Latest Property News
Keeping you up to date with the latest propertyrelated news, views, tips, features & ideas.
26/Nov/2011
NEWS UPDATE***** Following a fire at our head office in Nailsea late Wednesday night it’s still business as usual! Despite the fire devastating our pr...
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21/Nov/2011
Heritage Estate Agents in Portishead raised a record amount of money for Children in need on Friday. Dressed as Buzz Woody and Jess from Disney Pixars...
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17/Nov/2011
Never afraid of a challenge, the Heritage team in Portishead will be doing their bit for Children in Need on November 18th. Dressed as the Toy Story G...
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17/Nov/2011
Heritage Halloween Winner Congratulations to Mike & Rachel Whiting who live in Yatton for winning the Heritage Halloween competition. Launched at t...
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13/Oct/2011
Heritage at Yatton would like to give a warm welcome to Amie. Since starting with the company two months ago Amie has already agreed sales on 3 proper...
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04/Oct/2011
Heritage Estate Agents are pleased to announce a Spooky Halloween Competition and the winner will win a night at Doubletree by Hilton, Cadbury House h...
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07/Sep/2011
Ukraine's richest man has snapped up Britain's most expensive flat in a recording-breaking purchase. Rinat Akhmetov, 44, a self-made billionaire af...
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12/Jul/2011
Congratulations to Luke Doulton & Tudie Griffin for passing their NVQ level 2. Well done.
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18/Apr/2011
In a mission to raise money for Children’s Hospice South West, Heritage Estate Agents held a go-karting event at Speedway Karting Centre on the 16th o...
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Mortgage guarantees to be introduced for first-time buyers
21/Nov/2011
Sixteen thousand new homes will be built with the help of taxpayers' subsidies worth £400m, and taxpayers will also help underwrite mortgages for first-time buyers - but of new homes only. Mortgage indemnity guarantees are to be given on 95% mortgages but critics say that the scheme will benefit the new...
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First-time buyers face years of saving for deposit
21/Nov/2011
Home Builders Federation calls for mortgage indemnity guarantee as report reveals huge deposit gap.
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We'll get Britain building - PM
21/Nov/2011
David Cameron vows to restart the housing market as he unveils a range of plans including help for buyers of new homes in England.
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More first-time buyers turn to second jobs to raise deposits
17/Nov/2011
More than a quarter of aspiring first-time buyers are so desperate to raise a deposit that they will take out an unsecured loan. Research by Santander, out this morning, says that 27% will take on extra debt to raise the money for a deposit. Almost the same proportion (28%) are also...
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Landlords look to boost investment in rented homes
17/Nov/2011
Rising demand and rents and returns of 5 per cent driving renewed interest from investors, says ARLA.
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Sale of Northern Rock announced
17/Nov/2011
Northern Rock is being sold to Virgin Money for £747m, the government announces.
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Repos set to fall below forecast as lenders hold off
14/Nov/2011
Forecasts that there will be 40,000 repossessions this year now look over-egged. The Council of Mortgage Lenders says that arrears are continuing to fall and that repossession numbers are stable. Reporting on the third quarter, the CML said the number of properties taken into possession by mortgage lenders was 9,200, fractionally up...
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Government pledges housing help for heroes
14/Nov/2011
Service men and women to get package of help to buy homes or apply for social housing.
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Mortgage lending dips but payments cheaper
14/Nov/2011
Interest payments as a proportion of income fall again for first-time buyers and stay at record low for home moves.
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Big changes to tax system planned
14/Nov/2011
Every taxpayer may be given online access to their tax records, the government suggests.
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Country house market fails to match London boom
03/Oct/2011
The London millionaires’ property boom stops dead in its tracks at the M25, Knight Frank has reported. The firm says that house prices in the prime country house market have fallen 1.7% in the last year, with most of the fall in the last quarter. While the number of prime country houses...
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Buyers fall by the wayside as more houses stick on market
03/Oct/2011
Buyers fell by the wayside once again last month – whilst the number of new sellers also edged down. According to Hometrack this morning, there was a monthly fall of 2.6% applicants in September, but the number of new listings fell by just 0.6%. Over the first nine months of this year,...
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Third of Brits grow their own fruit and vegetables
03/Oct/2011
A third of Brits are using their gardens to grow their own fruit and vegetables, according to a new survey released today.
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How to keep your grass green in warm weather
03/Oct/2011
The summer is finally here, but don't let that spell bad news for your lawn ? just follow our easy tips.
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Country houses see price falls
03/Oct/2011
Boom in top London property is not spreading as prices fall elsewhere.
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CBI chief calls for housing market boost
03/Oct/2011
Mortgage indemnity guarantees, pension schemes and shared ownership seen as keys to getting market flowing again.
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Private landlords failing on energy efficiency
03/Oct/2011
ARLA says landlords need help to improve homes they could be banned from renting from 2018.
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How to encourage children to get into gardening
21/Jun/2011
Working outdoors provides kids with essential skills as well as hours of muddy fun. Here's how to entice them into the garden.
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Bank of England bases policy on Google searches for 'estate agent'
21/Jun/2011
EAT would like you to know that you are playing a major part in Bank of England policy. How so? Apparently, the Bank of England is using Google seach data to research and forecast the housing market. In particular, it is looking at searches for ‘estate agent’, having found a correlation between the...
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Home races into lead with most properties on site
21/Jun/2011
The Digital sites of Primelocation and Findaproperty appear to be beating Zoopla in terms of the number of searchable properties for sale. However, none comes near Rightmove’s inventory. The research, from property search engine Home, also unsurprisingly claims that Home itself – which amalgamates properties from virtually every property website and portal...
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Mortgage-lending on the up for first-time buyers
21/Jun/2011
The number of loans granted to house-buyers increased in April, with a particularly substantial rise for FTBs.
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Declare your Wimbledon rental income, agents warn
21/Jun/2011
Tax inspectors could be making unexpected visits to those renting out their homes during Wimbledon, Knight Frank has said.
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Beginners' guide to buy-to-let investment
21/Jun/2011
Considering purchasing a buy-to-let property? Our comprehensive guide tells you everything you'll need to know before taking the plunge.
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100 million hours per month spent on lawn care
13/Jun/2011
A study has found that despite the amount of time and money Brits spend tending their lawns, over a third are in poor condition.
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Rightmove users spend an hour on site each month
13/Jun/2011
People are spending longer than ever on property websites. In the case of Rightmove, the average user is spending close to an hour on site per month. The statistics do not show whether the visitors are active home-buyers or potential sellers, or simply the ‘property porn’ market – people interested in their local...
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Brits think house prices will rise over next year
13/Jun/2011
More Britons expect house prices to rise rather than fall over the next 12 months, the results of a survey released today claim.
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Miliband wants workers to jump council house queue
13/Jun/2011
Ed Miliband is to pledge today that the employed and volunteers will be able to jump the queue for council houses.
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Property apprenticeships: the key to a new career?
13/Jun/2011
A leading training body outlines the benefits of property apprenticeships, both for trainees and estate agents.
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RICS reports private housing boost
20/May/2011
Surveyors have reported a rise in private housing work - one of only two positive readings for the sector in three years.
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How to keep your plants healthy in a dry spell
20/May/2011
All this glorious weather can be bad news for your garden - but follow these expert tips and even young plants will survive the summer.
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Thumbs down to Firstbuy scheme
20/May/2011
More than half of first-time buyers say they are not interested in the Government’s £250,000 Firstbuy scheme. A survey of 3,000 potential first-time buyers by Rightmove found that 34.1% said the scheme would make no difference to them because they don’t want a new property, and 21.8% said it would make...
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Property boom and bust cycle
20/May/2011
More new homes, tax reform and a better safety net are key to more stability, a Housing Market Taskforce has said.
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Shapps sets out plans for zero carbon homes
20/May/2011
The housing minister?s new definition will cut emissions but keep down costs for housebuilders.
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UK property landlords reveal their worse fear is rental arrears, report shows
20/May/2011
Rental arrears are still a worry for UK property landlords despite rising demand and predictions that the sector will be buoyant in 2011.
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Balcony bliss: Outdoor furniture for urban spaces
04/May/2011
Your outdoor space may be small but it doesn't have to be dull. Brighten up your balcony with gorgeous furniture and lighting.
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Bank tells first-time buyers now is the time to buy
04/May/2011
The cost of a first-time buyer’s house varies by more than £150,000 depending on where the property is in the UK. The average price of a first home ranges from £100,831 in the North-East to £260,261 in London. Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks’ research also shows that London first-time buyers are almost unique...
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Balcony bliss: Outdoor furniture for urban spaces
21/Apr/2011
Your outdoor space may be small but it doesn't have to be dull. Brighten up your balcony with gorgeous furniture and lighting.
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Homebuilder reports market upturn
21/Apr/2011
Persimmon reveals signs of recovery in the UK new homes market during the first three months of the year.
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Revamped EPC to be launched
21/Apr/2011
A revamped EPC is being worked on by government advisers and is set to be implemented early next year. The revamp will follow a raft of changes due to be implemented in two stages, on July 1 and October 1. If the October 1 proposed change goes through, it should mean agents...
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Consultation launched on turning empty shops into homes
15/Apr/2011
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has launched a consultation that could see thousands of vacant office buildings converted into homes without planning permission. The British Property Federation has backed the plans, but warned they will not work in every location. With house building at a record low except during wartime, Pickles’ relaxation of...
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House purchase loans plunge 12% in a year
15/Apr/2011
There was a small monthly uplift in mortgage lending for house purchase in February, the Council of Mortgage Lender has said. But by volume, they plunged when measured over the year. There were 32,300 house purchase loans, up 8% from January but 12% down on February 2010. Of these, 12,400 loans were...
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Eric Walker Blog
15/Apr/2011
Do internet estate agents really threaten traditional high street firms? The simple answer is NO. This is not me trying to lull myself into a false sense of security. I have heard this warning for years, and whilst the business has changed to meet this challenge, many agents are expanding the number...
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Bloom to open a third apprentice academy
15/Apr/2011
Following the launch of its Birmingham and London operations, the Bloom Apprenticeship Academy for Estate and Letting Agents is to open a third centre, in Manchester city centre in early May. The government-funded training programme will have places for 100 teenagers in four intakes each year, and lasts six months. Prospective agency...
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Home Packs kill off Scots 'offers over' system
15/Apr/2011
The traditional ‘offers over’ pricing system of the Scottish housing market has bitten the dust. According to Scotland on Sunday newspaper, which has just published its annual Scottish house price guide, ‘offers around’ has become more prevalent, and many houses marketed at a fixed price are in fact selling at below...
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Connells claim to see 'sustained' recovery in market
15/Apr/2011
Despite high numbers of unsold stock on agents’ books outside central London, Connells surveying arm has claimed that it is seeing a ‘sustained’ recovery in the housing and mortgage market. Connells Survey and Valuation has also claimed that housing market activity is being buoyed by first-time buyers and the buy-to-let sector. The...
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Property drought means homes sell at record speed in London
15/Apr/2011
A dearth of new properties on the market in London is causing houses to sell at their fastest-ever rate, according to Ivor Dickinson of Douglas & Gordon. He said instruction levels are down 20% compared with last year – but with a rise of 20% more applicants. He said: “After the flurry...
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Agent faces former employers in High Court
15/Apr/2011
An estate agent who set up his own business has been taken to the High Court by his ex-employers over a restrictive covenant. The contract of employment stated that Simon Robertson was not to set up a business within five miles for 12 months from his departure from the firm, Tim...
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House prices increase in March says Rightmove
22/Mar/2011
House prices continue to rise, pulling the bottom rung of the property ladder out of reach of first-time buyers.
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Lloyds TSB to lend first-time buyers a hand
22/Mar/2011
With the bank's latest mortgage offering, you could buy a house with just a 5% deposit - but what's the catch?
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The property William and Kate could really afford
22/Mar/2011
If they were only spending their own incomes, Prince William and Kate Middleton could barely afford a caravan, let alone a palace...
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Sellers return to UK housing market
22/Mar/2011
February saw an encouraging jump in the number of homes for sale, but long-term stability could still be a way off.
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England has fewer vacant properties, but there are more empty homes in Scotland, reports show
22/Mar/2011
The number of long term empty private properties homes in England has fallen for the first time in three years, according to the latest annual Halifax Empty Homes survey.
Buyers risk £1.3bn by not surveying new homes
01/Mar/2011
A huge proportion of house-movers fail to have their new property surveyed, which could pose serious long-term financial risk.
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Campaign to save leaseholders from rip-off fees
01/Mar/2011
Apartment and flat owners are collectively paying £700 million in unnecessary service charges each year.
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Mortgages at most affordable level in a decade
01/Mar/2011
Low interest rates mean mortgages take the lowest proportion of Brits' salaries in 10 years - but watch out for rate rises, bank warns.
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Gardening competition: Pimp your shed
22/Feb/2011
A shed fanatic and a gardening brand have come together to offer £1,000 to the owner of 2011's chicest shed.
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Experts reveal top garden design trends for 2011
22/Feb/2011
Ethical gardening and the 'grow your own' lifestyle look set to take over yet more of Britain's households this year.
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The coming year is the best time to buy property in the UK, survey reveals
22/Feb/2011
Considerable uncertainty remains in the UK real estate market but the public considers the best time to enter the property market to be within the next year, a new survey suggests.
Read moreUK property landlords reveal their worse fear is rental arrears, report shows
22/Feb/2011
Rental arrears are still a worry for UK property landlords despite rising demand and predictions that the sector will be buoyant in 2011.
Read moreBank member seeks early rate rise
22/Feb/2011
Martin Weale tells the BBC it would be better for the Bank of England to raise rates gradually now than to do it quickly later.
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Deutsche Bank fined over lending
22/Feb/2011
Deutsche Bank becomes the first financial company in the UK to be fined for
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Guy Ritchie's squatters are evicted
22/Feb/2011
Squatters who set up 'Really Free School' in the director's £6m London property have moved on - but not without a party.
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Rental properties only cater for 12% of applicants
22/Feb/2011
Demand is outstripping supply to an extreme extent - and landlords are failing to take advantage, reports a national lettings group.
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Poll: Will UK house prices go up or down by 2012?
22/Feb/2011
Tell us where you think the British property market is headed over the coming year by voting in our poll.
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UK mortgage-lending
21/Feb/2011
A report has expressed cautious optimism regarding the number of mortgage approvals that will be granted this year.
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More people want to move house in 2011
21/Feb/2011
The number of homeowners planning to buy a new property has more than tripled since 2008 - but there are regional differences.
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Remortgage applications reach two-year high
21/Feb/2011
Speculation about interest rates saw remortgages account for almost a third of all home loan applications last month.
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The coming year is the best time to buy property in the UK, survey reveals
21/Feb/2011
Considerable uncertainty remains in the UK real estate market but the public considers the best time to enter the property market to be within the next year, a new survey suggests.
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