Do you enjoy playing Monopoly?

Conrad

Percy1983 wrote: »

A life not ruled by greed, it seems I am not alone.

But fooled by it time and again. I bet you celebrate many a hoarding national treasure, from David Attenborough (my hero btw) to Billy Bragg, Sting to Lenny Henry.

padington

Conrad wrote: »

But fooled by it time and again. I bet you celebrate many a hoarding national treasure, from David Attenborough (my hero btw) to Billy Bragg, Sting to Lenny Henry.

I'm not sure you can be a real fan of the music and a ticket tout at the same time..... Maybe you can.... But I'm not sure the music will sound as sweet.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/04/buy-to-let-housing-morally-wrong

vivatifosi

Interesting question Conrad. I don't own any BTLs and rarely play Monopoly. My strategy in Monopoly is to go for a long run of cheap properties, my favoured stretch is that whole bottom section starting at Old Kent Road. That way it is cheaper to get a foothold and they are hard to avoid. I also try to buy at least one station to stop anyone else getting all 4. If I can't get those roads, I tend to go for the next ones round.

In RL, I guess that this is also the case as cheaper properties tend to get a better BTL yield, but we all know you need a decent infrastructure too. I hasten to add, in RL, I have never been to jail, in Monopoly I have made regular visits.

Generali

vivatifosi wrote: »

Interesting question Conrad. I don't own any BTLs and rarely play Monopoly. My strategy in Monopoly is to go for a long run of cheap properties, my favoured stretch is that whole bottom section starting at Old Kent Road. That way it is cheaper to get a foothold and they are hard to avoid. I also try to buy at least one station to stop anyone else getting all 4. If I can't get those roads, I tend to go for the next ones round.

In RL, I guess that this is also the case as cheaper properties tend to get a better BTL yield, but we all know you need a decent infrastructure too. I hasten to add, in RL, I have never been to jail, in Monopoly I have made regular visits.

The oranges are the best as the most visited square is Jail and they are 6, 8 and 9 away from jail, the most likely throws. You can afford to build on them but the fines are big enough to set up a win.

I reckon that with BTL, often the best route is a middle one. Being a slumlord has too many business risks for me. The top end of town is often crowded out by trophy investors. Very often the most boring investments are the great ones.

I have no comment to make about jails.

shortchanged_2

Conrad wrote: »

I own a block near the Polish border - little village called Radekow with a former major bear from HPC believe it or not!. In old East Germany they tend to rent, but in the former West you will find ownership of a similar proportion to that found here.

Not too sure about that Conrad. I think even in old West Germany the owner occupier rate is only just above 40% and in the former East around 30%, so quite different from the UK.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I used to play Monopoly with my best mate and her sister, who was three years older. The sister insisted that "the rules" stated only she was allowed to buy the purple and green (expensive) streets. She also got to be the dog each game.

I'm sure you could argue that this twisting of the rules for personal advantage is a an accurate reflection of how things work in the Real World.

the_flying_pig

I never liked Monopoly much.

I tended to find that once a player gets ahead in the game, it's very hard for the others to catch up. It can drag on for ages, everyone knowing who's going to win, but the axe taking a long time to fall. I think that a lot of newer games are better balanced in this regard.

And the game can quite often end up not really going anywhere without trading properties between players.

I always liked the top hat best. Iron for sissies only.

Harry_Boyle

I prefer Snakes and Ladders to Monopoly. I'm an ISA and pensions man rather than a BTL landlord. Buy low, sell high. That's my advice!

Conrad

To put to bed this urban myth that Europeans love being renters, and bare in mind many are former communist states so ownership numbers will increase;

In 2010, over one quarter (27.9 %) of the EU-27 population lived in an owner-occupied home for which there was an outstanding loan or mortgage, while more than two fifths (42.9 %) of the population lived in an owner-occupied home without a loan or mortgage. As such, just over seven out of every ten (70.8 %) persons in the EU-27 lived in owner-occupied dwellings

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Housing_statistics

Conrad

Generali wrote: »

I reckon that with BTL, often the best route is a middle one. Being a slumlord has too many business risks for me. The top end of town is often crowded out by trophy investors. Very often the most boring investments are the great ones.

I've found the cheap end of the studio flat market in London is highest yielding (8 - 10%) and least hassle. Nothing about slumlording, you still need to offer a decent dwelling. Many sensible tenants prefer lowest possible rents so as long as you target those tenants you will have no more voids than in any other property banding.

Prices are from £80 - £105k and I am not talking sink estates. Just perfectly middle of the road blocks and locations.