Merry Christmas !

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Thank you especially to those that have sent me Christmas cards, cakes and mince pies ! Much appreciated - as my ever increasing waistline will confirm.

And of course my thanks go to the genorous guys at Moray Rentals who have enabled me to write this blog, using their wi-fi connection, knowledge base and expertise.

They've made an old man very happy and I've really enjoyed writing this and chatting with them over the last year - I will continue to do so, as long as people are willing to read my opions and ramblings !

I'll be back early in the new year. I'm spending Christmas with my family in America - The best present I could wish for.

Hope yours may be just as enjoyable !

Until next year.

Mr Jackson.

At risk of losing your home ?

It's a sad fact that there's a lot of people out there who are struggling to keep up their repayments in these somewhat unusual times.

If you are at risk of losing your home, there are other options for you to consider before jumping for a “quick sale” company that will offer you up to 80% of your homes value - that may hurt more than help.

Here are some things to consider for keeping your house if you are struggling at the moment :

Communicate with your lender- this is the first and most important step. Your problems begin at the first time you miss a payment but often they will work with you if you communicate with them. There are situations where you can seek extensions or other arrangements may be available but you cannot seek these options if you don’t communicate.

• Set up short term repayment plan to make up the deficit.


• Add the unpaid balance to the principal of the loan and slightly increase your payments to make up the difference.


• Temporarily reduce or waive your payments.


• Offer a deal in lieu of foreclosure.


• Consider a legitimate credit counseling service.


• Consider your refinance options.


• Consider government aid options (more about this later)


• Before you think your only option is a “quick sale” company, make sure you take time to research other possibilities.

The Government can help too.

Recently the Government announced to the banks that they will be helping people who are in danger of losing their property for non payment. It’s possible you could qualify for one of these programs or for some type of government assistance to help you keep your home.

Before you run out for a quick sale option, get all of the facts. Beware of the “quick sale” companies, regardless of what you may have heard or what they may promise they can do for you. If you’re in danger of losing your property due to non payment or just seeking to sell your home quickly, consider all the options you have first.

Like me, I'm sure you would carefully consider the sweet trolley and the prices before deciding upon the Double chocolate Gateau. Rather than selecting the day old Battenburg, at a premium price, without considering what else is on offer. (Most quick sell companies can be likened to the latter.....).

Lets be careful out there !

Mr Jackson

Something special in the estate....

Today I've just returned from 'Ord Ban' the new cafe within the Rothiemurchus estate in Aviemore, my taste buds are still recovering, from the delicious home made butternut squash soup and beautiful lamb and mint sandwich.

It's an ideal place to indulge and take your mind off the property slump for a while. I'm surprised it's not full of estate agents drowning their sorrows in the sea of homebaked cakes.

Formerly the senior classroom of the old school house with its high pitched ceiling, pine floors and wood burning stoves. Now, a friendly and relaxed café by day and intimate dining room by night.

All the bread is made by hand each morning and a tempting medley of home baking awaits you throughout the day. Children are very welcome and the menu features some good healthy options, for those of you watching your weight - Mrs Jackson please note I had the healthy option lunch !

Heartily recommended !

I'll have to take Copernicus a good long walk now to get rid of my two slices of pear strudle (don't tell Mrs J). I'll see if I can get into treble figures counting the estate agents boards - If I do I'll reward myself with another visit to Aviemore later in the week. I think I'll make it a very long walk....

Yours thoroughly fulfilled,

Mr Jackson.

This old house....

This week I've given over my blog to a 'popular' local agent whom I met whilst selecting a large piece of Blueberry pie at Logie Steading. We reminissed on the virtues of getting old and of course the local property market, here's what he had to say - I'm sure you'll enjoy it ......

As I pause before the mirror and contemplate another day flogging homes, I check the reflection and grimace. Countless old buzzards in crumbling homes, matching their crumbling frames, regale estate agents with portentous warnings about not getting old, seemingly unaware that the alternative isn’t too peachy an option.

I know it’s because they’re lonely and painfully aware that life is effectively over - just the care home and the adult sized nappies to negotiate – but I’m already prone to mild depression, in this business.‘Not too bad for your age.’ Chuckles my wife not entirely helpfully, as I fiddle with my tie knot.

I’m aware I’m no matinee star, but I like to feel I’ve aged better than most of my peer group. With the rapidly greying temples, I’m trying to cultivate the salt and pepper George Clooney look, but in truth it might be closer to George Fornby.

‘Maturing.’ I say pausing before adding. ‘ Like a good wine.’ It hands my wife the perfect opportunity too confirm wryly, that she knows I do.

‘You’re doing okay.’ She grants graciously, then hurries to the kitchen to avoid any further fabrication.

I occasionally run into old school contemporaries, often valuing their home for a matrimonial split. It’s a bittersweet moment judging, as we both are doubtless doing, who has done better since the faded yearbook picture. The ones that give me a warm cheer are the over-achievers who peaked early. The sort of kiddie who was football captain, had a trial for a minor league outfit, and always picked you last in the traumatising P.E. team selection process.

Obviously it’s bad for business pointing out the balding big-bellied man about to lose his home hasn’t worn too well. You can’t afford too much blatant vitriol in sales. On reflection, it might be why I’m persevering with this blog, cheaper than a therapist’s couch and any carping won’t cost precious deals.

‘You’ll be late.’ Warns my wife, as I check my e-mails. I’ve been tempted by another Friends Reunited teaser and dipped into that oddly addictive time warp. I’m not scanning for first love availability mind, I’ve attended too may forced sales where one spouse has been seduced by a twenty-five year old memory of his classmate in a gymslip, to know it’s not a wise move.

Although relationship break-ups do fuel the sales market nicely. Perhaps my crummy outfit should investigate a link to the site. Not sure how the photos posted on-line would stand up to the property misdescription act though, as most of them are ten years and ten pounds out of date.

‘Don’t I know you?’ Asks the grey-faced man who opens the door to me later. He looks like a barely animated corpse, and as he stares at my business card we both realise we attended the same failed educational experiment. A vast comprehensive forged by the amalgamation of a reluctant Grammar school and a notorious secondary modern. He used to kick me as I waited at the bus stop, a fact he’s conveniently forgotten, unless he’s got early onset Alzheimer’s.

I remember though.‘Best days of my life.’ He reminisces nostalgically; confirming he’s either completely lost his marbles along with his wife, or has had an exceedingly dull thirty years since.Then as if to confirm he reached his apex in maths lessons, he brings out a dusty set of school photos and ignoring the fact he routinely bruised my ankles while I waited for the number ten bus, he starts meandering down memory lane.

The man is clearly more depressed than I am, so once I’ve humoured him with the odd sanitised anecdote about the crappy emporium we both attended, and more importantly ascertained his soon to be ex-wife’s solicitor has okayed the imminent house sale, I hit him with a top rate sole agency - one that stings almost as much as my legs used to.

‘I’m thinking of organising a reunion.’ The man continues once I’ve the paperwork and a for sale board safely confirmed. God help his creaky-limbed internet-sourced dance partner when Slade are played at the disco, she’ll need to watch her shins.I’ll just wait for their re-sale in a couple of year’s time.

See you at the reunion- Until next time,

Mr Jackson.

'Interest'ing Rate Cuts.

There's uproar at the Daily Mail website, in response to a piece in which it's reported that the lenders (many of which, by the way, have now passed last week's 1.5% interest rate cut) have told Alistair Darling they won't be passing on any further cuts, while the Libor rate remains substantially higher than the base rate.

Nor is it unusual... it's a response to mortgage interest rates we're hearing over and over again. And it's incredibly, astonishingly shortsighted. Has everybody - already - forgotten how we got into this mess in the first place?

Will more cheap credit really get us out? And who, in their right mind, would rather have seen the banks left to fail, taking savers, homeowners and businesses with them?

The banks weren't bailed out for the personal benefit of the directors - they were bailed out for the benefit of the economy. Furthermore, who really believes that cutting interest rates is going to prop up the housing market?

And - finally - remember that there are still some savers out there, people who didn't take advantage of easy credit but who behaved responsibly in the first place - who'd like to see their savings rewarded with a level of interest that at least keeps up with inflation.

These are unusual times my friend, sit back and enjoy the ride - if you can. It's much more palletable with a couple of slices of Dundee cake and an expresso - whilst enjoying these, things don't look all that bad, for a few minutes at least.....

Until the next time,

Mr Jackson.

Rent the house of your dreams.

I came across a very interesting article in The Telegraph today, whilst sat infront of my log-burning stove, with a mug of hot chocolate, topped with marshmallows. Today was a wrap up warm and stay at home day, it's I while since I saw snow in October !

It is like the beginning of a children's story. The Durrell family famously rented an animal-infested house in Corfu, while E Nesbitt's railway children and their mother took a cottage in Yorkshire which had a railway line running along the bottom of the garden. All kinds of families are now turning to renting. They aim to have adventures, achieve their dreams and avoid any feeling of coming down in the world.

Many other families are thinking alike. The rented sector, which for so long has been inhabited by singles and couples in their 20s and 30s, is now seen as a place of sanctuary and freedom. Hits for family-sized houses on the website in August were a staggering 68 per cent higher than in August last year, and stayed high in September. Hits for renting were 51 per cent higher than in the same month in 2007.

One Hampshire land agent looking for a house to buy realised he could rent a five-bedroom Georgian vicarage with a paddock, stable and outbuildings in a village for the same monthly cost as a mortgage on a Victorian terrace in the nearest town. He took a five-year lease on the vicarage.

"It sounds clever and strategic," he says, "but it just suits us at the moment. You have to ask yourself how much more do you own a house if you are mortgaged up to the hilt on it?" But isn't that monthly outlay dead money? "Not at all, because I am getting what I want. What I have bought is the joy of living in this house."

Sam Gibson and his family have just moved to Morpeth in Northumberland. He and his wife Emily, their two lurchers and seven-month-old Alfred, have moved into the wing of a Grade-I listed pile called Capheaton Hall. And they are renting it.

"We are terrifically lucky," says Sam, an estate agent with Strutt & Parker. "We have four bedrooms, live in one of the area's finest houses, look out over the most perfect ha-ha and have been invited to help eat the produce from the kitchen garden." He does want to buy eventually: "I want to make a home for my young family," he says. "I want a place where Alfie can grow up and I can plant a peach tree."

The 25-year repayment mortgage became too expensive for many people by the end of 2007. Savills, the estate agency, says, they cost 76 per cent more than renting. Many people switched to interest-only mortgages instead.

Seems like now is the ideal time to rent a family sized house of your dreams, at least until 2023, if you read my previous post !

Happy hunting.

Mr Jackson.

Prices bounce back...... in 2023 !

If you read the Guardian, like myself, then they had some gloomy news today, stating the average price of a house in the UK will not return to its 2007 peak until 2023, this according to a leading academic.

If you're a homeowner, you'd better sit down with something stronger than Rington's tea and some comfort food, maybe some Rolo doughnuts, which I found on offer this week - thanks to the credit crunch, it's not all bad you know......

Andrew Clare, professor of asset management at Cass business school in London, said the housing market would get "a lot worse" before it started to pick up.

Using futures contracts based on the Halifax house price index, he has calculated that, in 2010, the average will be 40% lower than the peak of £199,600 in August last year - about £120,000. "Worse still, according to these prices, the Halifax index will not recover its August 2007 level until 2023," he said.

Clare said his survey was "very bad news" for anyone who bought a house last summer and predicted negative equity would be a big feature of "our economic landscape for years to come". However, he also sees greater affordability, with the ratio of average house prices to average earnings declining as property prices fall, assuming that earnings rise at an average nominal rate of 5% a year.

"By 2010 the price-to-earnings ratio would be much closer to a sustainable level - very close to the old-style mortgage multiples that lenders used," he said.

Halifax said last week that the average price of a house fell 13.3% in the year to September - the biggest drop since records were first kept 25 years ago.

However, specialists giving evidence at a Treasury select committee yesterday gave a less gloomy outlook than that painted by Clare. David Miles, professor of finance at Imperial College London, told MPs that house prices would stabilise after a further 5-10% drop. He said a total 20% drop in prices should be the point at which the housing market rejuvenates.

The ripple effect is now starting to hit Scotland and Moray, just look in the estate agents windows and in the local press. There's many more houses being offered at fixed prices and rental prices are steadily increasing.

Word has it that several local estate agents are struggling at present and if the sale market doesn't improve soon, we may well see many more Big Issue vendors on our streets ! Though they have had it very good for the last few years, let's hope it doesn't come to that.

The Moray housing market is very resiliant though, if only purchasers could still get a good mortgage offer. As always, shop around my friends, the current economic slowdown is affecting all businesses, with many being prepared to negotiate or offer better deals, just like my Rolo doughnuts !

All the best,

Mr Jackson

Bag Of Cats....

A very strange landlord in New York came up with a rather sick idea of getting rid of his tenants-putting dead cats in one of the building's flats.

Following the sickening move, tenants of the building are suing the landlord. The residents of the apartment building in Bushwick, Brooklyn, have claimed that the stench was so bad that they had to hold their noses when they passed through the communal stairs. "It was so bad, we thought it was a dead body," The Telegraph quoted Daisy Terry, one of the tenants, as saying.

After several weeks, when the smell started to waft around the building, the New York housing inspectors were called in to look into the issue. After investigation, it actually turned out to be a bag of dead, rotting cats lying in a vacant ground floor flat.

With the support of the members of the city council, the rent-stabilised tenants are now suing a property company, Heskel 1, which bought the property last year. The tenants have also alleged that the company even removed the stairs leading to the basement and filled hallways with rubbish after they refused to accept money to move out so the building could be redeveloped.

However, the landlord has refused to comment on the issue. According to Christine Quinn, the New York City Council Speaker, such cases were "happening all over our city and we must ensure wronged tenants have the right to confront their harassers in court.

Happening all over the City ? Thank goodness we live in a much more civilised area, for the time being at least.

That's put me right off my Battenburg this morning. If you have a worse landlord than that, please let me know !

All the best,

Mr Jackson.

There's cowboys in them there towns......

A good friend of mine has recently been discussing with me his unsatisfactory dealings with a certain local letting agent. Forget the fact that he missed out on a rental income to the tune of a few thousand pounds, his gripe is that he feels he was completely hustled by supposed ‘experts’.

'X ' As I will call him (he even looks a bit like a secret agent) had never let out a property before and having been talked the talk by the local agent, and having received a healthy (realistically overinflated) rental valuation, he saw no reason not to list with Agent B.

Although he was assured the market was as strong as ever, his property lay tenantless, managers wouldn’t answer his calls and viewings were scarce. I won’t name names when it comes to which agents did what, but you can probably make a fairly educated guess as to which agent was excited to get him on the books and then failed to ever deliver a viewing.

If you’re thinking of letting out a property, how can you avoid falling into the hands of misleading agents?

Well, a good place to start would be the fantastic list of questions that Which? have compiled.

They recommend you visit at least three agents and understand all their fees and charges before you committ to anything and if they can’t answer all your questions satisfactorily, don’t list with them. Not everyone’s out to hustle you, you will find a decent letting agent if you do your homework.

You couldn't do better than the chaps at Moray Rentals in my opinion - but then they always make sure I get a cup of tea and a slice of David's wife's Dundee cake :-)

What to ask:
· How many similar properties do you have to let?
· How many are not being let now?
· How long does it usually take from advertising to getting a tenant?
· Is anyone currently looking for my sort of property?
· What qualifications do your staff have in letting?
· Are you in a trade association? If not, why not?
· How are disputes between owners and agents settled?
· What happens about repairs in the home?
· If the agency handles repairs, am I charged cost price, or with a mark-up?

Plus anything else you think relevant to your situation.

Be careful out there, not all cowboy's wear Stetsons and ride horses !

Until the next time,

Mr Jackson.

Bless This House

Negotiators at Falcon and Foxglove (Burnley) have taken to burying statues of St Joseph in the gardens of properties they’re trying to sell.

St Joseph? Despite many years enduring the tender ministrations of Sisters of Mercy, Christian Brothers, Jesuits and Dominicans, this is a new one on me.

But a quick Google of St Joseph does indeed reveal that he’s the patron saint of carpentry, property and home sales (he’s also the man to get in touch with if you want an easy death, but let’s move quickly on…).

There’s quite a little cottage industry out there on the interweb flogging St Joseph home sale kits to the devout and the desperate – take your pick from:

The Catholic Company: St Joseph Home Sale Kit

St Joseph Statue

Or my own particular favorite:

Discount Catholic Products: Home Help Kits

Once you have your statue, you bury yer man in the garden (upside down according to some), say a quick prayer, and stand well back to avoid being trampled by the stampede of heaven-sent buyers …

But does it work? Howard Baker of Falcon & Foxglove told Estate Agent Today: “Very few houses were selling and we just thought it was worth a try.

“When the first house sold within four days I thought it was a coincidence, but the second sale happened only days later, followed by the third shortly afterwards.

“We are always looking for new ways of marketing properties and making them more saleable, so we are willing to try anything that helps to sell houses.”

Hmmm. Spooky!

Now why, oh why, didn’t someone tell the DCLG about this before they went to all the trouble of introducing HIPs?

My thanks go to Mike O'Flynn for this amusing if not slightly wierd story.

You will note no tea or cakes have been mentioned in this story - Mrs Jackson has me on a diet and I'm trying not to think about doughnuts, butteries, vanilla slices, fresh apricot Danish pastries, warm pain au raisin's, croissants with jam, Russian slice, blueberry muffins............

Hungrily yours,

Mr Jackson.

My 2p's worth....

The two most important factors when attempting to rent out a house are the two 'P's, presentation and price. Most people have an emotional response to a house within ten seconds, so you have to be tidy and your children can’t leave their underpants on the floor.

Cleaning the windows is one of my most important tips to you : it will make rooms look lighter and brighter.

Get rid of any lingering odours (the main culprits being dog - sorry Copernicus, and cigarette smoke). Temporarily re-home your pets, either to the car or to the garden - not everyone will share your love of them.

Even more important is price. The rental market is very healthy at the moment, though don't try and exaggerate your price, you need to attract the optimum number of potential tenants. A high price is not going to get people through the door, so put it on at a guide price at the upper middle end of your expectations, and you may even get several bidders who will push the price up.

Above all be flexible, though never agree to let your property without you or your agent completing comprehensive credit and background checks.

If you've got a decent property to rent, it's realistically priced and clean, then in today's climate you shouldn't struggle - speak with your agent if your property is sticking around. I know the chaps at Moray Rentals are renting properties like hot cakes, many of which go without even being advertised.

Talking of hot cakes - must dash, as I have two pain au chocolate still to eat - today is their use by date - how I hate to see good food wasted.

Good luck if you're renting out your property.

Choc's away,

Mr Jackson.

Gazumping in the rental market.

Well, it had to happen......... This is how Globrix reported the new trend of Gazumping in the rental market. With the sales market cooling down, and many discretionary movers and first time buyers now waiting to see what the market does in the next few months, the demand for rental properties has increased to previously unseen levels within a very short space of time. Rental yields, which up until recently were languishing around an average of 3%, are now being tipped by industry experts to hit an average of 7% by the end of the year. And with a ratio of 4 applicants to every property available to rent, it’s a very fast moving market.

So rapid is the turnover of rental property at the moment, that desperate would-be tenants are outbidding each other for the ideal property. Enter the spectre of Gazumping to the rental market. Letting agents up and down the country are reporting increased incidences of people arriving at properties with their cheque book and pen, ready to put down a holding deposit there and then because they’ve narrowly missed out on other properties and are getting desperate.

Gone are the days where there was an opportunity to haggle over the rent. Now, the tables have turned and landlords are cherry-picking the most suitable tenants who are prepared to pay the most rent.

So, if you are on the lookout for a property to rent right now – don’t dawdle. Do your research to keep an eye on what’s out there every day to be the first to get into a property, which will give you an advantage over other tenants.

Once you’re there, if you can, make an immediate decision about the property, and put down a holding deposit to avoid losing out. Also, try and be flexible. Chances are, because rents are rising and there are so many other potential tenants out there, you may not find exactly what you want, but if something ticks enough boxes, right now it might be worth going for. Because chances are, if you don’t take it, someone else will !

Paul at Moray Rentals advised me over a slice of M&S Maderia cake that this phenonema has yet to hit the shores of Moray, but as with everything else, he expects it to arrive in the next couple of months - you've been warned !

All the best,

Mr Jackson.

Easy as Pie

As many of my readers will know, I have two main loves in life, property and cakes (of all shapes, sizes, flavours and textures). And Mrs Jackson of course, making three I suppose - better mention that before I'm relegated to the dog house with Copernicus again.

With all the doom and gloom brigade berating the state of the property market, falling house prices, rising rents and the credit crunch biting hard. What better to cheer you up than a traditional apple pie with custard.

I was sent one recently and ate it in early evening whilst sat outside, enjoying the late summer sun over the bay. It was like being in heaven !

So this week, in a slight change to my ususal blog, I've listed below the ingredients to the 'perfect' apple pie. To cheer up all the property owners and investors of Moray - Why not give it a try ?

If you can't or don't cook yourself, you're certainly missing out. I'm certainly no Marco Pierre White. (A handy hint I sometimes use with Mrs J, is to buy the ingredients myself, add the recipe and a bunch of flowers into the mix, coupled with a nice sprinkling of compliments - hair, weight, dress etc... Choose one, don't go overboard and use all three, and the pie is normally ready that evening). I'm sure this may work equally well with girlfriends, mothers, partners etc.

My thanks go to Brian Ferris from Seattle for his 'Perfect' apple pie. Best I've tasted Brian !

6 cups apple (Golden D + Granny Smith)
1/4 cup flour
3/4-1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

The key to a good apple pie is good apples. Specifically, you want something that's a little bit sweet, a little bit tangy, but most importantly, an apple that will not bake down to mush. Crisp apples like Golden D and Granny Smiths work well. Avoid Red Delicious like the plague.

Regional apples and other varieties are worth a look too.

Peel and core and cut the apples into 1/2-inch-think slices. Mix the apples and the remaining ingredients, adjusting the sugar based on the sweetness of the apples. Let apples sit and juice up for about five minutes.

You'll have previously wanted to prepare the two 9" pie crusts mentioned above. Roll out one of the crusts and place it into a pie dish. Pour the apples into the pie dish, spreading evenly. Cut a few tablespoons of butter up and place the chunks randomly over the apples. Roll out the remaining pie crust and place it over the top of the pie. Proceed to trim and crimp the edge of the crust as described above.

So that the pie doesn't explode while baking, cut a few triangular slits in the center of the pie crust. These can be as decorative as your knife skills allow, but their main purpose is to allow and outlet for hot, expanding air inside the pie as it bakes. Try not to cut the holes close to the edge, as the filling tends to bubble out.

To get nice browning of the crust, you may wish to brush the top of the crust with a little milk, or an egg mixed with milk. Keep an eye on the pie as it is baking. If it's looking too brown, you can cover it with tin foil to stop the browning.

Bake the pie at 400º for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375º and bake an additional 20-30 minutes. You can tell the pie is done because the filling will appear bubbly.

Then enjoy - things certainly begin to look better, especially after two slices. It may not help the falling property price market, or the increasing rental market, but for a short while it certainly fills my voids !

Until next time,

Yours (Already on his second slice of the day - at 11.00am),

Mr Jackson.

How much do YOU think it's worth ?

How much is your property worth ?

Having been a valuer for more years than I care to remember, the last few at least have been dominated by data available to us for free - Why do work procedures always get easier when you retire ?

The great chaps at Brighter Property explain simply how your house is valued, when you sell. It's not a black art or a science, it's a piece of cake (my favourite term.....).

At the risk of blowing the lid off traditional estate agency skills, how do you think they value?

You guessed it, they use the Internet. Whether you like it or not anyone with access to the internet can find out the price of a home in your road and even how much you paid for it yourselves.

Most of the big property portals have a 'back end' agents only access area, which we can all access. If you have been trying to sell your home at any point in the last say, ten years we can find out just by entering the postcode. Up will come the price you were trying, what agent you were with and how long it was on the market.

When you book a valuation with an estate agent, one of the first questions asked is 'How much do you think it's worth?' That's just to find out if your thoughts are in line with the data available to them.

When the agent arrives from 'X and Co' arrives with trusty clipboard in hand, what is he or she looking to achieve? The answer is just to sign you up to their company. They may have a look around first, probably presumptuously doing brief room sizes and pretending that the white bathroom suite alters your value whilst paying the odd compliment here and there. I tell you now, it's all for show.

They had the value ready at their morning meeting that day, simple as that. The reason for measuring the rooms is to try an assumptive close later in the meeting, something like '....Oh well I've prepared the details already, all I need to do is take some photos and we're ready to go....

Your happy with what I've said, just sign here, there's no need to have another agent round.'To prove the point though, the ace up my sleeve is this. What happens in the majority of cases when a sale has been agreed.......?

A survey/valuation.This is carried out by a surveyor who has the final say in what your property is worth and whether the bank/building society should lend that amount on it. Does he have a local office? Has he ever sold a house in your road before? Probably not. Where does the person that decides if your house sale goes through or not get his price?.....You guessed it again.... the Internet.

Cut out the wasted hours listening to preconceived sales pitches - Why not do your own homework and either sell privately, or take advantage of services offered by people like Brighter Property, or more locally, Gardiner Financial Services in Forres, who will market your home for you, including board and window advertising for £150.00.

You could end up saving enough money on your house sale to purchase a new car, or a great family holiday. Work out the savings and start planning !

And good luck, if you are planning to sell your home shortly. I'm now off to take advantage of the late Summer sunshine, by sitting on my terrace overlooking the bay, with a nice piece of carrot cake from The Bakehouse at Findhorn and a mug of Rington's. Copernicus is sat by my side and has a pigs ear to finish off.

Things may have got easier for those who work, but retirement is not all that bad !

Until next time,

Mr Jackson.

Living at the bottom of the garden.

I've been sleeping in a shed recently, not because Mrs Jackson had thrown me out for eating the majority of the last Jamaican ginger cake, but through choice.

I was fortunate enough to visit British Columbia and stayed in an Eco-Shed on Bowden Island. Seeing and living there is beleiving. I like to try and visit new and modern developments on my trips and this was a great opportunity to get away from the standard hotel room.

The Eco-Shed is a sustainably designed studio located in the residential area above Snug Cove Village on Bowen Island, B.C. The brand-new 280-square-foot freestanding building is suitable for one or two people only, and includes a queen-size bed, built-in desk and wardrobe, small fridge, Danish wood stove, and three-quarter bath with walk-in tiled shower room. The Eco-Shed is located in the front yard of the owners garden, but is fenced and private at the end of a quiet residential street.

Bowen Island is a low-key, relaxing island in Howe Sound, where eagles soar overhead, deer browse at the roadsides, and ferries shuttle back and forth.

Your stay includes island-roasted Happy Isle coffee, a selection of organic teas, personal care products from Bowen’s own Naked Soapworks, a complimentary chilled bottle of local wine, orange juice and muffins delivered to your door for breakfast.

Plush robes, slippers, binoculars, beach towels and mats are all provided. WiFi is available at no additional charge - so I can keep intouch with David at Moray Rentals ! The property offers spectacular forest, ocean, and mountain views and is close to restaurants, yoga, hiking trails, and an organic grocery store.

You can even enjoy a kayak lesson or evening paddle in nearby Deep Bay—or just sit in your courtyard, relax with a book and a mug of tea (not Rington's unfortunately), and watch the ferries glide by.

The Eco-Shed is a pleasant 10-minute walk to the village, and a vigorous 15 minute climb back uphill in the other direction.

The Eco-Shed was designed from the ground up as a showcase of green-building techniques and healthy-living practices. Its numerous green qualities include passive-solar design, extensive reclaimed and FSC-certified wood, highly efficient fixtures and windows, nontoxic materials and finishes, and excellent ventilation. The building’s spray-foam insulation system also offers excellent soundproofing.

The Eco-Shed is the subject of ALMOST GREEN (Greystone/Skyhorse), an eco-memoir written by James Glave, the building’s owner. The book will be released August (Canada) and September (USA). Should be available on Amazon in the UK .

At just 45 minutes from downtown Vancouver, including the short ferry ride, The Eco-Shed is a getaway you can really feel good about.

Looking out of my window this cold, grey, raining morning, over the somewhat rough sea in Findhorn bay, I'm not quite sure that Moray is ready for shed living just yet. But with the property market on a national slow-down, you never know !

Until next time.

Mr Jackson.

Double Chocolate Surprise

Just a personal note of thanks to blog readers Charlie & Jessica, who after reading about my love of all things sweet, sent me a fantastic home made 'double chocolate' cake.

Having just sampled it I think it would be prudent for them to go into the cake making business, as well as a having a property portfolio.

If any of you other readers would like to do the same, I'm quite happy to sample and comment upon your creations !

Thanks again C&J and also for your kind words about the blog.

Mr Jackson

How's your performance ?

I have just read through all the new and forthcoming rental guidelines, and eaten 3 pieces of fruitcake, washed down with two cups of Rington's in the process, all kindly supplied by David at Moray Rentals.

My mind is awash with more pieces of legislation that landlords must adhere to which will be shortly introduced. All properties in Scotland which are rented to new tenants will be subject to an Energy Performance Certificate from 4 January 2009.

EPC's tell you how energy efficient a home is on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes - which should have the lowest fuel bills - are in band A.

The Certificate also tells you, on a scale of A-G, about the impact the home has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less impact through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It also includes recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment.

This coupled with the Repairing Standards document (which must have been issued to tenants from 03 September 2007 onwards) has made more legal paperwork and more expense for many landlords. Working alone, managing your own portfolio and keeping abreast of all the legalities, without the use of a letting agent, is getting harder to do.

In a time where all we are hearing on the news is tighten our purse strings and prepare for the credit crunch, it makes sense to shop around for the best deal you can get, should you sensibly decide to make use of a letting agent.

Though don't go on price alone - meet the agent in person, at your property, ask questions about them and the company. Their credit vetting of potential tenants, their advertising methods and most importantly if they hold any qualifications to do the job.

After all would you entrust a £200,000 car to a trainee mechanic, with little experience or no qualifications ? If an average single property is worth this amount, you are effectively doing the same, by using a poor quality agent.

They may be able to do the basics - but anything more than that, or any future problems, you may find that your financial wheels fall off. Speak with a professional - one of the chaps here will certainly put you on the 'right road'.

'Drive safely' everyone and watch out for a bewildered older gentlemen crossing the road, whilst trying to work out how much more money the new legislation will cost his rental portfolio.

Mr Jackson.

Credit Crunch

This week's comments come from Tom Entwistle, he's the editor and all round nice guy at Landlordzone. Though Tom may wish to reconsider his views, as they are a little gloomy, if not plain miserable (See my post entitled 'Great Ways To Be Miserable') in the current market. It's not all that bad just yet is it....? At least not yet here in Moray !

However, as I write this, mid-June 2008, things look pretty gloomy.The credit crunch is putting the banks under extreme pressure (we still don’t know the full story) leading to a contracting property market because of a severe tightening of lending criteria and the end of cheap money.

Savills last week revised their forecast that residential property values could fall by 9%, to as much as 25%, by the end of 2009.This in turn is severely affecting the construction industry which is seeing builders halting new development plans and even mothballing some current developments.

Rising redundancies in related industries will inevitably have knock-on effects to the economy as a whole, which is already feeling the effects of rising inflation and in particular higher commodity prices and quite dramatic fuel price rises.

Households are also feeling the effects of rising food and fuel prices and therefore retailers’ profits will be hit, inevitably affecting commercial rents and tenancies.The whole scenario looks set to lead to a full blown recession (the first we’ve seen in the UK for 18 years—so much for Gordon’s “the end of boom and bust”) unless moves by government and the Bank of England have their desired effect—so far there’s little evidence of this.

Fortunately for landlords residential rents and demand for renting is holding up very well, though the situation could deteriorate quickly if mass redundancies result. Established landlords with sizeable chunks of equity in their properties will inevitably ride out the storm and many will take advantage of distressed selling and falling values to add to their portfolios, ready for the up-turn—but things can get worse yet!

Additionally, an overall shortage of UK housing should help shore up the market in many locations, especially as new development will slow down or stop.The ones most likely to suffer are those overstretched newbie property investors, and in particular those owning new-build urban flats whose values are badly affected due to oversupply and poor tenant demand in some locations.

You didn’t need to be the Sage of Omaha or even those illustrious property education “experts” running overpriced property courses to see this coming a long time ago.For what some have paid for these courses you could have gleaned more wisdom buying 3 or 4 good investment books and spending a luxurious two weeks of study in one of the best hotels in the Caribbean!

For all those responsible for fleecing and then leading naive and unsuspecting investors into a living hell, to now say: “we were taken by surprise by the credit crunch”, is nothing short of scandalous in my view.

Batten down the hatches ! Stock up on Ringtons and butteries, keep smiling and hopefully things won't seem all that bad.

Until next time,

Mr Jackson.

Another cut price vanilla slice Sir ?

Thousands of landlords are now attempting to break into the sale-and-rent-back (SARB) market as a growing number of people face repossession.

This market is effectively like going into your favourite bakers at five minutes before closing and offering them 70p for their last vanilla slice, priced up at £1.00, which otherwise would go to waste. Except on a much grander scale !

Some would say these landlords are preying on the weak, taking advantage of others misfortune. Others saying they offer a lifeline to the struggling homeowner. There also seems to be a morality issue here, I personally don't think I will be venturing into this new market phenomenon.

Sale-and-rent-back agreements allow homeowners to sell their property at a discount price to a landlord. (Typically the homeowner will receive 75-80% of the property value) who will then rent it back to them at the market rate.

Despite the fact that they will sell their home for tens of thousands less than it is worth, the advantages of sale-and-rent-back may seem attractive to borrower in arrears, especially as deals are advertised on the basis that they can be conducted swiftly and quietly with no need to tell neighbours or even family.

Keeping up appearances and the image of a perfect life is one of the main issue to homeowners here. In many cases the alternative would be repossession.

Would you sell your home for £50,000 less than it's worth? This is what sale-and-rent-back companies would be asking the owner of a £200,000 property to do if they purchased it at 75% of its value.

If you have to sell up and move then accept that fact. If you need a quick sale due to debt problems, speak first to your mortgage lender. It may be able to find a cheaper deal, switch you to an interest-only loan, or delay repayments to give you time to sell.

It is then possible to put the home on the open market at a low asking price and try and get the best offer possible. If you have to move to a different property, so be it. Mortgage lenders do not want to repossess homes, it is a complicated and expensive process for them and they are unlikely to get back a property's true value.

Weigh up all your options first and seek good advice before making a judgement call.

Lets hope this trend doesn't head as far North as Moray !

Let's be careful out there.

Mr Jackson.

Great Ways To Be Miserable.

I have finally come to the conclusion that some people like to be miserable, that they actually feel happier when they are miserable. I’m sure that is an oxymoron, but I am guessing you know the kind of people I mean.

I like to think that I align with people’s belief systems rather than trying to change them, so I thought it was remiss of me not to offer advice to those folk that think wallowing in self-pity and gloom makes for a great day out.

Of course I understand that this doesn’t apply to you, but if you know somebody who likes to work on feeling bad about things, please feel free to help them out by passing on these handy tips on. If you’re ready to step it up in the misery stakes I’m ready to help so get that frown in place, have a quick grumble about the Government, complain about the state of the property market, mutter that kids today have got no respect, then let’s get on with the business in hand.

Tim Brownson is a friend of a friend, he's a qualified English born Life Coach, NLP Master Practitioner and Hypnotherapist. He is now based just outside Orlando, Florida but coaches people all over the US and UK. His time is split between telephone and face-to-face coaching helping people fulfill their potential and get more out of life. I find his views very entertaining - sit yourself down with a strong cup of Ringtons, an iced finger and enjoy.....

Always whine and complain about stuff that is out of your control. Great examples are the weather, other people’s actions and the housing market. Don’t ever miss an opportunity to remind people that life is much worse and much harder than they think it is. Then drive home your point by giving them a long list of examples of stuff that is wrong with the world and why it was better during the depression/war/60’s* (* delete where applicable).

Keep up to date on celebrity culture. We all know that celebrities lead charmed, perfect lives. They don’t ever get sick; they have lots of money and are all perfectly balanced human beings. Read up on them, yearn to be them and above all idolize them as the gods they are. Never forget that your life is a meaningless travesty compared to theirs.

Judge others. Don’t listen to people that say you can’t judge a book by a cover. You haven’t got time to read books so how else are you supposed to make up your mind than glancing at the cover? If they are fat then they eat too much, if they smoke they are stupid and if they are out of work then it’s obvious they’re lazy. Soldiers, surgeons and athletes have to make rapid decisions so why not you?

Keep updated on local news. Make sure you know who has murdered whom and more importantly, which drug-crazed lunatic is on the rampage in your neighborhood. Don’t go to bed feeling cheerful when you can watch stories about the worsening economy, rising crime rates and foot tapping politicians hanging around in public bathrooms.

Eat junk food, drink lots of beer and never exercise. Fresh fruit and vegetables are for wusses that are scared to eat a triple pounder deluxe with extra bacon and 62 different kinds of cheese. Those same wusses probably can’t knock back 10 beers a night and an 18″ pizza. A good diet and exercise can help you feel good mentally and look good physically. Who needs that I ask you? Stick to your guns and ignore those fitness fascists like the plague. After all, if you get fit you have to stay fit and that requires time, time that you need to watch TV.

Watch more TV. If you are watching 8 hours per day that’s not enough, edge it up a bit. Aim for a diet of reality TV, local news, soap operas and anything that humiliates people. Avoid programmes that are remotely informative like the plague, so documentary's and anything on the BBC 2 is right out.

Catastrophize. You haven’t had a bad day at work you’ve had a nightmare. You haven’t been sick you have been violently sick. You haven’t got a tough boss; you’ve got the boss from hell. Get the message? If something is worth feeling bad about then it’s worth feeling really, really bad about. Never use expressions like “It’s not so bad” or “There was a silver lining” They will only serve to lessen the impact of negative events and we need to ramp them up. When you get really skilled at this you can slip phrases like “I was violently sick and my boss from hell made my day an absolutely nightmare” into any conversation with aplomb.

Play the lottery. You know you’ll never have much money as things are; so base your future plans on the 1 in 100 million possibility that you can win the big one. If you normally spend £5 per week don’t forget to increase that to £25 when there is a rollover. Let’s face it, you’d struggle to cope on the £3m that is the weekly prize, you really need that £42m mega rollover. Unfortunately for you though, there are part-time players that can’t cope with the normal prize either and jump on your bandwagon when the pot gets that big. In such cases you need to buy lots more tickets. This can be a double-whammy for misery seekers everywhere if you keep a log of what you spent. At the end of the year, add it all up and ponder what you could have bought with the £1000 or so you wasted. Better still; ask a financial expert how much that money would have worth been in 10 years time if invested properly.

Consolidate your debts. Don’t have 3 or 4 small debts here there and everywhere paying 8% on each, get one huge debt and pay 15%. It makes sense, you haven’t got time to manage 3 or 4 debts, Jerry Springer is on! When you’ve signed up for the consolidation asks your friend the financial adviser how much extra interest you’ll be paying over the next 62 years. Make sure you’re sat down with a large brandy, some smelling salts and a defibrillator to hand when he answers you.

Hopefully now you know some great ways to make you even more miserable than you were before, good luck with your endeavors. I guess some people reading this would prefer to be happy and for those sorry souls I suppose you could do just the opposite. The choice is yours !

Yours Grumblingly,

Mr Jackson.

Losing the £'s.

Everyone is after losing a few pounds these days - not least Mrs Jackson, sharing my midday constitutional of tea and cakes is begining to take its toll. (Don't tell her I said that will you...). However the easiest way to lose a few £'s when investing is to not take care of the simplest of tasks.

It's worth knowing a few items that will reduce your costs in the early stages of your new property, and I'm talking utility and council tax bills here. Although once you rent out your property your tenants will take care of virtually every bill, at least while you are getting the property ready or waiting for tenants, you can keep the bills to a minimum.

At various property investment seminars that I have given, I mention that you may be able to get the seller to agree to give you access to the property between exchange and completion, in which case it's not an issue, but in many cases you will not have this luxury.

It is important to inform your utility companies straight away if your property is vacant, particularly if your property is still rates based (i.e. not on a meter). And of course in any case as soon as you complete, you should take meter readings (where available) and inform all of the suppliers what those readings are.

At the same time, you should tell the utility company that the property is vacant and UNFURNISHED (this is very important), pending refurbishment. Some utility companies and the council (for council tax), may even send an inspector just to check that it really IS unfurnished. It's important to do this straight away, as especially in the case of the council, they will not allow you to backdate the 'refurbishment' or 'unoccupied' status if you forget to tell them.

By the way, if the inspector comes over and sees even a few boxes, even if you're using the place as storage, they'll classify it as 'furnished' and you'll still get charged the full rate. On the same day, do ask all the utility companies to change any pre-payment meters to account meters. There's nothing more annoying during a refurbishment than for your contractors to 'run out of electricity', or for you to pay off previous occupiers meter debts.

Also, it's a good idea to have water meters installed if they haven't been already. as all this takes ages for the utility companies to organise, it's a good idea to get that sorted straight away. Of course, as soon as the property is furnished and rented, all the utility companies and the council then need to be informed again of the chance of status, and you should take readings from all the meters again, as you only want to pay for the period before your tenants came in.

By remembering these simple tasks it's easy enough to save the pounds and spend them on something worthwhile - maybe even an upper floor renovation for Mrs Jackson ;-)

See you all soon,

Mr Jackson.

An Isolated Paradise

I know of many people who enjoy living in rural isolation, in and around Moray, strangely enough many of them live alone. However, I also know of a similar number of people who despise it.

Though however remote in the local area, more often than not, there's nearly always a neighbouring house, a shop, a pub or if you're lucky a tea room within a 20 mile radius.

On my recent trip to California I was fortunate enough to meet with Roger Lextrait who lived practically alone, and was fortunate enough to call a small island in the South Pacific atoll of Palmyra his home for eight years.

Each day he woke promptly at 5AM, to the calling of a hundred thousand birds. Nowhere else on the planet do these creatures gather in such numbers. After fixing himself a Palmyra Cocktail (1 part Rum, 1 part Red Wine, 1 part Tang), he called up his radio contacts in Tahiti and Honolulu.

A shower on the beach in his makeshift bathing system and he was ready for the day. The bath and latrine systems Roger built are still used today by the current research teams that visit the atoll for brief expeditions.

Roger had a variety of things to keep him busy. Not least of which were his 3 dogs TouTou, Blackie, and Padou. He trained them to hunt sharks, helping to keep the predators population under control (How you do this wasn't explained - I just gave him a knowing nod and smile, as if this was an everyday occurence - I couldn't imagine Copernicus doing this...). Always near were his 2 cats Tiger and DouDouche, and the 2 birds he raised from hatchlings, lovingly named Felix and Oscar.

Experience made him an excellent fisherman, using only a diving knife, fishing net, and spear gun. This was dangerous work as the reef contained a number of less than friendly creatures. Roger had his share of run-ins with everything from sharks to stingrays, but never suffered any serious injuries.

Singing, playing his guitar, and drumming on an old wheel barrel helped him pass the time and keep the loneliness at bay. Despite his best efforts, Roger still described experiencing intense feelings of depression and despair. “It (Palmyra) is so secluded, so isolate,” he says.

A bit like Tomintoul, but without the sunshine and sharks perhaps......?

I hope to invite Roger to stop with me in Moray next year, I will of course let you have his well travelled comments and observations about the area.

Aloha,

Mr Jackson.

Pick the doughnut !

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.

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.

It's a dog's life.

The Industrial Revolution created urban markets for lamb, mutton, and wool; but how could the vast hills of unfenced land in the Borders of Scotland and northern England be put to raising sheep? Hardworking sheepdogs were the key, helping shepherds turn this inhospitable land into sheep-raising country.

The modern sheep-herding collie was improved in the nineteenth century, and the genetic refinement of its working skills occupies thoughtful livestock producers on several continents to this day. Breeders try to balance a dozen heritable working traits to produce the best dog for their purposes, factoring in climate, terrain, livestock type, and the kind of dog they get along with.

Guided by a skilled trainer, a talented dog develops remarkable mastery over livestock. The true Border Collie is known by how it works sheep and cattle, and by no other standard….

Except that is with exceptional skill and cunning Copernicus has somehow managed to learn how to sneak quietly downstairs into the larder and open the refrigerator door. Not only does he manage this without opposable thumbs, he also manages to select the most expensive joint of beef to devour. Leaving no trace, except the empty dinner plate on the floor, he sneaks back to his bed on his stomach, in the pitch black, like a Royal Marine Commando.

Unfortunately, last night he was captured on his second nocturnal mission. Rather than banish him to the kennel and secure dog run in the garden, which is the canine equivalent of Parkhurst. I joined him in a 1.45am ‘midnight snack’ and marvelled at his ingenuity.

If only tenants (most of whom have opposable thumbs) could be as astute as my long haired black and white friend. I received a telephone call today – the type I tend to get at least once every couple of months – ‘The main energy saving bulb has gone in the lounge and the bulb in the outside light went last week…..’.

I wonder whom these tenants will turn to in such circumstances, if they were ever to become homeowners. How do they cope in the modern world ? Let’s hope they never have a ‘real’ emergency like a blocked sink !

I am sending Copernicus around this afternoon to sort it out……

Yours, a 'hounded' Mr Jackson.

This old house.....

I took a trek out onto the moorland this week, my knee (an old war wound, as regular readers will know), held out well over the rough ground.

What brought me to this beautiful rural spot, between Dallas & Knockando was a property – if you can call it that. It hadn’t been lived in for at least 20 years, at least not by human inhabitants, though there were plenty signs that sheep, pigeons and rodents had made this their pied-a-terre over the last few years.

It sits prominently in a South facing position on the hilltop, in a large plot overlooking a stream to the front and pine woodland to the rear. It has 3 large rooms downstairs and upstairs boasts 2 very sizeable bedrooms. The outer walls are approximately 3 feet thick and it had a decent roof, covered in lovely Welsh slate. Those are the good points.

The not-so-good points being, it has no electricity, gas, water or telephone supply. Nor does it have any windows, or a bathroom. It does have a floor, of sorts, which can catch you unaware, as it did my surveyor, who went through it in the dining room. He now also walks with a limp.

I negotiated a private bargain with the farmer and access to the property via an overgrown private track, which connects with the ‘B’ road, some 3.5 miles away. We concluded my most unusual purchase with a wee dram and a handshake outside the property. Even Copernicus, my Border Collie looked bemused with my action.

Now, for the unusual part. I have already secured a tenant for the property on a long term lease. The tenant will pay a peppercorn rent for 10 years, in return, he will renovate the property and landscape the ground to an agreed standard. After the initial 10 year term, once the renovation is completed, the tenant will have the option to stay in the property, at the full market rent, or give notice to leave.

This arrangement works well for both the tenant and the landlord. The tenant can secure a long term tenancy and stay virtually rent free in the property for 10 years (provided the work is carried out on time and to an agreed standard). The landlord has his investment property protected and renovated at little cost to himself.

A win-win situation, how often does that happen in the property world ?

It is certainly worth bearing this in mind should you wish to invest with small capital outlay. Or indeed rent and secure yourself a long term tenancy.

I am taking Mrs Jackson to view the latest investment this evening. She will no doubt be less than impressed with the muddy scramble to get there and the foot deep sheep droppings in the lounge. However like all property investors I will endeavour to get her to see the potential.

Like she saw in this old ruin, 48 years ago on Thursday. I think we will celebrate together with a mail order cake from Betty’s in Harrogate and a pot of Rington’s. I still know how to spoil her !

Kind Regards,

Mr Jackson.

It can be grim down south...

Well the new knee joint appears to be working ok. I now have a small scar on my knee which will come in handy when my grandchildren ask me to tell them about being injured in the war.

My post this week is dedicated to "Rentergirl" and her unique insights of being a tenant - Not in Moray - but in the inner City depths of London. For anyone who's ever lived in a modern utilitarian apartment - I'm sure you will sympathise !

"I moved to Dovecot Towers during a housing panic. It’s far from perfect here and frequently a nightmare. If I was to move, it would be to a similar development with the same troubles, albeit in another part of town. I’d have to pack and find somewhere else, enduring the whole reference/deposit dance.

The flat itself would more than likely be identical. And so, trying to be rational and scientific, I have written a list of pros and cons to weight up what I should do. I now have graphs, pie charts, venn diagrams and very white knuckles.

Pros: being near the city. Bars are within lurching distance, and visitors can pop round, casually. It’s like being in Austin Powers, so trendy, hip and happening is it.

Con: being near the city. No community, no neighbourhood, drunken scallies and yobbish, wealthy ‘young professionals’ who vomit on the pavement as they pass my home. Imagining you are being followed home by a ranting drunk to realise it’s actually your neighbour (who’s ranting and drunk).

Pro: being a brownfield development. Dovecot Towers uses derelict waste land instead of paving over rare orchids. Sited on demolished Georgian slums, I am reasonably certain that no dormice were relocated to satisfy my housing needs.

Con: being a brownfield development. Stretched out before me is a magnificent, cascading vista of elegant and majestic building sites, with cranes, obscured by hazy cement dust.

Pro: I never see my neighbours. I wouldn’t enjoy that village mentality, where you can’t buy haemorrhoid cream without everyone knowing, then having nodding acquaintances enquiring after your piles.

Con: I never see my neighbours. If I should die, pigeons could chew the face off my rotting corpse to feed their young, and even then, nobody would know.

Pro: Everything is so close. I don’t need car, and I can walk everywhere, no queues for taxis, or surly bus drivers, no saving change for the ticket machine, or investing in season tickets.

Con: I am always soaking wet, and my shoes are threadbare. I visit suburban friends with a tent and Kendall Mint Cake, just in case (am I over-cautious?) And if I did own a car, there’d be nowhere to park it.

Pro: I don’t have to bother with fitting out my home, as most white goods, a shower etc are already provided.

Con: The goods provided are second rate, and break down if I have so much as one negative thought about the brand.

Pro: Shops are close by. Luxury goods are within shooting range of my debit card. I can find designer clothes, fashionable accessories, and there’s that chi-chi Farmers Market.

Con: Balenciaga is within easy reach, but value beans elude me. Should I put my life in a tailspin? All that turmoil, for more of the same? Life in the city is an acquired taste, but one I have acquired. I can’t imagine living in the suburbs: all that commuting, no Café Nero etc. So here I am, choosing between the rock and the hard place, the frying pan and the fire. "

Aren't you glad you live 'Up North' ?

See you next week.

Mr Jackson.

Knee's Must.

Presently I have had plenty of opportunities to catch up on my reading and browse the Internet, as I am awaiting surgery on my arthritic knee.

The Doc told me to rest and keep my weight off it. So this particular blog is being written from home, though Mrs Jackson is keeping me well, we have a selection of cakes from The Spey larder' in Aberlour as well as my preferred tea - Rington's. Once I get back on my feet I hope my new knee will be able to take all the excess weight I've gained - perhaps I should have requested a titanium one !

Whilst on the Internet I have come across a couple of very interesting property related websites, which I would like to share with you.

RottenNeighbor.com is a new American 'public service' website with a twist. Use an embedded Google map to tag your irritating neighbours, and explain why you dislike them. Join the message board to discuss further. It's being marketed as a real estate site, aimed at helping potential buyers avoid nasty surprises. But surely there's a conflict of interest here. I wouldn't want to advertise noisy, abusive neighbours to potential buyers... and so risk either driving down the price of my property or discourage nice, new, fragrant people from moving into the area. Or am I being picky? Anyway, it's a US site, and the UK map is surprisingly sparse right now. You know what to do !

PropertySnake.co.uk is a UK site with much better ethics. It sources reduced property throughout the UK, with reductions listed up to a massive 44%. These tend to be houses that have stood on the market for a while. They may be ideal for the speculator or investor - Though to be on the safe side, check the actual market value with your surveyor, as prices can be over-inflated by vendors and estate agents.

Let's be careful out there !

Finally, on a personal note I would like to thank the readers of my blog, who have been very kind in sending me various buns and cakes to 'sample'. Especially kind was Eileen from Cartmel village, who sent me two sticky toffee puddings. Surprisingly, these made it successfully past the boys in the office at Moray Rentals ! I am looking forward to one tonight after dinner.

With kind regards,

The 'knee'dy

Mr Jackson

Back From Holiday.

Having just returned from California, I was reminded just how much the 'bigger is better' culture has spread throughout the country. Everything is 'supersized' from burgers and milkshakes to children and their parents.

With the Pound holding strong against the Dollar a good deal can be found in the large American property market, by the discerning UK Buyer. America has long been a favorite destination for UK property buyers looking overseas. In particular Florida has always remained at the top of the list due to its popularity as a tourist destination, meaning that a good rental income is achievable.

Buying a home in the US is a lot more straightforward than it is in the UK. In some states including Florida, the majority of purchases can be completed without involving a lawyer and the whole process from offer to completion, could take as little as a fortnight but in any case no longer than 90 days.

Ensure that when you have found the property you wish to purchase the offer is written up on a real estate contract for that particular state and that it contains all the terms and conditions that must be met before the contract becomes legally binding. You will have to pay a deposit of a few thousand dollars so will need access to an American bank account. If your offer is accepted the contract will be signed by buyer and seller and becomes legally binding to all the clauses. If you then decide to back out you could lose your deposit and be forced to purchase the home anyway. However you cannot be gazumped - A nice bonus !

I've listed below some of the places I know personally and examples of the current market prices.

Los Angeles is the main city to be seen in and the country's second largest, a beautiful place for the beautiful people where property tends to be expensive with 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom houses costing around $450,000 going up to $700,000 for a 3 bedroom and 3 bathroom townhouse on the outskirts of the main city.

More British migrants settle in Texas each year than the sunshine state of Florida. With it's big cities, beautiful beaches and lush back country it not just cowboys and deserts. Property prices throughout the state even in Houston and Dallas are affordable and reasonable.
Dallas property prices are around $160,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house rising to upwards of $400,000 for a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom detached house.

In Florida, Orlando is not as expensive as Miami but nevertheless compared to some areas this is still fairly expensive, a 2 bedroom apartment in College Park the up-market quarter of the city will cost $279,000 whilst just outside the main area a luxury 6 bedroom detached property with swimming pool, Jacuzzi and hot tub can be purchased for $350,000.

Wherever you decide to purchase in America you can be sure to save £'s in the current climate. However in all probability, once you have been there a couple of weeks you will be gaining a number of pounds.

Especially if you visit one of my all time favourite shops - Dunkin' Donuts. If only the Americans could produce a nice cup of tea to go with it - I'd be tempted to live there permanently.

I must get out today, maybe in Culbin Forest and take in some of the fresh Moray air, whilst trying to shed some of my recently gained 'Americaness'.

Have a nice day y'all......

Mr Jackson.

"Buy Now" Baaa.....

When is the best time to buy a property ?

The answer ALWAYS given by the miriad of property investment clubs is 'NOW'. Don't be led sheep like into this ruse as many people are. Normally with the threat that 'you will miss out on this incredible deal'.

My personal opinion is that you shouldn't deal with investment clubs, avoid them like I avoid the day old doughnuts pushed to the front of the self service counter at my local cafe.

However, do your homework yourself and you could find you snag a real bargain, dependant upon the demand and supply of properties, interest rates and seasonal trends - which all effect the economy.

Buyers generally do best when the market is quiet. A lull in activity can make sellers anxious putting the buyer in a stronger negotiating position.

During July & August people are often on holiday instead of searching for property. November and December are also quiet months and in the run up to Christmas, this is when vendors are particularly susceptible. They’re often keen for progress before the end of the school holidays, Christmas and the New Year, so buyers stand a good chance of having their offer accepted.

If you are buying a new build, speak with the developer directly, register your interest and negotiate with them. Their prices are never set in stone. If they simply won't budge on the price ask for kitchen & bathroom upgrades. They won't lose a potential sale for the sake of a trade price bathroom suite and kitchen.

Don't wait too long - Use the simple 1 month rule - Anything less than 1 month then you have not done enough homework on the property and the area. Anything more, then you are in danger of procrastinating and need to get your act together before you lose out.

Don't wait for house prices to drop - They wont - Particularly in this area of the country. They will continue to rise, albeit slower, for at least the next 18 months. The last housing price crash was due to the huge interest rates at the time. Interest rates are effectively controlled by the Bank of England. So we shouldn't see another house price crash like we did in the late 80's.

Above all, for investment purposes, buy with your head not your heart. For your own home, reverse that sentiment.

May I wish you well in your property hunt !

I've worked up quite an appetite after this blog, however there are no buns or cakes for me tonight. Mrs Jackson has prepared a sticky toffee pudding for our dessert, which is nearly as good as those you can buy from my favourite village shop in Cartmel, Cumbria.

I must close now as I am beginning to salivate at the thought !

Mouth watering regards,

Mr Jackson.

Old School

There's presently lots of new developments taking shape in the area. Many of these are being built locally on fields and 'Greenbelt' land, which I am strongly opposed to. Especially when there are plenty of 'Brownfield' sites in the area, that need re-developing.

It seems that some of the larger Estate owners are reluctant to sell, rent or develop the numerous farms, their outbuildings and steadings. Instead these are left derelict, whilst the stunning Moray countryside is raped and pillaged by indiscriminate developers. Building soulless identikit houses at an expeditious rate.

Even after the war London was re-built and re-developed slowly and with forethought. I remember watching a V1 Rocket which passed overhead, when it was safe to come out, we watched it fly further over London. After a short while the engine cut out, and it plummeted to the ground. There was a huge golden ball of fire. At first we thought it was some new secret weapon. But it turned out that it had hit the gas-holder at the Oval, and the gas had exploded in a massive fireball. It took a further 10-15 years to fully re-develop that site.

The houses and the industry that was built on that site are still there today, I wonder if we will be able to say the same about today's houses ?

The houses built after the war have presence, style and some of the best 20th Century architecture around. Many modern houses lack character and soul. In my opinion many modern housing estates will be seen as distasteful and bland in the years to come. They themselves will be demolished to make way for the latest fad in design. Perhaps replaced by Pod houses stacked on top of one another ?

Though I would rather this than further unrequired development of the surrounding countryside.

I'm sorry, this particular blog and all the reminiscing is now making me morose.

I have some large choux pastry cakes in the fridge (or elephants feet, as we used to call them), I am sure they will cheer me up. I may even offer Mrs Jackson one, with her afternoon tea.

Look after yourselves,

Mr Jackson.

The Invisible Man.

I have now added to the list of my infirmities of the advancing years - that of invisibility.

On Friday I visited the premises of a local developer, accompanied by my son. I was looking for a 2 bedroom, fixed price, off-plan apartment in a new development to add to my portfolio.

The young assistant who was advising us addressed all her advice to my son, despite the fact that I was the customer, and knew exactly, and explained clearly, what I required. She didn't even offer us a cup of tea, or a biscuit.

I am sure the young lady wouldn’t have been so discourteous as to imagine that I would be unable to understand or remember what she had to say. I can only assume that being shorter than she was, and with my grey hair and light coloured camel coat, maybe her eyes weren’t as keen as my recent cataract operations have left mine, and she couldn’t in fact see me !

With age I have finally got my head together - now it's the body that's falling apart. My memory is shorter but my complaining is longer, as the young assistant and her MD (who I have dealt with before) found out.

I treated my 'invisibility issue' with them both tactfully and in quite a light-hearted way. By the end of it I had secured the property I required at £5k less than the fixed price and was offered a complimentary upgrade on the kitchen budget. We secured the deal with a coffee and a blueberry muffin.

A good end to the day for the invisible man.

Regards, Mr Jackson.

Plugged In.

Did you know ? A three-bedroom house built today must have at least 38 sockets, more than twice as many as 30 years ago. This is set by the National House Building Council's technical standards - revised up last year from 21 sockets - which cover more than 80% of new homes built in the UK.

As I visit and inspect some of my own properties in Moray - on a quarterly basis. I am amazed by the number of electrical items the tenants appear to own. Often they don't appear to have enough sockets. There's the 52" HD Satellite Plasma TV, (which is often takes up a whole wall), the sound system, the Sky TV box, the DVD player, the video recorder and the stereo. Then we have several games consoles and the computer, the printer, the laptop, the table lamp... Normally all in the lounge. I'm sure their electricity bill must be as much as the rent.

I'm pleased to say I'm doing my bit for the planet by not owning many electrical items. I don't even have a TV ! Though the TV licensing people must have sent me half a rainforest demanding I must buy a TV licence. I don't consider myself to be an elitist by not having a TV, I would much rather read Proust, sculpt or write sonnets !

The rental market in the local area seems to be on an upward spiral presently. With demand outstripping supply. As such rental prices are steadily gaining momentum, bucking the national trend. Good news for landlords, not such good news for tenants.

Anything 'quirky' with exposed brickwork, hardwood floors, or a balcony seems to command a high premium. How times have changed......! There's a couple of nice looking developments being completed locally which include the above, Fisher Heights in Nairn and IV36 in Forres. Ideal for the young professional types who own large TV's and lots of electrical goods.

Once I've finished my Eccles cake I will be 'logging on' to see what happened in Coronation Street this week - just to keep Mrs Jackson up to date mind.......

Regards,

Mr Jackson

Tenants - What to check & ask.

Having seen my fair share of tenants in my time, only a very small percentage ask the 'right' relevant questions and check the property thoroughly.

As a prospective tenant, I will try and guide you, I hope you may do the same when you see me struggling to cross the A96 in Elgin !

The most important thing you should check is that your landlord and letting agent are registered with the local authority - If they are not, then walk away.

Check the water pressure. You will curse every time you try to take a shower, or fill up your bath, should your property have low water pressure, this can be a dealbreaker in many instances.

Ask your landlord / letting agent for a copy of the Tenancy Agreement, before you sign up and take time read it, many people do not. You should also be provided with an AT5 notice and a new Repairing Standard notice for a Short Assured Tenancy Agreement - This is the law.

Ask if the price is negotiable, don't accept vague answers "I'm not sure", or "I don't know" from the agent. Ask them to check with the landlord. After all, you are out to get the best deal you can.

If there is mains gas to the property, ask to see the Gas Safety Certificate - Again this is the law. All properties should have sufficient smoke alarms and all new smoke alarms must now be hard-wired.

You will be given an inventory when you move in. Ensure you add your own comments to it relating to existing damage, marks or stains. Even take pictures of any damage and save them on your phone or PC.

Ask if there is a an out of hours number, should you have a burst pipe or something equally as serious outside office hours - Though best not to call at 2.00am to report the bulb has gone in your fridge.

Above all use a common sense approach, ask questions that are relevant to your situation - Do you accept pets / smokers ? How far is the nearest Supermarket / Bus Stop / Cake Shop (That last one would be one of my own...). And you won't go far wrong.

My wife has just called me to say my cup of tea is ready and I have some cherry scones with my name on.

Hopefully Matthew at Moray Rentals will be amazed at my progress, until this morning, when he explained it all to me I was not even sure what a blog was !

Happy House Hunting - Mr Jackson.

It's My Party....

Happy New Year to you all !

It's my 72nd birthday soon and I don't feel a day over 70. These birthdays come and go, but I've reached the point in life where I've learned that each day is as precious as the next.

But still, birthdays make me reflective.I thought I'd share some of the thoughts that have come to me as this particular birthday approaches. Both in personal and business issues.

1. Laugh. If you do not see the irony and humor in most situations, you may be looking at it from the wrong perspective. If you are missing it, step to the side a couple of paces and then maybe you'll see it.

2. Be open minded - Especially in property deals. You might find a 2 double bedroomed flat above a grocers near a station rents out far faster than a similar flat in a nice road 15 minutes walk from a station, and costs considerably less to purchase.

3. Reflect - Whatever you think the baby-boomers will do next, is the market to target. These people are 42 to 58 years old at present, and have just started retiring, or partially retiring. Many of whom will want to live in nice coastal resorts, such as Findhorn or Garmouth. Or in cottages or farms in country areas with some land. Many decide to sell their homes and release equity and rent for the rest of their lives - A great tenant if you can snap them up !

Furthermore, the eco-boomers – the oldest of whom are now 25 years old, will want the smart small town centre apartments, though watch you don't pay over inflated prices - check the local market and try to buy at fixed prices.

4. The 10% factor. I've been fortunate enogh to have lived most of life in prosperity. I've met people of different religions, nationalities, philosphies, political beliefs. Ninety percent of the people, I have encountered want to do the right thing most of the time. They want to help when they can, share what they have. The other 10 percent are idiots. The percentage remains constant across all social, cultural, political, ethnic, geographic and age boundaries. Sometimes you have to live with them in business, in your neighborhoods or sitting next to you on a train. Endure them for they can't be avoided.

5. It's ok to say 'no'. No to a property deal, no to a prospective tenant, no to your husband on a Friday night ! Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to say this little word, when the easier option is to say yes - but it can be much harder living with the consequences.

Well that finishes my first post, not as bad as I thought, I hope you enjoyed reading it. I'm off for my second slice of M&S fruit cake and to check on a tenant with a loose toilet seat.

Mr Jackson.