Berkshire Property Meet with Phil Martin - October 2009

TOMORROW: John Lee + Mystery Speaker @ The Berkshire Property Meet - See You There

What a year! It's been a roller-coaster for the financial markets and we have certainly been along for this interesting ride. And all of you that have been down to the Berkshire Property Meet know that we can all take control of our future easily....by mixing with a room full of like minded people we are better informed, better prepared and far better equipped to profit from all the opportunities available to those that wish see them.

At the Berkshire Property Meet tomorrow there is a lot of great information available to you:

Workshop @ 3pm-6pm: 50 Objections Workshop

BMV Clinic @ 5pm-6.45pm - Nick Pedrithes

Berkshire Property Meet @ 7pm, main speaker @ 8pm

Mystery Speaker @ 9pm: 10 minutes of Essential Knowledge Relating to the Recent Rate Cut.


Evening starts at 7pm and speaker is on at 8pm
Cost on the door: £10
Contact number: 07748 100018

Right now, there are two types of people out in the market. Which one are you? The smart one who is making it a priority to be at the Berkshire Property Meet to get that 'slight edge' that we know we need? That extra 1% effort, ability and passion can translate into a 1000 % difference in your future if you take action right now.

Our main speaker for the evening is John Lee who will take us through a journey of using very simple techniques that have allowed him to close more deals than not. He is an expert in the Art of Negotiation - be it face to face or over the phone. He will share many tips, tricks and techniques that will help you clinch that deal at minimum 30-40% BMV.

Our 'mystery speaker' will be sharing his views on the recent 1.5% rate cut. How will it affect essential ingredients in our investment strategies, the mortgage markets and liquidity in the market place? His mini talk caused a stir of optimism at a recent event and is NOT to be missed.


Also, our good friend and prolific BMV investor, Nick Pedrithes, will be holding his now infamous BMV clinic in the main bar area from 5pm. There's no limit to the value of this session, just bring your questions along with you.



PRIOR to the main speaker of the evening, John is holding a very exclusive workshop from 3pm to 6pm at Holiday Inn Maidenhead. This is a limited offer with 30 places only, and it is going out to Berkshire Property Meet members first.

In this workshop John will provide detailed strategies on how to overcome the 50 most common objections.

The price for this workshop is £49 and there is no risk to you because .....

- John will refund your admission if you don't find the workshop useful
and
- Property Cow members will be refunded when they turn up.

Everyone including Property Cow Members need to book as it is strictly on a first come first served basis.

If you're going to the Berkshire Property Meet, then make the best use of your time and attend the workshop too:

>>> 50 Objections Workshop <<<



Photo's from Previous Meetings:-
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/ mrandmrsrai

Berkshire Property Meet TV:-
http://www.youtube.com/user/ berkspropertymeet




See you tomorrow {!name_fix}. Once again, summary of tomorrows fantatstic events:

Workshop with John Lee @ 3-6pm: Top 50 Objections

BMV Clinic with Nick Pedirthes @ 5pm onwards

Berkshire Property Meet @ 7pm onwards

Enjoy the rest of your day and see you tomorrow.

Banks are showing large drops in House Prices whereas Land Registry price figures are showing only a small reduction

This practise by the banks has been attacked by Stuart Law, Chief Executive of Property Investment firm Assetz. He condemns the banks figures as being distorted and creating alarm in the market while they continue to profiteer from inflated mortgage products and fees. Law says, "the marginal 0.2% monthly fall in house prices, reported by the Land Registry provides a true reflection of the current housing market and is far removed from the spurious 2.5% fall suggested by Nationwide last week. The Nationwide figures are skewed based only upon it's own data while Land Registry data provides a more reliable overview of the entire market."

Law expects to see individual banks and lenders continuing to report high house price falls while the truth is much lower. While there is a reduction in house prices this needs to be accurately reported and not over-hyped by banks who have their own agenda and interests to protect.

Law also accuses the banks of profiteering. "It is the the banks profiteering which has led to purchasers trying to chip away at vendor's asking prices, in order to compensate for the additional borrowing costs they now have to endure."

Thank You Juswant & Sylvia for Another Fantastic Berkshire Property Meet!

Just a quick note to say ...thank you!

Thank you to everyone that attended our Berkshire Property Meet yesterday, on Monday evening. We had another phenomenal evening with attendance of 150 people committing their time to attend and hear from Rob Moore and Mark Homer.





For those of you who missed the Rob Moore / Mark Homer double act, don't worry, you can get a whole day of their excellent talk this Saturday. Just follow the link below to register:-
Rob Moore / Mark Homer - Progressive Property Open Day


There will be another email in the next few days with a lot of information for you plus photos of the night.


We are already looking forward to August 18th 2008, at which we are honoured to have Simon Zutshi as our guest speaker.





Simon is the man behind the Property Investor Network and also author of 'Property Magic'. Simon has been a property investor since 1995.



We look forward to seeing you all next month on Monday August 18th 2008.



Connecting with other Berkshire Property Meet attendees:

Some people have asked us what's the easiest way to find and connect with those members who's details you didn't get or mislaid? The simplest way is to look on facebook. With over a 1000 members joining the Berkshire Property Meet Group, you can join too by clicking on this link:-
http://groups.to/berkshirepropertymeet/

CHL mortgages responds to base rate decision

It is unsurprising that the MPC has decided to hold Base Rate at 5% this month given the recent Inflation figures and the Bank's own view on Inflation's expected rise over the coming months. The medium to long-term view may be that Inflation will move back towards the Treasury's target of 2% next year, however, shorter-term factors are steering the ship at present. Rising food and energy prices are contributing greatly to the UK's Inflationary pressures while the economic slowdown including house price falls and fewer housing transactions provide a mixed range of issues for the Bank to digest.

In the mortgage market the Base Rate decision continues to mean very little in terms of the pricing of products. For many borrowers not on tracker rates, the Bank Base Rate has seemed irrelevant, given that most lender's own rate setting has not been tied to it.

Those investing in the buy-to-let sector are in the same position with the lack of funding available in the market continuing to impact on their ability to refinance. For those still lending buy-to-let pricing and criteria is much more realistic and responsible than 12 months' ago and those landlords with suitable financing are finding increased demand for their rental properties and increased yields. In this sense, buy-to-let continues to offer an attractive investment opportunity for those willing to take a long-term view.

MPC must not keep interest rates too high, longest serving member of the MPC has today warned that the BOE must be careful not to keep interest rates too high in the battle to fight inflation. The UK would escape a recession as seen in the 80's and 90's, but if interest rates were to rise this was more likely to tip Britain into an economic downturn.

TOMORROW: Berkshire Property Meet & details of the prize draw

We looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night for another great evening of networking at the UKs Leading Property Networking Event, the Berkshire Property Meet! This is your best opportunity to network with up to 200 property investors, property experts and property professionals (250 in May), so it really is a MUST attend event.

Holiday Inn
Manor Lane
Maidenhead, SL6 2RA

Starts 7pm

£10 on the door

We are honoured once again to have a premier speaker - Rob Moore from Progressive Properties - at your meet tomorrow. Rob will start speaking at 8pm.

Who is Rob Moore?



Rob is a self made businessman, Full time Property Investor & Best selling Author of "The 44 Most Closely Guarded Property Secrets" and "Make Cash in a Property Crash".

Rob Moore & his business partner Mark Homer have been regularly buying below-market-value property with great success for themselves and fellow investors. They share what their experiences are of the current market and how they are turning this to their advantage.
Win 20 copies of "The 44 Most Closely Guarded Property Secrets" and "Make Cash in a Property Crash" and an IPOD Nano packed with great audios to help you succeed.
http://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk/landing/property-book-set-video-launch


Some of the regular experts who attend the Berkshire Property Meet:-
Glenn Armstrong - Bought and traded nearly 500 properties
Barry Danser - Finance / Rent Rescue
David Lee - Cash Flow Investor
Richard Sheppard - Property Tutor / Investor
Abdul Malik - Lease Options
Nick Pedrithes - BMV / HMO Expert / Finance
Sonny Walia - Meet the Surveyor
Darren Hunt - Property Sourcer / Investor
Simon Zutshi - Property Investor Network
Jim Haliburton - HMO Daddy
Kevan Keegan - Rent Back Charter Association
Anthony Lyons - Editor, Your Property Network
Plus many many more active investors, experts & professionals



BMV Clinic
There is also the regular BMV clinic run by our good friend and everyone's mentor, Nick Pedrithes. This is very informal and runs from 5pm until 6:45pm ish. Come along with any questions you may have Sylvia and Nick will gladly discuss your options with you.


Just follow the link to enter the DRAW:-
http://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk/landing/property-book-set-video-launch

Will the OFT Probe into 'Sale & Rent Back' Affect Your BMV Business?

Many property investors are aware of the fierce scrutiny that the Sale & Rent Back
(SARB) sector has been facing in the media of late. This has been followed with intense
lobbying from Shelter, Citizens Advice Bureau and the Council of Mortgage lenders.
In turn, this has led to the OFT launching an investigation into the sector with
recommendations due back this autumn (maybe).


Have a look at the following links for further information:-

http://www.oft.gov.uk/advice_and_resources/resource_base/market-studies/current/saleandrent

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7400304.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/may/14/repossessions.property



Like many other honest and ethical property investors we are concerned by the sharp
practises of a minority of 'rogue' operators that are tarnishing the name of everyone
involved not just in the SARB sector but the BMV sector as a whole.

Following a series of meetings we have joined a number of like minded investors to
support the Rent Back Charter Association (RBCA) in order to get our voices heard and to
demonstrate that the sector can self-regulate in an effective way. RBCA have already
met with the OFT and started to put across the reality of the sector and not the media
hyped sensationalism.

The Rent Back Charter Association has also lauched a web-site ( www.rentbackcharter.com )
and we would urge everyone to register if they are in the BMV or SARB business. This
will allow them to gauge interest. You will not need to pay anything to register.

There is a one year non-refundable membership fee of £295.00. However if you are
are amongst the first 50 to pay you will receive a discount of £100. So take up this offer
now if you are even thinking of taking up membership later.

http://www.rentbackcharter.com/membership.php

The aim of the RBCA is to represent those people in the SARB sector who want to
operate in a highly ethical and professional manner and want to continue to operate
without the threat of heavy and costly legislation in the market. The RBCA will be
accountable to their membership, they will publish best practice guidance and
vigorously defend their Charter Code.


If you require any further information please use the following 'contact us' link:-
http://www.rentbackcharter.com/contact.php


To be taken seriously by the OFT and to counter those that are looking to close down
the SARB sector, support the RBCA, ideally as a full member or at least register your
interest now:-
http://www.rentbackcharter.com/membership.php


This Monday on 14th July, all the founding Directors of the RCBA will be
at the Berkshire Property Meet to answer any questions you may have.

We look forward to seeing you on Monday, Juswant & Sylvia, at what will be another vibrant
meeting of networking and learning. It's the best investment of time you can make
in your property business right now. Our guest speaker will be Rob Moore.

See you there!

How can I make money in a falling market?

In the good times everything is rosy in the garden. Your chosen asset or investment is steadily increasing in value and all is well with the world. Even if you do nothing you will still make money.

But life isn't like that all the time and the value of most investments, as we are constantly reminded in the small print, can go down as well as up.

For the long-term investor, it is the long-term performance that counts. You will sit tight, secure in the knowledge that eventually your capital gain will appear (a capital gain that is taxed these days at just 18% with a tax free element of £9600).

In the short term though, how do you make money in a falling market?

The first way is that falling markets produce motivated sellers.

There are always reasons for people to move, some good some bad; relocation due to promotion or new jobs, growing families requiring more space, splitting families and mortgage difficulties. Some sellers have to move and need to move quickly.

They need to sell and you can offer to buy - at a discount of course.

Boo you say, taking advantage of others' misfortune!

Well first of all let us remind ourselves that we are in the property business to make money. That's a cold hard fact and you may have to harden your heart a little along the way. But second, let's remember that they want to sell at the best deal for them and you want to buy at the best deal for you. It cuts both ways. They would drop your offer in an instant if a better one came along.

Your finance is in place, there is no chain or complications and you can complete quickly. You are exactly the sort of buyer they were hoping for. Your appearance on the scene will save them time and the money involved in aborted transactions. Yes, you will offer a lower price because you have these advantages.

The other way to make money in a falling market is to buy at the bottom. Really? You would have to be a genius to call the bottom of a market but the good news is you don't have to be that precise, it's fine to buy just before or just after that point.

Let's call it a zone of opportunity.

How to spot that? - research, research, research, good estate agency contacts and knowing if the area you are considering is, in the mid to long term, always going to be a good bet. In other words, that the fundamentals are still in place.

Are the factors that made the investment a good one in the first place, still relevant and more importantly, still there?

Some Things We Can Learn From Donald Trump

As one of America’s five richest real estate moguls, there’s no arguing with Donald Trump’s mastery of the real estate trade. In actual fact, despite a few financial ‘hiccups’ he has one of the most admired track records for real estate investing success.

Look closely at “the Donald’s” strategies and you will find a common thread. This is a principle so blindingly obvious, you will kick yourself if you’ve missed it.

So what is this principle and how can you profit from it?

It’s simply the unchangeable LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

Let’s look at some examples of how property values, driven by demand vs. supply may be affected by different events:-

- Low-cost Airlines: A survey by Savills Research in 2006 found that the average price of a property located within 10 miles of an airport served by a low-cost airline is 39% higher than for properties within the same distance from an airport without a low cost carrier. Rents were also found to be 30% higher.

- Hosting the Olympics: The regeneration effect of hosting the Olympic Games has generally had a positive impact on house prices. Barcelona was the best performing host city with prices rising by 131% versus an 83% increase in Spanish house prices in the five years leading up to the 1992 Olympics.

- EU Accession: When Ireland joined the EEC in 1973, GDP per head was 63% of the EU average. By 2001 this had climbed to 126%. Over the last eight years in what has come to be known as the ‘Dublin effect’, the value of property has climbed by 196%.

- New Airports: In December 2007, the announcement of plans to build an International Airport in the Emirate of Ajman had the effect of increasing property prices by 30% virtually overnight.


Now, back to the Trump factor; some of Donald Trump’s planned future developments include,

1. Trump Ocean Club Panama City, Panama
2. Trump Ocean Resort Baja, Mexico
3. Trump Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
4. Trump International Hotel & Tower Palm Jumeriah, Dubai
5. Trump Tower New Orleans, USA
6. Trump Aberdeen, Scotland

Make a note of these locations, fellow investor, that’s what is called a clue!

As promised, here is the link to see the photos of the recent
Berkshire Property Meet on 17th September. It was a phenomenal
evening with over 100 people and next month is going to be even
better so keep Monday 15th October free! Our guest Speaker will be
announced shortly.

We would like to give special thanks to Belinda, Hus and Darren
Hunt for their help during the evening.

There's a lot to tell you in this email in direct response to your
questions following Monday nights' Berkshire Property Meet, so I
hope you find this informative.



1) We were very fortunate to have a friend of ours, Brian
Ollivierre, come and take some great snaps for us. Please go to the
following link to view the pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/mrandmrsrai/BerkshirePropertyMeetSeptember2007



2) Huge thanks to Glenn Armstrong for taking the time to come down
and talk at the Berkshire Property Meet. Also thank you to Barry
Danser, Nick Pedrithes and Jason Bonner for ensuring the evening
ran smoothly. For those of you who asked for more information on
how Glenn built his property portfolio of 150+ properties please
see the following link:

http://tinyurl.com/3yx5sp



3) Many people ask how and why we do what we do. Where do we find
the time and energy and still work full-time as well? One of the
driving forces behind this was an amazing event we attended last year.
Again, we have been asked for more details which you can find at:

http://www.mrandmrsrai.com/chrishoward.htm

Berkshire Property Meets - NEW Venue & Glenn Armstrong

The very successful and vibrant Berkshire Property Meet is on again
Monday 17th September. We have the added bonus of a NEW venue and
our 1st speaker the one and only Glenn Armstrong. We look forward
to seeing you there for another great evening of lively discussion
with people who are passionate about making a success out of
property investing.

There are limited spaces, so please arrive prompt at 7pm to secure
your seat. There will be a charge of £10 on the door to cover our
costs for the new venue. Glenn Armstrong will be on at 8pm.

If you wish to book a room for the night, please search online
{!name}, it will give you better deals than ringing the Holiday Inn
direct.


Who is Glenn Armstrong?

Glenn Armstrong started buying houses in June 2004. He bought 6 and
then ran out of money...

Faced with a dilemma that most of us have, he would have given up
a long time ago - however Glenn decided to continue on with a new
strategy. He implemented a way to buy lots of properties without ever
running out of money, and has gone on to achieve incredible success.

Since then he has bought OVER 100 properties (no. 100 and no. 101
were purchased on 11th and 12th of January 2007). He has bought 60
this year so far...

During his journey he found that people started asking for his
advice including questions on how to find reliable support such as
solicitors, accountants and mortgage brokers, and just how to find
properties that could be bought at such huge discounts to enable
them to be purchased for no money down, while still generating
positive cashflow.

To date, Glenn has an unrivalled reputation for being the key
property investor who continues to walk the talk, while others
simply talk the talk.

http://www.glennarmstrong.com

Make a COMMITMENT in your diary for this one, now!
Monday 17th September 2007 - doors open at 7pm. Speaker will be on
from 8pm.


What is The Purpose of Networking

As you all Know by now... property and business is about people and
building lasting relationships with people who will inevitably
become your team... A team of people who can help you. Without your
team you will find it very hard to succeed on your own... in fact
statistically you are setting your self up for failure.

We have all heard the abbreviation of T.E.A.M- 'Together Everybody
Achieves More', whether you are new to property investment and/or
business networking or you are a regular attendee at networking
events, getting to know and meet with others who are doing similar
things will help you considerably in your property investment and
business ventures. A single personal connection can lead you to
multiple opportunities for professional and personal growth, from
property leads, joint ventures, business ideas to lasting
friendships. Anyone who has been successful will tell you that they
had help and possibly a load of it. We all need others around us
that will become part of our network of beneficial contacts.

The Berkshire Property meet is there for you to build your team of
contacts to help you become a success, ands also help others to
become a success.

Look forward to seeing you there

Berkshire Property Meet's 1st Speaker by Popular Demand is...

We are very pleased to announce BPMs first speaker. We have listened
to our members and gone for the best!

Our speaker will be GLENN ARMSTRONG.

Who is Glenn?

Glenn Armstrong started buying houses in June 2004. He bought 6 and
then ran out of money...

Faced with a dilemma that most of us have, he would have given up
a long time ago - however Glenn decided to continue on with a new
strategy. He implemented a way to buy lots of properties without ever
running out of money, and has gone on to achieve incredible success.

Since then he has bought OVER 100 properties (no. 100 and no. 101
were purchased on 11th and 12th of January 2007).

During his journey he found that people started asking for his
advice including questions on how to find reliable support such as
solicitors, accountants and mortgage brokers, and just how to find
properties that could be bought at such huge discounts to enable
them to be purchased for no money down, while still generating
positive cashflow.

To date, Glenn has an unrivalled reputation for being the key
property investor who continues to walk the talk, while others
simply talk the talk.

Make a COMMITMENT in your diary for this one, now!
Monday 17th September 2007 - doors open at 7pm.

There are limited spaces, so please arrive prompt at 7pm to secure
your seat. There will be a charge of £10 on the door to cover our
costs for the new venue.

Thank You & Pictures of Berkshire Property Meet

We just want to THANK everyone that made it tonight for another
buzzing & informative evening at the Berkshire Property Meet.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the next meet which will be
Monday 17th September. We will also annouce shortly who our first
speaker will be.

To see the pictures please go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mrandmrsrai/BerkshirePropertyMeetSeptember2007

For all those people that asked about the FREE Chis Howard Tickets
you can go here to sign up: www.mrandmrsrai.com/chrishoward.htm

See you at the Berkshire Property Meet tomorrow

The very successful and vibrant Berkshire Property Meet is on again
tomorrow. We look forward to seeing you there for another great
evening of lively discussion with people who are passionate about
making a success out of property investing.

The meeting starts at 7pm and goes on until the venue switches off the
lights and pushes us out the door!



Please forward this onto anyone else you know is interested in
getting started in property investing or is already active.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Berkshire Property Meet on Facebook

We hope you're enjoying your weekend and making the most of the Sun
while it lasts!

A question we often get asked is "Can we give out contacts details of
people who attend the BPM?". As many of you know Data Protections
rules will not allow us to pass on e-mail addresses and we take your
privacy very seriously.

However we have come up with a solution ! Have you heard of
Facebook.com? It's simple, Free and very easy to use. We have created
a group called Berkshire Property Meet within Facebook and would
encourage all BPM members to sign up to Facebook if you haven't
already joined.

Facebook.com is a fantastic way of keeping in touch and improving your
network. So, you can also contact any BPM member you want and we
don't have to bend any rules! Now that's what we call simple a
win-win scenario!!

If you're already a member of facebook.com just click on this link to
join the Berkshire Property Meet group:

http://groups.to/berkshirepropertymeet/

We have found this very useful. We look forward to seeing you on
Facebook and at the next BPM on 20th August 2007!

Interest rates kept on hold at 5%

UK interest rates have been left unchanged at 5% following the latest meeting of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

The decision to hold rates had been widely expected amid concerns about the pace of inflation.

Rising food and fuel prices pushed inflation to 3% in April, well above the government target of 2%.

The MPC has already cut interest rates three times since December 2007 in an attempt to help the slowing economy.

However, the economic slowdown and falling house prices had led some to call for another cut in rates to boost spending.

Businesses squeezed

Many economists feel that the MPC needs to wait and see whether higher food and fuel prices lead to higher wages or lower spending in other areas before changing rates.


The necessity to write a letter to the chancellor should not be the overriding consideration for the MPC
David Kern, British Chambers of Commerce

If inflation rises above 3% then Bank of England governor Mervyn King must write to the chancellor to explain why.

At the MPC's last meeting in May, only one of its nine members voted to cut rates.

"The Bank had little option this month other than to leave interest rates on hold," said Ian McCafferty, chief economic adviser to the employers' group, the CBI.

"Oil and commodity prices are still of great concern and businesses are having to raise prices as profit margins get squeezed further."

Slowdown predicted

House prices are falling as the credit crunch makes lenders reluctant to provide mortgages.

The latest figures from the biggest mortgage lender, the Halifax, showed a 2.4% fall in house prices during May.

This week, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicted that UK growth would slow to 1.8% this year and to 1.4% in 2009. It said the global credit crisis, the high costs of commodities such as oil and slowing property markets were all hurting the UK economy.

On Wednesday, the Home Builders Federation called for a half-point cut in interest rates 4.5%, saying a cut was "imperative" to avoid a severe housing market slowdown.

Also on Wednesday, figures from the Chartered Institute for Purchasing and Supply indicated that the UK service sector shrank in May for the first time in five years, as costs rose and confidence in business prospects fell.

Threats to growth

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said that the MPC should be considering the whole economic outlook and not just inflation.

"We understand the critical need for the MPC to maintain credibility, but the MPC cannot disregard the worsening threats to growth," said BCC economic adviser David Kern.

"The necessity to write a letter to the chancellor should not be the overriding consideration for the MPC."

But the British Retail Consortium supported the decision to keep rates unchanged.

"Struggling customers and retailers certainly need a boost but, with rising oil and commodity prices stoking inflation to well above the 2% target, leaving rates unchanged was the wise option," said its director general Stephen Robertson.

Repossessions crisis 'could be worse than 1992'

More homebuyers are at risk of losing their homes than during the property bust of 1992, new research says. As many as 1.8 million buyers will be struggling to cover monthly repayments by the end of this year.

The figure is 200,000 higher than in 1992, when the country was gripped by recession, rising unemployment and mortgage interest rates of 15 per cent. There are now 11.82 million mortgages in Britain, 2 million more than in 1992, meaning there is a larger pool of borrowers vulnerable to missing their repayments if, for example, they are made redundant.

The research suggests that if the percentage of mortgage arrears by the end of this year is even half what it was in 1992 then that period's grim total of 75,000 homes being repossessed in a year could be repeated. Many homeowners are stretched to the limit already to meet mortgage repayments, so would struggle if they were suddenly unable to work.

At the end of 2007 the number of mortgages more than 6 months in arrears was 0.48 per cent or 56,800, well below the 3.54 per cent recorded at the end of 1992.

However, if mortgage arrears at the end of 2008 were only half of that recorded at the end of 1992, then approximately 200,000 more households would be experiencing mortgage payment difficulties, leading potentially to much higher rates of repossessions and bankruptcies. UK homeowners have failed to learn the lessons of 1992, there are more people at risk of falling into mortgage arrears or having their home repossessed, and the vast majority of homeowners have no protection in place to guard against possible financial hardship. The boom of the late 1980s saw lenders offering loans of 100 per cent and more. However rising unemployment and interest rates left thousands unable to make repayments leading to debt and misery.

In 1992, when 75,000 homes were posessed, the average mortgage was a relatively modest 2.5 times salary. A lending boom over the last ten years has seen huge mortgages, worth up to six and seven times income, being handed out. Many of these loans have been made without proper checks on the finances of customers and their ability to make repayments. Now, even small increases in the headline rate of interest means repayments on these mega-loans can generate crippling increases in repayments.

There is a particular concern around so-called sub-prime home loan customers; people who have a black mark on their credit history and typically have to pay higher interest rates. More than a fifth of this group have fallen behind with mortgage repayments. The proportion of borrowers with poor credit histories who are more than 30 days in arrears rose to 21.73 per cent in the first three months of this year.
That is up from 19.41 per cent seen during the previous three months, and compares to 18.11 per cent for the same period last year. Those sub-prime borrowers falling into 'serious delinquency', 90 days or more behind, edged into double figures at 10.6 per cent.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) is predicting around 45,000 home repossessions this year, however some analysts suggest the figure could top 70,000.

Ministry of Justice data showed that a total of 27,530 mortgage repossession orders were made during the first three months of 2008. That was up 17 per cent on the same period a year ago and the highest level for 16 years.

The economic growth experienced in the UK in the past 15 years has encouraged a short-term view of finances with a buy today and pay tomorrow attitude.

While the current repossession figures are low, people looking to remortgage generally have to switch to a more expensive option. Two years ago those looking to re-finance would have got a better rate from a competitor. But lending criteria has tightened up recently, so that's not so much the case now.

The Berkshire Property Meet News

First of all we must thank all those outstanding people who made it
to the 16th July 2007 BPM. THANK YOU! After a slow start we were
overwhelmed by the number of people that attended.

It's encouraging to hear, from so many of you, how much people are
getting out of this meet. What we observe is all the animated
conversations and smiling faces. People are leaving with new
contacts, ideas and friends.

As stated in our previous e-mails the No.1 request we are getting is
for a speaker. In order to accommodate this we are already looking
for a new venue and talking to a number of speakers, all of whom
will provide beneficial advice helping you move forward in your
business.

The date of the next FREE meeting will be Monday 20th August - same
time, same place. If you have any questions please ask!

Berkshire Property Meet 16th July 2007 - Topics for discussion

Just a quick reminder that the BPM is being held tomorrow night
starting at 7pm as usual.


In direct response to feedback, we are introducing Topics for
Discussion. We have had a number of questions about Redemption
Figures when analysing deals, so the Topics for tomorrow evening are:

"How to find out what the Redemption Figures are on the 1st, 2nd
and subsequent charges on a property"

"How to reduce secured loans - will lenders negotiate?"

Please bring your questions, answers and any creative tips for the
lively discussion that will take place.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Your Feed-back about Berkshire Property Meet

Hope you've had a cracking weekend!

Just dropping you a note to remind you of the next Berkshire
Property Meet which is being held on Monday 16th July 2007 - same
place - same time. As always bring your business cards and any
questions you would like some help with. Please feel free to e-mail
us in advance if you have a burning question and we can try to get
you the answer on the evening.

Thank you all for the great feedback on the BPM. Also thanks for
the overwhelming messages of support and positive responses we have
had. It's good to know people are finding the BPM of benefit.

The number one request was for guest speakers! In order to oblige
we will be looking for a more suitable venue that will accommodate
a speakers needs. We will try and make sure that it lives up to the
benefits of our current location:

- Easily accessible
- FREE parking
- Close to the M4 and M40
- Friendly staff and management
- Liked by all attendees

There have been a few other great suggestions that we are looking
into implementing, all of which will enhance the BPM experience.

We have been to various Networking events, big and small. The most
important thing is to go with an open mind knowing that one brief
conversation with any attendee could be the one idea that elevates
your business to the next level!

For those people who have asked for extra Chris Howard tickets the
easiest thing to do is use this link to register for free tickets
http://www.mrandmrsrai.com/chrishoward.htm

See you there on the 16th July 2007 for the FREE event!

Berkshire Property Meet Feedback

Hope you're having a great weekend, even though it has been raining
non-stop!

Firstly we want to say thanks to all the people that have replied
saying how much they are getting out of the BPM and how informative
and friendly the meetings are! That's excellent!

We've had a good variety of suggestions on how to make it even
BETTER. If you haven't written to us yet and have something to add,
please do it now:

1. What do you like about the event?
2. What do you not like about the event?
3. What one thing could we do next time to improve the event?

One suggestion was to 'move it to Birmingham' so that they could
attend more often! Thanks for the compliment, but we'll be staying
put in Berkshire for now.. :o)

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Take care,

Can you help improve the Berkshire Property Meet?

It's been a hectic few days since the last BPM. We spent an
OUTSTANDING weekend with 12,000 highly motivated people at
Tony Robbins 'Unleash the Power Within' Event, this weekend! WOW!

The BPM has been running for a few moths now. It's been a great
success due to the quality of people we have been able to attract.
We would like to thank everyone who has been able to make it so far.

We would love to have some feedback from you. Please let us know:

1. What do you like about the event?
2. What do you not like about the event?
3. What one thing could we do next time to improve the event?

Don't worry about how small your comments are, they all help towards
creating better events.

Have a great week!

The next Berkshire Property Meet will be Monday 16th July 2007, same time,

The next Berkshire Property Meet will be Monday 16th July, same time,
same place and it's FREE!



We look forward to seeing you all again.

Thank you for making the Berkshire Property Meet such a success see you Monday!

he Berkshire Property Meet is this Monday 18th June 2007 from
7pm onwards.



We have also been told that Tony Robbins - Ultimate Power Weekend
is currently offering Buy One Get One Free on it's tickets for next
weekend, that's GBP295 + VAT for TWO tickets! Drop us an e-mail if
you are interested.

Please take the time if you are a member of a forum to let people
know about the BPM. The more quality people we can attract the more
you will get out of the BPM.. So get posting, texting and e-mailing!

do you know when the next Berkshire Property Meet is?

The Berkshire Property Meet for June 2007 will held on Monday 18th
June, same time & same place, for a reminder of the details please


We look forward to seeing you there

remember the BPM Monday !!

This is just a quick reminder that the Berkshire Property Meet is
this Monday 21st May 2007 from 7pm onwards.



We look forward to seeing you there. Have a GREAT weekend!

Jim Haliburton's - HMO Course - Are you interested

Have you heard of Jim Haliburton? He has 75 HMO's with over 500
tenants and 20 single-lets! I have spoken to Jim and he has offered
a discount on his one day HMO Course if we can get 10 people together
for the day.

Date: Sunday 27th May 2007

Times: 10am to 5pm

Location: Wednesbury - Junction 9 off the M6

Offer Price for a group of 10 = £165 each

If you're thinking of going down the HMO route this is the guy to
speak to!

If your interested please reply to this e-mail.

Message from Juswant & Sylvia

The next Berkshire Property Meet will be Monday 21st May, same time
and same place.


We look forward to seeing you all again.

Good Evening

Just want to say THANK YOU to all those who attended the Berkshire
Property Meet (BPM) and making it another great success.

The turnout was once again tremendous and everyone's willingness to
share selflessly was noted by all. With your help and support we
will continue to attract the right people and create the right
atmosphere.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks again and have a great long weekend break.

Next BPM details to follow shortly.

3 Days to Go to Next Berkshire Property Meet

This is just a quick reminder that the Berkshire Property Meet is
this Monday 30th April 2007 from 7pm onwards.


We look forward to seeing you there. Have a GREAT weekend!

2nd Berkshire Property Meet - Monday 30th April 2007

Here are the details of the 2nd Berkshire Property Meet, same time
and same place. As the majority of the feedback we got was
overwhelmingly positive on the night and via e-mail


We look forward to seeing you again!

Berkshire Property Meet

Hello

Just want to say THANK YOU for attending and making our
first Berkshire Property Networking Event such a success.

The turnout was great and, based on feedback so far, we all learnt
something new and/or made new contacts - which is what this is all
about !

There is a definite demand for a regular meet, so we will be in
touch, very soon with dates for your diary.

Thanks again and have a great long weekend break.