Property Market
HIP Code compliant packs must be top priority for agents
With the 6th April legislative changes in place, it is now imperative that agents select a HIP provider that subscribes to the HIP Code to ensure they receive quality, compliant packs and do not leave themselves liable to fines or legal action, warns the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP).
Brits opt for DIY home improvements in a bid to save cash
With Easter traditionally being the busiest weekend for home improvements, new research from Yorkshire Bank has revealed that 71% of Brits are planning on a doing a spot of DIY over the long weekend.
Brits to spend £4.5billion on DIY this Easter
Brits are planning to spend £4.5 billion on DIY this Easter break, which equates to £181.08 per household, according to research by The Co-operative Bank.
‘Accidental landlords' are taking unknown risks
So called ‘accidental landlords', a new breed of landlord that lets out their property to avoid selling at a loss, are providing a welcome boost to the supply of housing at a time of very high demand for private rented homes, according to buy-to-let specialist Paragon Mortgages.
9 in 10 Brits doubt their DIY skills
More than nine in ten Brits don’t rate their DIY and home improvement skills highly, according to a new survey. In fact, one in ten describe their DIY skills to be ‘extremely poor’.
An eggselent Easter at Queens Hospital
Children at Queen’s Hospital in Burton were given an unexpected Easter surprise thanks to local housebuilder Miller Homes. Sales advisors Lynn Adamson and Julie Darby from the nearby Abbeyfields and Hopwood developments presented hampers full of easter eggs, DVDs and games to the children visiting and staying at the paediatric ward.
Latest victim of credit crunch exposed
Nearly half of people (43 per cent) cannot afford to pay for improvements to their homes this Easter, according to new research from moneysupermarket.com.
Public predicts no property market green shoots before 2010
Most Brits (58%) see no recovery in house prices this year, and a third of this group (18% of the overall population) say they see no prospect of an upturn until at least 2011, according to research from Unbiased.co.uk.
New concept gets first time buyers moving
A special Government scheme called HomeBuy Direct has been launched at George Wimpey’s Concept development in Red Lodge. The new initiative, which has only just been launched nationally, will help first time buyers get on the property ladder with an interest free equity loan.
An ‘egg-stra’ treat for house-hunters this Easter
This Easter weekend, George Wimpey’s offering a free chocolate Easter Egg* to every child visiting one of their developments anywhere in Scotland.
Earn £2,000 when you recommend George Wimpey
House-hunters can now earn themselves some extra cash thanks to George Wimpey and Bryant Homes, by recommending anyone they know to one of their selected developments across the South Midlands.
AHIPP welcomes new HIP legislation
The Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) has welcomed the new HIP legislation, which from 6th April requires a HIP to be in place before a home can be put on the market, in addition to the inclusion of a new Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ).
RICS: Changes to HIP process
Commenting on the changes to the home buying and selling process, Gillian Charlesworth, RICS director of external affairs said: "RICS maintains that trying to engineer the home buying and selling process through the HIP is of limited use.
moneysupermarket.com: New HIP legislation
Commenting on the enforcement of new legislations regarding HIPs, Louise Cuming, head of mortgages at moneysupermarket.com, said; "This is one nuisance the mortgage market could do without. The new legislation will add more hurdles to be cleared before marketing your house.
Top tips for first time landlords
As a growing number of accidental landlords continue to enter the market, email4property.co.uk, the UK’s largest online network of estate agents, has launched an online guide for first time landlords.