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By month: December 2007
East London investment properties to prosper
31-Dec-07
Landlords with investment properties in London could continue to enjoy strong capital appreciation next year if they look to areas which will benefit from improved travel links in the future, it has been suggested.Halifax Estate Agents has said that areas
Gardens add to value of property
28-Dec-07
Homeowners can increase the value of the properties by improving their gardens. That is according to Cluttons, which says that 20 per cent of a property's value is made up from the garden and the garage. "In the country, gardens are one of the most
Homeowners urged to insulate in 2008
27-Dec-07
With millions of people preparing to make a new year's resolution in the days ahead, one organisation is encouraging us all to pledge to insulate our homes properly.That National Insulation Association (NIA) says that many people are living in properties
21-Dec-07
Buy-to-let property investors are experiencing short void periods because tenant demand is so high.The Mortgage Trust has highlighted that the average void period, the amount of time that a rented property remains empty, has fallen to just two weeks.Furth
FTBs can benefit from market conditions
20-Dec-07
The current state of the housing market may actually be beneficial to first-time buyers (FTBs).Mighty Homes said that FTBs could take advantage of the situation and purchase a property for a relatively cheap price.It comes as the global credit crunch has
20-Dec-07
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) believes that house prices will level out in 2008.According to the organisation, a price crash is unlikely because the market is supported by high employment levels and a strong economy.However, Simon Ru
Tenants borrow from mum and dad
20-Dec-07
London tenants have to borrow money from their parents because landlords are holding their deposits.The Deposit Protection Service (DPS) said that 33 per cent of tenants in the capital have been forced to borrow from their parents when moving between rent
20-Dec-07
There will be an increase in the number of people looking for rented accommodation in 2008.That is according to Landlordzone, which said that the market is unattractive to buyers and so will lead to an increase in renters.Tom Entwistle, editor of the webs
Base rate may fall drastically in 2008
19-Dec-07
The base rate of interest is set to be cut to 4.75 per cent by the end of next year.That is according to economist at Global Insight Howard Archer, who made the prediction following the publication of minutes from the last Bank of England Monetary Policy
19-Dec-07
The value of new homes increased in November, according to the latest figures.Smart New Homes has revealed that new house prices increased by 0.8 per cent month-on-month, taking the average price of a new property to £260,882.Annual inflation was als
19-Dec-07
The Bank of England may cut the base rate of interest in the early part of 2008.That is according to Global Insight, which commented after it was revealed that consumer price inflation stabilised in November.Despite market analysts predicting that inflati
Prices will remain high next year
18-Dec-07
House prices will not collapse in 2008, according to one expert.Connells Survey & Valuation believes that the market is too robust to see a major correction in the new year.In addition, a lack of supply and high demand are also expected to support pri
Prices will remain high next year
18-Dec-07
House prices will not collapse in 2008, according to one expert.Connells Survey & Valuation believes that the market is too robust to see a major correction in the new year.In addition, a lack of supply and high demand are also expected to support pri
Variety of homes will create sense of community
18-Dec-07
The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) wants the government to focus on community spirit when designing its new eco-towns.Although the main idea behind the ten towns is to create environmentally-friendly parts of the UK, the government has also
Tenant demand continues to rise
18-Dec-07
People with investment properties in London and across the UK are benefiting from rising rents.The latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) Lettings Survey shows that demand for rented accommodation is still increasing.According to the repor
17-Dec-07
The majority of buy-to-let property investors are confident about the prospects for the market in the year ahead.That is according to new research from Alliance & Leicester, which shows that 77 per cent of landlords are making a profit out of their pr
17-Dec-07
House price growth will remain positive in 2008, according to one expert.During an appearance on BBC Radio Four's 'Money Box' programme, Richard Donnell from Hometrack said that he anticipates slight growth in the new year.According to the director or res
17-Dec-07
A number of industry bodies have jumped to the defence of the sub-prime mortgage industry.It follows a report from Citizens Advice, which accused the sector of acting irresponsibly towards borrowers.The Intermediary Mortgages Lenders Association (IMLA) ha
All homes need a Hip before sale
14-Dec-07
Every property in England and Wales now needs to have a Home information pack (Hip) before it can be sold.The full rollout is finally complete and many industry figures have welcomed the news.The Association of Home Information Pack Providers (Ahipp) said
Landlords have tenant preferences
14-Dec-07
The majority of buy-to-let property investors prefer having professional tenants.According to Chris Horne, editor of Property Hawk, professional tenants are generally considered to be more reliable when it comes to paying rent and they are more willing to
Borrowers can negotiate to avoid rate shock
14-Dec-07
Mortgage holders have been advised to talk to their lender if they are concerned about coming off a fixed-rate deal.The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) is encouraging borrowers to open up a dialogue with their lenders, rather than merely struggling alon
Landlords keen to increase their portfolios
13-Dec-07
The majority of UK buy-to-let investors have no intention of reducing their portfolios during 2008.New research from Bradford & Bingley shows that 86 per cent of landlords will either increase the number of homes they own or stick with what they have.
Research key to buy-to-let success
12-Dec-07
It is important that buy-to-let property investors do their research before entering the market.The Building Societies Association (BSA) says that there is still money to be made in becoming a landlord but warned that investors need to have a plan before
London landlords confident about the future
12-Dec-07
The vast majority of people with investment properties in London are confident that the houses they own will not fall in value over the next 12 months.That is according to new research by Young Group, which reveals that 82 per cent of investors expect Lon
Student market offers buy-to-let returns
11-Dec-07
Buy-to-let property investors can see good returns by entering the student market.That is according to Assetz, which says that the current market offers good opportunities for investors, particularly as student numbers are rising across the UK.Savills rec
London prices up 17.7% annually
10-Dec-07
The average London property increased in value by 17.7 per cent in the year leading to October 2007.That is according to the latest Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) House Price Index.It means that London remains the best performing re
10-Dec-07
The Association of Home Information Pack Providers (Ahipp) has once again leapt to the defence of Home information packs (Hips).It follows the publication of a home-buying review from the Conservative party, which called for Hips to be scrapped."Clai
Green features more important than ever
7-Dec-07
The importance of green home improvements has increased since the introduction of Home information packs (Hips).That is according to the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC), which says that buyers are more concerned about the green credentials of a p
6-Dec-07
People with investment properties in London and elsewhere in the UK have been given a boost with the news that the base rate of interest has been cut to 5.5 per cent.It is the first time in over two years that a cut has been announced and brings interest
London house prices to increase by 5%
6-Dec-07
People with investment properties in London can expect to see the value of their investments increase by five per cent in 2008.That is according to Savills, and comes despite the rest of the UK housing market looking set to see subdued growth or even loss
5-Dec-07
The buy-to-let market has been successful and will continue to be for some time.That is according to the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (Arla), which says that sensible investors can see good returns if they invest wisely.Malcolm Harrison, spo
Price rises predicted for 2008
4-Dec-07
The global credit crunch is set to continue to affect the housing market in 2008 but prices will carry on rising.That is according to Spicerhaart's forecast for the year ahead, which projects price growth of two per cent.Furthermore, the firm believes tha
Living near family important to many
3-Dec-07
New research shows that many homebuyers opt to purchase a property that is close to family.According to Alliance & Leicester, almost 30 per cent of buyers rate being close to their family and friends as a key factor when choosing where to live.In addi
