[murky]

Did a job the other day for a builder who was selling the show home. Top spec development swimming pool in club etc. Spoke to the Sales girl who I have worked for years at different sites had a general chit chat and was offered a cup of tea after I finished the job.

When I finished she said sorry cant do tea as the builder was in conference with top notch Estate agent in the office, moaning that they had just lost the sale on the last plot as the purchaser couldnt complete there sale and were now going to let it as they would never sell it in this market.

Estate agent said to them that in his opinion this current climate would last for 2 to 3 years !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just to make me feel better I went to networking meeting next morning to hear Mortgage Broker say he hadnt done a single one last month and an Estate Agent say he hadnt completed a single house either!!!!!!!!!!!!

Murky

[nick p]

people just arent moving they are staying put and doing there houses up the amount of extensions i am seeing in my area has gone up so people do still have money to spend

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Estate Agents having a hard time - my heart bleeds 

They are responsible for the ridiculous hike in house prices over the last few years. Getting rich while people have to borrow more and more money for bigger mortgages on overvalued properties.

I don't care whether people are buying or renting - their carpets are still gonna get dirty. So I will either clean them or replace them.

Steve

[Ian Gourlay]

Steve

Do you operate from a shop or warehouse or are you Home Choose.?

[John Kelly]

Spot on Steve.

[Mike Osbourne]

Estate agent's Clients (the people who pay the commission) want them to sell it for as much as possible, don't they? If anything agents over price to get the agent contract then persuade the client to lower it for a sale.

You think we get tossed about, try being an estate agent. Imagine a big carpet cleaning job  dependant on 7 other cleans all having to take place on the same day.

[Mike Halliday]

 some are saying that if we enter a recession the general public will tighten their belts and rather than replace thier carpets they will get them cleaned, so we will benefit

but.....

 if they are skint whats stopping them just buying cheaper carpets? we won't benefit then!

and what about the people who already get their carpets cleaned? what happens when they feel the pinch of the credit crunch? how do they save money? by either putting up with the dirty carpets or instead of  having them cleaned yearly, the wait an extra 6mths. So again we lose out.

Another thing to worry about is all the men who might lose thier jobs, what will they do to earn a living? perhaps start a carpet & upholstery cleaning business  and they might be in your town. taking away your loyal customers with the enticement of special offers

[Mike Osbourne]

Your probably right Mike, but there's no harm in trying to cheer ourselves up with a bit of kidology.

Carpet cleaning for the masses is at the best of times event driven and the easiest job to procrastinate on. So what will people do NOTHING. How many people sign up to some direct debit based service then never use it AND can;t be arsed to cancel it.

[Joe H]

So then Mike, what you doing? lowering your prices? taking a leaf out of the non-existant carpet cleaner from Coventry?

[Mike Osbourne]

No Rob's approach has never appealed to me.

Just got some leaflet stands from staples and printed off some cross promotion leaflets for a couple of retailers, mobility products, reclining chairs etc. Just had a chat with a quality car dealership but they didn't get it.

Are you finding ways to get business you otherwise wouldn't have without the TM Joe?

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Ian

Home choose mate.

Had a shop 15 years ago - pain in the neck.

Had 2 industrial units - filled them full of rubbish I thought I needed and used the office as an excuse not to go home.

Now just work from home with a selection of sample books, dealing with the same suppliers I dealt with 15 years ago.

Steve

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Mike

You may be right, its certainly another way of looking at it.

However, as far as competition is concerned, I don't even think about it. I couldn't tell you who my local competitors are and quite frankly I don't care.

I know what I need to earn per hour/day/week/month - sometimes I hit it, sometimes miss it by a mile and sometimes earn 2 months money in one.

My prices are set accordingly and if Joe Bloggs is prepared to do it for less and Mrs Jones is prepared to take the risk and ignore my advice then thats her choice.

I think its always been that way, thats why I try and aim for clients who expect a certain standard and are prepared to pay for it.

Steve

[Barry Livingstone]

...yeah try and be an estate agent....i did.....had 6 houses on at1%...thought easy money at the start of the year ...was working from an office in the town i stay...with 3 other agents.......left there and back here...the houses i had on are still on the market......................

And one is a repo flat offers ovre 49950.00....yeah you read it rite under 50k...andits been on the market from feb this year.....www. kinlochproperties .co.uk.......its still there....

better the devil you no i say ....

anyways just in from the pub....with my mates and they have just been paid off from the site they worked for the past 3 years....houses arent selling ....

[Mike Osbourne]

And this is when those who saved cash and have no debts finally get payback. Half price houses, KERRCHING£££!

[derek west]

just sold my house, been on for 3 weeks, just had survey done tuesday no problems, there mortgage has been ok'd today so its not all doom and gloom,
chin up boys

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

There seems to be a general, 'things are looking quite good', is this a true reflection or are some finding it much tougher than usual.

Cheers

Doug

[derek west]

56k equity, if it all goes through, so yeah, drinks are on me. asda lager 22p a can. orderly queue please.

[ollie]

Im busier than ive ever been in 3 years. maybe its just because ive built up a good customer base now but either way im smiling 

[Mike Halliday]

I never give a thought (or a worry)  if I'm busy or not, I work every day, some days I finish at dinnertime some day I work till 4ish.

 if I'm not busy I don't fret about it I just go to the local coffee shop have a latte and read the papers, a lovely chilled out afternoon.

If it was a Monday morning and I had no work for the full week I know by Friday I would have earned enough to pay the bills, so I never worry, the phone will ring, it always does.

let the credit crunch come, I'm not worried.

[derek west]

got one clinton, just a cheapone, not doing well on the net though, needs optimising but dont know who to turn to, using ad words, getting loads of impressions but not many clicks, waiting til the house money comes through first,
 www.affordablecleaners.co.uk
thats me on the left with the wife on the right, and the love of my life in the middle. lol