Tim Self knew that converting a Grade II listed, Victorian church in Berkshire, that had lain derelict for a decade, into a home would have its challenges. But he wasn’t prepared for the ones posed by God’s own creatures. “As well as still having the pews, prayer mats and bibles, the building was home to bats, newts … [Read more...]
Why Cardigan, Ceredigion, is one of the best places to live 2024
Cardigan is full of surprises. Once one of the most important ports in Wales, with a thriving shipbuilding industry and seven times as many ships registered there as Cardiff, today the town on the River Teifi is busy with paddleboards, kayaks and sailing boats, and a community buzzing with creativity. A cowshed on the … [Read more...]
Call for Vat Reduction on Property Renovations
As the Spring Budget approaches, there is a growing call for Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to address the VAT disparity affecting property renovations compared to new builds. Carol Peett, managing director of West Wales Property Finders http://www.westwalespropertyfinders.co.uk, advocates for a change, suggesting renovations … [Read more...]
Buy to Let or Holiday Let?
Until last week holiday lets offered landlords a small boon amid the relentless squeeze on buy to let investments. While landlords in general have been forced to grapple with rising taxes and dwindling tax benefits, which eat into their profits, holiday let owners have benefitted from much more generous … [Read more...]
A source of joy, and painful expense: how to renovate a listed home
Renovating a house from top to bottom is not for the faint-hearted, but if the property is listed, this comes with many added layers of red tape and expense. Just ask Claire Collins, who has spent two years restoring an elegant Georgian house in Lansdown, Bath. “When I bought the house, it was so beautiful but … [Read more...]
In praise of the suburban semi – they’re hot property, whatever the snobs say
In 1939 George Orwell took aim at burgeoning British suburbia and its population of lower middle class lackeys in his novel Coming Up for Air, memorably describing the new homes being built on the fringes of cities as ‘semi-detached torture chambers where the poor little five-to-ten pound a-weekers quake and … [Read more...]
Should you ever pay above the asking price for a home?
If you’ve fallen in love with your dream home you may be tempted to pay over the asking price. But is it ever a good idea? Those new to buying a home may not realise that an asking price is just a guide. An estate agent will advise the seller on an appropriate asking price for their property based on its … [Read more...]
The Last Seaside Towns were you can Bag a Bargain
When the sun shines, few things beat a trip to the British seaside. Whether a day on the beach with a bucket and spade, catching a wave or a clifftop stroll, these are simple yet rewarding pastimes. It is no wonder properties by the sea command such high prices. Homes in fashionable Salcombe, Sandbanks and … [Read more...]
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