Let’s face it, everyone loves a bit of shameless flattery. Whether it’s about your looks (“Darling, you look FABulous in that size 30 fluorescent bell tent) or your abilities, a compliment is intoxicating with accompanying rewards, yet it costs nothing, unless, of course, it is misleading and puts you in the promised land and here’s the rub…let me explain.

When you want to sell your property and you call an estate agent, you rely on them to give an honest impression of value. However, we inhabit a property owning culture where, not content with merely seeking shelter from the outdoors, owners now expect their home to perform beyond the call of duty, functioning as a quasi-pension as well as a tax-free savings scheme. There’s every expectation that upon a sale, it not only pays for the next property, but in later life, helps the children with their own deposits and then finally, refurbs the family retirement nest egg.
Continue reading →