Consumer News

RENOVATION HELP IN THE TOWN OF UNION

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:05:16 -0600

Town of Union, NY (WBNG Binghamton) People in the Town of Union looking to upgrade their homes can now take advantage of a special tax break.

Homeowners to be replaced by tenants

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:40:17 -0600

Reporting on its recent “Future Housing” conference the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) says it expects the UK to see a smaller proportion of homeowners and a higher proportion of tenants, mostly in the private sector, in the years ahead.

'Irresponsible' development leaves families homeless

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:25:04 -0600

Two families face having their homes demolished after work carried out without planning permission on a nearby property caused structural damage.

How much space does £50 buy you?

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:51:26 -0600

In 2006 Bricks & Mortar introduced British homebuyers to a new measure for valuing their homes. The unveiling of “price per square foot” caused a sensation by revealing that such a morsel of space would cost £137 in Manchester, £249 in Guildford and an average of £1,200 in the finest London postcodes. An accompanying graphic revealed the actual space a buyer could purchase for £50 — which ranged from space for a dinner plate in Manchester to an area too small for a wine glass in Chelsea.

Why high interest rates might help first-time buyers

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:59:08 -0600

The property boom triggered financial crisis and recession has had a disproportionate impact on those who played no part in causing it, while rewarding those who profited over the years.

Home buyers have been 'taking advantage of market conditions'

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:46:25 -0600

Would-be home buyers in the UK have been taking advantage of the current property market conditions, it has been suggested.

Landlords feel heat in market

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:54:39 -0600

The Mission Viejo, Calif., man was a member of a real estate investment club in 2004 when he read a story that said Palm Bay was among the 10 cities nationwide that would see the biggest increase in real estate values.

A good time to buy in the West Country

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:40:35 -0600

Although property prices in Devon and Cornwall have crept up since early last year, the recovery is still trailing much stronger markets in London and the South East. But the lag is giving cash-rich investors the confidence to strike good deals with property developers struggling through the recession.

UK landlords end 2009 on a high

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:35:05 -0600

UK landlords enjoyed a strong end to 2009, with an increasing number finding stability in the 4th quarter, according to a new sector trends report by Paragon.

Rising rents leave tenants vulnerable

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:33:19 -0600

A fundamental power shift has taken place in the relationship between tenant and landlord. In the first half of last year, tenants (unusually) held all the cards. The pendulum has since swung back, and landlords are once again in the ascendant.

Help for first time buyers trying to get on the property ladder

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:41:32 -0600

Many potential first time buyers have had to put their dreams of becoming homeowners on hold since the credit crisis made it much more difficult to secure a mortgage, but all is not lost, says Unbiased.co.uk.

High property prices 'bad news for young people'

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:40:01 -0600

There needs to be some recognition that the house price rises over the last decade did not benefit everyone.

Real people: how to survive a property crash

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:00:32 -0600

There are thousands of couples in Britain like Phoebe Oliver, 35, and her husband Jamie, 39, who after weighing up their chances of building up a traditional pension pot decided instead to put their life savings into property.

More homebuyers begin their quest in cyberspace

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:54:01 -0600

Dennis and April Newton are members of the e-commerce generation. When they decided it was time to buy a house, they searched for one on a Saturday evening on Coldwell Banker Real Estate Co.'s PittsburghMove.com Web site.

Sales Fade As First-Time Homebuyers Give Up on Credit

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:13:45 -0600

With less than thirty days to go until the first-time homebuyer tax credit expires, home sales are starting to fade as buyers give up on making the November 30 deadline.

World Habitat Day 2009: Planning our urban future

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:00:00 -0500

The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day. The idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

'Cash is king' in market for foreclosed homes

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:38:11 -0500

As an aspiring first-time home buyer, Jay Nielsen hoped to find a cheap, bank-held foreclosure in Vallejo that he could finance with a Federal Housing Administration mortgage. What he didn't expect was having to compete with buyers willing to pay in all cash.

First-time homebuyers find warm, cozy market

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:21:03 -0500

Thanks to low interest rates, a 2009 tax credit and a market catered to them, first-time homebuyers are driving the local real estate market for the first time in at least two decades, local real estate agents said.