How to prepare for your home survey?
When a buyer shows interest in your property, their mortgage lender will send a surveyor to confirm its value. To identify potential structural problems with the property and to check areas that the valuation survey does not cover, it is likely that your buyer will...
What does the latest house price data mean for you?
Will your home keep rising in value? Should you hold off from moving? And will there be a housing crash? Here’s what the latest data from Zoopla's House Price Index means for you. There’s a lot of noise around the UK housing market. And it can be hard to know when to...
What does a building survey look for in a garden?
A well-kept garden can add thousands of pounds to a home's asking price, according to studies. Some types of trees and plants, however, can cause damage to the property, so buyers should be careful. There are many factors that could affect a property's structural...
Brum goes for gold and green
Over 4,500 athletes from 72 countries will compete in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham over the next two weeks. But once medals are awarded, what will be the legacy of the games on the property market in the UK’s second-largest city? Birmingham was not the...
New innovative plans to deliver up to 350 new all-electric homes on historic MG Rover site
St. Modwen, a leading developer of new communities and high-quality homes, plans to deliver up to 350 new all-electric homes on the historic MG Rover site that was once home to the MINI in Birmingham. Powered by a dedicated ‘smart grid’, electricity will be supplied...
Housing market cooling off but rents likely to keep rising in latest RICS report
Surveyors across the UK say interest from new house buyers has slipped for the third consecutive month, but prices are still rising. Surveyors say they are seeing evidence that the housing market is starting to cool. In its monthly survey, the Royal Institution of...
Selling your home? Here are the top home improvements buyers could be looking for
If you’re thinking of selling your home, you’re going to want potential buyers to love it as much as you do. Preparing your home to sell is so much more than plumping the sofa cushions and making sure the aroma of freshly baked bread is filling the kitchen. Often the...
How to improve your home’s EPC Rating
Rising energy bills and a much greater emphasis on greener living mean a good EPC rating is now more important than ever. This article helps you to get a better one. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is valid for 10 years and shows you how energy efficient a...
Looking to sell your home? Now’s the time.
As the housing market starts to slow, if you’re looking to sell your home, now’s a good time to do it, according to the latest signs in Zoopla's House Price Index. The average UK property price has remained broadly unchanged this month, rising by just 0.1% since May....
“Mortgage accessibility for self-employed only becoming harder”
External factors worsening affordability for the group. Self-employed borrowers have always had to jump over extra hurdles in order to get a mortgage product, however this has only become more difficult given the current state of the financial market. The...
Sustainable property is top of the agenda for Generation Z
While once it may have seemed a luxury or even a quirky asset, sustainable property is even a top priority for Generation Z when looking for a home. When people think about what would be on the wish list for a 16-25-year-old seeking a home of their own, many might...
Halifax makes major change to mortgage deposits
Starting July 01, Halifax is lowering the minimum deposit required to secure a mortgage on new build homes from 10% to 5%. “We recognise that getting a deposit together is still the biggest hurdle faced by most first-time buyers, and these changes could reduce the...
Carpenter Surveyors take a gamble at annual Summer Soirée
This weekend the team at Carpenter Surveyors attended its ‘Summer Soiree’ get together at the Grand Hotel in Birmingham. The team enjoyed a Casino experience followed by a meal in the city at Gaucho. The Summer event, which happens each year, was even more special...
Latest planning applications data shows a decline in all figures
Experts are one in saying that the number of homes being built is not enough. Of the 109,900 applications for planning permission from January to March 2022 in England, district level planning authorities decided on 96,000 and granted 84,000, data published by the...
Should stamp duty be scrapped?
The government should abolish stamp duty to ease the financial burden on homeowners and help fix the country’s housing crisis, according to a large section of people polled in a new survey by Yorkshire Building Society (YBS). Titled ‘Housing Britain: the challenges of...
It’s now easier for first-time buyers to take out a mortgage
The latest move by the Bank of England to relax mortgage affordability rules should make it easier for first-time buyers to take out a mortgage. The Bank of England has announced plans to relax mortgage lending rules from August 1 in a major boost for first-time...
What to look for when choosing a Property Surveyor for your house purchase
Not all buyers will hire a surveyor, but we highly recommend having a home survey completed to ensure the home you are buying is the right investment and for peace of mind. Commissioning a survey will reduce the chance of issues appearing after purchase, that can...
New-build buyers driving the green home movement – and saving up to 52% on energy costs
Climate change and the cost of living are making energy efficiency a priority for new-build buyers, but many people underestimate how much money you can save with a greener home. New research shows that the cost of living and climate change are creating new priorities...