Whilst watching TV last night, The Apprentice series reminds me why I left corporate life for the quiet calm waters of Moray ! Though everything is not plain sailing at present, what with the 'credit crunch' and stagnant house prices in England - Lets hope the Scottish market doesn't follow suit.
However, there is better news for landlords. Worry about the future of the property market has boosted demand for homes to rent – and the money that can be charged for them, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has reported.
But not all properties are equal. Demand is continuing to grow strongly for houses, while the oversupply of new-build properties is depressing the rent increases being achieved for flats.
Matthew at Moray Rentals attributes the hunger for houses to families who have sold up choosing to delay their next purchase while prices are reported to be stagnating or falling. Though it is still a buyers market people do appear to be hedging their bets and waiting to see what the economy does.
The rental market typically flourishes in a property downturn. However when I look in the local press, all I see is planning applications for new developments - mostly for flats. This is where the money lies for the developer, but currently not for the investor.
If you are looking to invest in property, as always research your market first, given the choice between a £150k house or flat in the present market is like being given the choice between a jam doughnut and a digestive biscuit. I know which I would choose !
Though it does seem that many people are still 'buying in' to the digestive option, through the developers lifestyle and marketing promotions. Only in time will these investors realise that they should have picked the jam doughnut, which would have sustained them for much longer !
Tenants meanwhile will have to consolidate themselves with the fact that they don't have to worry about the predicted market slowdown or crash, however they may shortly have to bear the brunt of increasing rental prices.
Time to get the tea and doughnuts out.....
Until next time.
Mr Jackson.
Thursday 24 April 2008
Sunday 6 April 2008
The Good Life... ?
In The Good Life she epitomised the snooty, meddlesome neighbour familiar across the suburbs of Middle England. But, whereas Margot Leadbetter’s foibles were always forgiven, in real life Penelope Keith has been accused of taking her famous television character a step too far after her plans to build a café in a Highland village caused a storm of protest.
I've met Penelope on a couple of occasions and always found her to be charming. However residents in Avoch, mounted a bitter attack on the actress and her husband Rodney, after they planned to build a two-storey building in the middle of their village, despite local objections.
Penelope & Rodney were initially praised for tidying up the site, but some attitudes changed when they applied, through their company, Pencon Productions, to build a much needed tea room and cafe.
I'm all in favour of a new cafe - as you would expect (although the existing small cafe in Avoch has exceptionally good Eccles cakes). But the application was turned down by the local planning office - Even though it was to be sited on a disused service station and a hole in the ground.
It does seem that some planning officials are a trifle backward-looking, surely a development such as this would bring in much needed tourist trade -to help the local economy in this very sleepy village.
Yet instead they are happy once again to pass plans for new homes on surrounding greenbelt. I'm sure that many of the owners of these new homes would welcome being served a full Scottish breakfast by Penelope on a cold Winter's morning. Instead they will now have to take a drive through to Fortrose.
I'm even told Penelope will no longer be frequenting the area beacuse of this.
However, I've noticed a small shop for sale opposite the Post Office (almost a certainty to get planning for change of use), my own cafe in a sleepy village, with 100+ new houses in the vicinity, now there's an idea !
Sometimes an ideal investment may be staring you straight in the face and be a far simpler solution to the one you had in mind.
'Oh-Oh', as Penelope might say in her guise as narrator of the Tellytubbies.
Now if I can only persuade Mrs Jackson to be Head Chef.
Thank you for once again dining on my blog this week. I will keep you updated with the progress.
Mr Jackson.
I've met Penelope on a couple of occasions and always found her to be charming. However residents in Avoch, mounted a bitter attack on the actress and her husband Rodney, after they planned to build a two-storey building in the middle of their village, despite local objections.
Penelope & Rodney were initially praised for tidying up the site, but some attitudes changed when they applied, through their company, Pencon Productions, to build a much needed tea room and cafe.
I'm all in favour of a new cafe - as you would expect (although the existing small cafe in Avoch has exceptionally good Eccles cakes). But the application was turned down by the local planning office - Even though it was to be sited on a disused service station and a hole in the ground.
It does seem that some planning officials are a trifle backward-looking, surely a development such as this would bring in much needed tourist trade -to help the local economy in this very sleepy village.
Yet instead they are happy once again to pass plans for new homes on surrounding greenbelt. I'm sure that many of the owners of these new homes would welcome being served a full Scottish breakfast by Penelope on a cold Winter's morning. Instead they will now have to take a drive through to Fortrose.
I'm even told Penelope will no longer be frequenting the area beacuse of this.
However, I've noticed a small shop for sale opposite the Post Office (almost a certainty to get planning for change of use), my own cafe in a sleepy village, with 100+ new houses in the vicinity, now there's an idea !
Sometimes an ideal investment may be staring you straight in the face and be a far simpler solution to the one you had in mind.
'Oh-Oh', as Penelope might say in her guise as narrator of the Tellytubbies.
Now if I can only persuade Mrs Jackson to be Head Chef.
Thank you for once again dining on my blog this week. I will keep you updated with the progress.
Mr Jackson.
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