Nearly Shakespeare and it’s only ten past nine.

I get so many published emails about property. This morning I got two contradicting pieces about the buy to let market.

One said it was time to invest and predicted a bright future but the other suggested that any future rise in interest rates may spoil things.

They both seemed to make some sort of sense. The problem with predictions always seems to be that they emanate from a commentator in London. I am looking at it from a local view point.

It really doesn’t matter what the topic is, there are always conflicting points of view. It’s a bit of a half full, half empty thing.

The sales market is definitely improving but the restriction of high loan to value mortgages is holding things back. The rental market is really busy with most houses being snapped up the day they come onto the market. Returns are good. Rising interest rates would affect earnings but when the sales market gains momentum, prices will rise and the buy to let owner can sell on at a profit.

Things are starting to move in Cramlington. With new shops, a cinema and a new hospital a bright future is assured.

So buy or buy to let? What’s to lose?

So, whichever way you look at it, you should be winning.

Recent figures released show that there has been a 49% increase in buy to let tenant demand in the north but only a 6% increase in London.

That’s all for now folks!

Hide your valuables before letting people look around your house.

Poor old Tamara Ecclestone lost a bit of jewellery recently when a prospective buyer helped himself during a viewing. Why the agent would let someone look around a house like that without watching them every second is beyond me!

Having said that, don’t worry unduly. In over 30 years of showing houses, I have never had one problem.

Better hide your diamonds though (just in case).

…some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

Looking at what we do as estate agents I can see that this is so true. We are having a really busy time at the moment but we can’t sell every house we get quickly enough to keep everyone happy.

This may sound like a strange comparison to draw but selling a house is a bit like fishing; if there aren’t any fish in the water you can’t catch any.You have to wait till the fish swim your way.

So with your house as bait, we sit and we wait.

We aren’t having to wait quite so long now though …let’s hope the tide keeps going our way!