Will Steadman

If there’s one agenda that won’t be pushed to the bottom of the pile, it’s the eco agenda. How much energy we use, where we get our energy from and what we can do to reduce our carbon footprint is a narrative that has become persistent in the property market. 

UK house prices continued to rise in April 2022 but the pace of appreciation has slowed, reports the Nationwide. In the last month, prices increased by 0.3% and although this is the ninth successive month of growth, it is the smallest monthly rise since September 2021.

Called the ChargePoint grant, the initiative is not brand new – instead it replaces the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme. The new grant invites landlords to apply for a 75% discount on the cost of purchasing and installing a home electric vehicle charging point, up to the value of £350.

Designers have often used hand-picked books as props when dressing show homes but the art of primping with paperbacks really went mainstream during recent lockdowns.

Data analysis by HBB Solutions found that a chain-free home carries an average property price premium of £23,131, with buyers willing to pay extra for a simpler and quicker sales transaction. 

As we close the first quarter of 2022, figures have started to arrive that show us whether momentum has been maintained in the first three months of this year. More importantly for those looking to buy, sell and rent imminently, we examine what has happened to house prices and rental values in the last four weeks.

Are you one of the 34% of landlords looking to expand their property portfolio in 2022? When it comes to the type of properties that deliver the best rental returns, additional research has revealed the newer the property, the better the yield can be.

Some of the most eye catching home additions are permanent, expensive or both. While there is no doubt that replacing an old kitchen or installing a new bathroom will transform a property, it’s not a practical path to follow for tenants or for soon-to-be sellers.

Gazumping is a property term that resurfaces when the right conditions prevail. It’s most commonly associated with the sales market, when a mass of purchasers chase a small pool of available properties. What is rarely discussed, however, is gazumping in the rental sector but it does happen.