R&A

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just in time for the election and after the SamCam promo-weekend ... or am i being too cynical

agreed - but the principle is the same. The p/e ratio (more desirable area/population growth) is rising over time

"This might just be wishful thinking. I'm very much of the opinion that ?500,000-plus for a basic three-bed Victorian terrace, the sort of home that only a couple of decades ago was very much within the reach of people on ordinary wages, is not only absurd but downright immoral" In the early 80s crash the Price to Earnings ratio for property fell to approx 2-3x followed by a peak at 4x in 1989 This ratio has been steadily moving upwards over time due to increase population growth/wealth etc They say this long term trend will continue upwards but in the short term the multiple should probably be about 3-4x earnings? Factors like the weak pound help but unemployment hurts... This is all very back of the envelope stuff - but absolute values don't really mean anything ('?500k is too much') It's currenlty at 5x earnings again so this'll probably correct back down to 4x soon as it seems too pricey??? At least that's my basic understanding of things I personally agree that prices are too expensive in the short term BUT that we'll hit 5x in another 10 years or so.... edited to add p/e chart

.. the football took priority in our house so i've only just watched it cute episode - both men were lovely Edited to say: it's so well done this series. I love the little touches like that old man calmly pushing a trolley filled with gas canisters along the corridor.

i'd avoid dioralyte as it contains salt... milk is the best option as their digestive systems are used to milk

Lovely episode again. They were such a lovely family and so supportive I'm already finding myself 'used' to the screams and moans of woman in labour. When I watched the first episode I cried just hearing the woman in pain. I felt haunted by those noises we all make... Now i'm fine with it - this has been almost therapeutic for me, personally I thought the c-section birth was really moving and went very smoothly. As has already been said in this post, one person's nightmare is another's ideal birth You can get very traumatic vaginal births (mine was) and i'd MUCH rather have had what that lady went through versus my birth.... She seemed very happy with the whole thing - Was what she went through really a 'harsh reality'? If someone had interviewed me a few weeks after the birth i would have burst into tears about the actual birth. I wasn't thinking about anythign else other than that..

a hybrid of Dulwich and Peckham...

Mine too - he leaves the room when it comes on..... anyone else's partners bailing?

I agree with almost everything everyone has said and it's nice to hear some positive stories about c-sections. My personal opinion is that woman get traumatised or upset by events if they dont' go the way they expect them to. E.G I wanted an epidural and always had done. Yet when i was told i was too early and then (conveniently) too late I was frankly traumatised and still am. When my baby arrived, my partner and i were still in shock after a terrible birth, I certainly didn't have an instant bond - yet my birth is probably someone else?s ideal birth (vaginal & no pain relief)..... I had miserable time The safest way to give birth is a vaginal birth with no complications... Should anything be wrong with the baby or mum, the safest way is elective c-section. Personally i can't understand why a mum would take any risks because she had an 'itch' to have a vaginal birth. But each to their own and i wouldn?t judge anyone for their decision I would much rather have had a c-section, safe in teh knowledge that the baby would be safe. I had a risk of prolapse (because the baby's head hadn't engaged) and at the time would much rather have had an elective c-section - but the risk of the baby dying wasn't big enough to warrant a c-section. Anyway - i find it sad that people say 'i'm sorry' or imply that a woman has 'failed' if she has a c-section. Who are we to judge? - and frankly who cares how other people had their own children. The same goes for those mothers who 'fail' to breastfeed. These poor new mums beating themselves up all the time and not just enjoying the baby... Anyway, i agree it's the best program on telly right now (that and pineapple dance studios - hilarious!) :)

I agree pk It wasn't a complete coincidence that i used that as an example...

chelsea has some rough estates... but that's the beauty of London. We don't have ghettos like other countries do. The rich live alongside the poor. Dulwich village is minutes away from Peckham etc It's much better this way i think.

Exactly pk and stevebailey, one is random fact (google hits) and the other is a source of statistics.... It's like the Tories saying 'The no. of google hits for the word 'CRIME' has gone up exponentially since Labour has come into power.... :) Edit to say that on my google search this link comes up on teh first page whereas i can't find anything on the actual stabbing this thread was orginially discussing.. what does that say????

Lovely episode. Much happier than last week. A Both couples were great. I loved Joy's exasperation at her husband's inability to identify a baby vest and the conversation about a baby's soul was really moving.

I am! I haven't started crying yet which is better than last time.... I love Joy

>'Like what's happened to lots of people in the private Sector over the last 3 years then? Anyway... ' I wasn't saying that the private sector hasn't suffered... They absolutely have.

hilarious 'Hits on Google' is meaningless. Please stop justifying areas of london Saila's post was a joke to illustrate that it doesn't mean anything E.G. google 'Tsunami London' - Over 12m hits now google 'Tsunami Sri Lanka' - just 2.4m hits.. Does that mean London has had more Tsunamis than Sri Lanka?

Exactly! Hal - it means nothing. In fact it says peckham has the least number of stabbings according to your theory of google no. Of hits We're not sure what point you're trying to make here? Surely if a stabbing in a very wealthy, well-to-do area, was a huge shock more papers would write about it and there'd be a huge no. Of hits?

..."they have completely taken the politicians for a ride." not just the politicians.... i am amazed how they have got away with this blatant daylight robbery i know of people who were directly responsible for what's gone on... They were fired and then re-hired to fix the problem because no one understood the financial instruments they were working with They laughed all the way to the bank... twice. Redundancy and then future bonuses. No one seems to get it - Over the next three years the public service sector will be demolished - perhaps then there will be anger

awful!! The Chief Executive Mind NAMH 15-19 Broadway Stratford London E15 4BQ Stage one of the complaints procedure (CP) is an informal complaint to the person involved - TICK Stage two of the CP is write to CEO Address above The complaint can be made by an individual or a group

Also the british public LOVES owning property and until this changes people will be willing to pay more and more of their wage packet towards the 'british dream' of having their own place Moreover, even if some bankers leave us because of increased tax rates.... London is seen as a highly desirable place to live internationally and the weak pound has provided a good 'entry point' and may continue to do so. E.G. Places like Westminster didnt participate in the recent downturn In terms of valuatoin and fundamentals, current house prices look highly vulnerable but if we see another 'correction' people may view it as a buying opportunity again and move in... This rally didn't even involve smart property investors or developers who have mostly remained on the side lines waiting for a sharper correction. Some investors have been waiting a very long time.

-- moved topic --

High inflation would force the BoE to increase rates but according to Benanke yesterday, that's not going to happen anytime soon (in the US at least but we tend to follow their lead...) In fact inflation is good for home owners as their debt (mortgage) diminishes and the asset price inflates Dead cat bounces tend not to have any fundamental drivers of price i.e. the price just rises as people try to bag a bargin. However there are drivers of this house price move a) the weak pound b) low interest rates and c) short supply If any of those three fundamental factors changes (pretty likely) then prices will fall again.

Possibly - Three bed house (small), north facing garden near ED train station In ok condition - perhaps in need of a little tlc ?460k...

As long as interest rates remain low many people will be in 'recession-denial' In fact a lot of people feel richer as long as they are on variable mortgages and have stayed in employment This has helped house prices (and the lack of stock) A house near us had 8 viewings on a saturday morning and sold in a day... i can believe the sealed bids thing. It's madness but it's happening for sure.