All Removals London News Digest - March 2015

News Digest

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Page 1

First-time buyers in England offered 20% discount on new

homes

First-time buyers under the age of 40 in England can now register to buy new homes at adiscount of up to 20% off the normal price.

The offer is part of the government's new "starter homes" scheme to encourage homeownership and construction on previously used "brownfield" land.

The government hopes 100,000 new houses will be built specifically for first-time buyersby 2020.Labour said the plans would ring hollow for those priced out of the market.The 20% discount is achieved by waiving local authority fees for homebuilders of at least£45,000 per dwelling on brownfield sites.

The government said there would be no compromise on quality or energy efficiency, butfirst-time buyers would have to repay the 20% price advantage if they sold within fiveyears.Housing minister Brandon Lewis: "It opens up an ability to own a home to a whole newgroup of people"

Written by Joe Lynam for BBC

Published on All Removals London website on 01 March 2015

Page 2

Expats snapping up mortgage deals

Britons based in the Middle East and Asia are investing in properties in the UK, temptedby low mortgage rates.Lenders are increasingly keen to enter the expat mortgage field, thanks to buyerstempted by the robust property market.

Last year, Skipton International launched a mortgage service for expatriates. Its directorof lending Nigel Pascoe said: “We have been pleasantly surprised by the level of demandfor our expat mortgages. While we knew there was a need, with so few lenders in themarket, the worldwide interest has been very strong particularly from the Middle East andAsia.”

Skipton has just cut its deals by 0.25 of a point. They include a five-year discounted rateat 4.49-5.1pc and a three-year fixed rate at 4.74-5.3pc (skiptoninternational.com).

Shawbrook Bank’s expat mortgage business is concentrated on property professionalswho already have at least two places in the UK. A significant number of them are expatsin the Middle and Far East, according to Karen Bennett, sales and marketing director ofcommercial mortgages.

Written by Charlotte Beugge for The Telegraph


Page 3

Bond Street and beyond – luxury retailers look to

neighbouring streets

Bond Street is one of the most famous luxury destinations in the world, but brands arefinding it harder to acquire space there.

Since its inception in 1683, when Sir Thomas Bond headed the group of developers thatfirst saw the potential in the area, London’s Bond Street has welcomed the wealthy andfashionable. But today, high rents and low availability of units is forcing many luxuryretailers to look to neighbouring streets.

One such beneficiary is nearby Mount Street. According to sources, the thoroughfare’smost recent prize is Italian designer Marni, which apparently signed the lease for 2,000 sqft at number 95 on Christmas Eve. But can other areas really have the pull and glamour ofBond Street?

The first stores to colonise Bond Street (comprising Old and New Bond Streets) wereactually occupied by antique and art dealers, but over the years, it has becomesynonymous with luxury brands. As its reputation as a desirable destination has grown, sohave the costs associated with setting up on the street. Cushman & Wakefield statesprime rents are now around £1,250 on the first 30 sq ft.

Written by Samantha Lyster for Property Week


Page 4

Buy-to-let landlords and retirees risk squeezing out

first-time buyers, data shows

Newcomers already battling landlords armed with an average £100k deposit will in Aprilface a wave of retirees armed with pension pot lump sums.

First-time buyers have been warned that they face increasing competition for propertiesas figures showed that buy-to-let landlords are looking for mortgages with depositsaveraging almost £100,000.

Data from the Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) based on searches through the UK’s mainprice comparison sites showed that in the final quarter of 2014, people searching for abuy-to-let mortgage typically said they had £99,914 in equity to put down.

The figures include remortgages and new loans taken out to buy properties; according tomortgage lenders, in 2014 the market divided roughly in half between the two.

The amount of equity that buy-to-let landlords had was 15% higher than at this time lastyear, suggesting many have benefited from rising house prices.

Written by Hilary Osborne and Katie Allen for The Guardian


Page 5

Help-to-buy scheme needs replacement before it ends, warn

mortgage lenders

Failure to replace mortgage guarantee scheme, which is due to end in 2016, would hitfirst-time buyers and competition in housing market, says IMLA.

Failure to replace the help-to-buy mortgage guarantee scheme when it comes to an endnext year will choke off competition and push the first-time buyer market back intodecline, lenders have warned.

The scheme, which offers banks and building societies a government guarantee onmortgages of up to 95% loan to value (LTV) on existing properties, was launched in late2013 as part of a series of measures to kickstart the housing market. But it is scheduledto end in 2016.

The government has committed to continuing the help-to-buy loan scheme on newbuildproperties until 2020.

The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA), which represents firms thatmarket their products through brokers and advisers, said 65% of its members believedcompetition would fall unless a permanent indemnity scheme was brought in to replaceHelp-to-Buy 2.

Written by Hilary Osborne for The Guardian


Page 6

What NOT To Do When Decluttering Your Home

Do you need the help of an organizing professional...without the professional price? Weasked Washington DC's organizing and de-cluttering guru Nicole Anzia of Neatnik for somemore words of organizing wisdom. Instead of giving us additional organizing anddecluttering tips and strategies, Nicole though it would most helpful to tell us what NOT todo when trying to harness chaos in our homes.

Some of this advice is hardly new or shocking. But Nicole says these five missteps are themost common in her line of work — and most likely to derail even the best efforts toconquer clutter. Here's what she had to say:

1. Organize First; Buy Second. Do not go out and buy a ton of storage pieces and suppliesbefore you sort through your home. All of those pretty bins, boxes and baskets at TheContainer Store are very enticing, but they won't do you any good unless they fit thespace (on the shelf, under the bed, in the closet); hold what you need them to hold, andfunction properly for your particular space. I recommend cleaning out first, assessing whatcontainers you REALLY need, and then buying a few bins to start. You can always addlater, but you don't want a bunch of empty containers cluttering up your home while youfigure out where you might use them.

Written by Apartment Therapy for Nicole Anzia


Page 7

Veterinarian offers tips for moving with pets

Permanent-change-of-station season is upon us, and that means an endless list of to-dos,with our schedules and brains in chaos.

This time is also difficult for the pets who share our homes. Moving causes schedules tochange, furniture to move and many strange new people coming in and out of our pet’sterritory. There is also high tension in the household. Animals are very good at picking upthe signals of stress that we humans display, and will take this stress as a threat to theirhome and resources such as food, toys and attention.

Call the airline you are using and find out what documents and specific requirements theyhave for pet travel.

Sometimes pets develop behavioral problems because of moving stress and can displaythis by peeing in the house, through sudden aggression or fear behaviors, hiding andwithdrawing from the family, or by developing separation anxiety. The following tips canhelp prevent these problems, and create a smooth transition for you and your pet intoyour new home.

Written by Taylor Opel for Fort Leavenworth


Page 8

More than half of UK first-time buyers had help with

deposits in 2014

Figures also show 48% of new homeowners stumped up down payment unaided – thehighest number since credit crunch.

More than half the 300,000 first-time buyers who bought a home in 2014 are likely tohave got help from “the bank of mum and dad”, despite government schemes thatreduced the amount needed for a deposit.

Analysis by the Council of Mortgage lenders shows 48% of purchases by new buyers were“unassisted”, with the rest likely to have had funds provided by parents and grandparents.

This is a higher proportion than in the years immediately following the credit crunch,suggesting that government schemes to boost lending have made it easier for borrowerswith small deposits to get loans. However, it underlines the continuing uphill strugglefaced by those who are not able to call on relatives to help.

The CML’s figures, which are based on analysis of buyers’ incomes to determine if theyare likely to have been able to build up a deposit without help, show that the proportion ofunassisted buyers in the last quarter of 2014 was up from 45% a year earlier and wellabove the recent low of 31% recorded in the second quarter of 2009.

Written by Hilary Osborne and Lisa Bachelor for The Guardian


Page 9

London iceberg homes plumb the city depths

In London's most upmarket districts, shovel-wielding teams are hard at work in what looklike mines hidden beneath luxury homes, sidestepping the British capital's planning rulesby expanding underground.

Some of their more hi-tech kit may end up buried there -- it is reported that the cost ofbringing it back above ground is more than its value -- and the bowels of the Britishcapital have already become a graveyard for around 1,000 excavating machines.

The trend started in the late 1990s, when residents developed small basements,calculating it was a cheaper way of increasing floorspace than moving house while stickingto the strict height rules imposed by the city's conservation bodies.

But Paul Schaaf, partner of architectural firm The Basement Design Studio, told AFP thatsince the 2008 recession, his firm has largely been called in to help with vast spacesbeneath houses in the opulent neighbourhoods of south and west London.

"We ended up doing different ones, larger ones where people weren't so much affected bythe recession in well-established residential properties, in Kensington and north London,"he said.

Written by Jessica Berthereau for Yahoo News


Page 10

New York will overtake London as favoured playground of

super rich by 2025

New York is poised to steal London’s crown as the most important city for the worldssuper rich, according to a new report from Knight Frank.

London is currently home to the largest community of ultra-high net worth individuals(UHNWIs) – those with more than $30 million in net assets. They have been attracted bya favourable tax regime, a secure political and economic environment and the prestige ofan address in one of the world’s most glamorous cities.

According to a report from estate agent Knight Frank, there are now 4,363 UHNWIs livingin London. But other cities are catching up fast. The rate of super rich moving to theBritish capital is expected to slow compared with Singapore, Hong Kong and New York.

The report predicts that over the next 10 years, Singapore will attract 1,752 moreUHNWIs, 1,251 will buy homes in Hong Kong, and 1,013 will go mansion shopping in NewYork. Only 907 will choose London.Liam Bailey, head of research at Knight Frank, said: “This relates to the hugeoutperformance of the US economy versus the economy in Europe and the UK over thisperiod.

Written by Anna White for The Telegraph


Page 11

Making an empty house a home: how some people are living

rent-free in London

A company called Dot Dot Dot aims to help people struggling to find a place to live byhiring them as guardians of unoccupied buildings.

London’s residential housing market infamously has high rents and an acute propertyshortage. Yet the city also has a reported 60,000 empty properties, creating opportunityfor a new class of tenants calling themselves “property guardians”.

Companies agree with property developers, local authorities and housing associations totake over empty houses and flats and find occupiers on a short-term basis to care forbuildings in danger of attracting squatters and crime.

Dot Dot Dot does this with an extra twist. Set up in 2011 by Katharine Hibbert, it focuseson occupiers who commit to doing 16 or more hours a month of unpaid voluntary work.

The result, she says, is being able to offer impeccable credentials to landlords whilehelping to alleviate the housing crisis.

Written by Andrew Cave for The Telegraph


Page 12

The disappearing property ladder

Many Britons have been brought up with "getting on the property ladder" as a major lifegoal. But is the ladder disappearing, asks Mariella Frostrup.

Transport yourself back to the year 1980. You're 25 years old and having a drink with afriend. You mention to him that you're keen to get a foot on the property ladder.

He looks puzzled. "That's an interesting way of putting it," he says. "I've never heard thatphrase before." He wouldn't have heard it. The first time "property ladder" appeared inthe Times newspaper was the next year, 1981.

Spool forward to the present day. If you're an ordinary 25-year-old in the UK and you hadthe same conversation with a group of friends, the chances are they'd look at you as ifyou'd lost touch with reality, or wonder how you'd come into untold riches.

For millions of people under the age of 40 the property ladder has become a snakeinstead - unsettling and threatening, the very antithesis of the stability and security that ahome ought to bring.

Written by Mariella Frostrup for BBC


Page 13

How to Retire Abroad if You’re Already Living Abroad

Many people assume that once you’ve moved abroad you’ll stay abroad, but actually, forthe majority this is not the case. Many expats move abroad on short-term workassignments, others move back if their relationship status changes, and for some, a moveabroad proves to be not what they expected and they move on or move home.

However, for some, a move abroad is indeed a lifetime decision. If you’re already livingabroad and you want to stay in to retirement there are some considerations you need tocover. In this article I’ll look at what you need to know if you want to retire abroad andyou’re already an expat - whether you want to stay in your current nation or move againto another country.

As you know exactly what it’s like to change country I’m not going to go back to basicsabout packing up and saying goodbye before moving to a new nation. But issues to coverwill include financial considerations, visas, residency and citizenship considerations, aswell as realising lifestyle expectations. What’s more it’s important to think about property,laws of succession and health.

Written by Shelter Offshore for Shelter Offshore


Page 14

Do cashback mortgages really save you money?

As more lenders offer cashback, we do the maths to see if they offer a better deal.

More and more mortgage lenders are offering cashback in a bid to attract new customers.

Halifax is the latest, offering first-time buyers and homemovers £500 cashback when theyapply for a qualifying mortgage between now and 3rd May. The cashback will be paid toborrowers through their conveyancer when the mortgage completes.

Not all mortgages are included though. The offer excludes shared equity (including Help toBuy: equity loan), shared ownership, equity support mortgages, buy-to-let mortgages andapplications through Halifax intermediaries.

Getting cashback on my mortgage

A number of lenders offer cashback deals with certain mortgages. For example Platformand Accord pay £250 cashback on selected deals, while Leeds Building Society pays up to£1,000 cashback depending on which mortgage you go for.

Written by BT for BT


Page 15

Are you a mortgage misfit?

Tougher rules mean a growing number of borrowers are finding it hard to get a mortgage.But there are options for those who no longer fit lenders’ criteria.

Are you over 45? Self-employed? Divorced and remortgaging late in life? Got your eye ona great ex-council house? Or like the look of that cheap studio flat? If you are in any ofthese groups, you are likely to be among the growing number of “mortgage misfits” whostruggle to find a lender willing to offer a loan.

Tough restrictions imposed by the City regulator to ensure borrowers can really afford amortgage – and wariness about lending on certain types of properties – mean that manyapplicants are being turned down.

Eight out of 10 mortgage brokers say they have had to reject customers in the past sixmonths, according to figures from the Intermediary Mortgage Lending Association.Brokers cite interest rate stress tests and tougher evidence of income and spendingrequired by lenders as the reasons why many applicants fail.

Written by Patrick Collinson for The Guardian


Page 16

The next global property hotspot? Why, Beirut of course

House price rises and property investment in unlikely, once war torn, post-disaster cities.

Beirut, a battleground in the 1980s, is in the midst of a new uprising. Rather than theviolence that residents became accustomed to over the past half century, the city’sfoundations are being shaken by a groundswell of regeneration that is starting at streetlevel.

The coastal Lebanese city, once the epicentre of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is nowbeing described as a “phoenix from the ashes” by property experts and global investors.

As well as the presence of large multinational companies such as the drinks giant Diageo,or tobacco distribution firm Sarkis, a younger crowd is setting up in the city centreaccompanied by digital start-ups and a developing creative industry.

Once a war-torn shell of a city, Beirut is among a handful of places around the world thathave rebounded quickly from devastation and destruction to become flourishing21st-century cities.

Written by Anna White for The Telegraph


Page 17

UK home owners waiting longer than expected to move up

housing ladder

Some 33% of home owners in the UK expected to be further along the housing ladderthan they are now, according to new research, rising to 44% for first time buyers.

The survey from Lloyds Bank also found that 83% believe home owners have to wait a lotlonger to reach their long term family home than a decade ago while 36% of first timebuyers hope to achieve their housing aspirations by the time they are 45.

Despite recent improvements in the housing market, 40% still consider the housingmarket to be having an impact on aspirations, although this figure has fallen since 2013when it was 47% and 2012 when it was 53%.

Almost half, 48%, of first time buyers think that the housing market will have an impacton how long it takes them to reach their family home.

Even with anticipated delays in moving up the housing ladder, 44% expect not to makeany compromises and believe their long term home is a realistic achievement and 18%expect it to be a better property than their childhood home.

Written by Property Wire for Property Wire


Page 18

UK property market helped by budget

Despite the fact that the UK property market seems to have run a little ahead of itself inthe short term todays budget by George Osborne has certainly given this particularinvestment sector a boost. Aside from the fact that there have been a number of upgradesfor short to medium term economic growth forecasts for the UK it was perhaps thespecific property related announcements which caught the eye of many propertyinvestors.

Help to Buy ISA

The surprise announcement of the day was perhaps the Help to Buy ISA which involvesthe UK authorities topping up deposits for those looking to acquire property. The schemeis targeted at first-time buyers and every £200 saved for a deposit will be topped up withan additional £50 by the UK government. As the average first-time buyer deposit in theUK stands at around £15,000 this means that the government will pay £3000 towards thisfigure.

It is no surprise that George Osborne left this particular gem until the end of his speechby which time his sharpened barbs towards the Labour Party had been delivered. Eventhough the vast majority of the Chancellor’s budget had already been leaked to the pressthe Help to Buy ISA was not mentioned in any of the UK media.

Written by Property Forum for Property Forum


Page 19

House prices surge near Crossrail stations by up to 82%

Property values around some Crossrail stations have surged since the east-west Londonline got the green light in 2008, with the fastest-rising jumping 82%, according to a newreport.

Along the length of the entire line from Maidenhead to Shenfield prices within a short walkof stations have risen only 5% more than the local market, gaining 43% on average since2008, but within that some areas have soared much faster.

Prices within a 10-minute walk of stations in central London have risen an average of57%, according to analysis from London estate agent Knight Frank, while those close toBond Street station have soared by 82%, the largest increase along the route.

Outside central London, Acton has seen the largest increase, 77% over the last six years,a third more than the average for the area. In central London, Farringdon and Paddingtonhave both outperformed the local area by approximately 24%. Shenfield, at theeasternmost end of the Crossrail line, has outperformed the local market by nearly 12%.

Written by Julia Kollewe for The Guardian


Page 20

Ten tips for a budget-friendly kitchen renovation

When you meet with a designer in the kitchen department of a big home improvementstore be sure to sit down — otherwise the price might knock you over.

Here's 10 tips on how you can save money on your kitchen project, and turn your effortinto a positive gain in home equity - all without sacrificing quality.

1. Start with your design

Figure out the layout you want for your kitchen. A simple and sleek design will appeal tomost buyers and helps to keep your costs down. And remember, keeping your existinglayout is always cheaper too.

Avoid moving plumbing and electrical items if possible — at least try to keep your stove(especially gas stoves) and sink in the same location. Moving a gas stove will requirerelocating gas lines and moving your sink plumbing can create additional problems. Theyalso require additional permits and time. Also, try to pick an overall theme — country,modern, rustic, etc. This will help you select materials and ensure everything comestogether properly. Have a good idea of the look you want before you go into a designcenter or talk to contractors.

Written by Justin Pierce for Stuff


Page 21

Buy-to-let: bank offers 113pc mortgages on repossessed

flats in Spain

Banco Popular is offering zero-deposit mortgages on Spanish holiday homes in adesperate bid to shift unwanted properties.

While banks at home are avoiding the lending excesses of the past such as the notorious100pc-plus loans that helped bring down Northern Rock other European lenders arefollowing a different tack.

In a bid to shift repossessed newbuild apartments, Spanish lender Banco Popular(NasdaqGS: BPOP - news) is offering a zero-deposit mortgage that also gives “cashback”to buyers up to 13pc of the property’s value. In other words, a mortgage of up to 113pcof the property price.

Properties are available across the country. An apartment complex in Costa del Sol (Milan:SOL.MI - news) , for example, is being sold off piecemeal, including a £68,000

two-bedroom flat and £172,000 four‑bedroom penthouse.

The 113pc loan-to-value mortgage therefore reportedly lends an extra £22,360 on thefour-bedroom penthouse without asking for a penny in equity.

Written by Kate Palmer for Yahoo News


Page 22

Is the UK sitting on a ticking mortgage timebomb?

As UK base rates remain at 0.5% for the sixth year it is sometimes difficult to rememberthe traditional base rate cycle of years gone by. Over the last one hundred years UK baserates have peaked at around 17% and been as low as 0.5% which is where we findourselves today. Many will argue that governments around the world have learned theirlessons from the US mortgage crash, which saw sub-prime lenders fighting for business athigh risk levels, but are we sitting on a ticking mortgage timebomb?

UK government cracks down on unaffordable mortgages

The last few years have been surprisingly lucrative for the UK property market althoughthankfully the authorities have stepped in to introduce an array of mortgage restrictionswhich should help to reduce the number of “high risk” mortgages in the future. Whetherthese restrictions will be loosened in the years to come remains to be seen but at thismoment in time, even though some believe they are overcautious, these new restrictionsare helping avoid overheating.

Written by Nick Wallwork for Property Forum


Page 23

Residential mortgage lending by postcode shows gaps

across Britain

Data released shows lending gaps in poorer areas but more information is needed toproperly examine financial exclusion issues.

In July 2013, HM Treasury announced that seven major lenders would release mortgagedata for Great Britain’s 10,000 postcode sectors. The statement that this would help“highlight those more deprived areas where banks are often not willing to lend” seemedparticularly promising because it had the potential to significantly increase transparencyand hold banks to account. As a researcher who focuses on neighbourhoods, poverty andhousing, I wanted to examine these claims to see if there were any obvious lending gapsin poorer areas.

The results show that there are lending gaps but also demonstrate that without fulldisclosure by the banks, it is impossible to say whether they are “not willing” to lend.Nonetheless, it appears that Nationwide and Santander lend most evenly across all areatypes, whereas Barclays and HSBC seem to focus on high income neighbourhoods (seeLondon map below, for example).

The new mortgage data covers nearly 75% of the market – roughly £900 billion – andseven different lenders: Barclays, Clydesdale and Yorkshire, HSBC, Lloyds, Nationwide,Santander and RBS.

Written by Alasdair Rae for The Guardian


Page 24

Survey reveals gifts landlords give to tenants

Bad news stories tend to dominate the headlines when it comes to relationships betweentenants and landlords in the UK but new research reveals that the relationship is oftenmuch more convivial.

Indeed, some 34% of landlords have given a welcome or farewell gift to a tenant and30% of tenants have received an act of kindness, according to a survey from tenantinsurance provider Endsleigh.

It shows 54% of tenants received help with DIY and 29% a bottle of wine as a result 72%of tenants said such acts positively changed their perception of their landlord.

A positive relationship seems to have an impact on the length of tenancy too with 70% oftenants who receive an act of kindness staying in their property for 24 months or more,compared to just 53% who didn’t receive an act of kindness.

Landlords were most likely to give a gift of a bottle of wine with the survey finding that59% did so, followed by 49% giving cards and 25% plants and flowers.



Page 25

Transport for London set to become private landlord to

create revenue

It runs the capital's trains and buses, and it already leases commercial space, but soonTransport for London (TfL) could be renting out flats.

Over the next 10 years, the organisation is looking to radically capitalise on its propertyportfolio to utilise another revenue stream after its government grant was cut.

It claims it has more developable sites in central London than anyone else and over thenext decade will redevelop 50 of those sites, mainly in zones one and two, across 10m sqft.

TfL said it intends to do this by entering into partnerships with property developers - it willput up the land while the developers will provide the bulk of the money and carry out thework, before both share the proceeds.

This could mean selling off properties, leasing some commercial units and renting outflats. The land and properties on the list include South Kensington station, Parsons Greendepot and Kidbrooke station.TfL said these developments would provide employment, investment and about 9,000homes could be developed on the land.

Written by Tom Edwards for BBC


Page 26

The new map of middle-class London

Rising prices have made central London a no-go zone for all but the super-rich, starting amass migration of the middle classes. This is where they are going.

London’s middle-class habitats have changed beyond all recognition in the past decade.The centre is now unaffordable to all but the super-rich, triggering a cascade effect asdomestic buyers move out from Kensington and Chelsea to Clapham and Chiswick, whileothers set up camp in Raynes Park and Kilburn.

“It is a comfort thing,” says Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills, who hasbeen charting the middle-class migration. “People buy houses to be among like-mindedpeople. They are driven by dinner party chat, postcode snobbery and life’s pivotalmoments.” So Herne Hill and Kensal Rise have become the new “nappy valleys”, andKilburn is now the choice of affluent couples who can’t afford to live where their parentsdid.

Properties at London’s heart now change hands for cash. About 20 per cent of buyersdon’t need mortgages at all. Only the top 1 per cent of earners can afford to buy in primecentral London now.

Written by Caroline McGhie for The Telegraph


Page 27

Moving in together? 5 tips on how to merge your styles and

decor

Find a style that suits decorating your new home as a couple.

You've relished for so long living alone and in creating your very own perfect haven justfor yourself, when the next stage in your relationship presents itself. Moving in together.It's exciting and it's fun but it can also be quite frustrating. You might have alreadycreated space in the bathroom for a toothbrush or cleared a drawer in your bedroom, butthat just won't cut it. You've got to share all your space, which can be really daunting atfirst, especially if you don't have the same ideas about design! Compromise is key in anyrelationship and that certainly applies to your home, too. So don't fret, read our 5 tips formerging styles and settle those décor disputes before they begin!

Get organised.

The first thing you should both do is think about you want to bring into the shared home.You need to be prepared to purge and have a clear out; you're moving in together so thishas to be a joint effort. You can't expect your partner to get rid of most of their thingswhilst you keep the majority.

Written by House to home for House to home


Page 28

Europe real estate industry goes from strength to strength

New market circumstances forced a rethink for companies and investors involved inEuropean real estate. Those quick to adapt are likely to reap the rewards in the not-so-distant future

The real estate investment industry in Europe is booming. In recent years, it has seenrecord levels of cash being ploughed into the market, much of it emanating from Asianinvestors looking to secure core assets in some of the regions most admired cities. Aby-product of this newfound obsession with property in prestigious locations, such asLondon, Paris and Milan, is that it has helped fuel a rapid rise in the market’s overall valueand, fortunately for all those involved, it is a trend that shows little signs of slowing, withmany industry experts anticipating even more cash finding its way into the region overthe next 12 months.

Though the European real estate market has benefitted from a hefty increase in foreigninvestment, it would be wrong to assume that it arrived here by sheer chance. The sectorhas helped itself significantly in securing capital from abroad by greatly increasing levelsof market transparency, as well as making general improvements to how it is regulated.

Written by Pieter Hendrikse for World Finance


Page 29

Advanced planning makes the big move easier

The contracts are signed and the keys exchanged. Now the time has arrived to move intoyour new home. Chances are you started packing the minute your offer was accepted orthe foundation was poured, which is a good thing since the more time you have toprepare, the better off you’ll be.

Ideally, planning a move should start at least two months in advance. Not only will thisgive you time to sort and pack, but is also allows for the most flexibility when schedulingmovers or a rental truck. Plus, it always takes longer to pack your stuff than you think itwill.

Some important steps to take before moving day include:

- Check with your insurance agent to make sure your stuff is covered by yourhomeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy against loss or damage during the move.

- Don’t schedule your move at the beginning or end of a month, which is prime movingtime. You will get both a better price and service is you move mid-month.

Written by Linda A. Ditch for The Topeka Capital Journal


Page 30

Moving your home office? Tips for making it painless

A home office used to be a place to pay bills, house the family computer, maybe had anice chair to read in and often doubled as a guest room. These days, however, it is often aplace where at least one member of the family makes his or her livelihood.

It is estimated that over 13 million people work, at least in part, from home. If thatnumber seems small it is because the statistics it is drawing from only looks at workerswho telecommute and does not include the millions of people who operate a home-basedbusiness. When you add it all together, that is a heck of a lot of people that keep a homeoffice.

As if a move is not hectic and stressful enough, juggling a move while also running abusiness from home can end up being a very big challenge!

Luckily we have collected a variety of tips to make your next home office move organizedand efficient which will help minimize downtime and the associated stress that naturallyoccurs. Here are a few steps that can help prepare you for a more efficient and organizedmove.

Written by Grace Brooke for Sonoma Index Tribune


Page 31

UK property sales could get boost from April pension

changes

UK pension changes could trigger a significant increase in residential property transactionsbut for most households, this is unlikely to involve the acquisition of an investmentproperty.

But the increase in sales is more likely to come from continued trend of pensioners sellinglarger properties and properties in prime areas and purchasing smaller properties andproperties in cheaper areas in order to release additional equity to help fund theirretirement years, according to real estate firm Chestertons.

In a new report it says that there are a number of reasons that property is likely to provea popular investment choice for those who decide to take control of their pension pots andinvest in something other than an annuity.

These include the fact that residential property is generally seen as a less volatile andrelatively safe long term investment, when compared to other assets such as equities andcan provide a regular rental income.



Documents

All Removals London News Digest - March 2015