News Archive

Talking property with Austin Lafferty-March Article
The property game is very much afoot now that we are into Spring. The panic of the early winter and the doldrums of the post-New Year are behind us, and along with the snowdrops, croci and daffs, the house buyers and sellers have come out to enjoy the sunshine ( well, mostly - hurricanes and floods notwithstanding!). I think it is fair to say we have now settled down a bit, and although mortgage lending has taken a breather...

Talking property with Austin Lafferty-April Article
Challenging times indeed. Following the Northern Wreck debacle, we have now seen several US and British banks and mortgage lenders mount up losses, Bear Sterns has hit the buffers, and the spectre of negative equity stalks the land. And though the Bank of England has reduced rates, lenders are not passing them on, indeed are pulling the drawbridge up a tad here and there........

"Scotland's Property market" with Austin Lafferty-RICS Comment
It is no surprise to me or to estate agents on the ground in Scotland that The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has said 90% of its members reported that costs in Scotland were either rising or staying the same. In spite of the UK media gloom and doom warnings about a plunging property market, it is clear to those of us working a the coal face that decent properties in decent areas are at least holding their ground, and in many MANY cases, increasing value and price.........

"Scotlands Property Market in May" by Austin Lafferty
May is usually a month for bright, flowery, warm , happy feelings. But the gloom of the property market is testing the most optimistic of nature lovers in 2008. There is no doubt that things are slow, and the fear factor is uppermost with many people. But it is not all negative, or shouldn’t be. Close analysis of the house price stats tell us yes, the market is less than it was across the UK, but lo and behold........