articlesRead the latest property articles and related stories from property authorities and experts.
Nov 2009
New feature on primelocation.com: Personal property notes
If you find you're losing track of the properties you've looked at as you browse Primelocation.com, our new feature is about to make things a lot easier. read more
Nov 2009
Living in an ancient monument
If even listed properties are a bit too modern for you, how about setting up home in a scheduled ancient monument? read more
Oct 2009
The Modern House
Meet the man who has the key to Britain's finest modern architecture... read more
Sept 2009
Retirement villages
Forget dated notions of sheltered housing for OAPs. Now it's all about having an active retirement, and what better place to do it than the new retirement villages? read more
Aug 2009
Now is the time to sell
It is something no one expected to hear for quite some time, but many prime agents are saying now is a great time to put your property on the market. read more
July 2009
Has Sandbanks gone bust?
Sandbanks was the unlikely millionaire's playground on the South Coast that hit the news when its house prices rivalled Tokyo, New York and Belgravia. But could the good times last?... read more
July 2009
Prime London boosted by international buyers
A weak pound has led to a massive increase in overseas buyers, and they're heading straight for central London. read more
June 2009
Come into the garden, all...
Some people's gardens are just too beautiful to be kept to themselves. Fortunately, the National Gardens Scheme allows us all a peek behind some very special hedges. read more
May 2009
digging for gold: basement conversions
When the thought of moving house makes you groan, but you're desperate for more room, what's the answer? For an increasing number of home owners, the solution lies beneath their feet. read more
May 2009
a golf home is no handicap
THE RISE and rise in development of golf-side homes has been one of the truly remarkable phenomena of the property market in recent years. read more
Apr 2009
property oddities: an unusual place to call home
Up the church steeple, down in the dungeon, out on the river or inside the lighthouse; some people choose the strangest abodes. read more
Apr 2009
four great ideas for gardens
Often overlooked, the garden forms an integral part of the home as social meeting place during summer months as well as being an important selling feature. read more
Apr 2009
the A-Z of Property Pitfalls
Even if you've found your perfect property at the right price, you're only halfway through the battle. read more
Mar 2009
how toxic is your home?
We live in an environment constantly under attack from harmful outside influences. read more
Feb 2009
how to locate property hotspots in a downturn
As 2009 dawned and the UK began to wake up to the severity of its economic woes, it soon became obvious that there would be no quick fix to the country's troubles. read more
Feb 2009
DIY removals (or Damaged Items, Yikes!)
A recent report found that 52 per cent of people aiming to move home would not consider using a professional removals company. Oh dear. read more
Feb 2009
rent, buy, swap or share - a very modern housing dilemma
We all need somewhere to call home, but with the property market crumbling around our ears and the country entering recession, investing in bricks and mortar may seem more like a life sentence than the time-honoured way to get rich slowly. read more
Jan 2009
property prophets
We may be currently treading the stormy waters of the property market but there are some among us for whom lean times provide the richest pickings. read more
Jan 2009
olympic property
Three years ago when London won the bid to host the 2012 Olympic games, not only did the Government get a much-needed popularity boost, estate agents in the east of the capital were rubbing their hands together with alacrity in anticipation of riches to come. read more
Jan 2009
waterside living in Britain
The sound of running water evokes something deep within the human soul that is timeless, captivating and magical - so for many, the appeal of actually living by water epitomises the very essence of stylish living. read more
Jan 2009
wrap up your home this winter
It is estimated that more than 600,000 families are currently struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills due to the recession compounded by last year’s multiple utility price rises. read more
Jan 2009
animal house: when pets and property collide
Animal support organisations reckon that in 2008 there were around 18 million pet-owning households in the UK, containing 27 million animals - more than half the total population. read more
Dec 2008
prime locations in 2009
Unless one has been living in outer space for the past twelve months, it has been undeniably one of the worst years for the property industry since records began. read more
Dec 2008
12 money-saving, carbon emission-reducing resolutions for 2009
Looking to save money and cut down your carbon footprint in 2009? We've got 12 New Year's Resolutions for you to implement in your home in 2009...... read more
Dec 2008
nine anti-credit crunch resolutions for 2009
The past year has seen UK plc slip into a recession made doubly worse by a simultaneous banking crisis, the effects of which have both conspired to rock the property market... read more
Dec 2008
16 great kitchen worktops
No longer do you have to put up with boring, conventional kitchen worktops. With advances in technology and different treatments and finishes... read more
Nov 2008
favourite five fabric armchairs
If you're in the process of renovating your bathroom, take a look at our Favourite Five bathtubs to help you find the perfect place to relax... read more
Nov 2008
favourite five: bathtubs
If you're in the process of renovating your bathroom, take a look at our Favourite Five bathtubs to help you find the perfect place to relax... read more
Nov 2008
eight prime ideas for upgrading your bathroom
It may be the smallest room in the house, but with a little planning you can turn it into a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of modern day living... read more
Oct 2008
Primelocation.com International Search Index, September 2008
In spite of market conditions, Britons continue looking for property to buy abroad, with the number of people searching for international property on Primelocation.com increasing by 8% in the past month... read more
Oct 2008
Phil Spencer's market comment
What a month! September started with a hint of optimism with the US bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the suggestion that the mortgage market here might start to pick up again... read more
Oct 2008
lofty ideas
It's estimated a loft conversion can add an extra 10% to a property's value. New regulations from 01 October will enable most people to convert their loft without council permission. read more
Sep 2008
is the top end of the property market immune to the risk of a crash?
In the final programme of his World of Money series, financial guru Alvin Hall explores how differently from the mainstream market... read more
Sep 2008
Phil Spencer's market comment
Falling values have continued to provide shocking headlines throughout the month of August. The volume of transactions remains pitiful... read more
Aug 2008
Phil Spencer's market comment
The summer is never an easy period in the housing market and the monthly statistics for July provide even further ammunition to the merchants of doom and gloom... read more
Jun 2008
Phil Spencer's market comment
The situation has intensified considerably over the last few months and the mortgage market (or lack of it) is playing a key role in this... read more
Jun 2008
beware the credit card crunch
If you thought the mortgage market was the only area of borrowing being hit by the credit crunch, then think again. Credit cards and... read more
Jun 2008
is it the end for the 100% mortgage?
For first-time buyers looking for a way to finance their step onto the property ladder, the environment just got even tougher... read more
May 2008
Phil Spencer's market comment
The continued 'demise' of the housing market has been widely reported in recent days following the publication of even more weak data... read more
Apr 2008
Phil Spencer's market comment
The property columns seem to have become obituary columns but markets never stand still and there are opportunities in both upturns and downturns. read more
Apr 2008
the mortgage crisis deepens
Consumers looking for a mortgage are facing less choice and higher rates. The Bank of England has warned that the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better... read more
Apr 2008
Northern Rock slashes savings rates
Northern Rock has announced losses of £167.6m last year, and the implications of what lies ahead for the customers of the... read more
Apr 2008
prepare your finances for a recession
The boom time is well and truly over and some economists are warning that the economic slowdown could turn into a full scale recession. Before you start panicking... read more
Apr 2008
is it time to think long-term with your mortgage?
Homeowners have become used to remortgaging every couple of years. Short-term, two and three-year products have been popular... read more
- Apr 2008
don't miss out on your ISA allowance
Banks and building societies are bracing themselves for the annual rush from savers who have left it until the last minute... read more
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Mar 2008
Phil Spencer's market comment
To date, despite difficult economic conditions, the prime London and country markets in which Garrington operates have demonstrated a good degree of resolve. It is the sub-1Mil mainstream market where the effects of the credit crunch have been felt. read more
- Feb 2008
how you can avoid a payment shock
Millions of homeowners could see a huge jump in their monthly mortgage payments when their fixed rate deal ends this year. However, there are ways to minimise the payment shock... read more
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Feb 2008
an acceptable state of affairs
Over the last few years demand from purchasers has very rarely been matched by the equivalent supply of houses for sale. This has resulted in the constant upward pressure on prices that we have become accustomed to. So far this year the supply side is increasing broadly in line with demand - which means we have a state of equilibrium. The market is flat. read more
- Feb 2008
why did Northern Rock crash?
Northern Rock will be the first company to be nationalised since Rolls Royce was taken under state control in the 1970s. read more
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Feb 2008
Phil Spencer's market comment
Looking back, the most extraordinary aspect of the 2007 market was the speed with which sentiment altered; record price growth in the summer led almost straight into the negative winter market. Such a dramatic turnaround caused great uncertainty. read more
- Oct 2007
what do property search agents do?
Whether buying or renting, finding yourself the most suitable property and being 100% confident in your decision is a tall order. read more
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Oct 2007
Phil Spencer's housing market comment
The general feeling of cautiousness in the market seems to have morphed into one of resignation that it's going to be a quiet winter. read more
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Sep 2007
Phil Spencer's housing market comment
It is habitual for the UK's housing market to be constantly reported on in the national press and while information that assists buyers reach decisions is always welcomed, much of the recent comment has been sensationalist. read more
