"[i]Its already quick to Paddington, <30min so appart from opening up a link to east London I dont think it will have the huge impact people say it will[/i]"
This, more or less. I looked at the projected journey times and IIRC Crossrail is actually slower to Paddington than the current service. It's only useful if you're going to East London, the journey ends up [i]slightly[/i] faster as you don't need to change. But there's not much in it. I guess it's more about the extra capacity.
Prices in Reading seem pretty strong though, they've definitely gone up a fair bit recently. If you want an easy walk to the station you're looking at c. £250k for a 2-bed flat now.
<northerners on the forum will go "OMG!" at that while southerners will go "hmm, not bad for a quick link to London"> 🙂
<northerners on the forum will go "OMG!" at that while southerners will go "hmm, not bad for a quick link to London">
[url= http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?searchType=SALE&locationIdentifier=REGION%5E598&insId=1&radius=0.0&minPrice=250000&maxPrice=&minBedrooms=2&maxBedrooms=2&displayPropertyType=flats&maxDaysSinceAdded=&_includeSSTC=on&sortByPriceDescending=&primaryDisplayPropertyType=&secondaryDisplayPropertyType=&oldDisplayPropertyType=&oldPrimaryDisplayPropertyType=&newHome=&auction=false ]Yeah right - it's all dirt cheap uup North[/url]
<northerners on the forum will go "OMG!" at that while southerners will go "hmm, not bad for a quick link to London">
Yep, that seems pretty cheap to me, 2 bed flat within 5 min walk of Cambridge Train Station would be more than that....
One of the big problems with modern debt society is the way it traps people into their lives and jobs, and this is for both secured and unsecured debt.
It all seems ok if everything is going ok, get a nice car, maximum mortgage (it would be foolish not to, the house will be worth more in 10 years, maybe a lot more)and spread the costs of purchases, it all seems good. But then something changes, eg you get a new boss who is a ****, and suddenly your options are severely limited. You can't realistically move to a new area because of your mortgage and associated costs, you can't take a pay cut because of your debts, and for 40+ hours a week your life is a living hell.
And when someone does start running into financial problems, the promise of "talk to us we will help" by the banks and financial industry is soon revealed to be a lie, and they try and take as much flesh as possible as quickly as possible while they can. And that then follows you around, it suits the financial industry to have you labelled as sub prime, because that is more profitable for them.
It needs long term planning from governments to curb the debt, but that means curbing the profits of the banks and radical reform of the housing market, so they will keep pretending the problem doesn't exist and, kicking the can down the road, and hoping the inevitable crash happens on someone else's watch.
MSP - Member
One of the big problems with modern debt society is the way it traps people into their lives and jobs, and this is for both secured and unsecured debt.
But the whole Society we live in has been built around "those that have, those that don't have and those that want to have"
Age old conditioning to keep the many working, to feed luxury to the few. Attainment is a society built around entrapment and conditioning, escapism and mirroring.
It'll never cease.
Then you get people like the parents of one of the girls at my girls' school - interest only mortgage (and even thinking of moving to a bigger house than the already nice house they have), several nice cars (more cars than people with licences) and lavish holidays (2016 saw them go to the Med, Dubai and Iceland to meet 'Santa').
As an old boss used to say...
[b]All fur coat and no knickers.[/b]
😀
Other than mortgage no debt here. Student loan paid off a good few years ago and the only thing that goes on the credit card is something I want extra protection on - paid off later the same day.
My missus is the same, if I wanted something I couldn't afford i'd just wait until I could rather than put it on CC. Mortgage would be my only exception to that rule, certainly not a car.
What are people actually buying with all this debt?
Shiny (fast-depreciating) toys, holidays.
johndoh - MemberThen you get people like the parents of one of the girls at my girls' school - interest only mortgage (and even thinking of moving to a bigger house than the already nice house they have), several nice cars (more cars than people with licences) and lavish holidays (2016 saw them go to the Med, Dubai and Iceland to meet 'Santa').
As an old boss used to say...
All fur coat and no knickers.
Where to you forsee the pitfall of their plan? Smallest Headstone in the graveyard, a list of broken hearted creditors when the will is read?
Assuming of course you really know their personal finances to that level of detail, in my experiance Brits are especially coy about their personal finances and when I hear about these "flash harry" familes it's usually just bitter rumour that they're not really better than everyone else, it's all borrowed, on tick the never-never and they'll get their comeuppance soon enough.
Assuming of course you really know their personal finances to that level of detail, in my experiance Brits are especially coy about their personal finances and when I hear about these "flash harry" familes it's usually just bitter rumour that they're not really better than everyone else, it's all borrowed, on tick the never-never and they'll get their comeuppance soon enough.
I am trying to understand quite what you are saying but I do know for a fact that they are on an interest only mortgage as they have said so much to us. But for me, I cannot understand the concept of only paying the interest on a mortgage and then spending 'spare' money on expensive holidays and flash cars.
I am trying to understand quite what you are saying but I do know for a fact that they are on an interest only mortgage as they have said so much to us. But for me, I cannot understand the concept of only paying the interest on a mortgage and then spending 'spare' money on expensive holidays and flash cars.
When you're 80 and can't walk up stairs the appeal of a big house probably diminishes somewhat. But you'll remember getting jiggy in the ice hotel on that trip to Iceland.
When you're 90 and have to sell it to fund a care home it'll seem even more pointless. But you'll remember that weekend you thought "sod it, let's drive down to Nice in the Jaguar".
When you're dead you're dead.
When you're dead you're dead.
You are, but then when you have dependants (for me) it would be nice that when the Will is read, they have something tangible to help them get a foot on a ladder of whatever venture they wish to explore.
Assuming that whatever tangibles you had collected didn't just go on paying for your care in your elder years, which would have been paid for you anyway if you'd spent it all already...
You are, but then when you have dependants (for me) it would be nice that when the Will is read, they have something tangible to help them get a foot on a ladder of whatever venture they wish to explore.
Hypothetically, I sincerely hope they're not living at home when I die, they'd be in their 50's!
Or grandkids, but my nan's now got 7 of us, and all bar one are in our 30's, most have kids of their own (and houses, cars, husbands/wives), and whilst I appreciate the sentiment, a 7th share of whatever isn't left to my parents generation (who are all 60-retired) isn't going to be life changing.
By the time that comes around they'll have made all their own choices, successes/mistakes and way in life. What are they (or I if my parents died) going to do with the money at 50something, buy a nice car, a boat, a holiday?
exactly TINAS.
Had this discussion with Mrs Weeksy about our retirement and she wants to leave a Legacy.... i said
"i'm hoping the boy has made his own legacy by the time i'm done here"
Hypothetically, I sincerely hope they're not living at home when I die, they'd be in their 50's!
If I live until I am 70 (mum died at 70, dad at 69), my children will only be 28 so (going by current trends) they won't have had much opportunity to create a legacy.
Don't leave stuff to your children in your will, leave it to your grandchildren. They might actually appreciate it.