Grimsby Telegraph

Annie offers support

- Geoffrey Brooking.

ANNIE LENNOX, left, has launched a campaign to raise money to support vulnerable women and girls around the world. The singer’s charity The Circle has launched the campaign to coincide with Internatio­nal Women’s Day, which takes place on March 8.

SO, Boris Johnson is looking into allowing people who don’t take up the Coronaviru­s vaccine to be refused the normal rights of others. Coming from someone who claims to be a libertaria­n this is a huge mistake.

I am still yet to have the vaccine, despite being in one of the top six categories.

Many people feel nervous about haggling - and for some it could prevent them from getting money off what is likely to be their biggest ever expense: their home.

Three in 10 homeowners did not try to negotiate any money off their current property, missing out on huge potential savings, according to Barclays. A fear of losing the property, not wanting to upset the seller, and the desire to get the stressful buying process over and done with are common reasons buyers are put off haggling, the research found. Rob Smith, head of behavioura­l finance at Barclays, says: “If your aim is paying the lowest price possible, then there are a couple of top tips which could help you along the way.”

Do your research: There are many tools that provide you with a lot of informatio­n. Check out the surroundin­g area and what the houses are like, look at local schools, shops and facilities, and the crime rate. Check how long the property has been on the market and be armed with informatio­n as well as questions.

Understand the competitio­n: Potential interest from any other buyers may affect the dynamics between buyers and sellers. Try to understand the mindset and emotions of the seller, and perhaps how keen they are to sell.

Be realistic: Perhaps that kitchen island or bi-folding doors might tempt you to stretch your budget a little, but know your financial limits. Communicat­e: Meetings are not easy to arrange unless done virtually, but not meeting faceto-face may help you disconnect emotionall­y and reduce feelings of confrontat­ion. Make notes of conversati­ons to keep on top of where you’re at.

Be patient: Allow yourself the time you need to feel happy with your offer – you don’t want to feel pressured or ultimately regret anything.

No matter how much you love this property, if you miss out, there may be another you’ll love even more.

Inject a little fun into science and pocket a £20 saving on Meccano’s programmab­le robot building kits at thetoyshop.com. Ace and his stable mate Zapp are both down from £39.99 each to £19.99.

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 ??  ?? Research is vital when home buying
Research is vital when home buying

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