United Kingdom Property News

Top tips for selling your property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Selling your home can be one of the most stressful and emotional times a person’s life. You can help ease yourself through the process of selling-up by following the top tips below. Start of by deciding who your target market is. This will determine what you need to do to your home to make it more appealing to your potential buyers. Who do you think will want to buy your home? Will it be a young couple, a family or a retired coup...

Quick House Sales offer Escape Route for Owners in Debt

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

If you can only see a dark, debt-ridden tunnel ahead, you may be tempted to sell your house to a genuine cash buyer like House Buyer Bureau. It's impossible to switch on the news these days without hearing another story of economic doom: rising rates, escalating unemployment, increasing repossessions...But if you're one of the statistics that make up the grey cloud of bad news, there are still options available to you. Sell house for cas...

Property Investment Returns as Confidence Grows

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Profit in property has taken a hammering thanks to the stringent economic conditions, but property investment is returning as figures show that confidence is back. Deterioration in property values is thought to have sparked investor interest. According to reports, the UK is experiencing an increase in buying as investors look to exploit the slide in property prices; pointing to growing investor confidence as the economy shows sign...

Granny Tax set help overseas property sector

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

George Osborne’s recent Budget included plans to freeze the personal tax allowance for pensioners. This controversial measure has been nicknamed the ‘Granny Tax’ and with further changes set to reduce incomes for pensioners in coming years, leading experts believe it may encourage more Brits to retire abroad. Keep reading for details of the tax changes and why many market analysts think that increasing numbers of Brits will l...

UK Housing Market Where are We Now?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Right now, the UK housing market is so volatile that you can pretty much find evidence to support whichever theory you want to put forward. If you want to theorise that UK house prices are rising you can present the March release of the Halifax index showing prices up 2.2% on the month, and Rightmove's asking price index showing asking prices up 2.9% in April over March following a growth...

Nigella Lawson sells luxury London home for millions

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

TV star Nigella Lawson and husband Charles Saatchi have finally sold their Belgravia apartment after the property sat on the market for a year and a half. The couple have agreed a deal of £25 million for the luxury property – an astonishing £11 million under the original asking price. The property has been bought by wealthy property developer Christian Candy who, with his brother, has a...

Legendary comedianâ��s house and contents for sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

He was famous to millions as the host of popular BBC game show Blankety Blank. And now, almost two decades after his death, Les Dawson’s beautiful £1 million property in the North West of England has gone up for sale - along with all its contents. Dawson’s beautiful home in Lytham is to be sold to a former nightclub owner, but not before the contents have been cleared. If you ...

Van Goghs London home up for sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A London house that was once inhabited by iconic artists Vincent van Gogh has gone up for sale for £475,000. Estate agents Savills have put the property in auction and it’s the first time the house has been up for sale in 65 years. A blue plaque on the outside wall honours the artist who is said to have spent one of the happiest years of his life at the property. Keep reading to lea...

Can a celebrity home add value to your property?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Does living close to a celebrity’s home add value to your own property? Well, the answer depends on the celebrity, according to a leading property expert. The question has arisen after two of the Beatles’ childhood homes were recently given Grade II listed status. But can living near the home of a famous person help you? Keep reading to find out. Beatles’ homes given G...

Types of home in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK has many different types of property and these tend to mainly come in the style of detached, terraced, and semi-detached as well as apartment styles. If you are looking into buying or renting a new home, a good place to start is to begin by checking the house prices in the UK. If you wish to check house prices for homes in the UK, you should begin by searching in the area you wish to reside in. You may wish to live in ...

UK Economy Update

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK economy has enjoyed a relatively positive few days compared to last week, increasing the value of sterling. While last year saw concerns of further quantitive easing, market analysts now see any further QE in the foreseeable future as being unlikely. UK manufacturing data, whilst being lower than expected (down to 51.2, below forecasts of 51.8), was still positive enough to keep above the levels required for contraction and all...

Adele graduates to luxury British mansion

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

For a girl who has lived most of her life in small apartments and bedsits, Adele’s new home is quite a change of scenery. The 23 year old singer has recently taken up residence in a ten bedroom, Grade 2 listed mansion in the Home Counties at a rent of £15,000 per month. It’s a far cry from the flat above the This, That and The Other discount store in West Norwood where the singer lived...

The number one real estate hotspot in the USA

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Where is the best place to buy property in the USA? New York? Los Angeles? Chicago? Well, the general consensus of experts is that Miami is America’s number one property market. Greg Freedman, partner at property form BH3, says: “Ask anyone in the Northeast, Midwest, Europe, Russia or Canada in February where they would rather be, and 90% of them will say ‘Florida’...

Uk Economy & Currency Update

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

We’ve seen a relatively poor weak for the pound this week compared to recent weeks. Sir Mervyn King at the Bank Of England stated the British economy is likely to ‘zig-zag’ over the course of the year, and this can be seen in this week’s downturn compared to the rest of the year. This morning, it was announced that the UK economy shrunk by 0.2% in the final quarter of 2011, providing a sharp contrast to the economic growth cau...

British In London Olympic Property Tax Warning

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Property owners serving the demand generated by the London Olympic Games have received a somber warning from the British Tax body (HMRC) Her Majesty Revenue & Customs. The Games come to London in 2012 and with them bring millions of foreign visitors. And, these visitors will be looking for accommodation during their visit. Many London home owners are now considering renting their homes to make some extra cash A large num...

Number of UK renters up by a quarter in 2011

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The number of people renting a property in the UK rose by a quarter in 2011 as the continued difficulties in obtaining finance drove increasing numbers into rented accommodation. New figures from a leading estate agency found that applications by new tenants reached 275,000 in 2011, up almost 25 per cent on 2011. UK in the middle of a ‘rental boom’ The Financial Times reports that ‘th...

UK moving costs increase faster than house prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

If you’re thinking of moving home it’s likely you’ll have to shell out almost £9,000, according to a new report from a leading bank. New figures from Lloyds, TSB have found that the average cost of moving home has risen by a staggering 69 per cent in the last decade, while house prices have risen by just 64 per cent. Property expert urges home owners to bypass estate agents The L...

Vendors looking for alternative ways to sell property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A new report has found that the cost of moving house is now 70 per cent higher than it was a decade ago and now stands at £9,000. House moving costs are now equivalent to 27 per cent of the average UK full time wage compared to 23 per cent in 2011. Increasing numbers of vendors are therefore looking to cut their moving costs by considering low price alternatives to traditional ways of se...

Essex TV Star To Become Lord of the Manor

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A reality TV star has plans to become Lord of his own Manor buy buying land in his native Essex. The former The Only Way Is Essex star Mark Wright has apparently told friends that he wants to find a home in Sewardstone, in the Epping Forest district, in order that people ‘take him more seriously’. The 25 year old TV star has ambitions to own a stately country home and hopes it will be the start of a property portfolio. Re...

Owning a home now cheaper than renting in UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

If you rent your property then you will be £1,400 worse off than someone who owns their home, according to a new study. Falling house prices, cheaper mortgages and increases in rents now mean that it is significantly cheaper to own than to rent your home. Keep reading to learn more. Falls in mortgage rates and rise in demand for rental property have increased gap The research from ...

Britainâ��s Got Talent star buys new country home

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

With her second child on the way, Britain’s Got Talent star Amanda Holden and her record producer husband have bought a new country home for a cool £860,000. The property is in the increasingly popular Oxfordshire town of Chipping Norton, home to high profile residents including David Cameron, Jeremy Clarkson and former News International executive Rebekah Brooks. Holden buys £860,000 thatched cottage...

Beckham house blows Â�35k on Christmas trees as Paris agents close in

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Beckham house has splashed out for Christmas, spending a total of £35,000 on Christmas trees."The best of everything" The footballer and his family spent extravagant amounts to deck the halls of their Hertfordshire home with “the best of everything”. Their iconic residence, known as Beckingham Palace, now boasts six 10-foot Christmas trees, each decorated with lavish festive decorations from Fortnum and Mason. Victoria Beckham ...

Buying beats renting as best way to find cheap property abroad

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Buying beats renting in the UK, according to new research from the property website Zoopla.co.uk. The report, which analysed the current asking prices and rents of over 78,000 two-bedroom flats currently on the market, compared the rental and ownership costs (based on an interest-only mortgage at 5% p.a.) and found that the high demand for rented accommodation has led to buying being a better option for people hunting for a home in the UK...

Million dollar houses on the rise in UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The number of million dollar houses is on the rise in the UK, according to the latest research. The report, from Investec Specialist Private Bank, found that there was an 11 per cent increase year-on-year in the number of expensive UK properties during the third quarter of 2011. There were 21,982 properties with a value of over £1 million on the market over the last three months, a significantly higher amount than the same period in ...

Amanda Lamb returns to Earls Court for March show

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Amanda Lamb will return to Earls Court in March for the A Place in the Sun Live show, the property portal has confirmed. A Place in the Sun Live, Europe’s largest overseas property exhibition, will go back to London next year following its successful show in Birmingham in September. Overcoming the EU crisis Announcing the event, A Place in the Sun confirmed that Lamb, alongside other presenters of the well-known TV show,...

Saving for that first step on the housing ladder

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

In many areas of the country, the housing market has been in the doldrums. Many people hoping for a quick sale have seen their home languish on the market for many months. While the most recent data suggests that average prices are rising, the gap between the North and the South is wider than ever – a divide that has been exacerbated since the effects of the 2008 banking crisis became evident. ...

Millionaires' homes seem to be missing owners

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

One Hyde Park in London is the world’s most expensive residential block of apartments. Flats in the complex, developed by brothers Christian and Nick Candy, sell for an average of £3.7 million each but according to recent reports, many of the millionaires’ homes are empty. 60 of the 86 properties have been sold, according to agent Knight Frank, but only nine of those 60 have been registered for council tax, reports have revealed. Th...

Benefits of a conservatory when you retire

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

If you are now a little older and have found that your children have flown the nest you have possibly become a grandparent too. Now that your children are older, and may be bringing grandchildren home either now or in the near future, you may well be in need of some extra space for all the toys, games and items that often come with having an extended family. A conservatory is a brilliant way to gain extra space for you and your family and best of...

Formula One heiress spending millions creating â��Londonâ��s best houseâ��

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The daughter of Formula One mogul Bernie Ecclestone is spending a reported £18 million converting a mansion in one of London’s most exclusive streets into a dream home for her and her boyfriend. The billionaire recently bought the £45 million home for his daughter Tamara and the 27 year old has begun work on transforming the property into ‘London’s best house’. Luxury home includes sub-basement an...

Savills scales back international property presence

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Savills is scaling back its international property presence this month, as the Euro debt crisis continues to plague businesses as well as property buyers. The international agent will reduce its presence in various countries across the continent in response to financial concerns, as some European markets fail to provide a return on their real estate. “Peripheral countries” scaled back The company will focus on its main ma...

Chelseaâ��s million dollar houses lure Gucci to London

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Million dollar houses in France held no appeal for Francois Pinault as he purchased a house in Chelsea this week. The French founder of PPR, the luxury goods company that owns Gucci and other fashion labels, bought the property in South-West London for £20 million. Pinault plans to partially renovate the home, which featured in the 1987 film Withnail and I and has “one of the few triple-height ceilings in London”, according to one lo...

Wills and Kate choose Princess Margaretâ��s former residence as their new home

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A £1 million refit will begin next year at Princess Margaret’s former apartment after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose it as their new family home. Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace is a lavish, four storey home complete with its own walled garden and the couple are expected to move in sometime in 2013 after the completion of the refurbishment. £1 million refurbishment project William and Kate currently split their time ...

London becoming the home of the celebrity

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

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A new concept in student investment property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Student living has changed over the last two decades. Historically, students had three choices when they left home to study – cramped and outdated halls of residence or shared houses. Accommodation whilst at university was at best functional and at worst small, inconvenient and cold. As students become more and more discerning, the standard of student accommodation has had to improve.&...

Italian money a main concern for EU

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

After last week’s summit deal, the EU’s main concern is Italian money, as the country’s borrowing costs continue to increase.

As a result, the OECD has reduced its forecasted growth within the eurozone from 2 per cent to 0.3 per cent, as the EU anticipates a recession during the coming ...

Different things to consider before moving

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

When you come to a firm decision about moving house, there are a multitude of things to consider from the outset. If you are moving abroad, things can get even more complicated as issues such as different customs and cultures must be addressed. If you make such a move within a group of people it may not be quite as scary because you can help each other to adjust to any new customs, challenges etc. However, making the move on your own can ...

Homes for sale in Jamaica helped by award-winning tourism

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Homes for sale in Jamaica are once again part of an award-winning tourism industry, after the country picked up several accolades at the World Travel Awards this month. The World Travel Awards Caribbean & Americas were dominated by Jamaica last week as the country won multiple prestigious awards. The ceremony, which took place in Montego Bay, crowned Jamaica Caribbean’s Leading Destination for the sixth year in a row, while the coun...

UKâ��s most luxury home finally sells for Â�35 million

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

An opulent Surrey mansion which has been on the market since 2005 has finally sold for less than half its original asking price. Updown Court was once expected to fetch £75 million but has now sold after six years on the market for just £35 million. Repossessed property sold to foreign businessman Earlier this year, owner Leslie Allen-Vercoe defaulted on the debt he had taken on to finance the property back in 2002 and the Iri...

Why hunting Gadaffiâ��s property billions is a daunting task

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Libya’s new rulers face ‘daunting legal hurdles’ to find billions of pounds in cash, assets and property that the late leader Muammar Gadaffi and his family stashed across the world, according to experts. According to Reuters, estimates suggest Gaddafi controlled as much as $30 billion (£18.8 billion) in assets in the Unites States alone as well as large holdings in South Africa and Europe. Gadaffi stashed billions i...

Rising demand for luxury homes; UK sales highest in four years

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

As demand increases for luxury homes, UK sales have risen to the highest levels in four years. A total of 3,375 properties valued at over £1m were sold in the first six months of 2011, according to Lloyd TSB. The sales mark an increase of 10 per cent on the same period from last year, but also the highest number of transactions since 2007. The UK luxury property market continues to go from strength to strength as wealthy foreign buyer...

2012 to bring more expensive houses for sale, UK residents fear

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The London 2012 Olympics are introducing more expensive houses for sale, UK residents fear. Home prices in Stratford, in particular, have risen dramatically as the Olympics draw closer, prompting the arrival of Foxtons estate agents. The Olympics have put the eye of the world on Stratford, Sales Manager Alex Leigh told the Guardian: "It's brought attention to an area that perhaps wouldn't have had the same attention otherwise.” ...

Cameron returns â��Right to Buyâ�� to make English real estate for sale more affordable

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

David Cameron pledged to return to the “Right to Buy” policy of former Tory governments this week, making English real estate for sale more affordable for many. The policy, which was first introduced by Margaret Thatcher in 1980, made it cheaper for council house tenants to then buy their home. The scheme was initially criticised for lowering the number of houses available on the market, but allowed tenants to own a home when ...

Dragons Den star puts luxury home up for sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The newest star of the hit BBC series Dragon’s Den has put her luxury home up for sale as she is spending less and less time at the stunning Staffordshire property. With Hilary Devey spending more time in London and at Pinewood Studios, she has put her home, the King Edward VII wing of Rangemore Hall near Burton Upon Trent, up for sale with a guide price of £2.2 million. 2008 Businesswoman of the Year to sell luxury home The...

Traditional Pensions deliver poor value

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Whereas SIPPs offer a transparent and low rate of account administration charges the same cannot be said for traditional pension schemes. A small sounding 3% annual management charge can erode the value of your final pension pot, for example, from £300,000 to just £150,000. Shocking isn’t it? Hidden charges and incentives for pension management teams to switch your pension monies in and out of various funds will allow them to earn m...

Young at heart active retirees living for much longer and need bigger pension pots

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Simple changes in life expectancy are playing a major part here: – in 1950 the average man spent 18% of his life in retirement, today it is 33% and many of those years will be spent in ‘active retirement’ - unrecognizable to our parents and certainly grandparents. In fact, the very meaning of the word ‘retirement’ is changing in the minds of people – increasingly this means ‘not working (or only working part-time – because y...

Globrix replaced by Zoopla for News International searches

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Globrix has been replaced by Zoopla for News International’s property searches. The UK property search engine previously powered searches for News International’s publications, including The Times, Sunday Times and The Sun. But in 2009, the million pound investment was sold back to Globrix by Murdoch’s media company, before the publisher also sold its investment in PropertyFinder to Zoopla. Last month, Zoopla was picked ...

For luxury homes, UK holds the answer as Greek investors enter market

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A rise in the number of rich foreign investors entering the London property market has again been reported by a London estate agent. England’s capital is “a feverish market”, according to WA Ellis, with sales of expensive prime property remaining high despite the continuing Eurozone crisis. WA Ellis told Estate Agent Today that foreign property buyers were “desperate” to invest in London homes, with a high number of Gre...

Land for sale with planning permission threaten UK allotments

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The number of allotments in the UK is under threat from planning reforms. The proposed changes for land for sale in the UK with planning permission will prioritise building developments with “a default yes” that could see communities pushed out of the picture, with initiatives for local projects such as allotments considered less important. According to research by the National Trust, 70 per cent of people would be happy to see gro...

Luxury homes for sale in England made more expensive by Eurozone crisis

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Luxury homes for sale in England are becoming more expensive because of the Eurozone crisis, research has found. Reports from estate agent Knight Frank have shown that as a result of the ongoing debt crisis in Europe, the house prices of UK prime property, particularly in London, has increased. London luxury home prices rose by 0.6 per cent in September from August, with an average cost of £3.97 million. This month’s increas...

Terraced home prices rise as sales of expensive houses fall

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Terraced house prices have risen more than any other property in the past decade, says new research from Halifax. The price of terraced accommodation rose 68 per cent from 2001 to 2011, according to The Halifax Property Type Review, as demand for affordable property became a priority for home buyers; despite a large number of detached property and other expensive houses for sale, UK buyers were not interested. Terraced homes went from £89,84...

Amanda Lamb joins the line-up for A Place in the Sun Live

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Visitors to A Place in the Sun Live will be able to meet Amanda Lamb and ask questions this weekend. The official show of the Channel 4 TV series, also the largest property show in Europe, starts on Friday and will feature many of the TV show’s celebrities. The schedule for the event has now been confirmed, with 140 exhibitors representing properties from countries around the globe, from Spain and France to Egypt, Turkey, Alb...

Affordable housing fund doubled for Scotland

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A fund dedicated to affordable housing in Scotland has been doubled to over £111 million as more investors pledge to support the project. The social housing fund, which saw £55 million pledged last week by the Innovation and Investment Fund to build 1,859 new homes in Scotland, has seen a wave of new investment, as people offered bids amounting to a further £56.7 million. The total investment, which is now worth over £111 ...

Multi million pound houses for sale rise 10 per cent in value

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Multi-million pound houses for sale around the world have risen 10 per cent in value this year, reports Savills. Houses belonging to billionaires increased in value by one tenth in the first half 2011, found Savills in its new global billionaire property index. The index, launched this week by the real estate advisor, looks at the top 10 most expensive cities in the world and analyses the impact of new investors. “Growing number” o...

Gazanging hits English real estate for sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Photo credit: Boyce Duprey“Gazanging” is affecting English real estate for sale, according to a new report. The survey, released this week by In-Deed, found that thousands of people were “gazanged” in the first half of 2011. “Gazanging” is when a seller changes their mind and decides to keep their property, leaving the buying “hanging” without a finished transaction. It is the latest word coined by the property industry to ...

Coping with changing circumstances

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Moving home, starting a new job, getting married and having a baby are times when we perhaps pop open the champagne and toast the future. The thought of something going wrong is the last thing on our minds. But, grim as it may seem, tragedy could strike at any time. And if it did, would you and your family be prepared? As our personal circumstances change, so do our insurance needs. But for millions of people in Britain, updating ...

Million pound properties in the UK rise as Lib Dems debate mansion tax

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

According to the latest figures, there are a now a record number of million pound properties for sale. UK homes valued at more than £1m now make up 3.5 per cent of property transactions, which some in the industry argue may threaten the introduction of the Lib Dem’s mansion tax. One in 29 homes top the million pound mark, revealed Property Wire this week. Buckinghamshire is now one of the more expensive regions in the UK, where 47 per c...

London leads luxury houses for sale in UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Photo credit: Steve CadmanWhen it comes to luxury houses for sale, UK house prices are being led by London. Prices for prime property in London have grown by 36 per cent in the last two years, according to reports from Knight Frank. The estate agent confirmed in its latest sector index that London’s prime central market saw a 0.9 per rise in August. Property prices in the centre of the capital have been rising for several years, despite ...

Amanda Lamb: Be more inventive on holiday

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Amanda Lamb has called on UK holidaymakers to be “more inventive” when on holiday. The A Place in the Sun presenter this week advised Britons looking for budget holidays abroad to be more inventive to reduce costs. Countries or places where theme parks and other attractions charge a lot for entry are unnecessary, said Lamb, who suggests that families find alternative activities to keep kids entertained. Forests and coasts were als...

Security considerations when moving overseas

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Purchasing a home involves a lot of different decisions and thought processes. You have to consider all of your needs, from how big you want your house to be, to what sort of neighborhood it is in, and everything in between. Now, imagine how much more you have to consider when you are attempting to purchase a home overseas. This can be a much more complicated process, which can lead to your potentially overlooking key elements of your new home, s...

Cape Verde climbs into overseas property top ten

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Cape Verde has climbed into the top ten in the latest Top of the Props report from TheMoveChannel.com, bringing a fresh-faced rival to a league of hardened competitors. In August, Cape Verde attracted 2.94 per cent of all enquiries on the overseas property portal, making it the ninth most popular property destination in the world. The group of 10 small islands off the coast of Africa rose five places last month, joining the ...

Charlie Chaplinâ��s home joins other celebrity houses for sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Photo credit: E.J. SnyderCharlie Chaplin’s childhood home is now on the market for £650,000. The house, located in South-East London, was where the legendary filmmaker lived in 1898, and offers an interesting investment for cineastes after other recent celebrity houses for sale, including the apartment of actor Alec Baldwin. The two-bedroom property in Kennington was only Chaplin’s house for one year, but it is said to have...

Indian police investigate Scottish island for sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Photo credit: RaffsidIndian police have launched an investigation into a Scottish island sold recently, as the owner’s tax affairs fall under scrutiny. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev bought Little Cumbrae in Clyde, one of several recent Scottish islands for sale, in 2009, but is now being investigated by India’s Enforcement Directorate, which focuses on commercial crime. The island, which is located close to Largs in Ayshire, was pu...

Hogwarts becomes new David Beckham house for birthday

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Photo credit: Dark DwarfDavid Beckham will hire out Hogwarts for his son’s birthday next year. Alnwick Castle, in Northumberland, was used as the magical castle during filming of the Harry Potter series, and is set to become the latest David Beckham house on the list of the footballer’s luxury properties – albeit only for one day. The Beckham’s son Brooklyn, who is reported to be a big fan of J.K. Rowling’s wizard, will have ...

FEIFA announces new overseas property services for members

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Photo credit: NoyavaFEIFA (the Federation of European IFAs) has announced a new partnership that will provide unique legal services for its members.The Federation, which represents more than 300 advisers operating in 25 European countries, has taken the initiative in offering members access to the global services of the Judicare Group, which specialises in advising and assisting individuals on financial reclamations on property across the world.T...

Scottish property most affordable in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Scottish property is the most affordable in the UK, according to the Bank of Scotland.The figures, released at the weekend, show that compared to the rest of the UK, Scottish property is more affordable thanks to low house prices and even lower mortgage rates. A “substantial improvement”The Bank of Scotland found that despite the common misconception that moving to Scotland is increasingly costly, more than 50 per cent of the most affordable ...

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie move into Scottish luxury home

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have moved into a Scottish manor for the summer.The couple are in Scotland with their family while Pitt films his latest movie. World War Z, in Glasgow. The movie stars had a wealth of real estate options in a market with even Scottish islands for sale recently, but they chose the Carnell Estate in Ayrshire for their temporary accommodation.The 16th Century luxury home is a listed building, reports AOL, and is often f...

Increasing number of designer homes on sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The number of designer homes on sale in the UK is on the up.In the second quarter of 2011, research by Investec Specialist private Bank found that 21,319 homes valued at £1m or more were on sale. This is an increase of 8 per cent upon the first quarter of the year, and 10 per cent more than 2010. The rise in expensive property arrives despite a record fall in the average UK house price. Wealthy foreign buyers, who see the UK as a safe haven in a...

Shopping mall development in Bulgaria halted by house in the way

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A €65 million (£56.8 million) Bulgarian shopping mall project is mired in controversy after a house adjacent to the building work recently won a reprieve from being demolished. The project is currently facing postponements and delays after the city municipality admitted it did not have the funds available to pay the owners of the property. Municipality ‘won’t be blackmailed’ into buying t...

Search & Buying Advisors: What Do They Do?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Search & Buying Advisors: What Do They Do?When you are searching for a house you’re hunting for more than just bricks and mortar. Search and Buying Advisors, sometimes called Home Search Consultants seek out the most suitable property for the buyer at the lowest possible price. They are house hunting specialists that will scour the market on your behalf, tracking you down the perfect properties for your individual requirements and budget an...

London Rents Driven Sky High By Overseas Tenants?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Savills the international real estate adviser has reported that luxury rental property in London has seen rental income rise by 10% in the past year plus 1.8% in the quarter. The news is a double blow for London tenants and buyers as London house price have also seen steady increases. House prices across the UK have seen stagnation or decline however prime London areas are bucking the trend . Recent reports suggest tha...

Foreign buyers pushing up prices of luxury homes in London

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Foreign investors looking to take advantage of the weak pound will push up the prices of luxury real estate in central London by 8 per cent this year. That’s the conclusion of new research from the international property firm Savills who reported that the average price of luxury homes costing at least £3 million rose by 9.6 per cent over the last year. Foreign buyers pushing up prices of luxury homes Foreign buyers are snappi...

Foreign buyers to spend $6 billion on luxury homes in London in 2011

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

London is continuing to attract wealthy overseas buyers in large numbers with $6 billion (£3.7 billion) likely to be spent on luxury property in the British capital in 2011. A recent report from international property consultants Savills has found that a weak pound and London’s continued reputation as a financial centre is driving the sale of luxury property. Weakness of pound attracting wealthy buyers looking for luxury overseas pr...

2 Million Pound Scottish Island For Sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Taransay beach Luxury property does not come grander than this the opportunity to own your very own island off the coast of Scotland.The outstandingly beautiful island of Taransay, made famous as the setting for the television series Castaway, is shortly coming to the market through the Inverness office of leading Scottish property consultants CKD Galbraith. Located in an exceptional setting in the Outer Hebrides, Taransay is made up of two isl...

Wealthy Asian Buyers Take On London Housing Market

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Central London has always been an attractive destination for wealthy overseas property investors with buyers mainly coming from Russia and the Middle East. According to independent global property consultants Knight Frank all has now changed with a new trend of buyers coming from Asia New Knight Frank research shows just under 60% of new-build property sold in central London in the last six months (Nov 10-Apr 11) went to Asia...

A List Celebrities Drive London House Prices UP

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Property in London has always been attractive to international buyers and now it seems the trend headed by celebrities may be driving house prices up. The latest celebrity to buy a luxury London property is said to be Kate Hudson who is said to want to have her baby in a new £4 million home located in the north of the capital. Celebrities like Madonna spend millions on luxury homes in London helping to push up average hous...

Police Crime Website Will Help UK Property Buyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The British home office launched a new website which reveals in detail crime trends and statics from England and Wales. Property experts reveal that this easily accessible data may affect the UK housing market and the way buyers research for a new property The Police crime map that covers England and Wales displays Colour-coded maps indicating levels of burglary, car crime and other offences. It also allows people who are consid...

UK property sector influences strength of Pound

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Pound has been making back ground following the steep drop bought on by the surprise contraction in GDP figures on Tuesday. Yesterday’s Bank of England minutes indicated that policymaker Martin Weale joined Andrew Sentence in voting for a 0.25 percent interest rate rise which will have aided Sterling slightly. However an interest rate rise was not ear marked until August in the MPC minutes, which will serve to dampen some of the recent h...

UK Housing Market Decline Confirmed

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A report published today by the Royal Institute of Charted Surveyors confirmed that the UK housing market had slowed considerably According to the latest RICS UK Housing Market survey (14 December 2010) 44 per cent of chartered surveyors reported prices fell rather than rose in November, a slight improvement on October’s net balance of -49 per cent. Lack of demand from buyers continues to stifle the market, and n...

Online Agents Succeed Without Rightmove

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

One of the UK\'s most established private house sales websites in the UK www.TheLittleHouseCompany.co.uk has become the most successful online estate agent according to a report published at industry website Estate Agent Today.The report undertook a comparison of online agents, looking at their prices, services, year established and the quality and popularity of their websites.The quality of each online estate agent’s website was...

New ITV Drama Accidently Boosts Property Website

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

One of The UK’s longest standing private house sales websites is benefitting from a soon to be aired ITV drama "The Little House". The surprising link comes from the fact that advertising by ITV has caused a flurry of search traffic arriving at The Little House Company website from users of the Google search engine. Company director at the private house sales website Nick Marr “The Little House Company has been online ...

Crown Currency Exchange goes into Administration � How Safe are Currency Companies?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Crown Currency Exchange (CCE), a provider of cash currency exchange services, has gone into Administration after its bank accounts were frozen by Barclays over the weekend. It is unclear whether clients will lose any money, but the Administrators have pointed out that it will be some time before any funds are returned to clients who had money lodged with the firm. CCE offered exchange rates which were often better than the preva...

Mortgage lending reaches year high

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

27/08/2010- Despite continued concerns about the state of the UK housing market, figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) have revealed this week that mortgage lending in the UK in July was at its highest level for a year. According to the CML research, a total amount of £13.6 billion was advanced in July, a 5 per cent increase over June’s figures. This is the highest level since the £14 billion advanced in June 2009. H...

Rightmove Losing Market Share to Zoopla

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK property websites Rightmove, Findaproperty and Zoopla battle it out for UK visitors . Zoopla fires a warning shot at the two giants by taking a larger market share and announcing a new TV advertising campaign Nielsen figures show overall visits to U.K. property sites fell by 5.3 percent in July compared to the previous month, as is to be expected at this time of year. Rightmove visitors fell by 2.2 percent and TDPG fell by 1.1 percent...

Transferring funds back to the UK made easier by currency brokers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

As increasing numbers of Brits sell their overseas properties and move back to the UK, it is worth checking the best way to repatriate your funds. Sending the proceeds of an overseas property sale back to the UK can be fraught with expensive problems without proper research. Banks automatically converting funds at poor exchange rates can make a difference of thousands of Pounds, and in some countries excessive bank charges will be appl...

UK Prime Minister Rents His Home

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

David Cameron has become the first Prime Minister to rent his home to tenants in decades and is set to make a today income as a new landlord. It appears that the Conservative Prime Minister is counting the pennies and may be demonstrating that he is not immune from the cuts. Speculation is that the PM’s salary recently reduced to £142,500 and frozen for five years may be behind the move. The Camerons are apparently ea...

Bank Error Leaves Thousands Facing Increased Mortgage Payments

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A calculation error by one of the UK’s largest banks has resulted in thousands of mortgage customers facing increased mortgage repayments. Around 18,000 mortgage customers of the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks have been contacted about errors in the way their mortgage payments were calculated following last year’s unprecedented interest rate reductions. It is understood that customers are facing hikes of anything from £25 to h...

Sterling exchange rates face bumpy ride

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Pound has come under increasing pressure in the last 2 weeks, but faces a tricky time ahead, according to economic forecasters. Tomorrow’s GDP figure, which is the first estimate of growth in the UK economy over the second quarter of 2010, is likely to have a significant impact on sterling. Analysts expect a quarterly growth rate of 0.6%, and anything closer to zero would put the Pound under further pressure, with worse exchang...

Low Interest Rates Here To Stay?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Whilst it may not be good news for savers, borrowers were given a boost this week after falls in money market rates indicated that low interest rates may be here to stay. Recent worse-than-expected inflation figures had led the markets to believe that an interest rate rise may be on the way. However, with inflation fears receding, the likelihood of a rate hike is reducing, resulting in money markets hitting an all time low this week. Swap ...

FSA Plans Tougher Mortgage Regulations

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Tougher regulation by the Financial Services Authority will make is even harder to secure a mortgage for UK buyers . The Financial Services Authority (FSA) planning even tougher regulations in early 2011, senior figures within the industry are claiming that the housing market faces ‘an abyss’ if these new proposals come into force. The FSA plans to: Restrict the amount lent to borrowers Outlaw ‘self-certified&rsquo...

Leading Property Website Offers Cash Rewards

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK private house sale website The Little House Company has entered the online Cashback market with a new offering at LittleHouseCompanyCashBack.com. Cashback websites offer users cash rewards to members each time they shop via the website using the links to over thousands of famous UK retailers. A survey reveals that the older generation have been quick to embrace the huge savings potential offered by Cashback websites. Ov...

UK Property Professionals React To Base Rate Decision

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

As speculation grows over the forthcoming Budget in the UK the decision to keep the base rate on hold at 0.5% has been met with little surprise by property professionals. The decision by the Bank of England’s Monetary Committee means the rate has been on hold for the fifteenth month running. Head of Knight Frank Finance, which specialises in mortgages over £1m. "Today’s announcement was very predictable as in...

British Money Lender Sharks Now Under Fire

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The recession in the UK and the inability to get credit has resulted in an estimated 165,000 British households suffering at the hands of illegal money lenders. The Office of Fair Trading is taking part in a campaign to warn people of the dangers of loan sharks that charge exorbitant interest and use violence and threats to enforce debts. As part of the \'Stop Loan Sharks\' campaign, the OFT and the Trading Standards Illegal Money Lending ...

Prince Charles & Qatar Property Developers Court Case

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Prince Charles alleged role in changing the plans laid down for a modern development on one of London’s most expensive building plots in Chelsea has come under scrutiny. A court case where property developers are suing developers Qatari Diar for £81 million for breach of contract reveals the extent that the Prince become involved in the affair. Prince Charles will not be called to give evidence, a series of legal documents h...

Cameron Clegg Set To Abolish Home Information Packs

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Home Information Packs or HIPs are set to be scrapped by the new coalition government but Energy Performance Certificates are set to remain. The much awaited publication of the Coalition Agreement makes it clear that the new Government will scrap HIPs whilst retaining Energy Performance Certificates. A HIP is required under law before a homeowner puts a property on the marketThis is bad news for the HIP industry much of which is run...

House Prices Increase Under Labour

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

30/04/2010-Recent house price figures released by The Nationwide reveal that over the lifetime of the last Parliament (May 2005 to April 2010), house prices have risen by 6.7%. April s figures show the first double-digit annual growth in UK house prices since June 2007. The year-on-year rate in this month s figures, however, received an additional boost from the fact that April 2009 was one of the weaker months last year. ...

Dragons Den Caan Agrees With Alistair Darling

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

02/04/10- One of Britain’s leading providers of financial help for homeowners says Alistair Darling’s decision to scrap Stamp Duty on house purchases up to £250,000 for first-time buyers, is good news for young people trying to get on the property ladder.“The Chancellor’s announcement fits in with Look4AProperty Money’s efforts to put liquidity back into the market,” says Aaron Turner, the company’s...

UFO House Makes Top Ten Weird Homes

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Chattanooga Tennessee USA is the location of one of the top 10 unusual homes in the world in a list created by private house sale website The Little House Company. In March 2008 this flying saucer house went up for auction in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Built in 1970 just a year after Armstrong landed on the Moon, the UFO home boasted three bedrooms, a bathroom, spacious kitchen, living room, and panoramic views of the mountains. One of the most us...

Environmental Body Not Happy With Budget

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

26/03/10 The Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) were not impressed with the Budget claiming that the government has failed to sieze upon the opportunity to encourage consumers to make green choices. The trade association for the UK’s environmental technology and services industry, has over 270 Member Companies. EIC represents the main environmental sectors (climate change, water, air, contaminated land, waste, transport, etc)....

UK Millionaire Home Sellers to Go Private

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

26/03/2010-The private sales & online estate agents website The Little House Company anticipates a rise in luxury home owners seeking an alternative way to sell their homes after an increase in stamp duty. The increase announced by Chancellor Alistair Darling has had been received with mixed messages. The aim of the hike from 4 to 5 % was to fund the removal of stamp duty for first time buyers up to £250,000. H...

Susan Boyles Boy Burglar Captured

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The burglar that frightened Susan Boyles as she came across him in her home in Scotland one late night in January has now been caught by the local police. The burglary took place in January 26th 2010 when the man ran out of the singers home she arrived home in Blackburn West Lothain. It is understood that the talent show internet star had just flown back from London after helping to record the Helping Haiti charity single. Lo...

Chinese Property Buyers The New Russians

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A Hong Kong Billionaire has spent £33 million on a London property confirming that the new international property rich are coming from China. The purchase will have London estate agents seeking new ways in attracting the Chinese to their property portfolios. Central London has always attracted wealthy overseas buyers who are responsible for inflated house prices and a market that seems immune to national housing market trends. Russ...

Smart Meters To Change The Way Britain Pays Utility Bills

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Smart Meters which identify household consumption in minute detail are set to change the way the British monitor energy consumption and are being used by one utility company First Utility's to entice new clients. Customers on the First Utility's iSave V3 tariff will be offered a free smart meter in coming months, as First Utility continues its roll-out of smart meters across UK households on a region by region basis.&nb...

Selling Property Online Threatens Estate Agents

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A recent Daily Mail (Friday 5th March) article highlighted the changes that are taking place in the way people buy and sell property in the UK. It found that estate agents were now under pressure as a growing trend for selling homes online threatened the industry. It's now a fact that the majority of buyers will use the internet to find a property for sale however only a small percentage of people in the UK use the internet to sell propert...

Sterling � Euro exchange rates plummet, where next for the Pound?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Sterling – Euro exchange rates plummet, where next for the Pound? Recently the Pound has been suffering against most major currencies due to a number of reasons. Mainly the GDP figure for the Q4 of 2009 came in under expectations and despite showing we were out of recession finally, a 0.1% growth was not much to shout about. That started the tumble from a 5-month high we had reached versus the Euro and it’s been a downward spiral s...

Investment in Second Homes Up

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Positive housing market news comes to the UK in the form of second home ownership figures supplied by Knight Frank which reveal surprising rises. Cornwall in the South West of England which is favourite destination for vacations showed particularly strong demand. The number of second homes in England rose by 2.6% in 2009 following a contraction in 2008 of -0.4%. This rise, which equated to 6,212 additional second ...

UK Retirement Villages Need International Developers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

International and UK property developers are missing out on opportunities in the UK to build developments aimed at the growing elderly population in the UK. According to Knight Frank’s ‘Retirement Housing Report’ 2010, retired people form the country’s fastest growing demographic group. Liam Bailey, head of residential research, Knight Frank, commented: “An explosion of grey hair has significant implication...

Overseas Property Websites Grow

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Overseas property website Homesgofast.com is now ranked 16th in the world as for search engine saturation for terms relating to international real estate. The last 12 months have seen the UK based portal rise to 16th place in the study conducted by Global Edge which produces the top 50 rankings. PropertyIndex.com breaks into the top 20 for the first time, a feat it should arguably have ...

Rightmove Survey Shows House Market Confidence

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

25/01/2010 London - A consumer survey conducted by property website Rightmove indicates that consumers are in positive mood about the UK housing market for 2010. The majority of respondents felt that average house prices in the UK would increase this year. Rightmove surveyed 32,771 people from Jan. 4 to Jan. 18 and provide some interesting reading for estate agents and other property professionals who are still witnessing a shortage of supply. ...

Globrix Joins The Digital Property Group

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

London, 21 January 2010 – The Digital Property Group (TDPG), whose websites include PrimeLocation.com, FindaProperty.com, and FindaNewHome.co.uk - and currently the second most visited of the UK property portal groups - has added Globrix (www.globrix.com), the UK's largest free-to-list property search engine, with the biggest stock of property for sale and rent on the market, to its portfolio of brands. Globrix will join the TDPG netw...

UK House Prices up for 2009

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The latest research on the UK housing market indicates that prices were up for the 2009 year. The Financial Times House Price Index produced by Acadametrics (FTHPI) shows that the average house price in England and Wales was £214,283 for December. That is up 0.8 percent for the month over November and 4.2 percent for all of 2009. This index surveys all house sale in England and Wales. The increase for December is the eight month in...

Commercial Property Prices In London Bumpy Ride Ahead

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

23/12/09 London has seen steady house price rises over the last 12 months driven by a lack of property for sale in London. Investment analysts point out that London house price rises are not sustainable for 2010 and a dip is likely to be on the way. Mike Keogh, investment analyst at Henderson Global Investors. "The current rate of price appreciation in the U.K. is not sustainable," says Mike Keogh, investment analyst at ...

UK House Prices Up and Down in 2010

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

22/12/09-UK house prices have been steadily increasing throughout 2009 owing to lack of supply and the trend is set to continue to the spring of 2010. The predication comes from The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) RICs also predicted that the number of property sales is also likely to rise to a monthly average of 70,000 up from the current level of between 55,000 and 60,000. 2010 will feature monetary and fiscal tighteni...

OFT Report Shows Improved Satisfaction With Estate Agents

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Evidence from the research suggests that consumers are increasingly open to alternative methods of buying or selling a home. While the large majority of sellers used a traditional estate agent, more than a third initially considered selling privately, using an online estate agent, or selling at auction. There is a marked increase in interest in online estate agents relative to our previous survey in 2004. Consumer satisfaction with the s...

Property Search Engine Globrix Technology Backfires

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

19/11/2009 London-Globrix have been inadvertently promoting one of the UK's leading private sales websites The Little House Company owing to the indiscriminate use of its spider technology that takes property details from property websites without permission. The News international backed Globrix website has a strict estate agent only policy and does not allow private sellers to list on the site. The Little House Company has been ad...

UK Housing Market Braced For Stamp Duty

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A return to the previous bands for stamp duty, when the current holiday is due to end on the 31st December 2009, could have a detrimental effect on the recovery of the housing market in regions that are already lagging behind, according to the latest research from RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) released today. RICS favour moving from the current slab structure to a marginal system with no homebuyer paying anything on th...

UK Investors Receive Good News From Aviva

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK property investors had good news as signs of stability in the commercial property sector indicated stability. The Investment Property Databank index rose in August and September after almost two years of negative returns. The positive news has also resulted in the Aviva UK property fund being released to its investors after they had been unable to access their funds The Aviva UK property fund holders can now withdraw their money more ...

Celebrity Property Developers Hit By Crunch

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Bilton Ward Developments who have helped celebrities in the UK build their dream luxury homes have applied for Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) with debts of £1.3m. The companies run by Dawn and Ashley Ward has helped top flight footballers such as Wayne Rooney and celebrities such as Katie Price build the homes of their dreams. Ashley Ward was a former footballer playing for Blackburn and Norwich until his retirement about 4 y...

Uk Housing Market Still in Recovery

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK housing market is consistently showing signs of recovery with gross mortgage lending totalling an estimated £12.5 billion in September, a 2% rise from the £12.3 billion in August but down 27% from September 2008, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.Gross lending in the third quarter of 2009 was an estimated £38.9 billion, an 18% increase from the second quarter and down 36% from the third quarter of...

Manchester Home Sellers Go Private

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

One of the most established private sales website in the UK reports that Manchester house sellers are the websites most active sellers. The website which contains thousands of homes for sale from all over the UK identified Manchester as its latest hot spot for buyer and seller activity for June to September 09 In March this year, the company reported a 30% increase in sales compared to March 2008 following the BBC TV Show “Axe...

RICS Say Liberal Million Pound Home Tax Difficult

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Liberal Party proposed taxation plans on Millionaire home owners may not be straightforward to implement according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors RICS Commenting on the Liberal Democrats announcement that they plan to levy a tax on all properties over £1 million, Chris Doyle, the Chairman of the RICS Taxation Panel says: "Although taxes on properties over £1 million may be an effective way to raise ad...

Sterling in Trouble as Recovery Stalls

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

As the Pound falls to new lows against the Euro, Australian Dollar, New Zealand Dollar and US Dollar, many buyers of overseas property are struggling with the cost of transferring money overseas. The problem for the beleaguered Pound has been a combination of factors, which look unlikely to disappear in the short term. Firstly, whenever the Bank of England announces further quantitative easing (injecting money into the economy), sterling...

DIY Homes Sales Boosted in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The relatively small private sales industry in the UK has seen one of its most established providers The Little House Company join forces with one of Europe’s leading training providers Redtray. The Sunday Times Microsoft Tech 100 firm will help secure The Little House Companies positioning as the UK’s number one private homes sales website. The Little House Company has been used by private individuals to sell their hom...

UK Housing Market Survey Confirm Rising Prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

More and more housing market indicators are suggesting that UK property market is on the up. The latest comes from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) who indicate that the house price net balance turned positive for the first time in two years. The prices however are being fuelled by a lack of inventory and may not be sustainable Jeremy Leaf, spokesman for RICS, said of the latest report: “Although it is clear ...

Lender Cuts Mortgage Rate to 1.99%

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The largest lender in Britain, HSBC, has announced it will offer a two-year discount mortgage rate of 1.99 percent. This special deal is only available to buyers who have at least a 40 percent deposit and there is also a £1,199 arrangement fee. The bank also has a two-year discount mortgage for those with a 25 percent deposit of 2.49 percent. The two-year deal is linked to HSBC’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR) which is currentl...

House Prices in Birmingham Below National Average

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK’s second largest city Birmingham is well below the average house price in the UK and seems to be out of step with other regions showing steady house price increases. Land registry figures show that Birmingham average house price was £139,146 whilst UK average is £224,064 The figures on the face of it may make grim reading for property market in Birmingham but according to Hometrack overall house price rises are ...

UK Mortgage Companies Guilty of Excessive Default Charges

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

London 08/08/2009- A report from the Treasury Select Committee is calling for harsher action against some mortgage companies by the Financial Services Authority. It asked for the body to "raise its game" against companies that are not treating consumers fairly. The FSA was not naming and shaming those lenders that were making excessive charges against people who have fallen into arrears City experts predict that with risi...

Luxury Home in London For David & Victoria Beckham

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

David Beckham has been getting a tough time from fans at LA Galaxy and this could well be behind the reason for Victoria looking at a new home in London. Victoria Beckham is rumoured to be in the running for a luxury Chelsea home valued at about £10 million pounds The luxury property is built on three-stories and has five bedrooms, designer kitchen, home cinema and basement pool and roof terrace and located in the Kings Road area o...

Luxury Overseas Property Buyers Head For London

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Overseas property website Homesgofast.com reports an increase in demand from international buyers seeking property in London, at same time the property acquisition firm 'Prime Purchase' report the problem of a lack of supply of luxury London homes. It appears that international investors and lifestyle buyers now see London as the place to put their money the international property website Homesgofast.com have received a 35% inc...

Extreme House Selling Hits The UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A new trend in home selling could be about to take the UK by storm namely 'Extreme House Selling'. International news agency Reuters reports on how UK home sellers are employing extreme methods to help sell properties in a difficult market. In a recent report one luxury home seller is seen not only reducing his house price but also including a boat and luxury car as part of the deal. Industry expert Nick Marr suggests tha...

International Buyers Want Scotlands Finest Properties

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

International buyers are being attracted to some of Scotlands most impressive properties in the year of Homecoming Scotland 2009, a year long event that marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns, According to Matthew Sinclair, Director of high-end property search agent Saint Property, the company has seen an increase in interest from buyers outside of Scotland by as much as 50%.Saint Property, pro...

15,000 Sustainable Homes for the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Crown Estate and the Homes and Communities Agency have partnered with the goal of developing 15,000 sustainable homes across the UK over the next 10 years. The agreement foresees some 10,000 homes being developed in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Norfolk, with the remaining 5,000 homes coming in Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Lincolnshire, Dorset and Leicestershire. The agreement will focus on prioritising the delivery of sus...

Olympic Village Plans Released

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The London Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and the London Olympic Organising Committee (LOCOG) just released its plans for the Athlete’s Village in the city. The Athlete’s Village is adjacent to the Olympic Park and Stratford City and will accommodate athletes during both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. The Athlete’s village will have 2,818 new homes that will be available for Londoners after the games are ov...

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Coming to Manchester

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The first LEGOLAND Discovery Centre (LDC) is coming to the UK and should be open in time for Easter, 2010. The new Discovery Centre will take up 3,500 square meters in the Trafford Centre, Manchester and will be operated by Merlin Entertainments. LEGOLAND Discovery Centres were first launched in Berlin in 2007, and this will be the fourth one in Europe. These centres have indoor attractions based on LEGO bricks and toys. The attractions ...

Pound Hits Resistance as Exchange Rates Falter

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Pound has failed to gain on its recent rally this week, showing no further improvement against most major currencies. This comes despite negative data elsewhere, particularly in the USA, where yesterday’s non-farm payrolls (the main monthly measure of job creation in the States) came out far worse than expected. Usually, we would expect to see the Dollar weaken significantly against the Pound, but the rate has stayed around the...

More Londoners Looking to the Country

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Over the past year an increasing number of city dwellers are making plans and moving to the countryside. According to Knight Frank, since June, 2008 the number of people who have planned to move out of London has increased by nearly 10 percent. And that means going farther out, as well, according to a recent article in The Telegraph. With prices in the city settling down and even starting to increase, more Londoners are looking to make t...

UK Low Interest Rates

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Record low interest rates in the UK mean that homeowners are actually better off than before - in one sense. The average homeowner with a mortgage now has more left over after paying the bills due to the low interest rates and some lower costs for other household expenses, according to the consulting firm Ernst and Young. The firm noted that average mortgage repayments had fell by 20pc during the last year to £553.59, leaving &poun...

Retail Sales Put Exchange Rates Under Pressure

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Pound has today given up its recent gains following very poor UK retail sales data out this morning. In May, retailers reported a drop in monthly sales of 0.6%, and in annual sales of 1.6%. Analysts’ expectations had been for an increase of 0.5% for the month and a drop of 0.1% for the year. The Pound has been rising recently on increasing confidence in the UK economy, with exchange rates against the Euro up 6c in the ...

UK Airport Use Falls 13%

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The number of people using airports in the UK has fallen significantly in the first part of 2009, according the Civil Aviation Authority. For the first quarter of 2009, there were 6.4 million, or 13 percent, fewer travelers passing through airport than there were in the same period for 2008. That comes on an overall decrease in passengers in 2008, the first yearly drop for British airports since 1991. The biggest victim of the downturn ...

Estate Agents Displayed On New Public Register

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Office of Fair Trading has today launched an online version of its public register listing estate agents who have been given warnings or been banned from estate agency work. View the Estate Agents Public Register at www.oft.gov.uk/estateagentregister Under the Estate Agents Act 1979 the OFT can issue warning and prohibition orders against individual estate agents or agencies who have broken the law. The register, which can be browsed alph...

Britain�s Best Holiday Home Is For Sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

One of the most highly acclaimed holiday homes in Britain is now up for sale at a cool £2 million pounds in Devon South West of England. The riverside cottage which is subject to numerous positive comments from newspapers magazines and guides has been reduced in price by the present owners. The Old Bakehouse in Tuckenhay, directly adjoining the River Dart is described by local papers as “Iconic”, “Landmark&r...

Devon Estate For Sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A beautiful old Devon estate located in the small town of Tuckenhay offers the best of country living in one of the hottest property areas in the country. The Old Bakehouse has been featured in numerous magazines and publications for its prime location and classic country charm. It has been described as iconic, historic and been featured in “The Week” as one of the best properties on the market in the whole country. This luxu...

Best Selling Author Sells Home To Overseas Buyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

International bestselling business author and top business thought leader – Jonathan Blain , has sort the assistance of overseas property website Homesgofast.com to sell his luxury home located in Totnes Devon England. The house with a price tag of 2 million pounds was previously marketed without success to wealthy UK buyers. The house offered for sale is a landmark home that has previously featured on the front cover of the South ...

Devon and Cornwall House Price Drop

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Devon and Cornwall house prices have seen the biggest yearly slump in house prices across England and Wales, according to latest figures from the Land Registry. Land Registry figures released this week show the South West has seen the biggest property price fall of anywhere in England in Wales over the past year. In April 2009 the average house price in the region was £159,704, an 18% drop on the previous April. According...

Mann Island, Liverpool

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Mann Island development in Liverpool’s City Center is proceeding as the 11-storey, 140,000 square foot office building has been financed by CommerzReal. Merseyside Integrated Transport Authority recently signed a 30-year lease for the property, allowing financing and work to proceed. Construction costs for the office building are estimated at £47 million, and the Authority expects to move into the space in early 2011. Ste...

Overseas Property Company Serves 5 years

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

International real estate portal Homesgofast.com is celebrating 5 years online by launching a redesigned website and a dedicated UK property section. The UK-based international residential property portal which recently was ranked 22nd in the world following an independent survey of the Global Top 100 property portals. The survey undertaken by overseas property industry company Globaledge, (www.globaledge.co.uk) compiled the table of th...

UK Property Sales Reach 18-Month High

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The National Association of Real Estate Agents reports that more homes were sold in April, 2009 than in the previous 18 months. The average agent sold ten properties in April, up from eight in March and well above the low of five, which came in August, 2008. The increase in sales is a positive indicator that the bottom may have been reached in the real estate market, according to several analysts. Property firm Jones Lang LaSalle is conf...

UK Mortgage Lending Drops in April

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Lending for UK mortgages declined by approximately £1 billion in April, 2009 when compared to the previous month, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Total lending for April was estimated at £10.4 billion, which is nine percent less than March’s £11.4 billion. While the council noted that the figures were affected due to the Easter holiday occurring in the middle of April this year, the fall is still dis...

UK Property Sales Rise in April

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Sales of property in the UK rose in April and some are predicting that prices could stabilize later in 2009. The latest monthly report from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) indicates that house prices fell by the slowest pace in 15 months during April. The homebuilding industry is starting to look at building additional new homes after pulling back for a number of months. The inventory of new homes is now so low, accordi...

Edinburgh Princes Street Project Gets Approval

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The City of Edinburgh Council has granted permission for the Deramore Property Group to redevelop a site at the west end of Princes Street into a hotel and retail development. There will be some 30,000 square feet of retail space and a 97-room hotel that will be located on the upper floors. The city has adopted a concept to regenerate Princess Street and this property is part of the so called string of pearls developments. Deramore, bas...

London Has New Designer Walkie Talkie Building

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A new 38-floor skyscraper planned for London has won approval from the City to proceed. Rafael Viñoly’s tower has often been referred to as “the Walkie Talkie” because its shape is curved and it has a rounded crown, much like a child’s toy walkie talkie. In its plans for the building, developer Land Securities said there will a sky garden on top of it, which it called the “highest accessible park in London.&rd...

The Richest Property People in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Sunday Times recently published its annual list of the top 1,000 wealthiest people in the UK and Ireland. It shows that the wealthiest people in the country have had some £155 billion in wealth wiped out by the recession and declining property values. The top 25 of these whose fortunes are based on their property holdings were listed in Property Week, with a look at how the value of those holdings has changed over the past year. ...

Hampshire UK On The Map For International Investment

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The town of Fareham is located along the southern coast of England between Portsmouth and Southampton. With a strong need for affordable, quality housing, this town offers an excellent investment opportunity, not to mention a nice place to live. A tract of land in Whiteley Village has been identified by Landmark Developments and is also favored by the Fareham Council as an ideal place for new homes to go up. Situated along the M27, this...

Croydon Estate Agent Banned by Office of Fair Trading

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

An Estate agent has been banned from practising by the Office Of Fair Trading (OFT). The OFT issued a prohibition order banning Marcia Whyte who ran Executive Estates a Croydon estate agency from performing estate agency work. Ms Whyte failed to disclose a personal interest in the sale of a property.Marcia Whyte who ran Executive Estates, Brighton Road, South Croydon, failed to disclose to a potential vendor, promptly and in writing, t...

Chelsea Barracks Plan Stirs Controversy

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The plans for the former Chelsea Barracks in London have been drawing quite a lot of attention lately, with world-renowned architects criticizing the Prince of Wales for his latest attempts to change the plans. A luxury development is planned for the site of the former military barracks and is next to the Royal Hospital, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Prince Charles is reported to have asked the Qatari Royal family, who own the site, ...

Sterling Plummets on UK Budget and Data

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Pound has come under severe pressure after worse-than-expected public borrowing data, and Alistair Darling’s budget condemning the UK to its worst financial year since the second world war. Against the Euro and Dollar, Sterling has fallen 2c in trading today and looks set to compound the losses further. This morning’s figures showed borrowing in March rose to £19.1bn, higher than analysts’ expectation...

UK Commercial Property Values Fall in March

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The value of UK commercial property dropped in March by 3.1 percent, according to the Investment Property Databank (IPD). That brings the total fall in property values to 8.9 percent for the first quarter of 2009. While that is a steep drop, it less than the final quarter of 2008 when property values fell by 15 percent. The first quarter of 2008 saw a drop in commercial property values of 4.7 percent, so the 2009 amount is a steeper decl...

Travelodge to Open 12 New Hotels in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The budget hotel chain Travelodge has recently made deals for 12 new hotels in the UK with a combined investment value of £77 million. The company will add 1,334 rooms and create 200 new jobs. Travelodge is the UK’s fastest growing hotel chain, and in these economic times it is easy to see why a discount chain is doing well. Additionally, another 16 hotels in the UK are under construction, which will add another 1,560 rooms ...

Office of Fair Trading Investigate Credit Industry

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Office of Fair Trading has launched a consultation on its proposed financial services strategy which sets out its approach to the sector in response to the current economic crisis. The OFT is asking interested parties to comment on its proposal to focus on two inter-related themes: the prioritisation, in the short term, of promoting fairness and responsibility between the credit industry and consumers, and advocating choice...

UK Residential Property Prices Rise

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Property prices for residences in the UK rose during the month of March, the first such increase in 16 months. The Nationwide Building Society monthly housing price index showed an increase of 0.9 percent for the month, the first increase since October, 2007. The price of an average home rose to just above £150,000. While the rise in prices is certainly good news, economists don’t expect it to continue, at least until the cre...

G-20 Agrees to Spend $1.1 Trillion

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

At its annual meeting in London, the leaders of the world’s largest and most important economies agreed to a range of fiscal and regulatory steps in the hope of combating the worldwide economic recession. Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain announced that the leaders had committed to US$1.1 trillion in loans and guarantees to finance worldwide trade while also helping to bail out troubled economies. “This is the day the wo...

Overseas Property Exhibition Takes Place in London

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The overseas property industry and potential international property buyers are due to converge on the A Place in the Sun Live exhibition taking place at London's Earl's Court from April 3rd to April 5th. The UK has seen a host of other property exhibitions being cancelled owing to the slow down in the industry and this exhibition will be a welcome relief for consumers and professionals alike. A Place in the Sun visitors this year w...

British House Prices Up!

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Good news for the UK housing market, it seems that the huge cuts in interest rates maybe taking effect with some positive UK house price news from the Nationwide Building Society This comes at a time when the Bank of England recently announced that mortgage approvals were also up House prices rose last month for the first time in 16 months, the price of a typical house increased by 0.9 per cent to £150,946 in March in contrast to F...

Unfair Terms Judgment For Estate Agents Foxtons

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Office of Fair Trading has today welcomed a Court of Appeal Judgment confirming its views on the application of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999 (UTCCRs) ahead of a substantive hearing against Foxtons Limited at the end of this month. The OFT commenced High Court proceedings against Foxtons in February 2008 seeking an injunction under the UTCCRs preventing the estate agency using terms, considered by the OFT to be u...

Good News For UK Housing Market

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Signs that the UK property market may be heading for recovery come from figures released by the Bank of England. The number of mortgage approvals for house purchases were up by 19% in Feb 09 indicating that home buyers were back seeking to buy property in the UK The Bank of England figures show a total of 37,937 loans were approved for people buying a home in February which made it the highest level since May las year. The UK is experiencin...

Luxury London Development Noho Square Sold

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Noho Square, once one of the highest profile luxury and mixed used developments proposed for London, has been sold. The troubled project has some new hopes now that control is being acquired by development company Stanhope, according to the Financial Times. Icelandic bank Kaupthing teamed up with property developers Nick and Christian Candy several years ago with the original plans, and now has agreed to let Stanhope take control of the project. ...

Estate Agent Ban By Office Of Fair Trading

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT ) has used its power to issue a prohibition order against an East Yorkshire estate agent banning him from engaging in estate agency work. As part of its role the OFT can bar from estate agency work a person who has committed certain specified offences such as fraud, or other dishonesty or violence; or who has committed racial or sexual discrimination in the course of estate agency work; or who has failed to com...

UK Home Sellers Put Asking Prices Up

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The property selling season is nearly upon us and so home owners preparing to sell their homes start putting there properties to market. The asking prices according to Rightmove the UK’s largest property website has seen certain areas of the UK with increased house prices. The rise in asking prices is seen from North to South some of the bigger increase come from North Tyneside with a 12.5% increase down to Lowestoft in Suffolk with a 5% in...

Disabled Home Sellers Receive Better Service From Private Sales

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Selling a property in the current market is hard but seemingly it has been even tougher for those seeking to sell or buy a home for the disabled. This has now been addressed by one of the UK’s most established private sales website at The Little House Company.co.uk. It is the only private property sales portal that allows sellers of disabled access properties to list on multiple sites for one fee, including the specialist site for...

BBC TV Axe the Agent Increasing British Appetite to Sell Homes Themselves

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

One of the most established UK private sales websites is reporting a 30% increase in sales compared to this time last year. This surprise leap in sales in a depressed housing market could well be a direct result from a new TV programme being aired by the BBC called “ Axe the Agent?”. The morning television show teaches British home sellers how to avoid paying agents commission by selling their homes without the use of an estate agent....

London 02 Millennium Dome For Sale

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The 02 Millennium Dome is up for grabs at what is believed to be a knock down price of a cool £35 million. The Dome which is now home to the London’s best concerts has gone from strength to strength since 02 took over the giant riverside building. According to reports in The Telegraph the Millennium Dome, was put up for sale at the start of February it has attracted the lies of Tina Turner and will be home to a rare Michael Jackson c...

UK Prices Set to Fall in 2009

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Prices for houses in the UK are predicted to fall even more during 2009, according to the most recent report from Jones Lang LaSalle. The company’s Residential Market Forecast estimates that prices throughout the UK could fall on average 13-15% during the year, and the largest drops will be seen in London. Jones Lang LaSalle is also predicting that prices may fall even more in the beginning of 2010 before the market sees a recover ...

UK House Prices By Region Revealed

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Land Registry have issued new figures that show average British house prices falling by 0.8 per cent in January.The average house price is now £156,753, down almost £28,000 on January 2008. This represents an annual decrease of 15.1 per cent. In London the average price fell 14.1 per cent annually to £306,183. It is the seventeenth month in a row where the annual rate of change has fallen, in contrast to 21 months ...

UK Property Business Fuelled By Twitter

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK based overseas property website Homesgofast.com demonstrates how things have changed in real estate with social media being an integral part of online marketing. The 21st century phenomena, and a web 2.0 craze has seen the site developing international contacts via Twitter which is a microcosm of the social networking craze. For some businesses, still trying to get to grips real estate blogs , Social media and Web 2.0, Twitter has them ...

More UK Residents Moving to the Coast

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK residents have been moving out of cities and to coastal areas, according to the latest research from Halifax. From 1997 to 2007, 80 percent of the areas in the country that saw the highest increases in internal migration – those who moved from one part of the England and Wales to another – are along the coast. Additionally, 95 percent of the areas that have the largest drop in internal migration are in the cities. These nu...

UK Home Buyers Seek More Rural Property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The depressed UK property buyer is cheering themselves up with thoughts of buying out of town and in the British countryside. According to research by Knight Frank the number of potential purchasers viewing rural properties is on the increase. Figures show that buyers viewing property for sale across the south of England increased by 25% in January this year, compared with the same month in 2008. Andrew Shirley, head of rural property resear...

Herzog & de Meuron to Design London Towers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The well-known architectural firm of Herzog & de Meuron have been commissioned to design three new mixed use towers in the heart of London. The new project is planned for the area around the London Bridge underground station, with specifics set to be announced soon. The Swiss-based firm has designed a number of renowned projects around the globe, including the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing and London’s Tate Modern Art Mu...

The Pound has followed yesterday�s drop

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

11/02/08 The Pound has followed yesterday’s drop with further losses against major currencies. The Bank of England’s governor Mervyn King spoke about a deep recession in the UK which has further dented confidence in the UK economy, leading to a sell-off for the Pound. Mid-market rates at 1700 GMT: Sterling – Euro = 1.1149 Sterling – US Dollar = 1.4355 Sterling – Australian Dollar = 2.1978 Sterling &n...

Warnings Regarding Online Scams

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK Office of Fair Trading OFT have reacted to a rise in online scams by joining forces with Get Safe Online as part of its Scam Awareness Month. The OFT highlights the increasing need for vigilance against online fraudsters. 23 per cent of UK internet users surveyed said that they, or their close friends and family, had been a victim of phishing scams in the past 12-month period, compared to just eight per cent the year before. Similarl...

UK Cuts Interest Rates

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Bank of England cut interest rates to a record low as it hopes to help the country out of a recession. The British central bank cut its rate by 50 basis points to 1.0 percent, which is the lowest since the bank was organized in 1694. It follows on the heels of several other rate cuts as the bank is trying to keep the country’s economy on track. The International Monetary Fund predicts that the UK economy will likely shrink by 2...

Land Registry Report Average UK House Price

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Monthly house prices in England and Wales fell by 2 per cent in December, according to the latest figures from Land Registry. The average house price is now £158,946 representing an annual decrease of 13.5 per cent. In London the average price fell 12.9 per cent annually to £307,071 – a level similar to prices experienced in late 2006. Every region in England and Wales experienced an annual decrease in its a...

UK House Prices Fall Again

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

27/01/08-House prices in Britain fell in January, according to property consultant Hometrack. The company’s monthly national survey shows that the average price of a UK house fell by approximately 1 percent in January, while over the last year prices have fallen by 9.4 percent. This survey is based on responses from agents and surveyors across the country, and it indicates that prices will continue to fall for at least several mont...

England Set for New Bank Help

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The British government is ready to proceed with a second bail-out of the nation’s ailing banks. Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that he hopes the new moves will make it easier for businesses and households to obtain credit. Mr. Brown said: “We know that the essential problem that has been held back by what has been happening internationally over the last few months is the resumption of lending and the expansion of lendi...

Housing market: what next for house prices?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The experts in house price predictions give their views on the British housing market , for buyers It’s hard to know what to expect in these uncertain times in the housing market. Mortgage availability, mortgage cost, supply and demand issues… there are so many factors involved, it’s almost impossible to guess where house prices will be a year from now. Nonetheless, many people are giving it a go. So it&rsqu...

Monaco House Prices Beat London

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Buying a home in central London has always been a desirable thing to do for both Brits and wealthy foreign buyers. This combination has meant that London house prices were some of the most expensive in the world. The financial slowdown has changed this making London second place to Monaco in the house price stakes. Central London real estate fell in 2008 by the most in more than three decades with the average value of a house or apartmen...

Official Land Registry House Prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Annual house prices in England and Wales fell by 12.2 per cent in November, according to the latest figures from Land Registry. The average house price is now £161,883 representing a monthly decrease of 1.9 per cent.London experienced an annual decrease in its average property value with a movement of –10.2 per cent, taking the average London house price to £317,101. Every region in England and Wales experienced an annual decre...

UK Government Help To Home Owners

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK government has expanded its assistance to UK home owners with an initiative aimed at ceasing repossessions. The Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme will provide greater assurance to homeowners that they will be able to remain in their homes if they suffer a temporary fall in income. The credit crunching scheme will provide a bridge, giving homeowners who are experiencing financial problems sufficient time to find new employment or ...

Buy To Let Landlords At Risk

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Buy to Let Landlords are more exposed to risk than other UK property owners and the Association Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) predicts that 2009 will be a tough year for investor landlords. ARLA is predicting that there will be an increase in landlords defaulting on their monthly mortgage payments over the coming months, and an increased rate of repossessions as a result. The Association of Residential Lettings Agents was forme...

UK Land Safer Than Houses

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

While property prices in the UK and across the globe have dropped for much of 2008, agricultural land in the UK has been a good investment. According to research from Savills, agricultural land has increased in value for all of 2008 by 21.5 percent. One of the main reasons for the increase in land prices is the price of wheat, which correlates well to the price of land. 2009 is expected to be a good year for wheat prices, which has helpe...

London Property Market is Hitting Bottom

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The property market in London was one of the hottest markets in the world not long ago. Over the past several months, however, the market has dropped significantly. Prime central London property values have dropped 8.7 percent for all of 2008 and some 20 percent since September of 2007, when prices were at their peak. Average property values in London are now around the autumn, 2006 levels, according to property consultants Savills. Howe...

UK House Prices Drop & First Time Buyers Increase

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK’s professional body for estate agency personnel the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) report on falls in UK house prices but also provide positive news that may indicate hope for the British housing market The NAEA www.naea.co.uk/ monthly house price survey indicates a dramatic fall in prices across the UK however amongst the gloomy figures saw glimmers of hope. This silver lining came from the fact th...

Look For A Property With Dragons Den James Caan

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK property market is a buyers market and is offering property investors opportunities never seen before and for one famous entrepreneur this also means property websites One of the UK’s most high profile and successful entrepreneurs has been appointed chairman of a leading property website, www.look4aproperty.com James Caan says the move demonstrates his confidence in the UK housing market. But his decision is also a clear...

Barclays Say Prices Down Unemployment Up

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Barclay’s Bank expects UK housing prices to continue to fall in 2009, according to chief executive John Varley. Home prices may fall from 10-15 percent next year, and unemployment will also rise, said Mr. Varley in an interview on Sky News. Varley said that overall, Barclay’s believes that property prices across the UK will slide from 25-30 percent from their highs. "We're probably about halfway through that period, so i...

UK to Help With Mortgages

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced in the Queen’s speech that his government is introducing plans to help borrowers struggling to keep up with mortgage payments. The plans are aimed at middle-income borrowers and it is hoped that they will stem the rising tide of repossessions that is hitting the country. Through September there had been more than 30,000 homes repossessed in the country, which is more than all of last year (2007). The nu...

Home Reports are Introduced In Scotland

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Home Reports have been introduced in Scotland, allowing potential home buyers to get additional information on their purchases. James Sherwood-Rogers, Managing Director of Landmark Legal and Financial comments: “The introduction of Home Reports in Scotland will hopefully make the process of buying a house faster and more transparent. However, homebuyers need to be aware that much of this report is based on the opinion of the surveyor and ho...

Five Reasons Why The Pound Could Fall Further!

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Currency Index give their view on the foreign currency markets after speaking to clients who want to hold out for the best exchange rates, before transferring money abroad to pay for overseas property. A closer look at the economic conditions might make them think – would it be better to buy currency now? 1. Severe Recession. The OECD are predicting the downturn to be “t...

New Surrey Property Development Opens 6th December

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

2nd Dec 08 London-Millgate Homes is opening a brand new development called Orchard Gardens of just ten 2, 3 and 5 bedroom homes off Rances Lane in Wokingham on Saturday 6th December. This ideally situated development is perfect for commuters who want a place outside the city and near to good schools, shops and restaurants.Sales Manager Mandie Whelan notes that “We are really excited about the launch of Orchard Gardens as this really is a sp...

New Welsh Property Selling Fast

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A new property development by Charles Church is now open in Swansea Point, Wales. Entitled Aurora, this new project already has apartments that are selling fast. The builder recently invited local business people and officials associated with the project to Aurora’s penthouse apartment for champagne and canapés to celebrate the grand opening.Kath Faull, Sales Director of Charles Church Wales, said: “The launch was a chance for ...

British Builder Offering Christmas Incentives

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Buyers of one of Fairview New Homes’ four developments in Kent England can enjoy free gifts for Christmas if they move into their new home before Monday, December 15th. They will be entitled to £1,000 worth of gift vouchers to spend on Christmas presents, as well as a fully furnished apartment and a decorated Christmas tree (*Homes at The Mill will not be ready for Christmas occupation, but purchasers who exchange by Monday 15 Decembe...

Tower Hamlets in London Given Green Light

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has given the go-ahead for the new Tower Hamlets development on the site of St. Andrew’s Hospital in East London. The new property will be 27 stories tall and have 964 residential units as well as retail space and restaurants. The new development is being undertaken by Barratt Homes in a joint venture with the London Development Agency. The property will have affordable housing plus plenty of pu...

Pound Exchange Rates Down on UK Mortgage Approvals Data

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

1/12/08 London- The Pound has fallen sharply this morning, leading to worse exchange rates for those of you buying property overseas.Bank of England figures, out this morning, show that British mortgage approvals are still falling - despite aggressive interest rate cuts and government encouragement for more lending in the sector.Only 32,000 mortgages were approved in October, down 1,000 on September's figure. Approvals have slumped by 74% in the ...

Britains Top Postal Codes

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

As home prices fall and the real estate market in the UK stumbles, there are a few places where homeowners can still demand a lot for their properties. Forbes.com has a list of the most expensive post codes and the top five are all within London. SW1X in the exclusive Knightsbridge section of the city leads the list as the most expensive post code of the country. Prices at One Hyde Park and Knightsbridge still command as much as £...

UK Retail Sales Weigh on Pound

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

20/11/08 London-This morning’s UK Retail Sales figures showed a 0.1% drop in October – which was much better than analyst’s predictions of a 0.8% drop. Despite the better than expected figures, Sterling exchange rates have failed to improve. Normally, positive figures would boost the Pound – and after all, Retail Sales are still up on last year. Why the lack of improvement? Perhaps some scaremongering in the press (the B...

British Estate Agents Send Message To British Government

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The struggling UK property market will be boosted by further interest rate cuts and a suspension of stamp duty is the message coming from a survey of British estate agents. The survey by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) also indicated that confidence in the British government was at a low with more than half – 54 per cent – of estate agents surveyed stating that they did not have confidence in Government po...

UK House Prices Continue to Fall

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK’s largest building society said in its latest report that it expected prices to continue to fall throughout 2009. Nationwide Building Society predicted that prices would continue to fall by an average of 1 - 1.5 percent per month until at least the beginning of 2010. For the past year, UK property prices have dropped 14.6 percent according to the society’s numbers, with the average home price nearly £30,000 less ...

David Beckham Adds Value to UK House Price

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

When most houses in the UK are losing value one home is actually increasing at an enormous rate. This house is the former home of footballer celebrity David Beckham, the property which should have a price tag of about £250,000 has been put on the market for a staggering £850,000 The house is an average terraced home situated in Leytonstone East London, it comprises of three bedrooms and was the place David Beckham took his fi...

Former CEO Says Rightmove Should Buy Propertyfinder

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Simon Baker the former CEO and Managing Director of the Australian online real estate company realestate.com.au Ltd (also know as the REA Group) explains his views concerning Rightmove and Propertyfinder.com two of the UKs most powerful property websites. The article entitled ‘Why Rightmove should acquire Propertyfinder’ was recently published at Property Portal Watch a specialist website aimed at operators of property portal sites. ...

James Bond Studios in Property Tax Row

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The film studio behind James Bond is embroiled in a row over a £130,000 bill for empty property rates, the controversial ‘bombsite Britain’ tax making businesses pay full rates on empty space. The revelation comes on the day a No 10 petition is being launched to fight the tax which is hitting firms in all regions of the country.Columbia Pictures Corporation, the studio behind Quantum of Solace, has taken the Valuation Office Age...

Lack of New Homes Beneficial for the Environment

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

While the economic downturn hitting the UK is not good news for most people in the country, it could be good for the environment. A committee of MPs says that the government should revise its target to build 3 million new homes by 2020. Greenfield sites do not need to be built on if there isn’t a need for the housing, according to the group. Gordon Brown announced last July that he wanted to have 2 million new homes constructed by ...

Bank of England Cuts Rates

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

7th November 2008 London-The Bank of England cut interest rates by a whopping 1.5% this week, dropping the bank’s rate to just 3%. That is the lowest it’s been since 1954 and government ministers urged banks to pass on the rate cuts to consumers. So far, Lloyds TSB has signaled that it will pass on the rate cuts to those with variable rate mortgages. HSBC, Nationwide, Barclays and RBS are reviewing the situation with their ra...

Leona Lewis Buys Flat in East London

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

X Factor winner Leona Lewis is in the process of purchasing her first property in East London. She and boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa have been renting the property in Hackney, not far from where she grew up. “We were renting it but the landlord was like 'You have to get out now.' I talked him into selling it to me.” “When you're settled it's hard to move. I love the flat - it's really private and the neighbours are c...

John Cleese Looks to Sell California Home

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

British actor John Cleese has his oceanfront Montecito home on the market for $10.75 million. He recently settled a divorce with third wife Alyce Faye Eichelberger, and this will be the actor’s second California home for sale this year. He sold his 14.6 acre Montecito equestrian ranch not long ago to mobile phone pioneer Craig McCaw for £8.3 million, down from the listed price of £14.1 million. Whoever buys this Santa B...

British Home Prices Drop

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The average price of a home in Britain is £30,000 less than it was a year ago as prices fell by the largest rate in over fifty years. Nationwide, the country’s biggest building society, said that prices fell 14.6 percent over the past 12 months through the end of October, 2008. That leaves the average price at £158,872 as prices fell for the 12th month in a row. Even though prices are significantly lower than they have ...

UK Economy is Shrinking

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

After government leaders acknowledged recently in public remarks that the UK was heading for a recession, official figures confirmed that the economy is, indeed, shrinking. The data from the Office of National Statistics show that the gross domestic product contracted by 0.5 percent in the third quarter of 2008, which is the first fall since 1992. The drop in GDP was larger than expected, and caused even more selling on the FTSE and othe...

Pound Falls to Five Year Low

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK Pound fell this week to its lowest value against the US Dollar in five years as news of an economic slowdown in the country fueled its drop. The British currency also fell against the euro as Prime Minister Gordon Brown predicted the UK will slip into a recession. At the end of the day on October 22, the pound was worth just over $1.61, but it looked to pick up a little ground in overnight trading. During the day it fell to its lo...

Governments bank keen to repossess homes

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK nationalized Bank Northern Rock is more likely to repossess its customers homes more than any other UK bank says a charity aimed at helping beleaguered home owners. The charity Credit Action said Northern Rock it is not being flexible enough with customers who default on their mortgage repayments. Northern Rock was the first bank to really highlight the problems of the economy in the UK were bailed out by the UK ...

Jumeirah Group to Open Glasgow Hotel

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Dubai based Jumeirah Group has just announced it is opening a new luxury hotel in Glasgow. The £125 million property will open at the corner of Argyle Street and Robertson Street in the heart of the financial district in 2011. The Jumeirah Glasgow Hotel is the group’s fifth hotel planned for Europe. The Jumeirah Group is a luxury hotel operator and currently runs what is one of the world’s most luxurious hotels in D...

Stansted Expansion Approved

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The plans to expand the largest budget airline hub in the UK were recently approved by the government. At the same time, the major carriers who use the airport threatened to move flights away from the Essex airport if they are forced to pay for the expansion through increased user fees. Ryanair and easyJet operate the most flights out of the airport and are warning that the expansion could mean less, not more, service. An easyJet spokesm...

Scotland Councils Going Green

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Local councils across Scotland and the Scottish Government are more committed to environmentally responsible policies than ever before. The Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) is a group that works with development officers and advocates from local authorities across Scotland. The group’s aims include promoting sustainable development, responding to the threat of climate change, ensuring that procurement practices meet sustainable goals, and...

England House Prices Fall 4.6%

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Over the past year house prices in England and Wales have fallen by 4.6 percent, according to figures released by the Land Registry. The annual rate of growth has been falling for 12 months and has reached its lowest level since 2001, when tracking began. During the month of August, real estate lost 1.9 percent of its value, the largest monthly fall ever recorded by the Land Registry. According to the group’s figures, the average house cost...

Financial Rescue Efforts By International Governments

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The current global crisis being faced by governments worldwide has provoked various responses to help remedy the situation. The real estate sector is seen as key to consumer and business confidence and has been subject to various degrees of governmental interventions. The an on-line property research house.Global Property Guide report the latest efforts employed by governments: In the US, the authorities are seeking a US$70...

UK Economic Growth Forecasts are Downgraded

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

In the wake of the US financial crisis, bad unemployment news and a slowing housing market comes even more disheartening news for the UK as independent economists have downgraded their forecasts for the economy. The monthly survey of some 30 institutions indicated that the average forecast for economic growth for 2009 is a paltry 0.3%. That is down from 0.8% in August and 1.1% in July. The survey was taken early in September, prior to th...

Overseas Agents Not Happy With Rightmove

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

In an survey taken by Globaledge, an online real estate strategy and analysis website, overseas property agents voted for their favorite and least favorite international property portals online. The UK market leader, Rightmove, did not fare well among agents voting that the site was too expensive. The survey asked overseas real estate agents what internet portals they use and why, and the results, which were tabulated from over 300 indiv...

UK Housing Sales Slump

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK property market continued its slump in August as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said sales were at their lowest level since 1978. This comes as news that the output of the UK economy fell from June to August, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR). The output of the economy fell 0.2% during July in the think tank’s latest report. According to RICS, the average number ...

ECB and Bank of England Hold Rates Steady

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

September - Both the European Central Bank and the Bank of England decided to keep their benchmark interest rates at the current amount. The two major European banks are waiting to see what will happen with inflation and the economy in the coming weeks and months before making any further moves. The benchmark rate for the Bank of England is currently at 5%, while the ECB’s main rate is at 4.25%. Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet h...

UK Coal to Develop Land in South Yorkshire

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The United Kingdom’s largest coalminer is quickly becoming one of the country’s largest property developers. UK Coal recently announced plans to develop the largest ever brownfield development in South Yorkshire. The plans allow for some 4,000 new homes at the company’s former coke works and mining site near Catliffe. The 741 acre site is to be redeveloped over the next 20 years through the company’s property deve...

UK Home Sellers Seek Overseas Buyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The international property website Homesgofast.com reports that UK agents, builders and private sellers are now turning to overseas buyers to help them sell their homes. The types of sellers range from well known house builders , investment property developers and millionaire property owners. The UK housing market has seemingly slowed so much that it is now a boom lettings market where home owners are finding sales very difficult...

Mystery Fire & Millionaires Overseas Properties

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The British millionaire businessman Christopher Foster who still remains missing along with his wife and daughter after their house burned down in Shropshire England owned a portfolio of overseas properties located all over Europe. The mystery of the debt-ridden millionaire and his family still continues after two bodies were found by police officers searching the in the house today. The fire which took place at £1.5 million Osbast...

Overseas Property Industry in the Dragons Den

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Overseas property agents and real estate developers will have access to a team member of the Dragons Den in a forum arranged by the UK’s National Association of Estate Agents. The event that takes place on October 9th 2008 and will feature multi millionaire James Caan and the US property expert Michael Saunders The BBC Dragons Den programme success is seen in part owing the personalities involved in the den that can brutally shatte...

UK Mortgages at 2007 Levels

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Mortgages in the UK have dropped to where they were a year ago, according to a recent report from Moneyfacts. The average rate for a two-year fixed deal is approximately 6.59%, compared to 6.56% in August, 2007. That’s down from a high of 7.08% in early July of this year, showing a significant drop over the past month. Of course, there are some caveats to the figures, as the best rates are available to those with the best credit an...

Prime Farmland in UK At Record Prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A recently released report by UK property consultants Knight Frank indicates that prime farmland is at record prices, going for as much as £8,000 an acre. The Farmland Market Index shows an average price of £6,000 across the country, with many locations selling much higher. According to Andrew Shirley, head of rural land research at Knight Frank, “Demand for all types of land in England is still extremely strong. The li...

Abbey Mortgage Business Increase

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK mortgage market has clearly slowed for most lenders however one bank seems to be immune announcing an increased share of mortgages in Britain. Abbey reports that it now has a 35% share of Britain's new mortgage market. Santander the Spanish owned bank who own Abbey seemed to have helped Abbey Abbey's first half figures indicated that its share of net mortgage lending was 26% compared with 6.6% in the first half of 2007. Net...

Propertyfinder Buy Property Shop

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Australian REA Group appears to be going from strength to strength with further purchases of established UK property websites. April 2008 saw global online property group buy Hotproperty.co.uk and most recently the purchase of UKpropertyshop. Launched in 1999, ukpropertyshop.co.uk is one of the UK’s most comprehensive estate agent directories, listing the details of 17,000 UK agent offices in 3,000 towns. In April this y...

UK Legalisation Office Moves to Milton Keynes

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

For those who need to have documents legalised, which is often necessary when buying, selling or leasing property abroad, the UK Legalisation office is moving in August. Legalisation is the official confirmation that the signature, stamp or seal on a UK document is genuine. Many foreign authorities require UK documents to be legalised before they will accept them. On Friday 8 August 2008 the Legalisation Office will relocate from the Ol...

Fire Destroys English Pier

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A fire destroyed a historic seaside pier on the west coast of England on Monday, July 28. The Grand at Weston-super-Mare was a well-known and iconic destination for travelers and holiday-goers for more than a century along the English coastline. But it is no more after a devastating fire that reduced the pavilion to cinders. The pier received historical protected status in 1979 and was Britain’s Pier of the Year in 2001. It had rec...

Scots Renting Not Buying

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

As real housing prices fall in Scotland, many homeowners and builders are turning to renting their property instead of selling. With the credit crunch and slowing economy hitting buyers hard, more and more owners are looking to get a return on their property by letting instead of having it sit vacant for months at a time. According to The Scotsman newspaper, sales of houses across Scotland were down considerably in the first half of...

The Biggest House in South East England

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Essex countryside is the location of a newly built house said to be the largest house built in recent times in the South East of England. The luxury home which has Approximately 14,365 sq ft of external floor space, 9 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms is being offered for sale by the owner at a cool 5 million pounds. The county of Essex in England made the news recently as the Home Office issued statistics showing recorded crime across the c...

London Seeing a Decline in Property Prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The latest research report from UK property company Knight Frank indicates that property prices in London are seeing a decline, having a 1.7% drop in June, which follows a 1.5% drop in May. Additionally, sales volumes have dropped by approximately 60% over the past year. While the overall market has fallen, prime properties are still relatively strong, and the demand for office space in the West End is still very high, according to the company. ...

Less New Homes in UK Being Built

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

England’s House Builders Association says that only 110,000 new homes are on target to be built for all of 2008, well below Prime Minister Gordon Browne’s goal. Mr. Browne’s announced target for new homes is 240,000 per year by 2016, while current growth levels are projected at approximately 233,000 new households per year. The government’s goal includes having 3 million new homes constructed by 2020. Housing Mini...

Home Prices Drop in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

During the month of May, 2008, UK home prices dropped 2.4%, according to a report from Halifax, the nation’s largest mortgage lender. Over the past 12 months, prices have dropped 3.8%, after seeing prices rise substantially for several years. The average home price during May was £184,111. The Nationwide building society found that prices fell 2.5% during May in its latest study on housing. The Bank of England indicated that ...

Luxury Property & Prizes at Exclusive Property Exhibition

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

12/06/08-The organisers of EPEX 2008, the Exclusive Property Exhibition, have made an open invitation at this years exhibition where visitors can see what is on offer with absolutely no entrance fee. The event takes place at the National Hall, London Olympia, Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June 2008. EPEX, which is sponsored by the Financial Times, is unique in that if focuses purely on the most luxurious properties from around the g...

Exclusive Exhibition EPEX 2008 Free To Attend

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

EPEX 2008, the Exclusive Property Exhibition, is only a few weeks away. Set for 21-22 June, 2008 at Earls Court and Olympia National Hall in London, this is the show for international property investors and sellers. This unique property exhibition is for anyone interested in purchasing premier properties and the latest in luxury home furnishings. Exhibitors are primarily estate agents and brokers with properties all around the globe valued ...

British Property Millionaires on the Rise

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Britain’s Halifax estate agency undertook research which reveals some surprising results relating to the sale of homes in the UK that have a price tag of 1 million pounds. It showed that the number of million-pound properties sold across the UK had risen by more than a third in 2007. It appears that the 2007 high end property market was buoyant with buyers snapping up luxury homes in the UK. The research from Halifax Estate Agents ...

Celebrity Restaurants Being Sold Off

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The 77 year award winning designer Sir Terrence Conran is about to end his career as a restaurant owner as he seeks to sell off his entire restaurant business. Conrans restaurants feature regularly in gossip magazines and are haunts of the paparazzi as they attract a wealth of celebrity diners. Kate Middleton, the girlfriend of Prince William, was recently seen at Sir Terence's Bluebird restaurant in Chelsea whilst Quaglino's is a regul...

Luxury Property Exhibition Continues to Grow

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

EPEX 2008 is the UK’s only showcase for finest real estate in the whole world as well as those who outfit and cater to the buyers of such property. It is becoming so popular that additional display booths had to be arranged for exhibitors, and there are only a few left of these. This annual show and exhibition takes place at Earls Court & Olympia National Hall, in London, 21 - 22 June 2008. This year’s event is the second...

Luxury Homes At Fractional Ownership Exhibition

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

23/04/08-Fractional ownership can be the path to owning luxury property,boats and planes to name but a few. The UK’s top Fractional Ownership Exhibition is set to be the most popular yet and is taking place at Broadgate Event Venues, EC2A 2BQ in the heart of the City of London 28 to 30th April 2008. Oceânico Group who develop high quality beach, leisure and golf resorts in Portugal are the headline sponsor of th...

Millionaire Lottery Winner Gets Council House

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

21/04/08-Scotland’s biggest lottery jackpot winner John McGuiness has spent more than his £10 million winnings and is facing eviction from his luxury home. The Scottish Sunday Mail reveals that an eviction hearing will be held on Tuesday. It also reports that the South Lanarkshire council have identified a two bedroom council house in the town of Netherburn, near Larkhall, for McGuinness and his family. McGuinness has run up...

UK Building Companies Corrupt Practices Unveiled

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Uk Office of Fair Trading has uncovered systematic price fixing and seemingly corrupt practices in tendering for large building projects. The firms accused by the government watchdog include some of the biggest construction companies in the UK including Balfour Beatty and Carillion. The Office of Fair Trading investigation is believed to be one of its biggest and reveals practices that could have cost UK tax payers billions o...

Sterling follows house prices down

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Moneycorp the foreign currency specialists report that house prices influenced Sterling yet again. This time is was the Halifax reporting a 2.5 per cent fall between February and March. Like the Nationwide two week ago, HBOS referred to the massive rise in house prices over the last ten years; 171 per cent they reckon. Also in common with Nationwide, HBOS omitted to expand on that observation. They could have been pointing out that the &quo...

Credit Crunch Not For The London Rich

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

29th March 2008-The super rich and super prime real estate in London seems to be immune to the effects of the credit crunch. This was clearly demonstrated by two property developers’ brothers Christian and Nicholas Candy who both just made 250 million pounds on property bought just 18 months ago. Candy and Candy sold two hotels located in fashionable Kensington London, both hotels overlook Kensington Gardens and were sold for a co...

The Budget & The National House Building Council

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK’s National House Building Council (NHBC) which warranties over 80% of new British Homes has today welcomed the commitment by the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, to target all new construction in the drive to reduce the UK's carbon emissions. NHBC's ten-year 'Buildmark' warranty has protected more than 6 million homes to date.NHBC is helping raising the standards of new UK homes by:• registering builders who agree to comply ...

Eco-Towns A Great Place To Live

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK government is hoping to create eco-towns. Later in the spring of 2008, the government will announce a short list of 12-15 areas that will potentially host new eco-towns. From this list, as many as 10 towns will be constructed, focusing on renewable energy, zero-carbon buildings, and support for local communities and local businesses. While they haven’t decided where these towns will be yet, they have a great example in Cambourne alre...

Fractional Ownership Exhibition New Sponsor

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The unique Fractional Life Exhibition which takes place between 28th and 30th April, at the Broadgate Event Venues, City of London has announced sponsorship from Foreign Property Ventures Ltd. The exhibition is being billed as the largest and most diverse consumer fractional ownership and asset-sharing exhibition in the world. The event caters for the growing number of people who want to enjoy ownership of life’s luxury items...

UK Property Investor Seminars Cut

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Further signs of a reduction in confidence by UK Buy to let investors are seen by the latest news from the UK’s largest property investment company Inside Track. The property investment organisation which operates weekend-long investment seminars at £2,500 a head announced cuts in its workforce. Inside Track plans to axe 40 of the company's 220 employees the cutbacks will affect only the property seminar division of the comp...

The Invest in Property Show Has Top Exhibitors

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Invest in Property Show taking place at Old Billingsgate London on 27th March to 29 March 2008 has revealed an impressive line up of exhibitors. The exhibitions goal is to at bring together essential elements of the investment property industry to the public. Fashioned as the ultimate master-class for making it in property, the show delivers real life insights into a world of property investment. Independent experts will identify ke...

Canary Wharf Property Has Gone Green

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Canary Wharf area of London has seen some of the most spectacular growth in the city of London in recent years. This district is now home to major international companies, thousands of residents, hundreds of retail stores, restaurants and many cultural activities throughout the year. It will also soon be going green with a new environmentally responsible building the home to KPMG. KPMG consulted broadly with a num...

Invest In Property Show London Will Reveal Insider Secrets

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The venue for London’s premier investment event is at Old Billingsgate in the City of London. The Invest In Property Show is taking place on 27th to 29th March 2008. The show has some unique key attractions including one that is set to inspire potential investors new and old. The show will see those that have made it big in investment telling all about how they came to be successful. Peter Conradi, Property Editor of the Sunday T...

Canary Wharf Continues to See Property Development

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Canary Wharf area of London, which has grown tremendously over the past few years, is still seeing significant growth. This area, once home to a bustling port and docks, is now one of the most desired addresses in the city for both businesses and homeowners. It is home to major international corporations, thousands of residents and hundreds of retail shops and restaurants. Additionally, there are cultural events taking place within the distri...

Super Prime Designer Homes

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Sunday Times reports that that despite a GBP100 million price tag the super rich have been snapping up luxury designer property at London’s One Hyde Park. The luxury apartments which were designed by architect Richard Rogers are due for completion in 2010. Knight Frank one of the estate agents promoting the development said sales had totalled more than GBP 500million with the average price of an apartment at GBP 20 million. The apartm...

Central Bank Cuts Interest Rates

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Bank of England cut interest rates from 5.5% to 5.25% amid signs of an economic slowdown and flat housing prices. This move comes on the heels of two rate cuts in the United States, where the Federal Reserve has lowered key rates to 3% from 4.25%. The Bank of England indicated it was unlikely to cut rates as much as the US because of fears of inflation. While the bank indicated that it needed to balance growth with inflation, analyst...

Tesco Now Estate Agents

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

4/02/08-Tesco has set the cat amongst the pigeons of UK estate agencies and property portals by announcing that it intends to launch an online estate agency service. The financial strength behind Tesco could see undercutting the traditional estate agencies. The move is response to the difficulty it experienced with it private sellers website services. Rightmove and Primelocation could also be forced, under competition rules, to list Tesco's prope...

Barclays Capital and HSBC in Mortgage Lawsuit

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

27/01/2008 London-The credit crunch and sub prime crisis is rippling right through the financial industry and add to the woes of two big players Barclays Capital and HSBC is a class action lawsuit. Friday 25th January saw the two named in an action brought over the huge collapse of the US biggest mortgage firm Countrywide Financial. New York state officials are suing a total of 26 banks and two accounting firms that did business wi...

Top Small Towns in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

16/01/2008-London Buying property in a small town seems to be in vogue in the UK a national daily newspaper has named several of the UK top towns in which to live. Small towns have become more and more popular for real estate investors in recent years. One reason is the value that these locales offer, providing more home for the purchase price than can be found in or near the larger cities. Another reason for their increasing popul...

Luxury Homes in London Feel The Crunch

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The high end property market of London, the driving force behind the city’s continually rising real estate prices, has begun to falter as prices suffered the first quarterly decline since 2003. According to news in several media, including the Times Online, the price of prime property fell by 2% over the last quarter of 2007. This information comes from several real estate agents including Savills. Prime property is that valued at m...

New Home Buyers Like Gold Dust

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The latest statistics from the UK indicate that first-time home buyers are at their lowest point in 27 years. According to Halifax, the nation’s largest mortgage lender, there were only about 300,000 first time home buyers in 2007 in the UK, some 15,000 less than in 2006. That’s the lowest number of first-time home buyers since 1980. The average price that these first time buyers paid for their homes went up by 15% from the previous y...

UK House Prices Fell in November

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK house prices fell for the third consecutive month in November according to data released by Halifax. According to the UK’s largest mortgage lender, home prices fell by 1.1% for the month, following declines of .5% in October and .6% in September. The rate of housing price increases for the full year had fallen to 6.3% through November. That’s down from a high of 11.4% in August and 8.9% in October. The housing news has been highlig...

Do not Blame Credit Crunch For House Price Falls

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK house price indicators show reductions in house prices with figures from Nationwide, Halifax, Hometrack, and Rightmove are showing falling prices. A common misconception is that the sub prime market and credit crunch is to blame for this downturn. A look under the surface will reveal that there is not one source to blame. One economics expert spreads new light on the plight of the UK housing market. An article published in The Telegra...

British Feel That Property Is Better Than Cash

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Recent research commissioned by the BBC has found that the British feel that buying property is better than cash in the bank. The UK housing market like that of the US is now reported to be slowing and with it house price drops are expected. The UK property market looks like it shall be a buyers market with home sellers reducing house prices in order to sell their homes. House prices and equity in British home owners is the conversationa...

Edinburgh House Prices Fall, Scottish Market Still Strong

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

London 26/11/07-House prices in Edinburgh have fallen by 5.6% for the past three months, but that’s the only part of Scotland that has had a drop in prices over that period. Although prices have fallen, over the past year they have still grown substantially. At the beginning of November, prices in Edinburgh were 18% higher than a year ago, and they are the highest in Scotland with an average price of £220,066. According to ne...

UK Property Search Engines Rise

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

London 22nd November 2007-The concept of a Google style search for UK property is an attractive one for both consumers and UK estate agents. A single place to visit to find UK property could take property web site surfing into the past. This concept is already a reality with Nestoria.co.uk but it seems this could be taken to a new level with a website backed by News International. The news giant who owns propertyfinder.com is...

Property Ladders Sarah Beeny Now Dating

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK TV show Property Ladder has been one of the most popular property television shows in the UK for years; it has helped satisfy the UK hunger for property related TV shows. The presenter Sarah Beeny 35 is now a household name and her advice is sought by investors who are about to embark on investing in real estate. Sarah Beeny is now capitalising on her position by launching her own dating website. The attractive presenter has had men t...

Good Mortgage News For Florida Home Buyers, Builders & Realtors

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

October 30th 2007: British Home Loans Florida Inc., the Orlando-based “Foreign National” mortgage specialists, have announced the highly successful results of a year-long market test of an innovative and timely multi-currency home loan specifically designed for Foreign National and US investor homebuyers in Florida. British Home Loans specialises in assisting Florida builders and Realtors wishing to increase their home sales ...

UK Housing Price Growth Slowing

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

House prices in England and Wales are still growing, according to data released by the Land Registry, but the rate of growth is slowing a bit. Prices in September rose .4%, bringing the annual growth rate down to 8.7% from 9.4% in August. The cost of the average house rose to £183,896 in September. London housing still leads the way, growing at a faster rate than the rest of England and Wales. Home prices in London averaged £...

5 Million Pound Luxury Home in Essex UK Being Sold By Owner

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The owners of a luxury home with a guide price of 5 million pounds located in Essex UK have decided to sell the house themselves online. The move would potentially save the owners almost £100,000 in UK estate agents fees. The unique for sale by owner property offers some very outstanding features and is being billed as the largest home recently built in the South East of England. Homesgofast.com which is promoting the home report on a growi...

Cornwall is a Second Home Hotspot

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The southwest part of England has been a holiday spot for UK residents for years, and now many are purchasing instead of renting. Though letting a house or apartment is still a popular, and reasonably-priced, way to find a holiday home, owning a second home here and throughout the UK is becoming more and more popular. Recent articles in the Times Online and the New York Times have highlighted the popularity of buying holiday homes in Cornwal...

Selling UK Homes Becoming Harder

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Selling a property in the UK is becoming harder and selling your property online could be the key. The Halifax found that prices fell by 2 per cent in the North of England and by 3 per cent in Northern Ireland. A Sunday Telegraph study indicates that UK estate agents have a growing list of unsold homes and some are reducing selling prices to achieve a sale Recent changes in mortgage rates, the uncertainty brought on by the Northern Roc...

The North East of England chosen by Ikea to Launch Flat Pack Homes

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The North East of England has been chosen by Ikea to launch the first flat pack homes. 60 timber-framed BoKlok houses are up for grabs over the next two days at a store in Tyneside, ahead of the opening of a new development next year in Gateshead. Anyone interested in buying a home can visit the Ikea Metro Park West in Gateshead to register. They will cost up to £150,000 and will only be available to non-homeowners earning between &p...

International Real Estate Investment Summit

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Investment company NuWay International with the support of Coldwell Banker, will hold an exclusive International Investor Summit on the evening of October 13th, 2007 at the Millennium Hotel in London UK. This event will bring together investors and business people from the region in a forum to look at the possibilities in the international real estate market. In particular, NuWay will be showcasing US real estate focused on low priced ...

World's Largest Overseas Property Exhibition 'A Place in the Sun Live'

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Being promoted as the world's largest overseas property exhibition ‘A Place in the Sun Live’ in association with Moneycorp is taking place in the UK at Birmingham NEC on Friday 28th to Sunday 30th September 2007. The show will have over 400 exhibitors covering 40 countries and thousands of international properties. The shows will also contain 24 free seminars hosted by independent experts such as, Andrew Winter of Chann...

Moneycorp advise on Sterling & Base Rate Cuts

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Specialist Foreign Currency dealers Moneycorp report Sterling started last week at the psychologically important $2 level. It was not until Thursday that investors made up their minds to take it higher against the ailing Dollar. By this Monday's London opening it had recovered to $2.0250.The Dollar added another week of underperformance to the four that preceded it. The woes of the US residential property market were underlined when the Nationa...

Top UK Estate Agency Insists That Overseas Property is Checked

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Hunters Property Group whose credentials include winning the prestigious Sunday Times SME top 100 companies to work for awards is one of the first UK estate agencies to adopt International Developers Information Packs or IDIP. Hunters Property Group will now have all off plan overseas developments that they promote undergo the legal health checks before they reach their clients. IDIP can be instructed by individual invest...

Rental Growth in the UK Reaches Record Levels

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors recently released its lettings survey for the 2nd quarter of 2007, and it shows that buy-to-let investors are increasingly moving into the residential real estate market as rents rise. This quarterly survey provides a comprehensive look at the lettings market in England, Wales and Scotland. It includes trends in tenant demand, rent expectations and average monthly rents. 29% more Chartered Surve...

Football Players & Managers Moving Home Again

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

One of the less-celebrated effects of football transfers is the need for the player to find new housing. Even if a player is moving across town, it still can often be uncomfortable or impracticable for the player to live in his old home. Despite boss Jose Mourinho’s insistence that Michael Ballack will not have to move home, rumors are rampant that he will have to get packing. Ballacks recent exclusion from the team’s Europ...

UK Property Executives comment on housing market

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK property industry executives from PropertyFinder.com, Savills Finance, Smart New Homes, and Knight Frank all comment on the recent turmoil in UK mortgages and bank rates. Yesterday saw The Bank of England's monetary policy committee (MPC) giving borrowers some respite by deciding to keep the official rate of interest paid on bank reserves unchanged at 5.75 per cent. PropertyFinder.com "Borrowers will be breathing a huge sigh of re...

Mintel Predict On BuyTo Let Business

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

For many people Buy to Let is becoming a mainstream alternative to traditional investments such as pensions and the stock market. Mintel reports that 3% of homeowners are considering buying another property to let by 2010, doubling the number of current landlords. The ‘Buy To Let Business’ mortgage specialists executive Tanveer Karim “Despite the tax relief benefits, many people today are exchanging their traditional p...

UK Buy To Let Property Investors Heading To The Universities

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Just when you thought that Buy To Let property in the UK may be slowing down then comes along market forces namely supply and demand these are set to ignite a one sector of the UK Buy To Let market. Recent studies indicate that rises in student numbers combined with a shortage of student let homes means that houses in multiple occupation (HMO) are the next big thing. Hometrack - a consultancy that analyses data about ...

Manchester UK First Time Buyers Look Outside the City

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

With UK House prices hitting the roof, many British first time home buyers are looking for every advantage. In Manchester, hard pressed first time buyers struggling to get on the property market are traveling a little further out of the city to find lower priced housing. One new development under way at Stretford Road at Old Trafford has one bedroom apartments starting at 122,000, compared to a similar unit in the city center by the same...

Scottish Housing Boom Ending?

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The boom in the Scottish housing market is slowing, and some think it is coming to an end, according to recent news reports. Figures in the latest quarterly housing report from Lloyds TSB Scotland, as reported by the BBC show a slowdown in price increases, but an increase overall. The second quarter of 2007 saw prices fall in Glasgow by 1.2% and Aberdeen by 1.4%. In the south east outside of Edinburgh, home prices fell by a whopping 10%...

House Prices in the UK Slowing

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The average price for a UK home continued to rise in July, according to the latest price survey from Halifax bank, as reported by the BBC. House prices went up by.7% across the UK in July. While prices are still increasing, this is the fourth consecutive month to see an increase lower than 1%. On a yearly basis, the average home price has risen 11.2% over the past year. The price of house in the UK is £198,195. One reason f...

Google & Selling Property Online

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The trend for selling houses on the internet appears to be on the increase as Private Seller or 'For Sale By Owner' (FSBO) websites fight for sponsorship advertising space on Google Search. A search conducted on the 27th August 2007 for search terms ‘Sell My Property’ reveal over 90 FSBO websites fighting for exposure on Google sponsored advertising space. The trend for selling property online appears to...

Halifax say British Seaside Property is Popular

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Seaside life has always been popular, both for vacationers and those who want to live there year round. New research shows just how much Britons are willing to pay extra to live by the sea – over £5,000. A survey by Halifax Estate Agents, as reported by the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk) indicates that the average home in a town along the coast costs about 3%, or £5,298, more than a home inland in the same county. The most...

House Prices Continue to Rise Across England

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Housing prices across the UK continue to show gains, with London topping the list. According to a research report just reported in financial website This is Money (www.thisismoney.co.uk), prices in London are up over 15% for the past year. Prices in the South-West have risen over 10%, while the South-East lags behind but still show significant gains at 8.6% rise in prices for the year. Average prices in London now top £350,000, say...

UK Buy to Let Property Market and HMO's

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A combination of the steadily rising student population and a decline in landlords investing in the UK House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) could mean it is just the time to get into the HMO Buy to let market in the UK. The multi tenanted houses which are legally defined as "houses which are occupied by persons who do not form a single household" are in decline. Last year saw significant number of landlords in the private ...

Foreign Currency Exchange & UK Interest Rates

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Moneycorp the foreign currency specialist report that he Dollar slammed the hammer down last Monday leaving Sterling and almost everything else eating its dust. Starting out from $2.02 Sterling had fallen to below $1.97 by Friday morning. Almost a three cent bounce was promptly followed by a two cent fall and Sterling opened this week just above $1.98.As the US sub-prime securitised mortgage fiasco worked its evil way further through financi...

UK Home Owners Unaware of For Sale By Owner option

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Selling property privately appears to be a bit of a mystery according to the UK based For Sale By Owner website at FSBO.org.uk. The non profit website estimates only 10% of sellers in the UK decide to sell their homes privately. The website believes that this is not because of choice but more owing to a lack of knowledge about selling UK property without an estate agent. FSBO.org.uk is a not-for-profit website which aims to educate peopl...

Survey Reveals Why Retired Folk Move Home

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK based Homewise who provide property related retirement solutions reveal the results of a survey aimed at the over sixties. The company conducted an online survey of 1,200 over-60s in a bid to identify the main reason why those at retirement age move home. The survey showed that there are a number of factors that drive a decision to move house during retirement. 29% of respondents stated wanting to be nearer to friends and fam...

Moneycorp Foreign Currency Advice

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Sterling kicked off from $2.0250 after a losing week and struggled a cent higher before falling all the way back. Its second attempt, which began on Wednesday, was more successful and Sterling opened this Monday just short of $2.0450.A week ago it seemed that the Dollar would be able to rise above the financial market turmoil by virtue of its status as a 'safe haven' in times of trouble. Any such hopes were dashed last week as it became clear t...

UK Government give advice to overseas property buyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK government is campaigning to help British overseas property buyers buy safely abroad. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office the official agency for advice and information for British Nationals Abroad is highlighting its advice in its “Know before You Go” campaign. UK Overseas property magazines and other media are seeing the FCO advertising campaign aimed at Brits who are buying real estate abroad. Some of ...

Posh and Becks typical British overseas property buyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Overseas property investors don’t come much bigger than celebrity couple David and Victoria Beckham. Posh and Becks like many Brits love to buy property abroad in fact the UK Office of National Statistics indicate British expatriate numbers increase annually and have been doing so for the last 10 years. The British buy property abroad for numerous reasons including a desire to get away from the rat race, the unpredictable British w...

Wealthy Home Buyers Keep London House Prices Up

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Millionaire home buyers buying property in London are responsible for continuing strength in high end house prices in London. Despite recent interest rises the luxury home market is not showing signs of slowing. It seems the rich may be immune to such attempts to dampen the market and it appears that two of the UKs largest property consultancies Savills and Knight Frank agree. Savills is one of the UKs leading international prope...

Selling property online in the UK a controversy

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Selling property privately online has again caused controversy amongst estate agents in the UK not happy with the competition offered by online property website at Tescopropertymarket.com Unlike the US where realtors work in competition with for sale by owner websites UK estate agents have a virtual online monopoly with all the UK's major portals refusing to list properties sold directly by the owners. The big f...

Foreign Currency Transfers and US Dollar

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Sterling held comfortably above $2 all week, coming close to $2.02 on three occasions. Towards the end of the week it drifted lower and it opened this Monday just over $2.01.For most of last week the market was content to ignore the evidence of a stuttering US economy. Lower Factory Orders and fewer Pending Home Sales - those between exchange of contract and completion - were offset by a stronger Purchasing Managers' Index and more new jo...

UK Property owners suffer

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

In a bid to stem inflation the Bank of England raised interest rates to control spending by consumers. UK Homeowners with a typical £100,000 mortgage will have to pay £80 more on monthly repayments than they did last summer. Mortgage lenders who pass on the rate rises to their customers will add around £16 a month to the bill of a family with an average size home loan. Home owners in London will be heavily hit with thei...

Tesco and Primelocation no property portal deal

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Property portal Primelocation has written to its member to clarify their position regarding the approach made to them by supermarket giant Tesco. Primelocation.com recently confirmed that they were approached by Tesco a few months ago regarding feeding their listings to the new Tesco property website. Primelocation has felt it necessary to clarify its position after reports in the UK press stated that the two were working together...

British breaking budgets on homes in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK home buyers are no good at sticking to a budget when buying a property in the UK. A recent study by YourPropertyClub who conducted a survey of 3,500 homeowners revealed more than a third are willing to go over budget to live in a particular area. This over spend translated into an average £9,524 or a 30 per cent overspend on their budgets. UK house price inflation eased last month amid signs that higher interest ra...

Selling property online at Tesco

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Selling property privately online has always been a controversial way to sell a home as it challenges the role of estate agents. Private sellers typically stand to save thousands in commission fees. The news that supermarket giant Tesco is starting its own house selling service is another challenge to the role of estate agents. Tesco intends to launch its house selling service at £199 which includes advertising on the...

Executives to visit Luxury Property Exhibition

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The UK is host to an overseas property exhibition solely focused on the high end luxury real estate market. From a private island in the Bahamas to a Castle in Slovakia the exhibition is sure to get UK millionaires reaching for their cheque books. The executive property Exhibition is to be held at London’s Excel, this coming Saturday & Sunday, 19 - 20 May. Unusually entry is completely free of charge, whether you regi...

Most expensive place to buy property revealed

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A list of the top ten locations with the most expensive prime property in the world reads as follows: London, Monaco, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Cannes, St. Tropez, Sydney, Paris and Rome. As per the ‘Wealth Report 2007’ by estate agent Knight Frank and Citi Private Bank, London takes the top honors with prime property registering a cost of 2,300 pounds per square foot. Monaco comes a close second with 2,190 pounds per...

British Mortgage Approvals fall

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

In a reaction to the recent interest rate hikes, records show that approvals for new home purchases in Britain fell by 12 percent in the month of March 2007. Then British Bankers Association has drawn comparisons between the number of approvals for home purchase loans in March 2006 and March 2007. In March 2007 the total number was 75,098 loans approved. This was 10,000 less than that in March 2006. The current month would be the...

UK housing market asking prices up

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

According to reports compiled by Rightmove.co.uk the UK has registered the highest monthly increases in five years in property asking prices. The recent UK housing report indicated an increase of 3.6 per cent. This means that those looking to sell their home are demanding more than the previous years. Miles Shipside, Commercial Director, Rightmove thinks this situation would confuse the real picture. Industry insiders be...

Jet2.com make Overseas Property Easier than Ever

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

For those who have overseas property or are interested in investing in international property, getting there is now easier than ever. With the proliferation of both European and Trans-Atlantic discount airlines and airfares, the number of flights continues to increase while the costs decrease. One British discount airline, Jet2.com (www.jet2.com), has announced it is on a record pace for passengers this year and has some of the best fares...

Selling property online to rise in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK property industry insiders anticipate a surge in online property sales in 2007 owing to the introduction of the Home Information Packs. From June 1 2007, everyone involved in selling a home in the UK will need to know about Home Information Packs (HIPs). The anticipated online sales increases will come from the publics lack of appetite for the new fees associated with the packs. The combination of estate agents commiss...

Overseas Business start up for free

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK entrepreneurs considering expanding or starting up a business overseas are being offered free advice from experts at an exhibition in London’s Excel. ‘Business Start-up Overseas’ is a brand new event launched specifically to help people undertake the huge task of starting a business abroad. The exhibitions taking place on 27th and 28th April 2007 are free to attend. The organisers also aim to assist companies in...

Overseas Property buyers are losing money

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Buying an overseas property is being made more expensive by ill prepared buyers not accounting for hidden costs associated with buying a property abroad. Figures revealed in a survey conducted by currency specialists Moneycorp show that 24 per cent of buyers spent more than they had planned on hidden costs. The UK buyer has a huge appetite for overseas property and the trend is set to continue. UK Estate Agents Knight...

Million pound homes selling fast

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Halifax Estate Agents announced new figures that see a huge rise in the sale of Million Pound Homes in England and Wales. In fact figures have doubled over the past 12 months. Halifax Estate Agents, said there were 7,076 home sales in excess of £1m during 2006, up 97% on the 3,600 recorded in 2005. The bulk of million pound homes are from central London. Postal districts of SW3 in Chelsea topped the list with 306 ...

The London Olympics and mortgages for non nationals

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

USHE Overseas mortgages specialists have secured mortgages lending for non nationals wishing to buy property in London UK. The company have witnessed increased demand for UK real estate owing to the forthcoming London Olympics USHE can now secure lending in the UK to individuals residing in FATF countries. These include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hong Kong, Arub...

Million pound real estate & Chris Tarrant the Millionaire

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Chris Tarrant and his divorcing wife Ingrid have been revealed as shrewd property investors with enormous wealth. The property portfolio they have between them would be the dreams of any winner of Chris Tarrants hit TV show ‘ Who wants to Be a Millionaire’ The couple split last year over his seven-year affair with teacher Fiona McKechnie and are trying to reach a financial settlement. Christopher John Tarrant, O...

London real estate hit by Stealth Tax

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Buying property in London UK is an expensive business every sale attracts stamp duty which ranges from 1 percent to 4 per cent depending upon the value of the real estate being bought. House prices in London have soared however the thresholds remain at £250,000 and £500,000 creating a stealth tax. Conservative MP Justine Greening said “Despite all the warm words in the Budget the result has been the fleeci...

Primelocation.com report on London House prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The South East and in particular London is witnessing seemingly unstoppable price increases. Primelocation.com which is owned by Daily Mail & General Holdings reports unrelenting price growth of prime London property. London house price are at record average sales prices in every region in the capital with prices up 25.8% overall. Stock of prime London property for sale hits an all-time low, while demand intensifies, pushing pri...

UK Property websites in for a fight

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Rightmove, Primelocation.com, Propertyfinder.com and Findaproperty are all battling for positions with high profile offline advertising campaigns costing millions of pounds. The stakes are high with the reward of lucrative UK estate agent property advertising. Rightmove has over 12,500 estate agents offices out of an estimated 15,000, Rightmove are generating more revenue by introducing banner adverts on the map sites of the ‘more propert...

Reality TV wants overseas property buyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Reality TV show ‘Fly to Buy’ is hunting for serious overseas property buyers for its popular TV show. Assisted by property experts Melissa Porter and Gordon Whistance the buyers will be helped by the show to find their perfect overseas pad. The show which features a variety of buyers with personal passions for differing overseas locations, from the more traditional holiday home destinations of Spain, France, Turkey an...

Budding Internet & Property millionaires go on UK tour

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Internet & Property Entrepreneur Conference has announced the dates for its unique conferences on tour in the UK. Delegates who attend the conferences get the chance to rub shoulders with the UK’s internet and property millionaires, who attend with the aim of sharing their secrets with budding UK entrepreneurs. The dates and location for budding millionaires are Edinburgh (March 10-11)...

Propertyfinder.com hits out at Estate Agent News

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

CEO of propertyfinder.com a UK based property portal has hit out at claims made by Estate Agency News that stated that propertyfinder were not prepared to release official traffic figures to the property web site. Propertyfinder is one of the UKs major property portals and was purchased in November 2005 by Australia’s property portal, realestate.com.au, and News International, owners of The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun...

Jet2.com teams up with The On Holiday Group

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

In a move which will have a profound impact on the industry, the low cost airline, Jet2.com, today announced it has launched a tour operator with a difference – Jet2holidays.com. The airline has joined forces with The On Holiday Group to offer real-time, dynamically packaged holidays to attack the heart of traditional tour operating. A multi-million pound advertising campaign will launch the online company to the public l...

Big brother data protects homes in Smart Water

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Making your home secure can be a key selling point when selling your home. Police in the UK have unveiled their latest crime-busting weapon called Smartwater which is a DNA-style spray rigged up to trap burglars targeting homes in Cumbria UK.A Big Brother central database keeps a record of where it is registered, so criminals caught with the substance on them can be traced back to the scene of a break-in The spray, which is t...

London house prices linked to selling property online

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Rising house prices means bigger payouts for real estate agents in London UK where property experts say there has been a huge increase in the number of people selling property online. The trend is being fuelled by rising house prices and homeowners' growing disillusionment with estate agents and their large fees. Despite recent rate rises in the UK house prices are still expected to rise in 2007. Halifax bank predict house prices to rise...

Good news for Buy to Let mortgage property investors

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Independent mortgage broker USHE Financial have found a solution for frustrated UK buy to let investors who are stuck with equity in their rental properties that cannot be released. The development could see property investors expanding their UK property portfolios or allowing investors to buy property overseas. The Investment problem Traditionally, property investors who own a U.K. property that is let to tena...

The House builder, property website & estate agent add cheer to London stock market

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Indications for a positive start for this year’s construction and property sector in the UK can be seen from the home builder Bovis, property portal Rightmove and estate agents Savills. All are set to exceed city predictions with for their pre tax profits. Bovis Home Builder The Bovis Group started building homes in1965 by forming Bovis Homes and in December 1997 Bovis Homes was floated...

Scottish property attracting property millionaires

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Scotland is attracting millionaires who are buying luxury property in Scotland at the same time Scottish house builders plan to build for millionaire home buyers. Earlier in the year Donald Trump offered plans for a golf academy and two championship-standard courses on a 1,400-acre site near Aberdeen in the north-eastern part of the country. Donald Trump plans include the construction of 1,000 homes, 36 luxury villas and a 4...

Absent fathers, rocky relationships & buying property abroad

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A clandestine absent father’s organisation reports that fathers are heading abroad whilst a leading overseas property web site cites rocky relationships as the reason for couples turning their backs on their home overseas. Clandestine organisation helping absent fathers moving abroad. Thousands of men who don't have access to their children are choosing to start a new life in another country. The Planetary Alliance ...

Mortgages for 50 years say first time buyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK mortgage lenders must have taken a look at the future and seen that the lack of first time buyers buying property in the UK could well be their downfall. It is estimated that 17.3 million adults in the UK are unable to get on to the property ladder, with 7.4 million citing house prices as the main reason. Mortgage lenders have responded with new lending criteria that sees a first time buyer being able to now borrow 5 times their annual salary....

UK Banks quick to take money slow to give

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Bank rate rises are always big news and the latest quarter point rise in interest rates to 5 per cent puts interest rates at their highest level for five years. Inflation figures which are hanging round the 2.5% have seen the Bank of England act to keep inflation under control, with a target rate of 2%. Consumer debt is enormous Consumers now hold a record 1.3 trillion pounds in debt, and higher rates are beginning to strain ho...

Students to rent futuristic �living pods� being built in London UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Living in a cube or ‘living pods’ sounds like something from the future something you might see in a science fiction movie or on space station. For London students compact living pods are set to become reality by September 2007. A huge development called Nido (Italian for nest) is currently being built near Kings Cross Station London and will house 846 students in cubes 16ft by 9ft. The living pods are 16ft by 9ft in size and ...

Its official UK house prices have gone through the roof.

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

House prices have gone through the roof accelerating over 187 percent since from February 1996 reports Halifax Britains largest mortgage lender. Stock market investors will be crying into their Financial Times at the UK house price news. Comparing the UK stock market to bricks and mortar property investment has outstripped the stock markets investments hands down. UK property prices have soared at more than three times the rate of ...

UK Property Landlords thank tenants in their twenties

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK House prices and social changes are seeing that 20 to 30 years old are mortgage free with many finding it easier to rent. Michael Ball, Professor of Urban and Property Economics at the University of Reading Business School, forecast an average growth in numbers of Buy to Let tenancies of 20-30,000 a year over the next ten years. In 1994, 55% of all mortgages were for first-time buyers. Today, that figure is 36%. What ...

London estate agents and London property prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Property in London UK is experiencing an unprecedented property boom for it’s luxury property. The United Kingdom's capital is attracting the wealthiest property investors who have big bucks to spend. These individuals are not fazed by huge price tags never seen before in the UK. The consequence of this inward investment in London’s property market is that demand is outstripping supply. This has caused property prices to spiral out ...

Property in the UK-Stamp duty stamps misery on first time buyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

First time buyers will become even more disillusioned by figures recently released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The share of first-timers paying the government stamp duty has jumped from 48 per cent to 56 per cent within a year. Michael Coogan, the CML's director-general reports “Overall, affordability has worsened, especially for first-time buyers," Luxury property in London Primelocation.com the property web s...

House Doctor brings home staging to London UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Autumn Ideal Home Show which is taking place at London’s Earls Court on until 15th October 2006 has been is teaching those looking to sell property how to stage a house. The process made famous by Ann Maurice of House Doctor fame can turn a hard to sell property to a desirable must buy home. Home staging is a highly affordable and quick process which can increase your property's value and sale price by thousands of pounds! Cons...

Rightmove ,Countrywide and private equity leaders 3i

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Rightmove the UK property website has reportedly had one of its substantial share holders subject to a takeover bid. This share holder is Countrywide who hold a 22 per cent stake in Rightmove. In September, Countrywide said it had received a proposal from private equity firm 3i which is thought to have priced the business at around 530p a share - valuing it at around £900 million. The latest news about the sale of the Countrywide ...

UK house prices -The Brains of Britain are homeless

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Steady increases in UK house prices is great news for those already on the property ladder but a source of depression for those trying to buy property for the first time. A recent survey indicates that even those with the greatest potential to earn higher salaries cannot get a foot hold on the property ladder. The third annual Scottish Widows survey into the home buying prospects of university graduates under 40 r...

UK Overseas property buyers are well informed

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Overseas property agents are finding that the British are particularly well informed when buying property abroad. Buyers ranging from property investors to those looking to relocate for their retirement tend to know detailed information about the region in which they intend to buy Overseas property agents International Property link (IPL) who sell overseas property from a range of locations including Spain, Turkey, Morocco, Italy Thailan...

Overseas property exhibition launches with entertainment built in

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

'A place in the sun' live overseas property exhibition was launched today at the NEC Birmingham UK. The show which is sponsored by Barclays Bank opens its doors to thousands of potential overseas property buyers until 1st October 2006. The Brooklands group event has exhibitors from more than 35 countries including Spain, France, Turkey, Cyprus, USA, Canada, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, Greece and New Zealand, plus new emerging propert...

Buying property in a group could be the Rightmove

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A real alternative for those trying to get on the first rung of the property ladder is to buy property in a group. Legally, up to four people can jointly own a property in England and Wales and joint ownership could be a great way to save on rent and at the same time own your own home. Rising house prices in London has made it near impossible for first time buyers to own a property by themselves. The property web site Rightmove r...

UK property investors enjoying high confidence

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Buy-to-let investors in UK property are currently in confident mood and on the lookout for the best possible deals available, according to research by Mortgage Trust.The company's study found that investors are currently looking for lower rental income requirements and higher loan-to-value (LTV) limits when they take out a buy-to-let mortgage.Of the intermediary lenders questioned by Mortgage Trust, four out of ten said that 50 per cent or more o...

New survey shows "firm" growth in UK property prices

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Prices of UK property increased by 0.8 per cent in August, according to a Nationwide report, creating a "firm" market for people selling a house in the UK.The annual rate of inflation stands at 6.6 per cent higher than last year, representing an increase for the third consecutive month.Fionnuala Earley, Nationwide's group economist, pointed out that this is the fastest annual growth rate in UK property since April 2005 and almost three ...

West coast tipped as profitable for investors

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Homes on the west coast of Britain have been tipped as the most profitable in seaside areas for UK property investors, having seen the strongest levels of house price growth in the past five years.The seaside town to see the largest degree of growth is in fact on the east coast. Seaham, in County Durham, experienced a 181 per cent increase in value.However, 14 of the top 20 coastal towns that had the highest rises in price are on the UK's western...

Positive weekend for sellers predicted

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

People hoping to sell UK property are set to have a productive bank holiday weekend, an estate agent has predicted.According to property company haart, sales transactions have increased by 20 per cent so far in August compared to last month.The market for UK property is currently buoyant, owing to a number of factors. Confidence is reportedly strong, based on continued household growth.A shortage of housing stock, particularly for family homes, h...

Bristol described as UK property hotspot

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

People looking for a property investment in the UK could be advised to consider Bristol, according to a new study.According to property agents CB Richard Ellis Hamptons International, there are a number of aspects to the city which make it desirable and popular among homebuyers, the Bristol Evening Post reports.The current growth in population, employment, house prices and the economy are all predicted to continue, the company claims.A total popu...

Millionaire property owners heading for the web

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Owners of million pound homes appear to be increasingly turning to the internet as they strive to sell their property in a market which can pose many challenges to sellers.The sale of a home which is over the million pound mark is a practice substantially different from selling other types of real estate, with genuine luxury home buyers proving a rare breed within today's market.In response to these challenges, Nicholas Marr, CEO of Marr Internat...

UK property price inflation eases

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The annual rate of inflation in the UK property market has slowed down from 5.6 per cent in May 2006 to 5.2 per cent in June, the government has announced.In London, the reduction was more pronounced, from seven per cent in May to 5.8 per cent in June, while the annual inflation rate for the quarter up to the sixth month of the year was 5.3 per cent in the UK and 6.5 per cent in the capital.The mix-adjusted average house price in the UK in June s...

Rising prices paint positive picture for sellers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

People looking to sell UK property will see a benefit from the current trend of rising house prices, with recent figures showing that the average value of a house has increased by 7.71 per cent.Figures from the Land Registry show that the average price of a house is now £199,184.Contrary to the trend of London seeing the highest price increases, the north experienced most inflation in property values, with Yorkshire and Humber and the north-...

Capital property market continues to boom

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The capital continues to be the most active and thriving area of the UK property market, according to a new report, with prices growing by 2.5 per cent in July.Property agent Knight Frank states that prices in London are now 20.6 per cent higher than they were this time last year, providing good news for homeowners considering selling a property.One of the reasons behind the booming prices is City workers spending record bonuses, creating a high ...

Rise in UK property prices could be good for sellers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Now could be a good time to sell up for those people looking to leave the UK and invest in overseas property, the latest figures suggest.Nationwide has released data that shows that house prices in the UK rose by 0.8 per cent during July, as the summer saw house prices join temperatures on the rise.This summer is also a considerably better time to sell than the same summertime period of 2005, when house prices were growing at almost half the rate...

Positive outlook for commercial property in the UK

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Overseas property investors who may be looking for an alternative option in the UK could consider commercial property investment, a sector which could perform well in the near future, according to property asset manager F&C. Commercial property has been delivering total returns of 20 per cent per year, the company reports, and further good results are predicted for 2006. The office sector is being touted as one of the most promising areas, ...

UK property prices soar over past month

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Homeowners in the UK hoping to sell a property could be encouraged by the news that the market is currently very fruitful for sellers, with prices increasing by 2.9 per cent in the past four weeks. According to the latest survey from real estate company Rightmove, UK property prices rose by £1,500 per week in the month up to July 8th, creating an overall average house price of £217,580. This is an annual rise of 10.6 per cent – t...

UK property prices becoming more stable

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Prices of property in the UK are beginning to stabilise while still showing positive growth, according to the latest Assetz house price watch. In June, the average annual rate of growth in prices was 6.74 per cent, compared to 6.52 per cent in May and the 4.23 per cent that was measured at the beginning of 2006. The average price of a home was therefore also slightly up, from £189,317 to £189,408, an increase of over £10,000 on t...

Community spirit among top priorities for homebuyers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A new survey has found that issues such as affordability and location are not the only issues that UK property buyers consider, as having nice neighbours and living in an area with a good community spirit were also found to be priorities. The research by Linden Homes found that living in a nice community was the second most valued aspect of life for people asked on their opinions on what makes a "positive living environment". Above th...

UK property prices drop in June

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The Halifax house price index has reported that the prices of residential UK property decreased by 1.2 per cent in June compared to the previous month. House prices in the UK saw an overall increase of 4.5 per cent in the first half of 2006, however, and a rise of 2.6 per cent in the second quarter of this year. This second quarter rise was noted in all regions of the UK except for Wales, which saw prices drop by 0.8 per cent, with the biggest ...

UK property prices increase in May

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The government has released its House Price Index for May 2006, showing that inflation in the UK property market rose to 5.6 per cent from 5.1 per cent in April. Wales was the only country in the UK to see a fall in inflation in May, to 5.1 per cent from the level of 6.6 per cent the previous month. England saw a rise from 4.7 per cent in April to 5.2 per cent in May, the level in Scotland increased from 7.6 to 9.3 per cent and in Northern Irel...

Number of buy-to-let investors in UK climbing

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

New research has shown that the level of buy-to-let investment activity in UK property is on the increase, as 14 per cent of mortgages handled by advisers are currently accounted for by these customers. Paragon Mortgages' research shows that this number has risen from the six per cent that was measured in June 2001 and the ten per cent of December 2004. This steadily increasing buy-to-let activity appears to have been beneficial for advisers, a...

Global Insight comments on upbeat UK property market

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Financial analysts Global Insight have commented on the latest Hometrack survey of the UK property market, saying that it is indicative of the generally upbeat condition of the housing market at the current time. There appears to be a positive outlook for people wishing to sell property, as the number of sales agreed rose by over eight per cent in June, compared to 3.3 per cent in May. Hometrack also noted other elements of the housing market w...

Economist stresses importance of housing to UK economy

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing's (CIH) annual conference yesterday, economist Andrew Dilnot stressed the importance of UK property to the economy. He acknowledged the fact that Chancellor Gordon Brown did not have a huge amount of funding to allocate in the next spending review, but insisted that some of it must go to housing. One of the main reasons given for the expected shortage of resources for the housing sector was the att...

CBI boss to highlight importance of UK property sector

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Sir Digby Jones, the director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), will underline the importance of the UK property sector later this week, at the annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH). In a keynote speech, Sir Digby will address hundreds of professionals who are responsible for the creation and maintenance of a large portion of the country's housing. One of the issues considered in the session, which ...

UK property market shows strong growth

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The state of the UK property market appears promising for individuals looking to buy or sell a property, as people appear to be more willing to take out a mortgage at the present time. Research from the British Bankers' Association shows that net mortgage lending rose by an underlying £5.7 billion in May 2006. This is an increase from the £5.1 billion rise measured in April and also from the average rise noted over the past six months...

UK property looks positive for those selling a house

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Data released by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) today has shown that the current UK property market is in a good condition for people looking to sell a house, with prices rising and demand high. Property prices showed the strongest rise in two years last month, according to Rics, with 20 per cent more chartered surveyors reporting a rise than a fall – compared to 15 per cent in April. The values have been pushed up by hi...

Post-World Cup boom anticipated for UK property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Activity in the UK property market is set to increase after the World Cup, following the traditional dip that is seen during the tournament, according to haart estate agents. The company has analysed data from World Cups for the last 20 years, finding that the number of house transactions is likely to be less than the usual average during the tournament, but will pick up again afterwards. Overall, a 1.3 per cent decrease in housing market activ...

UK property rental market looking healthy for investors

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The rental market for investors in UK property is currently a healthy and potentially lucrative option, according to the latest reports from the Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla). London and the south-east are the best areas for investment, with rents also rising in the south, the association states. Overall, Arla reports that the results of its latest quarterly survey of member letting agents shows that the average values of ass...

Rising prices could prove welcome for those selling a property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

People considering selling a property could welcome news today that prices of houses in the UK are currently on the increase. The latest government statistics show that UK house price inflation rose from 3.3 per cent in March 2006 to 5.1 per cent in April. Between March and April, overall price levels rose by 0.9 per cent, compared to a 0.8 per cent fall that was measured in the same period of 2005. According to the government, the rise in pri...

House prices encouraging for those selling property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Homeowners asking themselves the question 'should I or shouldn't I sell my house' could be encouraged by the current condition of house prices in London. A report from estate agent haart has shown that house prices in the capital have recently risen for the eighth consecutive month. The average price of a house in London increased in May by one per cent to £250,137, with properties in the north-east of the city seeing the largest increase ...

Confidence rising for people selling property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

A survey released today has stated that homeowners considering selling a property are currently doing so with increased confidence. Alliance & Leicester's borrowing monitor reports that at the beginning of the year seven per cent of households said they were thinking of selling a property and moving house or remortgaging. Recently, however, 15 per cent of homes said that they were planning to sell their property and move before next winter....

Landlords expand portfolios despite price rises

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Property investors looking to purchase homes for letting purposes paid nearly two per cent more in April than in March, according to Paragon Mortgages' latest Buy-to-Let Index. The specialist lender found that landlords continue to retain their confidence in the property market, expanding their portfolios and contributing to a price inflation growth rate of 4.7 per cent over the past six months. April prices were 7.62 per cent higher than 12 mon...

Landlords expand portfolios despite price rises

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

RICS to revise advice for valuers

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Consumers hoping to find UK property to rent out could benefit from new guidelines that will be given to property valuers. Members of the Council of Mortgage Lenders and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) have decided clarification of the current 'Red Book' guidelines is needed if a new build property's true value is not to be distorted. RICS valuers need to provide an objective estimate of market value for mortgage lenders to use...

Truro tops UK property rise table

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The town of Truro has beaten off competition from some of the bigger cities to register the highest increase in residential property price per square metre (psm) in the UK. Although London remains the most expensive city to live at £3,582 psm, and Oxford comes second with an average £2,741 psm, Truro's property has rocketed by a staggering 262 per cent in a decade, according to Halifax Estate Agents. In 1996 the average price of prope...

Investors looking north for UK property

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The north of England is poised to overtake the south as a location for property investments, according to a new survey of specialists. Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of exhibitors at the forthcoming Property Investor and Homebuyer Show North said they saw investors taking advantage of better buy-to-let opportunities in the north of the country. They said that increased investment in infrastructure and regeneration meant the north was now a...

Commission calls for more homes in the country

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Immediate action is required to prevent rural England from becoming the preserve of the rich and retired, according to a new report. The Affordable Rural Housing Commission has called for more property to be built and a possible tax for second homeowners in order to stop rural demographics from being drastically skewed. Chair of the commission, Elinor Goodman, said that villages and towns should "be allowed to evolve" in the way they ...

Retirees making more moves

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

UK pensioners' preference for living in certain areas has led to the creation of a new raft of property hotspots, according to a new report. Research carried up by the Alliance Trust Research Centre group of investment companies shows that almost a fifth (20 per cent) of the population is now retired. However, this proportion is significantly lower in large cities, with just 11 per cent of people retired in the middle of London and 14 per cent ...

UCB offers UK buy-to-let update

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

Investors tempted to buy property overseas may be interested in the snapshot of the current UK buy-to-let market provided by UCB Home Loans, subsidiary of Nationwide. Significantly few of the major English cities were singled out, with the top locations for investors proving to be in Wales and Northern Ireland. The buy-to-let market looks particularly strong in Swansea, where the area around the docks is enjoying regeneration, while Belfast in ...

Prime property prices in London hit five year high

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:09 +0100

The price of prime central London property is growing at its fastest rate for five years, according to one leading estate agent. Knight Frank reports that prime property prices in central London rose almost 15 per cent year-on-year in April, the 16th consecutive monthly rise and the highest jump for five years. Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank, said that the boom was actually getting even "stronger", citing a ...