What Sam Saw Today

It’s an apt question that many people ask themselves.  In these times of booming property prices and soaring buy to let rents it’s no wonder so many people have opted to invest in bricks and mortar over volatile stocks and shares.

So when IWC (the makers of Kirsty and Phil’s Location, Location, Location) approached me to be a property consultant for the show they were making “Can Property Pay Your Wages?” for Channel 4, I said “Yes”. (more…)

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Groupon makes you buy the weirdest stuff.  Which is why I cannot be a full-time member.  That, and the fact I cannot stand being bombarded so much by strange stuff I don’t want to be enticed into thinking I need.

Anyways, just before Christmas I found myself signing up again to Groupon (I consider myself a “dipper” in that respect; I dip-in-and-dip-out of membership) and finding myself a bargain of a massage, and feeling in need of some treat-me time I quickly bought up a “Meridian Massage” at a place just down the road from me. (more…)

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

“It needs the landlord to attend to see how bad it actually is.”

That’s what the email from the maintenance company said to the letting agent.

As the landlord of the said property, this line didn’t fill me with warm, fuzzy feelings.

It instead, left me with a feeling of dread.

Especially when the said property is some 120 miles away from home.  (This is just one real downside to remote property investment).

I cast my eyes back over the rest of the email to look for any sign of hope.  There was none.  It was literally a litany of shit.  Which was going to cost a whole load of money to put right.

“Bollocks” I thought to myself. (more…)

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Perhaps it was the whopping £6,875 that someone gave for Paul McCartney’s old front door alone, which prompted the owners of Paul McCartney’s former childhood home to put the house under the hammer.

Or maybe it was the fact John Lennon’s childhood home (9 Newcastle Road) sold at auction for a spectacular £480,000 (off a guide of £150,000).  Or even that George Harrison’s childhood home (25 Upton Green) can raise an incredible £156,000 at auction – when comparable properties are worth way, way less. (more…)

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

So I know that I ALWAYS have to read the legal pack before viewing a property.

Especially when the property is leasehold (how many issues have I highlighted before – here’s some examples here, here and here!).

Anyway, the thing is, sometimes with auction properties the legal packs come in later than you would like and you happen to be in the area sooner than the legal packs arrive.

Which is what happened with a flat I liked the look of in Wanstead, London.

I was going to be in the area and so thought I would nip by and see it.

Here’s the vid and the pics:

(more…)

Be Sociable, Share!

•