According to the latest figures from Lloyds Bank, the value of your property can command an extra £22,000 on average if you live near a well-known supermarket chain. Lloyds found out that owning a home based by a premium branded supermarket will increase the value of your home further. In fact, living within close proximity to a Waitrose store can boost the value of your property […]
Property Transactions Soar!
Residential property transactions boomed in March 2016 with a staggering increase of 70% compared to the same month last year, according to HMRC. A huge influx of investment in buy-to-let properties and second homes ahead of the 1st April 2016, was caused by the Government’s new 3% surcharge on the Stamp Duty Tax. There were also concerns of the anticipated Bank of […]
Will a Brexit affect UK property?
Read the latest article from leading property expert Kate Faulkner How would an exit from the European Union affect the UK property market? I don’t like to get involved in major political debates. I very much see my job as trying to ensure any policies which are introduced help to solve or enhance housing delivery in the UK. If […]
Two-year fixed mortgage rates fall below 3% on average.
The average price of a fixed rate two-year mortgage has now fallen below 3% as rates continue to fall! According to financial information group Moneyfacts, high street branches are still competing heavily against each other, with five lenders offering fixed rate mortgages of less than 1.3%. With the prospect of a rise in the Bank Rate decreasing swap rates have […]
Planning permission approvals rise!
Planning permission for over 195,000 new homes in England has been granted in 2014, a 12% rise on the previous year, from the Home Builders Federation. The number of private homes granted permission also increased by 23%. House building activity has increased significantly over the past 18 month, with the number of new homes started in 2014 was up 36% […]
Osbourne overhauls Stamp Duty… Guest Blogger of the Month – Kate Faulkner
So here it is, at last, the end of the worst slab tax in history. Now time for a refresher and some facts and figures so you know the impact it will have. Firstly its mostly buyers that benefit as you are taxed on property on entry, not on exit which means any money you make between buying and […]
First-Time Buyers Boosting Sales Market
The number of first-time buyers completing the purchase on their first home increased 11% year-on-year for September (Moneyfacts.co.uk, October 2014), according to data from YourMove. Despite the rising housing costs, first-time buyers are boosting a slowdown in the property market, accounting for 30% of all transactions, according to the NAEA (estateagenttoday.co.uk, October 2014), . The number of new people joining […]
It’s High-Rise for Housing Market!
Great news in the property market as house prices are predicted to soar. According to a forecast published by Rightmove and Oxford Economics, house prices across the nation should increase by up to 30% by 2019*. This substantial rise is backed by Savills who predict a 26% rise by 2018 (ThisisMoney.co.uk, October 2014). Property forecasts can be generous at times, […]
Scottish Referendum Leaves Uncertain Future in Property Market
The Scottish Referendum could have a steep decrease on property prices north of the border, so claim Zoopla (EstateAgentToday.co.uk, September 2014). The property portal state that house prices in Scotland have been rising for the last two years, however a Yes vote would almost certainly have an unfavourable effect on the Scottish economy. With uncertainty brewing in the market over […]
A Licence to Bill – The Impoverished Middle Class.
As much as I understand the benefits and desire to see privately rented property maintained to a standard all tenants can be assured on, the implications of landlord licensing dwell dourly for the middle class with the recovering private rental sector. A selection of county councils are implementing Landlord Licensing Fees in order to maintain good property management and to […]