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Debate House Prices


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British housing market - a view from the US

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2008047131_britain13.html

In the US, prices have fallen almost 18% since the peak of the housing market 2 years ago -- and the worst hit areas have seen falls of 30%.

And the housing market in the UK may be more vulnerable because of the chain system.

(There is an advert for new builds in the Seattle area embedded in the middle of the article which I found a bit confusing at first -- thought the pic was of a new build in Wexham!)
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Comments

  • andrewmp
    andrewmp Posts: 1,798 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Don't you have a chain system in the USA?
  • penguine
    penguine Posts: 1,101 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    No. You can put in an offer on a contingency basis -- meaning you will only purchase a house subject to your own sale going through -- but this is not standard.
  • andrewmp
    andrewmp Posts: 1,798 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    penguine wrote: »
    No. You can put in an offer on a contingency basis -- meaning you will only purchase a house subject to your own sale going through -- but this is not standard.

    So what happens as standard?
  • scope
    scope Posts: 764 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    This is common in other countries aswell.. The chain has its advantages, but the fact that you "buy" a house only to loose it 3 months down the line because of the chain (or other reasons) is stupid.
  • penguine
    penguine Posts: 1,101 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    andrewmp wrote: »
    So what happens as standard?

    I've never owned property in the US so I'm not an expert -- but I think typically you would sell your own house before buying another one. If your sale fell through and you'd already put in an offer on another property you'd either have to arrange a bridging loan or pull out of your purchase, losing your deposit (but if your buyer had pulled out they would have lost their deposit too).

    It does mean a house purchase generally proceeds far more quickly.
  • thriftybabe
    thriftybabe Posts: 689 Forumite
    Had a property in the US and it went through in 4 weeks. It was fantastic and a lot less stress and hassle!
  • moanymoany
    moanymoany Posts: 2,877 Forumite
    Someone told me they don't have a chain system in France either.

    It seems to me that if you don't sell the house you are in, you have to have a time where you own 2 houses or a time when you own no house.
  • RichardDJ
    RichardDJ Posts: 67 Forumite
    OMG - an outward looking piece of journo from the US
    Statistics are like a lampost to a drunken man...more for leaning on than for illumination
    .
  • jamescredmond
    jamescredmond Posts: 1,061 Forumite
    RichardDJ wrote: »
    OMG - an outward looking piece of journo from the US
    unheard of.
    miladdo
  • m00m00
    m00m00 Posts: 1,755 Forumite
    must be an ex pat journo
    It's a health benefit ...
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