Heart rending plea... (by estate agents)

[Keef]

Oh pish sean, I'm sure telling the chicks you went to Oxford is usually a real winner, ignore annaj, what does she know.

[seanmlow]

Keef -

Nice to know someone likes me on here!

[snorky]

too much information actually

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Suspect Keef is pulling your educated plonker.

[Brendan]

If an estate agent?s epistemological knowledge that bragging about his education will impress people is soundly based on the proposition that truth + belief = knowledge is he still wrong about the social value of house prices increasing at a rate higher than inflation?

(please take that in the tongue in cheek way it was meant Sean)

[bignumber5]

seanmlow Wrote:

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> I just take offence with comments like that from

> annaj. It is not really fair or kind is it?

In fairness, seanmlow, you bang on about your Oxford education given any possible opening to do so, but you're an estate agent who (based on comments on this thread) doesn't seem to understand the housing market.

It invites questions.

As for Oxford being THE BEST, that sort of depends on what you were studying and what you intended to do with that afterwards - otherwise it is surely just institution elitism and education for educations sake. I didn't go to Oxford, but I was well educated to do the job that I now do, and I do it well. I've worked with Oxford graduates and the same spectrum of competence (and lack of) is present as with everywhere else. Don't get me wrong, the historic site must be fascinating, as must the long and prestigious culture associated with the institution. But to assume that you are better than someone else because you went to Oxford is extremely narrow-minded, and it demonstrates a level of arrogance that you are not willing to accept the possibility of being wrong just because of your 2.1.

Preach about fairness and kindness when you feel able to show either.

[Jeremy]

OK so estate agents are an easy target, but let's not get too personal here...

[bignumber5]

actually, nothing against estate agents - i bought my house through one ;-)

[Mark]

So getting back on topic, it seems like estate agents are having a hard time and having to beg in various ways to get people to sell up with them. Saying that I haven't received a F**tons letter in the last 3 months (considering I got 6 from them in a 3 month period) so perhaps they don't need to promote themselves or maybe they're just being prudent.

[Keef]

Poor sean does seem to come in for a bit of a beasting on here. I blame the littering myself, but come people, lets all be friends.

[lozzyloz]

Why not try and

> buy something that WILL make money - it is the

> only way to climb the ladder...

I agree with this statement to a point. Buying a property can be treated equally as an investment and as a home. If you're prepared to put in some leg work, buy a home that needs renovation (and are prepared to do much yourself), find an area that's up and coming (as ED was a few years ago) and perhaps buy at an auction or at the very least negotiate hard then you can build up a larger amount of equity and trade up. It may NOT be every ones cup of tea but many have done it successfully (and many have f*cked it up too). Even in a falling market there is money to made, but as with anything it's all about timing.

Keef by all means don't be put off by buying. *Bobs* advice is sound and unless you plan to buy on a 95% mortgage and sell again within 2-5 years then I wouldn't worry about the volatility of the market. Buy within your means and allow a cushion for when interest rates pick up again and against the rising cost of living.

Why is it a crisis because prices are forecast to drop at least 10%? For most it was a crisis when property prices were rising faster than 10%.

[annaj]

Oh dear, I post, go out and look what happens.

Seanmlow, I'm sorry you were so offended by my post, but I don't think it's unfair. A bit catty, maybe, but not unfair.

I find your repeated references to you Oxford education a bit tiresome, particularly the manner in which you seem to feel that mentioning your education somehow proves your point in whatever discussion is being held. In my opinion there is sometimes an undertone of snobbery to you posts, which I dislike. Unsually, I ignore it and move on, today I chose not to.

I absolutely respect the value of learning for its own sake and even the vaule of studying philosophy. I also understand that Oxford is a unique and, for some, very consrtuctive learning environment. However, I don't think, as I've said before(well done for looking back through my old posts and working out I didn't go to Oxford) that it automatically provides a better education than other institutions, since the quality of education is a very individual and subjective thing.

I have no desire to hi-jack this thread or to start a personal argument.

So, if you and other posters (ie Keef the forum benchmark of fairness) think I've been offensive, I'm sorry, but if you're going to bring up your education like this, I think you can expect to get negative as well as positive responses.

[Brendan]

annaj Wrote:

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> I have no desire to hi-jack this thread or to

> start a personal argument.

Oh come on. It will make much more interesting reading than the usual boring property market wank or estate agent baiting. ;-)

[annaj]

Naughty Brendan. Naughty!

I am trying to acheive a Keef-like state of zen fairness.....

[seanmlow]

Forumites -

My apologies if I seem up my own re my Oxford education. It is just something I am very proud of, and I think we all have to agree that when it comes to estate agents, this place is just a little hostile!

When someone accuses me of being a failure for being an estate agent, I take offence!

[SimonM]

>>I am trying to acheive a Keef-like state of zen fairness.....<<

But I thought he was also a numpty??

confused now....:))

[Jah Lush]

A 2:1 at Oxford (Wow! well done) and what do you do for a living? You're an estate agent. As Johnny said: "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated." Sorry, but it had to be said and it's not a personal slight at you although it probably looks that way.

Anyway back on thread. I was unfortunate enough to have bought my current humble little abode right at the tail end of the last boom and bust period. My nextdoor neighour's flat had just been repossessed when I moved in and I spent the next ten years in negative equity. I had thought that I would be there for maybe three or four years and then get somewhere bigger and make a couple of bob perhaps in an upwardly mobile sort of way but that wasn't to be. It may not be much but it's home and I've been there for 18 years now and am perfectly happy where I am.

[Jah Lush]

Ooops sorry missed you're apology there Sean.

[seanmlow]

Jesus you guys are harsh aren't you?

So, with a 2.1 from Oxford, what should I be doing?

I have friends with the same degree - some are working in PR, some in the army, a whole variety of things.

Based on the thoughts here, should I feel stupid for not becoming a professor then?

[bignumber5]

So, with a 2.1 from Oxford, what should I be doing?

The same as people with any other/ no degree from anywhere else/ nowhere - Whatever fulfills you and you want to do.

This wasn't meant to turn into a witch hunt, nor attack your life choices, seanmlow. I'll make you a deal - I wont bring up Oxford Education if you don't ;-)

Back on topic, following lozzyloz above, I've always been intimidated of the idea of "playing" the housing market as a source of income, mostly because of the risk involved if the market were to fall on its arse. And I've always felt rather jealous of those who do well from it. It's scary enough that I could potentially end up in negative equity on one property.

Are there any forumites who have a property portfolio who are willing to share insights on this with current price trends?

[Brendan]

Sean it has nothing to do with the Oxford education. This is something that most people, including myself*, hold in high regard. It has everything to do with you feeling that telling people about it is going to make them think any differently about you.

*Well I was educated in SA and we tend to assume that all universities in the uk, apart from Oxford and Cambridge, must be crap. But then we would wouldn?t we. ;-)

[seanmlow]

Cool, cool.

Ok, I will stop going on about it and sounding like an old fart!!!

Anyways, back to the housing market. I have to be honest, it is a very good time to buy at the moment. However, I thikn the media hype has really scared people off when there are still very, very good deals out there!

[macroban]

> I have to be honest, it is a very good time to buy at the moment.

Why? What data support this assertion?

[seanmlow]

The fact that prices have fallen and people are taking low offers!

[Ted Max]

Datum = the "commission paid" line on Seany's payslips. :)

There are properties on at prices that look like good deals if you compare them to last year's peak valuations, but maybe last year's prices constituted bad deals, Sean?

What do you think - this is the bottom and people should buy now? Or is there another reason for piling in now? (genuine question not sarcastic)