Housing Market
News covering issues affecting the UK residential property market, house prices, interest rates and buying and selling trends.
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Brexit uncertainty has reduced sales transactions by up to 42% in London
Leading building society says Brexit has hit the region which voted most solidly to remain the hardest along with several of its satellite commuter towns.
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Tory conference gears up to debate housing, but it’s only a fringe affair
Main stage is bereft of any housing debate but over a dozen meetings outside the main hall are scheduled to feature new housing minister Esther McVey.
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‘Point-scoring politicians’ are exaggerating poor standards in the PRS
While politicians on all sides of the political spectrum declare war on landlords and others go even further by demanding the end of privately owned rental properties, the truth is that landlords’ spending on refurbishment has seen the quality of accommodation in the private rented sector (PRS) drastically improve in the last decade, according to the latest report Unlocking value: The role of refurbishment in buy to let by InterBay Commercial. The standard of accommodation in the PRS has significantly improved in the last decade as the sector has expanded and professionalised. The proportion of homes in the PRS in England deemed non-decent by the ONS has fallen for ten consecutive years, decreasing to 24.5% from 44% in 2008, closing in on the level seen among owner occupied stock (18.7%). In spite of the sector growing by 45% over the period, adding 1.5m homes, the number of non-decent homes has fallen in absolute terms too; down by 275,000. While there is clearly more work to do, the improvement is significant and sustained. As a result, the latest English Housing Survey shows that the vast majority (84%) of private renters were satisfied with their current accommodation. Professionalism InterBay’s analysis shows that landlords…
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Landlords are abandoning Airbnb for traditional longer-term lets, claim leading lettings agencies
Rettie & Co and DJ Alexander both say they've noticed more landlords returning to the long-term sector in recent months after trying Airbnb.
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Building on brownfield is great, but we need to release green belt too
UK's most senior planning lawyer has responded to criticism by an estate agent of his call for developers to build on green belt land.
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Gimme shelter… three million people just a month’s pay away from eviction
The charity Shelter has attacked 'grossly expensive' private rents and the financial insecurity that private renting brings.
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Could you shift these salty Solent sand forts?
Three huge sand forts built in the Solent during the 1860s are being sold by Collier International and Clive Emson auctions.
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Mortgage lending: the only thing certain – is uncertainty
The latest UK Finance figures reveal first-time buyer and home-mover mortgages were up, while remortgages were down.
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Best places to buy revealed for first-time buyers
New research reveals the budget-friendly areas of the UK for those making their first steps on the housing ladder.
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Are first-time buyers living in La La Land?
Santander launches national events to educate first-time buyers after research shows massive knowledge gaps and misconceptions.
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