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Many people have been away or enjoying some semblance of the British summer. Despite the departure from the hectic 9-5, August hasn’t been a quiet time in property. There are a variety of facts and stats to digest, starting with how a recent base rate reduction affected the housing market.

There are very few instances where you’ll need a five- or even six-figure sum to proceed with your plans but buying a property is one of them. It’s not the amount you can usually find down the back of the sofa so what are the options if you need to lay your hands on a substantial amount of cash quickly?

Are you never happier than when your home is spotless or are you a tad on the slovenly side? If you own your home, this question is elementary but if you live in a rented property, the level of dirt you’re comfortable with can affect whether you get your full deposit back.

Finally some proper summer weather has arrived but are we looking at a property market also about to heat up? It’s a case of ‘steady as she goes’ in July, with consistent activity. There are, however, indications that more home movers are primed to take action soon.

Tenants are increasingly asking private landlords for properties with good green credentials. That’s the findings of the latest Handelsbanken annual Property Investor Report.

Before you lament about the amount of rain we’ve had this summer, remember the old adage ‘it’s good for the garden’. In fact, the wet conditions may help budgets as well as flower beds, if new research is anything to go by.

Politics, especially the period before an election, can be hard to keep tabs on. With a new Labour Government assembled, our job is to make sense of what was contained in the party’s manifesto, what was verbally discussed by then shadow ministers and what will actually be delivered now Sir Keir Starmer is Prime Minister.

With high summer in full swing, the property market has entered into its usual seasonal phase. Less fevered activity has been replaced by a more measured approach to home moving. This is widely attributed to holidays, the build-up to a General Election and even the European Football Championships.

As we write this blog, the temperatures are rising to the mid 20°C, the air is filled with the scent of barbeques and sales of sunscreen are soaring. We are, however, about to break the early summer spell by mentioning the C word. Christmas.

If you have a passing interest in property, you will know that some people ‘stage’ their homes during the marketing phase in order to increase the appeal. Common tactics involve dressing sofas with stylish cushions, removing bulky items of furniture to create more space and using vases of flowers to add colour. There is, however, a more unique trend that’s found its way into the national press.

Everybody needs good neighbours but what if the people next door are a nuisance? When it comes to selling a property, the requirement for full disclosure means admitting if you’ve ever complained about the people living either side of you, or if you’re currently involved in a neighbourly spat.

The sun is out (fingers crossed), the temperature is rising and there is the distinct smell of barbeques in the air. After one of the wettest UK springs on record, who can blame the nation for rushing outside as soon as possible?