As most of you know by now, Kirstie Allsopp is going to hit our screens very soon with a new series in which she transforms a house using traditional crafts and reclaimed furniture. Thanks to Kirstie’s Homemade Home, we’ve all got the craft bug at 4Homes – more so now that we’ve spotted that the largest craft exhibition of its kind in Europe is on in Hertfordshire shortly. The 2009 Festival of Living Crafts, Art, Design & Innovation is a chance to see – and support – crafts and makers from all corners of the British isles. For more details, visit the website.

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This month’s Find A Property Rental Index is out today, and makes for some interesting reading. While rental prices overall are still falling, as a consequence of volume of rental stock still rising, both figures are slowing considerably. This points to a bottoming out of the rental market. That said, unsurprisingly the availability of flats to rent is still well above demand, so expect further falls on flat rental yields.

You can read the report in full here.

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I spent much of my Sunday this weekend getting to grips with Grand Designs 3D Self Build & Development.

It’s an enormous bit of kit, and is virtually all you’ll need if you’re planning an extension, self build project, or, like me, you still harbour long-failed ambitions of becoming a world-famous architect. read more

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Last weekend I got myself down to the Homebuilding & Renovating Show at Birmingham’s NEC. As ever, the cavernous hangar of a venue was packed full of self builders and developers, as well as people looking to improve their own homes. The seminars were informative and expertly-chaired, while the range of exhibitors was absolutely vast.

Amongst the usual conservatory, bi-fold door and insulation companies, I picked out my five favourite products from the show. Here they are, in no particular order… read more

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We all got used to seeing inexperienced developers making a killing on Property Ladder, usually due more to the rising market than their own profit-making prowess.

Now, Sarah Beeny is to examine how developers have adapted to a falling market, meeting some of the big winners and losers of the house price slump.

Her new show, Property Snakes And Ladders, forms part of the Channel 4 spring/summer schedule. Expect to see it on your screens in the not-too-distant future.

Are you a property developer? Interested in what Sarah will have to say in her new programme? Leave your comments below…

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We’ve just published an informative piece explaining exactly what makes house prices rise and fall. Consider it a beginner’s guide to housing market fluctuations.

The article is by Kate Faulkner, who is a real expert on all things property and homes-related.

Read the full article on what makes house prices rise and fall.

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February 2009 saw the lowest level of lending on mortgages since 1991, according to the British Bankers’ Association. The total amount borrowed on mortgages last month was just £9.2billion (down from 9.7billion in January).

While gross lending may be down, the number of individual mortgage approvals rose from just over 24,000 in January to 28,179 in February. This figure is inevitably well down on 2008, but it suggests that more people are buying more houses for less money. Sellers are willing to accept lower offers and those previously priced out of the market are finding themselves in a position to buy. With London house prices stabilising, there are some genuine signs of a modest market recovery and a correction of house prices to more realistic levels.

Findaproperty.com have more detailed info – note that mortgage approvals for house purchases are up, while remortgaging approvals are down.

What do you think about the latest figures, and how do they affect you? Please leave your comments below…

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Today’s PrimeLocation.com report on house prices suggests that asking prices in London have now stabilised. Interestingly, they’re not expecting this trend to trickle down to surrounding areas just yet, with commuter-belt and the south west of England continuing to struggle. The report is the perfect illustration of just how regional house price fluctuations can be.

I’d highly recommend reading their house prices report for yourself.

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Not sure exactly how this would work, but you can watch the video here.

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