Sultry Sunday

Boy it's warm out there, must be hitting the mid to late 20s and it's really muggy. However, I'm sitting in an air-conned office typing a blog so I don't care. So far, since coming in at 11 O'clock, I've sorted out Sadie's email addresses and domain, eaten some lunch, taken a 'comfort' break, sent the odd email and taken no calls or spoken to anyone else at all. It is now about 12:36. So what else can I take up my time doing? Need to be productive so I'll listen to a bit of Five Live while I think about it.

The good news is I suppose that I'm still here (albeit on my own and I think that's the way it will continue), and that the company hasn't folded. Having been away for a couple of weeks I thought I might come back to find it shut, but no, as I said yesterday, we've actually sold some properties, so who knows? As per there aren't many people about on the street so it's rather unlikely that I'll be getting many (if any) visitors in today.

The bad news is that it gives me very little to type about in the blog. Little did I think when I started this blog that there would be so little happening that I wouldn't have anything to say but it is close approaching that point as I stare out of the grubby windows wondering where everybody is. Obviously we have hit holiday season with all the kids breaking up from school last week so that won't help. And apparently it dies a death at this time of the year anyway, although it's hard to see how it could get any quieter (on the day-to-day office front anyway). I still enjoy a bit of time on my own though. Gives me a chance to have a bit of time out from looking after the boy and think about other stuff. Also I know there will probably be something nice for dinner tonight and hopefully a bottle of wine. That's what going on in my head then. Nothing very noteworthy. I think the old noggin is still on holiday from last week. Need to get it into gear as I ahve a job interview Monday week so I need to gem up on what I'll probably be asked. Hmmmm that would be something to get on with today, eh?

So at the end of a five hour day I ahve exactly one person in through the door and no phone calls. I reckon that's a personal best! Still, got plenty of emails sent nand watched some rugby. Hometime now!

I'm back!

Petrol 116.9p/litre

Well I never, the petrol has gone down for the first time that I can remember. I know it's not going to beat the recession in the long term but it's a welcome bit of relief anyway. Morrisons are selling at 113.9/litre. Not sure sure how long that will last. Just wish some other prices could mimic that. I don't ever remember seeing anything go down in price once it's gone up so petrol is probably on it's own (damn, now I'll have to see if there are any other examples of price drops other than interest rates).

It's bloody hot today (27C), as it has been for the last week or so except today I'm not in short and flip flops but rather shirt and tie. Not really the attire for the weather. So I miss one weekend and come back to find that properties have been sold. Not, like, loads or anything but four. And that's four more than for the last couple of months at least. And we've sold Hall Park which didn't look like it was ever going to go. Sold for £627k. Nearly £100k under the original asking price at the beginning of the year. Bet they're well chuffed with that!

Just been to show the Hawoods round the retirement home that they're buying. She's very excited about it. Him not quite as much. Hopefully the sale of their house will proceed without too many hitches as this is about the third time they've 'sold' it! Thery just need to get out of their house because they can't manage the stairs. Shame really, they've been there for 48 years....

Sunny Sunday

So, we (Alba), may have tied up two properties today which would be good. Alba's in a state of nervous breakdown about it. You'd think it was because she'd sorted two properties out but in fact it's because of her emotional involvement with both sets of vendors (they are both in the same chain). One elderly couple have just accepted 20% below the asking price and in turn the vendor of the property they are buying has just drop her price by a further 5% just so they'll stay interested. The property business may be cut-throat but Alba endeavors to keep it as clean as possible which weighs heavy on her conscience. I can see her being ill over these things (as I believe she has been in the past).

With any luck another property may get sold next week although the vendor and buyer are playing cat and mouse about it at the moment which in this market isn't good as one of them is fairly sure to bottle it and it will probably be the vendor.

However, none of this is liable to have a massive impact on the state of the place as we need to carry on selling at this rate to get ourselves back on target (whatever that target is, I assume someone somewhere has one). So three houses sold after three months without a sniff is not exactly going to end the slump.

I get the impression from Alba that she's half expecting the owner to come in this week and call it time on the business. I do hope not as I have quite enjoyed my foray into the world of estate agency. Quite apart from the fact that I really need the money!! Job hunting time again I fear.

The Alba blues

Petrol price - 119.9p/litre, crude oil $147/barrel. New record high.

Poor old Alba. It's really starting to get to her now. This whole housing lark is going down the pan and she feels it's only a matter of time before we end up out on the streets I think. Nice start to a Saturday morning!

I've started putting the petrol price at the top of the blog as I think it's a bit more of an indicator to the state of the economy than the weather forecast was(!). It's the price from the Texaco garage at Winkwell. Seems to rise by a penny a week as I pass it every week on my way in to work. The cheapest anywhere around at the moment is 115.9/litre and that's at Asda who can afford to keep it down I guess. Even so it's not exactly cheap. Diesel stands at around 133.9/litre.

Wow, a busy couple of hours there and I've had no lunch (it's 1440). I'm certainly not used to that. Four viewings with a bit of listening to the cricket in between. Not much to write home about for the first three. Distinctly underwhelmed, mainly at the price. I did mention that you are allowed to make an offer on the house but they still weren't interested. People are still waiting and waiting for the market to bottom out. I think I'll be out of a job before that happens! I wonder what happens if all the estate agents go to the wall. I'm sure there'd be plenty of 'how many estate agents does it take to .....' jokes about! But how would you sell your house? Why do I care? I'm becoming too emotionally involved in all this. Lunchtime.

Alba's gone out to sell a house, no really! I can feel it in my waters. Third viewing, third! Still can't make his mind up. What's left to look at? It's an old people's bungalow for Gods sake! It's horrible and needs serious TLC. I'm obviously feeling a bit ranty today and I've no idea why. Must be the weather which continues to be a bit crap for the time of year frankly. I hope it sorts itself out as I'm camping next week and need a bit of sunshine to facilitate happy camping. So no blog entry next weekend coz I'm not here. Woo Hoo!!

So, even though I know nothing about markets, prices, bears, bulls etc. I do know that the U.S. markets are in a fearful state and chief of state is the housing market, which having been on the rise for decades in now falling flat on its' arse. The main culprits as of yesterday being Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. I can't be bothered to go through it here but this link makes for some interesting reading and as the song says 'it's only just begun'. God I'm turning into some sort of soothsayer. FT.com are also doing some interesting in-depth articles on UK house prices. Bet the media love it, there's just too much bad news not to have a good news day!

Men's final day

Weather - 18C and very wet

What a minging day. I bet the Frenchies are glad they've got a market on today. There's absolutely nobody about.
Me? Well I'm on my own in the office. Not for the first and I'm sure not for the last either. Think this could be the start of the cost cutting exercises although it's difficult to know what costs they'll cut apart from this. It running at bare-bones anyway. We'll see.....

So 1:30pm and two phone calls so far. One of them David just checking that I'm not dying of boredom, which surprisingly I'm not. Actually, what with writing Doreen a letter and giving over some time to the Shunt website, I've had quite a productive morning. Now listening to F1 from Silverstone (for the penultimate time. Donnington in two years time). Not sure whether the men's final will get underway at Wimbledon on time. The weather's not exactly set fair!

It's still teeming down out there. There are some very disgruntled looking stall holders smoking their Gouloises and chatting to each other under the cover of the stalls. Can't be much fun for a day trip can it? Looks like one of them has a leak in the roof as the umbrellas are suddenly going up despite the apparent shelter. I am at least in a nice warm, dry office with F1 on and headphones in.

2:24pm and the players are on court at Wimbledon. Well, it wouldn't be Wimbledon without a rain delay and there haven't been many this year so I guess they were due one. Federer v Nadal, yet again. At least they are both enjoyable players to watch unlike the Williams sisters who contested the women's final yesterday. Not that I have anything against them per se, but I just don't enjoy their brand of tennis.

And the rain gets heavier, if that were possible! Scattering the few brave enough to actually be out in this maelstrom. A veritable river is flowing through the middle of Berkhamsted High Street. The cars have their outboard motors on now (sounds like they might need them at Silverstone too!). Isn't funny how people lose the ability to look where they're going when the rain comes down? Several near-misses on the road already.

2:42pm Lewis Hamilton takes the chequered flag in the home Grand Prix. Sounds like they're quite happy about that in the stands!

Stone me, the sun's out. And so are the people! Where did they all come from. Must've all been hiding in Costa Coffee or something.........

Blimey

Weather - 20C Sunny spells and showers Well, I never. We've sold a house at long last! Nice little two bed cottage in Bovingdon. Apparently the first since David's been on board which has been about three months. That should have cheered him up really but in a week when he's lost his grandfather and had his dog put down I don't think it really helped much. Poor bloke, just gone for a walk to clear his head (and spy on the opposition probably). Think I'd be down the pub with a stiff drink. Loads of traffic today, struggled to park my car in the usual place. What a cheek! I've actually had to walk for more than 30 secs to get to the office. Really unreasonable. Another chaps just been in to drop the price on his house. From £460k to £449,950. Not a big drop but then again it's not the first. Seemed very reasonable about it. He can see that the whole market is doing the same so wherever he buys next will have also been dropped in price. He sees it but it's amazing how many don't. They seem to think it's just their house that is the problem and that everyone else is selling at the original price. WELL THEY AREN'T! There are massive price reductions going on every week when I get in. It's a wonder any of them are staying at the original asking price. However, it's noticeable that those which are aren't getting a sniff of interest. No viewings, nothing. There's a lot of worried people out there, and not just about houses either. You name it and they're worried. Houses, fuel, food, jobs. Another protest by the truckers last week down the A40 in central London. It seems to be happening so regularly that it barely makes the news these days. And they're not just protesting in the UK but worldwide. Interesting times......