Unlike you Richard I don't need sugar, I'm already sweet enough :-)

Fair statement I guess,

I guess I can see how I could come across like that ..... my absolute certainty and conviction of my beliefs must be disconserting for some.

Being right wins you no friends! Although friends who thought I was wrong a year - to a year and a half ago ...... now listen a little more to what I say.

I was unable to pursuade several good friends from buying last year :(

It is rather fustrating when what you say falls on deaf ears, having to stand back and watch the sheeple follow the blind shepherd (Gordon Brown) lead his flock off a cliff whilst he preaches lack of supply (labour spin).

Ooops,

There I go again ....... lacking humility.

Just so I'm clear...NOT being proved wrong makes you right, right?

The price of oil will plummet.

I'm right, because you simply cannot prove me wrong.

I like this new way of thinking.

;o)

Absolutely right Ben. Note Richard says house prices will drop 25% in the next few years, he doesn't say in which locations and doesn't say how many years.

Easy to find somewhere or some house which has fallen in value, especially due to the shady dealings that have been going on in the 'New Build' market - which by the way is where the biggest problem lies getting mortgages - not traditional resales at sensible and realistic values.

I can give you details of houses and areas which are still increasing in value in the UK (where I live for a start) I can give you a certain prediction that house prices are going to go up by 25% in a few years - as long as I don't say how many years I know I will be right - again, easy. It doesn't matter though, it is about long term growth and rent covering mortgage.

Richard, chill out and stop trying to run everyones lives for them, if you were as clever as you claim you would have made it big by now and not be working for a High Street bank - I can't think of a more riskier place to be right now. No wonder your friends didn't listen to you - you have to lead by example not give it a load of verbal diaorrhea.

I speak of general average price fall across the country. If I had meant anything else, I would have said so.

Ben,

The point is, - everything I have said about the fundamentals in the economy that led up to the credit crunch were absolutely correct.

As for property falls ........ only time will tell who is right and who is wrong (although I know i'm right :o)

If there were evidence to the contarery then I would reassess and then perhaps even change my mind!

Savvy ..... always trying to find the exceptions to the rule eh. Sounds like an awful lot of work for very little gain, - in general terms, not specific terms.

You're right Richard, it is alot of work - always has been - to find the right property for the right price and get a good return on investment. That is why so many people are losing out now, they thought it was easy - they didn't do their homework and buy the right property. I did that with Cyprus - relied on other people's homework which goes against everything I have always done before, so on that property I may lose money. Fortunately, this was an exception so I can survive it.

It is not about the economic climate, not clutching at straws or any other trivia, it is about running a good business in the best possible way with sound knowledge and experience. So far I have done very well and seen all sorts of ups and downs in 30 years so for me the future looks BRIGHT!

Will we see all businesses fail in an economic downturn? No, of course not. Why? Because the businesses that are run well know how to make money in good and bad times - Property Investment is no different, it's a business Richard, it's not a shopping expedition ("um, not a good time to buy, I'll buy one in the January Sales instead"- except that you might have to settle for a load of rubbish, but you did get it cheap)

Richard, please spare us any more!

Right or not, you really are sounding insufferingly, excruciatingly, unbearably pompous, and what you know about economics and property pales into insignificance next to what you need to learn about stating your opinion without coming across like you think you're the Messiah. I'm actually finding your messages quite painful to read.

Think about it mate.

Dan