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Tenants in England are being protected from eviction for at least a further six weeks. The government is extending the ban on bailiff evictions for all but the most extreme cases until at least 21 February 2021. The only exception to the ban is for evictions due to anti-social behaviour, illegal occupation, fraud or rent arrears of […]

As England entered another lockdown, the latest official guidance says that you are still able to move home throughout the period, as long as you follow strict safety guidelines.   In this article we answer some of most common questions we’ve been asked by home-movers in England about what the restrictions mean if you’re starting out […]

We explain the government’s rating system and what it means if you’re trying to buy or sell a home this winter. Parts of England have been plunged back into lockdown after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new measures to help combat the coronavirus pandemic. The government is adopting a simplified three-tier system, under which restrictions […]

With months left until the stamp duty holiday ends, our guide explains how you could benefit from the tax cut. The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, unveiled a major stamp duty cut in July in a bid to boost the housing market. He raised the threshold at which buyers have to start paying stamp duty with immediate effect, […]

The grim prognoses of a UK house price crash are now unlikely to materialise, at least not this year. Find out why – and what this means if you’re buying a house this year UK house prices are continuing to rise at a steady pace, defying all industry forecasts. The latest Zoopla house price index […]

The latest figures paint an optimistic longer term picture for London house prices. London house prices could rise 2.5 per cent this year, despite the lockdown and rise in Covid-19 infections. A report by Hamptons International, published today, predicts that the “rapid recovery” after the property market reopened in May means values in the capital will exceed both […]

If you’ve decided that now is the right time to sell, there’s arguably never been a better time to put your home on the market. Our data analysts have been crunching the numbers and they can reveal that more homes are now securing a buyer and having an offer accepted within a week than at […]

The chancellor has announced a temporary holiday on stamp duty on the first £500,000 of all property sales in England and Northern Ireland. The tax threshold has been temporarily raised until next March to boost the property market and help buyers struggling because of the coronavirus crisis. The changes have come in with immediate effect. […]

You’ve made the decision to embark on the journey to home ownership. Here are the steps you’ll need to navigate until you can move in, set up and celebrate   Work out your budget Take your deposit and add it to the total of 4x your salary (or 4x joint salaries if you are buying […]

Some lenders are now offering interest rates of below 1.15% on two-year fixed-rate mortgage loans. We explain why. Borrowing costs for banks and building societies have fallen in response to the coronavirus lockdown. This has resulted in a respective dip in the cost of fixed-rate mortgage deals. Best-buy two-year fixed-rate mortgage deals have tumbled to below 1.15%. […]

Auckland Estates would love to show our appreciation to the many NHS workers in and around Potters Bar by placing ‘THANK YOU’ boards in and around the area so that our SuperHeros can see how grateful we all are. We are donating to the NHS for every board erected. If you would like to join […]

The start of the new tax year brings changes to mortgage interest tax relief and capital gains tax for buy-to-let landlords.   Landlords face more taxation changes from April 6 2020, with the phasing out of mortgage interest tax relief reaching its final stage and capital gains tax adjustments. The start of the new tax year […]

People who rent their homes will not be offered a three-month rent break similar to the mortgage holiday available to homeowners.   The government appears to have ruled out offering renters whose finances have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic a rent holiday. Homeowners who are struggling to pay their mortgage are able to apply to their […]

AS the UK continues to stay in lockdown, many home owners are turning to DIY to pass the time and add value to their homes. We have found the online DIY shops still delivering across the UK during lockdown. If you find yourself getting stuck into DIY while indoors, here’s where you can still get […]

The global economy is already showing the first symptoms of a new affliction, with the biggest plunge in share prices since the 2008 financial crisis and China’s economy threatening to contract for the first time in decades. So far, housebuilders have only been mildly affected, with minor dips in their share prices. This morning, Berkeley […]

House prices in all cities in England have risen above their 2007 peak for the first time since the financial crisis. While it took less than three years for homes in London to regain their previous highs, it has taken up to 12 years in other cities, according to our monthly Zoopla UK Cities House price […]

Visits to Rightmove surpassed 150 million for the first time on Rightmove in January, making it the busiest month ever recorded as home-hunters looked to take advantage of a more certain political outlook. There were over 152 million visits to Rightmove in January, a 7% increase on January 2019. The previous record for the busiest […]

The latest mortgage lending figures show a welcome pick-up in the housing market. The number of mortgages approved for people buying a home soared by 20% in December to hit a four-year high. A total of 46,815 loans for home purchases were agreed during the month. This was the highest level since August 2015 on […]

Looking to increase the value of your home? 12 ways you can make the most of your home’s potential. For many, buying a first home is a heart-led process. But, if you’re going on property viewings with your business head firmly screwed on, chances are you’re looking for some value-adding potential. Here’s our guide to the key opportunities. 1. Home […]

Buoyant spring market predicted as Brexit jitters fade – but newly confident sellers are warned against overpricing, with affordability still an issue for returning buyers. The London house price recovery continued apace this month with the largest monthly price rise ever recorded in January, pushing the average London asking price to £612,500. Asking prices for […]