Estate agents offer 'bargains' in Christmas sale

December 10, 2008 MONEY BULLETIN Dear Reader Visit Times Online today for personal finance and investment advice, plus guides to mortgages, pensions, savings and more SMART MONEY BY MARK BRIDGE Estate agents offer 'bargains' in Christmas sale The discounting sales tactics being employed by Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and other stores are being adopted by another sector desperate for custom - estate agents. Countrywide, the UK's largest estate agency group, is to hold a £1.65 billion three-day sale, starting tomorrow. The owners of more than 7,500 properties have been persuaded to slash prices by as much as 30 per cent - although some have trimmed by as little as 3 per cent Has your lender cut rates? The 10 best bargains on eBay Credit crunch Cost of personal loans soars Personal loan interest rates are continuing to soar despite the recent cuts to the base rate. The cheapest available is now 8.2 per cent - more than four times the base rate at 2 per cent. Experts say that providers may actually be trying to price themselves out of the market as the availability of credit continues to be squeezed. Providers that have increased rates in the past month include Barclaycard (by 2 per cent), Sainsbury's Finance (by 1 per cent), Britannia and Lombard Direct (both by 0.5 per cent) More on this story Who do you blame for this financial mess? Comment Today's depressing environment could represent another good buying opportunity More... Mark Atherton SEND YOUR VIEWS MARKET UPDATE: 3 - 9 December FTSE 100: Up 6.4%; FTSE 250: Up 4.9%; AIM: Down 1.3% money briefing Make the most of a cut-price Christmas We spread some festive cheer with a guide to bagging bargains from hard-pressed retailers Will your credit be crunched? As courts issue more and more charging orders, it is important to keep tabs on unsecured debt Low-risk pensions lose thousands Savers who have moved into low-risk bonds and cash may not be as protected from the downturn as they thought Anger at 'virtual' gas bills British Gas has been accused of unfairly demading money from customers who are in credit Money central The world's 10 wealthiest politicians Troubleshooter Problem solved Money Central A beginner's guide to pet insurance Compare & Buy Mortgages, Loans, Credit Cards, Savings, Accounts, Car Insurance, Home Insurance IFA Search Find a local, specialist IFA Credit Clinic Information and advice, plus your FREE credit report Investing in uncertain times Request your FREE guide to recession investing Legal Advice Search for legal specialists If you no longer wish to receive the Money Bulletin, please click here to unsubscribe. If you wish to speak to a Customer Services Representative, please call 020 7860 1133. You have received this e-mail from a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia Street, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International Group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69 Times Newspapers Ltd is a member of the Direct Marketing Association and registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. To see our privacy policy, click here.