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By month: October 2007
Property investment is "viable option"
31-Oct-07
Property investment remains a "very viable option" in the UK market, according to Inside Track.The firm says that people can still see positive returns on their investments even if the market slows.In fact, Pierre Williams, head of communication
Saving before buying is 'ideal'
31-Oct-07
Potential homebuyers who already have savings before entering the market are in an "ideal situation", according to Key Financial Consultants.The firm says that first-time buyers (FTBs) who have money put aside are in a better situation than thos
31-Oct-07
House prices surged in October as the market recovered from recent turmoil.The latest Nationwide House Price Index puts price inflation in the month at 1.1 per cent, well above the 0.7 per cent figure recorded in September.It means that the average UK pro
30-Oct-07
The Association of Home Information Pack Providers (Ahipp) has slammed estate agents for not handing out Home information packs (Hips) "automatically".The criticism follows the publication of research by Spicerhaart, which showed that only ten p
Flats lead the way for landlords
30-Oct-07
Buy-to-let investors are more likely to invest in a flat or a terraced house than any other type of property.That is according to research by Paragon Mortgages, which found that the average landlord's portfolio tends to be 46 per cent flats.This is closel
30-Oct-07
Property prices are set to rise by around five per cent in 2008, according to Assetz.The firm has responded to a forecast by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), which predicted that house price inflation would reach just one per cent next year.Assetz h
7-month high for mortgage loans
29-Oct-07
The latest figures from the Bank of England show that the value of approved mortgages increased in September.The total value of loans for the purchase of a house hit £9.8 billion - a seven-month record.It was considerably higher than the six-month av
London house prices outperform rest of the country
29-Oct-07
House prices continued to rise in September, according to the Land Registry's latest index.The report puts month-on-month growth at 0.4 per cent, up on the 0.2 per cent increase recorded in August.The average property price reached £183,896 although
Landlords may pay more insurance for student tenants
26-Oct-07
Buy-to-let property investors could find themselves paying higher insurance premiums if they have student tenants.According to Rawlins, an insurance broker, some insurers will charge higher premiums for landlords who let to students compared to those who
Lack of housing may spell good news for landlords
26-Oct-07
People with investment properties in London and elsewhere in the UK may be benefiting from a severe lack of affordable housing.That is suggested in a report by an independent body which was set up by the government to advise MPs on new homes.The report st
Brits reminded of equity cashpots
25-Oct-07
Homeowners who have owned their house for over 50 years are being reminded of the large amounts of equity tied up in their properties.Equity release specialist Home & Capital has revealed that house prices over the last 50 years have risen 100-fold, m
NAEA slams government 'spin' over Hips
25-Oct-07
The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has been accused of "spinning" the success of the recent Hips introduction.According to recent surveys and interviews by the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the Hips rollout
Hips honeymoon period 'nearly over'
25-Oct-07
Estate agents are predicting that the "honeymoon period" which is currently being experienced by vendors regarding home information packs (Hips) is due to come to an abrupt halt.From January 1st, vendors will no longer be able to put their prope
Banks do lend responsibly, says BBA
24-Oct-07
The British Bankers' Association has defended banks against allegations that they are knowingly lending money to consumers who cannot afford the repayments.BBA Chief Executive Angela Knight, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, insisted that campaign groups call
Homeowners 'do not understand interest rates'
24-Oct-07
A new poll has revealed that a majority of homeowners lack a proper understanding of the financial impact of rising interest rates.The Personal Credit Index survey was conducted by CreditExpert.co.uk and has prompted a warning that confusion among consume
Chancellor 'risks creating housing panic'
24-Oct-07
Chancellor Alistair Darling is risking causing home buyers to panic due to his constant criticism of the financial services industry, one expert has claimed.Michael Coogan, director general of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, says that the cabinet member
Many definitions for 'green' mortgages
23-Oct-07
The Co-Operative Bank has today revealed that different mortgage lenders have contrasting ideas about what they should offer customers looking for a 'green' mortgage.With people across the country becoming more aware of environmental issues, being able to
London 'top European city for investment'
23-Oct-07
London has been named the best place in Europe for investors looking to put their money into property it was revealed today.According to new research by LaSalle Investment Management, the capital beat off a number of other popular hubs including Munich an
London to become more affordable
23-Oct-07
Property in London looks set to become more affordable after new figures show that house prices are slowly declining.A new study shows that nine out of ten estate agents in the capital has noticed the changes which looks set to allow more first-time buyer
Buy-to-let attractive for student buyers
22-Oct-07
Buying a property is still popular among university students, according to new research by Abbey.The firm points out that 66,000 current students already own a home and a further 110,000 would also like to.One of the most popular ways to finance the purch
Tenancy deposit scheme take-up encouraging for NLA
22-Oct-07
The National Landlords' Association (NLA) says that it has been "very encouraged" by the willingness of buy-to-let investors to enter into a tenancy deposit protection scheme.According to the organisation, there are still a number of landlords w
Britons see property as safer than cash
19-Oct-07
Around 53 per cent of UK consumers now consider investing in property to be less risky than saving with a bank or building society, a recent study has established.However, with house prices falling in some parts of the country in recent months, investment
September sees UK property slowdown
19-Oct-07
Property markets in the UK saw a sizable slowdown over the course of September, according to data compiled by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).Gross lending tends to fall between August and September, but the CML has revealed that this year the drop
Brits remain confident in housing market
19-Oct-07
A new survey has revealed that most Brits remain confident in the housing market with around 62 per cent saying they believed property prices would continue to rise. The study by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), also found that just 21 per c
18-Oct-07
Home information packs (Hips) will give power back to home buyers and will remove "frustrating aspects" of the housing market such as speculative house marketing.That is according to AA Legal Services, which says that calls for the packs to be s
London landlords see best returns
18-Oct-07
Demand for rented accommodation is soaring as potential buyers put off entering the housing market.That is according to Paragon Mortgages, which says that people with buy-to-let properties in London saw the highest annual total returns in October.Average
UK landlords outperform EU counterparts
18-Oct-07
New research highlights the differences and similarities in the private rented sectors of European Union (EU) countries.Birmingham Midshires found that UK buy-to-let investors are more likely to rely on their investments as their sole income.A total of 17
17-Oct-07
Homeowners and property investors have been advised that they should not attempt to fix their boilers themselves.In addition, the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) warns against attempting to carry out DIY electrical work, which the organisation sa
Inflation stays low as pressure mounts for rate cut
16-Oct-07
UK inflation remained at 1.8 per cent in September, putting more pressure on the Bank of England to reduce the base rate of interest.For the second consecutive month inflation stayed at 1.8 per cent and it has now been below the Bank's two per cent target
16-Oct-07
House prices rose by 0.5 per cent between July and August, according to new figures.The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has revealed that price growth remained strong despite a slight drop in annual inflation.July saw growth of 12.4
2.7% 'Hips effect' on housing market
15-Oct-07
The average UK property reached a value of £241,642 in October – a month-on-month increase of 2.7 per cent. Rightmove's House Price Index shows that property prices picked up in the month, following a drop of 2.6 per cent in September. According
Two centuries to make EPC savings
15-Oct-07
It will take over two centuries for homeowners to see the financial benefits of making their homes energy efficient.That is according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), which says that it will take around 208 years to recoup the costs
Buy-to-let not to blame for fewer FTBs
12-Oct-07
Buy-to-let property investors are not to blame for the decreasing number of first-time buyers (FTBs) entering the property market.That is according to the National Landlords' Association (NLA), which says that such accusations are "sweeping" gen
Housing market has solid foundation
12-Oct-07
The UK housing market is supported by a strong economy and house prices are not set for a major correction.That is the reassuring view of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), which has published a new set of statistics for September.Rics s
Student properties are a good investment
11-Oct-07
Buy-to-let property investors can benefit from investing in a student property for their children.Moneyfacts says that so-called 'buy-for-uni' properties are beneficial in a number of ways and are often a good medium-term investment.In addition, there are
10-Oct-07
The majority of mortgage borrowers on fixed-rate deals saw their rates decrease in September.That is according to the Bank of England and came despite the credit crisis which led many lenders to increase variable rates.It is good news for homeowners and t
10-Oct-07
Renting a property is "cheaper and more flexible" an option than buying a home, according to the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (Arla).It may serve as a boost for anyone with investment properties in London and anywhere else in the U
Buy-to-let is main reason for second-home ownership
9-Oct-07
An increased interest in the buy-to-let sector has led to a rise in the number of people who own a second home in the UK.New research by Nationwide shows that ten per cent of those questioned already own a second home and 14 per cent would like to.It also
9-Oct-07
Landlords taking assured shorthold tenancy (AST) deposits must sign up to a tenancy deposit protection (TDP) scheme.Paragon Mortgages is reminding buy-to-let property investors that they need to follow the rules six months after they were introduced.The g
5-Oct-07
People with investment properties in London may benefit from investing in a property which is near to the London Underground's Jubilee line.Ludlow Thompson claims that property prices in these regions increase as a result of being close to the line.In add
Buy-to-let does not need further regulation
5-Oct-07
There is no need for further regulation when it comes to tenant deposits, according to the National Landlords' Association (NLA).It follows the introduction of the tenancy deposit protection scheme regulations, which the NLA admits "automatically pro
4-Oct-07
The Bank of England's decision to maintain the base rate of interest at 5.75 per cent has been welcomed by most industry figures.An announcement was made by the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) today (October 4th) and the outcome had been widely pre
4-Oct-07
House prices in Greater London increased by 2.3 per cent over the third quarter.That is according to new figures published in the Halifax House Price Index for September 2007.It is good news for anyone with an investment property in London and the rest of
Bank likely to maintain base rate
3-Oct-07
The Bank of England will 'almost certainly' maintain the base rate of interest in October.That is according to Trevor Williams, chief economist at Lloyds TSB, who feels that the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will continue with its 'wait and see'
Many landlords fall into it by accident
3-Oct-07
Up to a quarter of people with buy-to-let properties may find themselves being a landlord completely by accident.That is according to Property Hawk, which says that a change in circumstances can lead to anyone becoming a landlord.One of the main reasons f
Homeowners not convinced by Hips
3-Oct-07
A new survey shows that the UK's homeowners are not entirely satisfied with Home information packs (Hips).The government launched the packs for properties with four or more bedrooms on August 1st and have since expanded them to three-bedroom properties.Th
Affordability key to eco-homes success
3-Oct-07
Environmentally-friendly homes must be affordable or buyers will lose interest.According to the Home Builders' Federation (HBF), there are two key issues surrounding eco-homes.The first is affordability, with buyers unlikely to pay extra for a home simply
Student landlords see good average yields
2-Oct-07
New research claims that buy-to-let property investors with student houses are better off than those who deal solely in the wider market.Figures from Paragon Mortgages show that any landlord with a student property will see an average yield of seven per c
Credit crunch may benefit market
1-Oct-07
The global credit crunch which is having a big impact on UK mortgage lenders may be beneficial to the housing market.That is according to Savills, which says that tighter lending criteria will remove "one of the risks of overheating".Jim Ward, r
