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For a would-be buyer, the property market is intimidating. House prices are at record highs after two years of frenzied demand and competitive bidding. But there are clear signs that the market has peaked. Rising interest rates are pushing up mortgage costs, just as inflation is eating away at savings, households are battling the biggest drop in […]

Rents have risen by 9.1% in the past year, tempting investors back to the market Landlords have returned to the property market in the biggest bounce back seen since the Government’s buy-to-let tax crackdown six years ago. Investors bought more homes in the first three months of this year than they sold – for the first time since […]

With interest rates rising four times in the last three months, and further rises expected later this year, could now be a good time to remortgage?   The Bank of England has raised interest rates four times in the last three months. The latest rise, from 0.5% to 0.75%, means rates are at their highest […]

The Government’s fiscal watchdog has upgraded its house price forecast to 7.4% growth this year Properties will be worth £20,000 more by the end of the year as the Government’s official forecaster has predicted the house price boom has another 12 months to go. High demand and strong household savings mean house prices will climb a further 7.4% […]

Prices in March were 1.7% higher than in February House prices have hit a fresh record high, jumping by nearly £6,000 in a single month amid a rush to buy ahead of rising mortgage costs. The average British home now costs £354,564, according to property website Rightmove, marking the first time asking prices have risen above £350,000. It […]

The long-term outlook for house price growth is bleak, but one analyst has raised its near-term forecasts A delay to interest rate rises could create a mini stamp duty holiday effect as buyers rush to lock in cheaper debt that will push up house prices in the next few months. The additional spike in inflation […]

People’s ability to afford a home is at a record low but this won’t crush the market   Not so long ago, offering the asking price was a sure-fire way to seal a property deal. But now it carries little weight. In February a record 43% of owners sold their home for more than its […]

Property values jump to new records, up by £1,500 in February alone   House prices have risen at the fastest rate in 14 years, propelled by an extreme shortage of homes for sale, as buyers scramble to secure the few homes on the market. Property values jumped 10.8pc in the year to the end of […]

Nearly two million homeowners will face higher mortgage repayments after the Bank Rate was increased for the second time in three months. The Bank of England has increased interest rates for the second time in three months. The Bank Rate – the official cost of borrowing – has gone up from 0.25% to 0.5%. The […]

  Demand from potential buyers jumped by 49% in January House prices rose at an annual rate of 7.4%, taking the average value of a UK home to £242,000 More homes are coming on to the market, although a significant supply and demand imbalance remains   The housing market enjoys its biggest New Year bounce […]

New proposals will free thousands of leaseholders from sky-high remediation bills The cladding crisis has been paralysing parts of the property market for years and causing untold stress for flat owners. Leaseholders of flats in buildings 11 metres or higher will now pay nothing towards the remediation of unsafe cladding, after Levelling Up Secretary Michael […]

Rents soared in 2021 and are forecast to climb further, but tax rises and new competition threaten the sector   Landlords had an explosive year in 2021 – at least in some parts of the country. In areas outside the capital, rents rose by 6pc, their fastest rate in 14 years, according to property website […]

Soaring values mean only 10pc of earners in the capital can afford to get on the property ladder Just 10pc of London earners can afford to get on the property ladder in the capital, as house price growth across Britain rose at the fastest rate since 2006. Values increased by 10.4pc in the year to […]

Bold colours and overly-ambitious asking prices can knock thousands from a property’s value Property prices have soared at a record pace as desperate buyers have jostled for the limited number of new homes on the market. Yet even though demand is high, sellers are not guaranteed to turn a profit from their bricks and mortar. From interior faux […]

A new wave of accidental landlords could find themselves in hot water with mortgage lenders   For every professional landlord with a thriving (and sizeable) property portfolio, there is another who fell into the sector by accident. Frequently those who are upsizing or moving in with a partner will choose not to sell their original […]

2021 is expected to be a record year for sales with 1.5m transactions taking place.But what can we expect for 2022? The end of the stamp duty holiday failed to dampen demand from potential buyers, which is up 30% on the five-year average. Thanks to the tapering-off period at the end of the holiday, the […]

The property market continues to be more competitive than ever right now. The shortage of homes available means there are multiple buyers looking to snap up the same property. So how can you avoid missing out when you finally find ‘the one’? If you’re going to be selling your home in order to move, the […]

The autumn property market remains hot. This month, we’ve seen record asking price rises in Potters Bar for every property type, from first-time buyer homes to family houses. This ‘full house’ is an extremely rare event, happening for the first time since March 2007. So what does this mean if you’re thinking of moving? With […]

Investing in eco-friendly measures could boost your property’s value as buyers are willing to pay a premium   Homeowners who improve the energy performance of their property could add tens of thousands of pounds to its value. New research by property website Rightmove found that buyers are willing to pay a premium for an energy efficient […]

April 2021 changes have seen some would-be users excluded from property scheme   Hundreds of thousands of people have used the Help to Buy scheme to get onto the housing ladder since it launched in 2013. However, new rules have limited the number of people who can use the Government scheme. As before, buyers need […]