Buying And Selling Property archive

Buying And Selling Property Archive

Published in December 2008

Why We're Obsessed With Buying Property

by Neil Faulkner | Neil Faulkner sucks all the fun out of the debate about why we're desperate to own our homes, and then he puts it back in again.

Three Ways To Pay For Home Improvements

by Christina Jordan | If you are planning on doing home improvements in 2009, have you considered how you will pay for them?

No Forecast Means More House Price Falls

by Neil Faulkner | Nationwide, Halifax and the Council of Mortgage Lenders have chosen to be secretive with their annual forecasts, but by doing so they`ve revealed more than they intended.

Will It Be A Happy HIP-ness?

by Alison Hunt | Thinking of selling your home? You may find you need to put that "For Sale" sign away until your Home Information Pack is ready.

No Job, No Problem!

by Rachel Wait | Lost your job? The Government will protect you from repossession for up to two years. But will it work - and is it a good idea?

by Laura Starkey | New data reveals that property values are continuing to fall nationwide. And sales in London -- arguably the last bastion of the house price bubble -- have seriously started to suffer.

Published in November 2008

Home Repossessions Rise To 30,200 In 2008

by Cliff D'Arcy | Over thirty thousand homes have been seized by mortgage lenders this year. Here's how to keep the roof over your head.

Why It's Time To Buy Property, Part 2!

by Neil Faulkner | One writer explains further why now is a great time to buy property, and offers tips for both buyers and sellers.

Rents Fall As Houses Fail To Sell

by Cliff D'Arcy | Rents are copying house prices and falling, thanks to an oversupply of unsold homes.

Your House - A Home Or An Investment?

by Padraig O'Hannelly | Our attitude to buying property may be changing.

First-Time Buyers Should Wait

by Laura Starkey | You've got your deposit. You're ready to buy a home. But is now the right time to put your first foot on the housing ladder? Laura Starkey considers the pros and cons.

Published in October 2008

New Guidelines To Help Homeowners

by Rachel Wait | There are new rules to help tackle repossessions, but will they work?

Desperate sellers take desperate measures

by Laura Starkey | With the UK property market in trouble, some people are turning to unusual tactics to sell their homes.

The Mother Of All Housing Hangovers

by lovemoney.com staff | The great house price bubble is well and truly over. Negative equity is a reality for millions. Whether we like it or not, we are all paying the price for the world's excesses of the past few years.

Property Sellers Grow Increasingly Desperate

by Donna Ferguson | Some homeowners are now going to extreme lengths in order to sell their properties.

Why I Blame Northern Rock

by Donna Ferguson | Northern Rock has a lot to answer for, says Donna Werbner.

Sale-And-Rent-Back Schemes Are "Misleading" and "Harmful"

by Donna Ferguson | According to the Office of Fair Trading, some sale-and-rent-back firms cause "serious and permanent harm" to vulnerable homeowners.

Five Miserable Myths You Shouldn't Believe

by Emma Lunn | There's been a lot of doom and gloom about the housing market recently. But you shouldn't believe everything you read...

Exploit The Housing Crash To Your Advantage

by Christina Jordan | At last buyers have some power in the property market. But should they gazunder to make the most of house price falls?

We Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

by Harvey Jones | Nationwide claims we've seen the biggest fall in house prices since 1991. But actually, house prices haven't crashed - yet.

Buying in a falling market

by Laura Starkey | As property prices slide, is it Foolish -- or just plain foolish -- to buy a home? Laura Starkey explores the pros and cons of buying in a falling market, with words of wisdom from Fool experts Donna Werbner and Ed Bowsher.

Published in September 2008

What is gazundering?

by Donna Werbner | With property prices firmly on the slide, gazundering is coming back into fashion. But what exactly is gazundering? And just how ethical is it?

Landlords: Watch Out For This £200 Fine!

by Christina Jordan | If you are a landlord, you have less than a week to get your act together and sort out an Energy Performance Certificate for your property.

Is Selling To Rent A Potential Disaster?

by Emma Lunn | Should you cash in on the property slump by selling your home?

A House Price Crash Is Unstoppable!

by Harvey Jones | House prices will continue to fall... and there's nothing anyone can do about it!

Transform Your Home For Less In Seven Steps

by Serena Cowdy | Follow these seven simple steps to give your home a makeover - without breaking the bank.

Get A £1m Home For £25

by Donna Ferguson | The Fool examines a novel way to get your hands on a fantasy home - and looks at what it means for selllers...

A Dangerous Way To Buy Your First Home

by Donna Ferguson | Beware the property investors who, keen to cash in on the credit crunch, are attempting to lure in desperate first-time buyers with an innovative new type of scheme which is completely unregulated.

Foreign Property Is A Flight From Reality

by Harvey Jones | Harvey Jones thinks we should steer clear of overseas property investment.

Housing Rescue Doomed To Fail

by Cliff D'Arcy | The government announces its grand plan to save the housing market. However, it will do nothing to prevent plunging prices.

Published in August 2008

How To Attract Top Tenants

by lovemoney.com staff | Thinking of renting out your home? Check out our seven tips for setting up a deal with the right renter -- at the right price.

Don't Be Swayed By Estate Agent Jargon

by Emma Lunn | If you're currently trying to work out what estate agents say and what they actually mean, here's an A to Z of popular terms and their true meanings.

Lending To Older Homeowners

by Christina Jordan | It's all very well researching the best mortgages on the market, but what if you can't get some of them because of your age?

The Fastest Way To Sell Your Home

by Christina Jordan | This is the quickest - and easiest - way to sell a property. There's no chain, no haggling and no risk of gazundering - so what's the catch?

Help! I Need A House Doctor!

by Emma Lunn | If you're finding it hard to sell your property, you might be tempted to enlist the support of a house doctor. But is it really worth it?

Five Steps To Buy Your First Home

by Mary Doyle | Are you thinking of buying a home in a couple of years? Here's what you should do -- right now!

A Clever Way To Double Your Deposit?

by Christina Jordan | Could this be the helping hand first-time buyers need?

Don't Waste Thousands On This Property Mistake

by Jane Baker | Why home improvements are no longer a money spinner.

Don't Meddle With Stamp Duty!

by Cliff D'Arcy | Chancellor Alistair Darling is desperate to avoid a house-price crash. But fiddling with fees at the fringes is futile.

How I Saved £60 A Week In Rent

by Laura Starkey | In today's troubled property market, it's easy to persuade your landlord to charge you less rent. Just follow this Fool's example...

I Want A House Price Crash!

by Harvey Jones | Falling house prices are exactly what we need, according to this Fool.

Published in July 2008

Bad News For Homeowners And Lenders!

by Cliff D'Arcy | The Crosby report -- a review of the UK mortgage market -- came out on Tuesday morning. It makes grim reading for property owners and investors.

Two Myths You Shouldn't Believe

by Donna Ferguson | This is one of the most dangerous ways to get out of debt -- and if you believe these myths, it could leave you homeless.

How To Handle Lease Disputes

by Neil Faulkner | If you have a problem with service or admin charges, service management or any other leaseholder's complaint, here's how to tackle the problem.

Bag A Bargain Property At Auction

by Szu Ping Chan | With the property market proving turbulent in recent times, is it the perfect time to bag a bargain at auction? We revisit the auction room to find out...

Turning Back The Property Clock

by Cliff D'Arcy | With house prices falling steadily for the first time since 1995, how far could the property market reverse?

Published in June 2008

Profit From Property Price Falls

by Laura Starkey | Are we right to fear falling house prices... Or would some of us do well from a decline?

A Handful Of Housing Horrors!

by Cliff D'Arcy | When things get tough in the housing market, homeowners should worry about these five shocks.

This Is The Way To Sell Your Home

by Donna Ferguson | House-hunters are few and far between at the moment. How can you increase the saleability of your home and ensure it attracts an offer?

UK Property Crash Is Under Way

by Cliff D'Arcy | The UK property market is in a bad way. Just take a look at the huge falls among housing-related firms...

The Ups And Downs Of Renting

by Cliff D'Arcy | Around three in ten adults don't own their own home. However, this can sometimes be a good thing, especially when house prices fall...

The Time To Buy Property Is Now

by Neil Faulkner | Ignore all property-price predictions. The time to buy property is now. Neil Faulkner explains why.

House Price Fall Biggest In 15 Years

by Ed Bowsher | The price of the average UK home fell by £4600 in May. Today's 'no change' base rate decision means that further falls look very likely.

The Cost Of Home Improvements

by Christina Jordan | How much do home improvements actually cost? Christina Jordan investigates.

Published in May 2008

Why Home Improving Beats Moving

by Christina Jordan | Falling property prices make home improvements a good bet - but do it properly.

How To Pay For Home Improvements

by Ed Bowsher | So you'd like to carry out some home improvements - but you're not sure where the money's going to come from. Here's a step-by-step guide to all your borrowing options.

Rental Market Bounces Back

by Jane Baker | Times are tough for buyers and sellers, but landlords appear to be thriving.

Help Is At Hand For First-Time Buyers!

by Laura Starkey | Now that the government has expanded shared ownership and equity schemes, is there a glimmer of hope on the horizon for struggling first time-buyers?

Help Is At Hand For First-Time Buyers!

by Laura Starkey | Now that the government has expanded shared ownership and equity schemes, is there a glimmer of hope on the horizon for struggling first time-buyers?

House Price Falls: The Winners And Losers

by Donna Ferguson | Who are the real winners and losers when house prices fall?

How To Cope With Negative Equity

by Jane Baker | What can you do to protect yourself from a 1990s-style negative equity crisis?

How I saved £230 when renting

by Neil Faulkner | Neil Faulkner explains how renters can save hundreds of pounds in seven easy ways.

Published in April 2008

Six smart rules for renters

by Donna Ferguson | As many of us are forced to play the waiting game when it comes to property, what can you do to make sure you get renting right?

Stop Buyers From Gazundering You

by Donna Ferguson | House prices are falling and gazundering is coming back into fashion. If you're selling your home, how can you ensure you get the price you wanted?

Why Homebuyers Can Afford To Be Patient

by Neil Faulkner | Neil Faulkner explains why first-timers could afford to be patient even if property prices were rising!

Why Homebuyers Can Afford To Be Patient

by Neil Faulkner | Neil Faulkner explains why first-timers could afford to be patient even if property prices were rising!

Fool News: First Time Buyers Put Off Purchasing

by Laura Starkey | A new survey from Equifax shows that almost half of potential homeowners will now wait to buy.

Capitalise On House Price Falls

by Donna Ferguson | House prices are falling at their fastest rate since 1978 - but if you've already put in an offer, what should you do? Here are our five top tips to successful gazundering.

Buying Your First Home: A Complete Guide

by Donna Ferguson | Is now a good time to take your first step onto the housing ladder? How has the credit crunch affected mortgage rates for first-time buyers? What's going on with house prices? Donna Werbner has the answers.

Published in March 2008

The Cheapest And Most Expensive Places To Buy Property

by Donna Ferguson | What are the cheapest and most expensive places to buy property in the UK?

Cash In On The Value Of Your Home

by Jane Baker | Considering an equity release scheme? Jane Baker explains how you can unlock the cash from your home, but still ensure your heirs receive a significant inheritance.

Landlords: The Best £20 You'll Ever Spend

by Donna Ferguson | Donna Werbner reveals how you can replace your lettings agent with an insurance policy that costs just £20 a year.

Published in February 2008

The Best And Worst Properties To Own

by Cliff D'Arcy | Which properties increase in value most? Which fall furthest in a crash? We crunch the numbers to find out.

How To Buy Property At Auction

by Szu Ping Chan | Are you looking for a stress-free way to buy a property on the cheap? Property auctions could be the answer. Here's a guide to what to expect, together with some handy tips to help you bag that bargain.

Should You Unlock Capital From Your Home?

by Jane Baker | Does it make sense to borrow more money against your home?

The Fool Makes A Difference!

by Donna Ferguson | Thousands of you read The Fool's undercover report that warned vulnerable homeowners about a dangerous way to get out of debt. Now find out the difference it has made.

The Housing Boom: Part Two

by Cliff D'Arcy | Here's part two of our regional review of the property boom. These were the good times for homeowners!

How Big Was The Housing Boom?

by Cliff D'Arcy | Which parts of the UK were the biggest winners and losers in the house-price explosion? We dig up the data and find out.