The Property Forums

London residents looking to Peterborough for their second homes

Peterborough is an area of the country that has suddenly become very popular with people who have their main property in London. This popularity is caused a Peterborough estate agent to set up a temporary location in Mayfair.

The reason this interest has been confirmed as because information from the company’s website showed that the majority of people looking for homes in Peterborough were doing it from computers in the capital. The location that is being established in Mayfair is only going to be there on a temporary basis as the company feel a full-time presence is not necessary. However if it does attract a lot of interest it is expected that it will recur on a regular basis.

The estate agents is Comptons Property Agents and a partner from the company, Steve Compton has stated, “Peterborough is an area that offers exceptional value, especially for people who are used to the prices in London. It can offer a good deal of relief to people who want to move out of the city into a larger property.”

When the estate agents takes up its temporary residence in Mayfair, it is going to be extolling the benefits of moving to Peterborough, such as the great green space and transport links. The company said they have already received a significant amount of interest ahead of the event taking place in May.

It is not just people who are looking for homes who are thought to be interested in this opportunity and it is expected that many people who are going to buy properties in order to let them out will also attend the event. People looking for a family home are expected to be the majority of people in attendance however. Homes in Peterborough have already started to be sold to people from the city.

House hunting in Plymouth and Birmingham

If you believed everything that was presented in the media, you would think that it was impossible to get a mortgage, houses were standing unsold more months, and the entire UK housing market was as stagnant as it was a couple of years ago when the recession first bit. The fact is that it is private, residential buyers that have dropped greatly in numbers, whilst the buy to let market is more buoyant than it has been for a while.

Buy to let is where you buy a property with the intention of renting it out instead of living in it, effectively making you a landlord. With house prices reaching a record low in the last few years, established landlords have been snapping up properties to expand their portfolios, whereas others have chosen to invest their redundancy payments in bricks and mortar in what they see as a failsafe way of getting back on their feet.

This kind of buying has been particularly prevalent in cities that house universities, as there are literally thousands of potential renters looking for somewhere to live while they study. Places like Plymouth, Devon’s waterfront city with a population of a quarter of a million people, is one such location that has seen its housing market boosted by property being purchased in the buy to let sector.

Plymouth hasn’t suffered a housing slump like some areas of the country however, and while houses for sale in Plymouth haven’t seen the devaluation of other cities, there have still been some bargains to be had by the savvy buyer. This is definitely a city that is coming through the recession looking rosy, and with major redevelopments and the boost the students give to the economy, it’s future is looking brighter than most.

Birmingham is another city with a strong student presence. With around 65,000 students descending every September, it is little wonder that some refer to England’s second city as being powered by youth, and with 3 universities and 2 university colleges in the area, this is an understandable description. Unlike Plymouth, Birmingham has seen some very tough times, and it is only now that it is finally shaking off a far from complimentary reputation.

The Birmingham of old was a grim and grey city, full of concrete prefabs, the infamous Bullring shopping centre, racial tension and high unemployment. Throw into this mix the notorious ‘spaghetti junction’ road network and it was highly unappealing to investors. Now, thanks to huge investments being made and the city centre being completely revamped it is a modern energetic city and its students are looking to live there instead of in the halls.

Cheap houses for sale in Birmingham were always relatively easy to find, especially in run down areas. Many of these, thanks to the buy to let market, have seen themselves being turned around and vast areas are now synonymous with student occupation. The city centre regeneration has also made it more appealing to tourists, boosting the economy even further and it now attracts more investors and new businesses than ever before.

Bournemouth Uni named in UK’s top 50 educational establishments

According to The Guardian’s 2012 University Guide, Bournemouth University is

one of the UK’s top fifty educational institutions. There are over seventeen thousand students in the town including fifteen hundred from overseas from a hundred and thirty different countries.

Now a new development for student property has been won by a London-based company.

Experience International has the contract for the first student accommodation, which is campus-based, in the UK. Investors will be able to secure yields of a net ten percent which is guaranteed for two years. This is a lot higher than usual UK buy-to-let properties.

The Times says that student accommodation is one of the UK’s top assets because it consistently gives stable returns. It has also performed well above all other property classes, even during the economic slump, according to a report from Knight Frank, the international agency group.

The development from Experience International is right in Bournemouth town centre, on one of the University campuses. The idea is that investors can buy one or more rooms which will then be leased back to a reputable management company. One room costs £44,950 and an attractive payment plan is on offer for the duration of the construction. Buyers are protected by additional insurance during the building.

Usually in the UK, universities will buy properties before offering them on the market and then the landlords will keep them because of the consistent high returns. The demand for student housing has always been high because it is such a positive investment. The supply is limited while there is a strong demand for them.

Demand for accommodation is also high among students. Eight hundred first year students didn’t manage to secure a halls of residence place according to Richard Search, Bournemouth University’s Residential Services Manager. Thirty-five percent of those who did get a place, wanted to remain there if possible.

Rightmove figures show house prices reach their highest ever in April

The latest figures revealed by estate agents Rightmove have shown that house prices in the UK were at their highest ever in April. This record-breaking price rise of 2.9 percent beats the previous record of May 2008 by ½ a percent. The national average price for a property in April was £243,737.

The market was driven by the London and the South-West areas. They both had record price peaks and East Anglia and the South-East were just short of record-breaking prices. However, Rightmove say that house prices are still down by 9.9 percent in real terms when compared against 11.5 percent retail price inflation since May 2008.

Prices of houses in these micro-markets of different areas are a reflection of people’s desire to buy and also of banks’ eagerness to lend money. This makes buying a house easier in the South where employment is higher, job prospects are better and both sellers and buyers have more equity to play with. This also makes buyers much more attractive to lenders because they are more willing and able to pay the higher asking prices.

Property sales did increase outside the Capital by 8.1percent but when compared to April 2007, supply of saleable properties is still down by 30 percent. A record-breaking average property price was achieved in the South-West of £270,735. Again The South-East and East Anglia were just short of their previous records.

There are housing price hotspots in the North but the factors that make buying and selling in the South more attractive are on the whole missing in the North. Higher unemployment, less equity and fewer job prospects all affect people’s confidence when faced with the prospect of buying a property which many would feel is at an undeservedly inflated price.

North/South divide is widening as far as property prices are concerned

Confidence in the housing market is beginning to increase according to figures that have been published by the property site, Rightmove. Another survey has also suggested that the demand for mortgages is growing. This suggests that the housing market is beginning to recover but unfortunately this is only happening in small pockets of the country which are regarded as hotspots.

The average property in the UK is currently at a little over £240,000. This is its highest figure since May 2008 and in the last few years the gap in house prices between the north and the south of the country has continued to increase significantly.

The price of a house in London has grown the most, and since 2008 every other part of the country has seen the price of houses fall. Since 2008 the price of a home in London has risen to nearly £465,000, which is only a 15 percent increase. This is significantly above the normal retail price inflation which is at about 12 percent. Other parts of the country have seen the average price of a house fall by around 4.5 percent.

In real terms this means that the national average price of houses fallen 10 percent since 2008. The director of Rightmove, Miles Shipside has commented, “We don’t think these new figures are necessarily a sign that the housing market is recovering, only the most well off areas seem to be having a house price increase. There is a serious bias to the South and London.”

Good neighbours seem to be hard to find in the UK

A new survey from FindaProperty.com, the property website, reports that 13 million people are not sure of what their neighbour’s name is. The survey results show that people are becoming isolated from those that live near them; which are more shocking in light of the fact that the Queen has asked everyone in the country to be a good neighbour to each other in order to help her celebrate her upcoming Diamond Jubilee.

The survey also revealed that even if citizens do know their neighbour’s names, only about 25% of those could name what their neighbour’s job was and another 7% have absolutely no idea who they live next door to. Perhaps the most discouraging find of the survey was the fact that about 1.5m of those that participated in the survey fear their next door neighbour.

Although the figures may not sound all that encouraging, at least a fifth of those in the survey reported that they would enjoy having a better relationship with their neighbours than they do. This may be hard to do though since the research stated that 11m people in the UK have had a falling out with their neighbour over the last five years.

Most of the disagreements were said to be verbal, but about 740,000 Britons admitted that they have been in a physical fight with their neighbour in the last five years. Another one million stated that their disagreement ended up in some type of property damage.

The most common problem among neighbours that was referred to 37% of the timewas when an altercation came about through noise. Also high on the list of problems were children, pets, and parking problems.

Also interesting was the fact that there are clear regional differences in the way people feel about their neighbours with Wales clearly being the most neighbourly region. This is worth noting since sellers have to disclose any disagreements with neighbours to buyers, therefore, friendlier neighbours may just mean higher property prices for an entire area, making friendliness more than just a comfort factor for homeowners.

Floating bird hide designed by Fisher Tomlin

Fisher Tomlin, the top international garden design company, have revealed the details of a new floating bird hide they have designed for a Normandy wildlife park.

This is a unique ideal that aims to get avid bird watchers even more up close and personal with the birds that have migrated to a series of wildfowl lakes throughout the park.

Birdwatchers will enter the hide from the bank and gently float out onto the lake to watch the birds without disturbing any of the other wildlife.

The founding director of the company is Andrew Fisher Tomlin, and he has said that although this was a departure from their usual work it was a logical step to take as they were becoming increasingly involved with projects that involved designing habitats for wildlife and in recent years they have worked on many such ecological projects.

He added that these have included the new wetlands at the Athletes Village for the 2012 London Olympics, and designing things that give visitors the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of being in natural wildlife habitats was a natural progression for the company.

Fisher Tomlin have previously designed wildlife houses including a bee hotel for ‘Beyond the hive’ that is now housed next to Smithfield Market in the City of London. The new bird hide will be built and launched in its new location in the near future.

Average UK house price reaches a record high

The average asking price of a property was at a record high four years ago and this has recently been beaten by a new survey which has showed that the average asking price for a house is nearly £244,000. This is the first time since the beginning of the recession back in 2008 that house prices have been at a record high.

Outside of the centre of London, the number of properties for sale increased by over 8 percent, but this is still a significantly lower amounts of supply than what was available in 2007. One of the reasons why the house prices have gone up as largely because in the spring more people are looking to buy homes and people have more confidence.

The South West is an area that has helped break this record and the average asking price has reach an all-time high of over £270,000. East Anglia and the south-east have also seen an increase in the price of homes and they are around £1500 off their previous records.

London remains at a historical high for the price of homes, with the average one selling for around £500,000. New property is very slow coming to the market and this is helping keep prices in the country high. The director of the company which has put together this survey, Rightmove, is Miles Shipside and he has commented, “The reason why property is so expensive in the south-west and London is because there is a serious lack of supply.

“This is happening across the rest of the UK as well, but it has recently become more pronounced in these areas. If you’re looking to buy property in a certain area it is important to look at the supply and demand. You must research how long it takes a property to be sold after it has come on the market.”

Rise in stamp duty could benefit squatters

Squatters could become surprise beneficiaries of homebuyer’s attempts to avoid the higher stamp duty rates, claim solicitors. Estage agents, meanwhile, are predicting that house prices in London will cease to rise and finally follow the falls that have already been seen across other parts of the UK.

George Osborne recently raised the price of stamp duty from the previous 5pc up to 7pc, last month. This rise affects properties that have been purchased for more than £2million pounds. He also set up a way to block the loophole that meant people could avoid taxes and stamp duty by having property held by offshore companies and trusts. These, in future, will have a 15pc tax and an annual charge.

Some experts are questioning how exactly HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are going to identify the owners of the properties held by offshore trusts and also whether this move may actually backfire.

The higher rate of stamp duty will be charged to the company purchasing the property. The purchaser has the option to refuse to pay stamp duty, however, this means that they won’t be able to certify legal ownership at the Land Registry. This is a real concern as a lot of prime London properties have trouble with squatters.

“The main reason for buying properties via a corporate company is rarely to avoid paying stamp duty. The most useful benefits are the mitigation of capital gains and inheritance tax. Changes to the stamp duty may not be enough to deter foreign buyers.”

Other observers also predict that the higher stamp duty tax will have an effect further down the property ladder. Managing director of Green & Co estate agents, David Pollock, has said that the rise will have a major effect on those with family homes in the South East as popular commuter suburbs easily have many family homes that are included within the £2million price bracket.

Great tips on both storing and fixing mosaic tiles

Mosaic tiles are an incredibly stylish and flexible way to add interest to a drab room. They are also very versatile and can be used in many different ways, such as defining areas like a shower enclosure or creating a feature wall. Laying or fixing mosaic tiles can seem like a daunting task, but with ceramktiles.com’s latest tips on how to store and fix mosaic tiles, an excellent result can be achieved a lot easier than you would think.

Storage

• To protect your mosaic tiles, always store them in a covered place away from dampness. If the sheets become damp, mosaics can become detached from the paper or net they are attached to.

Preparation

• Firstly ensure the surface the mosaics are going to be fixed to is flat, firm, dry and clean from any loose particles.

• Before starting to fix the tiles with adhesive you are advised to do a dry run and position the sheets over the surface to be covered.

• To help you fix the sheets in straight vertical & horizontal line, use a ruler and spirit level to draw guidelines over the surface.

• Remember when you transfer the sheet measurements to the surface being tiled, allow for grout joints between each sheet. These should be the same as the spacing between the individual pieces.

• If you want to be particularly creative and plan to create a picture using mosaics it is really important to mark on the surface the right position of the picture and organise the rest of tiles around this central image.

Fixing the mosaic tiles

• Start by preparing the adhesive by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Your tile supplier will be able to advise you on the best adhesives to use.

• Then check that the consistency of the mixture is strong enough so the mosaic sheets remain in position and do not slide after being fixed. Apply sufficient adhesive to the wall in a shape of a column for about six sheets at a time, suggested depth of adhesive is 3mm.

• Start fixing the tiles from top to bottom.

• If the mosaics are on paper, the paper must face you when attaching the tiles to the adhesive.

• If the mosaics are on net, the net side needs to be attached to the adhesive.

• Take the first sheet by the upper end and carefully move it into position and then softly attach it to the surface. Make sure you are happy with the position before pressing it more firmly into place. You can use a rubber trowel to help you press the sheet against the surface. Do not press too hard as you do not want the adhesive to squeeze out.

• Do the same for the next sheet but be careful to leave the same distance between the sheets as there is between the individual pieces. Make sure you position the sheets in order to get all the grout lines aligned. Repeat this process for the next four sheets.

• Once the first six sheets are laid and you are happy that they are aligned and are straight both vertically & horizontally, remove any excess adhesive from the grout lines.

• Continue the same process with the next column of six and remember to always tile from top to bottom.

When using mosaics on paper only

• Once the adhesive is dry, which is normally after 24 hours, remove the paper using a damp sponge. It is really important to take care and remove all the paper. Wash the tiles with clean water in order to remove any possible remains from the paper adhesive.

Completing the grout lines

• The grout line colour plays an important role in the finished appearance of the wall. There are many colours available and you should choose a grout colour which combines well with the mosaic.

• Once the adhesive is set, normally after 24 hours, you can start the grouting. This is an important stage where care needs to be taken.

• Grout lines (i.e. where you are going to grout) have to be dry, clean and free of dust.

• Prepare the grout mixture following the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure that it is smooth, consistent and easily spread. Place some of the grout on a rubber trowel and fill all the grout lines, leveling them at the same time.

• Make sure you do not leave any excess grout in joints or on the mosaic surface; you can always refill the grout lines.

• When the mixture is starting to dry and before it has hardened wipe the mosaics with a dry cloth, to clean of any excess grout before it sets. As soon as the mixture starts to harden, you will need to wash the tiles with a damp sponge. Correct grout lines are normally clean and slightly sunken from the tile surface.

Maintenance

• For daily cleaning use a neutral cleaner designed for everyday use. If you’re unsure as to which product to use, your tile supplier will be able to recommend a product. Do not use polish, oils or acid products.

• For occasional cleaning you may be able to use slightly acidic products but always follow the instructions from the manufacturer. As soon as you have finished, wash the tiles several times with water. Please be very careful as some mosaics can be damaged by acidic products.

About Ceramiks Ltd

Ceramiks Ltd is a leading importer and retailer of wall and floor tiles with over 30 years’ experience providing retail customers and the trade with an excellent choice of tiles and accessories at highly competitive prices. Retail customers can view over 450 tiles at www.ceramiktiles.com . Please email acoyle@comptongroup.com for further information.

Contact: Angela Coyle, Head of Group Marketing

Direct line: 0044 1792 315482

Email: acoyle@comptongroup.com

Web address: www.ceramiktiles.com

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