The era of more prudent mortgage lending since the Global Financial Crisis means that interest-only mortgages have become a much smaller proportion of new mortgage lending. In 2007 over 40% of new mortgage lending was on an interest-only basis. On the latest data, interest-only is below 8%. This means that in times of stretched budgets there is an extra lever to pull. Mortgage lenders are being...
2023
National Bike Week (5 June – 11 June 2023) celebrates over 12,500 miles of national cycle routes in the UK.On average in England and Wales there are just over 2,200 households per mile of national cycle route. Per home there is over 1 metre of cycle route in the South West and Scotland, compared to just 7cm in London.Nearly half of the population in England aged 5+ own a pedal bike, with ownership rates...
Gardens are integral to British life and are found in 97% of houses in Great Britain.Garden size holds increasing importance, with many homeowners opting for garden offices as a way of expanding their living space to create dedicated ‘work from home’ areas.Regional disparities in garden sizes are evident, with the South East boasting the largest average size at 422m², while London has the smallest at...
Adding value to your home is a key consideration for many homeowners.Of large-scale projects, research shows that a garage conversion or garden office may well provide the best return on your investment, especially with 44% of people now working from home (ONS).With the cost of living at the forefront of minds, upgrades to energy efficiency can provide a better return on investment than a kitchen or...
Charles III, King of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Realms will be crowned at a ceremony in Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th May. This will be the 40th coronation to be held at the Abbey since 1066.In the past two years alone there have been over 8,800 property sales on streets with coronation-related street names, nearly 100 sales taking place with a property address including 'King...