General news (January 2012)
Latest General news
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
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
General news archive
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
Student accommodation sector 'will be strong in 2012'
There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that it may be beneficial for people to invest in student accommodation this year, it has been claimed. Peter Mindenhall, researcher at IPINGlobal.com, said that investment volumes over the past year or so would dictate that the sector is "very strong indeed", despite the introduction of student fees. As a result, there ...
17th Jan 2012
Property owners 'should not delay' home improvements
People who have identified home improvements that need to be made in their property should not delay making them if they want to avoid more severe problems down the line, one specialist has advised. Anna-Marie DeSouza, editor at Build It, said in the current financial climate it is easy to see why people put off home improvement tasks until things are more stable, but they ...
16th Jan 2012
Empty UK property 'could be filled'
The thousands of empty homes around the UK could be filled if a few changes are made by the government, according to one sector body. Peter Bolton King, chief executive at the National Federation of Property Professionals, said it is "ridiculous" for property to be empty when the country has a shortage of homes in the medium to long term. "We know that there ...
5th Jan 2012
2012's interior design trends revealed
People thinking of preparing their home for sale or simply looking to spruce up their existing property have been advised about the key property design trends for 2012. Adrienne Chinn, director of AdrienneChinn.co.uk, said she is starting to see more bright colours coming in, as people are tired of taupe, grey and beige. Although grey has become the new neutral colour, ...
4th Jan 2012