Silly Billy: what the Ikea bookcase tells us about the true cost of fast furniture

A Billy bookcase is made every three seconds. But with a third of people admitting to throwing away furniture that they could have sold or donated, does the cheap furniture boom have a heavy environmental price?

Jo Jackson remembers the day when it was clear that nothing was going to be the same for a while. It was mid-March and Made.com, an online purveyor of millennial-friendly furniture, had big plans for growth in the year of its 10th anniversary.

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What the re-opening of the property market means for mortgages Nottingham Estate Agents

The property market in England has been given the green light to get moving, prompting a sharp increase in mortgage enquiries from homebuyers and those looking to remortgage. OnTheMarket looks at the what the reopening of the property market means for the mortgage market. Mortgage market reacts positively to English housing market restart Housing Secretary […]

The post What the re-opening of the property market means for mortgages appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.

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Inside five homes with AMAZING extensions

Looking for inspiration?

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Nine questions all first-time buyers should ask at a viewing

Never feel embarrassed about asking these.

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What can you afford as a first-time buyer?

Find out what your budget is.

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Equity release debt is growing – can I apply for mortgage holiday?

Reader thwarted by lockdown from selling mother’s home to pay for her care home costs

Q My mother took out a lifetime mortgage for equity release in 2011. The amount borrowed was nearly £100,000 (about half the value of her home at that time) at a rate of interest of 7.54%. Following a stroke, she moved into a nursing home in December 2019 so I am now in the process of selling her house to fund the care home fees.

By lockdown in March, I had a buyer in place but activity has been frozen for the last three months. Meanwhile the debt repayable to the equity release firm is apparently increasing at £230 a week, which would reduce the equity available at the end of the lockdown period by over £3,000.

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Chelsea flower show opens online amid lockdown gardening boom

Event comes as experts say green spaces are important for health and mental wellbeing

As an online version of the Chelsea flower show kicks off, horticultural experts are highlighting the mental health benefits of green spaces, with evidence showing people are appreciating their gardens more than ever during lockdown.

The annual show had been due to welcome royals, celebrities and members of the public from Monday, until the coronavirus pandemic forced the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to cancel the physical event.

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