UK house prices rising at fastest rate since February 2018

Halifax shows rate of growth at 4.1%, partly due to sales delayed amid 2019 uncertainty

UK house prices are rising at their fastest annual rate for nearly two years, according to Halifax, prompting claims that the property market is heading into the crucial spring season in reasonable shape.

Halifax said house prices rose by 0.4% in January, adding just over £1,000 to the average pricetag of £240,054. This was enough to lift the annual rate of price growth to 4.1% – the highest figure since February 2018. As recently as October 2019, this annual figure was below 1%.

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Keeping your home damp free Nottingham Estate Agents

For a problem that affects millions of properties, damp is not as well understood as it should be. OnTheMarket.com offers top tips for a dry and healthy home Everyone knows that if they have a large hole in their roof, or leave their windows open during a thunderstorm, they will end up with soggy carpets. […]

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Homes in towers for sale – in pictures

Scale the heights with these high-living properties, from Suffolk to Northumberland

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Equity release: what are the options for older people?

Taking cash out of your home is more popular than ever, but other choices could be better for you

Older people are withdrawing £10m a day from their homes – adding up to £3.4bn last year – and it’s not just for new kitchens and dream holidays. New research reveals a surge in the number of people turning to equity release in order to pay off debts and mortgages.

Equity release is becoming an increasingly mainstream proposition, and rates on these deals have fallen to record lows, making them look more tempting. The lowest interest rates are now below 3%, whereas five years ago you would have done very well to get 5%.

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'Beast from the east' cold snap led to spike in UK emissions

Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 equivalent to total output of small country, data shows

Heating Britain’s draughty homes during the “beast from the east” caused greenhouse gas emissions to rise by 2.5m tonnes in 2018, or half of the total emissions of Albania.

Official figures showed the emissions from homes and public buildings rose sharply as a result of a Siberian weather system, in part because many still rely on gas heating and subpar insulation.

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Rental contracts: Top tips before you sign on the dotted line Nottingham Estate Agents

You’ve found somewhere to rent. You’re already thinking about the curtains. But before you get carried away, there’s the small matter of your tenancy agreement. As estate agent Savills says: “No matter how keen you are to find a rental property, you should never rush into a tenancy without knowing your rights and responsibilities, as […]

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Number of new UK homes registered to be built hits 13-year high

Rise of 1% to 161,022 properties in 2019 remains far short of government target

The number of new homes registered to be built in the UK last year rose 1% to a 13-year high – but is is still way below the government’s target.

The National House Building Council (NHBC) said 161,022 homes were registered with the organisation last year, the highest level since the start of the financial crisis in 2007. The number of affordable or rental homes rose 13% to 48,936.

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