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
Making a comeback: 95 per cent loans
By Lucy Tobin
Is the gloom lifting? Lenders have recently launched a range of products aimed at first-time buyers - there are schemes to help them raise a deposit and the 95 per cent loan is making a comeback.“Lenders realise that an active first- time buyer market is essential if there is to be a revival in the UK housing market,” says Andrew Hagger, of comparison site Moneynet. “But the fact that a five per cent deposit is once again considered acceptable doesn’t mean it will be easy to get such a mortgage.”
Potential buyers will almost certainly need perfect credit ratings, plus be able to tick every box on a lenders’ wish list. The rates available for a 95 per cent loan-to-value mortgage are 5.99 per cent from Skipton Building Society, 6.29 per cent from Nationwide and 6.99 per cent from Clydesdale Bank.
Those are clearly much higher than for smaller mortgages, but may be preferable to renting. Hagger points out: “For many, the affordability of repayments wasn’t the issue, it was the daunting prospect of trying to scrape together a 15 per cent-plus deposit.”
A £120,000 mortgage at 5.99 per cent over 25 years would involve monthly repayments of £772.43. At 6.99 per cent the monthly cost would be £847.37.
Another interesting banking initiative are new products aimed to help first time buyers build up their savings. Nationwide Building Society’s new "save to buy" scheme offers first purchasers who save £2,500 to £5000 towards a home a cashback incentive of £250. That’s doubled to £500 for building savings up to £10,000, whilst anyone managing more than that receives a £1000 rebate off their mortgage.
Yorkshire Bank recently launched a new Regular Home Saver account, where first-time buyers who save up a five per cent deposit and then go on to take out a mortgage with the bank receive a £500 bonus. Those managing to squirrel away a 10 per cent stake receive £1,000.
Santander is also offering a preferential deal to its First Home Saver customers. Homeowners between 16 and 35 are eligible. amd those who pay £100-300 into their account each month receive five per cent interest on their savings - and are then eligible for a competitive mortgage rate of 5.29 per cent, with a £495 fee, free basic valuation and £250 cashback.
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