Slowdown in annual UK house price growth
House prices in Britain have fallen for the first time in 15 months. The average price of a property dropped to £268,282 in October, down 0.9 per cent compared to October, according to the Nationwide’s House Price Index. Robert Gardner, Nationwide’s chief economist, said: “October saw a sharp slowdown in annual house price growth, to […]
Winter and winter gardening – expert top tips for the best outdoor tasks to carry out over the coming weeks
As the temperature tumbles and our gardens start to look bare and wintery, many of us decide we would rather wait until the spring to tidy up our outside space. But, says TV plantsman and horticulturalist Michael Perry (aka Mr Plant Geek), there’s no time like the present…. Here are Michael’s top 10 winter gardening […]
UK build-to-rent homes to increase five-fold in the next decade
Build to Rent (BTR) homes could increase five-fold, with the sector worth £170 billion, according to recent research. A study by the British Property Federation (BPF) and Savills projects the number of BTR homes completed could reach 380,000 by 2032. The projection, undertaken in partnership with Get Living, one of the UK pioneers of BTR, […]
Local high streets are still important when choosing where to live
The quality of local high streets is still an important factor in many people’s decisions about where to live, despite the pandemic having impacted many, according to new research. Market Financial Solutions (MFS) commissioned an independent, nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults and found that having a vibrant local high street was important to […]
Bring a little warmth to the home this autumn – top tips
The weather has certainly turned and many of us are playing the “should we” or “shouldn’t we” game of whether or not to put the central heating on. And with energy costs soaring, we are all certainly keen to hold off as long as possible. So what steps can we take to keep our homes […]
New home completions bounce back to pre-pandemic levels
New home completions have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to the NHBC, an independent provider of warranty and insurance for new homes. The organisation says its research highlights that overall a total of 40,289 were completed in the second quarter of 2022, an increase of 16 per cent compared to the same time last year. […]
More older people are now renting
The number of middle-age and later life tenants living in privately rented homes has accelerated faster than those under the age of 35 over the past decade. Analysis carried out by Paragon Bank analysis suggests between 2011 and 2021, there was a 110 per cent increase in the number of households privately renting in England […]
Top tips to checking your finances before renting
With the cost of living increasing and budgets are becoming even tighter here are our top tips for looking at your finances before embarking on renting a property. Your rent is likely to be your biggest outgoing. When deciding how much you can afford, draw up a detailed budget of all your other likely outgoings […]
Cost of living: first-time buyers will need to earn even more to buy a home
The average first-time buyer will need an additional £12,250 of income – compared to a year ago- to buy a home, according to the latest House Price Index from Zoopla. The research carried out by the property portal also revealed those hoping to live in London will need an additional £35,000 due to predicted higher […]
How to keep your home insurance costs down – top tips
When times are hard, we all need to tighten our belts and make cuts – and it might be tempting to reduce home insurance. Hannah Davidson, senior underwriting manager at Aviva, stresses the importance of ensuring you are adequately covered for buildings and contents, but says there are ways to make careful savings. Consider a […]