Housebuilder Bovis says it will have fixed the problems with its faulty homes by the end of 2017. In it’s half-year results statement the firm said it had identified the issues and they were “all very fixable”. Some Bovis customers had complained about homes being sold unfinished, and had reported plumbing and electrical faults in […]
HOUSING NEWS
UK house price growth slows despite strong job market…
House price growth slowed to 2.1% in August, from 2.9% in July, amid fears Brexit-fuelled inflation is placing pressure on household spending, says the Nationwide. Property values fell for the first time since May, down 0.1% month-on-month to an average of £210,495. The number of mortgages approved for house purchases fell to a nine-month low […]
Property sales confirm static market, HMRC data shows…
UK property sales topped 100,000 for the third month this year in July – but were almost identical to a year ago. A total of 107,500 homes were sold during the month, data from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) shows. This follows 100,000-plus sales in March and June but, in general, activity in the UK […]
At £280,000, is this the most overpriced property in Britain?
At £280,000, is this the most overpriced property in Britain? London property is sagging and inflation is bringing on a fit of national belt-tightening. But the beach hut market – where people spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on small sheds with no plumbing, privacy or security of tenure – appears entirely impervious. Two […]
Plans to ban leaseholds on new-build houses in England…
“Unfair charges” levied on buyers of new-build houses could be banned in England under a proposed crackdown. Leaseholds on new-build houses would be outlawed, while ground rents could be dramatically reduced, under government plans subject to public consultation. Ground rents can double every decade, crippling home owners and in some cases making a property impossible […]
One in 10 adults owns second home, says think tank…
As many as 5.2 million UK adults – or one in 10 – have bought or inherited a second home, according to research. Think tank the Resolution Foundation said the number of multiple home owners grew by 30% between 2002 and 2014. That figure includes buy-to-let landlords – counted as one owner even if they […]
House price growth holding steady…
The average price of a home in the UK went up by nearly £2,000 to £223,000 in June, according to official figures. The annual rate of increase is running at 4.9%, down from 5% in May, while prices rose 0.8% between May and June. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show the wide variation in […]
Estate agents’ profits plunge as housing market slows…
Two of the country’s estate agent chains have posted slumping profits in the face of a slowing housing market. London-focused estate agent Foxtons saw profits plunge 64% in the first six months of this year. Another estate agent, Countrywide, also saw profits tumble, also saw profits tumble, by 98% in its case. The firm said it […]
How close is Japanese knotweed getting to my home?
Two centuries ago, when Victorian engineers were designing the latest in transport technology, Japanese knotweed sounded like a very clever idea. A plant that typically colonised volcanoes in Japan was imported to Britain to help hide, or possibly even stabilise, railway embankments. Since then its spread has caused much unhappiness amongst home-owners and prospective house […]
UK house price growth easing, says the Halifax…
UK house prices have recorded a quarter-on-quarter fall for the fourth month in a row for the first time since 2012, according to the Halifax. The mortgage lender said that property prices between May and July were 0.2% lower than the previous quarter. The figures, based on Halifax’s own mortgage data, showed annual house price growth […]
