Breaking News
Homelet’s review of rental market
The Homelet Rental Index (HRI) report posted to their site yesterday reveals that Brighton, Bristol, Edinburgh and Newcastle recorded the largest increase in rents last year amongst the country’s largest towns and cities. The monthly 9HRI) shows that, on average, rents across the UK, excluding Greater London, were 4.9% higher on new tenancies signed during…
Allen Walkey
Generation wanting to downsize are trapped.
Recent reports indicate that around one third of home owners in the 55+ age category are considering downsizing but have very little choice and feel unable to do so, there is a chronic under-supply of properties out there suitable to their needs. Research shows that nearly half of all people who classify as under-occupiers in…
Allen Walkey
Housing Bill – Government vote 312-219 against. Twitter Chat:
The Conservative government have voted against amendment proposed by Labour that all privates homes rented out should be fit for human habitation with a vote of 312 against and 219 for. Parliament UK Website and the 2015-15 Housing Bill can be viewed here. Much reaction already including Tweets from Sadiq Khan MP for Labour in…
Christopher Walkey
‘Reliance on Rightmove and Zoopla carries significant risk’, says Paul Smith, CEO of Spicerhaart
Paul Smith, CEO of Spicerhaart and a Non-Executive Director of Agents’ Mutual comments: OnTheMarket.com launched less than a year ago into a highly competitive marketplace but in this short space of time, the brand has already become familiar to millions of property-seekers across the country. The website was carefully designed to create a search function…
Investors now buying in France.
For as long as us Brits have been buying retirement and holiday homes in France the appeal has mostly been the price difference. For many years it is common knowledge, depending where you buy in France of course, that prices are much cheaper across the channel and you get a lot more for your money…
Christopher Walkey
Taylor Wimpey record profits.
Taylor Wimpey PLC yesterday released their trading statement for the year to the 31st December 2015, they reported record profitability as demand surged. The UK’s third-biggest housebuilder reported a record operating profit margin of over 20% in the year to the end of December, on the back of strong demand in the UK housing market….
Allen Walkey
Your Move Estate Agency launches television advert:
With 285 branches and being the UK’s most visited Estate Agency website, Your Move are now pushing out their first TV advertisement campaign. As television advertising becomes much more accessible for businesses across the UK (many more channels these days so much more competition = lower charges). Who will be next? We certainly see the…
Christopher Walkey
Conveyancing fraud.
According to an article appearing on AOL online yesterday, it was reported that scammers have been committing conveyancing fraud by intercepting solictors emails, swindling 91 people over the last 12 months according to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. These fraudsters have diverted more than £10 million in funds directly to themselves in the last year…
Allen Walkey
Flood recovery: households and businesses.
The serious flooding of winter 2015/2016 has been addressed via Communities and Business Recovery Scheme. “Under the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme we have provided local authorities with funding worth over £500 for every household affected. This is intended to help with recovery costs, such as temporary accommodation.” To find out more visit the office www.gov.uk…
Christopher Walkey
Another Hybrid Estate Agency to launch.
This will certainly be a trend going forward, new Hybrid estate agencies and online estate agencies to launch across the UK in 2016 with a focus on national coverage. This time we see YOPA who are set to launch in Yorkshire later this week. Already with pilots tested in the Granada and Meridian regions, YOPA…
Christopher Walkey
Private tenants struggle to pay rent.
According to a recent article in The Guardian, the charity Shelter say that over half of private tenants are struggling to pay their rent. The survey revealed that 15% of private renters are worried about paying their rent this month and that nearly a third, have had to cut back on winter essentials such as…
Allen Walkey
Bleak future for BTL landlords with mortgaged properties.
The attack on the buy-to-let sector by the government since the election is certainly having its effect, new regulations and crippling taxation are putting investors who purchase mortgaged properties into a position whereby they are set to lose money within 5 years, regardless of which region they intend to invest in, that is according to…
Allen Walkey
Record Christmas and New Year traffic on Rightmove
Save-to-buy renters could afford to put on average £210 towards their deposit each month by flatsharing, Newcastle offers the best value being only 11% more expensive for a two-bed than a one-bed flat, that is according to Rightmove’s Rental Price Tracker Blog Average asking rents rose in all regions in 2015, an annual increase of 3.8%…
Allen Walkey
Halifax HPI Decemeber
The Halifax House Price Index released last week showed that quarterly house price growth remained below 2%. House prices in the latest three months (October-December) were 1.6% higher than in the preceding three months. Prices in the three months to December were 9.5% higher than in the same three months a year earlier. Commenting,…
Allen Walkey
If UK votes to leave EU
What will be the affect if UK votes to leave EU? If the Referendum result is to leave the EU, there will likely be a ‘settlement’ period of at least 2 years. During this time, Britain and the EU will look at reciprocal arrangements, such as we now enjoy. If however Britain denies certain privileges…
Allen Walkey