Property for Sale or Executive Rental?

Unique homes are often snapped up but, when the market is slow, even the best properties can feel out of reach for home hunters.

There are some homes in leafy Hertfordshire, listed by abcproperties.co.uk, that are very interesting. If you can afford over £1m, there is a 4-bedroomed house near Codicote but if your price is around £0.5m a spacious 2-bedoomed penthouse apartment may be your dream home. Or there are one-bedroomed apartments for under £0.25m, in Datchworth and Knebworth.

The most interesting of these properties is the penthouse apartment, a private apartment that takes the entire top floor of the east wing of the manor. Approached via a long driveway and surrounded by acres of parkland, the Manor has private parking as well as en-bloc garages. The solid entrance door leads to a vestibule with a second solid door that is accessed by key or, for visitors, a doorbell-comms system. Walking towards the communal conservatory with south facing terrace, the corridor splits towards the east or west wings.

In the east wing, there is a quiet area at the foot of the stairs, a single apartment on the first floor and the penthouse apartment on the second floor. There is an internal balcony with views through the large window onto parkland and countryside. Entering the apartment through the solid wooden door, there are storage areas, a utility room and a w.c. before the inner corridor offers a choice of drawing/dining room, fully fitted kitchen and two bedrooms, each with en-suite. 

Executive Rental

The Manor's proximity to rail connections into London makes it an ideal getaway for commuters as well as visitors temporarily contracted to UK offices in London, Stevenage, Hatfield, etc.. As such, corporate entities may wish to enter into a sale or rental agreement.

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Some photographs are below but full details can be found on the local agent's website. The agent is willing to negotiate on price or discuss rental options.

Astonbury Manor

When to Stop Working

I think I would have stopped working five years ago if it wasn't for some of the clients I've worked with for a very long time, who made my job interesting and very enjoyable. 

Some have now retired and some have passed the reins to the next generation. That's about where I am, too. I have taken the decision to semi-retire and some of my work has been passed to the next generation.

What usually happens is that, eventually, the current generation of clients will reduce in favour of new clients who require the different set of skills that a new generation brings.

The Time To Stop Working is...

    when it feels like work. 

Not having that income can be a problem. You may have paid off the mortgage and be receiving a private pension but a significant drop in personal income means lifestyle changes. And weaning yourself off the business merry-go-round is a tricky one, therefore a staged retirement plan might work for you.

Those who find lifestyle changes the most challenging are people who have been so wrapped up in their business lives that there was very little provision for anything else. Many of us travelled extensively (pre-covid) both for business and leisure, and may have a desire to continue - or not, with a 'been there, done that' attitude. For example, as a family, we stopped travelling by air during covid and haven't returned to it because our memories of rushing to airports just to wait around for hours have put us off. We've looked at travelling by train but it usually takes hours to reach our desired destinations, usually with frequent changes, and the prices are laughable. As people who like a quiet break away from noise and crowds, we resist the idea of cruises - a floating hotel in an all-inclusive resort. The last time we stayed in a resort-hotel was about 15 or 20 years ago and none of us liked it, so we've have usually opted for a quiet self-catering home in the countryside (Provence, Dordogne, Trossachs, Cumbria, Tuscany and so on - all driveable, albeit with one or two overnight hotel stops).

Unless you plan to travel for several months each year (in which case, downsizing your home seems sensible), you may need to find hobbies. These are wide-ranging: golf, bowls, art, reading, writing, gardening, voluntary work plus many other opportunities. Most of these activities can be solitary or involve a small group of people (popularly believed to be essential to delay deterioration of the brain, such as dementia). Perhaps your 'local' has a regular pub quiz?

One of our clients retired at 50, sold his house and bought a canal boat. Another retired to a warmer climate, as he had the advantage of being an EU citizen (this is where the Brexit outcome spoiled our plans). And we gained a client who, in his 60s, decided to use his retirement to become an author.

So, the question of when to stop working hinges on a number of different situations. If you want to stop and you are able to stop, just bite the bullet and do it. If you find that you need to continue in some form, try easing out, either by working mornings only (which I'm doing) or by dropping a set day to a four-day week, then a three-day week, etc. (which my co-director is planning to do). 

Please add your experience or suggestions via the comments (anonymously, if you prefer).

Refining your Business Niche

When the company was set up almost 35 years ago, the main offering to clients was a writing and design service, which we still offer but possibly not for much longer. Why? Our work in design has decreased as software has become more widely available and students are graduating from a number of related courses, enabling them to work independently if they are unable to secure employment.  

Declining standards of grammar means that our writing, proofing and editing work remain buoyant. However, we have noticed an impact from the number of businesses using Artificial Intelligence, recently, so this may eventually begin to decline.

In the past 25-30 years, website design has been the mainstay of our business but creating an 'all singing, all dancing' website with all its associated costs is proving difficult to offer good value. Added to this, large companies such as IONOS (who reach millions with their TV ads) and other companies who offer easy-peasy-DIY solutions with a low entry cost for their proprietary website creation tools, are taking money from small businesses who are struggling to budget and may also struggle to maintain their website, social media, etc..

We have therefore decided, going forward, to switch from creating corporate websites, too. So what are we offering?

• Wordpress blog set up, can be set up to emulate a website;
• Wordpress blog writing/posting;
• Writing, proof-reading, editing;
• Social media posts - LinkedIn page, Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter/X and more.

These are probably functions that you could undertake yourselves but may not enjoy doing them or you just don't have the time. We may be able to help small businesses, individuals, communities, non-profits and local charities in other ways, such as hand-holding and research - just ask. And our rates are probably the lowest you'll find.

Now that we have decided where to focus the business, we'll aim to update the website in the near future.

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P.S. I touched on the affordability of 'slowing down' in a post a year ago. There are several more related posts from 2019, too.

Too Many Plants?

Be useful within your community. We offer our services to community groups who are always grateful for help. Here's one way we've been useful to  a local school. 

Every year, Chlorophytum Comosum (spider plants) produce several 'babies' which are incredibly easy to make into new plants. Just pop the cuttings into a jar of water until some roots begin to sprout, then plant into a pot, watering frequently until the maturing plant is settled. You'll have more cuttings the following year.

What can you do with all the cuttings? 

From each plant, you could have 10 or more cuttings. You pot them up, keep a couple, and offer the rest to people you see regularly. The next year, you may have 20, 30 or more, so you pot them and give these thoughtful gifts to your friends, relatives and neighbours. 

The next year, however, you have to be more creative. Perhaps offer to supply some plants to a local charity stall at the village fête. 

This year, we contacted the local JMI school and asked if they would like some cuttings. They were delighted, as their Early Years Foundation Stage pupils love to grow things. 

You can usually find and follow your local charities, PTAs, community groups, etc. via Social Media. 

If AI is the Answer, What is the Question?

Looking further into AI... based on a scathing review from earlier this year 

Original Posted Content (Go to AI content)

We've dabbled. The results are quite boring and not always accurate. AI is not free-thinking intelligence but is a quick method of assembling and sorting words or image elements from the web. Essentially, it's stealing from others. Are you happy to be an accessory? 

Sure, if you have a few gaps in your own knowledge or if you are incredibly busy or just plain lazy, it seems the perfect tool for you. However, what about the people you serve - readers, followers, potential clients, etc.? Are they getting value for money from you? Are you are feeding them hearsay or gossip? Surely they deserve your original thoughts - unless you don't have any - so why pretend that you do? 

We think that, when 'policing' organisations investigate how companies use AI to publish 'their' insights, there may be a strong case for all AI written content to contain a statement to that effect - similar to an acknowledgment when quoting from others' work or disclaimers that the writer accepts no responsibility for the results of anyone acting upon information contained herein.

The question of when and how to use AI needs to be addressed. 

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This content has been written without the use of AI.
We accept no liability for direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind (including without limitation loss of profits) arising from any use of the information and material contained on this site or any site you may access through this site. Any information obtained from or via this site should be verified independently before acting upon it.

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AI Version

AI: Tool or Trickery?

The Allure and the Issues of AI-Generated Content

While AI offers a quick way to churn out content, the results are often uninspired and inaccurate. Essentially, it's a glorified search-and-replace function, lacking true understanding or originality. Is this just a shortcut for those lacking time, knowledge, or creativity? More importantly, are we doing a disservice to our audience by feeding them regurgitated information?

The Need for Transparency

As regulatory bodies scrutinize AI use in content creation, perhaps a clear labeling system is needed. Similar to citations or disclaimers, AI-generated content should be marked as such. This transparency allows audiences to make informed choices about the information they consume.

The Bottom Line: Using AI Responsibly

The question isn't if AI has a place, but when and how. Used ethically and with clear boundaries, AI can be a helpful tool. However, relying solely on it for content creation undermines our own originality and potentially misleads our audience.

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Conclusion

AI is getting better. This is how I used it: I bashed out a passionate few sentences which could be called unprofessional and, perhaps, rude; typically attention-grabbing to make people think. I ran it through AI which has kept the essence of meaning but lost the personality. A business professional would clearly prefer the AI version. In this case, I think I do, too. 

Except for the American spelling of labelling. Ensure that you check the final content. Good luck. 

Employers and Employees

Early background - a new Employee 

This will probably be a bit of a ramble, having been on both sides over the past five decades. As a teenager with good qualifications from a grammar school, I applied for a clerical position at a local branch of a national company. Despite my extremely short 'skinhead' haircut and fashionably smart clothes of the era, the interview with the 'old boy' in charge (probably aged around 50) went well and I was offered a job at a reasonable salary. A fast learner, I quickly progressed until such time as the office was taken over and closed. It was a great experience for a first job where I started from absolute zero and learned at my own pace. 

Eventually, the experience from this and my next job landed me a role as team leader in the British HQ of an international company. This is the first time I encountered a 'ceiling' within the profession, as the company valued higher qualifications. To be fair, they agreed to release me at full pay for one day a week so that I could pursue a business degree. Part of the course covered computer programming and, at my request, the company assigned me as liaison between the administration department and the new computer department, in preparation of automating some of the menial admin tasks.  

Recruiting: The Thatcher Years and the Fallout 

The Thatcher Years meant that, in the London catchment areas, there was a demand for staff and the rewards were good. Having worked my way through various departments of a multi-national technology corporation over the years (information systems analyst, computer-user trainer, technical support and marketing support at management level), I was head-hunted to run the European Sales and Support department for a USA-based software company for a few years. Subsequently, I was again head-hunted to set up and run the UK office for a German tech company. Both these roles required staffing from scratch. Having used local recruitment agencies for the more generic vacancies, I used industry knowledge and contacts to fill the specialist roles. 

When the boom years were followed by recession, HQ asked the likelihood of the UK office breaking even in the next business year. Having advised them that it was unlikely, I was asked to arrange termination of staff contracts by the end of the current business year. Staff were given a generous redundancy package and references for their next employment. Personally, I applied for a few positions but was never invited for interview. Jobs were like gold-dust. In one case, an agency's recruitment ad described me perfectly so I followed up their puzzling non-response with a telephone call. I was advised that there were so many applicants that the agency just picked the first twenty who ticked most of the boxes and discarded the rest, not even bothering to read them nor reply. Unbelievably rude and a poor service to their clients. Contacts from over the previous decade meant that I was able to offer freelance ad-hoc assistance therefore results of the recession were less significant than for those who lost all equity in their homes. It was a terrible time for many families.

Today - a young person's search for employment 

Generally, for a career in admin or commerce, it is expected that GCSEs will be followed by A-levels or an equivalent BTEC, which will lead to a place at University. 

The job search comprises endless applications that are mostly ignored. Companies are generally more inclined to respond than agencies, as those with good reputations will want to keep them. A good tip for applicants is to find out about the company from their website and contact them before submitting your application, asking a relevant question. This means that your name may be more familiar to them when they see your CV. 

Personal bug-bears include the over-use of the word 'passionate' when describing the 'ideal candidate'. How can people be passionate about an aspect of a job they don't have? They can be very interested but passionate is definitely unlikely. Another annoyance is starter-level roles in which the potential employer lists the years of experience the ideal candidate will have, yet is offering very little remuneration. In certain industries, there is a pro-BAME policy therefore denying opportunities to applicants who, for example, are Caucasian, heterosexual males who live with their parents in a middle-class home. 

It's tough. I wish both employers and employees the very best of luck. The unemployed, homeless, those with mental health issues, etc. are yet another topic. 

Virtual Living vs Life Experience

We recently published a blog post, considering the reasons why people are not reading blogs so much any more (blogging vs vlogging) then - lightbulb moment - we were discussing how so much has changed in such a short time. 

Two of the contributing factors are AI and the pandemic. Let's assume that blog readers want to learn something new or be entertained, many bloggers are now relying on AI to assemble information from the internet - unoriginal and uninspiring, so why bother to read that when you can do it yourself? 

There are long-term lifestyle changes in the aftermath of covid and lockdown. Bloggers who used to entertain readers with their travel experiences (be it a holiday, reviews of local eateries or live gigs) aren't pushing their boundaries, opting instead for a life in front of the computer or the TV. 

How popular are bloggers' reviews of TV shows, movies or books? Not very, we believe. What readers really want is an insight into something less standard and less available which will inspire their future plans - they almost certainly are not wanting to plan a future of TV channel streaming. 

So, how to regain your readership? Get your life back. The one that your readers were interested in. Leave the computer on the desk and experience life as you used to know it. Then write about your new adventures in your blog. 

And we'll try to follow our own advice!!