As the UK prepares to vote for its new government on Thursday 7th May, housing has become an increasingly key topic for the general election. With 8.5 million tenants in the UK, the expanding private rented sector is set to be a major factor in the final count. Who, though, would tenants vote for? A new survey by Upad reveals that one in four would back Labour. Indeed, the party, led by Ed Miliband,...
May Bank Holiday may never be the same again for those in the UK looking forward to a long weekend. One of the biggest questions what to do with the extra day has been answered by several prominent property experts. UK property portal The House Shop asked 15 UK property experts what advice they would give on the best way to spend the Bank Holiday . Advice is varied and very interesting from...
London, where only 43 properties are affordable enough for an average family buying their first home UK house prices have risen by the highest monthly amount since June 2014, according to Nationwide. The lender's new house price index shows that house prices edged up 1 per cent in April 2015 compared to March 2015, a far quicker increase than the 0.1 per cent monthly growth recorded in the previous...
Labour has announced a new wave of proposals for the UK's growing private rented sector. With under two weeks to go until May's general election, they are set to prove popular with tenants, but landlords are notably less keen. There are 11 million people â including 1.5 million families with children - currently renting in the UK. The next Labour government would...
Brits spent more than £7 billion moving home in 2015, according to new research. The report from Lloyds Bank found that the average cost of moving home in the UK has risen by 5 per cent to £8,689 in 2014. The average cost rose £431 across the 12 months, a hike that has been primarily driven by estate agent and surveyor fees, which combined to make up £386 of that difference. Andy...
Spanish property is still overvalued, according to study by the OCU. The Spanish Consumersâ Association's report carried out its research for a buy-to-let study, comparing prices and rents for four cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Valencia. "Despite accumulated property prices drops since 2008, the vast majority of areas studied still offer poor rental returns," concludes the report. "Property...
Uncertainty surrounding the upcoming general election has hit the UK housing market. Research earlier this year from broker Jefferies found that on average sales slow down in the four months immediately preceding elections. Now, a growing range of indices suggest that pre-voting jitters have struck in the run-up to May's vote. Mortgage lending in the UK slowed in February 2015, according to the Council of...
A YouGov survey commissioned by property website The House Shop shows that Labour leader Ed Miliband comes out top as the leader that people from the North East would like most as a neighbour. This is in contrast with national results where David Cameron comes top of the leaderboard of the best party leader as a neighbour. The survey also reveals that as a potential neighbour Nigel Farage did not appeal to...
Foreign sales of Turkish property have soared 28 per cent in the past year, according to new figures. Official data from the Turkish Statistical Institute shows that sales in February reached 95,021, up 15 per cent year-on-year. The number of purchases made by overseas buyers in February 2015 climbed to 1,369, up 28 per cent from 1,071 in February 2014. Istanbul led the way, accounting for 18.6 per...
Middle Eastern interest in Brazilian property is rising, as the country's real estate become Shariah-compliant for the first time. Shariah compliance is founded on the principle of "social justice" where companies are required to adhere to Islamic laws, which include prohibition of liquor, pork and vice, as well as fair and responsible trading practices. Earlier this year, Brazilian property developer...