Buyers can't buy and sellers can't sell; but it's a great time to be a tenant

neverdespairgirl

carolt wrote: »

Do you know a lot of transgender Grauniad readers, then Jonbvn?

Tell us more - you clearly mix in far more exciting circles than the rest of us!

I know 3 M to F transgendered women, but have no idea whether they read the Grauniad or not.

Soot2006

We rented our flat for an excellent price one year ago. In return of the favour, we've accepted to keep it at the same price for the foreseeable future. LL did us a good turn in 2007, so we will now pay back the favour by not moving out/asking for a rent reduction .

GDB2222

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

I know 3 M to F transgendered women,

How come? The prevalence is generally taken at 1:12000 (so Google tells me), so your knowing 3 people in that category is not down to chance. On a random basis, assuming you know say 1000 people, the chance of your knowing 3 or more M to F transgenders is around 1 in 100,000.

On the other hand, if you know one, that person might know others.

GDB2222

When she initially applied for her buy-to-let mortgage, local agents suggested she would achieve between £1,250 and £1,300 a month. That was in June, however. When she approached agents in August to rent it out, the market had already dropped significantly, with one telling her she would get '£900 tops'.

I don't believe that rents have dropped that much generally, so she was presumably not doing her research correctly.

chucky

GDB2222 wrote: »

I don't believe that rents have dropped that much generally, so she was presumably not doing her research correctly.

i don't think that they've dropped that much either

GracieP

tavarishink wrote: »

We rented our flat for an excellent price one year ago. In return of the favour, we've accepted to keep it at the same price for the foreseeable future. LL did us a good turn in 2007, so we will now pay back the favour by not moving out/asking for a rent reduction .

Unless prices fall considerably I'm happy with our deal here. Especially as we have dogs they were immediately agreed to. But it's nice to know that if we have to move for some reason there are options.

hethmar

Whatever rents have dropped - I for one would hate to be living in someone elses property - Id feel like a guest all the time - just my personal feelings. I appreciate that there are people who cannot move into their own places - and as I say its just my feeling - before a herd of renters jump on me

carolt

I agre with you hethmar - but given the choice of renting a house big enough for my family, in an area I want to live in, or buying a house too small or in an unsuitable area, for the same money, with the additional risk of losing money hand over fist as prices fall, then renting, even with the 'guest in someone's house' aspect, suddenly seems a whole lot more appealing.

Clearly there aren't many renters who think it's the best of all possible worlds - but there are plenty of people who (a) still think housing is ridiculously over-priced at current levels and (b) who think house prices will fall in future making this a bad time to buy.

Frankly, even without (b), I would rather rent than buy now, as quality of life now matters more to me than some imaginary home ownership in 25 years time. At current price levels, I would be stretching my finances far beyond sensible levels, and 25 years of dicing with bankruptcy is not my idea of fun.

But given that (b) is clearly a reality, I think as compromises go, living in someone else's house seems a reasonable compromise compared to throwing money down the toilet or living in entirely unsuitable accomodation.

I suppose the distinction may not be so obvious to someone who bought years ago, at an affordable price - lucky you!

Soon, FTB's will be in the position you were in, and buying somewhere suitable versus renting the equivalent will again both be sensible options.

Just not yet!

Jonbvn

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

I know 3 M to F transgendered women, but have no idea whether they read the Grauniad or not.

Sorry to be OT (well I'll pretend to be anyway) but I've never heard of F to M transgendered "men". Guess the necessary brain enhancements are beyond current neuro-science?;)

GracieP

hethmar wrote: »

Whatever rents have dropped - I for one would hate to be living in someone elses property - Id feel like a guest all the time - just my personal feelings. I appreciate that there are people who cannot move into their own places - and as I say its just my feeling - before a herd of renters jump on me

I used to feel like that, I longed to own our own place when we were renting at first. But I'm an str now and I have to say I'm really enjoying being back in rented. It helps that we have all our own furniture this time as it makes a big difference to not be sleeping on a 10 year old cheapest of the cheap Argos bed.

But I'm finding the whole experience pretty liberating. If the boiler breaks down I don't need to break into my savings. I never have to give over a weekend to diy. I honestly don't care that the carpet isn't to my taste. If anything I'd compare the experience to being on holiday rather being a guest in someones house. It isn't as if the landlords live here with me. I've never even met them.