AcedOut

I've been travelling to work via Peckham Rye for over 3 years now and have never seen any trouble - and that often includes travelling back quite late in the evening. The Rye area is hardly glamorous, but I've never felt threatened there. I wish people would give the place a break Rodney!

I'm 28 and most of my 25-30yo friends are on there. What that says about me, I'm not sure! The website started out as a university/college networking site, but since they've opened it up to everyone, the average age is now growing. It's absolutely fantastic for picture sharing alone. If anyone tags a picture with you in it, it'll automatically be added to your own photo album.

There was a grade II listed place opposite Peckham Rye that I notice has now been demolished! I know this well, as I was considering buying it with a view to refurb. The work required would have been huge though, so I guess they felt demolition was the more profitable route. To be fair though, the concrete house has been in that state for years now, so something must be done! It's a shame that no one has come along to do something with it, but it'd be a huge job...

I slated it before, but there are almost 200 members on here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2234158230

I eat my words. I signed up to Facebook last night and noticed that there are loads of people on the iloveeastdulwich (or similar) group!

50cc or higher? Thinking of getting one, but so many types out there!

I heard there were UFO sightings in Crystal Palace late last night. Maybe the aliens landed in your back garden.

Private investigators? Have you been having an affair recently?

beth - thanks for the link. I'll look forward to listening to that. You are right thought, the macroeconomics are complex. I will be listening to that podcast on my daily commute this week!

Petition signed.

My two-bed flat (no garden) last December received the asking price of ?315k (agents valued between ?285-?325). I turned it down and took the place off the market, but I think most 2-bed places are going for over ?300k now, well over the ?250k 3pc stamp duty threshold.

Bob - we could have a conversation about the relative merits of the change into the dominant key for popular music of the 1980-1990's is you like. What are your favorites? Westlife have some real winners!

Insurance on a mortgaged house. That's a binary crash put on a call option isn't it!? ;) Burn baby burn!

mockney - bid/ask spread if you're fully hedged, yes, although most equity derivitive trading desks will make their money in volatility, so they put a spread on the volatility rather than the price and trade the gamma. Volatility is what typically kills the retail trader. I think fractionater is talking about open positions though, so it's a fully exposed delta trade.

Fractitioner - True, but with CFD's, spread-betting, options, futures they typically have shorter maturities and require margin payments or large downpayments/premiums. With the property market, your lender won't ask for margin payments when you're in negative equity! That's the bonus. Property is also significantly less volatile, albeit less liquid (particulary in a down market with people not selling and riding-through neg-equity). To cover the large vol on leveraged market trading, you don't want your stop losses too close, else you'll lose on too many occasions. Of course, there are pros and cons in both. Unfortunately in my job I'm not allowed to trade these things, so property is my only option!

Are prams allowed in A1 establishments? I've heard they are going to ban them and tax according to wheel size.

well my flat doesn't have a garden, so that's a bonus :) Might pop over and strike up an interest over the weekend...

The lender owns the property though, so THEY are in negative equity once the LTV level is breached. Pretty sure that's how it works but I'll stand corrected if anyone can prove otherwise...

where exactly are these places again?

It's amaizing how many people forget about gearing. This is the primary reason that most people make more money on property than the stock markets!!! People always forget this. No lender in their right mind would lend money for someone to put on the markets, since there is no collateral. So, even if the stock markets are increasing more than property, you're still better off putting your money on property, since you have that leverage. Buying a property is kinda like buying a call option. You cannot lose more than your initial deposit. Yes, you can lose your house if you cannot afford your repayments, but then you could have been renting and still own nothing. The lender is actually at risk when the property goes down in value - their protection from this is the Loan To value (LTV). The lower their LTV, the less likely they are to enter negative territory and the less you generally pay in interest rates. You might put down ?20k on a ?200k peoperty. If it's worth ?100k in a year, you've lost ?10k (plus interest), but the lender has lost ?90k (less interest)!

Find out if they have a buyer for the other place!

Let's just rename East Dulwich to South Chelsea and Lordship Lane to King's Road.

scum

Alan - exactly! ED has those early rumours of a tube station to thank.

I bumped into a chap on the back of a Translux bus in South Africa.. I didn't even know he was British, let alone from East Dulwich until we began chatting!