GAL BEAR Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 (edited) I got on the train at Romford on Friday to go to Chancery Lane for an Appraisal meeting. Anyway I had just bought the DAILY EXPRESS with the heading "HOUSE PRICES RISE BY 2% LAST MONTH". So I already feeling quie depressed..... There was about 5 of us in the carriage. Me, a young indian guy, another young couple and a couple of what looked like business-men sitting just in front of me. As we all sat down one of the 'businessmen' (looked about 40'ish in age) with a booming voice said to the man opposite him (his friend or work colleague). "Great news house prices have gone up by 2% last month" There was silence, he had a voice a bit like a actor, (very kind of 'shakespearan ' and clear) he was so loud I reckon the driver could have heard him at the front of the train. He obviously wanted us all to hear. His friend who was older (60'ish ) made no comment. He left it a few seconds and then again....... HIM: "Yes, won't be long now before the houses in my road crash through the 500 thousand barrier" FRIEND: Why is that so good, I don't get it ? HIM: Well, once it gets past that amount there will be no stopping it. FRIEND: Oh, right (he did not seem terribly interested). This horrible, arrogant man then went on to say (again in a booming voice) how he had a portfolio which was worth a couple of million which he was using for his future pension. FRIEND: I don't get that, why don't you just buy house now worth a couple of million, at least then you could enjoy it. HIM: OH NO ! Let me tell you - all the properties I have bought are paying for themselves, some sucker pays the rent and that pays the mortgages!He then went on to say how his ex-wifes' father was 'into property' in a big way and had bought up properties all over Liverpool. (I have to say that I was not at all surprised he had an EX -wife !!!) He then went on to say how he also inherited a ski chalet in Switzerland and was renting it out to make more money! He then said to his friend how he was making so much money he just plays golf all day ! Then he said "We are now coming up to parts of London that I can only describe SH**HOLES" What amazed me was it did not bother him one jot that people from the very towns he was slagging off were sitting on the train. God what thoroughly horrible, detestable man! FRIEND: Where are these houses that you have bought up ? HIM: Well, all over really...... I just buy up all the houses that first time buyers can't afford to buy anymore and then rent them back to them !!! At this I really saw red I'm afraid and went mad !!!! He looked accross at me in such a 'smug' way, I launched into him. I was so angry I can't even recall exactly what I said . I did call him an arragant, smug pig. He then had the arrogance to say that I should not be eavesdropping on his conversation! I said 'The whole bloody train can hear, and you want them to !" I then told him I prayed there would be a House Price Crash and hoped he would lose all his money. HIM: There will be no crash. ME: You have a short memory, you obviously don't recall the early 90's! HIM: That was caused by high interest rates, interest rates are low now. ME: Yes, they are now but what if they go up ? Also in my opinion high debt in this country has replaced high interest rates, all that is needed now is a trigger and stupid people like you are making the 'bubble' grower bigger and bigger until one day it will just go 'pop'. HIM; NO WAY ! ME: Think about this, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A HOUSING BUBBLE WITHOUT A CRASH ! NEVER ! (I don't actually know if this is true or not, but looked like it got him thinking). ME: If you must buy up all the houses that FTB's can't afford to buy at least have the common courtesy not to brag about it so that any poor first time buyers on this train don't feel any more desperate about the situation. Have you no feelling ? You may have a posh accent and probably went to a private school but it looks like money doesn't buy manners cos certainly have none ! HIM: Its not my fault houses are so expensive !!! ME: Well, who's fault is it then ? of course its down to you and people like you You have artificially inflated the bubble and put homes out of the reach of thousands of young families in this country. I don't know how you can sleep at night. And its one thing to do that, quite another to brag about it on a train !!! We then carried on with the 'argument'. His friend looked very embarrassed by him. In the end I missed my stop by mistake which made me even more mad! When they eventually got off the train, I said to his friend "How the hell could you be freinds with such a smug, ignorant, arragant Pig ?" The guy just shrugged his shoulders at me. Now I know some of you on here will say that he is a businessman who has just captialised on the housing bubble and made money. Well lucky him, but what kind of person must he be to speak like that, to brag about it. If I was a BTL I would keep it very quiet! I pray to god he gets him come uppance in the next few months/years !! I was so angry it took me a couple of hours to calm down :angry: Horrid, horrid man ! :angry: Anyway I just wanted to share it with you guys !! Edited May 8, 2006 by GAL BEAR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntiSpeculator Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I hate people like that. What he is saying is along the same lines as 'Well I just buy up all the food, and then the people that can't afford to buy it first will have to buy it back off me for even more money' mu ha ha ha!!!! In fact - Arrrrrgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe a man I have never met has made me so angry!!! In fact... I'm so angry my post didn't even make the slightest bit of sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAL BEAR Posted May 8, 2006 Author Share Posted May 8, 2006 I hate people like that. What he is saying is along the same lines as 'Well I just buy up all the food, and then the people that can't afford to buy it first will have to buy it back off me for even more money' mu ha ha ha!!!! Yes, thats' right. I just wished one of you guys had been on the train with me, I would have loved to have had someone there who REALLY knew the facts and figures and could have properly made him think. Is this what the property bubble has done to people ? or maybe he would have always been a smug B***tard !!! In a way I kind of pittied him, he may have loads of money but he was parted from his wife and his kids and probably spends all his time thinking about how to make more money! He may have loads of money, but in a way his 'quality of life' is crap ! He views everyone as 'beneath him' and can't wait to 'screw' the next 'sucker' ! God what a way to live your life ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time to raise the rents. Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwall Sceptic Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 He was probably exaggerating Genuine, succesful people don't boast Be thankful you are you and not him CS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Without_a_Paddle Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 (edited) I hate people like that. What he is saying is along the same lines as 'Well I just buy up all the food, and then the people that can't afford to buy it first will have to buy it back off me for even more money' mu ha ha ha!!!! In fact - Arrrrrgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe a man I have never met has made me so angry!!! What if that guy from the Harry Enfield show was there.... (self righteous brothers) Oi! Landlord! NOOOO! Edited May 8, 2006 by Without_a_Paddle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimmmm Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Good for you gal - people like him need telling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrapInThisIsGoingToHurt Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 You did the right thing having a go at him; and the right thing letting off steam on here. Well done, Gall Bear! Also, it may be worth "Bear-ing" in mind that this kind of to$$er usually exagerrates to impress his mate (and the whole train) and also to compensate for a lack of something in his life... it may be that he only has 2 bedsits in Slough (bought in 2005 with IO mortgages and the deposit from his redundancy cheque) and went to the Alps once with his parents on holiday! He won't be very smug over the next 2 years - and your conversation may come back to haunt him. Maybe it was TTRTR, from this forum? Only kidding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAL BEAR Posted May 8, 2006 Author Share Posted May 8, 2006 He was probably exaggerating Genuine, succesful people don't boast Be thankful you are you and not him CS Thanks CS, i am glad I'm not him. I bet his kids hate him or if not they are spoilt, selfish little horrors. I bet he has no 'real' friends and no-one to cuddle in front of the fire on a cold night (apart from his property portfolio of course ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuyingBear Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Yeah, I hate trains too, they're expensive, late, often packed full of to$$ers... much like the government that runs them really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntiSpeculator Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 What if that guy from the fast show was there.... Oi! Landlord! NOOOO! Like it Coming round here with your 'I've made fifty bazillion pounds out of renting property out to you' and your 'property always goes up'!!! Oi! Landlord! NOOOO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimmmm Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 (edited) Excellent. A nice double edged reply. Don't worry, TTRTR, you're not like him. You're kind of chic smug. Edited May 8, 2006 by nimmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrashIsUnderWay Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Nah, it wasn't 'TTRTR' - this guy had a 'big, booming voice'. TTRTR has a high pitched little giggling schoolgirl kind of voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backtoparents Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I'd have just encouraged him to buy more. btp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Sacks Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Excellent. Does one project ones voice? I had no idea that you tread the boards, luvvie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAL BEAR Posted May 8, 2006 Author Share Posted May 8, 2006 (edited) I bet the only 'big' thing he's go is his 'portfolio' Also, it may be worth "Bear-ing" in mind that this kind of to$$er usually exagerrates to impress his mate (and the whole train) and also to compensate for a lack of something in his life... it may be that he only has 2 bedsits in Slough (bought in 2005 with IO mortgages and the deposit from his redundancy cheque) and went to the Alps once with his parents on holiday! Edited May 8, 2006 by GAL BEAR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoltan Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Well done GAL BEAR. I've been lurking here for some time, and your story prompted me to de-lurk just to say that. Sock it to 'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreeTrader Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Was it the man in this picture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeless Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 i would have said nothing, there is nothing to be gained. just vote and demand action accordingly, if that dont work live in a camper van then they can talk of there empty 500k houses. you make them your masters by making them assume you need what they got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAL BEAR Posted May 8, 2006 Author Share Posted May 8, 2006 Well done GAL BEAR. I've been lurking here for some time, and your story prompted me to de-lurk just to say that. Sock it to 'em! ZOLTAN I felt at the time that I was in the 'twighlight zone' (you may be too young to remember that Tv show) I really could not believe it was happeing, a bit like a nightmare you pray you are going to wake up from ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddyboy Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Go GAL BEAR!!!! Try and get a picture of him on your Camera phone and Ill tell all the people who rent his properties in Liverpool what was said. I am sure they will have no problem TW@TTING him TB You did right though. What was the other peoples reaction - Dya think they were on your side? or hard to tell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warwickshire Lad Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Go Go Go Gal Bear !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libitina Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Just as well he didn't catch you on a bad day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boom_and_bust Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 (edited) Was it the man in this picture? That picture deserves a turner award!! Edited May 8, 2006 by boom_and_bust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flat Bear Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I'd have just encouraged him to buy more. btp Exactly Whos to say house prices wont go up and up and up? (apart for sensible people) I would be suitably impressed, the challange would be to get him leaving the train thinking about buying more quickly before it was too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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