Zoopla property news (September 2011)
Latest property news
Property in the south-east 'a good investment'
Property for sale in the south-east of England is likely to be a wise investment in the coming months as these homes are only likely to increase in value in the year ahead, one expert has predicted. According to Peter Mindenhall, writer and researcher at IPINglobal.com, property in Berkshire , Surrey and London is always a good investment because it is highly desirable and ...
20th Sep 2011
Deposit requirements 'a big problem' for FTBs
First-time buyers in the UK property market are increasingly finding that it is a major problem trying to scrape together a deposit to put down on a house, one analyst has noted. Property market expert Helen Adams made the comments after a new report by First Direct showed that housing deposits have increased tenfold in 20 years, while household income only doubled. The ...
20th Sep 2011
Property news archive
Equity release 'could be considered' by property owners
UK property owners could consider equity release in the coming months as the cost of living continues to spiral, it has been claimed. Andrea Rozario, director-general at Safe Home Income Plans (Ship), said the proportion of property owners struggling in the current climate is one of the "massive drivers" for equity release. His comments came after analysis by ...
20th Sep 2011
Property owners given safety advice
UK property owners have been issued with some gas safety advice ahead of the colder months to help minimise their risk. Jeff Learman, director of communications at Gas Safe Register, said it is essential that people regularly have any gas appliances in their homes checked over to ensure they are safe. It comes after a study carried out by his organisation for Gas Safety ...
19th Sep 2011
Negative equity prevalence 'could double'
The number of households in negative equity could be set to increase substantially in the coming months, according to one expert who has predicted a worsening of the current situation. Property market analyst Paul Holmes made the prediction after new analysis of UK mortgages undertaken by HML showed that, if house prices fall by a further ten per cent, the number of ...
19th Sep 2011
Occupier-tenant relationships 'under pressure'
Additional pressure is being placed on the relationships between occupiers and tenants at the moment, which could have an effect on the rental property market, one expert has observed. According to Darren Yates, partner in the commercial research team at analyst Knight Frank, the current overall lack of satisfaction among property occupiers reflects the "very tough ...
19th Sep 2011
Struggling property owners 'still have mortgage options'
There are still many alternative options to UK property owners who are struggling with their mortgage at the moment, one expert on the subject has pointed out. According to Ben Wilkie, editor at advice organisation What Mortgage, if interest rates remain low then the country is likely to avoid a hike in the number of homes being repossessed. His comments followed the ...
16th Sep 2011
'Use an estate agent' when house letting
People considering moving into the house letting market have been advised to use the services of an estate agent if they want to avoid any potential pitfalls. According to Dominic Preston, barrister and housing law specialist with Doughty Street Chambers, the one piece of advice he would give to somebody if they were entering into the market right at the beginning is to use ...
16th Sep 2011
UK house prices rise in August
The average price of UK property rose in August to defy experts' predictions that there would be another drop in British house prices , the latest study reveals. Research carried out by LSL shows that the average cost of purchasing a UK home was £219,078 last month, an increase of 0.3 per cent on July, when average prices were £218,404. The annual price ...
15th Sep 2011
Reference checks 'becoming more stringent'
There has been an increase in the stringency of the checks being carried out on potential tenants by the country's landlords, it has been claimed. According to letting expert James Davis, landlords are becoming increasingly "picky" about who they allow to inhabit their property , as the increased demand for rental property in the UK means they can afford to ...
15th Sep 2011