Is It Just Me?

Conrad

As I've been saying for a couple of months, I'm seeing a lot more people buying now than in the prior 6m. Most people in my area (south east) tell me they are untouched by recession and those on variable rates are pleased by the sudden massive reduction in outgoings.

Some new homes near Stansted airport are now seeling for £15,000 more than 2 weeks ago and no shortage of viewers. Some repos here have around 20 viewers this weekend.

dealsearcher

thriftybabe wrote: »

I think I am going to go mad! Had an acquaintance of my OH at the house a couple of nights ago and he thinks that the media are painting a blacker picture than it is. He reckons that everything will be fine by the end of the year. Now he is not the only person to have said this. There a few people I have spoken to have said that things will be fine by April??!! Do not know what is magically going to happen in April! These are professional people we are talking about - what is going on?

I see things getting very black indeed. From our own perspective we have all but paid most people that have worked for us with very little/no prospects in the next few months.

Do you guys think people just bury their heads in the sand or are they just so optimistic?

I think these people come from the corporate society of talking everything up. Everyone in business is encouraged to be positive or their business will look bad. These people then get to actually believe their own propaganda. It doesn't mean it's going to happen. Things are still bad however much they talk it up.

baby_boomer

Your friend is mad, not you, thriftybabe. Unfortunately .

The levels of debt we have built up - individual, corporate and governmental - are unprecedented and can't be wished away.

The pattern of future years will be that each time government ups taxation to pay off its liabilities so this will choke economic growth.

Conrad

I felt quite gloomy since 2007, but at last I now feel contented going forward.
Sure business is down, but the bottom is'nt as bleak as I had imagined. Life goes on and things can only get better. I have things to look forward to such as our villa being built and the rental income it will generate (yes I did masses of homework - this is a top yielder) and we are gradualy refurbing some German flats and watching that grow

Blacksheep1979

Dan: wrote: »

I think a lot of firms are using the recession as an excuse to cut jobs

Why would they have ever created the jobs in the first place unless it benefitted them? The only reason companies cut jobs is if it saves money - something that it won't do if that person is creating value for the company. It's not just 'an excuse' it's sound economics for that particular firm.

drc

Ostriches.

Dan:_4

Blacksheep1979 wrote: »

Why would they have ever created the jobs in the first place unless it benefitted them? The only reason companies cut jobs is if it saves money - something that it won't do if that person is creating value for the company. It's not just 'an excuse' it's sound economics for that particular firm.

Firms always want to save money, esp staffing levels. I guarantee that some companies will use the recession as an excuse to cut numbers and threaten redundancy to improve performance.

My girlfriend's company is doing just this - their workload has almost doubled in the last 12 months (due to major new contract) but have reduced staff levels considerably. So now all staff are not only producing double the output from this time last year, they are also scared sh!tless of being made redundant, whereas the firms profits significantly increase.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Its worse than the media are picturing it.

Your OHs friend doesnt understand.

Dan:_4

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Its worse than the media are picturing it.

What makes you think that?

ninky_2

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Its worse than the media are picturing it.

I agree. As someone who works in the sector there's a lot of talk of not wanting to "scaremonger".....how many banks had to be bailed out before the word "recession" was used (as opposed to the rather jauntier "credit crunch")?