New homes in London's Zone 1 on a Zone 2 budget
Our exclusive research shows a "price wall" formed by the Northern line, with property values to the east less than half those in the west. We reveal the emerging lower-value districts in Zone 1 for buyers on a Zone 2 budget.
Embassy exodus returns acres of central London to its residents
As the embassies exit Mayfair and Marylebone, their former bases will free up stunning family homes. While the move of many embassies to Nine Elms at Vauxhall is creating a new residential quarter including thousands of new apartments.
Oxford spotlight
The small city of Oxford is famous for its university and honeyed stone architecture, but its huge range of property - from affordable new homes to luxurious Victorian houses - and one hour commute to London, are big attractions to home buyers.
Brighton spotlight
The East Sussex city of Brighton and Hove offers its residents the best of both worlds: a relaxed life at one end of the line within an hour's commute of London, and a good mix of Regency terrace houses, seafront apartments and family homes.
Clerkenwell Design Week 2013
Discover one of London's most creative neighbourhoods at this year's Clerkenwell Design Week. This three-day event showcases the hottest trends in design, architecture and cutting-edge furniture.
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: Putney Hill, SW15
This glossy new apartment just off Putney Hill has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus a bright open-plan reception space with floor-to-ceiling windows and spectacular skyline views.
Out of town: Wigginton, Oxfordshire
This three-bedroom Grade II-listed thatch in the pretty village of Wigginton, near Banbury, is a tempting package of beams, wood burners and cottage gardens.
Life-changer: Tiverton, Devon
A five-bedroom house set in a valley at Cheriton Fitzpaine, Tiverton, surrounded by farmland and sweeping gardens, with B&B potential and a garage block ripe for conversion.
East Grinstead spotlight
East Grinstead in West Sussex is 30 miles south of the capital in the High Weald. The town's exclusive gated estates attract celebrity home buyers such as Tom Cruise, while London families are drawn to the area's good mix of period homes and modern flats.-
Buy of the week: Putney Hill, SW15
This glossy new apartment just off Putney Hill has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus a bright open-plan reception space with floor-to-ceiling windows and spectacular skyline views. -
Out of town: Wigginton, Oxfordshire
This three-bedroom Grade II-listed thatch in the pretty village of Wigginton, near Banbury, is a tempting package of beams, wood burners and cottage gardens. -
Life-changer: Tiverton, Devon
A five-bedroom house set in a valley at Cheriton Fitzpaine, Tiverton, surrounded by farmland and sweeping gardens, with B&B potential and a garage block ripe for conversion.
Property search
Kitchen gadgets
Time-saving appliances are always welcomed by busy Londoners. The latest gadgets jostling for bench space in our kitchens include the Vitamix, an express grater and slicer and a speedy ice maker. By Barbara Chandler
1. Ice Appliance
This neat little gadget makes batches of cubes in only 10 minutes. Leave it plugged in, and an alarm will tell you when it’s time for a water refill. It costs £149.99 from drinkstuff.com (0845 3133352).
This neat little gadget makes batches of cubes in only 10 minutes. Leave it plugged in, and an alarm will tell you when it’s time for a water refill. It costs £149.99 from drinkstuff.com (0845 3133352).
2. Zanussi SlimLine and Electrolux Reallife
Two new super-small and super-quick dishwashers, to fit in compact places. The Zanussi SlimLine (pictured, 45cm wide instead of the standard 60cm) gives an A-rated wash for nine place settings (zanussi.co.uk). The Electrolux Reallife is easy to load and cleverly engineered with spray arms to reach small crevices in greasy dishes/pans (electrolux.co.uk).
Two new super-small and super-quick dishwashers, to fit in compact places. The Zanussi SlimLine (pictured, 45cm wide instead of the standard 60cm) gives an A-rated wash for nine place settings (zanussi.co.uk). The Electrolux Reallife is easy to load and cleverly engineered with spray arms to reach small crevices in greasy dishes/pans (electrolux.co.uk).
3. The Vitamix
Here’s a gadget to drool over: priced from £439, this wonder worker performs 50 kitchen tasks in one machine at high speed and with minimum hassle. It makes ice cream in 30 seconds and hot soup from scratch in five minutes — and you don’t even have to peel or chop the veg. It smashes through ice cubes in seconds for smoothies and margaritas. It’s a coffee grinder and even bakes bread (johnlewis.com).
Here’s a gadget to drool over: priced from £439, this wonder worker performs 50 kitchen tasks in one machine at high speed and with minimum hassle. It makes ice cream in 30 seconds and hot soup from scratch in five minutes — and you don’t even have to peel or chop the veg. It smashes through ice cubes in seconds for smoothies and margaritas. It’s a coffee grinder and even bakes bread (johnlewis.com).
4. Party Wok
Let your party guests do the cooking. Party Wok (£79.99) has six non-stick mini-woks with little hotplates on a table-top cooker. For dessert, remove the woks and use the hotplates to make pancakes. This is part of British brand Swan’s new Come Dine Me range, inspired by the popular TV programme. Other gadgets include a raclette.
Let your party guests do the cooking. Party Wok (£79.99) has six non-stick mini-woks with little hotplates on a table-top cooker. For dessert, remove the woks and use the hotplates to make pancakes. This is part of British brand Swan’s new Come Dine Me range, inspired by the popular TV programme. Other gadgets include a raclette.
5. Tefal Fresh Express Plus
Choose from a versatile five attachments to perfectly slice and grate ingredients using the Tefal Fresh Express Plus (£54.98; tefalfreshexpress.co.uk). Grates hard cheese and nuts, or even fine grates, saving you precious time. You can also slice with a straight or undulating edge, or cut with a ridge using the attachments, all of which are stored on the machine.
Choose from a versatile five attachments to perfectly slice and grate ingredients using the Tefal Fresh Express Plus (£54.98; tefalfreshexpress.co.uk). Grates hard cheese and nuts, or even fine grates, saving you precious time. You can also slice with a straight or undulating edge, or cut with a ridge using the attachments, all of which are stored on the machine.
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