Bricks & Mortar

Someone who'd have a good chance of winning the next election and unite the party by making its direction clear enough that members either get behind, or get out? Nigel Farage.

My impression of the market in Scotland was that it was red-hot over this period, and probably still is. I can see more developments underway locally than at any time in a decade. I read stories of tradesman (bricklayers) and material (plasterboard) shortages, and can confirm higher rates are being offered and my local merchant is scrambling to make sure they have board by using several different manufacturers. I was unaware the average transaction price was falling. Nobody ever reports bad news for the housing market. I suspect many amateur investors might be similarly unaware. Rising costs, falling sales... not really that good, to put it mildly.

Could have done with an option for Will-Not-Vote. We usually win this thing.

Fair point about the snow. But I was giving the advice in springtime, and reasonably sure a gale had the potential, given the missing timbers, the deformation already occurring, and the possibility/likelihood of the nails suffering some degree of rust. But yours is probably not like that. This was the single greatest act of diy lunacy I've ever seen, and I'm in and out of houses every day looking at building work. Just ask questions, and consider getting a structural engineers report.

I'm on the verge of not voting. Been coming round to this as the campaign went on. Seems every single party wants this to be about brexit, when that issue is for Westminster to settle.

Not always. I went to view a house on behalf of a client. the previous owner had made the loft into an open space by cutting through all those annoying cross-tie bits of wood. Merrily went about using it as an ad-hoc gallery in the summer months for several years. I honestly advised my opinion the whole thing might collapse any time the wind got up. Client didn't buy, but I watched the eventual remedial work, and I reckon it was £20K+, judging by the scaffold, number of men and time they took. But its not certian either. Local council built houses just like that in the 30's, 40's and 50's. Here, they made the lofts open, without cross-ties, all designed frm the start. Sometimes a family grew and instead of moving their tenants, they converted the lofts themselves. In those cases, the loft stair was put in when the house was built, so I'd say its a good sign if the staircase looks original.

Doesn't look like efflorescence to me. Looks like mould. (seen a lot of efflorescence, not so much mould). If it's mould, I'd kill it where it stands. Don't give the spores a chance to go walkabout. Least not cos some of them walk into your lungs. Kill it by spraying something on it. Then wipe it when its dead, a day or two later. http://www.emcouncils.gov.uk/write/Condensation_mould_flyer(env).pdf

I was at a loose end earlier. So, on reading your post, I started watching the aforementioned film. Get halfway through, and find the restaurant is a Pizza Hut. They've overdubbed the voice part, and changed graphics on the restaurant signs. Can't remember if I saw it on video or in the cinema all those years ago, but it was definitely Taco Bell the last time. Anyway... back to my movie, which is only slightly spoiled.

Hmm. No names, and when i google, this is in DM linked papers only... I'm calling made up story, based on the following:

I have this. I'm not laddering, I just bought the chunk I wanted about 4 weeks ago. 30% down already, and another 2.5% today. Thankfully, I only ever intended this to be a smaller holding, but still, that stings. Considering selling and taking the loss. Or playing with the automatic sell option to watch that in action.

For as long as its OK to buy cola in a bottle, I'll keep buying bottled water. Anyone who argues contrary is a philistine who can't tell the difference between Deeside, Highland Spring, and their local council juice. * I don't know what your local tap water taste like, but I deliberately selected those two spring waters for being wildly different. If your tap water is just like one of them, it's certainly not like the other. I buy spring water for the taste, same as some people buy cola for the taste.

Both these were excellent. Highly recommend.

I wanted something in an ETF myself, and bought GDXJ on HL, (could buy it, but not GDX, which was weird). Most of the companies its invested into also produce silver to some degree, some in very decent quantities indeed. PS - your disclaimer, rightbackatcha.

If you can the workers. Might have to pay more... Everywhere you look, it's inflation.

... My guess is 0.5 - 1 % I made this guess yesterday. I think its far too high. I only thought about imported goods, not all goods sold in the US economy.