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HOLA441
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HOLA442
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/business/m...1b4c454b1ff.lpf

The area is also awash with BTL 2 bedroom 'deluxe' properties

Pace of building has slowed down considerably on them and they're not shifting

Their frontpage is quite good:

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/

Main Headline reads:

Price crash sparks housing fears

"Don't panic" plea from agents

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HOLA443
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HOLA444
When is that huge development close to the Cinema supposed to be finished by? It seems like an enormously risky project at present.

(Cineworld I mean, not the Picturehouse)

I assume you mean the housing development on the site of the old Carphone Warehouse (not the leisure site itself).

I do not know when that is due to be complete but it would not suprise me if all the flats are snapped up by London commuters as it is so close to the station and only 45 minutes away from London by train.

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HOLA445

That's the one that I'm referring to.

They've really slowed down on that one.

In the summer the one on Rustat Road (The GAllery II) seemed to have slowed and they were offereing big discounts but now they're not advertising so heavily and seemed to have finished it. I think they're hoping for a slight bounce with the IR cut but for the location they seem v expensive at 250K.

The one near the cinema - well , I can't see that being finished before christmas - unless demand really picks up.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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HOLA446
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HOLA447

I've been looking around Cambridge over the past 18 months. I've noticed that a lot of the new builds have not completely sold out, but there always seems to be enough of an interest in them. As a matter of routine now, I register my interest, go along and have a look at the plans and seem to immediately get put off the price.

I went along to see the Gallery on Rustat Rd...I can't believe that anyone actually bought those places. It backs on to the railway and the first thing I asked was about the noise...they said they didn't expect the sound of the train washing right behind the block of flats to interfere with living there...but they were thinking of putting in extra ventilation systems in case you couldn't open your window!

I have to say the new development opposite Cineworld does look good in theory (though I don't know how much they are actually going for) but I seem to have lost a bit of persepective. Everything seems so expensive, that I wonder what is actually wrong with the place if it seems 'reasonable'. That said, I went along to have a look at the development on Brooklands Ave and nearly choked at the price...and the fact that people were willing to pay it.

At the moment it seems that I won't be able to afford anything in Cam in the near future (though I hope I am wrong)

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HOLA448
I went along to see the Gallery on Rustat Rd...I can't believe that anyone actually bought those places. It backs on to the railway and the first thing I asked was about the noise...they said they didn't expect the sound of the train washing right behind the block of flats to interfere with living there...but they were thinking of putting in extra ventilation systems in case you couldn't open your window!

I'm told the freight train are the worst: they are really loud and go on for ages in the middle of the night.

That said, I went along to have a look at the development on Brooklands Ave and nearly choked at the price...and the fact that people were willing to pay it.

people were willing to pay that price? What people? The sort with a house languishing on the market at an equally ridiculous price?

At the moment it seems that I won't be able to afford anything in Cam in the near future (though I hope I am wrong)

Hang on in there. Keep saving and looking.

Edited by Jayne The Payne
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HOLA449
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HOLA4410

Brooklands is a lovely location - and I can imagine the prices being equally outrageous !!!

The CB1 development caught my eye the other week as I limped to the train station cursing the constant whine of the buses which run on ten second intervals past what can only be described as an industrial complex with the air of a school chemistry block about it.

Sure its convenient - but if the do actually turn them into flats the noise will be a nightmare. I noticed the developers are ashwell property group who have prestigous offices opposite the war memorial - be interesting to see when they sell up !!

Also noticed that land right next to the tracks - between the station and cambrifdge university press has been acquired for development by bidwells - who on earth would live there ?

Summertime international language students I guess.

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HOLA4411
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HOLA4412

I drive past the Brooklands development every day ...

Some of the houses were a million about 6 months ago ... not sure what ones - I think they are the ones right on Brooklansds AVenue. Anyway, have you seen the congestion on Brooklands Avenue at 16:00 every day? Yes, I would pay 1 million pounds to live right in the middle of that.

Ditto for the ones opposite the cinema ... congested roads one side, rail way line the other. Probably be rented out to students.

I guess they are marketed at people from London (i.e. sell up in London, and commute back in from Cambridge) ... so they probably view them at the weekend when none of the traffic is about.

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HOLA4413
Why is it that people poopoo EAs news when they are upbeat but as rightmove (collection of EAs) shows something downbeat you all jump on the bandwagond and say they are OK?  Make up your minds either it is VI crap or it's not , so which is it, when Rightmove starts showing rises again, are you going to say they are wrong?  I think so !

I enjoy hearing of downbeat EA reports as it is bound to affect general sentiment. Doesn't mean I believe it.

A favourite of mine: a local Cambridge agent (Tucker Gardner) put out an ad a couple of months ago stating that they'd just had their best turnover figures for a very long time. Well, if you scratch the surface, this was just after Tucker took over Gardner (formerly called Cambridge Residential or Camflats). Indeed one would expect the turnover to boom the month after the deal was closed and turnover consolidated... :rolleyes:

Edited by Jayne The Payne
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HOLA4414

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/business/m...0633d4de57f.lpf

mmmmmmmmmmmm........makes you think

i was expecting higher transactions on lower prices this month as the IR cut affects sentiment bringing buyers and sellers closer together

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HOLA4415
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/business/m...0633d4de57f.lpf

mmmmmmmmmmmm........makes you think

i was expecting higher transactions on lower prices this month as the IR cut affects sentiment bringing buyers and sellers closer together

Yeah, annoying. Probably just a blip though.

I'll have to resume my campaign to undermine local sentiment by wearing my Mr. Housing Bubble t-shirt when shopping in Tesco :)

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Guest tbatst2000
it would not suprise me if all the flats are snapped up by London commuters as it is so close to the station and only 45 minutes away from London by train.

You may be right about them all being bought by commuters but you're wrong about the time to London. The fastest trains that run at the times anyone who commutes needs them (i.e. before 9am out and after 5pm back) take 1 hour to Kings Cross and 1 hour 10 to Liverpool Street. Also, the flats are more than 10 minutes walk from the station unless you're a very quick walker - they're right next to the track but you need to walk all the way around and over the Carter foot bridge to get there. Having done the London commute from time to time from Cambridge, I can tell you from personal experience that the actual door to door time unless you live right next to the station and work right next to Kings Cross is likely to be 1 hour 45 or there abouts. Incidentally, the fastest train between Cambridge and London is currently 48 minutes according to my calendar - a small difference maybe, but typical of the kind of half-truths spouted by the builders of executive style cuboids in my experience.

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You may be right about them all being bought by commuters but you're wrong about the time to London. The fastest trains that run at the times anyone who commutes needs them (i.e. before 9am out and after 5pm back) take 1 hour to Kings Cross and 1 hour 10 to Liverpool Street. Also, the flats are more than 10 minutes walk from the station unless you're a very quick walker - they're right next to the track but you need to walk all the way around and over the Carter foot bridge to get there. Having done the London commute from time to time from Cambridge, I can tell you from personal experience that the actual door to door time unless you live right next to the station and work right next to Kings Cross is likely to be 1 hour 45 or there abouts. Incidentally, the fastest train between Cambridge and London is currently 48 minutes according to my calendar - a small difference maybe, but typical of the kind of half-truths spouted by the builders of executive style cuboids in my experience.

What denotes London? Kings X, Finsbury Park, etc.?

Is the train service reliable?

At the cost of these flats, would you be able to buy similar nearer to London at the same/similar price? If so, then why Cambridge ... is it for it's culture?

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What denotes London? Kings X, Finsbury Park, etc.?

Is the train service reliable?

At the cost of these flats, would you be able to buy similar nearer to London at the same/similar price? If so, then why Cambridge ... is it for it's culture?

Ha ha thats funny.

Cambridge is to London what a door bell is to the 1812 Overture.

There are three kinds of people in Cambridge:

1. Inbred locals from the fens who like fighting

2. Young men with titles who wear tweed, smoke pipes and endlessly congratulate each other in latin on how clever they are

and

3. People who are impressed by the people mentioned in (2).

The area is dull as dishwater and flat as a pancake.

There is constant gridlock and a gazillion untrained cyclists ready to kill you or themselves at the drop of a hat.

The trains go to London KiingsX and Liverpool St. The serviice is usually quite good but realistically you will be on the tube/bus at the other end to get anywhere interesting or useful so bank on a 1h30m commute minimum door-to-door.

Here is an example of someone who lives in Cambridge.

http://www.gen.cam.ac.uk/sens/AdGbio.htm

I rest my case.

In my experience people either love it or hate it. There tends not to be much middle ground.

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HOLA4421

Has anybody seen the "Senses" development on Riverside, I think they have been trying to market the properties for well over a year now and were completed around 4 months ago. From looking at them it would seem that only around 25% were occupied. 2 bed apartments for £369,000 and that comes with a nice view at the back of Tesco's loading bay. 1 1/2 miles from the station, I have seen them offer no incentives in the press either, they win my award for the most overpriced property in Cambridge.

Edited by msgin
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HOLA4422
Has anybody seen the "Senses" development on Riverside

I lived on that side of Cambridge last year - thanks for bringing them to my attention again.

To be fair I really like the architecture and the location is pretty good, ok its next to Tesco and may flood once a decade but its a stones throw from the centre and they've definitely got pulling power - but then so has 350k.

Even on 5 times multiple - you need joint income of 70k for these - its unsurprising that many are vacant.

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HOLA4423
I lived on that side of Cambridge last year - thanks for bringing them to my attention again.

To be fair I really like the architecture and the location is pretty good, ok its next to Tesco and may flood once a decade but its a stones throw from the centre and they've definitely got pulling power - but then so has 350k.

Even on 5 times multiple - you need joint income of 70k for these - its unsurprising that many are vacant.

I cycle past there each day and have seen it from foundations up. Therefore out of curiosity I went into the sales office one day to have a look and there was an obscenely trendy mock up of the lounge and kitchen which were very large, but no one can pay that much and the saleswoman looked very bored. By the way I notice the ground floor is the car park so should be safe from flooding at least!

What amazes me is there is another development that has just started having work done on it, a little further away from town. Surely there isn't demand?! It has a promotional picture of what the view from one of their apartments will look like, but it's all nonesense - the green area is in fact a building site with another housing development (last seen for sale not even being built on).

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