Archive for April, 2008
Friday, April 25th, 2008
People looking to buy a house in Scotland may be happy to learn that the price of new homes has increased, according to one index.
The SmartNewHomes New Homes and Migration Monitor has revealed that house prices in the region have increased by five per cent over the past month.
Meanwhile, a rise of 8.2 per cent has been experienced since the same time last year, showing that Scotland is still strong, the report attests.
In terms of migration, Scotland has seen a 3.5 per cent increase in people moving there.
"Scotland is outperforming the rest of the UK, pulling up average prices," the report said.
Elsewhere, the price of a new home has increased in the West Midlands and south-west of the UK, while greater London has seen a decrease of 4.2 per cent over the last month.
The Halifax House Price Index for March showed that Scottish property values increased by 5.3 per cent.
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Friday, April 25th, 2008
Scottish first-time buyers should be sure to assess all their options when looking to buy their first property, if one mortgage advice firm is to be believed.
Alexander Hall, a UK mortgage broker company, has stated that first-time buyers should be sure to assess several factors when looking into a new property.
For example, the way in which house price changes could affect the decision in the long-term should be considered, as well as their own personal circumstances, Andy Pratt, a spokesperson for the organisation said.
How long the buyer intends to remain in the property should also be a consideration, he added.
"The one really, really important thing that first-time buyers need to understand is that they should look at the options," Mr Pratt commented.
It has been estimated that house prices will fall a further 15 per cent in the next two years in a report from Morgan Stanley.
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Friday, April 25th, 2008
Househunters looking for Scottish property to let out may choose to follow the advice of one property website and aim for a larger town or city.
The BuyAssociation has advised buyers to gravitate to the larger centres in the UK for better investment potential.
Paul Collins, property editor of the company, explained that suburbs and areas outside of a major town or city are more popular among people looking to buy a house rather than rent.
"It’s somewhere they’d like to buy, settle and spend a significant amount of time. They would probably be looking to buy, rather than rent," Mr Collins said.
Family homes may be a popular renting opportunity instead of smaller commuter-based properties, he added, something which may be of interest to those hoping to buy a house in Edinburgh.
Elsewhere in Scotland, the Vale of Glamorgan was recently rated amongst the top ten places in the UK for the best quality of life.
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Thursday, April 24th, 2008
Two show homes are now available for viewing at phase two of George Wimpey’s Orchard Grove development in South Lanarkshire.
Situated in the village of Blackwood, the development consists of homes in two different styles: three-bedroom semi detached Lewis and Tiree properties.
Each style is represented in one of the show homes, meaning that visitors can get a feel for what could potentially be their new home.
Both are said to be practical family homes and are based in a countryside setting, with a short commute to Glasgow.
"Lying in the valley of the River Nethan, the village of Blackwood offers a gentle pace of life and means that rural-living within easy reach of busy city-life can be achievable for today’s busy family," a company statement said.
Elsewhere in Scotland, a new village in Dundee’s Western Gateway has recently been approved by the city’s council.
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Thursday, April 24th, 2008
People looking to buy a house in Scotland may be interested to hear of a Charles Church incentive to ‘put something back’ into the community.
The housebuilder recently donated £200 to the Tranent Brownie activity camp to Lochgolihead, where 13 girls spent three days abseiling, rock climbing, bell boating and practicing archery.
The company is currently developing the Tranent area and claims that it aims to be socially responsible.
Lorraine Clelland, sales and marketing director for Charles Church Scotland, said: "Charles Church is always looking for opportunities to give something back to the community in which is it developing.
"When the opportunity to help out the fourth Tranent Brownies came up, we jumped at the chance and we are glad they had such a great time."
The De Quincey Court development houses an exclusive range of detached four-bedroom houses on the outskirts of Tranent.
Charles Church celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2005 and states that it has established itself as one of the country’s foremost housebuilding brands, something that may be significant to people hoping to buy a house in Scotland.
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Thursday, April 24th, 2008
Homeowners looking to sell a house in Scotland should be sure to lend on the basis of the true value of their property if they choose to pay the deposit for the buyer, it has been advised.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) commented on the process of property sellers lending money to buyers to ensure a quick sale, stating that as well as ensuring that they are loaning money based on what the property is worth, discounts need to be negotiated.
Any discounts that are discussed should be captured in the valuation process, Bernard Clarke, spokesperson for the CML, said.
Mr Clarke continued that this is particularly necessary in the current housing market.
"We need to be clear that there’s a distinction between what might be presented as a loan and is in fact a discount," he commented.
According to the CML, February this year saw first-time buyers’ share in the market reach 37 per cent.
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Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
Plans for a village of 230 new homes in Dundee’s Western Gateway have been approved recently by the city’s council, it has been revealed, news that may be of interest to those planning to buy a house in Scotland.
The proposals for South Gray Village were put forward by Gladedale housebuilders, which has welcomed the decision.
Work on the site is expected to begin in the early months of next year, with 194 three, four and five-bedroom detached houses, with garages and parking space, as well as terraced houses and flats.
A village green will be created and a local shop will also be placed in situ.
"We believe this is an exciting development which will bring a variety of much needed housing to the west of Dundee," says Jason Wallace, managing director at Gladedale North East Scotland.
"We believe that this will be a flagship development for Gladedale over the next few years," he added.
Elsewhere in Scotland, Raploch is undergoing a new phase of development, which may be welcome news to househunters looking for new Scottish property.
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Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
Househunters who want to buy a house in Scotland may be interested in the latest statement from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).
The organisation has claimed that first-time buyers in the UK are finding the current property climate "difficult", since the market share for this demographic decreased in March.
However, Scottish first-time buyers may not have the same level of difficulty since the Scottish housing market remains robust in the face of the credit crunch.
This is according to the most recent Halifax House Price Index, which indicated that Scotland’s property value had increased by 5.3 per cent compared to the previous year.
Property availability increased throughout March, the NAEA claimed, meaning that more choice is available to househunters, including people looking to buy a house in Scotland.
Stewart Lilly, president of the NAEA, said: "There are indications that first-time buyers have dropped their market share once again showing a ‘wait and see’ attitude has been adopted.
"Over the next few months it is imperative that the shackles are released on the mortgage market so consumer confidence can be rebuilt, allowing the market to stabilise."
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Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
People who want to buy a house in Scotland as well as being environmentally-friendly may like to choose a self-build green home.
The benefits of such properties have recently been highlighted by Julian Brooks, managing director of Greenmoves, specialists in the eco property market.
Mr Brooks commented that the aesthetics of green homes may begin to change the face of the UK’s buildings, with the addition of solar panels and other energy saving devices.
He added, however, that many changes will occur on the interior structure of the buildings, meaning that they will not be seen.
“To future proof for climate change there’s quite a lot of talk about external shutters,” he said.
“It’s something that you might think is more common in the south of France but you might start to see it here. That’s purely to keep the buildings cool in hot summers, especially if they’re super-insulated buildings, which they will be in order to meet the carbon standards.”
Some 92 per cent of people surveyed in the Sponge Sustainability Network report for 2007 said that they wanted to see environmentally-friendly features added to new homes – a sentiment that may be echoed by some people looking to buy a house in Scotland.
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Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
Househunters looking to buy a house in Scotland should be sure to purchase a new home based on their lifestyle needs, according to recent expert advice.
Mouseprice, a UK property market information website, has advised homebuyers to assess their personal needs when purchasing a property instead of concentrating on the investment potential.
Jonathan Upton, business development director at the company, explained that the credit crunch is affecting the market in such a way that people may find that lending conditions make it difficult for them to take out a mortgage.
This is especially the case when a deposit is lacking, Mr Upton added.
"As a general rule, the British obsession with properties and investment is often counter-productive and people really should buy based on their lifestyle needs," he said.
"If they fall in love with a property and it’s within their price range then they should buy it, it shouldn’t be seen primarily as an asset, it’s first and foremost a home."
Those looking for Scottish property may be interested to learn that between September and December 2007, the number of house sales dipped to 90,880, compared to 117,301 the previous year.
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