to think all this nonsense about house prices being too high is just that - Nonsense!

[RazahFluffy]

DH and I have long been in the property game. We actually met whilst working as Estate Agents back in 1999!

I've seen a lot in my time as an agent - 2008/2009 were a bit of a blip, but overall, there's one thing I've always had faith in, and that's bricks and mortar and that prices always go up. They aren't making more land after all 😁

As well as working in property, we've got a few of our own. We started off as accidental landlords after we got together and kept both our homes to rent out when we decided it was time to move in together and find a place of our own. Over time we've added a few more to the portfolio.

We are lovely landlords. We let our tenants have our houses as their homes, and we like to do little things like send them Christmas hampers, and know their birthdays so we can send a card and usually a Pizza Express voucher.

Anyway, there's a lot of rubbish being written recently about interest rates and the economy affecting the market. Nothing could be further from the truth where we are!

It's still buoyant and the buyers registering at the agency are no different to usual - excited to either 'get on the ladder' or move to their next step towards their eventual forever home😊Vendors are still confident. They agree with us that houses are actually a bit too cheap, all things considered because inflation is quite high.

The one thing I'd have to say is if you can't afford a mortgage at the moment - think about your expectations. You might have thought previously that you could afford a 4 bed, but if you can only get a 3 bed for now is that really so bad? First time buyers especially I feel need to be realistic!

Property always goes up and it's no different now. We're really confident and having seen it all in this game, we really think it's time to believe in the market💪

Never going to happen!

Airbnb is now a stalwart of the sector. Many of our sales in the past few years have been towards canny investors who have identified the opportunities that it offers.

Around here, there's always a supply of parents coming to visit students, tourists and global business executives who enjoy the flexibility and privacy a luxury apartment offers versus the typical travelodge.

Around here, there's always a supply of parents coming to visit students, tourists and global business executives who enjoy the flexibility and privacy a luxury apartment offers versus the typical travelodge.

I’m sure they’ll find The Garden House Hotel or The Uni Arms perfectly acceptable once Airbnb’s killed off.

Quite frankly, if I was renting a property and the landlord was sending me hampers and birthday cards / vouchers, I would be very freaked out indeed.
I would wonder if Norman Bates was hiding in my bathroom!

There was a 'supply' of parents visiting students, lots of global business executives and tourists visiting edinburgh. I just went to edinburgh last week and i swear, it is more touristy than London and certainly far more than cambridge. It is the second most important financial hub in the UK after London. Not to mention the Edinburgh fringe festival. But yet edinburgh city council is putting lots of restrictions on airbnb.

Have you seen the makeup of Cambridge City Council. It is very Labour heavy. Once they see other councils doing it, they will follow. Look at all the second home owners in Wales who now have to pay 3 X council tax and are now selling up. This is under a Tory government. Can you imagine what Labour will do?

And fortunately the tory party is dead in the water at the moment with Liz Truss.. I think the BTL/Airbnb sector became so destructive that even middle class people became affected so any political party who wants to stay in power has to legislate against landlords and airbnb. Its easier to legislate against airbnb, esp since this method leaves it up to individual councils; so the Tory constituencies would mostly not vote against airbnb. However our cities are very left wing; i cannot imagine Bristol City Council (green-controlled) not seizing the opportunity to regulate airbnb if given the chance.

Never going to happen!

Airbnb is now a stalwart of the sector. Many of our sales in the past few years have been towards canny investors who have identified the opportunities that it offers.

Disagree

Oh wow - this is hilarious!

I myself was, and still am a cast iron Corbyn fan. I was out campaigning for him!

Most of the labour voters around here are heavily into buy to let themselves, Tony Blair himself was, I wasn't a fan but for different reasons is a known property aficionado. It's probably the one thing he and I agree on 😊

www.theguardian.com/money/2016/mar/14/tony-cherie-blair-property-empire-worth-estimated-27m-pounds

That's just silly.

It's hardly the same! Hotels offer nowhere near the privacy that an apartment does. Airbnb's offer opportunities for discretion that cannot be replicated.

It's well known in the upper echelons of Cambridge society that many of the executives of tech firms who come over like to socialize during the evening, and take the opportunity to 'enjoy' some time away from their home life exploring new 'scenery'.

I'm not one to judge, it's just a fact of life.

Almost as silly as this thread. You jumped the shark with the Corbynite claim @RazahFluffy

What do you mean? That a socialist can't be into property investment?

Because that is ridiculous. We are literally offering a social service!!!!!!!

@RazahFluffy I think the least of your worries is my misrepresenting you.

If you were literally doing that you wouldn’t be making a profit.

Quite agree. A landlord sending hampers etc is silly, much like the entirety of this thread.

It's not a profit, we plough it straight back into property by paying back our mortgage!

Oh good, we have a poster who doesn't know what a profit is.

No you don’t. You said you didn’t upthread. You said profit was the entire point because it’s a business.

Here you go.

Clearly you don't understand 🙄It's not a profit, it's merely a reinvestment of business funds back into the overall portfolio.

So it’s not a social service - literally or figuratively.

I have not once used the word profit in anything I've written until you both brought up the term. All monies received are reinvested into property. I wouldn't put it anywhere else, would I?!

The troll that keeps giving 😂

We are literally offering a social service!!!!!!!

I've heard that argument from drug dealers! 😁

What Is Profit? Profit describes the financial benefit realized when revenue generated from a business activity exceeds the expenses, costs, and taxes involved in sustaining the activity in question.

www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/labour-plans-would-challenge-buy-to-let-investors-and-second-home-owners/

Corbyn literally advocated for rent controls.

There are who vote against their selfish interests for the good of society. I am not denying you can vote labour and be a landlord. In fact, the way Truss is going, I would say that you should vote labour if you care about your assets and pensions, because its not a fat lot of good being rich if the country you live in resembles Argentina or Greece (but worse without the good weather). Liz Truss thinks the Brazilian favelas are to be emulated so rich people who care about their personal safety should vote labour.

BUT that does not mean that labour would not enact some tough measures on landlords, BTL investors and second home owners. The vast majority of their voters do not belong to this category and indeed the vast majorty of Britons.