Living

  • Why your dream home may just be up in Scotland’s northern reaches
    Friday, 27th August 2010
    Rural Scottish properties often come with a terrific spread of acreage
    Juliet Samuel
    THE number of holiday homes in the UK is on the rise, according to research by Knight Frank. After declining in 2008, the number of British second homes swelled 2.6 per cent last year and is set to rise another 2 per cent this year. So with demand once again on the up, buyers should be on the lookout for homes that will retain both their peaceful appeal and their value. North-western Scotland is one of the few areas where it is not only possible to buy a rustic home set amid pristine scenery, but to buy a sizeable chunk of the scenery as well. Strutt & Parker’s Suzanne Moss says that it... [Read more]

  • FOCUS ON: WEMBLEY, HA9
    Friday, 27th August 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    CENTRAL APARTMENTS From £230,000 Ideal for first-time buyers, this new development comprises 113 apartments. All flats are open-plan and have their own balconies with views as far as the London Eye... [Read more]
  • PROPERTY NEWS
    Friday, 27th August 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    BACK TO THE BOOM YEARS FOR PUTNEY The property boom years are back, at least in Putney. An eight-bedroom house in Heathview Gardens has just sold for £5.3m, one of the highest prices ever paid for a... [Read more]
  • SELLING
    Friday, 27th August 2010
    Q&A
    RUSSELL HUNT
    MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROPERTY HUNT Q.Dear Russell, with property prices projected to fall and interest rates forecast to rise, should I buy? A.As with anything to do with property, it is all about... [Read more]

  • FOCUS ON: MORDEN, SURREY
    Friday, 20th August 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    RIVERSIDE HOUSE, MORDEN ROAD £199,950 This two-bedroom apartment in a smart riverside development is ideal for the first-time buyer. It has an undercover reserved parking bay. Contact: Ellisons on... [Read more]
  • BUYING
    Friday, 20th August 2010
    Q&A
    CAMILLA DELL
    MANAGING PARTNER AT BLACK BRICK Q.Dear Camilla. I’m thinking about buying a property in London for investment but I keep seeing various contradicting indices and I am very confused. What is... [Read more]
  • PROPERTY NEWS
    Friday, 20th August 2010
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    LUXURY DEVELOPMENT ON FINCHLEY ROAD A slice of leafy North-West London has just become more accessible with the unveiling of West Heath Place, a collection of 48 apartments, including penthouses and... [Read more]
  • Forget yachts, try tweeds and guns
    Friday, 13th August 2010
    Shooting estates bring good returns – with responsiblities
    Juliet Samuel
    AMONG the UK’s high-earners, some race cars, others sail yachts and others engage in the age-old tradition of country sports. And with the grouse shooting season kicking off yesterday, keen field... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: HAMPTON
    Friday, 13th August 2010
    TIMOTHY BARBER
    CHURCH STREET £750,000 A pretty, three-bedroom cottage in Hampton’s old village quarter, close to Hampton Court Palace and the Thames. Contact Tredinnick &?Bower on 020 8979 9922 or visit www.... [Read more]
  • LETTING
    Friday, 13th August 2010
    Q&A
    James Davis
    CEO of online lettings agent www.upad.co.uk Q.My first ever tenant is nearing the end of their first six-month fixed tenancy. Should I get them to sign a new agreement? A.It’s entirely your choice... [Read more]
  • PROPERTY NEWS
    Friday, 13th August 2010
    TIMOTHY BARBER
    SOLD! THE UK’S MOST EXPENSIVE HOME A penthouse in One Hyde Park, the lavish development in Knightsbridge, has entered the record books as the most expensive residential property in Britain – and,... [Read more]
  • It pays to be the canary in the mine
    Friday, 6th August 2010
    Get more space and higher specs for your money in the Docklands
    Juliet Samuel
    LONDONERS in search of rental bargains are getting wise to the fact that moving a few miles east into the Docklands gets you more space and higher specs for the same money. Rental prices in the... [Read more]
  • PROPERTY NEWS
    Friday, 6th August 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    £50M TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING The Mayor of London and London Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have approved the funding for 16 schemes aimed at providing 518 affordable homes. The schemes’ future... [Read more]
  • SELLING
    Friday, 6th August 2010
    Q&A
    Andrew Dunning
    HEAD DESIGNER, APD INTERIORS Q.Dear Andrew, my hallway seems to have become a general dumping ground – how can I make it more welcoming? A.The appearance and design of the hallway is often overlooked... [Read more]
  • History, beauty and luxury on the Iberian peninsula
    Friday, 6th August 2010
    Escape the tourist traps with a holiday home in the Cadiz region
    Timothy Barber
    THE credit crunch kicked the bottom out of the Spanish property market. But if you’re looking for somewhere to bask in the sun this time next year, that simply means Spain is a more affordable place... [Read more]
  • Buy now to take advantage of the Olympic dream
    Friday, 30th July 2010
    Buy now to take advantage of the Olympic dream
    Juliet Samuel
    NEW data released by Lloyds TSB and the Land Registry this week revealed that since London won its bid to host the 2012 Olympic games, property prices in east London have climbed an average of 26 per... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: THORNTON HEATH, SURREY
    Friday, 30th July 2010
    SELLING Russell Hunt MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROPERTY HUNT Q.Dear Russell, I am looking to invest in a London property. Is central London still the best place to buy? A.It certainly makes sense to invest... [Read more]
  • vexx
    Friday, 30th July 2010
    Q&A RUSSELL HUNT
    MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROPERTY HUNT Q.Dear Russell, I am looking to invest in a London property. Is central London still the best place to buy? A.It certainly makes sense to invest in prime central... [Read more]
  • PROPERTY NEWS
    Friday, 30th July 2010
    jessica mead
    JESSICA MEAD
    HIGH DEMAND TO KEEP FARMLAND PRICES UP Increased demand for commercial farmland and a continued lack of supply are keeping rural land price high, the latest Rural Land Market Survey from the Royal... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: GREENWICH, SE10
    Friday, 23rd July 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY Price: From £165,000 A luxury flat in an 18th century military school is not the typical home of a first-time buyer. But a regeneration project has turned the academy into a... [Read more]
  • PROPERTY NEWS
    Friday, 23rd July 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    SAVILLS’ PROPERTY AUCTION NEXT TUESDAY Bargain-hunting property investors rejoice. Next Tuesday sees Savills hold one of its residential auctions. There’s a tenanted three-bedroom flat in a portered... [Read more]
  • BUYING
    Friday, 23rd July 2010
    Q&A
    CAMILLA DELL
    MANAGING PARTNER AT BLACK BRICK Q.Dear Camilla, I am thinking of selling my property but I am concerned that it is summer and there are fewer buyers around. When is the optimum time to put my... [Read more]
  • It pays to get your hands on the title deeds
    Friday, 23rd July 2010
    Buying the freehold can cost the same as extending the lease
    Juliet Samuel
    MORE London leaseholders than ever are taking advantage of their right to freehold enfranchisement – that is, the right to buy the freehold of their property – before the lease length drops below 80... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: BASILDON, ESSEX
    Friday, 16th July 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    COBURG LANE, Price: £152,500 This smart two-bedroom maisonette would be ideal for first-time buyers. It comes with off-street parking and access to communal gardens. There’s no onward chain. Contact... [Read more]
  • PROPERTY NEWS
    Friday, 16th July 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    BISHOPS AVE SITE SOLD FOR £30M One of London’s best development opportunities in Hampstead’s Bishops Avenue has sold for more than £30m. The 2.47 acre site has two planning consents in place – either... [Read more]
  • LETTING
    Friday, 16th July 2010
    Q&A
    JAMES DAVIS
    CEO OF ONLINE LETTINGS AGENT UPAD.CO.UK Q.I have three properties which I let to tenants on Local Housing Allowance. How do I find out if the new rates of housing benefit will cover their rent? If... [Read more]
  • The ascent of prime London’s new hotspot
    Friday, 16th July 2010
    A new development confirms Fitzrovia’s rise
    Zoe Strimpel
    FITZROVIA, the area around the BT Tower, bordered by Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Great Portland Street and Euston Road, should be Londoners’ idea of property heaven. The West End is on your... [Read more]
  • Don’t let your prime real estate abroad stand idle while you slave away at work
    Friday, 16th July 2010
    Whether you do it all yourself or use a service, it is always worth renting out your holiday home
    Juliet Samuel
    WITH global growth likely to be sluggish in the coming years, it might seem like a poor time to invest in a holiday home. But with a clear strategy for renting out the place when you’re not in... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: RENTING OUT YOUR HOLIDAY HOME
    Friday, 16th July 2010
    JULIEAT SAMUEL
    SUNSET VILLA, MYKONOS, GREECE Price: €2.2m This clean, white villa in the town of Mykonos has five bedrooms, six bathrooms and a wide terrace overlooking its large swimming pool. It is available... [Read more]
  • GOING FULL-TIME
    Friday, 16th July 2010
    FOR most Brits with second homes abroad, renting out the place will only generate supplementary income while you slave away in the office. But for Tim Forster, a former navy officer, holiday tenants... [Read more]
  • Go back to school... this time in style
    Friday, 9th July 2010
    There is no need to settle when hunting for old converted properties
    Juliet Samuel
    ESTATE agents love taking on “conversions” – it allows them to market the “authenticity” of a property. But what does a conversion actually offer buyers? One of the advantages, says Anup Pankhania... [Read more]
  • INTERIORS
    Friday, 9th July 2010
    ANDREW DUNNING HEAD DESIGNER, APD INTERIORS Q.Dear Andrew, we have a spare room and I would like to turn it into a home office. Can you give me some advice? A.First, consider how you want to use the... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: CHISWICK, W4
    Friday, 9th July 2010
    PRIORY ROAD Price: £830,000 This is a four-bedroom house with a kitchen/dining room, reception room, two bathrooms (one en-suite) and a garden. Chiswick Park, South Acton Tube and rail stations are a... [Read more]
  • Surrey is still the homeliest home county
    Friday, 2nd July 2010
    Quaint villages and links to London make this commuter heaven
    Juliet Samuel
    IF you are looking for a family home, Surrey is a good place to start. Unlike some of the suburbs closer to London, Surrey has villages with character and history, fine pubs and some wonderful... [Read more]
  • Keep it real in the Caribbean, just the place for sun, sand and security
    Friday, 2nd July 2010
    The West Indies is always a winner – and it’s a great investment too
    Zoe Strimpel
    THE appeal of white sand, turquoise sea and a developed infrastructure all in one is too strong to be destroyed by an economic downturn, even this one. While prices sank by 20-25 per cent in two of... [Read more]
  • Cotswolds classics are always in demand
    Friday, 2nd July 2010
    If you want an English country idyll, you have to be proactive
    Zoe Strimpel
    PICTURE the idyllic country home and the chances are you’ll conjure up some quaint, mullioned stone cottage in the Cotswolds. Far beyond a fad, the Cotswolds are home to what many consider England’s... [Read more]
  • It’s bargain time for Square Mile renters
    Friday, 2nd July 2010
    Early summer is the time to look for swanky short-stay properties
    Juliet Samuel
    WITH prices still slightly down from their 2008 heights, now is the time to get into the London rental market if you or your company are looking for non-permanent living space in the capital.... [Read more]
  • Add some colour to your Summer
    Friday, 2nd July 2010
    A bit of brightness makes a difference to a garden
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    vitra vegetal chair in brick red £284, see www.vitra.com for stockists glow coffee table £149 www.dwell.co.uk lighthouse oil lamp £16.95 www.dwell.co.uk Kanpazar Garden Light £580 www.gomodern.co.uk... [Read more]
  • The great barbecue debate
    Friday, 2nd July 2010
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    ACCORDING to anthropologists, in our hunter-gather days men only ever prepared food in two situations; at feasts for special occasions, or making quick, simple meals of meat cooked over open fires... [Read more]
  • SELLING
    Friday, 2nd July 2010
    Q&A
    Russell Hunt MANAGING DIRECTOR AT PROPERTY HUNT Q. Dear Russell, has the abolition of home information packs (Hips) helped the London property market? A.I think that the removal of Hips has... [Read more]
  • Let the travelling by boat take the stress out of commuting
    Friday, 25th June 2010
    River bus services on the Thames are a way to a better life
    Timothy Barbert
    IN warm weather those living near the river in London have a big advantage. It’s not just the views or access to riverside beer gardens – it’s the fact that they don’t have to jam themselves into... [Read more]
  • Q&A CURRENCY
    Friday, 25th June 2010
    CAMILLA DELL MANAGING PARTNER AT BLACK BRICK Q.Dear Camilla, I am a London property developer and in light of this week’s Budget, what will the week’s announcements mean for the capital’s housing... [Read more]
  • How Osborne’s budget affects the housing market
    Friday, 25th June 2010
    Higher-end buyers will be left relatively unruffled this time round
    Juliet Samuel
    THERE are not many ways to make a 10 per cent tax hike look business-friendly, but Chancellor George Osborne pulled off a neat trick this week by doing just that. Expectations of a massive capital... [Read more]
  • There’s nothing that says well done me quite like a bodacious one-man palace
    Friday, 25th June 2010
    These days, the successful bachelor covets convenience above all else
    Zoe Strimpel
    YOU’VE given your life to work – and you’ve made a mint in return. It’s high time you rewarded yourself with a show-stopper of a home.?Don’t beat around the property bush – buy yourself a bachelor... [Read more]
  • Get more bang for your buck in green, spacious Hackney
    Friday, 18th June 2010
    Live the good life in an old Victorian house in London Fields
    Juliet Samuel
    THERE aren’t many areas of London where less than a million pounds can get you an original Victorian house with four bedrooms, close access to three parks, independent shops and a commute under 20... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: CROUCH END, N8
    Friday, 18th June 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    PRIORY ROAD, N8 8LH Price: £785,000 This two-storey terraced house has the potential for a loft conversion, should you desire extra space. There are already four bedrooms and two reception rooms in... [Read more]
  • RENTING
    Friday, 18th June 2010
    Q & A
    James Davis ceo of online lettings agent upad.co.uk Q.Dear James, my tenant has moved out but still owes me two months’ rent. I have no forwarding address for her and would like to at least get the... [Read more]
  • Sun, sea, safari, wine... Welcome to paradise on earth
    Friday, 11th June 2010
    This could be your last chance to grab a great deal in South Africa
    Zoe Strimpel
    IN 2005, South Africa’s property market was the fastest growing in the world. Although its rate of growth has slowed, property in Africa’s most developed economy is increasingly in hot demand. This... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: HARLOW, ESSEX
    Friday, 11th June 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    APPLEBY Price: £885,000 A late Victorian detached house, this five double bedroom property is ideal for families. It is set in grounds of 0.3 acres and also has a detached coach house – perfect for... [Read more]
  • INTERIORS
    Friday, 11th June 2010
    Q&A
    Andrew Dunning HEAD DESIGNER, APD INTERIORS Q. Dear Andrew, I am thinking about replacing my kitchen. How should I go about doing this? A. Before you get carried away with designing your new kitchen... [Read more]
  • Honeypot homes are luring buyers up to Stanmore
    Friday, 11th June 2010
    Ditch any prejudices about the end of London’s Tube lines
    Juliet Samuel
    STEPPING off the end of a Tube line seems like entering a vacuum to most Londoners. One imagines a tangle of motorways, perhaps. Some cows. A few car parks­. Visitors to Stanmore might be surprised.... [Read more]
  • Opening up the Garden of England
    Friday, 4th June 2010
    Green space, fast rail links and big houses makes for a perfect town
    Juliet Samuel
    WITH the recent fresh spates of sunshine over the City, workers commuting from office to apartment might be thinking longingly uprooting from London for somewhere more rural. With expanding rail... [Read more]
  • Loft living goes west in a mews home with style
    Friday, 4th June 2010
    Timothy Barber looks at a classy conversion of a building once used by canal boatmen
    TIMOTHY BARBER
    FINDING hip, loft-style homes in west London can be rather tricky – Notting Hill and Fulham are hardly rife with the kind of ancient industrial buildings that made east London so fashionable in the... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: BRENTWOOD, ESSEX
    Friday, 4th June 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    WARLEYS LEA, WARLEY ROAD, GREAT WARLEY, CM13 3HT Price: £3.75m Architectural connoisseurs will love this early 19th century house that was remodelled by Sir Edwin Lutyens. It is ideally located just... [Read more]
  • Q&A: SELLING
    Friday, 4th June 2010
    Russell Hunt MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROPERTY HUNT Q. Dear Russell, is it easier to get a mortgage now and what’s the best way for me to go about getting one? A.It is certainly still difficult for... [Read more]
  • Act now to snap up remaining French bargains
    Friday, 28th May 2010
    Prices are rebounding, but there is still value out there – for now
    Juliet Samuel
    AFTER a weekend of Mediterranean weather evaporated this week, sun-hungry holidaymakers could be forgiven for looking to France. And with sellers dusting down wine cellars for the high season, there... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: CHISLEHURST, KENT
    Friday, 28th May 2010
    JESSICA MEAD
    CHALVEDUNE, WILDERNESS ROAD Price: £5.5m This is an extremely spacious home built on a sought-after private road with views to the rear over Chislehurst golf course. There is a master suite with two... [Read more]
  • Q&A: BUYING
    Friday, 28th May 2010
    Camilla Dell MANAGING PARTNER AT BLACK BRICK Q.Dear Camilla, Hips were originally introduced to protect buyers, now that they have been abolished what protection do buyers have? A. HOME Information... [Read more]
  • Belle Epoque style enters the 21 century
    Friday, 28th May 2010
    A stunning new Swiss development should appeal to those looking at relocating overseas
    Judith Baker
    AT the turn of the last century a visit to the imposing Mont Pelerine Palace in the Swiss Alps was a favourite pastime among wealthy travellers. They arrived by train to the quiet commune of... [Read more]
  • Stylish, affordable new homes for a brave green world
    Friday, 21st May 2010
    A handful of new developments are making eco-friendly living more appealing
    Zoe Strimpel
    THE UK is committed to ensuring that all new homes meet an ambitious zero-carbon standard by 2016. And with only a smattering of them in the country to date, there’s a long way to go. Indeed, Barry... [Read more]
  • Q&A: LETTING
    Friday, 21st May 2010
    James Davis
    CEO OF ONLINE LETTINGS AGENT WWW.UPAD.CO.UK Q. I've heard I need planning permission to let a house to three people sharing. Can this really be true? A. As of 6 April, if property previously occupied... [Read more]
  • FOCUS ON: WILLESDEN
    Friday, 21st May 2010
    TIMOTHY BARBER
    MANOR HOUSE DRIVE, NW6 Price: £2.8m You get peace, charm and space in this five bedroom family house on Manor House Drive in Brondesbury, not far from Queen’s Park. The best feature is the double... [Read more]
  • Modern living in reborn Wembley
    Friday, 21st May 2010
    The home of English football is only a short commute from the City
    Timothy Barber
    WITH three weeks to go until the World Cup, the red and white flags and bunting have started appearing in the shops this week, which must mean it’s okay now to be getting excited. Notwithstanding the... [Read more]
  • Buy into stability with a well-placed Tuscan property
    Friday, 14th May 2010
    Away from the British crowds of Chianti, try northern Tuscany for good returns
    Zoe Strimpel
    THERE have been many pretenders to the throne of Italian property gold, but the fact is that Tuscany is still the place everyone wants to be. The downside to any oversubscribed spot is inflated... [Read more]