May 2012 from Gateway Homes

Nearly six million Brits are planning to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee with a party in their own homes, new research from Santander has revealed. The bank found that a grand total of around £424 million is expected to be spent … Read more →

Property buyers seeking a buy-to-let investment have welcomed an announcement by communities minister Andrew Stunell that will see £145 million shared between local authorities and voluntary groups to help bring the UK’s 720,000 empty homes back into use. Following bidding … Read more →

Halifax Building Society has taken a look back at some of the key developments that have affected property buyers in the UK housing market over the last 60 years, as the nation prepares to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. House … Read more →

Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of consumers would consider using their property to finance part of their retirement, the Equity Release Council has revealed. By 2017, more than a quarter of a million retirees are expected to consider downsizing to … Read more →

Demand for buy-to-let property is as strong as ever, with two-thirds of brokers expecting to do more business with landlords this year, according to a survey by Nationwide Building Society. Despite the ongoing economic difficulties, the buy-to-let market is “buoyant” … Read more →

More than half of homeowners in the UK worry about home security, while nearly a quarter admit that they keep some kind of weapon close by to defend themselves against intruders, a survey by comparison site GoCompare.com has revealed. The … Read more →

People who are seeking rental property have been given some advice by the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), which said tenants are facing increased competition in the market. More than half of ARLA members said demand for rental properties … Read more →

Enquiries from first-time property buyers looking for mortgage advice rose slightly in April, according to unbiased.co.uk’s Find a Mortgage Adviser search service. Meanwhile, interest in remortgaging advice dropped from 37 per cent to 30 per cent during the month. “Last … Read more →

Property buyers looking for a buy-to-let investment have been reminded to ensure any money handled by letting agents is protected by a client money protection scheme. Despite the fact that more than half (55 per cent) of landlords use the … Read more →

Property buyers don’t just spend time improving the interiors of their new purchases – a recent survey from HSBC has predicted that Brits will pay £3.9 billion this year to spruce up their gardens, or an average of £185 per … Read more →

Repossessions are being kept down due to the government’s efforts to tackle the national deficit and keep interest rates low, housing minister Grant Shapps has said. The latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders showed that there were 9,600 … Read more →

The average lengths of commercial property leases have fallen to a record low of 4.8 years, an annual study by the British Property Federation (BPF) and the Investment Property Databank has revealed. Some 76 per cent of the new leases … Read more →

The annual cost of long-term care in the UK is expected to rise from the current £26,000 to £33,000 per person by 2025, according to a new report from retirement specialist LV=. As the country’s life expectancy rises, the number … Read more →

Annuity care provider Partnership has revealed the results of its first Partnership Care Index, which found that more than four in ten people aged 45-85 expect that they will need to fund their long-term care in later life by renting … Read more →

The Co-operative Bank has withdrawn its interest-only mortgage range, meaning from May 8th property buyers will not be able to arrange a home loan on a capital and repayment basis only. While interest-only mortgages have been popular for several years, … Read more →

Insurer Hiscox has recommended that homeowners take practical steps to guard against water damage, after the wettest April on record caused flood warnings around the country. Although flood defences are in place and the Environment Agency has said it has … Read more →