From: roland@perry.uk 
  
 In message , at 08:35:00 on Mon, 8 Sep 
 2025, Norman Wells  remarked: 
 >On 08/09/2025 08:03, Roland Perry wrote: 
 >> In message <109kcl0$3pssh$2@dont-email.me>, at 16:42:09 on Sun, 7 Sep 
 >>2025, Jethro_uk  remarked: 
 >>> On Sat, 06 Sep 2025 22:15:52 +0100, Fredxx wrote: 
 >>> 
 >>>> The rental market will become more strained and rents will undoubtedly 
 >>>> increase. Some will exit the market and the supply further shrink. 
 >>> 
 >>> Unless a landlord blows up their property out of spite, one property 
 >>> taken off the rental market equals another on the market for a homeowner. 
  
 >>  But there isn't a shortage of properties for owner occupiers to buy. 
 >>Quite the reverse. They've stopped much of the building on the new 
 >>estates surrounding Ely [sorry] because they can't sell the ones they 
 >>already have. 
  
 >>  The council is making vague but probably unrealistic noises about 
 >>terminating their planning permission, and re-issuing it to a 
 >>developer  who would build lower-priced homes. 
  
 >>  More anecdata: there's a house in my GF's street which has been on 
 >>the  market since at least the New Year, and my neighbour's house has 
 >>been  since Easter. A empty bungalow round the corner has been on the 
 >>market  for about a year, and another near-neighbour's house has only 
 >>been  occupied the last few weeks, when the old lady vacated it to a 
 >>care home  before the pandemic. Could have been probate issues though. 
 >>My GF's late  mother's flat sold as recently as last week, but was 
 >>marketed in  December, and there are several other flats in the block 
 >>which have been  unsold that whole time. 
 > 
 >It's only a matter of price. 
  
 Most people are very reluctant to sell at a loss, especially if they 
 have a mortgage. Does the term "negative equity" ring a bell? 
  
 GF's mother's flat sold for about €160k versus €190k new about ten years 
 ago. I've heard of similar flats in less desirable locations selling for 
 €10 (yes, ten pounds) vs the €190k they cost five years ago. Why do 
 people sell at such a loss - mainly to stop having to pay the service 
 charges which are due even on empty flats, and to get some kind of 
 closure. 
 -- 
 Roland Perry 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)