Zoopla property news (January 2012)
Latest property news
Letting 'is a growing market'
The lettings market in the UK is currently stronger than ever and this position is only likely to be bolstered in the month ahead, it has been claimed. Tom Entwistle, editor and founder of the advice organisation Landlord Zone, said that letting is a "growing market" and new landlords are entering the field all the time. "Residential letting is a growth ...
24th Jan 2012
Enhancing a property 'yields great returns'
Enhancing a property by extending it or making home improvements can be a wiser investment than simply waiting for the money in their savings accounts to gain value, one specialist has advised. Jaimie Kendry, interior designer and director of Jaimie K Designs, said that many UK property owners have become impatient waiting for the upturn of the country, as their savings are ...
23rd Jan 2012
Property news archive
Home insurance policies 'set to rise' in 2012
Home insurance policies are set to rise across the UK in the months ahead, it has been predicted. That is the opinion of John Portwood, personal lines insurance broker at Portwood & Co, who said that the trend seen in 2011 is set to continue in the months ahead. A recent report by AA showed that home insurance premiums continue their steady upward trend, rising by 3.1 ...
23rd Jan 2012
'More new homes needed' in the UK
The construction of more new homes in the UK is needed in order to help boost the property market, one sector body has suggested. Richard Tamayo, commercial director of National House-Building Council (NHBC), said that in 2011 there were much the same number of homes built in the UK as were built in 2010. Although this may sound positive, the country is only currently ...
20th Jan 2012
National averages 'should not be used' to assess rental market
The country's rental market should no longer be assessed using a national average due to the regional differences currently taking place, according to one sector body. Malcolm Harrison, a spokesman for the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, said that everything is becoming "much more regional" and it is now area by area. It comes after the Association of Residential ...
20th Jan 2012
Prime London property values hit record high
Residential values across the whole of prime London property ended 2011 on a record high, according to a new report by Savills, which shows house prices rose by 1.1 per cent in the final quarter of the year, taking total annual growth to 14.1 per cent. This compares to annual growth of 7.2 per cent in 2010, and is a rise on the 13.6 per cent recorded across the 12 ...
19th Jan 2012
Hybrid mortgages 'a very good option'
UK property owners or those looking to take a step on the housing ladder may find that track and fix hybrid mortgages are a "very good option" at the moment, according to one market expert. Catherine Hearnden, director at MyMortgageDirect, said that hybrid mortgages are known as many different things but are a wise option, as they start off as a tracker and then ...
19th Jan 2012
UK property market 'has positive signs'
There are currently positive signs in the UK property market for people considering stepping onto the housing ladder or progressing up it, one analyst has noted. Selwyn Lim, a UK property expert, made the comments after a new report revealed that that the first week of 2012 saw asking prices rise by 1.4 per cent in the UK. There was also a record level of search activity, ...
18th Jan 2012
Country homes market set for a 'stable' 2012
The market for country homes in the UK is set to remain stable this year, with no real fluctuations, particularly in the first six months, one analyst has predicted. Hadley Lyas, director at Fine & Country Homes, explained that there was a stable market last year in local areas and this is likely to continue in the first half of the year, with the possibility of small ...
18th Jan 2012
Installing solar panels 'a good idea' for property owners
UK property owners should still be considering installing solar panels, in spite of the recent reductions in subsidiaries for the energy efficiency measure, one expert has advised. According to Andrew Leech, director at the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC), it is a "big advantage" for homeowners to install solar panels, especially from a long-term ...
17th Jan 2012