A couple of weeks ago Alistair Darling appeared to suggest there may be plans afoot to change the way stamp duty was charged, causing widespread uncertainty in the housing market as people waited for confirmation.
Category: Property
Stamp Duty Confusion
Looks like the Chancellor, Alistair Darling is in a bit of a mess over possible changes to stamp duty.
Why First Time Buyers Should Haggle Harder Than Ever
Yesterday I talked about haggling for discounts and mentioned my biggest discount; getting £4,000 off the price of our house. As John pointed out in the comments, this probably wasn’t the greatest deal ever done, as the average house apparently sells for 93% of the asking price, whereas we probably paid about 97% of the […]
Poll: How Much Of Your Income Is Spent On Your Mortgage / Rent?
We’re all aware of the increasing prices of food, fuel etc., as well as the difficulty in finding low mortgage rates (despite the Bank of England base rate falling recently, we can blame the credit crunch for the tougher borrowing conditions). One of the worries is that as these costs increase, more and more people […]
Pensions vs Buy-To-Let
Plonkee has written a couple of brilliant articles this week comparing the pros and cons (and maths) of funding your retirement with a pension or buy-to-let properties. The maths is pretty complicated but also intriguing; in her calculations, the buy-to-let option comes out on top, although she concludes that the risk is naturally greater, and […]
Should You Build That House Extension?
Home improvements are often thought of as a way to add value to your house, but the amount of value can vary depending on what type of improvement you make. The Fool reports on a few surveys which will give you an idea of which home improvements add the most value. The two surveys quoted […]
Why Do Average Property Prices Vary So Much?
The rise and fall of house prices can be a thorny subject, depending on your situation. If you’re a first-time buyer struggling to get onto the property ladder, or you’re currently renting a property, you’re probably praying for a crash so that you’ll be able to afford a new home. Whereas current homeowners are likely […]
Student Finance: More Reading
If you’re interested in reading some more about student finance following my recent posts, The Telegraph has a couple of interesting articles looking at student money issues. Firstly, Do Your Financial Homework As A Student looks at pretty much all aspects of money at university, including student bank accounts, student loans, budgeting, renting and insurance. […]
“Sell & Rent Back Your Home” On The Increase
According to the Financial Times, there’s a growing number of companies offering to buy your home off you and let you rent it back from them if you are in financial difficulties. The companies target those who need to raise cash quickly, such as those who are about to be repossessed, yet wish to remain […]
Motley Fool: Avoiding Home Improvement Hazards
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