London's new garden squares
London is already the greenest capital in Europe, with homeowners enjoying more than 600 garden squares. And the good news is that there are more to come.
As the BBC move out, Shepherd's Bush switches to a new programme
As Aunty leaves the Bush the borough seizes the opportunity to create a proper neighbourhood.
Spotlight on Camden Town
The shops and markets clustered around the high street and canal make Camden one of the most colourful of London's neighbourhoods. The area's period homes and loft-style apartments attract a mix of homebuyers.
Revealed: from Reading to Redhill – the top 20 commuter stations
Choose your route. Our exclusive property buyers’ guide shows travel times, costs and house prices.
My design London - Russell Norman
Owner of Polpo, Spuntino and Polpetto restaurants in Soho, and da Polpo and Mishkin's in Covent Garden, restauranteur Russell Norman opens up on his favourite London haunts.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Camden Town
This two-bedroom flat has a pretty park on its doorstep, while buzzing Camden Town is only 10 minutes’ walk away. Big sash windows and high ceilings give a spacious feel and there’s a private garden with a studio/home office (£525,000).
Swap of the week: Willersey, Glouc
This little Cotswolds beauty is just across the road from the village green and duck pond. For £530,000 you get beams, exposed stone walls and an open fireplace, plus four bedrooms, a useful attic room and lush gardens to enjoy.
Life-changer: Trescowe, Cornwall
For a project brimming with potential, what about this coastal home, yours for £545,000? The family space includes six bedrooms, while its collection of outbuildings overlooking an acre of gardens could become income-generating holiday lets.
Spotlight on Camden Town
The shops and markets clustered around the high street and canal make Camden one of the most colourful of London's neighbourhoods. The area's period homes and loft-style apartments attract a mix of homebuyers.
Property search
How to cut moving costs
By Lucy Tobin
Moving house, or even just shifting a single piece of furniture around the country, is an expensive business. The average man-with-a-van won’t get out of bed for less than £50, and shifting anything big a fair distance will soon run into three figures. But using a free online delivery auction service, Anyvan.com, could slash the cost. The site matches customers who need to move goods around the country with couriers who are already heading in that direction, or have empty space to fill for a return journey.
It’s easy to use: you log in, list the item that you want moved - including details like its size, and when and where it needs to arrive - and delivery firms then bid for the job.
Once the auction ends, you choose from the delivery options and prices available, and select your preferred courier - who might include the local van-owning Joe Bloggs or a big firm. You can view past customers’ feedback on each bidder to help make your decision. Customers then pay using Anyvan’s secure system.
There’s some green cache too: putting your sofa, grandfather clock or eBay goods onto the back of a lorry that’s already making a journey saves on CO2 emissions.
Some recent winning bids on the site include a house move - without any large furniture items - from Highbury to Epsom for £60, and four dining chairs from Glasgow to Bristol for £40.
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As the BBC move out, Shepherd's Bush switches to a new programme
As Aunty leaves the Bush the borough seizes the opportunity to create a proper neighbourhood.
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Farmer is milking me for road repairs
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Diary of an estate agent
This week's agent gets the silent treatment while being shown round a minimalist loft apartment in Camden by… a mime artist.
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London’s epidemic of discounting
A combination of greedy sellers, nervous buyers and unscrupulous estate agents who promise sky-high prices in order to tempt clients, is being blamed for an epidemic of discounting in the London property market, where a third of all homes for sale have had their original asking price slashed.
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There is such a thing as a VAT-free lunch
Shop savvily and you can still avoid VAT in some areas — when buying clothes, holidays and presents, for example. But start with a VAT-free lunch — by making it yourself.
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