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By month: February 2007
Population growth linked to house prices
28-Feb-07
Certain areas of the UK are likely to experience consistently above-average house prices as a result of population growth, new research has suggested.According to a study by Propertyfinder.com, there are strong links between house price and regional popul
Regulation body claims EPCs are "ill-considered"
28-Feb-07
The introduction of energy performance certificates (EPCs) in the forthcoming Home information packs (Hips) has been described as "ill-considered" by the government's own Better Regulation Commission.Chairman Rik Haythornthwaite said this week t
House prices up 0.7% in February
27-Feb-07
House prices rose by 0.7 per cent in February, representing the highest monthly rise since May 2004, a property website has revealed.The monthly housing market survey from Hometrack also shows that 14 per cent more properties have been registered with age
27-Feb-07
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has questioned the effectiveness of 'green' mortgages.While some mortgage lenders have been investigating the possibility of rewarding homeowners for taking measures to limit their home's impact on the environment, th
27-Feb-07
Large numbers of urban sites are being neglected when councils identify areas for new homes, research has revealed.A study by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has highlighted significant quantities of wasted land within towns and cities which
Wooden floors - the hidden cost
26-Feb-07
Wooden floors are contributing to a huge increase in repair bills and therefore leading to a noticeable rise in home insurance premiums, industry members have revealed.The popular interior design feature is prone to damage, as the lack of absorbent carpet
Londoners warned of off-road parking subsidence risk
26-Feb-07
London's homeowners are being warned of the dangers of subsidence caused by the concreting over of lawns and flowerbeds to create off-road parking.According to home insurance provider esure, the practice, which is particularly common in London, can disrup
Homeowners waste annual leave on tradesmen
23-Feb-07
Over a third of workers were forced to take paid time off work last year in order to receive deliveries or wait for tradesmen, research has revealed.As a nation, we took just under 13.5 million days off to wait at home, equalling 62 days off - or three ye
Would-be buyers forced to rent
22-Feb-07
Many Britons are opting to remain in the rental market because of a shortage of properties on the market, experts have claimed.According to Andrew Weir, director of London estate agency Foxtons, the problem is particularly severe in the capital, with a gr
22-Feb-07
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has thrown its weight behind the call for the introduction of Home information packs (Hips) to be postponed.Responding to the government's consultation on the packs, which are designed to increase the sp
Dartford boasts development of the month
22-Feb-07
A housing development in Dartford, Kent, has been named development of the month by a property site, thanks to its unconventional design and superb location.Waterstone Park, a development of one and two-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom houses
21-Feb-07
The colour of your walls can be extremely important when trying to sell a property, with research showing that a poor colour scheme can actually reduce the value of your home.A survey by Privilege Home Insurance revealed that painting your walls in an una
CML: No proof that Hips will improve buying process
21-Feb-07
There is no evidence that home information packs (Hips) will improve the home buying and selling process, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has claimed.The CML believes that the introduction of Hips should be postponed until full evidence can be gathe
Mortgages inflated to cover stamp duty costs
20-Feb-07
Homeowners are finding it difficult to cover the cost of stamp duty, with many having to increase their mortgage in order to pay the tax.Those with properties valued over the £125,000 threshold are charged one per cent stamp duty, rising to three per
Estate agents 'no longer required'
20-Feb-07
For many homeowners, the automatic first step when selling a property is to head down to the local estate agent.But times are changing and many people are asking: "What exactly is my estate agent doing that I couldn't do for myself - and at a lower c
Hips without HCRs 'could be seen as incomplete'
20-Feb-07
A housing expert has claimed that home information packs (Hips) that do not contain the optional home condition report (HCR) could be regarded as incomplete by buyers.The packs will become mandatory from June 1st 2007, although sellers will no longer be r
Small rise in asking prices for homes in February
19-Feb-07
The lowest rise in asking prices for homes in England and Wales for five years has been witnessed this month, according to Rightmove.The online estate agent claims that asking prices rose by just 0.9 per cent over the last month, while house price growth
Epsom hospital sites to be redeveloped
19-Feb-07
A development of over 700 homes is to be built on three former hospital sites in south-east London.Some of the old hospital buildings will be converted into apartments and there will also be a hotel and conference centre, shops and public parkland.Several
Brits spend most on home renovation
19-Feb-07
British homeowners spend more on maintaining and cleaning their home than those in other European countries, a survey has revealed.According to Datamonitor, Britons spend more on home hygiene products and renovation during a five-year period than other Eu
16-Feb-07
There was no change in price for nearly two thirds of houses in January, new figures released today have revealed.The January housing market survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) shows that 63 per cent of house prices stayed the
Hips 'could drive down house prices'
15-Feb-07
The demand for environmentally-friendly homes is likely to increase as a result of energy performance certificates (EPCs) becoming a compulsory part of home information packs (Hips), and one expert believes the packs could help to drive down house prices.
15-Feb-07
The average price for a brand new home fell slightly last month as potential buyers' confidence faltered in response to rising interest rates.Many buyers decided to put plans on hold while they waited to see if interest rates would rise again, contributin
Homeowners urged to protect DIY investments
15-Feb-07
Home improvements can increase the value of a property, but homeowners are being reminded to ensure that the fruits of their labours are insured.Consumers are expected to fork out in the region of £57 billion on home improvements over the next six mo
'Track and cap' mortgage will protect buyers
14-Feb-07
Woolwich has launched the UK's first ever 'track and cap' mortgage - a product which should help to protect homebuyers against future economic uncertainty.The mortgage remains at 0.23 per cent above the base rate, while the optional cap protection - avail
Buying with friends not suitable for all
14-Feb-07
First-time buyers who are considering buying a home with a group of friends may find that the concept is not as attractive as they might imagine.According to Moneyfacts, groups can find themselves severely limited with regard to the size of property they
Buy-to-let 'could slow during 2007'
14-Feb-07
Recent years have witnessed a massive growth in buy-to-let mortgages, but analysts believe that interest rate rises could restrain the market over the coming months.Figures released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) have shown that the number
London buyers paying over the odds for homes
13-Feb-07
Buyers are becoming so desperate to secure a property purchase that many are offering to pay well over the asking price, experts have claimed.According to Marc Goldberg, regional sales director for London at Hamptons International, demand from buyers has
FTBs plan to stay put for 10 years
13-Feb-07
Nearly two fifths of first-time buyers intend to stay in their home for the next ten to 15 years, a new study has revealed.According to research by Clydesdale Bank, first-time buyers seem to be purchasing properties with a view to staying put, rather than
Homeowners plagued by DIY rows
13-Feb-07
One in ten arguments among unmarried couples are fuelled by disagreements over unfinished DIY and building projects, a survey has revealed.Discontented homeowners are apparently constantly arguing about the progress of their home improvements, and it seem
London property prices top £296k
12-Feb-07
London property prices have reached the record-breaking figure of £296,000, according to official data.The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said that the average London house price now stands at £296,160. Property prices in
Government turns to energy-efficient property
12-Feb-07
The government is turning to energy efficient property and a new zero-carbon emissions housing initiative.Communities minister Ruth Kelly unveiled details of the 'Carbon Challenge' which offers building firms the chance to develop zero-carbon housing in d
City homes produce 37% of total emissions
9-Feb-07
Around 37 per cent of London's carbon dioxide emissions are generated by the city's homes, a new report has revealed.The Hothouses report by Green MEP Jean Lambert warns that London's domestic emissions are well above the 30 per cent level for the UK as a
9-Feb-07
The number of first-time buyers taking out mortgages fell in January, figures have shown.According to Mortgages Direct, the fall in confidence could be due to the surprise interest rate rise in January.December's figures had shown a peak in first-time buy
'Now the time to sell', Londoners told
8-Feb-07
Property owners in London have been advised that the market is currently in good shape for sellers.Rising demand forced the average London house price up by 0.5 per cent last month and buyers are still clearly keen to move, despite the recent rate rises,
House prices up 1.3% in January
8-Feb-07
Recent interest rate rises have failed to have a major impact on the property market, with house prices rising by 1.3 per cent in January.The figures, released by the Halifax, maintain annual house price inflation at around ten per cent, although the Hali
Interest rate hold 'a welcome relief' for homeowners
8-Feb-07
The Bank of England's monetary policy committee has today voted to maintain the base rate at 5.25 per cent.The news should come as a welcome relief to mortgage borrowers, particularly as opinion had seemed divided over whether or not the committee would c
£84m price tag for penthouse properties
7-Feb-07
The average first-time buyer spends many hours juggling figures and massaging their temples as they try to budget for their first home.We doubt that the future owners of four penthouse flats overlooking the Serpentine will have any such problems as, with
Homeowners urged to find flexible mortgages
7-Feb-07
A mortgage is the largest and longest financial commitment that the majority of people will make, but many fail to find the best mortgage or reconsider their options as their financial circumstances change.Flexible mortgage deals are undoubtedly attractiv
Unapproved work could be costly for home sellers
6-Feb-07
Homeowners could be pouring thousands of pounds down the drain unless they choose their plumber and heating engineer carefully, a trade association has claimed.The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) has urged homeowners to only use t
Number of London house hunters triples
6-Feb-07
The number of people looking to buy a house in London has tripled over the last 12 months, new figures have revealed.Last year, 40,000 buyers viewed property via Foxtons, but that figure has now increased to over 60,000, with record bonus payouts, a short
Botched home repairs cost £181m
6-Feb-07
Over a million British homeowners suffer at the hands of rogue tradesmen every year, with the average victim shelling out an extra £228 to get the botched work fixed.Homeowners are spending over £181 million to get jobs done properly and one in
East End property prices soar following Olympic win
5-Feb-07
House prices in three postal districts close to the site of the 2012 Olympic games have risen by over 15 per cent since the success of London's bid was announced.Prices in Leytonstone (E11) have increased by 23 per cent - £50,714 - since the middle o
Property ladder favoured over holidays
5-Feb-07
First-time buyers are becoming so desperate to get on the property ladder that many are even giving up their holidays in order to save money for a deposit.A new survey by Abbey has revealed that 53 per cent of would-be homeowners are willing to give up ho
ETA unveils green home insurance
2-Feb-07
Britain's first home insurance policy allowing consumers to offset their household emissions has been launched.The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) has unveiled its latest product - a climate-neutral home insurance package which covers both conte
Homebuyers scared off by ghosts
2-Feb-07
The majority of potential homebuyers will not let superstition get in the way of a good house, but the possibility of ghostly goings-on is enough to send many people running back to the property ads.A new poll by the Homebuyer Show has revealed that altho
Improving your property for sale
1-Feb-07
Many people who plan to move home in the near future think that they no longer have to spend money on their property. After all, why spend money if you're not going to be around for much longer to enjoy the improved decor?However, spending a little money
Green 'home improvement' could raise tax bills
1-Feb-07
Environmental campaigners have been calling for homeowners to make green improvements to their property in order to cut carbon emissions.But it turns out that spending money on a wind turbine could actually prove more expensive in the long run.According t
Hips rolled out in further 12 locations
1-Feb-07
Home information packs (Hips) are now being tested in a further 12 areas, following their initial rollout in six places around the UK.The packs are now being trialled in a section of the M4 corridor including Reading, Basingstoke and Wokingham, Manchester
