Property news & advice

It is the question thousands of UK landlords are turning over in 2026. A run of tax changes, higher mortgage rates and the biggest shake-up of renting law in a generation have made buy-to-let harder work than it was a decade ago — and for some, less profitable. But selling is a big decision with costs of its own…

Have you ever noticed how a colour can make you feel something? Perhaps not; for many of us the hues in our homes go largely unnoticed unless we strongly object to them. But it’s worth paying attention to. Dr Julia Shu…

Believe it or not, there are many simple things you can do at home that’ll not only save energy but will reduce your carbon footprint and protect the environment. Limiting your energy consumption will also lower your m…

Barn or bungalow, cottage or cave, farmhouse or flat… an Englishman’s home is his castle. But what’s the state of affairs elsewhere? We’ve scoured the globe for the most enchanting abodes in existence, judging th…

When it comes to selling your home you might be considering other options besides enlisting the help of a traditional high street estate agent. If you’re looking to save money you can sell your house fast online and c…

After months of mulling over the idea of moving, you’ve finally made up your mind to take the plunge.   Now it’s time to launch a search to discover your new home. But before you jump straight into making an off…

Whether you’re moving alone or with a family, moving to a new city like London can be both thrilling and daunting. So if you’ve got your new job lined up, it’s time to start house hunting. Share or Go Solo Of cours…

Selling your house can sometimes be difficult. Lenders have placed far tighter financial restrictions on buyers, and the property market can often be uncertain. In order to ensure that you sell your home quickly there ar…

Every now and again your home needs some attention. Whether your tastes have changed, fashion has moved on or you want to breathe life into tired-looking decoration, the need for an interior design project is fairly comm…

When you inherit a property, there are a great number of factors to consider. Whether you’ve inherited suddenly after a bereavement, or you’ve inheritance has been planned for a while, there’s sure to be a number o…

Winter is well and truly upon us, and as the weather’s got colder, many of us have turned the heating on already –  and probably won’t be turning the thermostat down until after February! Although energy price…

Managing a property is something that can take time but must be done well and efficiently if you are to receive a return on your property investment and attract the right tenants.  The Autumn 2014 Lettingstats report in…

A high-quality hardwood floor can give you and your family many years of enjoyment. However, in order to preserve its allure and showroom sparkle, a comprehensive schedule of cleaning and maintenance is required. While h…

With a well-known national newspaper reporting on possibly the world’s smallest but most expensive house in North London this week - where people visiting the house walk through the front door only to find themselves d…

According to uktv.co.uk , around 25% of all home renovation projects end up going over budget. As a homeowner, you are obviously keen to add as much value as possible to your property when selling it but there are a numb…

Buying a house can be a challenging affair and it can take years to save up enough money to get on the property ladder. Once you do have a deposit at the ready – and have an adequate credit rating - there are still var…

Investment in Buy to Let properties has become a popular strategy in the UK for those developing a portfolio either for income or as a retirement investment.  Compared with other investments property is seen as relative…

Getting on the property ladder is not easy these days, especially for younger people and first-time buyers . There’s plenty to think about when looking for the right house, let alone finding the right mortgage with so …

After a long hard life of working and bringing up kids, all most of us want from our retirement is a little bit of the good life. Some nice views, friendly neighbours and plenty of opportunities for day trips and activit…

The city has always been synonymous with success. Property investors, hedge fund bankers and young CEOs have always lined the streets of the city centre, along with trendy bars, fine dining and modern apartments. But, is…

The commercial property sector is showing signs of recovery in the UK, with the market witnessing its sixth consecutive increase in the month of October. According to Investment Property Databank Ltd, the average value o…

My partner and I recently bought our very first house; we were so pleased to get onto the property ladder! The journey to get there wasn’t completely stress free though as there were a lot of things to think about, and…

With more 279,000 houses standing empty for over six months in the UK* and numerous district and county level strategy plans in place to handle the problem of vacant properties across the county, what would you do if you…

A major initiative is underway to help first time buyers get their foot on the property ladder in Scotland. The Scottish Government began a three year investment program on September 30th 2013 with an allocation of £220…

Moving into your own place is an exciting time for most of us. Then again, lots of us have heard (or experienced) the horror stories when it comes to renting - mouldy rooms, elusive landlords and broken furniture amongst…

If you're thinking about buying a holiday property, experience of buying your primary residence will help in a way, but there's a lot more to think about when buying a second home - especially if you plan on renting it o…

From time to time we focus on a place – often as a result of a question or correspondence from a reader of our property blog – and today we’re visiting (virtually, of course) Whitefield in Bury, Greater Manchester.…

When it comes to home security you could end up spending a fortune on the latest high tech equipment or you could follow these seven simple tips and achieve much the same results at a fraction of the price. While it woul…

Now it seems that spring has finally sprung in the UK, many of us are turning our attention to the possibility that it might be possible to get the barbeque out in the next few weeks. But this winter’s heavy snows, fro…

According to a recent statement made by Ian McCaig, chief exec of First Utility, the cost of energy bills could potentially overtake mortgage payments within the next five years. This news may sound dire, but it is anyth…

More and more it seems people are renting accommodation instead of buying. For first time buyers the reason is simple, the initial outlay. The average property in the UK is valued at around £240,000, so with a 95% mortg…

In today's budget the Chancellor announced more support for people wishing to buy their own homes, but will it make things easier for you and how can you go about saving up a deposit of your own? The additional support f…

In a competitive rental market, every landlord will want to do the best they can to ensure an attractive rental rate. A key issue to consider is whether it’s worth furnishing a property – or not. It’s no small deci…

A guest post by commercial property management specialists Eddisons. The credit crunch impacted on many investment areas and commercial property was no different.  However, the sector is now becoming a viable option aga…

Work on the multi-million pound Crossrail is underway, with completion currently scheduled for 2018. Crossrail is set to link Maidenhead and Heathrow with Shenfield and Abbey Wood, passing through Ealing and central Lond…

London has and always will be a very attractive location for investment, with figures released recently showing that overseas buyers are still very enthusiastic about buying property in the capital. Research by Knight Fr…

Come winter, we go into hibernation. The majority of our days are spent indoors where we can huddle around a warm heater or blazing fireplace. We find ourselves lounging around on the couch much more often, slippers on a…

A strong, fire-resistant fibre, asbestos was basically the most popular insulation against fire, noise and heat before the 1980s. After this time though, research and studies found that any material containing this fibre…

Divorce is one of the most traumatic things that can happen to people. It will usually involve intense emotions, and the breakup can impact every aspect of the lives of the individuals involved. This is the one event tha…

The winter months are traditionally a quiet time of year for house moves, but if you are planning to relocate in 2013 now’s the time to start your research. There are so many elements that factor into making a place a …

With winter rapidly approaching, it might be a good time to improve the energy-efficiency of your home. Not only will this reduce your carbon footprint, but it could help you save money throughout the cold spell – so c…

The 2 Degrees Network today reported on Marks & Spencers' new 'eco-store' at Cheshire Oaks on the edge of Liverpool.  The new store is the biggest they have ever built and, according to M&S, one of the world's l…

This weekend's Independent on Sunday contained one of the clearest explanations of the 2000 - 2008 Housing bubble that I have read.  Two simple graphs: one showing the spike in 'House price to average earnings ratio' be…

The Nationwide Building Society, who have been at odds with house price figures from other sources in the past have backed up the overall view that the market is in decline. The Society showed that property prices across…

When we’re looking to buy a property there are always going to be obvious factors that are more important than others. The number of bedrooms, the size of all rooms and the style and look of a house should be at the fo…

A recent survey has revealed that downsizing has become the prime reason for moving house within the UK with one if five people moving to a smaller home sooner than they expected. The findings come from Lloyds TSB who cl…

A survey commissioned by the Housing Charity Shelter has found that complaints over rogue landlords have increased by 27% over the course of the last three years. The stories behind those figures are quite alarming but t…

If you’re thinking about moving to a city in the UK, you may be interested in finding out which areas have the lowest rates of crime. According to a survey conducted last year, the safest place to live in the UK is Eas…

The Government’s New Buy Scheme was launched in March amidst a great fanfare and hopes that the plans would give the property market a much needed boost. Six months on however, the first set of purchase figures have in…

The office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed what some believe to be worrying figures in regards to the number of 30 year mortgages currently being taken by new borrowers. The statistics also show that the 25 ye…

In recent months there has been a drive by some property vendors to move away from the traditional estate agents and to look to sell their property by other means. Previously, many private websites had to be treated as E…

With Santander set to increase their Standard Variable Rate (SVR) Mortgage next month, it may already be too late to take advantage of the lender’s lower option but, according to industry experts, there are some attrac…

Last week, the Home Builders Federation (HBF) announced a welcome to new housing minister Mark Prisk while urging the MP for Hertford and Stortford to act quickly to protect the interests of domestic property building fi…

The big news for housing this week came with the cabinet reshuffle that saw Grant Shapps moved from housing minister with Mark Prisk taking his place. Mr Prisk, the Conservative MP for Hertford and Stortford has been tol…

Letting agent rip offs are under the spotlight once again after new findings from Shelter released this week. In a survey of 5,000 tenants, the organisation found that 23% claimed that they had been unfairly charged by a…

There was more bad news for homeowners and potential property purchasers alike when Santander announced an increase to its Standard Variable Rate (SVR) last week. That increase was, in percentage terms, quite significant…

Throughout 2012, we’ve seen property prices fluctuate but the overall trend seems to be one of minor falls, depending on which set of figures you read. One point that many industry experts keep raising is the reluctanc…

Figures relating to mortgage lending and the property market as a whole have been affected by a number of unusual factors this year. Firstly, there was a late rush to beat the stamp duty ‘holiday’ on properties price…

Fixed rate mortgages had dominated market news in recent weeks as HSBC, Nationwide and Santander had slashed their rates and offered products under 3% for the very first time. In an unexpected twist however, one of those…

Recent reports have claimed that the cost of renting has increased across the board but there may be a nasty shock in store for those who have just got their A level results. While the private rental sector has shown inc…

Everyone has heard about the bank of Mum and Dad but there are fears that first time home buyers are skipping a generation and looking to their Grandparents for help with funding their purchase. These concerns have arise…

The start of any new month brings a fresh batch of property statistics and first out of the blocks are the Nationwide with claims of significant falls in house prices. In fact, the Society reports that property figures a…

A recent survey carried out by RightMove on behalf of the Guardian has underlined just what First Time Buyers (FTB’s) currently need in order to take that vital first step onto the property ladder. Essentially, it’s …

The property market as a whole was expected to slow down considerably this summer as the UK headed into a season of celebrations. With the Queen’s Jubilee followed quickly by the Olympics, it was predicted that sales a…

The issue of an unregulated private letting industry has hit the headlines on a number of occasions in recent weeks and one of the problems faced by tenants has been highlighted this week by Labour’s Opposition Governm…

A recent survey has shown that families in Great Britain spend, on average, 40% of their annual income on housing costs and this means that those outgoings are the third highest in the whole of Europe. In fact, only Denm…

The Governments Affordable Homes campaign, launched in 2011, was designed to get Britain’s home builders moving to provide the supply to meet a considerable demand. However, reports released by the National Audit Offic…

As the first week of July comes to an end, the usual sets of conflicting property price figures for the previous month are coming in. Among the falls currently being reported, the Nationwide claim that figures across the…

In recent weeks we’ve looked at many surveys in different parts of the property sector and one of the common themes is the difficulty young people face in buying a property. Organisations such as Shelter have called on…

Recent reports have shown just how much of the UK are relying on renting their homes while many of those are facing the prospect of having such an arrangement on a permanent basis. As a financial comparative, it’s wide…

In recent weeks we’ve looked at many easy and inexpensive ways in which you can encourage buyers for your home and increase its value. Tidying your garden, painting your front door and de-cluttering are all good ideas …

A survey from property website Rightmove has shown that asking prices for homes across the UK rose for the third month in a row as buyers sought to choose from a fairly restricted availability. Additionally, Rightmove cl…

In recent weeks we've seen just how regional variations differ in property statistics and how significant the respective rises and falls can be in some cases. As an example, London has generally stood out as a region w…

Earlier in the week we saw the reaction of Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity to a survey claiming that property rental could soon become a permanent way of life for many. The organisation suggested that the g…

In previous weeks, studies and surveys have told us that many families are currently caught up in a rental trap. With the lack of available mortgages and the struggles for first time buyers to raise a deposit for a new p…

As we’ve seen with previous months, conflicting sets of figures with regards to the property market are often released by various bodies but some of the more trusted statistics originate from the Land Registry. Overall…

An economist from one of the country’s biggest mortgage lenders has spoken this week about the need for first time buyers (FTB’s) to think carefully about the location of their intended purchase. In particular, it ha…

UK financial analysts are warning that the crisis hitting many parts of Europe at present may filter through to Britain to the extent that mortgages may become even scarcer to track down than they are at the moment. Fina…

Advice coming from a proportion of mortgage experts suggests that potential buyers should be looking to arrange a mortgage before the market seizes up. The claims come in the wake of moves by Santander to drastically red…

In recent weeks we’ve looked at the many ways in which homeowners have undertaken work around their property with a view to achieving a higher sale price and hopefully, a quicker transaction when the time finally comes…

It’s that time of the month again where sets of figures and conflicting views are released in regards to the housing market and the Halifax have greeted their monthly statistics with the claim that prices are ‘fluctu…

The theme for much of the latter half of April and the beginning of May was one of continued mortgage rate rises and the threat of an increased number of households faced with a significant increase in monthly payments. …

In recent weeks there have been many reports of lenders increasing their mortgage rates and there has been plenty of additional discussion about the impact that this may have. Results of a survey from Which? have just be…

The Bank Holiday weekend is almost upon us and a survey carried out by HSBC suggests that over 50% of us will be staying at home to carry out some of those DIY jobs that we’ve been putting off since the beginning of th…

A significant rise in the number of homes sold in the UK was recorded by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in March and they claim that this is largely down to a seasonal ‘spring bounce’ that is evident in the housing ma…

Some of the UK’s biggest lenders have announced fixed rate mortgage rate rises this week as they finally succumb to the pressures that funding costs provide. At least ten lenders will have announced their increases by …

New homes have been firmly in the news of late with government schemes announced that attempt to encourage construction companies and local authorities to build the houses that will meet demand. Now, as we enter the seco…

In recent weeks and months, much of the focus in the property market has been on rental properties and the constant argument between buying and renting. Recent surveys have indicated that in pure financial terms, renting…

This is a sponsored article from Harveys, The Furniture Store. People have long held a love affair with the balanced style defined by Scandinavian design. Its characteristics of airiness and space make it an exceptionall…

As pressure to address the housing crisis in the UK grows stronger and stronger, new solutions are starting to emerge that could help to ease the strain.  According to UK charity Empty Homes , there are currently 1.7 mi…

Renting is back in the spotlight this week with the news that more and more homes are being put on the private rental market by owners who simply can’t sell their properties. However, it seems that despite this increas…

Often considered the biggest financial asset which we can obtain throughout our lives, our homes are sometimes taken for granted. Roughly five million homes are not covered by home insurance, despite the widespread avail…

The housing market is unsettled at best and among the victims of the current property climate are Estate Agents. In March, the Times newspaper revealed that 80 agents had closed their doors in February of this year due t…

The Nationwide have claimed that house prices in March have fallen by just 1% from the figures declared in February and the drop is in keeping with predictions that suggest sideways or slight downwards movement for the r…

The stamp duty holiday finally came to an end on the 24 th March 2012 and buyers will now have to pay tax at 1% on properties priced between £125,000 and £250,000. The window, which had had been credited with much of t…

The Chancellor George Osborne has confirmed plans for a 7% Stamp Duty on properties purchased for over £2m while at the same time, he announced that the coalition government was planning a crackdown on methods employed …

While the underlying trend for the housing market is one of uncertainty, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) have suggested this week that there are some positive signs as property experts search for the merest hint of…

As the uncertainty over the housing market looks set to grind on for much of 2012, the lettings industry as a whole has attracted some unwanted media attention this week with news of a significant rise in the number of c…

The Halifax has released its latest set of property figures and has reported a fall in house prices of 0.5% in February. This has offset a seasonal rise of 0.6% from the previous month but it is still at odds with the Na…

Figures released by the Buildings Societies Association (BSA) show a rise in gross mortgage lending of 32% in January and the report goes on to call this rise ‘significant’. However, any optimism felt as a result of …

Almost a third of all properties in the private rented sector have major safety hazards according to data released in a Government survey of housing stock in the UK. The annual English Housing Survey reveals that 28.2% o…

Since the start of 2012, various organisations and property experts have been analysing fresh statistics in the hope of finding positive signs for the housing market. In the UK, the stamp duty window which is due to clos…

It’s become an old cliché now with regards to baking bread and making a pot of fresh coffee before a potential buyer comes to see your home and according to the property experts, it’s one that is best ignored. Overa…

Housing Minister Grant Shapps has welcomed what he referred to as an overwhelming response to the government’s Get Britain Building Campaign amidst news that home building is on the increase and the new build market ha…

Figures released this week by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) show an increase in mortgage lending for January compared with the same month in 2011. However, the expected seasonal fall led to a dip in lending compa…

Earlier this month, the Nationwide revealed figures that claimed a small drop in house prices for January 2012 in comparison with the previous month. Overall, the society suggested that average prices had fallen by 0.9% …

Figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) this week reveal a huge spike in the number of Buy to Let Mortgages taken out in 2011 and although they have yet to reach the boom period of 2007, it’s clear th…

Figures revealed earlier this month show that there has been a significant increase in mortgage products available to first time buyers in recent months. Those with a small deposit of 10% or even 5% can now take advantag…

After the predictions for 2012’s property market begin to disappear, they are replaced by tangible figures and the Nationwide have indicated a minor drop in housing prices for January, in comparison with the previous m…

It’s a question that will probably never be met with a definitive answer as many would be homeowners face up to the question of whether buying or renting is their best option. Naturally, as individuals, those in this p…

So far, the first month of the New Year has seen many property experts predicting a sustained and consistent rise in mortgage rates with the general feeling being that they had reached the lowest point that they could po…

Property lettings are put under the microscope this week as a survey released by one prominent agent suggests that the costs of renting your home may be dropping. Meanwhile, the survey goes on to suggest that Christmas s…

Now that the wave of predictions for the 2012 property market has died down, the first batch of actual figures are being released with some positive signs for the year ahead. Reports released this week indicate that the …

Figures released this week show that mortgage lending grew in November 2011 and while the news tends to contradict some of the gloomy forecasts for the 2012 property market, it is being met with considerable and predicta…

Figures released by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors indicate that there has been a further rise in the number of new properties released onto the market. December statistics show that new instructions rose f…

The national media continue to provide us with their predictions for 2012 and while there are mixed feelings about many areas of the property market, a general consensus hints at a gloomy twelve months for house reposses…

Housing minister Grant Shapps has been in the news this week with regard to a number of issues affecting the housing market and he has vowed to ‘build the homes that the country needs’ during his tenure. Shapps also …

House price figures for 2011 are currently being announced throughout the media and the Nationwide Building Society is one of the first to comment on the statistics and to offer their predictions for 2012. Over the cours…

Any developments in the property sector will bring mixed news depending on your position in the market but some experts are predicting an influx of price reductions as vendors begin to lose patience. The prospect of list…

Property predictions for 2012 are being highlighted profusely in this week’s media but the main question for existing and prospective property owners alike is, ‘what will happen to house prices next year?’ In the n…

As another tough year for the housing market draws to a close, many experts are taking time to predict trends for the coming twelve months. While some will paint a predictably gloomy picture, others have provided a more …

Recent property news has highlighted regional anomalies in the current housing market. Figures released last week indicate that while demand for new properties grew in London by around 0.4%, elsewhere in the country ther…

It’s a seemingly never ending question and one which has been in the news once again this week as the property website Zoopla claim that there has been a recent, significant move back towards a buying preference. Zoopl…

Tis the season to be jolly, unless you are an estate agent or vendor maybe!  Traditionally, the festive period always means a drop in house sales and viewings. However, it doesn’t have to be a completely dry month.  …

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, (RICS) has issued a bleak forecast for the immediate future of the property market and claims that there will be no recovery in sight while the current economic uncertainty rem…

Is Remortgaging for You? It’s true that interest rates are at their lowest levels in years and this has led to many homeowners remortgaging in a bid to save on their monthly mortgage payments.  The good news is that m…

If you are just starting out in the buy-to-let game or you’re a seasoned landlord, you need to understand the importance of carrying out background checks on potential tenants.  It’s a landlord’s market right now …

It seems that Britain is becoming a nation of nervous homeowners if the latest figures are anything to go by.  A record £9bn was paid down between April and June as homeowners struggled to restore ailing finances. Thes…

The Chancellor has been accused of failing to recognise the severity of the first-time buyer crisis, by not extending stamp duty relief beyond March 2012. Whilst the Government is trying to breathe new life into the aili…

They stand empty side by side, their windows boarded or shuttered up.  Nobody goes in and nobody gives them a second glance.  They turn a once vibrant and happy street into a desolate and intimidating no man’s land. …

A landlord has been left picking up the pieces after a tenant wrecked his property and then walked away from court without paying a penny.  £20,000 of damage was caused in total rendering the property inhabitable until…

Those with a property on the market right now might find they have to bite the bullet and reduce the asking price to make a sale.  Before you start knocking thousands off of the price of your home, work out how much you…

As the winter fast approaches more of us are switching on our heating and turning on the fire.  As a result, this time of year is often when the most fires occur in the UK.  As a result, Landlords are being advised to …

If you bought your first property at the peak of the market you might be feeling a little trapped by the unstable situation right now.  Falling house prices have trapped upwards of 350,000 first-time buyers and that fig…

Some high street mortgage lenders including Woolwich, Santander and Halifax have increased their tracker rates on their products. This increase follows a rise in the interest rate at which banks lend to one another.  Li…

Precise Mortgages released a report this month that revealed the number of mortgages available to domestic customers rose to 2,784 in October.  That’s a 10% increase on August. A close study of the current mortgage ma…

Decreasing property prices and incentive driven schemes have left many feeling that new-build might be the answer when it comes to moving home.  More developers are now investing money in new-build properties and are gi…

When it comes to credit, obtaining credit, bad credit and so on there are many misconceptions and myths.  We set out to bust some of these myths and give you some useful information that could help you to obtain and man…

It’s an astounding fact, but almost 7 million mortgages in Britain are not protected by life insurance.  This equates to an unprotected value of about £245 billion according to research conducted by Sainsbury’s Fin…

If you feel you are about to fall out of the black and into the red, read our guide on how to avoid mortgage arrears. It can be quite tempting to ignore problems with finances and push them to the back of your mind, but …

If you are lucky enough to own a second property then you may also be lucky enough to be receiving a council tax discount on that home.  Some second homeowners enjoy savings of up to 50%, but under plans announced by Co…

People have been investing in buy-to-let property for years, nothing new there.  For centuries tenants have been renting from landlords, but it’s only been recently that the average ‘man on the street’ has had unp…

According to the latest analysis of MoneySupermarket contents insurance quotes, the UK’s homeowners have enjoyed a decrease in the cost of their policies by an average of 0.4 per cent. This news comes at the same time …

If you are looking for a new property , whether it’s your first or you are remortgaging, there are now more mortgage products being released onto the market than ever before.  In a drive to encourage more people to bu…

Halloween is the time for tales of ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night.  Everybody loves a terrifying yarn about a haunted house and ghastly goings-on, but have you heard the one about the ghost streets …

The long-anticipated Green Deal has been green-lighted with the passing this week of The Energy Act into law. The enactment sets in stone the legal framework for the Green Deal, which will be launched in Autumn 2012. Th…

Put simply, Below Market Value or BMV properties as those that are available to purchase below their market value.  Normally this is because the previous owners experienced financial difficulty or needed to dispose of t…

If you’re thinking about renting a property be prepared to surrender almost half of your take home pay or more.  Rents hit record levels in September and look set to rise even more as landlords hike up their rates. Re…

According to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), the private property rental sector in the UK is close to capacity. The number of new tenancies being released onto the rental market has been at record l…

Finding your first house is an exciting time.  Opening the front door to your new home will be one of the happiest and most memorable times of your life, but there are lots of hurdles you need to jump before you reach t…

Whilst many employers have been forced to cut bonuses or review commission rates, you may still be amongst the lucky few to be receiving a yearly bonus.  If you are and you are looking to purchase a new property you no …

If you are particularly after purchasing a new home then good news is on the horizon.  The Government is currently on track to build 100,000 new homes in the UK over the next 4 years, according to Housing Minister Grant…

Mortgage lender Halifax have reported that the property market continues to lack any direction following a second successive month of lower prices today. Last month's decline of 0.5% followed a fall of 1.1% in August, al…

If you’re confused about your household locks then it could invalidate your insurance if you give your insurer the wrong information.  It’s important when moving into a new home or renewing your insurance that you g…

If you are thinking about doing some major renovations in your home that require a sledgehammer and a party wall, then it might be wise to know a little bit about the Party Wall Act and the legislation that determines wh…

The number of successful mortgage applications peaked at its highest level for 15 months in the month of August according to figures released by the British Bankers’ Association. In August, the number of mortgages appr…

If you are thinking about renting out your house then you could face an extra 1.5% of interest being added onto your mortgage rate and high administration charges.  That might make you wonder if you can get away with re…

From the very moment you arrive in the Grenadines, you’ll know that you’re going to experience something a little bit special.  Perhaps it’s the sweet steel drum music that heralds your arrival or maybe the hospit…

Holiday rentals aren’t just reserved to country cottages and beachside retreats.  If you have a property in London or the surrounding area then you could be in for some rental property opportunities during the Olympic…

Well, that’s a decision in principle in 20 minutes at least, but it still shaves a lot of time off the normal application process.  HSBC has rolled out its new ’20 minute’ system in a bid to meet growing consumer …

A home’s sustainability characteristics should be considered within property valuations, according to a new information paper, entitled Sustainability and Residential Property, launched 20 Sepember by the Royal Institu…

Now, you’ve probably heard of gazumping and gazundering, but a new kid is in town that is threatening to damage the property market: gazanging.  This phenomenon is caused by a volatile housing market, and the lack of …

The Royal Institute of British Architects has referred to many new-build homes in the UK as “shameful shoe boxes” that are too small for family life. RIBA has carried out its ‘Case for Space’ study of 3,418 three…

As the winter months approach, we’ll all be reaching for the heating controls to turn up the heat.  This week marked Gas Safety Week, a drive to remind the public about the importance of safety measures and checks whe…

Could you be saving money on your home insurance premiums?  The answer is usually, yes!  Home insurance premiums have risen over recent years, but with a little organisation and know-how you can reduce these premiums d…

A report released by chartered surveyors e.surv revealed that mortgage approvals on deals of 85% LTV and higher reached peaked in the month of August.  These figures account for 10% of total approvals. However, e.surv s…

Remember when you were young and adults asked you what you wanted to be?  Perhaps your answer was a fireman, or maybe an astronaut.  I don’t actually remember anybody asking me when I thought I would own my dream hom…

I had a salesman call at my house on Monday trying to sell me solar PV panels.  I gave him short shrift as I do with most poor sales people that turn up at my door, but it got me thinking.  Over the past few months I h…

The number of mortgage products featuring higher loan-to-values is starting to creep up.  Until now, these products haven’t risen above 95%, but Aldermore bank has just released a 100% mortgage allowing homeowners to …

Stamp duty, or Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) to give it its full title, has a very long history.  This tax was first introduced in the UK in 1694 although its roots can be traced back as far back as the sixth century and t…

In my last article on internet marketing for estate agents I introduced PPC or Pay Per Click advertising using Google Adwords to put your business at the top of search results. Today I'm going to be explaining how you ca…

Falling property prices and low interest rates mean that buying a property today is over £100 a month cheaper for first time buyers than if they were to rent a property . New research released by Halifax has shown that …

A gifted deposit is a sum of money that is given as a deposit on a property from a third party.  Many first time buyers are lucky enough to receive their deposits from family members, house-builders and on occasion the …

If you are just starting out in your career or thinking of a career change, becoming an estate agent could be for you.  It’s unfortunate that some individuals have given the profession a bad name, and indeed the large…

Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State of Communities and Local Government has spoken out about the so-called mansions tax that is being supported by the Liberal Democrats.  In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, he ta…

Last month the Guardian reported that the office for national statistics plans to measure wellbeing by asking people how happy they are, allowing government to craft their policies around our wellbeing. However, you don'…

According to new research released by Zoopla, more and more house sellers are being forced to drop their asking prices by 7.1% or £18,500 on average. Good news for first-time buyers, not so good if you are selling a pro…

Energy provider E.ON’s recent announcement that gas bills will increase by an average of by 18.1% and electricity prices by 11.4%, with effect from 13 September 2011 underscores the huge rises in energy prices confirme…

There are many reasons why you might want to consider building a house extension.  If you’re looking to upsize, but don’t want to or can’t move right now, an extension can be the perfect solution.  Building a hom…

If you have moved home before then you probably have a good idea of what questions to ask.  For first-time buyers, it can be quite daunting viewing the first few properties and can take a few viewings to find your feet …

Property Week have release the top 100 most influential property twitter accounts in the UK and The Big Property List rocked in at...9th! Read the full story and see the Top 10 here The overriding trend was that the top …

Whilst a North-South divide may still remain, the number of towns in the UK where first time buyers are able to afford to purchase a home is at its highest in eight years. The review, released by Halifax, has shown that …

In the UK today, according to the Office of National Statistics, 85 percent of the population are regular internet users. With advances in internet technology, individuals and businesses alike are becoming increasingly m…

If you are considering owning a property in England and Wales you need to consider the two different types of property ownership that exist; freehold and leasehold. The majority of properties in England and Wales are fre…

You may have considered building your own home yourself or know somebody who has taken the plunge.  More and more people are starting to take up the challenge in a bid to build their dream home and a more efficient livi…

Following our recent article on the expected freeze on interest until 2014 , we thought we would give you a brief guide to fixed rate mortgages.  If you’re thinking of buying a new home now then a fixed rate mortgage …

If you’re looking for a little extra income and you don’t mind sharing your home, letting out a room could be a great solution. You could potentially make up to £4,250 from letting out a spare room and what’s more…

Home Insurance and Open Windows Home insurance protects your home and contents against theft or loss. If you leave a window open, however, you could put your valuables at unnecessary risk, and your claim for theft or los…

Picture the scene. The champagne is on ice, you've planned everything to the finest detail and the moment is right. You get down on bended knee and ask that all important life-changing question “Darling, shall we take …

If you’re looking for a mortgage now or considering starting the search in the near future, there’s a bit of good news to come out of the City.  The Bank of England has said that it is not likely to change its monet…

The Government’s has today launched a new £15 million ‘ Renewable Heat Premium Payment ’ scheme. The initiative will open for applications on 1 August this year until March 2012. It is claimed it will support up t…

It’s quite common these days to see boundary disputes reach the local and sometimes national headlines.  Arguments about trees and hedges have caused neighbours to fall out forever and in some cases for tempers to eru…

You can’t open a newspaper these days without reading articles about debt and how the UK is drowning in it.  Of course dramatised stories and over-egged reports sell newspapers, but what do the general public think? …

After a steady downturn in the number of repossessions recorded across the UK, the Financial Services Authority has reported that the number of homes lost in this way is up for the first time in over a year. According to…

Do those clever people at Google ever sleep?  It’s been reported that Google is piloting a UK mortgage comparison website.  You may have already seen its online advice service called Google Advisor and Mortgage Strat…

If you’ve just bought an investment property for letting out , the next step is preparing it for let.  Of course, the essential part of these preparations is to ensure that the property is habitable, in presentable co…

National UK broadcaster Channel 4 named The Big Property List Blog as one of their favourite Househunting Blogs this week, rating us alongside such great company as the House Historian and the Rat and Mouse property blog…

Research released by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors is showing that more and more homeowners are choosing to improve their homes rather than face the uncertainty of putting their home on the market.  The stu…

If you’ve found the house of your dreams and you’re sure you can afford the repayments on it, it’s time for some serious negotiation.  It can be very tempting to offer the full asking price, especially if you’re…

One of the most cost effective methods of cutting emissions is through improving energy efficiency in the UK’s existing housing stock.  Whilst on the surface this might sound quite easy, it’s actually quite a challe…

New research is showing that more women than men are currently looking to buy their first property.  Almost two million women are setting this trend and looking to get on the housing ladder in the immediate future. The …

Here at The Big Property List we have been highlighting some of the issues facing first time buyers who are trying to get involved in today’s housing market. Quite often, it can be a real rollercoaster ride if you’re…

Last week at The Big Property List , we looked at the high number of mortgage applications that are currently being turned down and highlighted just how difficult it is to gain any foothold on the property ladder today. …

Well, here at the Big Property List we seem to be reporting on house prices going up and down every other week so we thought we would take a look into the house pricing process and what it all means.  How are these figu…

Here at The Big Property List we like to report on the latest goings on in the property and mortgage world and there has never been so much going on!  It’s an unfortunate situation that many of our articles give or pr…

Last week we published an article on buying ex-council property and the savings that can be made, but what about selling your ex-council property? Selling ex-council property can be a little tricky for a number of reason…

If you’re desperate to get out of the rental game and onto the property ladder, there could be a way to save at least 25% on the house price in the process.  Rising numbers of local authority houses and flats are bein…

Do you have an idea of how much your property is worth? It is an important and often misunderstood question. Many people assume that they can find the value of their property rather easily, by checking on the value of ho…

A couple of weeks ago we published an article on how to avoid the tenant from hell , but what if they have already infiltrated your defences?  They may have passed all the credit checks, ticked all the right boxes, paid…

What’s in a house number?  Well, it all depends how superstitious you are.  Whilst many hotels have avoided using the number 13 for their room numbers, there are many streets with a house brandishing the number 13 on…

Here’s a guide that will move you, quite literally!  If you’re soon to be moving house then it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to get all of your things from here to there.  The most sensible op…

Competition is rife in the estate agency industry, but you never expect to face competition from your local authority.  Imagine the surprise amongst Welsh estate agents then when a Welsh council decided to be the first …

According to the Department of Communities and Local Government, the house-building industry has showed signs of recovery during the first quarter of 2011.  The number of new build properties in development has risen by…

Once you have found the property of your dreams and have had your offer accepted, it’s time to think about a structural survey.   Not obtaining a survey might save you money, but could cost you dearly in the future. W…

Once again the housing market has taken a tumble.  The average cost of a home fell 1.4% last month – a drop that hasn’t been seen since July 2009.  The Halifax house price index reports the latest plummet has led t…

In part 1 of our property conveyancing guide we looked at how to instruct a solicitor, the start of the process and the arduous task of completing many forms.  We’ll now take a look at the closing stages of the home b…

There is often a lot said about rogue landlords and how to avoid renting from them, but what about the reverse side of the coin – the rogue tenant?   If you are a landlord and have had bad experiences with non-paying…

The housing charity Shelter has come up with a clever way to back up its campaign against rogue landlords.  They've created a dark comedy film starring Sean Lock as a less than honest private landlord. The five minute f…

The property ladder; it’s all swings and roundabouts.  Last week we reported a sharp increase in homeowners defaulting on their mortgage and this week we’re reporting a rise in mortgage approvals!  Something had to…

St Giles Hospital in Camberwell is set to be sold by NHS Southwark.  With its imposing turrets, wrought iron gates and clock tower you would be forgiven for thinking this Georgian hospital was way outside the budget of …

It’s only when you start the process of selling or buying a home that you realise what a long and drawn out process it all is.  Even if you are a first time buyer with no chain ahead of you the legal red tape can real…

Q       I want to knock down a building on my property. Do I need planning permission? A Until recently demolition of a building or structure (other than a residential building) did not usually require planning per…

The Bank of England warned this week that the number of homeowners defaulting on their mortgage payments has made an unexpected increase.  Between January and March, lenders reported a surge in customers being unable …

It’s Budget time and many of us will be frantically scouring the budget news for proposals, price hikes and changes that will affect the property business. House prices could be set for a boost by a multi-million pound…

If you are thinking of buying a property at auction it’s a great time to do so.  There are a huge amount of opportunities on the market right now and more and more people are turning to auctions in order to sell a pro…

Buying a first buy to let property is exciting and can be a great investment.  It also means that you have to get some of the important legal and financial issues sorted out before you have tenants move into the propert…

The Property Ombudsman received a record number of complaints last year against estate agents.   The number of complaints raised in 2010 was the most the office has received since it was first established 20 years ago.…

It may not seem like the best time to sell your home when the housing market seems so unstable, but people are selling their homes and in some cases very quickly.  Perhaps you need a bigger house to accommodate a growin…

The Telegraph has reported an interesting addition to property details that are held on the Rightmove website.  According to the Telegraph’s Telecoms Correspondent, Rightmove is to team up with BT to list the broadban…

It’s getting increasingly difficult to get a mortgage these days even if you are simply looking to switch existing borrowing to a new property. Due to the current economic climate, banks are quite sensibly revising the…

As more of us start our home-buying search online there is a growing need for sources of local information. The last few years have given us instant access to objective information such as sold house prices, bus routes, …

I've come across a couple of fantastic projects recently where people are doing their bit towards living more sustainable lives - that is, living in a way that recognises that our petroleum fuelled days are numbered.  B…

Plan for a mortgage as you would a holiday, with enthusiasm and precision. Mortgage lending criteria over the last couple of years has tightened up and this may continue through 2011. We recommend to give yourself the ve…

No so long ago, buy-to-let was viewed as a pretty sure bet by those with money to invest; with the potential to make big long term profits, and a good interim income, they presented an attractive way to invest your money…

Kudos to the people over at Primelocation, arguably the second most popular UK property portal, owned and operated by the Digital Property Group, for awarding us the runners up prize for the best property blog post in 20…

Buying property at a  house auction is not for the faint-hearted, ill-prepared or risk-adverse. That said, its a perfectly viable route to obtaining a house to live in or an investment property at a 'fair rate' if you d…

Politicians have no idea about housing, so said the press yesterday morning . Why should they, it’s a market? No one has really got any idea, so disparate is our market, and with Labour admitting they got it wrong and …

Mary wants to start a revolution in the world of estate agents begins the Channel Four introduction to Mary Portas' latest episode in her Secret Shopper series .  Good luck Mary is what I say, many have set out on that …

Interestingly I’ve just been asked to dispose of a chunk of garden. It sounds simple and relatively inexpensive. A couple of years ago an agent in Knightsbridge was asked to dispose of a garage, and by the way this sto…

Constructing homes sustainably, i.e using materials, technologies and practices that have the minimum possible impact on the earth’s resources, is an exponential growth industry. From what was perceived as a minority �…

For many who spent the tail end of last year trying to predict this year it must have seemed a doddle compared to forecasting now. Suddenly the press, and even me, are beginning to sense that although the year may be a d…

Today was a corker. Daily Express headlines saying that the property market is set to surge this year, sadly they were narrow mindedly talking about prices only, and on the same day the FT were talking about prices set t…

Last week we we spent some time putting together self-nominations for a couple of property awards taking place this year.  As a relatively new property portal we don't expect a major scoop but we do have credibility app…

Good news for mortgagees.  What more can be said?

Frankly there wasn’t much appetite or excitement for predicting what might happen in 2011. It’s a mug’s game at the best of times and most of us in the business have been so worn down by the last few months of 2010…

As a property undergraduate I recall sitting in damp digs smoking roll-ups wondering why I was reading about the the history of Landlord and Tenant Law when I could have been shooting pool in The Ship and sinking pints o…

Water, water everywhere, says the old idiom, but not a drop to spare.  The saying has never been more true, primarily because there’s more demand than ever before for the available water.  There are more mouths to qu…

With house prices continuing to dip and stagnate, you may be tempted to enter the market as a house-buyer. However, it seems that only a few potential buyers are taking the plunge. This leaves sellers frequently stuck be…

As the festive season truly gets under way I thought I'd share this compilation of the funniest Estate Agent video clips from You Tube that have had us clutching our sides with tears rolling down our cheeks this morning.…

It amused me a few weeks ago to read about an estate agent in Brighton who had sent his staff on a poetry course to inspire their descriptions and liven up particulars.  At the other end of the scale one estate agent ha…

The Turkish property market is currently enjoying a boom, not least because its economy is currently the fastest growing economy in Europe according to the OECD. This is a position that will not be relinquished any time …

Last week we thought about buy to let, and whilst that suits certain investors one of the real issues that’s been pondered increasingly is that of institutional money finding it’s way into residential investment. Com…

In this morning's Citywire Linton Chiswick rightfully points out that the rising cost of moving house in recent years has been inflated not only by the introduction of higher arrangement and exit fees on mortgages but wi…

For years it’s been said that what starts in London spreads out to the rest of the country.  Whether that’s been true in the past or not those of us who live in London recognize now perhaps that there’s a disconne…

In this series of articles, planning expert Ian Butter answers some of the most commonly asked planning questions.  This week concerning home working - with more and more of us working from home or starting home busines…

If there's one thing snow does it's make London look clean.  Covers all sorts of grubbiness, is a great leveller and there's nothing anybody can do to stop it.  You could probably say all that about the inspired decisi…

At The Big Property List our aim is to empower and inform (and sometimes entertain) whether you are a home owner or seasoned property developer.  Our bloggers come from a range of disciplines but all have the experience…

Now the weather has turned cold in the UK, our thoughts have turned to how we can keep warm – indoors as well as outdoors.  For many of us that simply means turning up the thermostat another notch.  But with reports …

Everyone keeps asking me if I've seen Sarah Beeny's new TV show, Sarah Beeny's Restoration Nightmare , which I mentioned in the blog last week.  This tell me two things, 1. its very popular and 2. not many of my friends…

As a First Time Buyer, buying your new home should be one of life’s most exciting experiences, but without careful preparation, research and the right mortgage deal, it can quite easily turn into a nightmare. Your new …

For the first time since I’ve been at Douglas & Gordon we made more money last month from lettings than we did from sales. Given that we are a medium sized company that’s not as trite as it sounds. Renting seems …

If you haven't, you can catch Sarah Beeny 's Restoration Nightmare on channel four on thursdays at 8pm. In her new series Sarah tackles the 97 room Georgian Mansion she bought ten years ago with her husband, a property d…

Ian Cowie wrote a fantastic piece for The Telegraph recently entitled ' A nasty surprise for 'penny wise' homebuyers despite falling house prices which made a salient point that home buyers who opt to buy a house without…

Press Release 4 November 2010 National property portal The Big Property List ( www.thebigpropertylist.co.uk ) claims Online Estate agency market is topped by former Private House Sales websites and High Street Agents hav…

GREEN is the colour of choice for new homes.  Movie star Leonardo di Caprio is building an eco home on his own private Caribbean island.  Julia Roberts and George Clooney too are green devotees.  Brad Pitt has been in…

Earlier in the year we published ' How to choose an Estate Agent ' advising home sellers what to look for in an Estate Agent, and it turned out to be a very popular article.   A large part of this decision inevitably c…

Inspired by The Technology Studio’s work comparing Commercial Property Websites we conducted a similar evaluation and comparison of Online Estate Agents in the UK. The report looks at a number of factors such as the am…

The British town planning system is a complex beasty at the best of times, but if you are considering development proposals or changing the use of land or buildings you may need to bear in mind one or more of the followi…

A QUARTER of British homeowners are worried about Bank of England base rates going up, after an 18 month period of 0.5 per cent rates, according to research from Moneysupermarket.com The Bank of England's Monetary Policy…

We were delighted to read an article in Property Week on friday about online property marketing referencing The Big Property List: 'Piggy backing on google...the latest nationwide listings portal' Read the full Property …

Want to know if you  need planning permission for that new shed ?  Wondering if you should reduce the price of your house or simply redecorate to sell it quicker ? The answers to these questions and more can be found o…

London Estate Agency Foxtons have announced that they will charge 0% commission on house sales for people using their new South London branches in Streatham and Willesden Green reported Negotiator Magazine today. The off…

The UK Government has just announced that it has asked the Office of National Statistics to  investigate the coherence and comparability of house price indices.. Tax payers are currently funding two indices, produced…

If you're interested in Sutainable Housing , architecture or design then you'll be very interested in Open House London this Autumn when 700 houses in London will be open to the public. The event is organised by the arch…

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has today announced that Gross mortgage lending in the UK rose by 5% in July 2010 compared with June.  This is still down 3% year on year but is on par with the CML's revised forecast for…

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions that should answer this question, if it doesn’t or you have further questions then please get in touch . How do I upload my properties to thebigpropertylist.co.uk ? The propert…

The Big Property List has been quietly online for some time and although the blog has been running for over a year (and has become quite popular) we only opened up the main property portal a few weeks ago. The initial fe…

Many occupiers either new to the market or looking at expansion perceive the act of moving into a new office is an easy process as simple as packing up your old office one day and moving into the new one the next. The re…

Hope you enjoyed reading my previous article on first impressions , the first of my Interior Design tips?  So now on to my next tip! So we’ve spruced up the entrance and made a fantastic impression, undoubtedly they�…

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5%. The Committee also voted to maintain the stock of asset purchases financed by the…

In my last article I commented that commercial property portals were a poor relative of their residential property family.  However, I would like to clarify that the reason for this is not necessarily the portals themse…

Estate Agency is changing.  The world is changing.  No matter what your stance or perspective you can't disagree with this basic premise. However for those at the forefront of the online migration the pace may seem fas…

When it comes to searching for a new home most people are aware of the various offerings of the internet.  The residential property portals such as RightMove, Primelocation, Fish4Homes have, as the recent OFT (Office of…

by Andy Golding, Chief Executive of Saffron Building Society The question that every borrower wants to know the answer to is whether to tie themselves into a fixed rate mortgage deal, and at least get certainty, or whet…

Never judge a book by its cover ...or not? So, consider this...before: Selling your home is always a challenge and can take some time.  To help sell the property it is always a good idea to give your home that final pie…

An overseas property investment is a unique investment and unlike buying property at home. Overseas buyers are generally buying a dream and not a property as this is what the bulk of this market is all about. Rightmove O…

Ever since the property industry made its first bold steps online, the possibilities offered have been a gift for sellers and buyers alike.  From basic search to widgets, from Google Maps integration to social media eng…

Following the emergency budget last week, many homeowners and landlords are picking through the new factors that have been thrown in to the to-buy-or-not-to-buy conundrum. A few reassuring points remain: The new Governme…

Having sold a house recently it was interesting to see the kind of direct marketing that a For Sale sign attracts - having erected both a private For Sale sign and one from The Best Estate Agent in Reading. Having displa…

According to the Land Registry the 7 month long run of house price increases has been broken by a marginal drop in May 2010. This puts the average house price in england and Wales at £165,314 with an overall annual rise…

Those of you who are regular readers will notice a big change in our design today as we've re-branded The Inside Edge property blog to match our corporate website design over at www.thebigpropertylist.co.uk Things may co…

BBC news this week reported that one water company, United Utilities, is already contemplating a hosepipe ban after 'an unprecedented period of dry weather since December 2009'. The company, which covers north-west engla…

The UK government today announced their 2010 emergency budget to the house of commons and it makes significant changes to the taxation concerning income and capital gains from property. The Headlines: - Income tax thresh…

The upside of the credit crunch fuelled recession has been, for many British families, lower mortgage repayments on loans. Despite the media's love for doom and gloom these lucky souls have been going about their busines…

by Roberta Ward When I was requested to write an article about ethics in property investment I was asked a few questions: • Do ethics and property investment make easy bedfellows? • Are there ethical dilemmas in prop…

We were really pleased this week to discover that we've  made it in to Technorati's top 100 Real Estate blogs - worldwide! As the name suggests Technorati is the Web's leading  authority for blogs and attaining the upp…

Finding the right estate agent can be a daunting task.  After all you're entrusting them with the sale of your largest asset and the difference between a good one and a bad one could be weeks of stress and thousands of …

If you're wondering how the newly formed coalition government will affect the Capital Gains Tax payable on selling a house in the UK then you may be interested to hear that Citywire reported this morning that an increase…

A friend recently asked me for advice about his neighbour's shed. When I say shed, I mean minature house in the back garden.  This building is red-brick, single storey with a pitched and tiled roof and double glazed.  …

Freedom of information, what a wonderful phrase...(now sing to the tune of The Lion King's Hakuna Matata ) - well it nearly works! I'm always going on about online sources of information, and if you know where to look yo…

Whilst researching mortgage options this morning I was surprised to find a page on the Co-operative Bank's website discussing the pros and cons of selling your house without an estate agent. Two of the critical 'cons' we…

My longstanding tenants gave me notice this week and will leave in four weeks and so I'm going through the traditional 'shall I sell up?', 'shall I rent?' dilemma. I always start by looking at what's for sale and to rent…

A friend of mine drew my attention to an article in the Independant on Sunday last weekend about selling your house privately , if you want to read the article you can find it here . To be honest it doesn't say much that…

1. Take safety very seriously. Landlords have obligations under law to keep tenants safe in relation to gas (carbon monoxide), electricity and fire. By law you MUST have an annual, valid gas safety certificate at ALL TIM…

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)  believe that the Chancellor's reform of stamp duty will benefit first time buyers and benefit the new home building market. Alistair Darling made homes worth up to £25…

In her insightful property blog facts not headlines Kate Faulkner, property consultant and owner of www.designsonproperty.co.uk says 'many people just ‘fall’ into buying property abroad' while on holiday or by the pa…

House purchase loans fell by more than three times the decline in remortgages in January, according to data released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. This emphatically demonstrates the effect on the mortgage mar…

The latest RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) house price survey shows that house prices have stalled as increased supply has put pressure on prices. As prices rose in 2009 many commentators suggested this was…

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5%. The Committee also voted to maintain the stock of asset purchases financed by the…

Loans to first time buyers increased drastically last month as the window for taking advantage of the concession on tax duty for properties in the £125,000 to £175,000 bracket came to an end. There were 24,900 loans to…

Loans to first time buyers increased drastically last month as the window for taking advantage of the concession on tax duty for properties in the £125,000 to £175,000 bracket came to an end. There were 24,900 loans to…

The Council of Mortgage Lenders welcomed today's publication by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) of new rules and guidance to provide full protection for consumers in the sale-and-rent-back market. Lenders have for…

Gross mortgage lending reached an estimated £13.7 billion in December, a 14% rise from £12.1 billion in November and up 3% on December 2008, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. This is the first time the annu…

Being in the online property media industry you see a lot of coverage and advertising for 'quick sale' or Fast House Sale schemes but I realised recently I'd had no direct dealings with them and had always put them down …

The property section of the saturday's Telegraph carried a raving review of Sarah Beeny's private property sales website Tepilo.com in which Sarah again set out her vision for the future of property sales. She believes t…

Since researching the online property market for thebigpropertylist.co.uk we've come across a mixed bag of blogs and online property services, ranging from the home-made and popular to the very slick but relatively unkno…

Home buyers in November needed to use less of their income to cover their mortgage interest than at any time for more than five years, according to new data released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. In particula…

Bank of England Maintains Bank Rate at 0.5% and continues with £200 Billion Asset Purchase Programme The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial ba…

When I talk to people about my new business, people invariably ask what inspired me.  Of course the question does not always come in that form - sometimes it's 'what made you think of that?' or a similar variation. In m…

If you are wondering how much your house will be worth in the coming year then you are not alone. The latest Halifax House Price Index published last week reported that house prices rose for the 5th successive month, ris…

According to the website of Building magazine the Housing minister John Healey has unveiled a new list of second wave eco-town proposals and has set aside £5m for council funding. The Department for Communities and Loca…

The Welsh Passive House architectural competition has selected two winning eco-homes that will produce only 20% of the Carbon emissions produced by a standard new house. The formal press release claims that 'innovative d…

The Telegraph stoked up the so called 'Aga wars' today with an article continuing the debate started by environmentalist George Monbiot. Monbiot launched his (notional as far as I can tell) Campaign Against Agas in a Gua…

Bank of England Maintains Bank Rate at 0.5% and continues with £200 Billion Asset Purchase Programme The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial ba…

In this first article from guest blogger Sharon Crossland, owner of property website Leasehold Life , she discusses the hot topic of the proposed licensing of residential landlords. Having set up my website Leasehold Lif…

The Price comparison website Moneyfacts says that the availablility of high Loan-to-Value mortgages is increasing although still much lower than two years ago. According to Moneyfacts there were only 56 mortgages availab…

My experience of blogging is that most blog readers are bloggers themselves and that unlike the traditional print media where a small number of writers push content out to the many, the blogging world is an interactive o…

There are presently tax advantages when letting holiday accommodation in the UK but this is due to change on 10 April 2010. In her excellent ' Landlord Law' blog , Tessa Shepperson (property solicitor) recommends Furnish…

When people ask what you 'do', what do you say? It's easy if you've got one of those jobs with a title everyone understands, like doctor, fireman or teacher but when you run a web business you could say a million differe…

The mortgage market will be constrained by the eventual increase in interest rates along with rising unemployment and taxes said Michael Coogan the CML director. In this interview at the CML annual conference he predicts…

An article in the FT today claims consumer confidence is returning after a 5.9% climb in retail sales in October against the same month last year. The 'surge' was apparantly helped by Halloween and school holidays (didn'…

As expected by many the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee have voted to maintain the base rate at 0.5 % and to increase the Asset Purchase Programme by £25 Billion to £200 Billion. Good news for mortgage borrowers but no…

Every week we give you a selection of the best property articles from the national newspapers, so you won’t miss a thing. FSA fines mortgage lender GMAC £2.8m The specialist home loan provider is the first to be fined…

When the Financial Services Authority (FSA) recently published it's consultation paper on the proposed changes to it's approach to regulating the mortgage market outlining a 'more intrusive approach' we thought this howl…

The September lending data from the Bank of England shows a continuation of recent trends in the mortgage market. Underlying levels of mortgage lending have edged a little higher driven by an increase in house purchase a…

Well if we need another housing market survey then why not one from Gumtree? Gumtree claim to be 'the only site to embrace listings from all types of property owners' (obviously no-one's told them about fish4homes which …

In his Morning Line article today, property market commentator for Citywire, Tony Bonsinore, says: '...relying on rising house prices as a way of stimulating economic recovery is robbing the young to pay the old - and ly…

MARKET COMMENTARY from the Council of Mortgage Lenders While housing and mortgage market activity has proceeded largely as expected in the last month, there have been some rather more positive signs for the future. We ha…

SEPTEMBER GROSS MORTGAGE LENDING Gross mortgage lending totalled an estimated £12.5 billion in September, a 2% rise from the £12.3 billion in August. Read the press release Subscribe to The Inside Edge - UK Property Ne…

Yesterday the Financial Services Authority (FSA) published their ' mortgage market review ', unveiling their proposed reforms for the mortgage market. Like the current MP's expenses debacle, they too are making retrospec…

In response to Tony Bonsignore's article in yesterday's citywire which effectively stated goodbye and good riddance to self cert mortgages, Lorna Bourke today argues that there is a place for 'responsible self-cert lendi…

Estate agent and landlords' organisations have formed a pressure group called the 1808 coalition (in reference to the year the duty was introduced) to campaign for the total abolition of stamp duty on houses in the UK. T…

Knight Frank have concluded that house prices will finish this year strongly but dip again in 2011, adding weight to the recent report by economists Fitch. However they put this decline at 3% rather than the 17% forecast…

So says Tony Bonsignore in Citywire's Morning Line . Subscribe to The Inside Edge - UK Property News and Advice by Email Subscribe to The Inside Edge - UK Property News and Advice by Email

In Prime Minister's questions yesterday in the house of commons the PM, Gordon Brown, was asked his view about the availablity of mortgages and the 'rural crisis' caused by a lack of affordable housing. The questioner,MP…

Every week we give you a selection of the best property articles from the national newspapers, so you won’t miss a thing. Property: Hot tickets A growing number of us are being drawn away from the city to a new communt…

The mortgage market is on two speed settings, as house purchase lending continues to recover but remortgaging continues to decline, according to the latest data released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The number of …

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5%. Subscribe to The Inside Edge - UK Property News and Advice by Email Subscribe to …

TBPL has been following with interest the recent debate on citywire.co.uk between those who believe the time is right for First Time Buyers and use expressions like 'a window of opportunity' and those who believe the mar…

One thing we are very clear about here at thebigpropertylist.co.uk is that people are very capable of selling their own house , but the process can seem daunting at first because you're not sure how much the estate agent…

Every week we give you a selection of the best property articles from the national newspapers, so you won’t miss a thing. Return of the mortgage tricks Conditions for banks are back to pre-credit crunch levels but lend…

The annual Which? mortgage lender satisfaction survey results are out, revealing that on average we are 4% more satisfied with our homelender than we were last year. Actually, this equates to an overall Which? 'satisfact…

Online property portal Look4aproperty.co.uk have announced a £1 billion loan package to stimulate the UK housing market by offering interest free loans to homebuyers to cover the costs of stamp duty, legal fees and othe…

Online property portal Look4aproperty.co.uk have announced a £1 billion loan package to stimulate the UK housing market by offering interest free loans to homebuyers to cover the costs of stamp duty, legal fees and othe…

Although remortgaging remained unsurprisingly weak, lending for house purchase showed its first material annual growth in July for the first time since early 2007, according to the latest Council of Mortgage Lenders' sur…

Every week we give you a selection of the best property articles from the national newspapers, so you won’t miss a thing. TBPL article of the week:- Green property: the eco peep show Heritage Open Days give us a chance…

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5%. The Committee also voted to continue with its programme of asset purchases totall…

The British government yesterday launched an information campaign to urge struggling homeowners to 'get help' and 'take control' of their finances. Television adverts will raise awareness of the campaign with the message…

Every week we give you a selection of the best property articles from the national newspapers, so you won’t miss a thing. Interest rates 'could rise sharply early next year' Interest rates could start to rise early nex…

We're very excited to announce that our professional Private For Sale signs are available to buy immediately! Visit online shop We guarantee you will not find these quality design heavyduty weatherproof signs anywhere ch…

The latest approvals data from the Bank of England shows the number of loans for house purchase rose 5% from June to 50,123. This was a 50% increase from a year ago when the housing and mortgage market was in a sharp dow…

In this new weekly article we'll give you a selected overview of the best property articles from the national newspapers over the weekend. We’ll spend our Sunday mornings with coffee and newspapers - so you won't miss …

The latest Nationwide house price review has shown a monthly increase of 1.6% in August 09, a fourth consecutive monthly increase, taking the average UK house price to £160, 224. It is widely believed that the increase …

The buy-to-let market showed the first signs of stabilising in the second quarter as arrears improved significantly and the decline in new lending began to slow, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. There were 2…

Celebrity property developer Sarah Beeny, best known for her channel 4 television show Property Ladder, has implicitly endorsed the private house sale route by launching her own For Sale By Owner website Tepilo. On the w…

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5%. Despite the continuance of low base rates, mortgage deals still do not reflect th…

This blog has been the fore-runner to the full website which will allow UK property owners to market and sell their own home without the services of an Estate Agent. We're delighted to announce that the website will be l…

Halifax House Price Index for July 09 seems to suggest that house prices continue their very gradual recovery, but analysts are cautious about hailing this the beginning of the end. One reputable IFA yesterday suggested …

Gross mortgage lending in June was an estimated £12.3 billion, a 17% increase from £10.5 billion in May and a 48% decline from £23.8 billion in June 2008, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders. CM…

According to Rightmove average asking prices rose in July for the fifth time this year, up 0.6% (£1428) from last month. Rightmove's interpretation of the data suggests the return to a 'steady state' in the housing mark…

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to reduce the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves by 0.5 percentage points to 0.5% This move was expected by most anaylsts who remain cautious…

The Bank of England reported this week that the number of approved homeloans remained subdued in January 2009. The number of loans given to consumers to buy houses remained at a standstill in January, showing no rise fro…

As expected the Bank of England today further reduced rates by 0.5% to a new record low of 1%. Citywire commentary says that 'Data on the housing market was...supportive of further cuts, with Halifax's house price survey…

'Homeowners looking to trade up the property ladder can now do so at a much lower cost, as the recent price falls have knocked more off the value of larger houses than those further down the chain' says a recent article …

As expected the Bank of England yesterday moved to further reduce interest rates in an attempt to stimulate the UK economy. Most of the commentary in today's press questions whether Banks and Lenders will pass on the ful…

Lenders lower mortgage rates but raise hurdles - says Sharlene Goff on FT.com 'Borrowers are having to meet tougher lending terms, just as the cost of mortgages has started to ease, as banks restrict their best deals to …

Bank of England News Release 6 November 2008 The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to reduce the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves by 1.5 percentage points to 3%. The past two mo…

8 October 2008 The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee today voted at a special meeting to reduce the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves to 4.5%. The Monetary Policy Committee held a special meet…

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 5.0%. TBPL View: Don't expect any discounted mortgages this month, the MPC has to balan…

From the no.10 website : The Prime Minster has launched a major Government initiative aimed at making the housing market fairer for all. The £1 billion Homeowners Support Package includes a one-year holiday on stamp dut…

The Council of Mortgage Lenders is today introducing new measures to help ensure that conveyancing and valuation processes capture the true value of newly-built properties. From today, lenders will ask builders or develo…

An article in the FT this week stated 'Buy-to-let property owners are becoming increasingly concerned about falling rents, just as many need to refinance to more expensive, less flexible mortgage deals'. The figures quot…

The Council of Mortgage Lenders today issued a press release stating that Mortgage lending was subdued in July 08. Although lending was up 5% compared with June, it was down 27% compared to July a year ago, according to …

The citizen's advice bureau has made a press release addressing those UK householders experiencing financial difficulties exacerbated by the credit crunch: 15-08-2008 Household finances have been badly stretched in the p…

The latest UK house price index statistics produced by Communities and Local Government were released on Tuesday 12 August 2008. The latest statistics release includes data based on mortgage completions during the month …

The BBC has reported that the Treasury has moved to clarify their stance on Stamp Duty in response to media and political speculation that some kind of tax break is being considered to help the struggling property market…

News Release 7 August 2008 The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 5.0%. It is the fourth consecutive month that the Bank has h…

Yesterday (29th July 08) Sir James Crosby published his interim report to the Government: Mortgage Finance: Interim analysis . He warns that many mortgage intermediataries will be forced out of the market by the current …

This month the RICs published their UK housing market survey. Key highlights were: - Average number of transactions (sales) fell further - More Surveyors reported a fall than a rise in house prices - Demand is weak with …

The Minister for Housing (Caroline Flint) this week launched a document entitled “Facing the Housing Challenge: Action today, innovation for tomorrow”. Introducing the document to the House of Commons she said: 'We k…

This is the first in a series of articles from the team at TheBigPropertyList.co.uk - the online marketing service that helps you sell your house - yourself. The current state of the UK property market is in slowdown/ de…