Posts with tag: Christmas

The Best Christmas Markets in the UK for Property Prices

Published On: November 18, 2016 at 9:39 am

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With the capital’s Winter Wonderland opening its doors today, online estate agent eMoov.co.uk has researched which of the best Christmas markets in the UK offers the most affordable property prices.

The agent analysed 29 of the UK’s merriest Christmas markets, finding that the current average house price across each of them was £316,569 – £98,681 more than the current UK average. eMoov then ranked them on the average house price, to guide Christmas-loving homebuyers to the ten most affordable locations during the festive season.

While many people flock to enjoy London’s Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, not as many will be able to afford a home in the area, which costs an average of £2,052,951.

The Best Christmas Markets in the UK for Property Prices

The Best Christmas Markets in the UK for Property Prices

Scotland’s Country Living Glasgow is the cheapest area for property, at an average of £121,430, while Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland closely trails behind, at £128,192.

Both Glasgow and Nottingham are well ahead of the other locations on the list, making them the most appealing for those looking to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year in an affordable property.

The Victorian Christmas Market in Wrexham is third on the list, at £150,883, closely followed by Manchester’s German Market, at £153,590.

Birmingham’s German Christmas Market is often ranked one of the UK’s best Christmas markets and is the biggest in Europe outside of Germany and Austria. The area, which places fifth on the list, has an average property price of £165,149.

For those in Leeds, the Christkindelmark is a great event for festive cheer and house prices. The northern city is sixth on the list, at £170,927.

The next stop is Staffordshire’s Winter Wonderland, at £177,531, while the Gloucester Quays Victorian Christmas Market is eighth, at £182,903.

Homebuyers in the Welsh capital can enjoy its average house price of £191,582, while visiting the Cardiff Christmas Market. The final gift under the tree is Chester’s Christmas Market, which has a price tag of £191,666 and prides itself on abundant crafts, stocking fillers and warm beverages.

Although there are many more Christmas markets in the UK, the above ten are some of the best and most affordable for those looking to purchase properties.

The Founder and CEO of eMoov, Russell Quirk, comments: “Christmas begins earlier every year, but the launch of winter wonderlands and Christmas markets across the UK signals the festive season is about to kick off.

“Although not everyone will welcome this news, it could certainly be beneficial for nearby home sellers, with Christmas market property commanding a higher price tag than the rest of the nation.”

He adds: “With the seasonal slowdown fast approaching, what better additional selling tool than one of the UK’s best Christmas markets down the road?

“Ironic that perhaps the best known and most popular on our list is also home to the largest barrier for those aspirational homebuyers that might wish to live there. But there are still many realistic options filled with festive cheer for those looking to buy this Christmas.”

Which of the best Christmas markets will you be visiting this year?

It’ll be Lonely This Christmas

Published On: December 22, 2015 at 12:43 pm

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It'll be Lonely This Christmas

It’ll be Lonely This Christmas

This year saw a rise of 45% in the amount of families with children living in emergency housing – the highest level for 12 years. With the housing crisis taking a hold on the country, many will be homeless this Christmas.

Housing charities are sharing their appeals for help this year, as the lack of property supply and rising house prices push more and more people out of their homes.

Can you help?

Crisis is asking you to Reserve a Place this festive season, with donations of £22.29 enough to welcome a homeless person into a Crisis centre, three nutritious hot meals for them – including Christmas dinner – and the opportunity to shower, a change of clothes, a haircut and a health check. Those seeking help will also be given expert advice on life-changing issues, such as housing and employment, and be informed of Crisis’ year-round services.

Find out more and donate here: https://community.crisis.org.uk/reserve-a-place-general?attr1=tag%7Creserve

Shelter has found that more than 100,000 children will be homeless this Christmas, but you can help them wake up in their own bed. Just £30 will provide cooking facilities for healthy family meals, while £60 will help the charity offer practical support and make sure no one faces homelessness alone. £80 could also help Shelter’s lawyers provide free, expert advice to avoid families losing their home.

Give to these families here: http://england.shelter.org.uk/donate/homelessatchristmas?vwo_ad=100k_homeless&gclid=Cj0KEQiAhuSzBRDBoZfG56bK9-YBEiQARiPcZdkC5G5l7K8JEIg8Y2jZGKO3kTOSSTHchXNY8QetBUYaAgye8P8HAQ

Spread the love 

Costa Coffee has also joined in on tackling homelessness, with its Swansea Oxford Street store opening especially on Christmas Day to give out free coffee, food and presents to homeless people in the city. Eight of the chain’s staff have volunteered for the event and NHS nurses will be on hand offering aid and support.

Why don’t you give the gift of giving this year and help the many people that won’t wake up in their own beds on Christmas morning?

Words of Joy This Christmas

Published On: December 21, 2015 at 4:24 pm

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Words of Joy This Christmas

Words of Joy This Christmas

The shopping’s finished, the wrapping’s done, the decorations are in place… But you’re still not in the festive spirit? Whatever the true meaning of Christmas is for you, it can often be lost. These wise words should spark the joy of the season inside you, just in time.

  1. His phrase “Bah, humbug!” may be one of the most famous (and used) Christmas quotes, but it’s the story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation into a warm-hearted soul that really captures the meaning of the festive period.
  1. Ever one to remind us to laugh, the late Joan Rivers tickles us with this festive joke: “The one thing women don’t want to find in their stockings on Christmas morning is their husband.”*

*For more Christmas gags, check out our list: /provide-the-entertainment/

  1. From one of the most loved Christmas poems, “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house/Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse”, is bound to get children and adults alike ready for the big day.
  1. Are you a festive trickster? Follow comedian Bernard Manning’s advice: “I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, ‘Toys not included’.”
  1. Washington Irving’s story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow may have been written back in the early 19th century, but its morals still ring true: “Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.”
  1. His classic hit I’m dreaming of a white Christmas may be a favourite, but Bing Crosby has some even wiser words not included in the song: “Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it white.”
  1. “Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful,” says Norman Vincent Peale, known for his positive thinking.
  1. The Grinch is another well-loved character that had a change of heart over Christmas. This quote is perhaps the most fitting for the 21st century from Dr. Seuss: “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!” 
  1. And Roy L. Smith has the same idea; Christmas is in the person, not the gift: “He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.”
  1. But comedian Bob Hope’s profound take on Christmas is perhaps the one we should take with us the most – “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”

Santa Won’t Get Stuck Up These Chimneys!

Published On: December 21, 2015 at 2:46 pm

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What’s more magical to children than the snowy white footprints left behind on the hearth, or seeing leftover mince pie crumbs on Christmas morning? Well, there are the presents of course, but there’s also the knowledge that Santa came down their chimney to deliver their gifts… And these homes will put a real twinkle in their eye.

The Chantry, Honiton, Devon

The Chantry was once what it says it is, built in the early 1500s for Alice and John Bonville, with a resident priest to pray for their souls. In 1547, however, chantries were abolished. Now, the building is a grand five-bedroom house.

Dress up the stone fireplace in the hall with knitted stockings and rich, green decorations. Find out more about decking the halls with greenery from your garden here: /17276-2/

If you have a spare £800,000, this home is on the market through Humberts: http://www.humberts.com/property-to-buy/devon-honiton-ex14/hon150179/

Old Timbers, Suffolk

Do you enjoy a quiet, romantic Christmas morning? If so, this is the home for you – Old Timbers is a cosy three-bedroom Tudor farmhouse with striking timber beams. But the magic of this property really is in the bedroom…

The master suite comprises a beautiful vaulted room with an open fireplace and tiled hearth. Store logs beside the fire for a relaxed start to the day.

The house is on the market for £499,950 with David Burr: http://webcdn1.jupix.co.uk/v3/clients/424/properties/389449/MED_389449_237505.pdf

Uchel Dref, Corwen, Wales

Uchel Dref boasts not one but three reception rooms and six bedrooms – could this place already be any more perfect for family Christmases? Well, yes it can. Although the 16th-century farmhouse has many a-chimney, multi-fuel stoves block the fireplaces in the two sitting rooms.

Santa Claus will have to pick the open fire in the dining room, where you and your family can sit back and enjoy a hearty Christmas dinner before walking it off on the acre of land outside.

This property also has a detached stone building and is valued at £499,950 through Halls: http://hallsgb.com/properties/uchel-dref-pencoed-pencoed-corwen-ll21-9dd/

The Old Manse, Alness, Ross-shire

Can’t decide what to leave for Santa on Christmas Eve? Check The Old Manse’s wine cellar and you’re sure to find something that’ll warm his nose! The Georgian house has been renovated to a Victorian style after a fire, making for a traditional and classic setting.

Santa will likely choose between the fireplaces in the two reception rooms, or maybe resurrect the unused hearths in two of the five bedrooms!

What’s more, Santa could even find himself in the boathouse, although we’re not sure he’ll have time for a ride on the waters of Cromarty Firth. CKD Galbraith is accepting offers of over £395,000: http://www.ckdgalbraith.co.uk/property/inv120175-old-manse-alness-ross-shire-iv17-0xg

Have you polished off your hearth in preparation? You don’t have long!

Special Gifts for Property Lovers

Published On: December 18, 2015 at 12:00 pm

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If you have a friend or relative whose home is their pride and joy, a gift for their property is likely to go down a treat this Christmas.

Here, we’ve picked out some special presents that will be perfect for all the property lovers out there!

Bake off

Special Gifts for Property Lovers

Special Gifts for Property Lovers

Do you have a keen baker in the family? If so, kitchen gods and goddesses will love anything they can use to whip up a festive treat – why not try some snowflake cookie cutters or some Christmas cake tins to store their goodies?

Smell the coffee

Nowadays, a basic coffee maker just won’t do – for serious coffee fans, there are machines out there that can be programmed to make your favourite beverage just as you’d like it. Perfect to wake up to after the party period!

The sights and smells

Who doesn’t love the many smells of Christmastime? From gingerbread baking to fresh, pine branches – there’s always that one smell that gets us into the festive spirit. Choose from a variety of Christmas scented candles to spread the joy through someone special’s home.

Rockin’ around…

We know all the words, we hum the tunes as we decorate the tree… who doesn’t secretly love Christmas songs? If you have a music-loving friend, give them a gift they’ll cherish with a 1950s-style wireless radio. You can even buy them with line-in sockets, making them perfect for the modern man or woman.

Bring out the bubbly

Does one of your friends host the best Christmas parties? They’ll certainly have the most glamorous affair when they use their new set of sparkling champagne flutes. Make sure they celebrate in style this festive season.

Shake it

There’s always an inventor in the family, someone who wants to mix up a unique concoction for you to try. Fuel their inner bartender with their very own cocktail shaker set. What could possibly go wrong

 

Visit One of These Stunning Stately Homes This Christmas

Published On: December 17, 2015 at 3:26 pm

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If you’re a property lover, visiting one of the country’s many stately homes is always full of intrigue and delight. These grand houses have become synonymous with British culture and many are decked out for the holidays…

We’ve picked some of our favourites for you to visit, each offering something unique and exciting. So what are you waiting for? If you’re still not in the Christmas spirit, these treasures are sure to inspire you.

A cultural Christmas 

This year, Hever Castle in Kent is hosting its Christmas Around the World event. You and your family can learn how different countries celebrate Christmas and the history behind their traiditons.

Step into other worlds with a variety of rituals and practices. Decorations are based around how other cultures decorate their homes and there are even some delicious foods for you to try!

The children will also love the donkeys in Hever’s nativity scene (although these are only here at the weekends) and can learn about donkey welfare.

Broaden your knowledge here: http://www.hevercastle.co.uk/whats-on/christmas-around-the-world-2015-3/

Santa train

Entertaining the children is always important at Christmas time, and they are bound to love the Santa express at Castle Ward in County Down. The train takes you and your loved ones down an illuminated lane to visit Santa at his home.

Upon arrival, Mrs Claus will welcome you with a tasty treat and children will also be given a special gift!

Enjoy this unique treat here: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events/13c2bcf9-6d41-4cd9-b40c-12a288461121/pages/details

A literary treat

Chatsworth House in Derbyshire is always decorated around a different theme over the festive period, and this year, guests can enjoy The Wind in the Willows at the grand estate.

Tour the house as it displays scenes from the classic Kenneth Grahame novel. Adults and children alike will enjoy the many sights of these well loved characters.

Step into the story here: http://www.chatsworth.org/attractions-and-events/christmas-at-chatsworth

Take the plunge

It may not be for everybody, but who doesn’t love ice-skating at Christmas? (Even if you just watch from the side!) And what could more delightful than skating against the backdrop of Hampton Court Palace?

Sure to get everyone into the Christmas spirit, the historical palace is hosting its very own winter treat with its outdoor ice rink and ice bar… Maybe leave the skating to the kids.

Have a go here: http://www.stately-homes.com/thedms.aspx?dms=3&venue=3500420&feature=1262&w=100%25&events=1&do=1&bob=R&uv=1