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An advert which suggested that people would do better to put their money into bricks and mortar than keep it in the bank has landed an estate agent in trouble. Aldermartin Baines & Cuthbert, of Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, ran the advert on radio after getting clearance from the Commercial Radio Companies Association....
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Countrywide, the UK’s largest estate agent and mortgage broker, has called for the Government to introduce mortgage lending targets. The call, by financial services director Nigel Stockton, follows warnings from the Bank of England that mortgage rates are set to rise....
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Discontent is spreading in Europe, there is open revolt against austerity. First Greece and now even France, one of the founding members, have fought elections promising to lessen the blow on their beleaguered populations. Nobody wants austerity, the problem is austerity is essential to the European single currency as we know it, yet governments remain powerless to convince people to take the medicine of cuts to living standards....
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When it comes to selling a home, there are few do’s and don’t`s that will significantly increase the chances of a quick sale. Harrison Murray have some easy to follow tips, which have been tried and tested among its customers – not least the recent sellers of a Home Counties property that attracted 18 viewings leading to eight offers in just several days!...
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The council aiming to be the first authority in England and Wales where every single private rental property is licensed has announced its first milestone, with the blanket licensing of one complete ward. All 257 private rented properties in the Little Ilford ward of Newham, London, have now been licensed....
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The private rented sector is poised for growth after one council announced that couples earning over £40,000 a year will no longer be eligible for a council house. Other local authorities are set to follow Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s landmark announcement, which goes much further than housing minister Grant Shapps’ suggestion last year that people earning over £100,000 should not get a council home....
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Since 2002, house prices have more than doubled in half of the seaside towns surveyed in England and Wales, according to latest research from Halifax. Over the past decade, the average house price in seaside towns rose by 97%, slightly ahead of the 95% increase in the whole of England and Wales....
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The number of repossessions in the first quarter of 2012 was 9,600, the same as in the first quarter of 2011, breaking the recent trend of year-on-year increases in repossessions, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Repossessions in the first quarter were higher than the 8,700 that took place in the fourth quarter of 2011, but this represents a normal seasonal pattern....
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Despite the welter of uncertain news about the housing market, optimism among home owners is on the up with more than one third expecting house prices to be higher in 12 months’ time. Furthermore, nearly half (46%) regard today’s house prices as fair and reasonable....
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Households are spending an average 38% of their take-home income on rent, with those in London spending 71%, according to new figures from FindaProperty.com. Its latest Rental Index, shows the average asking price for renting in the UK is now £868 per month - 1% up on the same time last year, but below the record high of £890 in September 2011....
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House price optimism is at its highest for seven quarters, Rightmove’s latest quarterly Consumer Confidence Survey of over 40,000 home-movers finds. More than a third of respondents (35%) expect house prices to be higher one year from now, the highest level since the third quarter of 2010....
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One third (34%) of properties currently for sale have been reduced in price since first coming on to the market, says property portal Zoopla. But the proportion is down from 37% in February. The average discount is £19,012, or 7.5% of the original asking price – £500 less than in February....
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Although values will fall marginally this year, house prices will start to rise again next year and could increase by as much as 8% over the next three years. The forecast has come from property consultancy CBRE, which also says that prime central London will continue to outperform the wider housing market, with values increasing by 6% this year and by 22% over the next three years....
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The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has welcomed the Communities and Local Government Select Committee report which highlights the need to address key issues about future housing finance. Gavin Smart, CIH director of policy and practice, said: `The future operating environment is going to be all about the economy and its impact on housing....
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Over 90,000 people received news on Friday (4th May) on how they will be affected by the new benefits cap - with thousands set to lose their homes. The Department of Work and Pensions is writing to more than 90,000 adults (over 67,000 households) in danger of losing benefits when the overall benefit cap is introduced in April 2013....
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Lending for house purchase last year was the lowest for 36 years, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has reported. Buy-to-let lending bucked the trend by showing 40% growth. The CML also criticised the Government for ‘less helpful’ policies towards the housing and mortgage markets, which it says will increase repossessions....
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The UK housing market showed continued signs of improvement during April according to the latest figures from "For Sale" board company Agency Express`s Property Activity Index. Month-on-month data for April 2012 shows that nationwide residential property sales increased by 9....
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Here is an important reminder. Landlords and agents are now in the last chance saloon as far as tenants’ deposits are concerned. That is because the 30-day grace period for AST tenants’ deposits to be protected AND the prescribed information given to tenants is nearly at an end....
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Buyers are taking little notice of the house price valuation given in Home Reports – the Scottish version of HIPs. Only 16% of properties sold in the first three months of this year achieved their Home Reports valuation, says the Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre....
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Analysis of data from Assetz House Price Watch in the first quarter of 2012 reveals that the housing market has had a strong start to the year despite continued economic gloom, with a 3% rise in house prices since the end of last year. The average price of a home is now £202,017, an increase of £5,864 since December....
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With continued heavy rain and potential flooding still forecast, home and contents insurer Hiscox has urged homeowners to take some practical steps to help prevent water entering their property and the subsequent damage. This comes as the Met Office has put out flood warnings for parts of the UK....
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A number of NAEA members from the Surrey area have met to discuss the rapidly rising cost of listing their properties on the major portals. Chairman James Wyatt said that five times the normal audience attended after the meeting was held at just a few days’ notice, at agents’ own instigation....
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Here Richard Barber and Lucy Morton of London estate agency W A Ellis comment on the state of the Prime Central London property market for sales and lettings: Richard Barber, partner in residential sales: `April has proved to be a month of conflicting information and mixed messages....
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An optimistic one in eight prospective first-time buyers say they are hoping to purchase in the next five years, according to research from the Post Office. Of those who plan to buy their first home within the next five years, almost a quarter hope to achieve this in 2013 with one in seven (14%) expecting to buy in 2012....
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Positive signals have emerged for the housing market in the first quarter of 2012 with a rise in the number of British homeowners who expect house prices to climb over the next six months. According to the latest Zoopla.co.uk Housing Market Sentiment Survey, two out of three (67%) British homeowners are confident of house prices rising by the Autumn....
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Britons are becoming increasingly confident in the outlook for the housing market, according to the latest Halifax Housing Market Confidence tracker. Over 1 in 3 (39%) of respondents predict that house prices nationally will increase over the next year, almost double the proportion that believe house prices will fall (20%)....
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The ‘social cleansing’ row over a London council’s apparent attempt to ship hundreds of tenants who would normally be put into private rented accommodation to places as far away as Stoke-on-Trent has intensified. Newham Council has written to housing associations in other parts of the UK to ask for help with accommodation....
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A new report compiled by Fitch Ratings reveals that achieved sales prices on repossessed properties in Spain are almost half - 48% - lower, on average, than the valuations conducted at the time of loan origination. The agency has analysed loan-by-loan repossession figures on Fitch-rated Spanish structured finance transactions, the bulk of which relate to homes in Spain....
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People are growing in confidence about the housing market, two new surveys have claimed. A third survey separately pinpoints growing optimism among first-time buyers. Halifax said this morning that 39% of respondents to its ‘Housing Market Confidence tracker’ poll believe house prices nationally will increase next year – almost double the proportion that believe they will go down....
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A significant rise in the number of properties sold in the UK during March is revealed in the latest data from HM Revenue and Customs. There were 74,000 completed sales during the month - and increase of 11,000 on the previous month. However, while the increase could be perceived as indicative of the traditional spring bounce, many will point to the end of the stamp duty concession as being the real reason behind the rise as first-time buyers tried to beat the deadline....
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More than half of landlords can no longer afford to rent to housing benefit tenants because of cuts to allowances, with seven in ten saying they will not have housing benefit tenants in three years’ time. The claim has come from the National Landlords Association after it surveyed its members....
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We are looking for an experienced Full Time Negotiator to work in our busy Northumberland Heath/Erith branch. Experience in both Sales & Lettings is essential. Full driving licence required / Good salary tailored to experience. Please contact Dawn or Suzannah on 01322 400222 or email CVs to: nhsales@ableestates....
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People WILL be able to opt out of having their EPCs made publicly available on the national database. Yesterday, the national EPC register run by Landmark, the private firm owned by the Daily Mail, went public amid fears that it would be a snoopers’ charter – enabling anyone to search for EPC information using a postcode....
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A new service has launched allowing agents not only to see how their vendors and landlords rate and comment on each part of their customer service, but also to gain greater insight into the cost-effectiveness of each element of their marketing....
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For one in four people, having trustworthy neighbours is the key to feeling most secure at home, according to the latest Association of British Insurers consumer survey. But the findings highlight that many homeowners are needlessly putting themselves at risk of financial disaster by overlooking basic security precautions....
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Two London mayoral hopefuls have come up with housing strategies in their manifestos. Brian Paddick and Siobhan Benita have both unveiled plans that would effectively cut private rents throughout the capital. Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson have also put housing at the centre of their manifestos....
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Lending to both first-time buyers and home movers increased in February with first-time buyers taking the bigger increase, according to latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders. 14,100 loans worth £1.7 billion were taken out by first-time buyers, up 8% by number and 6% by value from January and up 18% by number and 21% by value on last February....
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The national average asking price of property coming to market is now £243,737, breaking the previous record set nearly four years ago according to the latest Rightmove House Price Index. This is £1,237 higher than the previous peak recorded in May 2008, just a few months before the game-changing collapse of Lehman Brothers....
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The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has finally given clearance for the proposed merger between Digital Property Group and Zoopla to go ahead. The transaction is now expected to complete within the next few weeks, said the two businesses in a joint statement, `and will create a credible alternative to current market-leader Rightmove and deliver enhanced value to the businesses’ estate agent and developer members across the UK`....
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Rightmove and the other big property portals are set on a collision course with the Government over EPCs. Although the CLG has given what it must have thought to be unequivocal advice, in a new debacle the portals are advising that they do not need to produce EPCs for their online listings, saying the advice is unclear....
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Cebr’s updated housing forecast shows prices rising by 0.8% in 2012 according to a new report by the think tank. Cebr confirm a view that has remained fairly consistent for three years that low interest rates and increasing availability of mortgages will help house prices edge up over the 2012-2016 period, reaching pre-recession levels in Q2 2016....
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Forget what the papers say - here are 12 reasons the UK economy will boom again soon !! Our economy is set to roar out of recession Here’s a heretical thought: The UK economy is storming back to prosperity. In fact, if things carry on we’ll be back to 3 per cent growth pretty soon and all indicators will be pointing in the right direction....
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Hopes of private lettings creating Olympics gold appear to have failed to get off the starting blocks. Undeterred, landlords are still piling into agents, hoping for a quick buck and lured by the prospect of premium rents advertised on agents’ websites....
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Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit. The analytics firm notes the average credit score required to attain a mortgage loan is 700. While this is higher than scores required prior to the crisis, it is constant with requirements one year ago....
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We would just like to take this opportunity of wishing everybody a Happy Easter and to let you know that we are open on Good Friday, Easter Saturday & Bank Holiday Monday. Please feel free to either call us or pop into to see us....
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A Britain increasingly of two halves emerges in this morning’s Hometrack report, which paints a picture of house price rises in the South, and of widespread falls throughout the East Midlands, Wales and North. During March, prices fell in few parts of London, the South-West and East Anglia....
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The first green shoots of recovery have been seen in some prime residential markets beyond London which recorded their first quarterly price rise in a year, according to the Savills prime regional index. Key commuter hotspots, close to London, showed particularly strong quarterly growth of over 5 per cent....
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The South London house where Vincent van Gogh lived from 1873-1874 was this week sold at auction for £565,000. At the age of 20 Van Gogh arrived in London to start work at an art dealership in Southampton Street and from August of 1873 he lived at 87 Hackford Road....
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Have any of our readers found that households that have rented out their roofs to solar companies are finding it impossible to sell? Thousands of households are thought to have agreed to rent their roofs to solar panel companies, usually for 25 years, in return for free electricity....
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As Easter approaches, many people take advantage of the school and Bank Holidays to enjoy a well-earned break. But with your estate agents continuing to work hard on your behalf, there are a few steps you can take to ensure there are no missed opportunities when it comes to viewings....
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A 4.8% growth in the average monthly rent led buy-to-let investors across the UK to achieve a rental yield of 6.1% in 2011, according to figures from BM Solutions. Strong demand for rental properties increased further last year, with the average monthly rent climbing to £716 in 2011 from £682 in 2010 as a result....
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A new duty has fallen on letting agents and landlords – to carry out risk assessments for legionnaire’s disease, and if necessary, take action. The Health and Safety Executive has released a revised Approved Code of Practice: Legionaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems....
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Changes that estate agents will have to make to their IT systems are simply not capable of being done by the time the new EPC regime kicks in. Only five days – including a Sunday – have been allowed between necessary information being made available and implementation....
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The downturn in the housing market has left the UK a nation of frustrated house-movers, a think-tank has said. The large majority of people who want to move have been unable to. Furthermore, most people want to move not because of location but because of changes in their personal circumstances, such as splitting up or moving in with someone....
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House prices fell 1.9% year-on-year in February, with a monthly decline of 0.5% largely reversing the 0.6% gain made in January, says Halifax. The average property price in February was £160,118 – 1.9% lower than February last year, and nearly 20% below Halifax’s average house price of around £200,000 at the height of the market in August 2007....
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Confidence among property investors is high as three in five plan to expand their portfolios over the next six months, according to specialist mortgage broker Mortgages for Business. The strength of the private rental market and the poor performance of property prices over the last year has given professional landlords and property investors the platform upon which to build their portfolio of properties....
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Average UK property prices edged up by 0.6% last month, according to the latest data from Nationwide. This increase takes the year on year rate of house price growth up to 0.9% from 0.6% in January. Chief Economist Robert Gardner said: "Evidence that house prices picked up a little in February follows a series of data releases suggesting that economic conditions may not be quite as weak as feared after the UK economy contracted in the final quarter of 2011....
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Paul McCartney and John Lennon`s childhood homes in Liverpool have been listed at Grade II, celebrating the huge cultural and historic associations that the two houses have as the place where The Beatles composed and rehearsed many of their early hits....
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Green shoots in the housing market are reported by Hometrack this morning. It said there has been `a marked improvement in housing market conditions` this month. The number of new buyers registering jumped 18%, after two months of major declines, and represented the strongest level of demand seen since the start of the downturn....
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Neighbourhoods suffering the blight of empty homes could benefit from a £100 million boost to bring these properties back into use and provide stable homes for families in need, Communities Andrew Stunell has announced. Seeking expressions of interest for the scheme, the Minister stressed that the funding was to breathe new life into the country`s abandoned streets by bringing back into use clusters of empty homes that can often attract anti-social behaviour, vandalism and fly-tipping to neighbourhoods....
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Allagents, the highly controversial self-styled ‘trip advisor’ review site for estate agents, is to publish league tables of the top 500 and worst 500 agents in the UK, based on what the site insists is entirely genuine customer feedback. The league tables are not yet available but last night, Allagents released ‘snapshot’ statistics showing that the smallest, single-office agents have done best, with 67% of places, leaving the larger chains trailing....
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Gross mortgage lending declined to an estimated £10.5billion in January. Lending fell by 14% from £12.2billion in December but was 10% higher than the total of £9.5billion in January 2011, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Although a seasonal decline is expected, January was the sixth month in a row of higher year-on-year lending....
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New research from Halifax shows that the value of the UK`s private housing stock rose by £1.8 trillion (84%) in the decade to 2011. The value of the housing stock at the end of 2011 is estimated at £3.9 trillion, up from £2.1 trillion in 2001 The increase of £1....
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The Council of Mortgage Lenders is calling for the Stamp Duty break for first-time buyers to be extended beyond March 24 amidst fears of a spring slump. The CML also expressed concerns that overall lending for house purchase will fall this year in any case....
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Cashflow has become king and mortgages a less dominant feature of the housing market, with most sales now financed by equity. A new report from Savills says that the shift away from mortgages to equity has been a key change in the market....
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Over a third (36.7%) of UK properties currently for sale have been reduced in price at least once since first coming on to the market. The average discount off the original asking price being offered by sellers across the UK on these homes now stands at £19,580 (7....
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Around one in three British people think house prices will rise rather than fall in 2012, according to the latest Halifax Housing Market Confidence tracker. Some 29% of Britons forecast that house prices across the UK will increase over the next 12 months, while more than the 22% that predict a price decline over the same period....
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Mortgage valuation activity in the final quarter of 2011 outstripped business a year ago, according to Connells Survey and Valuation. The firm says that the increase was driven by first-time buyers hoping to beat the end of the stamp duty holiday in March....
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The National Association of Estate Agents has revealed its predictions for the UK property market over the next 12 months. Chief executive Peter Bolton King said 2012 would see a "gradual" recovery for the UK property market, as it continues to bounce along the bottom - with no "great upturn" to mark a change from the previous 12 months....
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UK house prices in the three months to November were 0.6% lower than in the preceding three months, according to the latest data from Halifax. This measure of the underlying trend was negative for the second successive month following three consecutive increases....
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Over 40% of all UK properties currently on the market have experienced at least one price reduction, with the average chop over £19,500 – or 7.4% of the original asking price. The amount of the discount is £3,500 more than this time last year....
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Over three-quarters of private landlords who currently accept housing benefit tenants are set to be forced out of the market, unable to afford to continue letting to those on lower rates of Local Housing Allowance. A new survey of 528 landlords in October by the National Landlords Association has found that Government caps being rolled out on housing benefit payments will have a serious effect on tenants reliant on LHA....
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Funding has been secured for the third phase of regeneration in Southmere Village, Thamesmead. The Homes and Communities Agency has agreed to give Gallions Housing Association the money it needs to build around 290 homes, shops & a library by 2015....
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For the first time on record, asking price rents have risen in all regions of England and Wales. In September, the average rent in England and Wales rose by 0.7% to £718 per month, surpassing the previous record high of £713 in August. With annual rental inflation at 4....
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The number of mortgages lent for house purchase rose 7% in August from the month before, to reach 52,000. The figure was up 2% on August the year before, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said. The number of loans to first-time buyers rose 5% both from July and August last year, with 19,000 loans taken out by first-time buyers....
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With the onset of autumn and the darker nights just around the corner, don’t be tempted to go into hibernation when it comes to house hunting – or indeed selling your home. With children firmly settled into a new school year and the focus for many on a new start for 2012 - now is the perfect time to be looking for a new home....
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The National Landlords Association (NLA) has reported a continued increase in the popularity of buy to let mortgage products. A survey found that the number of schemes provided during the second quarter of 2011 grew by 25% when compared to the first three months of the year....
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You can now follow Able Estates on Twitter - for details of all new properties, News & updates on the Property market go to www.twitter.com/ableestates Happy Tweeting....
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Banks have come under fire for charging FirstBuy applicants hefty premiums. The scheme, launched at the beginning of the month, aims to provide 10,000 loans to first-time buyers helped by equity being pumped in by developers and the Government....
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More Britons expect house prices to rise rather than fall over the next 12 months, according to the Halifax Housing Market Confidence tracker. Although house prices fell by 1.2% on a quarterly basis in April, one in three of survey respondents actually predicted that average UK house prices will rise this year, while 23% expect a fall in prices....
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Boy George brought his mum along to officially open a Music workshop for visually impaired people in Abbey Wood. The room above te Abbey Arms pib in Wilton Road was jammed packed on Monday 13th April for his arrival to the centre. On the workshops - Boy George said : ` It is great, it is hard enough to learn an instrument when you arent visually impaired so this is fantastic....
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People have a positive outlook on house prices over the medium and long term, but are not so upbeat for the next 12 months.That is the finding of the latest London School of Economics survey of House Price Expectations. The survey, which gauged people’s feelings on the UK housing market over the next 12 months, five years and ten years, was sent to current and prospective customers, most of whom are interested in property within London....
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Able Estates first opened its doors in February 1997 and the main 3 directors, Dawn Servis, Peter Jones & Paul Servis, remain very much hands on within the business, you will find them based in one or other of our branches - Abbeywood & North Heath....
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Private rental properties are being let within 15 days on average – five days quicker than a year ago, reports Countrywide, the UK’s largest letting agency chain. It says there are an average of 4.4 tenants vying for each property across the UK, with the South-West generating the greatest demand with an average of 5....
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Homes that sold at auction in December were 26.4% cheaper than property sold through estate agents. According to a new report from Fathom Consulting, the discount is the largest since the bottom of the housing market in late 2008 and early 2009....
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Bus & Tube fares are set to rise above inflation after the Mayor of London secured the future of the Crossrail project despite it being a year later than scheduled. Tickets on the capital`s buses & tubes will rise by 2% above inflation in January, with similar increases expected until 2015....
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The £22 fee homebuyers must pay to find out about issues or restrictions that may affect a property is being abolished, the government has announced. Until now, legislation stated that a £22 fixed fee should be charged for this information when an individual inspects the records in person....
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Homeowners selling their properties will no longer be required to produce a home information pack (Hip), after the government announced they will be scrapped. Hips, which were launched in 2007 and have since become mandatory for anyone selling a home, have been dogged by criticism....
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The Lib Dems – whose leader Nick Clegg easily outshone Cameron and Brown in last night`s televised debate – have set the cat among the pigeons by including a promise to ditch HIPs in their election manifesto. The surprise inclusion means that in the event of a hung parliament where the Lib Dems hold the balance of power, HIPs are reasonably likely to be abolished....
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House prices rose again in March, by 1.1%, according to Halifax, following a 1.6% dip in February. House prices are now 9.1% above last April, when they were at their lowest. Nationwide also reported a rise in house prices last month, of 0....
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Several letting specialists are reporting a resurgence of interest in buy to let in the South, with an increase in enquiries from landlords considering buying a property to let for the first time and those wanting to extend their portfolios....
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As I am sure you are all aware, there are two changes to stamp duty in the Yesterdays budget. Purchases of properties at over £1 million have been announced to have a 5% stamp duty rate. Please note that this does not come into force until April 2011....
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Public say house prices will keep rising this year with only 13% of people thinking that the prices will fall. In comparison to January 2009 this figure stood at 69%! Miles Shipside, Commercial Director of Rightmove said `Given the looming election and the talk of pending austerity packages ahead, this consumer survey highlights a surprisingly positive price outlook....
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A major project is underway to promote jobs and transform an area of rundown woodland into a wildlife park for protected species. A scheme has begun in Thamesmead, off Waldrist Way, to plant more than 1100 trees and 3200 shrubs in an area that has seen historic unlawful horse grazing, vandalism and partial water logging during wet periods....
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A Minister met with community leaders and police chiefs to discuss the problems faced by people living in one of the capital’s most deprived towns. Barbara Follett MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, came to Gallions Housing, Harrow Manor Way in Thamesmead on Tuesday....
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Every household under a Tory government will be entitled to claim at least £6,500 in retro-fitted energy improvements. The scheme, which has attracted the support of Tesco and Marks & Spencer, would cover energy-efficient lighting, modern boilers, and cavity and loft insulation....
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The Conservatives would scrap HIPs `in a matter of weeks` after coming to power, shadow housing minister Grant Shapps has said. Nothing unusual in that: he has been saying it to the trade press, including EAT, consistently and for some time....
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As you can see from our Certificate, Able Estates raised a Fantastic grand total of £2,144.02 !!! All of this goes to the British Heart Foundation. Able`s would like to thank everybody who made a contribution and to say a BIG WELL DONE to the riders who represented Able Estates....
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The national rental market is looking much more healthy than it did six months ago. The clear out of stock is continuing in fairly dramatic fashion as the sales market improves and a seasonal surge in demand helps mop up excess supply, particularly at the lower end of the market....
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Some London Agents have put up Sold Out signs as prices soar 12% in a month. Asking prices for properties new to the market have shot up 2.8% from last month, Rightmove reported today, making it the largest October rise for six years. The trend is almost right across Britain, although price rises are the most pronounced in London....
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Are the public finally beginning to love estate agents? Or at least, not hate them so much? According to a survey by the Co-operative – haven’t they got better things to do, like sell Mother’s Pride, Angel Delight and digestive biscuits? – agents now come only sixth in the list of least respected professions....
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The Council of Mortgage Lenders has reported that loans for house purchase climbed 23% from 36,500 in May to 45,000 in June. But the CML warned that this was less than half the average number of loans recorded for June over the last seven years....
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Rents across the UK are finally showing signs of stabilising, after prolonged falls because of saturated supply. Average monthly rents went up 0.3% in June to £641 – a rise of just £2 from May. But this was after a continuous monthly drop, altogether amounting to a decline of 11%, since their high in August 2008....
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The Conservatives’ promise to scrap HIPs immediately, if they get into power it is to be in the party’s general election manifesto. The news was revealed by shadow housing minister Grant Shapps in a meeting with the chief executive of the NAEA, Peter Bolton King, and president Gary Smith....
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Prices fell by 0.5% in June, with the average price of a property now standing at £157,713 – 15% down on this time a year ago. According to the Halifax, house prices have fallen every month of this year apart from January and May. This is roughly in line with Nationwide, which reported a 0....
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Able Estates staff are now officially TV stars - You may have spotted our Director Paul Servis on BBC London News last Friday 15th May on the 6.30 local news and also the News @ 10 that night. Paul was asked whether he thought the money being spent on the new highspeed ` Crossrail ` link going in to Abbey wood was worth it - he gave a definate Yes it is - great for the local Area, Business`s & most importantly improves this areas transport links for you the Public !...
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We are delighted to say Able`s will be entering a team in the bike ride for the 2nd year running.If you would like to sponsor us please log on to: www.justgiving.com/paulservis Its very easy to do and all donations go to The British Heart Foundation which i am sure you will agree is a fantastic charity....
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LAUNCH OF HOSPICE LOTTERY - We are delighted to announce that we have launched a Lottery that will support our on going work. This will be a new and important income stream for us and in time will raise significant amounts of money that will support our very special care....
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AS NORMAL ABLE ESTATES WILL BE OPEN ALL OVER THIS COMING BANK HOLIDAY !! SATURDAY 2nd MAY - 9am - 6pm. SUNDAY 3rd MAY - 10am - 4pm. MONDAY 4th MAY - 10am - 3pm. Either call us on 0208 306 2020 or pop in to see us, we may have a property you may want to buy or let....
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Hospice 15th Anniversary Sponsored Walk Our anniversary walk takes place on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4th. Are you joining us for our special walk? If so thank you for registering, if you have yet to decide, please think about it now....
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The latest survey from online portal Rightmove has revealed that sellers who are putting their homes on the market this month are raising the average asking price by 1.8 per cent - the biggest rise in more than a year - and this, coupled with a smaller annual decline, has given new hope that the UK market is recovering....
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Please note that both Able Branches are open all over the coming Easter Bank Holiday Weekend, our opening hours are : Good Friday - 10 am - 3 pm. Holy Saturday - 9 am - 6 pm. Easter Sunday - 10 am - 4 pm. Bank Holiday Monday - 10 am - 3 pm....
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The staff of Able Estates are once again taking part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride. They sucessfully took part in 2008 and raised around £500 and are hoping to beat that figure this year. Any sponsorship would be greatly appreciated for this worthy cause....
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We are pleased to inform you that you can also find Able Estates on Facebook. It is an open group which means anyone can join. Please feel free to invite your friends and family to join our group. In the meantime, if you are considering selling or renting your property, please contact either of the Able Offices for some free, professional advice....
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The new Woolwich Arsenal Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Station has now opened. It is the terminus to a new £18 million extension providing another vital north-south link to the capital. The extension also links DLR King George V Station on the north of the river with Woolwich Arsenal in the south....
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Fellow Estate Agents and Independent Financial Advisors (IFA) are feeding us with positive news and to enable us all to share in this feel good factor we would like to pass this positive information onto you `The Public` This week an IFA in South East London was over the moon, he said, ‘one lender has introduced a fixed rate of 4....
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Able Estates were contacted by the BBC as they were looking for a property that needed a little freshening up for a Property Program they were doing in 2009. They chose this lovely 2 Bedroom End of Terrace house to have a professional makeover for that program....
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The downward trend in asking prices continues, with new sellers now marketing at 4.9% less than 12 months ago, the largest year-on-year fall ever recorded by Rightmove. At the same time, `property vultures` are circling, looking harder and longer for a good deal....
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Borrowers who are now `Quids in` Friday 7th November 2008 So, what does the 1.5% cut in base rate mean for those with mortgages? Undoubtedly, the real winners are those with tracker mortgages, which follow the movements of the Bank of England’s base rate....
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The number of loans granted to first time buyers declined in August to 15,600, according to data released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), whose members provide 98 per cent of all UK mortgages. The number of loans granted, is the lowest since the CML began compiling the information back in 2000, with the first time buyer average approved loan at £106,754....
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Propertylive.co.uk, the new portal from the National Federation of Property Professionals, finally went live yesterday (Wednesday), good news for the many member agents rooting for its success. NFOPP chief executive Peter Bolton King said that it had been hoped to launch the portal over the weekend but a couple of glitches had forced the delay....
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THE NAEA URGE CONSUMERS TO BE PATIENT AND CONTINUE TO SEE BUYING A HOME AS A SOUND INVESTMENT. Peter Bolton King, Chief Executive of The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the residential sales arm of the National Federation of Property Professionals (NFOPP), comments: `The property market has been unsteady since the start of the year and quite an unpredictable one....
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Homebuyers will not have to pay stamp duty on properties costing £175,000 or less for the next 12 months. The current £125,000 threshold will be raised as part of a package of measures aimed at boosting the housing market. Someone buying a home for £175,000 will save £1,750 under the scheme, which is likely to cost the Treasury £600m....
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Thursday 31st July 2008 The cost of fixed-rate deals is falling, offering a "glimmer of hope" to borrowers amid the downturn in the housing market, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk. Research conducted by the personal finance site showed that the average cost of a two-year fixed rate as of July 11th was 7....
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First time buyers are beginning to return to the property market, new figures from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) suggest. According to the organisation during June its members reported that the proportion of sales involving novice homebuyers hit 11....
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It was announced this week that the government are considering suspensions to the existing stamp duty levels in order to help first time buyers and those at the lower end of the property scale through the credit crisis. An official government spokesman stated that talks were being held to find a way top relieve the burden felt by the current financial state as a whole, and to boost the property market....
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The average rate on two-year fixed rate mortgages has fallen below seven per cent, bringing a modicum of respite to cash-strapped borrowers. According to Moneyfacts, just ten days age the typical rate on these deals peaked at 7.08 per cent - its highest rate in a decade However, signs of an easing in conditions in the money markets mean that lenders have been able to cut the cost of deals, with the average rate now standing at 6....
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Are you getting the best service from your Agent? If not give Able Estates a call! Competitive management fee including full management, tenancy agreements, inspections, rent guarantee, legal cover, subscription to tenancy deposit scheme. No hidden extras....
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Nationwide Building Society has cut rates on selected mortgage products, it has been announced. Under its new pricing system, rates on its two year fixed rate offer with maximum loan to value (LTV) of 75 per cent will be cut from 6.55 per cent to 6....
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We are pleased to confirm that all 6 represenatives of Able`s completed this years London to Brighton bike ride. After 54 taxing miles up and down many hills they all arrived safe & sound in Brighton where they were met by friends & family....
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Home sellers’ expectation of the price they will be able to obtain when selling their property is lowering, shows the Rightmove House Price Index. In spite of the lowest housing transactions for 30 years, new sellers had been coming to the market asking record prices....
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Peter Jones, one of the Able directors recently visited Greenwich & Bexley Hospice to present Jim Bennett & Peter Butler with the final payment from our Aniversary year wher Ables had pledged their support to the hospice throughout this year....
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In an ever changing Mortgage market, many potential buyers may find that their hard saved deposit just doesn`t secure them the advance that they need and, ultimately, keep them off of the housing ladder. This can be a frustrating situation for both buyers and sellers alike....
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New-to-market sellers, not facing financial distress, are testing the market at prices now in excess of the peak of the boom and ignoring the consequence of ever-tightening mortgage availability. New sellers can see the storm clouds overhead but seem to believe it’s only raining on other people....
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Please note both Able Estates branches will be open all over the Spring Bank Holiday and we will be delighted to see you and see if we can find your dream home. Our opening hours are as follows: Saturday 24th May - 9.00am to 6.00pm Sunday 25th May - 10....
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Home owners received a double dose of good news yesterday as experts dismissed predictions of a property crash - and Britain`s biggest mortgage lender cut its rates. Despite doom-mongers` gloomy forecasts, house prices remain up on last year with annual growth at 1....
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House sellers have finally recognised that a decade of rising prices has come to an end. With average asking prices rising below the level of wage inflation and Bank of England interest rates of 5% compared to 5.75% a year ago, buyers with cash or reasonable deposits are now able to get more home for their money....
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Able Estates are extremely proud to confirm that Peter Jones one of our directors completed this years London Marathon in a fantastic time of 4 hours, 35 minutes. Peter`s chosen charity that he ran for was ` The Lymphoma Association ` who help by providing information and emotional support to anyone with lymohatic cancer and to their families, carers and friends....
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Market Overview and Monthly Update In spite of the credit crunch resulting in a more stringent mortgage environment, sellers are testing the market at prices still remarkably close to the peak of last year’s boom. Most sellers coming to the market seem to be ignoring the increased competition from other unsold properties and the challenge buyers now face in obtaining a mortgage....
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In January 2007 I started training for the London Marathon.After several months running in all types of weather(usually the wet and cold type)and with only a couple of weeks to go I unfortunatley got an injury that forced me to pull out. In January 2008 I started training again for this years Marathon and have been pounding the streets ever since....
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Able Estates are delighted to announce that they will be entering a team in to this years London to Brighton Bike Ride which will take place on the 15th June 2008, the same day as Fathers day. Details of donations / sponsorships will be announced soon, the bike road supports the British Heart foundation....
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For all up and coming news and future events to do with Greenwich & bexley Cottage Hospice please log on to www.cottagehospice.org.uk for full details. Have you ever thought about volunteering for the Hospice? Again you can check out the website for more details or you contact the Volunteers Manager on 020 8320 5812 or email barbaraoakes@gbch....
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THE NATIONAL Association of Estate Agents are calling on Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling to use this month’s Budget to ease the immediate problems facing people in the housing market. Their three-fold appeal to Mr Darling covers a revision of Stamp Duty threshold, a new look at how Capital Gains Tax affects the buy-to-let market and the VAT-free ‘green’ policies....
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Throughout their 10th anniversary year Able Estates have been sponsoring The Greenwich and Bexley Hospice by making a donation from every sale or let that they agree. Pictured here is Dawn Servis one of the directors and Adam Burton the Sales Manager from Able Estates presenting the Chief Executive Jim Bennett and Peter Butler of the Greenwich and Bexley Hospice with a donation cheque of £3,630 for the third quarter of the year, the running total of Able Estates donations so far is £12,000 quite an achievement....
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U.K. house prices rose in February for the first time in four months after two interest-rate cuts by the Bank of England encouraged sellers to demand more for their homes, Rightmove Plc said. The average asking price climbed 3.2 percent to 237,856 pounds ($466,000) from January, compared with a 0....
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Mortgage lenders match rate cut The majority of the rate cuts will take place in March Major mortgage providers have been quick to announce that they will pass on the latest UK interest rate cut. Most will wait until early March to cut standard variable rates in line with the 0....
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Todays Daily Express front page quoted that Britains struggling housing market received a huge boost yesterday as the country`s biggest mortgage lender announced a rise in property prices. The Halifax bank says its figures for December show that the market grew 5....
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Able Estates would like to wish all of our clients past, present and future a Happy & Prosperous New Year. If you are thinking of Selling, Buying, Letting or Renting a property then please make us your 1st port of call, we would love to help you with your property matter....
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All homes marketed for sale from 14th December 2007 in England and Wales will need a Home Information Pack (HIP) This was announced by Housing Minister Yvette Cooper on the 22nd November 2007 and extends HIPs to residential properties of all kinds....
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On Thursday 15th November 2007 Peter Jones one of Able Estates Directors and Lynn Randall the sales manager at the Abbey wood branch proudly presented the hospice with our second donation of the year - a cheque for £3,090. If you had missed previous news items and newspaper articles Able Estates are supporting the Hospice throughout this year to celebrate 10 years of selling and letting houses in the London Borough of Bexley & Greenwich....
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Able Estates are very pleased to announce that they will be sponsoring 7 Acres Under 16 Football Team whose home ground is in Church Manor Way, Abbey wood. 7 Acres will be playing their games in newly supplied Red & Blue Nike kits with the distinctive Able Estate Logo across the front....
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If you instruct either of the able estate branches to sell your property before christmas we will give you a luxury hamper for you and your family to enjoy over the festive season . Terms and Conditions Apply please call, e-mail or pop in to either branch for more details...
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The goverment has given the go-ahead for the £10bn Crossrail project. Crossrail will improve train services to and from Abbey Wood Station by providing journey time savings and a greater variety of journey opportunities. With Crossrail operational,the total number of seats available on trains to central London from Abbey Wood would almost double as a result of longer,more frequent trains....
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The Bank of England kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a six - year high as policy makers assessed the effect on the economy of higher credit costs and a run on Northern Rock Plc. The Monetary Policy Committee,led by Governor Mervyn King,left the bank rate at 5....
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Following the introduction of Home Information Packs (HIPS) on 1st August 2007, for properties with 4 bedrooms and above, the next stage of HIP implementation is with us. As from today, Monday 10th September 2007, the Goverment is rolling out HIPs to 3 Bedroom properties, this will obviously have more of an impact on the market as basically there are more 3 bedroom properties than 4 Bedrooms....
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Able Estates were delighted to attend Greenwich & Bexley Hospice`s Charity Auction Dinner at the lovely Blackheath Golf Club. We took this as an ideal opportunity to present them with our first contribution in our aniversary year, as you can see we presented them with a rather BIG cheque in every sense of the word....
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This month... Modest monthly increases continue as average asking prices rise by 0.6% (£1,473)...
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House prices jumped 12.1 per cent in the year to June, the biggest annual increase since March 2005. According to the Department for Communities and Local Government, house price growth doubled in June, with prices jumping by 1.6 per cent....
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The controversial home information packs (HIPS) comes into force today the 1st August 07, initially only for properties with Four or more bedrooms. The packs, to be provided by sellers for their potential buyers, contain key information about a property, including title deeds, local searches and an energy performance certificate....
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The Tour De France succesfully passed through Abbey wood on Sunday 8th July and as you can see from the picture our chosen charity ` Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice ` the charity we are supporting for our aniversary year were out in force with there very own Sunny man....
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If you fancy a family afternoon packed full of fun, entertainment and arena events including a Fun Dog Show organised by Bexley Dog Training Club then please feel free to come along. If you would like to come along then make your way to Bostall Heath Playing Field, Bostall Heath, Abbey wood....
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A recent survey came up with the following findings: 70% of people in the UK beleive the property market will continue to increase in value. 62% of movers plan on buying a more expensive property. 25-34 year olds most confident and ambitious age group....
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Interest rates were left on hold yesterday amid signs that four increases since August are starting to bite. The Bank of England`s monetary policy committee left borrowing costs unchanged at 5.5% after rates hit a six-year high last month. The decision came after Halifax reported that house prices rose only 0....
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Home information Packs including Energy Certificates will be implemented on a phased basis from 1st August. From then the Packs will be required for the sale of four bedroom properties and larger,with smaller properties being phased in as soon as sufficient energy assessors are fully qualified....
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Children growing up in Bexley enjoy a better quality of life than their counterparts in all other London boroughs, according to a national poll by Reader`s Digest magazine. Bexley came out top in London and among the top 50 local authority areas across the country....
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Crime rates are dropping faster in Bexley than anywhere else in London. The borough has seen an overall reduction of more than 3,000 crimes in the year to March 2007 compared to the previous 12 months. The total number of crimes stood at 16,997 compared to 20,011 - a drop of 15....
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Able Estates are pleased to announce that they will be sponsoring Erith Town Football club. As part of Ables 10 year aniversary year they have supplied kits to the Under 16 team and you can see the distinctive Able Logo emblazoned across their shirts....
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Every Year Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice hold a sponsored Walk from either Bostall Heath, Charlton Park and new for 2007 from Eltham Park South.They shall be holding this year`s event on Monday 7th May 2007. The route will go along Green Chain Walk and Thames Path....
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To mark our 10th year aniversary we recently ran a campaign appealing for local charities and worthwhile causes to get in touch with us with a view to discussing how we may help them financially by way of supporting one such cause throughout our 10th aniversary year....
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The countdown begins to the biggest annual sporting event in the world, as the official route is announced. The race for the Yellow jersey will begin in London on July 6 and reach our local areas for the first time in its 100-year history on Sunday, July 8....
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10 years ago Peter, Paul and Dawn opened the doors to their Abbey Wood branch. Back in those days they were the only staff employed by the company and were breaking into a market which was then suffering from a property recession. Since then Able Estates now employ over 20 members of staff and have a second successful branch in Northumberland Heath plus have further plans for a third branch within the London borough of Bexley....
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We are pleased to inform you that Lynn Randall our Sales manager is now working back at our Abbey wood office. Lynn has been working in the Abbey wood and Thames mead areas for many years and has extensive knowledge of both areas. So if you have dealt with Lynn before or would like to discuss your property matters then please contact her as she would be delighted to hear from you....
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Despite new hotspots popping up all over the world, France is again the number one destination for a healthy return on your investment. According to Assetz, the UK`s leading property investment specialist, France recently toppled Bulgaria from the top of their tracker table to become the premier destination for foreign investment for the first time in a year....
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The bank of England yesterday increased interest rates by 0.25% to 4.75%; this is the first increase for approximately 2 years. The bank of England insisted the increase was designed to curb inflation, which rose to 2.5% in June....
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Ten days after the bombshell, the dust is still settling as the property industry considers the full ramifications of the Governments decision to make Home Condition Reports voluntary. Prior to this from July 07 anybody looking to sell their property would have had to fork out somewhere in the region of £700-£1000....
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Just a quick note to all of our clients past, present and future. Paul Servis and Peter Jones the directors of Ables have swapped branches, so you will now find Paul @ Abbey wood and Peter @ the North-Heath branch.If you would like to speak to either of them you now know where they are....
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From June 07 all homeowners in England and Wales will need to arrange for a Home information pack (HIP) to be prepared before putting their home on the market. This is a major change in the way houses are sold but it is felt that it will bring greater transparency and certainty to the house buying and selling process....
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On 27th February 2006 Able Estates completed 9 years of trading and are pleased to say they are still going strong.Paul, Peter and Dawn the directors of Able Estates are still based in the Branches and still strive to satisfy their clients needs....
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Stamp duty levels rose to £125,000, putting 400,000 buyers below the threshold.In laymans terms this means if you purchase below £125,000 you do not have to pay stamp duty....
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More than 2,000 jobs could be created in Bexley by the Thames Gateway Bridge. That`s the verdict of a leading economist giving evidence at the project`s public inquiry. Professor Bridget Rosewell said a report by economic specialists, called by the Thames Gateway Bridge (TGB) and North Bexley Study showed that the bridge could bring up to 2,200 more jobs....
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