Author: |Posted: 12:56 pm on 29/09/08
Category: Buying & Selling, House Prices, Property & Money
I’d say this was an exaggeration, but I’ve just read a report that says that the stamp duty holiday will change the face of Britain. How? Well, according to the report by upmystreet.com, high house prices and the ‘work from home environment’ will encourage a shift in the population, particularly among younger people, who will shun expensive areas and flock to affordable regions.
Where will benefit? Apparently, the North East, which has the highest proportion of properties under £175,000, with Wales and Scotland not far behind. London, of course, will become a no-go area for young people. So, who will live there? Presumably it, and other expensive areas around the country, will be populated by an ageing middle class, well-off population and unemployed people on benefits who will rent from them. The solution? More affordable housing in big cities, please Mr Brown…
Author: |Posted: 3:58 pm on 25/09/08
Category: Buying & Selling, House Prices
With all that’s going on in the housing market at the moment there’s some real bargains to be had. Despite the current slowdown some people inevitably have to sell, and they’re dropping prices like it’s going out of fashion. Here’s three houses with big reductions that caught my eye, all details listed below.
1. Blairgowrie, Scotland
July 2008 Price: £650,000
Now Listed At: £495,000
You Save: £155,000
An architecturally inspiring Edwardian conversion featuring four bedrooms (two en suite) and exquisite fixtures and fittings.
For more info – www.homes24.co.uk
2. Virginia Water, Surrey
January 2008 Price: £650,000
Now Listed At: £439,950
You Save: £210,500
This cavernous three bed has parking for multiple cars, acres of living space and a separate studio, as well as a generously proportioned garden.
For more info – www.richardstubbs.co.uk
3. Spalford, Nottinghamshire
December 2007 Price: £375,000
Now Listed At: £225,000
You Save: £150,000
A charming rural cottage with two reception rooms, stables, garage and three acres of paddock.
For more info – www.winkworth.co.uk
Author: |Posted: 10:36 am on 24/09/08
Category: House Prices
The oft-optimistic Council Of Mortgage Lenders have sent out worrying news about house prices, stating that they see no improvement in prices until 2010 at the earliest. The Halifax and Nationwide are predicting that the market will bottom out at 20-25% below peak values, leaving thousands of first-time buyers and recent upsizers in crippling negative equity.
With no definite end in sight, what do you think about the state of the housing market? Will you be selling soon or staying put? Is repossession a real threat? Get in touch, I’d love to hear from you…
Author: |Posted: 6:50 pm on 17/09/08
Category: Property & Money
Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) has confirmed that it is in talks with Lloyds over a merger, a move that will create a super bank on our high streets. Combined, they will have over 25 per cent of the UK mortgage market, not to mention a large proportion of both business and personal banking.
So, how will it affect you? Well, the good news is that it shouldn’t – you’ll still have to fulfill your mortgage payments at the same rates and your savings are safe. If you’re a shareholder, you’ll be glad to know that the last hour or so saw shares returning to the levels they were at before the crisis became known.
What happens over the next few days remains to be seen – we’ll keep you posted.
Author: |Posted: 6:00 pm on 17/09/08
Category: Property & Money
I’ve been watching the tv news and casting about for sensible opinions for what’s been going on with Halifax Bank Of Scotland. The general opinion seems to be that Halifax is too big to fold and that the government would step in way before the situation got that serious. The words I’ve been hearing most are ‘customers shouldn’t panic’. There are also rumours that Lloyds is to buy HBOS to create a super bank. I’ll be keeping you abreast of everything you need to know about the situation here and on the main 4Homes site. In the meantime, sit tight and keep your eyes and ears open.
Author: |Posted: 5:51 pm on 17/09/08
Category: Buying & Selling
For this weekend only, apartments in the Farthing Court development in St. Ives are being offered with a free, brand new Vauxhall Corsa. Consisting of just ten units, they’re expected to sell fast despite the ever-looming threat of further falls in house prices.
With the car worth around ten grand it’s up to the buyer to decide whether they think the apartment will lose more than that amount in the time they’ll be there. For buyers who are in it for the long haul, however, this seems like the perfect way to afford a new house and a new car at once.
Author: |Posted: 5:48 pm on 17/09/08
Category: Property & Money
If you’re looking to replace your front lawn with something that requires less maintenance then be warned – recent planning changes now require you to obtain permission from your local council if you’re planning to use paving or an otherwise impermeable material.
Why? Surface runoff of rainwater has increased massively over recent years as more and more of the UK is paved over. Drainage systems are backing up, leading to well-documented flooding and misery across the country. It might not seem like your new front garden design could be a contributing factor, but without grass and earth to soak up all that rain the water will simply run off, adding pressure to the country’s overwhelmed drainage system.
If you’re planning a new front garden then it’s imperative that you check to make sure your designs meet the new criteria – full information can be found on the Government’s planning website.
Author: |Posted: 5:46 pm on 17/09/08
Category: Buying & Selling
Property developer Housemartin Ltd has recently launched what they claim to be the first biometrically gated community in the UK.
All access gates and doors are keyless, with a single fingerprint reader providing access to authorised residents. Surbiton in Kingston-Upon-Thames is the site for this pioneering community whose USP is basically that you can’t lose your keys without first losing your hands.
How popular this type of security system will be amongst its users remains to be seen, but expect similar developments in your area in the next couple of years.
Author: |Posted: 5:43 pm on 17/09/08
Category: Architecture
Architect Nadim Karam recently put forward a proposal for what can deservedly be described as Dubai’s most outrageous project so far. I feel like I’d only just got my head around The World and Dubailand and the Dynamic Tower when I saw pictures of ‘The Cloud’ on an architecture forum.
Karam’s project involves a full resort with accommodation, parks and a lake, raised 300 metres above ground and propped up by girders that from a distance resemble rain falling from the ‘cloud’ above.
If I had to hazard a guess I’d say this is unlikely to ever become a reality, but given the grandeur and complexity of some of the aforementioned Dubai projects there’s no reason to assume that The Cloud is beyond the realms of possibility.
Only in Dubai…
Author: |Posted: 5:38 pm on 17/09/08
Category: Design & Style
Well not quite, but Jacuzzi have just launched a new range of bubbling baths designed by Pininfarina, the acclaimed design house that brought us all sorts of Ferraris, not least the 1960s Dino and 1980s F40 (as well as the occasional Peugeot!)
It’s impossible to deny how good one of these would look in my bathroom, and with all sorts of jets to massage your every cranny they probably feel pretty good too. Eight grand might be a lot to pay for a bath, especially during these economically uncertain times. But if opulence is the aim of your game and you’ve got a small fortune to spend on a swanky bathroom then how can you resist?
