House prices increased by 7.7 per cent over the last year among newly built properties.  Some property experts believe that Government initiatives to help first-time buyers could be encouraging people to overpay their way into negative equity. Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show flat or falling prices across the housing market as a whole [...]

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Lifting council tax exemptions on homes that have been subjected to repossession could be one way in which local governments serve to bolster their income and generate greater savings. South Derbyshire District Council, for example, is considering the approach along with numerous other ideas as it looks to cut costs. Other suggestions for greater cost-efficiency [...]

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Mortgage arrangement fees have increased 25 per cent to an average of £1,502 in just three years, according to Moneyfacts.  The record low Bank Rate of 0.5 per cent has pushed down the interest rates on home loans, but providers have raised their fees by an average of £321. The data shows that it is [...]

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This is a little “off-brand” as far as TheAdvisory goes. After all, we’re all about helping people move home!   However, moving house is one of the biggest events in our lifetime.  Yet along with the excitement and pride at the prospect of owning a new home comes fear, anxiety and trepidation of taking such [...]

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Higher unemployment is likely to lead to a rise in house repossessions and mortgage arrears in 2012, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has warned. In its forecast, the CML suggests that repossessions will go up to from 37,000 in 2011 to 45,000 this year. Property sales and mortgage lending are also likely to fall [...]

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Over the past year there has been a major shift in conveyancing work, away from the traditional High Street solicitor and towards larger firms of specialist conveyancers, according to a recent survey of Land Registry data. “Cases are increasingly being handled by larger firms as consumers vote with their feet for a faster, less expensive [...]

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It’s easy to lose track of people and contacts when you’re moving home, so here’s a handy list to remind you who to tell: Driving licence: The DVLA may need to update their records and send you new documents. Utilities: water board, the electricity and gas companies, the telephone company and your internet provider.  And [...]

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National fixed fees online estate agents, eMoov has revealed that home movers in the North are better than southerners at saving money on estate agent fees. Many can reduce their charges by up to 90 per cent by selling via an online estate agent.  Customers in Yorkshire and the North West now account for 26 [...]

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1. Mystery shop to find the best estate agent: Test the one you’re thinking of instructing to handle the sale of your home by pretending you’re a potential buyer. Watch how they deal with your request. Do they push hard to initiate a viewing of the property? 2. Incentivise your chosen estate agent: Offer a [...]

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According to the conveyancing analyst Reallymoving.com, the biggest population movements in 2011 were from the South East of England to the South West, with Torquay in the English Riviera at the head of the list.  Truro and Exeter were also in the top five locations. “Our research shows that during 2011 the South West claimed [...]

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