News

A new study commissioned by a leading online bathroom retailer has found that the majority of Brits would like to create a home spa experience in their own bathroom. Whirlpool baths and steam showers topped the list of luxury bathroom features Brits wanted in their own homes with saunas also coming high on the list of must have bathroom features.

Getting onto the housing ladder can be very difficult for young people looking to buy their first home, but equally it can be very difficult for first time renters as well, particularly in places like London.

Although this rate of change may not seem to be very often, it is in fact three times longer than in the 1980’s, which was every eight years then, all according to new research revealed in the annual report from the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA).

Figures indicate that about 69% of home buyers will benefit from the changes to the Stamp Duty that was announced in December last year. Data released by the Nationwide Building Society, which had been campaigning for the changes, said that it was possible that under the new rules only 2% would pay more in stamp duty and 29% would experience no change.

Although we may have seen property prices easing in certain prime London spots, some new research has revealed that tenants who are very rich are prepared to pay as much as 12 months rental in advance, plus deposits in order to secure the best addresses in London.

It is perfectly understandable that for a first time buyer the mortgage application process could be daunting as they endeavour to get onto the housing ladder. However what is surprising is that it is even more daunting for people in Wales as over 80% say that they are frightened by the whole process, less so in the North East of England where they seem less worried by it.

We are all aware that first time buyers have had a tough time over the past few years and getting onto the housing ladder has been extremely difficult and in some cases impossible. However help is at hand through the Chancellor’s budget with a new Help-to-Buy Isa, which will give young buyers a Government top-up to help them save towards a larger deposit.

Applying for a mortgage to buy a home has always been a stressful experience, worrying if you will be accepted and what will happen if your application is rejected, but it has been exacerbated over the last few years with the financial crisis that has hit the financial markets.

The people of the UK are usually vociferous for their support of homes being built for people, “as long as it’s not in my backyard”, nimbyism in other words, However it does seem as though that attitude might be changing according to a recent survey from the British Social Attitude, which does seem to suggest that 56% of those questioned support new homes being built in their area, which is a marked improvement of 27% since the year 2010. Also that can also be confirmed as the opposition to local housing in their locality has nearly halved from 46% to just 20% now.

The mortgage war on who can offer the lowest rate has been hotting up for some time and Yorkshire Building Society is the latest one to throw their hat into the ring with a stunning two year fixed at an amazing 1.18% beating the recent HSBC offer of two years fixed at 1.9%

One of the great success stories that the coalition government can take credit for, as far as first time buyers wanting to get onto the housing ladder is concerned, is the help to buy scheme. So far 40,000 people have been helped by the scheme, most of which have been first time buyers, the figures are believed to be around 78% Of those that have had help, the total figure is thought to be £5.9 billion, with the value of the property which has been purchased, or in some cases re-mortgaged £156,031, which compares favourably with the nation house price being £272,000. (more…)