Zoopla property news (June 2012)
Latest property news
Latest mortgage figures 'are encouraging'
The latest statistics indicating that there has been a rise in gross mortgage lending in the UK is good news for the country, one expert has observed. Ray Boulger, senior technical manager at independent mortgage adviser John Charcol, said that although the figures for the last few months have been distorted by the stamp duty holiday coming to an end, they were stronger ...
25th Jun 2012
UK property values 'will not rise substantially'
There is unlikely to be a significant rise in UK house prices in the near future, according to property analyst Knight Frank, which has predicted a certain degree of stability in the months ahead. Liam Bailey, head of residential research at Knight Frank, said the general consensus is that it is likely to take until 2014 before house prices rise on an annual basis. ...
22nd Jun 2012
Property news archive
Gross mortgage lending increases
Gross mortgage lending in the UK is continuing to rise, according to new figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), which show that stability is returning to the industry. Data issued by the organisation shows that gross mortgage lending in May was an estimated £12.2 billion, which represents a 24 per cent rise from the £9.9 billion recorded in April. ...
22nd Jun 2012
Landlord insurance 'is always worth considering'
People moving into buy to let property investment should always ensure they have appropriate insurance in place, which can offer them peace of mind at the very least, one expert has advised. Stuart Law, chief executive at investment adviser Assetz, said that insurance to protect against tenant arrears is a necessity that is "well worth considering", particularly ...
21st Jun 2012
House builder confidence 'is increasing'
Confidence is growing in the house building industry, as developers begin new projects and the overall outlook for the sector improves, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has stated. Brian Berry, chief executive at the FMB, said there are some signs that in the new-build housing sector confidence is growing. He pointed out that there was a rise in residential planning ...
21st Jun 2012
Double glazing 'offers remarkable energy savings'
Switching from single glazing to double glazing offers remarkable energy savings that every homeowner should take advantage of, it has been observed. Phil Turley, business manager for Kommerling UK, said that double glazing has been the single best means of improving energy efficiency, reducing heat loss and lowering gas and electricity bills "for some years". ...
20th Jun 2012
Struggling homeowners 'should talk to their lender'
UK property owners struggling to keep up with their mortgage repayments should consult their lender, who will likely be able to help them out and formulate a new plan of action. Bernard Clarke, communications manager at the Council of Mortgage Lenders, made the comments following the publication of new data by the Consumer Credit Counselling Service. The figures show that ...
20th Jun 2012
Conservatories 'can boost home values'
People hoping to boost the value or appearance of their home should consider adding a conservatory to the property, as this can tick both boxes, one expert has noted. Ryan Notz, chief executive of MyBuilder, said conservatories are "certainly a good idea" to get extra space at a reasonable cost, but it depends on what kind of space people need. The main thing is ...
20th Jun 2012
'Everybody' can do DIY
Property owners hoping to improve their home interior have been advised to give DIY a go, with one expert claiming that anybody can carry out home improvement tasks to a certain extent. Jason Orme, editor at Homebuilding & Renovating, said that the country's adults are gradually refraining from attempting DIY, which means they are spending far more money on ...
20th Jun 2012
Buying a property '£200k cheaper than renting'
Buying a property works out almost £200,000 cheaper than renting over the course of a lifetime, according to a new report by Barclays. Research carried out by the bank indicates that buying, paying mortgage and maintaining a home costs £429,000 over a period of 50 years, compared to £623,000 in rent – a difference of £194,000. Over a 50-year ...
19th Jun 2012