Your boss does have a lovely smile, Liz