Save South Tipperary General Hospital

The HSE has proposed downgrading South Tipperary General Hospital.

As a recent user of the excellent A&E for both myself and many family members, I am totally against this.

If our services are transferred to Waterford or Kilkenny, lives will be lost.

The HSE propose ceasing the following services:

• Accident and Emergency Services
• General Surgery Services
• Maternity Services - No more Tipp born children
• Gynaecology Services
• Paediatric / Children Services
• Cardiology
• Coronary Care Unit
• Acute Psychiatric Unit (closure announced)

This is the main hospital for all of South Tipperary.

If these services cease, then A&E will be up to one hour away.

Not necessary, not sensible.

If, like me you disagree with this proposal, you can:

· Join the rally on Saturday 27th March.
Meet at South Tipperary General Hospital at 3pm and march to the Main Guard

· Sign the Petition supporting the retention of our Acute Hospital Services

· Text save to 086 0202247

· Ask your family, friends, employer, employees, trade union, clubs, community and voluntary organisations to object to this awful H.S.E. plan.

· Contact your T.D.s, Senators and Local Councilors.

Act now. Do not leave it too late.

Hope to see you on the march on Saturday, 3pm at South Tipp General Hospital.

www.pfq.ie

Viewing and Offer stats Feb 2010

With the recent upsurge in activity, I am only now (2 weeks later) getting to the monthly stats for February.

Some people think that we are just “talking up the market” with reports of increased activity, but I am very clear that the much busier viewing activity is being driven mainly by reduced prices. In most cases, (certainly in those properties getting sold), prices are down 30-40% on 2006/2007 levels.

Prices are currently at around 2002-2003 levels and lower in some cases.

In any event (and to prove the case) here are the figures:

Month	Viewings	Offers
Feb 2009	43	23
Feb 2010	100	26

As you can see, Viewings are up 133%.

Offers are only marginally up, but March has seen an upsurge in offers as the time-lag between viewing and making an offer comes into play.

Signs are that March will also be well ahead of last year.

All will be known in 2 weeks time.

Hope you all had a Happy St Patrick’s Day.

Here’s to more Irish winners at Cheltenham.

www.pfq.ie

Market activity up substantially

Market activity is up substantially on previous months.

While prices have fallen sharply over the last year, they seem to be stabilizing at present.

Buyers with pre-approved mortgages are now in the market, hoping to buy while their approval lasts.

Numbers of offers are up, leading to more sales.

Unlike last year, we have been busy these last two months.

Long may it continue

 

www.pfq.ie

Hotels, cars and handbags.

A great post by Colm McCarthy about how we are sometimes better off if the Govt. do nothing, rather than meddle in the market.

As we are all too aware, meddling in inflating the property market by the Govt. was not matched by the necessary regulation on the financial side, so we have ended up with the current situation.

To take it to a logical conclusion, why vote them in if we are better off without them meddling!

www.pfq.ie

Posted via email from quirkeproperty's posterous

Rent boycott threatened over hikes-Why landlords in general are being unfairly targetted

From the Examiner, a story about proposed, or sought for rent increases in Wilton Shopping Centre, Cork.

The landlord in this case seems to have “targeted” 4 of the most prominent retailers for increases in rent, thereby hoping to use any agreement for increase in rent as a benchmark for a centre-wide review.

Without knowing the details, such as date of rent review, passing rents or any deals that may be in place with the tenants concerned, it is difficult to comment, but to think that in this market, with all the difficulties faced by retailers, that there could be a rent increase is astounding.

This leads me on to the campaign being run at present by REI on behalf of retailers against landlords.

They hold forth that landlords are strangling the retail trade by being “unreasonable” and of course, the case in Cork is a PR godsend to them.

But it is not that simple.

Most of the landlords we work with have already entered into discussions with tenants and in many cases have agreed substantial reductions in rent, as well as granting many other benefits, such as payment schedule alterations, postponement of reviews etc.

Most landlords are as dependent on the tenant staying in the building as the employees are, so will do everything within reason to support a viable business, if the tenant is in turn reasonable.

Some landlords, particularly those who bought in the boom period, at what now seem totally unsustainable values will be in difficulty.

They have a high mortgage, needing inflexible payments, supported by a tenant seeking flexible payments and in many cases, the lenders will not allow them to re-structure their schedule.

This means that, though they agree it makes sense, they are unable to help their tenants.

This scenario is, thankfully, rare in Clonmel, where negotiation and the ability to see a problem from both sides will usually make for a suitable, if temporary, arrangement to be forged between the parties.

www.pfq.ie

Posted via email from quirkeproperty's posterous

Arnotts pays €5m to surrender Jervis lease

From the Irish Times, a story of cutting losses and getting out of a lease.

Note they paid almost 2 years rental…up-front…to leave a unit in which there appears to be huge interest for a number of smaller retail units from top international traders, at a higher rent than Arnotts were paying!.

Poor negotiation, I would say.

If the demand is that high, why not sub-let?

Or at least do a better deal to escape from the lease.

www.pfq.ie

Posted via email from quirkeproperty's posterous