Lossiemouth's property prices to rocket.....?

On June 19th work commenced on building the world's first purpose built commercial spaceport, in southern New Mexico. The event delivered on the promise of an exciting new age for space exploration and development, as well as a bright future for the people of New Mexico and their children.

In attendance was Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn, whom I met and shared a cup of tea (not Rington's I may hasten to add) on his visit to Lossie last year.



The New Mexico spaceport development initiates construction on a cutting-edge, 110,000-plus square foot-facility using cost-effective, energy-efficient green building practices.

Spaceport America's terminal hangar facility will be built to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating system. Extensive use of sustainable and clean energy technology throughout the design will ensure that the spaceport will set the standard for environmentally sound design for similar structures in the future.

The design for Spaceport America's terminal hangar facility was created by a team of American and British architects that were selected after competing in an international design competition. URS Corporation, one of the world's largest design and engineering firms, teamed with lead designer Foster Partners of the United Kingdom to submit the winning design.

Is it any coincidence that Foster Partners have been in Lossiemouth recently ? My reliable sources have informed me of several visits to date. For Lossiemouth to become the UK's first spaceport would have a huge significance for the economy of Scotland and particularly for Moray and the Highland area.

It's not simply the big boost for tourism, or the opportunities for hi-tech supplies and services. It's the increase in property prices and rentals that would see them take an intergalactic hike !

The spirit of exploration and adventure that's taken shape in the sunshine of the Californian desert at Mojave, could be on its way to this small Moray town sooner than we think. Time to start building up that portfolio ?

Roger and out,

Mr Jackson.

Very Taxing!

They say there's no escaping the cold hand of the man from her Majesty's Inland Revenue and they're probably right!

Landlords should be aware that the taxman is seeking powers to triple the amount of tax it raises from Britain’s 700,000 landlords.

HM Revenue & Customs last week proposed measures to force lettings agents to hand over the names and addresses of all landlords on their books, past and present.

The move would make it easier for investigators to identify buy-to-let investors who are failing to pay tax on their rental income or on capital gains when they sell a property.



The Revenue’s powers are limited at present – it can compel agents to disclose only details of landlords who use an agent to receive rent. However, changes outlined in a consultation paper published on HMRC’s website last week could net thousands more. All landlords who have paid a fee to a letting agent for finding a tenant would be vulnerable to disclosure, even if they are no longer on its books.

Hard though it may be at times, I would encourage all landlords to stay on the "right" side of the taxman. I'm afraid he cannot be swayed to turn a blind eye by offering him any number of my favourite Bavarian slices and lashings of Yorkshire Tea......not that I've tried of course!

Yours

Mr Jackson

You're no Bobby Davro.....

I called in to the very modern Moray Property office in Lossiemouth this week, (I had to keep my sunglasses on because of that wallpaper....).

When chatting with David over a mug of Ringtons and a blueberry muffin he was telling me about the 'interesting' calls they get from other estate agents, eager to keep a note on their prices and marketing campaigns.

'They call up pretending to be potential clients, requesting information, prices and how we market our properties', David advised. 'You can tell straight away it's another agent, by their questioning, some even put on phony accents, they end up sounding like Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins. Plus they normally decline to leave a contact number, e-mail or even their name'.

Smiling, David told me, 'The ladies are no better, we had a call from a well known estate agent in Elgin', winking his eye as a clue to her identity. 'I believe we've had all our competitors call us now, they're certainly not in the league of Bobby Davro.....'



It seems by shaking up the property market with their fixed pricing for both property sales and rentals and their great marketing campaigns, Moray Property have their competitors worried - And rightly so.

Keep practicing the accents people, you never know when a career as an impressionist beckons....

Until the next time,

Mr Jackson.

Goodbye Estate Agents.....

Estate agents as we know them will disappear in the next 20 years...

Should Rightmove and the other portals be worried that Google could now steal their show? As Google continues to develop the property listing element on Google maps.

On the bigger issue of selling property, the role of the estate agent is going to evolve rapidly over the next 20 years, making them un-recognisable from the animals we all love and adore today.

Already high street estate agent offices are obsolete to buyers who find properties from their computers and not from shop windows.

My vision for the future is the disappearance of the high street local estate agents, replaced with a few big players housed in call centres mediating between buyer and seller, and reps in Ford Mondeos (rather than Mini's), valuing and photographing.



Estate agent fees will drop to the £1000.00 a sale mark and the world will of lost one of its most lovable characters.

I wonder if anyone will launch a 'Save our Estate Agents ' campaign?

Always forward thinking it seems - David from Moray Property has told me that they have just launched a fixed fee selling campaign - £1250.00 to sell any size, or value of property - It seems like these guys won't miss this boat..... Bon Voyage chaps....

Mr Jackson.

OFT v Foxtons

As some of you may know, this has been going on for some time.

Foxtons and the Office of Fair Trading have been locking horns in the Court of Appeal regarding Foxton's T&Cs.

Was it fair that they should charge landlords commissions when tenants decide to renew contracts, even though they've done no extra work? Was it fair they sales commission if a tenant decides to buy the property, even if they didn't formally introduce it as a potential sale?

Other lettings agents have been watching the case closely, concerned that a precedent would cost them dearly in a renewal fees... because everybody does it. Finally... a judgement. No, Foxton's T&Cs weren't fair. But not due to their content, due to their wording. They simply weren't clear enough. Is charging commission on renewals unfair in itself? No. So there you have it. Everybody's a winner... loser... winner... loser... whatever....

Glad we cleared that up.

Mr Jackson.

Dragon threatens pensioners....

A judge from the television series Dragon's Den has threatened to take a group of pensioners to court for trespassing on her land because of the position of their gardens.

The frightening looking Deborah Meaden wants to sell a plot of land owned by one of her companies to a housing developer which plans to build 48 homes.



However, the company now claims that 12 gardens adjoining the greenfield site are illegally encroaching on to the plot and the homeowners are guilty of trespass.

Homeowners in Wishings Road, Brixham, Devon, received a letter on June 19 demanding the land be returned or court action would be taken.

The residents, who have not been told how much of their garden encroaches onto the land, have never altered the boundaries of their property !

Glenys Wright, 65, said the letter she received was an attempt by Meaden to "walk all over residents" to get her own way.

She said: "Deborah Meaden is not the ethical, environmentalist that she says she is. She is a very uncaring person."

The mother-of-four moved on to the street 18 months ago and said she would not have bought the property if she had been aware of the plans.

The field, known locally as 'Wishing Field', is owned by Mudstone LLP (Limited Liability Partnership), of which Meaden is a member.

Protesters reacted furiously last year after they discovered Mudstone was poised to sell the previously undeveloped site to Millwood Homes Ltd of Newton Abbot, Devon, which wants to expand its nearby 200-home housing estate.

An original application to build 48 homes on the suite was rejected by Torbay District Council on the grounds of traffic congestion, but a revised application has now been submitted.

Campaigners have since lodged an application with the council to have the land kept as a village green.

They say the land has been used by walkers and as a children's play area for more than 60 years.....Proceeding.....

To use her own words "I for one won't be investing....."

Until the next time.

Mr Jackson.

Jacko's final fixer.....Phil Spencer

That's a headline I never thought I'd type. A you will know Phil's a friend and a reader of this blog, he'd never advised me of this....

But, according to the Sun (Please note - I don't subscribe,I read this in the waiting room of the dentist), in a piece that quotes Spencer closely, he'd been employed by Michael Jackson to find a home for the singer and family while he played his forthcoming UK dates.

He was close to getting the star to sign... after persuading some wealthy individuals to clear off and vacate their own pukka pads, but - alas - it wasn't to be.

Spencer missed out on his fee. Ticket holders miss out on what would have been some historic gigs. We all miss the self styled king of pop.

Yours Sadly,

Mr Jackson