News & Views Blog

The Autumn Ideal Home Show is on once again between 6-15 October in Earls Court, London.

This autumn be inspired by the real show house and 'Luxury for Less' room designs. Get great advice from celebrities and experts including Alison Cork from ITV's 'Don't Move, Improve', TV chef Gino D'Acampo and top wine expert Matt Skinner all at this great home exhibition. Plus be the first to see all the latest home innovations and find all your gifts with fantastic shopping bargains and exclusive Autumn Ideal Home Show offers.

We have 50 tickets worth £8 each to give away! All you have to do is add a comment below explaining what you like about Propertyfinder and we will send you two tickets absolutely free! Please include your email address so I can contact you.

Posted by Bronwyn at 04:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)

Congratulations to our latest lucky winners who had their tea leaves read and instantly won a £50 voucher.

Are you feeling lucky today?

• Tim Heden, Surrey
• Julie Green, York
• Alex Watts, Midlothian
• Paul Richardson, Caithness
• Keren Curran, Lancashire
• Kal Nagra, Lancashire
• Robyn Palmer, London
  
• Pernille Hamani, London
• Elaine Hollis, Lancashire
• Steve Merry, Oxfordshire
• Katie Newmark, London
• Linda Williams, Yorkshire
  

• Amanda Mudie, Ware
  
• Jeanette Palmer, Ashford
  
• Jill Marshall, Milton Keynes
  
• Josie Coltman, Woking
  
• Mark Jenkins, Cardiff
  
• Vernon Stradling, Petersfield
  
• Wendy Mann, Bedfordshire
• Joseph Jones, Lancashire
• Mel Crossan, Hertfordshire
• Claire Davison, Lancashire
• Kellyrose Thorp, Lancashire
• Chris Carrick, Durham
• Nick Shennan, Middlesex
• Gemma Pears, Surrey
• Gillian Price, Lanarkshire
• Laura Cook, Carmarthenshire
• Nada Wilson, Angus
• Liz Rodgers, Devon
• Stephen Marshall, Buckinghamshire
• Helen Acraman, Derby
• Jo Byworth, Leicestershire
• Fiona Waterworth, Sunderland
• Julie Clark, Sheffield
• Tina Holmes, Great Witley
• Lee White, London
• Lee Berry, Redruth
• David Seymour, London
• Leanne Pearce, Hertford
• Julie Jones, Willenhall
• Benedict Lumley, London
• Isabel Marchnt, London
• Barbara Ward, Stoke on Trent
• Henry Munro, Glasgow
• Margaret Finucane, Basingstoke
• Lynne Pepper, London
• Jane Gascoigne, Sheffield
• Maxine Coulson, Northampton
• Colin Simpson, Hanwell
• Liz White, Leeds
• Agnes Matthew, Aberdeen
• David Bennett, London

 
We are giving away Habitat, Homebase and Argos vouchers every day until 31st December so remeber to play every day for your chance to win.

Posted by Bronwyn at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A statement from housing minister Yvette Cooper that £4 million of funding will support area trials later this year indicates the government’s renewed commitment to Home Information Packs (Hips), according to the industry body for HIP providers.

But the announcement has generated a wealth of anti-Hip reaction, mostly condemning the spending of tax-payers money on holding trials on a product they are campaigning against, believing they won’t work or will harm the industry.

The anti-HIP lobby are also concerned about objectivity of the trials as they are to be carried out by people interested in their success.

Nick Salmon FNAEA, head of the anti-pack campaign, SPLINTA, said:

"We await full details of just how this huge sum of tax-payer money is going to be spent but we can immediately question why the government is ploughing our money into trials that are being run by a body that represents companies seeking to make vast profits from Hips.”

“There must be robust and independent scrutiny of these so-called trials to ensure objectivity."

The National Association of Estate Agents also has concerns about the trails being organised by pack providers. 

Yvette Cooper pledged the £4 million of funding to support six area trials for the packs in Bath, Newcastle, Southampton, Northampton, Huddersfield and Cambridge in November 2006.

Sellers will be encouraged to take up voluntary HIPs and there will be independent monitoring to ensure lessons are learnt from first hand experiences.

Regional campaigns will run simultaneously to support the trials, raise awareness and encourage voluntary take up.

Posted by Bronwyn at 01:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Just when you thought  the HIPs saga was quietening down, the National Associaltion of Estate Agents today expressed ongoing concern over the Government annoucement that they were pushing ahead with HIPs and that they were to spend £4 million pounds supporting and Industry dry run of HIPs in six locations. Peter Bolton King Chief Executive of the NAEA said

“The Association has always said that it was vital that any trials thoroughly test not only the systems but whether our concerns about the effect on the market caused by a lack of first day marketing and reduction in housing supply are justified. We have not been told how these trails are to be conducted and have doubts as to their effectiveness in a voluntary scenario.”

The association again calls on the Government to realise that HIPs are not the way forward and sit down with Industry to look at ways of really improving the system to the benefit of consumers.

 

Posted by Bronwyn at 03:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Propertyfinder.com recently found a discrepancy between the aspirations of young people and how they expect to be living in retirement to their actual reality when it comes to their retiring years.

According to Girlings Retirement Options,  renting property in retirement is becoming increasingly popular. Girlings Retirement Options Limited, has seen an increase of 78.5% in the number of reservations in the first half of this year, compared to the same period in 2005.

This increase can be attributed to more people recognising the financial benefits of renting in retirement on an assured tenancy basis as well as a rise in retirement property prices.

The Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) recently reported that one fifth of retired people living in poverty own more than £100,000 in housing wealth, amounting to 4.4% of the overall retired population having more than £77bn tied up in their homes. Many retired people are finding that they are financially better off if they release capital from their existing homes and rent.

Another factor influencing the trend towards renting in retirement is the availability of the Assured Tenancy rental through Girlings which unlike any other rental contract, provides tenants with security of tenure for life. Consequently, Girlings is currently receiving over 500 enquiries a month.

 

Margaret Rose James in Portsmouth chose to rent in retirement after she found that the funds she would receive from selling her existing property would not provide her and her then partner Mervyn, with enough capital to purchase a retirement home. She therefore chose to rent through Girlings in Charles Dickens Court, on an Assured Tenancy.

Margaret said, “When Mervyn and I looked for our first home together, we wanted somewhere lovely to settle down. Charles Dickens Court met all our expectations. Financially, I am also better off now as all my maintenance costs are covered in my rent and I have the security and peace of mind that I can stay here for life. Since moving here, I have been really active and I enjoy walks and browsing at antiques shows. I’m very happy here.”

Peter Girling, Chairman and founder of Girlings comments, “The majority of apartments are purpose built so tenants can enjoy an easy and convenient way of living. Renting on an Assured Tenancy where the monthly rental rate includes maintenance and ground rent costs makes financial planning easier for our tenants and provides them with the peace of mind that they have a home for life. Moreover, rental prices are guaranteed to increase only with the Retail Price Index and are capped at six per cent, making renting in retirement a much more stable option.”

Posted by at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Congratulations to our lucky winners!

Not only have they won a fantastic prize but they get to read our amazing PropertyFindings newsletter, packed with property news and views.

Angela Moruzzi
Catherine Wyatt
Andrew Blakeley
Sharon Henry
Debra Davis
Michelle Kurs
James Mulaghton
Matthew Jay McEvoy
Liam Dee
Richard Deklerk
Rosemary Priest
Barrington Wilks
Steve Kerrison
Joyce Wheeler
Martin Brown
Ann Welsh
Walter Lawani
Nicholas Dowling
Julie Green
Geraldine Griffiths
Douglas Copping

Have you played our exciting new competition? We are giving away £50 vouchers from Habitat, Homebase and Argos ...

Posted by Bronwyn at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Propertyfinder.com is compiling a range of property related questions to be answered by an expert estate agent on our panel.

The results are to be published in a newspaper and on www.propertyfinder.com

 If you have a question relating to the housing market that you would really like an estate agent to answer, please email pr@propertyfinder.com with your question.

You might not get the chance again so grab this opportuntity while you can!

 Your question can be anything ranging from where you should buy in london for investment to whether adding a new conservatory is likely to increase value to your home.

  It is up to you... keep it relatively short but please be specific.  If you live in the Midlands, say so!  This might make all the difference to the answer provided.

Posted by at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The number of first-time buyers (FTB) looking for a home in August  dropped significantly following the Bank of England’s interest rate rise to 4.75%.  These findings are revealed by the latest survey carried out by Propertyfinder.com.

After a very optimistic start to 2006, when first-time buyers returned to the market in force, as a proportion of overall house hunters they have been declining since the spring, falling from a February high of 38% to 30% in August.

Meanwhile, HSBC recently reported that first-time buyers are increasingly teaming up with friends to get a toehold on the property ladder while Alliance and Leicester's borrowing monitor shows some potential first time buyers are putting their plans to buy on hold due to September's higher mortgage payments.

While confidence in the market overall remains relatively optimistic, it is clear that many potential first-time buyers are feeling the strain.

 

Posted by at 03:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Association of Home Information Pack Providers has provided a clear indication that industry remains committed to the future of the home information pack (HIP) with membership numbers on the increase.

AHIPP now represents over 50 members, ranging from estate agents and conveyancers to search providers and solicitors, with 5 new members having joined the association since July. The Association continues to predict a positive future for the HIP and is working closely with government and industry to ensure a successful implementation next June. The association’s HIP roll out, planned for November this year will allow consumers in the six selected locations an opportunity to opt for a pack ahead of their mandatory introduction and is designed to demonstrate the benefits of the packs across the market. The roll-out will be heavily supported by AHIPP's growing membership.

Mike Ockenden, director general of AHIPP said: "I have no doubt that consumers will see the benefits of packs and their introduction will go ahead as planned."

Mike Rawlins of DX, a new member to the association said: "We are very committed to the successful implementation of the home information pack and we will be working alongside the association and fellow members to ensure that consumers are offered the opportunity to experience the huge benefits that the pack will bring."

Posted by Bronwyn at 01:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Getting a foot on the property ladder is a difficult, but hugely satisfying step for most first-time buyers. However, those ready to move off the the first rung to a bigger home must be prepared to be further away than the last.

We have analysed property for sale across London at the end of August 2006 to reveal some surprising results.

Each successive rung on the property ladder is a much greater step than the last, forcing homebuyers to stretch themselves further and further every time they trade up. On average across London a two-bedroom home costs £75,793 more than the price of a one-bedroom home. A three-bedroom costs £137,504 more than a two-bedroom and a four-bedroom home is on average £209,966 more than the price of a three-bedroom home. Warren Bright, Chief Executive at propertyfinder.com said:

While larger homes have additional reception rooms and possibly bigger gardens, the number of bedrooms still provides a very reliable rough guide to London's property ladder. Far from getting easier, this research reveals that the climb gets tougher as buyers seek out larger properties. a fourth bedroom costs almost as much as an entire one bedroom home!

 

 

Posted by Bronwyn at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As retirement funding moves up the financial agenda for many Brits and rising house prices drag more estates into the inheritance tax net, two thirds of people are planning to spend their bricks and mortar in retirement and leave less to their heirs, according to our latest research.

• Two thirds of Britons will use the family fund retirement.
• £112,000 cash release on average to supplement pension.
• Older people far less willing to leave inheritance than younger people.

52% of people are planning to trade down the housing ladder to release some of the equity locked up in their homes when they retire. 6% plan to stay in their own home but want to use an equity release product to supplement their income. A further 7% would sell up and use the proceeds to fund life in a modern retirement community. Just 1% will look forward to life in an old people's home. Many would like to retire to sunny climates too - 34% of respondents want to emigrate after receiving their carriage clock from work.

On average, retirees want to retirees want to release £112,000 of equity by trading down the housing ladder. This could provide an additional annual income £8,000*, twice the single person's basic state pension.

Particularly startling findings reveal that the older we grown the less willing we are to leave an inheritance for those who follow us. The survey asked people specifically how important leaving a good inheritance is to them. While 85% of 18-20 year olds said that it was a very high priority for them to leave an inheritance to their family, a mere 29% of pensioners say that providing for their heirs was very important. Warren Bright, Cheif Executive of propertyfinder.com explains:

For young people, old age is a pretty abstract concept. The figures are more reflective of their hope of receiving an inheritance than a real intention to leave one. What's more, young people don't realise today's pensioners are not willing to sit around waiting to die. They are out enjoying life - and that needs to be paid for!

Older people may feel they have already done their bit - giving their children a financial leg up onto the property ladder by helping them buy their first home. In any case, by the time people retire their children are usually well established. Older people want to use their assets to enjoy their retirement and with a rising life expectancy, they need to plan for the long-term. Bright continues.

The prospect of the Chancellor taking a bite out of their hard-earned money when they die only adds to the desire to enjoy some of it while they can. You can't avoid death or taxes, but you can have fun trying. 

 

*assuming annuity rate of 4.5% over 20 years. 

Posted by Bronwyn at 04:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We have had a lot of issues this week with the site going down and spammers posting, and whilst we love reading what you think, we have had to temporarily remove comments from the blog. We've got a blacklog of exciting stories to post, so make sure you keep coming back!

Posted by Bronwyn at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)