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ARLA’s New Scottish Representative

Published On: July 3, 2015 at 11:01 am

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ARLA's New Scottish Representative

ARLA’s New Scottish Representative

Scotland will be officially represented on the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) board after a Your Move area lettings director was appointed.

Brian Moran has worked for Your Move letting agents in Scotland for 17 years and was originally the regional representative for ARLA. His new position will help make ARLA campaigns more effective and user friendly for Scottish clients.

Moran was also recently given a role on the board of the Property Ombudsman Scotland. He says that his new job is also to ensure “any changes to Scottish legislation surrounding the private rental sector are communicated to the UK ARLA board – something that Scotland has never had an opportunity to do.”1

Moran will take up his ARLA post next week.

1 https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2015/7/scotland-wins-representation-on-arla-board

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20% More Properties Sell in August

Published On: July 3, 2015 at 9:59 am

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People looking to sell their property this year should act fast and take advantage of the annual August house sales boom, according to KIS Lettings.

Data from Land Registry revealed that over the last three years, 20% more homes were sold in August than the annual average and 30% more than average figures for January.

20% More Properties Sell in August

20% More Properties Sell in August

Between 2011-14, 224,231 properties were sold in the month of August, 76,917 more than those sold in the Januarys of the same years.

The difference in sales figures between January and August is especially prominent in the South West and Yorkshire and the Humber, where sales increased by 47%, and the North East and North West where they grew by 44%. In London, they rose by just 26%.

The research also indicates that August was the busiest month for estate agents in four of the past five years, with November 2013 the only exception.

Regarding the last three years, 87,173 properties were sold in August 2014, 15% more than the monthly average of 74,770 and 25% higher than the 63,123 sold in January 2014.

In August 2013, 74,767 homes were sold, 20% higher than the annual average of 60,060 and 45% more than the 41,763 sold in January of the same year.

62,291 properties were sold in August 2012, 19% over the annual average of 52,260 and 27% higher than the 42,511 sold in January 2012.

Ajay Jagota, Founder of KIS Lettings, comments on the findings: “These figures show that it’s not the estate agent equivalent of an old wives’ tale that people are more likely to buy a property when the sun is shining; the figures back it up.

“Here comes the sun and here come the buyers. If you’re looking to sell a house this year, the next four weeks could be vital in terms of getting your home looking its best in time for the August boom.

“The simplest and easiest way to market your property better is to take some fresh pictures. People are buying a lifestyle as much as a property, and in the era of property apps and online portals, people could only be considering your property for a fraction of a second. First impressions count.

“What really stands out though is that the all-round rise in sales volumes across the board over the last three years. 62,291 homes were sold in 2012’s peak month of August compared to 63,123 in last year’s slowest month of January. We’ve come a long way.”1 

1 http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/property/20-more-homes-are-sold-in-august.html

Men and Women Have Very Different Housing Priorities

Published On: July 3, 2015 at 8:52 am

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New research has found that there are big differences between men and women when it comes to choosing a home.

In finding their dream house, 14% of males wanted a cinema/screening room and 12% would like a wine cellar. Contrastingly, 24% of women look for an AGA oven and 18% wanted a kitchen island, revealed a study by Strutt & Parker.

Men and Women Have Very Different Housing Priorities

Men and Women Have Very Different Housing Priorities

When moving house, women’s priorities include being near a good school, access to shops and amenities, a short commute to work, more space, and being close to family and friends, the poll of buyers, vendors and tenants found.

Men’s top reasons for buying a new property were tax changes, retirement, pension support, a smaller home, the political environment and mobile phone coverage.

Both sexes did agree that a traditional British home is preferred, however, women valued other styles than men, including lofts, simple Scandinavian design, classical French décor and exotic Indian styling. Men desired retro 1950s/60s/70s looks.

Men are attracted to stark, grand, imposing and cool features, whereas women like quirky, creative, calm and relaxing characteristics.

Regarding outdoor space, men are keener to live on or near the water and would like a house with sporting facilities, such as a gym, pool or tennis court. However, women were more interested in equestrian amenities.

Considering managed apartment blocks or units, men were more eager for convenience and practical amenities, such as a porter, in-house cleaning services, car sharing, banquet services and refrigeration drop-off storage. For women, it is vital that pets are allowed and disabled access is important.

Males are more concerned about environmental features in a home, such as renewable energy, living walls and green roofs.

Head of Research at Strutt & Parker, Stephanie McMahon, comments: “Our overall analysis points towards elements such as broadband connectivity and access to amenities being very important for buyers.

“However, men and women appear to have a slightly different interpretation on what these might mean.

“When referring to private rentals, for example, for men, amenities and services might mean concierge services and grocery drop-off, for women it might mean ability to bring pets and disabled accessibility.”1

1 http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-home-style-choices-2015070110695.html

Global Cities Expert Warns About Affordable Housing

Published On: July 2, 2015 at 4:57 pm

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The boss of a global cities organisation says that London must challenge the threat of social inequality.

The head of international group 100 Resilient Cities (100RC), Michael Berkowitz, says that world cities including London face a major threat if they do not address the lack of affordable housing and growing social inequality.

Global Cities Expert Warns About Affordable Housing

Global Cities Expert Warns About Affordable Housing

100RC is a $100m initiative launched two years ago and is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. Berkowitz believes that equity and social cohesion are two of the “critical issues” faced by major cities due to the pace of urbanisation.

His cautions arrive as 100RC opens its regional headquarters in Clerkenwell to serve cities in the Middle East and Europe, including London, Bristol and Glasgow.

He warns: “Equity and social cohesion are two of the critical issues that we are seeing in resilient cities around the world. In the US, the debate is partly about recognising that black lives matter.

“London is interesting because it’s an old city, but it is growing almost at the pace of a developing world city. We don’t know what is going to hit the city next. Is it going to be a cop shooting someone in Tottenham, a major blackout or another 7/7 – who knows?

“But cities where people feel bought in can survive. Cities where you have high inequality, a lack of social cohesion and where people don’t trust the authorities – that can be a spark.”

Speaking specifically on the affordable housing crisis in London, Berkowitz says: “Everyone we talk to has mentioned this housing crunch.”

He adds that New York City has similar challenges and that Mayor Bill de Blasio is working on a major initiative to ensure that all residents live within a 40-minute commute of a good job. As well as providing affordable housing, this scheme hopes to encourage commercial and industrial businesses into other parts of the city. They are generally located in downtown and midtown Manhattan.

Berkowitz continues: “I’m generally in favour of densification because this promotes walking and cycling, but you’ve got to do this in the right way with good neighbourhoods and good streets.”1 

100RC is a global network of 67 cities and works with city mayors and public officials, as well as the private sector to address threats including terrorism, cyber-security, infrastructure and the environment.

1 http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/8685621.article?WT.tsrc=email&WT.mc_id=Newsletter2

Cabinet Minister Will Warn that the Young Face Housing Exile

Published On: July 2, 2015 at 3:58 pm

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A cabinet minister will warn that many young people are being “exiled” from the neighbourhood that they grew up in due to a lack of affordable housing.

Greg Clark, Communities Secretary, will tell council leaders that it is a “defining test” for any government to provide homes that keep the “chain of community.”

Acting Leader of the Labour party, Harriet Harman, will tell the conference that the housing shortage is now “chronic”. She will also say that Conservative plans to extend Right to Buy to housing association tenants will make matters worse.

The four hopeful Labour leaders – Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Jeremy Corbyn – will also speak at the annual Local Government Association conference in Harrogate, detailing ideas on housing and decentralisation.

In his first major speech since joining the cabinet, Mr. Clark will set out a proposal to hand powers to England’s cities and regions, pressing council leaders to “take power now [from Whitehall]”.

Cabinet Minister Will Warn that the Young Face Housing Exile

Cabinet Minister Will Warn that the Young Face Housing Exile

Mr. Clark will argue that devolving transport, skills and housing budgets to local authorities on collective and individual terms will help release economic opportunities and create “a nation of muscular communities – north and south, town and country.”

However, he will also accept the scale of the challenge that the country faces to ensure housing supply keeps up with demand and the social dislocation caused by the shortage of affordable housing to buy or rent in many areas of the country.

He will say: “For centuries, to be exiled – to be sent away – was considered to be an extreme penalty, reserved for the most serious of offences against the community.

“Yet in many parts of our country, it has become normal for young people to leave, though not out of choice. This might be to find work, but more and more, it is to find a home that they can afford.

“If we want to maintain the chain of community and a place for the next generation, then we must make sure we have the homes to welcome them to. The responsibility lies with us – national and local leaders alike.

“It is a defining test of our generation of leaders that we care for and resolve the fears and foreboding of the next generation when it comes to that most basic of questions – where and what will I call home?”1 

The amount of new homes completed in 2014 – 118,760 – was substantially higher than in 2013, but still much lower than the 2007 peak, before the financial crisis.

Ms Harman will say that Conservative plans to extend the Right to Buy scheme, by requiring housing associations to sell their properties at a discount to their tenants will “make the affordable housing crisis worse.”

The scheme would be partly funded by forcing local councils to sell off their most valuable assets when they become vacant.

Councils will then be expected to replace this stock on a one-for-one basis, however, the National Housing Federation (NHF) warns that since 2012, just 46% of homes sold in this way have been replaced, reducing the overall number of properties for rent.

Ms Harman will also say that ministers have not explained how the scheme will work, and risks worsening already falling homeownership levels and the length of time people have to wait to buy a house.

She will continue: “Ultimately, we’ll see what the Government brings forward, but the test for any housing policy must be whether it eases rather than deepens the housing crisis.

“Proposals which don’t address the key problem – the chronic shortage of homes – will see the dream of homeownership drift further and further out of reach.”1 

1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33351686

Unexpected Population Growth Fuels Housing Concerns

Published On: July 2, 2015 at 2:54 pm

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Previous population growth expectations have been surpassed by 12%, fuelling concerns that only the very wealthy will be able to afford to buy a house.

The most recent population predictions have underestimated growth in England by 89,000 people, Bilfinger GVA has found.

According to the latest official forecast figures from 2012, England’s population was set to increase by 350,000 people in 2012-13 and 384,000 people in 2013-14.

However, mid-year estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has now calculated that population growth in 2012-13 was in fact 372,000 and 451,000 the following year.

Between 2012-14, population growth was underestimated in eight out of nine English regions by the 2012 National Population Projections and in about 60% of local authorities.

Bilfinger GVA warns that these projections are “only a starting point”1 in estimating housing need, as they do not consider future economic growth or affordability issues.

Jonathan Harris, of mortgage brokers Anderson Harris, explains: “There is a housing crisis in the UK because we are not building flats and houses fast enough to keep pace with demand.

“If population growth is going to be that much greater than previous forecasts suggest, lack of housing will be even more of an issue in the future.

Unexpected Population Growth Fuels Housing Concerns

Unexpected Population Growth Fuels Housing Concerns

“Already, property prices are being pushed beyond the reach of first time buyers and growing families, and if this situation continues, only the very wealthy will be able to afford to buy.”1

Director at Bilfinger GVA, Neil Morton, says: “It is crucial that local planning authorities take this into account when using the latest Department for Communities and Local Government Household Projections, which are predicted by the 2012 National Population Projections.

“With many authorities still relying on revoked regional plans, the policy vacuum presents an opportunity to proactively engage with the local plan and appeal process with up-to-date housing need evidence.”1 

Today, the country is struggling with a housing crisis; a decade after the Barker Review of Housing Supply revealed that around 250,000 homes needed to be built every year.

In 2012-13, England had one of the lowest house building rates since 1923.

Construction was completed on only 108,190 new homes. This problem was intensified by falling affordability, with the average property price to salary ratio almost doubling in the past 40 years. The price of the average home is now almost seven times the average buyer’s annual earnings.

At least 220,000 new homes need to be built yearly to meet new household predictions, according to the Home Builders Federation (HBF). And there is already a backlog of prospective buyers.

However, the HBF also revealed that momentum in the house building sector is growing, with work starting on 137,310 new homes in 2014, up 10% on 2013 and 60% on the record low of 2009.

Between January and March this year, construction began on 40,340 homes, up 11% on the same period in 2013.

The Government’s Help to Buy scheme, launched in April 2013, has boosted a significant increase in house building, according to the HBF.

This year, the Conservative’s general election manifesto focused on “everyone who works hard having the chance to own their own home.”1

The party promised to keep mortgage rates low and build more affordable homes, including 200,000 starter homes for first time buyers under 40-years-old.

They will also extend the Help to Buy loan scheme to 2020 and introduce a new Help to Buy ISA for those saving for a deposit.

The Conservatives also plan to extend Right to Buy to housing association tenants and create a brownfield fund to unlock homes on brownfield land. Additionally, local people will have more control over planning and the green belt will be protected.

1 http://www.zoopla.co.uk/discover/property-news/underestimated-population-growth-england-s-housing-30-06-15/#LOChDr1YJyeUMGU5.97