Property Market
EPCs will influence buying decision say householders
Research from the Energy Saving Trust has examined attitudes towards Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to reveal, for the first time, the true influence they have for householders in England - at a national level and on a regional scale.
Finding the Energy: Domestic microgeneration and planning
A new e-pamphlet published by the New Local Government Network (NLGN) has called for local planning laws to be relaxed to allow more people the option of installing eco-friendly energy sources to their homes.
Buy-to-let provides housing market stability
The buy-to-let market continues to remain robust in the face of rising borrowing costs, according to Paragon’s July Buy-to-Let Index.
Get more home for your money with Equitymax
George Wimpey West Scotland has launched its new Equitymax scheme on selected plots on selected developments throughout the region. Equitymax is a unique mortgage offer designed especially for George Wimpey customers to allow them greater purchasing power when calculating the maximum mortgage amount they can borrow when based on their gross income.
New build, detached property in the countryside is ideal
The nation's ideal home is a new build, detached property located in the countryside, according to new research from Halifax mortgages.
TheHipExchange.com: Personal searches v authenticated searches
“Recent comments about the problems associated with personal searches underline the importance of home owners commissioning their own Home Information Packs and not relying on ‘free’ or ‘subsidised’ Packs” says Henry Pryor of The Hip Exchange.
Latest HIP accusations muddled and misleading
Paul Broadhead, Deputy Director General, Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) responds to suggestions today that some mortgage lenders will not accept personal searches included in Home Information Packs (HIPs):
Views sought on new approaches to affordable rural housing
The Housing Corporation is carrying out a feasibility study on how best to support the delivery of new affordable homes in rural areas. Views on this proposal are now being sought from a wide range of people and organisations.
Nationwide boosts funding for New Charter Housing Trust Group
Nationwide Commercial has increased its funding to Registered Social Landlord (RSL) New Charter Housing Trust Group (NCHTG) by £70m to £170m, as part of a thirty year term facility.
More Government funding for communities hit by July floods
Floods Recovery Minister John Healey today allocated funding to 39 local authorities who were worst affected by the July floods.
Rural housing is less affordable
Housing in rural areas is characterised by higher prices, far fewer first-time buyers, lower levels of social housing and much higher proportions of second homes than in urban areas, according to the latest annual Halifax Rural Housing Review.
Parents fork out more than £21k for children to fly the nest
With the UK’s average first time buyers’ property price now at £162,055, parents are paying on average £21,314 to help their children get on the property ladder, according to new findings by Alliance & Leicester Mortgages’ movingimproving index.
Focus on new buildings may cost the earth
The British Property Federation has raised the stakes in helping to meet the Government carbon emissions targets by developing and launching an energy efficiency measurement and benchmarking tool for existing commercial properties.
Extend your thinking when extending your home
There’s an exciting new solution for people looking to extend their house or apartment following the launch of home extension company Mikano.
Personal searches for HIPs ‘not as good as official searches’
Savills has responded to the suggestion that some lenders will not advance loans on properties where personal – as opposed to official – searches have been obtained for a HIP and that buyers will then have to commission and pay for additional official searches.