Tuesday , March 19 2024

Property

The costs of housing policies

I live in Croydon. Like many parts of the country, we are experiencing a severe shortage of quality housing. Yet Croydon Central’s current MP is the Shadow Minister for Housing, Labour’s Sarah Jones; its previous MP was Gavin Barwell, then the Minister for Housing. If these politicians were serious about …

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What is ‘affordable housing’?

I assume most people take ‘affordable housing’ to mean accommodation that is affordable, something that people on average levels of income are able to afford to buy. But let’s go back to basic economics: What determines the price of a property? Although there is a rough correlation in that, if …

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Housing hunt

The housing hunt is the bane of any young professional’s existence. First, you have to find a suitable new home. Second, you need to find roommates (and hopefully ones you can avoid killing during your twelve month lease). Third, you have to pack all of your stuff and somehow move …

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Homebuyers commit after just 96 minutes

Buying a home is the biggest investment most people are likely to make. You would hope that such an important investment would be given plenty of time and thought, yet amazingly Brits spend more time booking their holidays than viewing the home they buy. Abbey Mortgages worryingly found that British …

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Halfway to the dream

Getting a foot on the property ladder used to the first step to getting that dream home, but, sadly, few homeowners seem to be able to reach the higher rungs. Wherever the British lay their hats may be home, but few are living in their idea of heaven. Alliance & …

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Go green to be seen

Far from leaving people feeling blue, it seems the housing slump has made many of us turn green. In a bid to make our houses more appealing in an increasingly competitive market, many of us are making our properties more eco-friendly to entice prospective buyers. Tired of watching house prices …

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Garage conversions solve space issues

Most people’s garages are filled with household junk, bicycles, paint tins and a hairy spider or two, so it is hardly surprising that most of us wouldn’t let our pets sleep in there let alone use it for ourselves. But could we be missing out on a vital way to …

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Farms buck the property trend

Over the past 10 years the property industry has witnessed house prices skyrocket, but now it seems the tables are finally turning on the UK housing market as prices start to slide. However, while home owners watch their property’s worth depreciate, farmland is experiencing a welcome rise in value. Property …

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Do you need an incentive to move house?

Nobody moves house on a whim.  It’s a process which takes careful consideration, weeks of searching and then months of paperwork and negotiation.  And in a time of recession persuading someone to move from their home in to something new, to spend money on movers and solicitors, pay mortgage lenders …

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Make a success of DIY design

Home makeover programmes have inspired millions of people to become a little more creative with their interiors. You can now choose from endless paint shades, rolls of designer wallpapers, floor coverings, furniture styles and accessories. It is piecing them all together that is the hard bit. While choice is always …

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Crunch time for first time buyers

The credit crunch has taken a firm hold of the housing market, knocking the confidence of first-time buyers and bringing sales down to a sluggish trickle. But with the number of available properties rising and the lowest interest rates for years, could there be a silver lining for first-time buyers …

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Clean up when selling your home

With the long winter evenings drawing out and the warmer weather on its way, now is often the time of year people start to consider moving house. But before you start searching for your next potential dream home you should first turn your attention to your own property. We’ve all …

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Property investors shrug off green tax

Extortionate estate agent fees, pricey moving costs and expensive renovation work – it seems there is nothing that will stop us buying a second home in the sun, not even the over-inflated travel costs to get there. So eager are we to grab our own little place in the sun …

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Chain Reaction

We all know that moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do, but having a sale fall through is guaranteed to leave you tearing your hair out. Unfortunately the likelihood of a chink in your property chain is set to increase, as the volatile housing market …

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The Secret Seven: Property Investment Hotspots to Defy the Credit Crunch

Despite reports of economic gloom, falling house prices and a recession there are still huge profits to be made in international property – particularly in emerging markets that are currently competitively priced but set to boom. The only thing standing between you and your property investment abroad is a little …

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Agency aims to cut home moving costs

The current climate in the property market, with prices sliding and the mortgage crisis deepening, has got a number of homebuyers understandably concerned about how they will be able to meet the costs. However, it looks as if some help could be at hand in the shape of an initiative …

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Property is hot in Florida

Florida is famous for its Disney theme parks and sun-kissed oranges, but has the fun and zest been squeezed out of its property market? Or is the sunshine state still a desirable place for property bargain hunters? The credit crunch in America may have hit properties hard, with banks scared …

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