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Article Archive - December 2008

Get your business fit for 2009
by Josh Hall | 30 Dec 2008
With the new year upon us, many people are deciding upon resolutions about which they are initially passionate, but ultimately, inevitably, lackadaisical. Resolutions such as going to the gym more, or quitting smoking.
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Going for a song - repo properties perfect for buy-to-let
by Josh Hall | 10 Dec 2008
Repossessions are on the rise. More and more people are finding it impossible to keep up with their mortgage payments, regardless of the support being promised by the government. Indeed, there are likely to be 45,000 repossessions this year, with the figure rising to 75,000 in 2009.
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Running out of ammunition - new solutions needed to ease economic crisis
by Josh Hall | 09 Dec 2008
Interest rates are at their lowest since 1951. The government is presiding over the biggest financial support package in British history. The banks are part nationalised.
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Making buy-to-let work
by Josh Hall | 08 Dec 2008
Buy to let was, until recently, beloved of a significant proportion of the British public. It was seen as a fail-safe way for inexperienced, wannabe investors to make a significant return on a relatively insignificant investment. This attitude was fuelled by the ready availability of mortgages with extremely high loan to value ratios; at one time it was possible to get a mortgage for more than 100% of the value of the home.
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Buy-to-let. A comeback waiting to happen.
by Josh Hall | 08 Dec 2008
Selling a property is extremely difficult in the current climate. Sellers have been very slow to catch up with the falling price expectations of buyers. As such, the 'correction' that we are seeing in house prices across the country has actually been sluggish; there has been a reduction in sales in lieu of a reduction in price. Mortgage approvals are down, and the market seems on the verge of seizing up but while the residential property market's future is set, the future of buy-to-let remains unclear.
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How Your Small Business can Beat a Recession
by fsattler | 04 Dec 2008
Are you fed up with all the doom and gloom surrounding the state of the economy? You could be forgiven for thinking that no business is going to survive what we have in store for us over the coming year.
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IR35 - a quick guide for the self-employed
by Josh Hall | 03 Dec 2008
Dealing with tax is a pet hate for many self-employed professionals. The annual self assessment brings with it an almost audible collective groan from across the country. However, self assessment has some potential advantages; if you are not paying tax via PAYE, there is scope for a mitigation of your tax liability through the exploitation of various reliefs and loopholes. Frequently, however, these loopholes are closed with little warning. IR35 is a case in point.
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Britain "closer than ever" to euro membership - good or bad for small business?
by Josh Hall | 03 Dec 2008
Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, claimed yesterday that Britain is "closer than ever before" to joining the euro.
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Making the most of the Christmas shopping season
by Rosie Beasley | 01 Dec 2008
Christmas is traditionally the most profitable time of year for retailers. This year, however, the retail sector is facing a unique set of challenges. The public are tightening their belts ever further - a recent GfK NOP survey suggested that consumer confidence is at its lowest point since records began, and discretionary expenditure is tumbling.
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How to hold on to your customers this Christmas
by Rosie Beasley | 01 Dec 2008
Traditionally, consumers tend not to want the hassle of changing their chosen supplier, regardless of the product. Britons are, for example, three times more likely to get divorced than they are to change their bank. However, as consumers are being forced to rein in spending they are looking to save money in any way that they can.
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