Whichever way you turn, the news is not good. Yesterday, the Halifax announced its house price index figures showing the largest drop in house prices (-2.5%), over a one month period since 1992. With the Bank of England’s announcement on interest rates due on Thursday 10th April, the indications are that a cut in rates is now inevitable. Whether the cut will be large enough to be a stimulus to the housing market is debatable. Markets are forecasting just a 0.25% cut which may be swallowed up by the banks and mortgage lenders in an attempt to recover some of the margins they have lost over recent months due to the inter-bank credit crunch.

This comes on the back of a week of indicators including figures showing that mortgage deals available from the banks and home loan lenders have reduced by 20%. Even so, there are still nearly 4000 deals on the market although fixed rates and discounted rates are hard to come by. It is just harder these days to wade through the available deals to find one that has the most suitable underwriting terms to meet an individuals needs.

The Euro has also hit an all time high against sterling and the dollar. This has helped dampen the holiday property markets in Europe which were once primarily funded by British purchasers. The knock on effect on holidays could also see additional negative impacts on economies such as Spain.

The major concern as we look forward must be reflected in the continuing slowing of the US economy. If a crystal ball was required, we need only look west to see what may lay ahead. Even with the Federal Reserve having ’slashed’ interest rates three times in quick succession and a stimulus package that will see most tax paying Americans shortly receiving a $600 - $800 cheque from the IRS in the next few weeks, overall sentiment in the economy is firmly on a downward path.

Gas, (petrol) prices are at nearly $4 a gallon, an all time high due mainly to the weakness in the dollar. The cause of the weakness being the interest rate cuts that the Federal Reserve made in an attempt to stimulate the housing sector. The ‘Catch 22 ‘ scenario seems set to drive the economy into recession unless the ECB and Bank of England join forces in an attempt to strengthen the dollar by cutting their interest base rates. This would not be a bilateral move of generosity on the part of the Anglo-Euro central Banks. Far from it. It is a given that if the US falls into recession that Europe will follow. The fact that the central banks across Europe act independently of government should mean that it would be easier to make such decisions. However, the Euro-zone is a relatively new animal and finds itself in possession of conflicting indicators from disparate parts of the kingdom. This makes decisive action harder to make, leading to delays that may leave more damage than they would have under the old European currencies regime.

With the latest figures from the Halifax and an interest rate cut imminent, the beneficiaries of the lower rates may end up being those who decide to refinance their home loan instead of moving house. The HSBC announced today, (April 9th 2008), that it is willing to offer refinance deals for people with expiring fixed rate mortgages. This may be the start of a rebirth in lending with those banks not unduly affected by US sub-prime losses getting ready to pick up the slack from the mortgage hunting public looking to avoid higher payments in the months ahead.

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Ok, here is a good cause posting for all those animal lovers out there…and I am one. When it comes to pets I cant keep a dry eye when you see some of the cruelty bestowed on pets by some people. So when a pet adoptions website sets up that is trying to re-home some of the misfortunate pets that have been abandoned or mis-treated …you just gotta give them a plug.

Pet Adoptions gives you a good look at the pets on offer. They have a full bio and the pictures will get you on their own.

have you seen Aspcc ad with Sarah Mccloghlin….wow…They got the sentiment right though….So support pet adoptions….well, only if your a normal sane person that loves animals and if you have space for another then give pet adoptions a look..

Go Guys….Keep up the good work

The AMLA Group who controls the Spanish Property MLS seems to be exploding! In the last few weeks the company has launched a Video site, a Spanish language version of its MLS - AMLA Casas, a Spanish Forum and now…if that wasn’t enough it is set to launch a site for holiday and villa rentals in Spain.

The No.1 ranked site for Spanish Property seems to be going all out to corner the property market in Spain. Its use of a forum to bring the Ex-Pat community businesses together with the future residents will create the first social networking site in the Property Industry…An interesting concept combining the most popular type of searched site in the UK with property sales and rentals…..could be an interesting result…..lets watch and see!

In the last few years the choice of shower enclosures, bath screens and bathroom cabinets has rocketed. Now the choice available is huge and what was once the last thought in furnishing your new bathroom can be a real style statement and reflect the décor in the rest of your home. From the curved glass contemporary styles to the minimalist square shapes shower enclosures and bath screens have moved with the times. The price of the modern curved shower enclosures has also become more affordable to the average household with lots of mainline manufacturers interpreting the designer styles. Bathroom cabinets can also give you a stylish look and minimal feel by storing all your bathroom essentials.

Shower enclosures have moved forward dramatically in recent years. The choice of design of shower enclosures available will fit almost any space from small cloakroom shower enclosure to a walk in shower enclosure. Most bathrooms only have a limited amount of space so it is important first of all to decide where you will put your shower enclosure and also where you would like to access it from. You can then look at different shapes and different types of door for your shower enclosure. Again there is huge choice, you can choose from sliders, hinged doors or even bi fold doors which open inwards, ideal for en suites. A lot of manufacturers offer an easy clean coating to their shower enclosures which makes cleaning easier by reducing the build up of lime, particularly useful in hard water areas.

For almost any size bath you can now buy some sort of bath screen. Bath screens are an alternative to shower curtains and by adding a bath screen you will instantly update your bathroom and make it feel fresher and bigger. Shower curtains can look dated and many are a block colour thus reducing the feel of space in your bathroom. Bath Screens are also a great alternative if you cannot fit in a separate shower enclosure in your bathroom. Like shower enclosures the cost for a bath screen is also far less than it was a couple of years ago and there are many affordable designs that will give your bathroom suite a fresh look for an affordable price.

What better way to instantly finish or revitalise your bathroom than by adding a bathroom cabinet. Bathroom cabinets can hide a multitude of sins from your bathroom and leave it looking clean and clutter free. Bathroom cabinets can be used to store your toothbrushes, soap and extra toilet rolls as well as all of your cleaning materials. The mirrors on your bathroom cabinet also increase the feeling of space in your bathroom. There are lots of sizes and designs to choose from and you can get bathroom cabinets with lights either motion censored or with a cord and mirrored inside doors, perfect for checking your hairstyle from the back!

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