Able Estates

Able EstatesAddress: 287 Bexley Road, Northumberland Heath, Erith, Kent, DA8 3EX Telephone: 01322 400222http://www.ableestates.comen-gbnhsales@ableestates.comwww.AcquaintCRM.co.ukThu, 17 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.acquaintcrm.co.uk/customers/ABLE/logo.gifAble Estateshttp://www.ableestates.com3 Bedroom House, Erith £214,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3344ableestates.com/ MID TERRACED FAMILY HOME * DOUBLE GLAZED * GAS CENTRAL HEATING * OFF STREET PARKING * WELL KEPT GARDEN TO REAR * THROUGH LOUNGE * KITCHEN * THREE BEDROOMS * BATHROOM * CUL DE SAC LOCATION * SITUATED CLOSE TO ALL LOCAL AMENITIES *Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=33442 Bedroom Apartment, Thamesmead West £215,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10002981Able Estates are pleased to present this raised ground floor TWO BEDROOM, TWO BATHROOM APARTMENT with views overlooking the River Thames & ideally located within walking distance of mainline station with Woolwich DLR.Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100029813 Bedroom House, Erith £214,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3497As vendors sole agent ABLE ESTATES would like to offer to the market this impeccably decorated 3 bedroom house set in a quiet cul-de-sac location. The property benefits from OFF STREET PARKING*DOUBLE GLAZING and GAS CENTRAL HEATING.Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=34973 Bedroom House, Erith £170,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=2731ableestates.com/ * THREE BEDROOM VICTORIAN TERRACE PROPERTY * FIRST FLOOR BATHROOM * LARGE FITTED KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM * THROUGH LOUNGE * GAS CENTRAL HEATING * DOUBLE GLAZING * GARDEN * VACANT POSSESSION * CONVENIENTLY LOCATED CLOSE TO LOCAL AMENITIES *Thu, 05 May 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=27311 Bedroom End Terrace, Thamesmead £120,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003032CHAIN FREE 1 Bedroom Freehold Starter Home in North Thamesmead with its own Garden, benefits include DG & E7 Heating. NO STAMP DUTY TO PAY !! * WITH A RENTAL RETURN OF £650PCM,EVEN IF BOUGHT FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A YIELD OF 5.2% COULD BE ACHIEVED *Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100030324 Bedroom Detached, Welling £449,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003060Built approx 21 years ago is this Stunning 4 Bedroom Detached House with Double Garage that enjoys a Cul De Sac location.The property has all the benefits you would expect from an Executive house of this type. All Transport links are also close at hand.Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100030601 Bedroom Apartment, Belvedere Park £120,950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003062** BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT ** Built by BELLWAY HOMES ** Developement comprises of ONE and TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS **Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100030622 Bedroom Apartment, Belvedere Park £142,950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003063** YOU COULD OWN YOUR OWN HOME WITH ONLY A £4,838.00 DEPOSIT AT BELVEDERE PARK ** Belvedere Park offers a range of fantastic 1 & 2 bedroom apartments that are within walking distance of Belvedere Train Station - Prices range from £120,950 - £146,Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100030632 Bedroom Apartment, Belvedere Park £142,950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003080** Belvederes BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT ** Built by BELLWAY HOMES ** Development comprises of ONE and TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS ** **Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100030802 Bedroom Bungalow, Bexleyheath £259,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3618ableestates/TWO DOUBLE BEDROOM BUNGALOW* 100FT ESTABLISHED GARDEN* DOUBLE GLAZING* GAS CENTRAL HEATING* OPEN PLAN LOUNGE/ DINER* STRIPPED WOOD FLOORING* MODERN KITCHEN AND BATHROOM* GARAGE* CLOSE TO STATION AND SHOPS*CHAIN FREETue, 28 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=36181 Bedroom Apartment, Belvedere Park £120,950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3627** YOU COULD OWN YOUR OWN HOME WITH ONLY A £4,838.00 DEPOSIT AT BELVEDERE PARK ** Belvedere Park offers a range of fantastic 1 & 2 bedroom apartments that are within walking distance of Belvedere Train Station - Prices range from £120,950 - £146,Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=36272 Bedroom Apartment, Belvedere Park £142,950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3628** YOU COULD OWN YOUR OWN HOME WITH ONLY A £4,838.00 DEPOSIT AT BELVEDERE PARK ** Belvedere Park offers a range of fantastic 1 & 2 bedroom apartments that are within walking distance of Belvedere Train Station - Prices range from £120,950 - £146,Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=36282 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £162,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003118TWO BEDROOM TERRACE HOME boasting DG, GCH & Vacant Possession and conveniently located within a short walk to Shops, Schools, Trains, Buses & Playing FieldsWed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100031182 Bedroom Flat, Erith £134,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3682Spacious 2 bed ground floor flat,modern fitted kitchen,bathroom,lounge,CH,entry phone system,communal gardens and allocated parking. * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £800PCM, EVEN IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A 5.9% YIELD COULD BE ACHIEVFri, 30 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=36821 Bedroom Apartment, Erith £86,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3298One bedroom ground floor apartment, private entrance,DG, Econ 7 heating, communal gardens, close to local amenities * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £600PCM, EVEN IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A 6.8% YIELD COULD BE ACHIEVED *Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=32982 Bedroom Maisonette, Northumberland Heath £120,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=2144Two bedroom ground floor maisonette,lounge,fitted kitchen,bathroom,laminate floors,new wiring,garage,garden.Close to local amenities. * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £850PCM, EVEN IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A 7.1% YIELD COULD BE ACHIETue, 18 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=21443 Bedroom Terrace, North Thamesmead £160,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003153PRICE RANGE - £160,000 - £170,000. Three bedroom terrace family home. Double glazing and gas central heating and off street parking. Hallway, cloakroom, kitchen/diner, lounge, three bedrooms and family bathroom.Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100031533 Bedroom End Terrace, Abbey Wood £185,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003190*** Offers considered between £185,000 & £190,000 *** Lovely 3 Bed End of Terrace Family Home. Benefits to note include DG, GCHeating & a 60ft Garden. Local Shops, Schools, Bus Routes & Abbey Wood Train Station are all considered within walking distance.Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100031900 Bedroom Studio, Erith £65,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3352Well presented Studio Flat Comprising: Kitchen. Lounge / Bedroom. Laminate Wood Flooring. Fitted Wardrobes. Off Street Parking. Conveniently located close to Shops, Bus Routes, British Rail and Sports FacilitiesSat, 03 Dec 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=33523 Bedroom Terrace, North Thamesmead £160,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10001788**Offers considered between £160,000-£180,000** 3 Bed Terraced Family house. The property has a 35ft Garden plus En bloc Garage. Schools & Bus Routes are close by & Thamesmead Shopping Centre is approx 1 mile away. Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100017882 Bedroom Terrace, Northumberland Heath £159,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3762Two bedroom, two reception room terraced house. The property comprises of new kitchen, bathroom, lounge, dining room and garden. Close location for shops and transport links. Good size home for a family wanting to be near schools in Northumberland HeathFri, 13 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37622 Bedroom Flat, Erith £107,500.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3769Large two double bedroom flat,Economy 7 heating, DG,laminated flooring, lounge,kitchen,bathroom,allocated parking,entry phone system * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £750PCM, EVEN IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A 7% YIELD COULD BE ACHIEVEDMon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37693 Bedroom Town House, Erith £125,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100018393 Bed Concrete Construction FREEHOLD Townhouse which is offered CHAIN FREE, also close to all local amenities. * NO STAMP DUTY TO PAY * * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £850PCM. IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A YIELD OF 6.8% COULD BE ACHIEVWed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100018392 Bedroom End Terrace, Thamesmead £135,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003096Located in North Thamesmead is this 2 Bedroom Freehold End of Terrace House that is offered CHAIN FREE. * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £800PCM,IF PURCHASED FOR £135,000, A 5.9% YIELD COULD BE ACHIEVED *Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100030963 Bedroom House, Dartford £184,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3768THREE BEDROOM TERRACED HOUSE boasting ENTRANCE PORCH, DOUBLE GLAZING, GAS CENTRAL HEATING, MODERN KITCHEN, LOUNGE, CONSERVATORY and DRIVE for up to 4 cars. To the rear of the property is a paved GARDEN with POND & GARAGE.Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37683 Bedroom Semi-Detached, Thamesmead £205,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032693 Bedroom Semi-Det house in good decorative order throughout comprising Entrance hall, G/F cloakroom, open plan living room, modern kitchen/diner, Three bedrooms with en-suite shower room to Master Bedroom & a main family bathroom.Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032693 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £925.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003247Available immediately is this 3 Bedroom, three reception room period house situated on the CO-OP Estate. Located within close proximity to local shops and transport links. G/Floor W.C, GCH & New carpets. Professional Working Tenants Only.Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032472 Bedroom Apartment, Woolwich £210,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003273Two Bed Basement Apartment with Entrance Hall, open plan Kitchen & Lounge & Bathroom. Other added benefits include an acre of beautiful landscaped gardens, tennis courts, ample parking and electronic gates to the entrance.Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032731 Bedroom Flat, Woolwich £79,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032781 Bed, 7th Fl Flat located in the Woolwich Dockyard Area. The property has DG,GCH, Entry phone and elevator *** CASH BUYERS ONLY *** *WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £650 PCM, IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A YIELD OF 7.6% COULD BE ACHIEVEDTue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032783 Bedroom Semi-Detached, Upper Abbey Wood £249,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003280We are pleased to present to the market this Three Bedroom, 2 Reception Room Semi-Detached House benefitting from DG, GCH, G/F Cloakroom, Double Garage & Garden.Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032802 Bedroom Flat, Abbey Wood £109,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10000779Ideal FTB or Investment oppotunity. 2 Bed Top Floor flat within walking distance to all local amenities. * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £750PCM, IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A YIELD OF 6.8% COULD BE ACHIEVED * Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100007793 Bedroom House, Erith £199,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3781CHAIN FREE Exceptional 3 BEDROOM SEMI DETACHED FAMILY home comprising: 21ft LOUNGE/DINER, LARGE KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM, large downstairs BATHROOM with 4 PIECE SUITE. Well maintained GARDEN with OUTSIDE WC and LARGE DRIVE, DG, CENTRAL HEATINGThu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37810 Bedroom Studio, Erith £59,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3786SPACIOUS 2nd Floor STUDIO APARTMENT LOUNGE/BEDROOM, KITCHEN, BATHROOM, ENTRY PHONE SYSTEM, ECONOMY 7 HEATING and an ALLOCATED PARKING SPACE. Close to local amenities and good transport links to Central LondonThu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37863 Bedroom End Terrace, Erith £194,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3697THREE BEDROOM PERIOD HOUSE conveniently located for local shops,schools and transport links.The property benefits from 3 DOUBLE BEDROOMS, THROUGH LOUNGE,KITCHEN,downstairs BATHROOM and an upstairs SHOWER ROOM. Further benefits are DG,CH,nice size GARDENMon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=36972 Bedroom Apartment, Erith £114,950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37772 BEDROOM APARTMENTlocated on a popular residential development close to local amenities including Erith Station.The property comprises of: 2 DOUBLE BEDROOMS,SPACIOUS LOUNGE with open plan KITCHEN,BATHROOM,DG,CH,ENTRY PHONE,ALLOCATED PARKING,CHAIN FREEMon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37773 Bedroom End Terrace, Abbey Wood £215,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003277** Offers in excess of £215,000 ** Well presented 3 Bed E.O.T family home that was built Circa 1930 `s. The property is within walking distance of all local amenities including Abbey Wood Train Station & benefits from DG, GCH, Garage, OSP & a 55ft Garden.Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032774 Bedroom House, Northumberland Heath £279,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3778SPACIOUS 4 BED SEMI-DETACHED house ideally located for local Schools, Shops and with good Transport links.Ground floor SHOWER ROOM,upstairs FAMILY BATHROOM,FITTED KITCHEN,UTILITY ROOM,2 RECEPTION ROOMS,STUDY,LARGE GARDEN,OSP for 3 cars,DG,CHWed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37781 Bedroom Flat, Bexleyheath £115,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3790ONE BEDROOM ground floor RETIREMENT FLAT comprising of: BEDROOM, LOUNGE, KITCHEN and BATHROOM. Further benefits include DOUBLE GLAZING, ECONOMY 7 HEATING, patio door to DECKED PATIO AREA, COMMUNAL DAY ROOM, LAUNDRY ROOM and GARDENSThu, 16 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37903 Bedroom Semi-Detached, Bexleyheath £239,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3799THREE BEDROOM SEMI DETACHED 1930`s Feakes and Richards property in Pantiles area, 2 RECEPTION ROOMS, KITCHEN, THREE BEDROOMS, FAMILY BATHROOM, LARGE GARDEN to the rear and space to the side for a garage or extension (planning permission would be needed).Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37992 Bedroom Flat, Thamesmead £89,950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003287Able Estates are now in reciept of an offer of £89,950. Interested parties must submit any higher offers in writing to us before exchange of contracts takes place.Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100032873 Bedroom Semi-Detached, Erith £249,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3763Three bedroom period property with some original features, two reception rooms, modern fitted kitchen, 4 piece suite bathroom and downstairs WC.Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37633 Bedroom Flat, Erith £149,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3793Newly converted first floor apartment.Newly refurbished throughout and benefits from THREE DOUBLE BEDROOMS,LOUNGE,KITCHEN, BATHROOM,GARDEN and OSP.Further benefits to note are DG,CH,the property is conveniently located for local shops,schools & amenitiesMon, 27 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37931 Bedroom Flat, Erith £84,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=936One bedroom first floor flat on a popular residential development close to local amenities. The property comprises of: ONE DOUBLE BEDROOM,LOUNGE,KITCHEN,BATHROOM,DOUBLE GLAZING, ECONOMY 7 HEATING, SECURITY ENTRY SYSTEM and ALLOCATED PARKINGMon, 27 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=9362 Bedroom Flat, Erith £139,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3805Newly converted ground floor apartment.Newly refurbished throughout and benefits from TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS,LOUNGE,KITCHEN, BATHROOM,GARDEN and OSP. Further benefits to note are DG, CH,the property is conveniently located for local shops,schoolsMon, 27 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38052 Bedroom Flat, Erith £775.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=995A lovely 2 bed 1st floor flat offered part furnished. Two double bedrooms fitted wardrobes to both double bed to 2nd bedroom. Newly refurbished throughout. Parking entry phone and alarm system close to all local amenities.Sat, 03 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=9953 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £224,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10002738Stunning CHAIN FREE 3 Bedroom family house with handy Loft Room that could double as a Study/Playroom etc. The property is close to local amenities including Shops, Schools, Bus Routes & lovely local Woodland plus it also has rear Vehicle Access.Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100027383 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003313***3 Bedroom Terraced House currently being refurbished.**** The property has double glazing and gas central heating. Located close to Abbey Wood Train Station. **AVAILABLE TO RENT FROM MID MAY**. Call Sarah now to arrange a viewing for this property.Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033134 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £224,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3823CHAIN FREE 4 Bedroom Victorian style Terraced House that is literally a 2 minute walk to Abbey Wood Train Station & Shops, Bus Routes & Schools are also close by. Benefits include DG, GCHeating & 70ft Garden. ** VIEWING RECOMMENDED **Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38235 Bedroom House, Belvedere £249,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003323The property has been converted into TWO SPACIOUS HOMES. To the ground floor is a TWO BEDROOM MAISONETE & to the UPSTAIRS MAISONETTE there are 3 BEDROOMS both boasting CENTRAL HEATING & OFF STREET PARKING.Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033232 Bedroom Flat, Erith £102,500.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3827TWO BEDROOM TOP FLOOR APARTMENT situated in a popular development close to Erith Town Centre. The property comprises: TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS, LARGE LOUNGE/DINER, FITTED KITCHEN and BATHROOM. There is plenty of STORAGE an ENTRY PHONE SYSTEM and OSPMon, 26 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38274 Bedroom House, Belvedere £220,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003329Large refurbished family home situated in a quiet road in popular Belvedere. The property offers 4 GOOD SIZE BEDROOMS, LARGE BATHROOM, 24ft LOUNGE and 16ft KITCHEN. The property also benefits from DG, GCH and a low maintenance garden to rear.Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033291 Bedroom Flat, Belvedere £90,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003330GUIDE PRICE - £85,000 - £115,000. One bedroom ground floor appartment located in sought after location close to local amenities. * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £650PCM, IF PURCHASED FOR £90,000, A 7.2% YIELD COULD BE ACHIEVED * Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033302 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £155,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003331Offers Between £155,000 - £170,000. Able Estates are delighted to offer this TWO DOUBLE BED TERRACE HOME. Offering spacious accommodation throughout and comprising ENTRANCE PORCH, HALLWAY, LOUNGE, fitted KITCHEN/DINER and BATHROOM.Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033313 Bedroom Town House, Thamesmead £179,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003334Conveniently located for all local amenities is this CHAIN FREE 3 Bedroom family Townhouse that is, in our opinion, offered in good decorative order. Benefits include DG, GCH, Garage, Off St Parking & a 25ft Rear Garden. **** VIEWING RECOMMENDED ****Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033343 Bedroom Town House, Thamesmead £160,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003335*** Offers considered between £160,000 & £180,000 *** Conveniently located for all local amenities is this 3 Bedroom Family Townhouse that is in our opinion, offered in good condition. Benefits include DG, GCH, Garage, Off St Parking & a 30ft Rear Garden.Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033353 Bedroom House, Charlton £220,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3828Guide Price £220,000 - £240,000. 3 Double Bedroom CHAIN FREE Terraced house with DG, GCHeating, OSParking & a 75 ft garden. The property is within walking distance of ; Local Shops, Schools, Bus Routes, Parks & Charlton Train Station. *** MUST VIEW ***Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38285 Bedroom House, Belvedere £249,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3830The property has been converted into TWO SPACIOUS HOMES. To the ground floor is a TWO BEDROOM MAISONETE & to the UPSTAIRS MAISONETTE there are 3 BEDROOMS both boasting CENTRAL HEATING & OFF STREET PARKING.Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38303 Bedroom Semi-Detached, Upper Abbey Wood £249,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3831We are pleased to present to the market this Three Bedroom, 2 Reception Room Semi-Detached House benefitting from DG, GCH, G/F Cloakroom, Double Garage & Garden.Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38314 Bedroom Detached, Welling £449,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3832Built approx 21 years ago is this Stunning 4 Bedroom Detached House with Double Garage that enjoys a Cul De Sac location.The property has all the benefits you would expect from an Executive house of this type. All Transport links are also close at hand.Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38321 Bedroom Flat, Erith £600.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=966One bedroom 1st Floor flat, seperate sleeping area, secure entry phone sysstem, communal gardens, allocated parking, located on a popular develpoment close to local amenities and transport ***Working Tenants Only***Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=9662 Bedroom Flat, Northumberland Heath £750.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=460Two Bedroom Ground Floor Flat, Communal Garden, Garage, Part Furnished, Economy 7 Heating, Double Glazed, Available end of AprilMon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=4601 Bedroom Flat, Plumstead £87,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003337One bedroom 4th Floor Flat located within easy reach of Plumstead Station benefitting from DG, GCH . Ideal FTB or Investment Purchase. * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £650PCM, EVEN IF BOUGHT FOR THE ASKING, A YIELD OF 7.3% COULD BE ACHIEVED *Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033373 Bedroom End Terrace, Sidcup £209,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003338Immaculate 3 Bed End of Terrace Family Home that is located on the East Rochester Way ( A2 ). Benefits include 65ft Garden with vehicle access, DG, GCHeating & a handy GF Cloakroom. Local Shops, Schools & Train Station are within easy walking distance.Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033380 Bedroom Studio, Erith £59,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003339SPACIOUS 2nd Floor STUDIO APARTMENT LOUNGE/BEDROOM, KITCHEN, BATHROOM, ENTRY PHONE SYSTEM, ECONOMY 7 HEATING and an ALLOCATED PARKING SPACE. Close to local amenities and good transport links to Central LondonTue, 03 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033391 Bedroom Flat, Erith £87,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3834CHAIN FREE 1 Bed 1st Floor Flat that has DOUBLE GLAZING & GAS CENTRAL HEATING (untested). * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £650PCM, EVEN IF BOUGHT FOR THE ASKING PRICE, A YIELD OF 7.3% COULD BE ACHIEVED *Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38343 Bedroom End Terrace, Bexley £209,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3835Immaculate 3 Bed End of Terrace Family Home that is located on the East Rochester Way ( A2 ). Benefits include 65ft Garden with vehicle access, DG, GCHeating & a handy GF Cloakroom. Local Shops, Schools & Train Station are within easy walking distance.Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38352 Bedroom Apartment, Erith £119,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3614TWO BEDROOM FIRST FLOOR APARTMENT,ENTRY PHONE SYSTEM,OFF STREET PARKING, CLOSE FOR SHOPS, STATION AND TRANSPORT LINKS* NEW CARPETS THROUGHOUT,NEWLY DECORATED* NEW DOORS / UNITS IN KITCHEN* POPULAR LOCATIONThu, 05 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=36144 Bedroom House, Bexleyheath £324,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3836NEWLY REFURBISHED and EXTENDED TO A HIGH STANDARD Semi Detached FOUR BEDROOM house. The accommodation boasts ENTRANCE HALL. LUXURY KITCHEN and VERY HIGH SPEC BATHROOM with VILLEROY & BOCH SANITARYWARE.THROUGH LOUNGE. GARDEN.Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38362 Bedroom Flat, Erith £750.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=12012 BEDROOM GROUND FLOOR APARTMENT * RECENTLY REDECORATED * UNFURNISHED * SECURITY ENTRY PHONE * OFF STREET PARKING * ECONOMY 7 HEATING * CLOSE TO SHOPS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT. Available end of April WORKING TENANTS ONLYMon, 09 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=12013 Bedroom House, Erith £175,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3821Three Bedroom Period house.Conveniently located for Erith Train Station, local shops and Schools.The property comprises:THREE DOUBLE BEDROOMS. THROUGH LOUNGE,KITCHEN,DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM and GARDEN TO REAR.Further benefits are: DG,CH & LARGE BASEMENT AREATue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38211 Bedroom Apartment, Bexley £164,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003333Is it a FIRST TIME BUYERS DREAM, is it an INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY, or is it the ideal SUBSTITUTE FOR A BUNGALOW? Its all of these! ONE BED GROUND FLOOR FLAT boasting DOUBLE GLAZING, CENTRAL HEATING, COMMUNAL GARDENS, OFF ST PARKING & VACANT POSSESSION.Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033332 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £159,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033511950s built 2 Double Bedroomed Terraced House.The property benefits from its own GARAGE, DG, GCHEATING & is within walking distance of Local Shops, schools, Bus Routes & Abbey Wood Train Station (Zone 4) which takes 25 minutes to the London Stations.Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033511 Bedroom Maisonette, Thamesmead £112,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003349Offered with much larger accommodation than the average One Bedroom property is this ONE BEDROOM GROUND FLOOR MAISONETTE. The property benefits from DOUBLE GLAZING, GAS CENTRAL HEATING (untested), OFF STREET PARKING, GARDEN plus AMPLE STORAGE.Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033492 Bedroom Flat, Thamesmead £850.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003355Two bedroom ground floor aparment. Located in North Thamesmead in the popular development at "Greenhaven Drive". The property comprises of Entrance Hall, Kitchen, Lounge, bathroom and two double bedrooms. NO DSS.Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033552 Bedroom Flat, Thamesmead £850.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003356Two bedroom ground floor apartment. Located in the popular development "Greenhaven Drive". Conveniently located to local shops and transport. Available immediately. NO DSS.Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033560 Bedroom Flat, Erith £60,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3837GUIDE PRICE £60,000-£70,000 - First Floor Studio Apartment. Benefits include: Double Glazing, Entry Phone, Parking, within walking distance of Train Station and local Shops. The property comprises Lounge/Sleeping Area, Kitchen and Bathroom.Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38371 Bedroom Flat, Erith £84,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=533Well presented one bedroom first Floor Flat.comprising of ENTRANCE HALL, RECEPTION ROOM, FITTED KITCHEN, DOUBLE BEDROOM and BATHROOM. Benefits worth noting are ECONOMY 7 HEATING (N/T), CARPETS AND FLOORING AS LAID plus RESIDENTS PARKING.Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=5330 Bedroom Studio, Erith £575.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=986Well Presented Studio Flat, Laminated Wood Floor, Wardrobes, Free Standing Cooker, Fridge Freezer, Off Street Parking, Conveniently Located Close To Shops, Bus Routes, British Rail And Sports FacilitiesMon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=9863 Bedroom House, Erith £200,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3776GUIDE PRICE £200,000-£220,000 THREE BEDROOM semi detached house with a SELF CONTAINED ONE BEDROOM FLAT/ANNEXE attached to it with its own entrance.DG,CH and ALARMS and both have access to a good size REAR GARDEN and OSP for 2 cars to the front.Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=37761 Bedroom Flat, Northumberland Heath £700.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=1991One bedroom first floor flat is in an excellent location, part furnished, being a short walk to the shops and transport of Northumberland Heath. Available 31/05/2012**Working Tenants Only**INCLUDES COUNCIL TAX IN RENT"Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=19911 Bedroom Flat, Erith £650.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=2593One bedroom flat located in popular development close to Erith mainline railway station, benefits include entryphone system, allocated parking close to local amenities. Available 26/05/2012Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=25933 Bedroom Detached, Thamesmead £197,500.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003370Built in approximtely 1999 is this 3 Bedroom Detached House that is in need of complete refurbishment. The property is located in Central Thamesmead & is within walking distance of Thamesmead Shopping Centre, Bus Routes & Schools. * CHAIN FREE PURCHASE *Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033703 Bedroom Semi-Detached, Dartford £196,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=27613 BED SEMI DETACHED HOUSE,BENEFITS DOUBLE GLAZING, GAS CENTRAL HEATING, NEW KITCHEN, NEW BATHROOM, NEW CARPETS, REAR GARDEN, CLOSE TO SHOPS, SCHOOLS and PUBLIC TRANSPORT.We strongly advise viewing be made for your earliest convenience.Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=27613 Bedroom House, Erith £1,050.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3840A Three Double Bed Terrace House close to Town Centre and Station.Comprising of: Living room. Large modern Kitchen/Diner. Large 4 piece Bathroom. Master bedroom with own shower. Double Glazing. Gas Central Heating. Rear Garden with optional GarageTue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38402 Bedroom Flat, Erith £79,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10002245ATTENTION ALL INVESTORS !!2 Bedroom, 6th Floor purpose built Flat. . *** CASH BUYERS ONLY *** * CURRENTLY ACHIEVING A RENTAL RETURN OF £850PCM, EVEN IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE , A YIELD OF 9.4% IS BEING ACHIEVED *Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100022452 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £179,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003354Well presented TWO BEDROOM PERIOD BUILT HOME. The property benefits from DOUBLE GLAZING, GAS CENTRAL HEATING, NO CHAIN plus tidy GARDEN with secluded patio area.Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033543 Bedroom End Terrace, Abbey Wood £249,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003374CALL NOW TO VIEW this Extended 3 Bedroom End of TerraceTerrace House that is located in Upper Abbey Wood & within walking distance of Bedonwell School & Public Transport. Benefits include DG, GCHeating, Double Garage, 50ft Garden & NO CHAIN.Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033741 Bedroom Apartment, Bexley £164,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003379Is it a FIRST TIME BUYERS DREAM ? Is it an INVESTMENT OPPOTUNITY ? Or is it the ideal SUBSTITUTE FOR A BUNGALOW? Its all of these ! ONE BED GROUND FLOOR FLAT. Boasting DOUBLE GLAZING, CENTRAL HEATING, COMUMAL GARDENS, OFF ST PARKING & VACANT POSSESSION.Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033793 Bedroom Terrace, Belvedere £159,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003360Conveniently located for local amenities is this 2/3 Bedroom Terraced House that was built Circa 1930s. Although the property does require updating it does have DG, GCHeating, a well kept 40ft Garden & is offered CHAIN FREE. *** VIEWING RECOMMENDED ***Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033603 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £209,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10001876Immaculate 3 Bed Edwardian House that is located on the ever popular Co-op Estate. The property has been extended so offers very good size living accommodation. All usual benefits you would expect + a Stunning Bathroom. All local amenities are close by.Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100018763 Bedroom House, Slade Green £950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=2245Newly decorated large 3 bedroom family house. Very Large Garden. Off Street Parking to front for 2/3 cars. Double Glazing and Gas Central Heating. Laminate flooring throughtout. Close to train staion and shops. Unfurnished. Available immediatelyWed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=22452 Bedroom Apartment, Abbey Wood £119,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003363Two bedroom first floor apartment ideally situated next to Abbey Wood train station and the forthcoming Crossrail link. * WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £775PCM, IF PURCHASED FOR £119,950, A YIELD OF 6.4% COULD BE ACHIEVED *Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033631 Bedroom Flat, North Thamesmead £675.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003389One bedrrom first floor flat, located in a popular part of North Thamesmead. Property comprises of entrance hall, double bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and reception room. Gas Central Heating Double. Glazing, and garage. Working tenants only. Available now.Thu, 03 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033893 Bedroom House, Charlton £220,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3820Guide Price £220,000 - £240,000. 3 Double Bedroom CHAIN FREE Terraced house with DG, GCHeating, OSParking & a 75ft garden. The property is within walking distance of Local Shops, Schools, Bus Routes, Parks & CharltonTrain Station. *** MUST VIEW ***Thu, 03 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38202 Bedroom House, Abbey Wood £875.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10002269Well presented 2 Bedroom house in popular location, close to park land & approx 5 minutes walk from main line train station. Benefits from DG & GCH. Offered part furnished with white goods and available after 12th June **Working Tenants Only**Fri, 04 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100022692 Bedroom Terrace, Belvedere £166,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003362Extremely well maintained TWO BEDROOM PERIOD BUILT HOME boasting DG, GCH, QUALITY FITTED CARPETS plus a TIDY GARDEN TO THE REAR. Ideally located close to Franks Park, Belvedere Train Station, local Shops, Schools & Bus Routes.Fri, 04 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033622 Bedroom Flat, Abbey Wood £72,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10001559CASH BUYERS only for this 2 Bedroom 1st Floor Flat that would make an Ideal Investment opportunity !! WITH AN ESTIMATED RENTAL RETURN OF £725, IF PURCHASED FOR THE ASKING PRICE A YIELD OF 9.9 % COULD BE ACHIEVED *** AMENITIES ARE ALL CLOSE BY ***Tue, 08 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100015592 Bedroom Flat, Thamesmead £725.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100020612 bed Grd Floor Maisonette that is located in North Thamesmead and has DOUBLE GLAZING & GAS CENTRAL HEATING. Bus Routes & Schools are a few minutes walk away and Thamesmead Shopping Centre is approximately a 10 minute walk away. ** WORKING TENANTS ONLY **Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100020613 Bedroom House, Erith £154,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3844CASH PURCHASE. Three Bedroom Semi Detached House comprising of: 2 Reception Room. Fitted Kitchen. 2 Double Bedrooms and 1 Single Bedroom. Seperate Bathroom and WC. Double Glazing. Central Heating. Off Street Parking for 2/3 Cars.Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=38443 Bedroom House, Crayford £950.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=22723 bedroom house, newly refurbished throughout, 2 double rooms and a slightly smaller 3rd room, large lounge area and a seperate dinning area. The garden also has 2 large storage out houses. This property is perfect for a family, available nowThu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=22720 Bedroom Flat, West Thamesmead £500.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10000503Top Floor Studio Flat in West Thamesmead which means your Transport links including DLR are close by. Benefits include double glazing, entry phone system. ***** WORKING TENANTS ONLY *****Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100005032 Bedroom Maisonette, Northumberland Heath £145,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=3277Able Estates are pleased to offer to the market this newly decorated ground floor maisonette with well looked after decked area in the garden, two good size bedrooms, open plan lounge and kitchen and modern shower room. Close to shops, station and busesSat, 12 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=32773 Bedroom Terrace, Abbey Wood £199,995.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003321Newly decorated Chain Free 3 Bedroom Period Family House that is located on the ever popular CO-OP Estate. Local Shops, Schools, Bus Routes are all close by and Abbey Wood Train Station is approximately 0.5 miles away. *** VIEWING RECOMMENDED ***Sat, 12 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033212 Bedroom Flat, Abbey Wood £775.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003400First floor two bedroom apartment with parking space. Ideally located next to Abbey Wood Train station and just a short walk to local shops. Available 18th May ** Working tenants only **Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100034003 Bedroom Town House, Thamesmead £215,000.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10003382Chance to own a Stunning 3 Bedroom Townhouse in North Thamesmead with NO CHAIN. Shops, Schools, Bus Routes and Thamesmead Shopping Centre are all easily accessable *** TAKE A LOOK AT THE INTERNAL PICTURES / MUST VIEW PROPERTY ***Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=100033822 Bedroom Maisonette, Bexleyheath £800.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=1773Able Estates are pleased to offer to the market this good sized 2 double bedroom 1st floor maisonette. The property comes with a private garden and is in a popular part of Barnhurst and close to stations and shopsMon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=17730 Bedroom Flat, Erith £550.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=11962nd Floor studio flat offered fully furnished , close to local amenities communal gardens and off street parking.Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=11961 Bedroom Maisonette, Abbey Wood £675.00http://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10000522NEWLY REFURBISHED One bedroom ground floor maisonette, double glazed windows, parking space, situated in popular location close to Abbey Wood mainline railway station AVAILABLE FROM THE END OF MAY. WORKING TENANTS ONLY.Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/propertydetails.aspx?PropertyID=10000522Bridge Would Create 2,000 Jobshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001000More than 2,000 jobs could be created in Bexley by the Thames Gateway Bridge. That`s the verdict of a leading economist giving evidence at the project`s public inquiry. Professor Bridget Rosewell said a report by economic specialists, called by the Thames Gateway Bridge (TGB) and North Bexley Study showed that the bridge could bring up to 2,200 more jobs. She said "The study points out that the TGB will increase land values in Bexley because of improved image and accessibility. It would make possible a greater scale of development both of available sites and for currently undeveloped sites. "Llewelly-Davies (the report`s authors) estimate that the TGB could bring an additional 1,000 to 2,200 jobs to Bexley, mainly due to more intensive use of sites and the attractions of different uses to the area." She pointed out that transport links to Bexley were currently only half as good as the London average and that only 23 wards in London had worse accessibility than Thamesmead East. Prof Rosewell added that the bridge connected the boroughs near the TGB both to each other and those areas of London were areas where opportunities were much more extensive. She said "The TGB raises levels of accessibility in this area close to that available in other parts of London. "Currently East London accessibility is 15 per cent below that in West London but if we have both Crossrail and the TGB it rises to only 5 per cent below."Fri, 24 Jun 2005 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=100010009 Years Up And Still Going Strong.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1000On 27th February 2006 Able Estates completed 9 years of trading and are pleased to say they are still going strong.Paul, Peter and Dawn the directors of Able Estates are still based in the Branches and still strive to satisfy their clients needs.Paul Servis operates out of the Abbey wood branch and you will find Peter and Dawn at the North-Heath branch.Thu, 23 Mar 2006 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1000Budget Newshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1001Stamp duty levels rose to £125,000, putting 400,000 buyers below the threshold.In laymans terms this means if you purchase below £125,000 you do not have to pay stamp duty.Thu, 23 Mar 2006 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1001Home Information Packshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1002From June 07 all homeowners in England and Wales will need to arrange for a Home information pack (HIP) to be prepared before putting their home on the market. This is a major change in the way houses are sold but it is felt that it will bring greater transparency and certainty to the house buying and selling process. The benefits are that sellers will be able to identify if there are any problems with their property from the outset and that buyers will know exactly what state the property is in and will be able to make an offer with greater certainty and confidence. HIPS simply transfer the availability of information to the beginning of the process so everyone knows where they stand from the start. Able Estates will keep you updated via their website on any HIPS news, alternatively feel free to call either of their branches and speak to a member of staff.Tue, 28 Mar 2006 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1002Fly Away Peter, Fly Away Paul.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001001Just a quick note to all of our clients past, present and future. Paul Servis and Peter Jones the directors of Ables have swapped branches, so you will now find Paul @ Abbey wood and Peter @ the North-Heath branch.If you would like to speak to either of them you now know where they are.Thu, 25 May 2006 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001001Hips U-Turnhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001002Ten days after the bombshell, the dust is still settling as the property industry considers the full ramifications of the Governments decision to make Home Condition Reports voluntary. Prior to this from July 07 anybody looking to sell their property would have had to fork out somewhere in the region of £700-£1000. to pay for a Home Inspection Report(HIP) The government has now made a dramatic-turn and announced that this will not be the case stating one of their concerns being that Hip’s would have repeated the crash of 1988,when government interference turned the market upside down and in turn took years to recover. Whatever the reasons vendors do not need to worry anymore as they are now voluntary.Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001002Interest Rate Risehttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001003The bank of England yesterday increased interest rates by 0.25% to 4.75%; this is the first increase for approximately 2 years. The bank of England insisted the increase was designed to curb inflation, which rose to 2.5% in June.Fri, 04 Aug 2006 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001003Va Va Boomhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001004Despite new hotspots popping up all over the world, France is again the number one destination for a healthy return on your investment. According to Assetz, the UK`s leading property investment specialist, France recently toppled Bulgaria from the top of their tracker table to become the premier destination for foreign investment for the first time in a year. Its consistently strong rental market, supported by a sound tourism industry and continued popularity as a holiday destination precipitated the return to the top of the table.France is commonly regarded as the worlds number one travel destination and has been the UK`s favourite holiday destination for a lomg time. Since 1997 , house prices have doubled in value and show only modest signs of slowing down. In the first quarter of 2006 prices have risen 9.3% in a year on comparison, making France the ninth best performer worldwide. If you are interested in purchasing a property in France please contact Able Estates.Mon, 13 Nov 2006 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001004She’s Back.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001005We are pleased to inform you that Lynn Randall our Sales manager is now working back at our Abbey wood office. Lynn has been working in the Abbey wood and Thames mead areas for many years and has extensive knowledge of both areas. So if you have dealt with Lynn before or would like to discuss your property matters then please contact her as she would be delighted to hear from you.Wed, 15 Nov 2006 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1000100510 Year Aniversary - Charity Appeal.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1000100610 years ago Peter, Paul and Dawn opened the doors to their Abbey Wood branch. Back in those days they were the only staff employed by the company and were breaking into a market which was then suffering from a property recession. Since then Able Estates now employ over 20 members of staff and have a second successful branch in Northumberland Heath plus have further plans for a third branch within the London borough of Bexley. Able Estates are now Abbey Woods premier estate agent and are considered one of North Heath`s top independent estate agents who dominate the areas they serve. Able’s success is due to the high levels of commitment and conscientious efforts of their staff combined with a marketing package which is unrivalled locally. To celebrate their success and their 10 year anniversary Peter, Paul and Dawn would like to give back to the community they serve. To explain this further peter says we have decided the best way to do this would be to support a local charity or worthwhile cause which could benefit from our financial help over the coming year. This is an extremely exciting opportunity for us though at this stage we do not know whom we will be supporting. Which is why we are asking for worthwhile causes to please get in touch with us? Our aim is to concentrate on one cause however we are keeping an open mind and are also open to suggestion as at present we have no idea how successful this appeal will be.` We wish to combine our celebrations with helping our community and see this as our chance to say thank you for the past 10 years. The only criteria are that the cause be based within our local community. ` If you think that Able Estates can help you or you know of someone or an organization that may benefit from this opportunity please get in touch via email or written correspondence at either branch. 287 Bexley Road, Erith, Kent. DA8 3EX. Email;peter.jones@ableestates.com 511 Abbey Road, Abbey Wood, London. SE2 9HA. Email;paul.servis@ableestates.com Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001006Tour De France Route Agreed.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001007The countdown begins to the biggest annual sporting event in the world, as the official route is announced. The race for the Yellow jersey will begin in London on July 6 and reach our local areas for the first time in its 100-year history on Sunday, July 8. Transport for London (TFL) announced that Stage one of the tour will race along Woolwich Road, Upper Abbey wood, onto Erith Road, Fraser Road, Bexley Road, Queens Road South, North end Road and then Thames Road, Erith before heading out to Canterbury. The race will be run on closed roads, with the roads closed for several hours, with some additional parking controls in place on and near the race route. ` TFL ` will be working hard, with the emergency services and borough councils, to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum so everyone can enjoy this fantastic free-to-view event safely. In Kent, the tour will pass through Dart ford, Gravesend, Medway, Ton bridge, Tunbridle Wells, Maid stone and Ashford before the stage finishes in Canterbury.Sat, 20 Jan 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001007Able`s Choose Charity.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001008To mark our 10th year aniversary we recently ran a campaign appealing for local charities and worthwhile causes to get in touch with us with a view to discussing how we may help them financially by way of supporting one such cause throughout our 10th aniversary year. The response was fantastic, though with such a great response it made choosing all the more difficult. However, after much deliberation we decided the Greenwich & Bexley Hospice best represented the community we wished to support.So through our aniversary year for every property sold and let (subject to terms and conditions) we shall make a contribution towards this extremely worthwhile cause. As there were so many worthwhile causes that contacted us we have arranged to send a one off conrtribution to each and every one of them and wish them all the best for the future. For further information on the Greenwich and Bexley Hospice please log onto www.cottagehospice.org.ukThu, 15 Feb 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001008Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice Charity Walk.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001009Every Year Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice hold a sponsored Walk from either Bostall Heath, Charlton Park and new for 2007 from Eltham Park South.They shall be holding this year`s event on Monday 7th May 2007. The route will go along Green Chain Walk and Thames Path.The routes cover some of the most beautiful, scenic and unknown areas the boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley can offer. Last year they raised over £57,000 from the 960 walkers who took part, this year they are looking to enlist over 1,000 walkers and raise £65,000. There is a walk or stroll suitable for all ages and abilities and the walk itself has proved to be a real family day out, you can walk 15 miles or you can stroll 3 - you choose what distance suits you. For more information in taking part feel free to browse www.cottagehospice.org.ukThu, 08 Mar 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001009Community Commitments From Able Estates.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001010Able Estates are pleased to announce that they will be sponsoring Erith Town Football club. As part of Ables 10 year aniversary year they have supplied kits to the Under 16 team and you can see the distinctive Able Logo emblazoned across their shirts. The team play their games in and around the London Borough of Bexley. Erith town football club has their own website www.erithtownfootballclub.co.uk which you are welcome to browse for more information on this particular team and the club in general.Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001010Low Crime Rates And Good Schools Put Bexley At Tophttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1003Children growing up in Bexley enjoy a better quality of life than their counterparts in all other London boroughs, according to a national poll by Reader`s Digest magazine. Bexley came out top in London and among the top 50 local authority areas across the country. The borough even beat the City of London as an area where parents would choose to raise their family. (source: Bexley Extra) Parents said that good schools and a low crime rate were their most important requirements for good places to bring up a family. Then came good hospitals, affordable family housing and high employment. Cllr Ian Clement, leader of Bexley council, said "While I appreciate this is very good news for the borough we will not become complacent. We have a wealth of good schools, open spaces and parks that all contribute to making Bexley an attractive borough. I am committed to ensuring our good reputation is maintained for future generations". To find Britain’s most family-friendly areas Reader`s Digest polled parents across the country, asking which factors most affected family life. Then they were measured against statistical data for 408 local authority authority areas in England, Scotland and Wales. East Dunbartonshire in Scotland topped the list while Reading ranked the worst place for families, with a high crime rate, state schools with a mediocre GCSE results, and a high flood risk. Inner city areas fared badly overall while most of the best places were rural. Reader’s Digest editor-in-chief Katherine Walker said: "When it comes to bringing up a family, small is beautiful. Only three of our top 10 areas include towns of more than 40,000. What parent’s value is the network of concerned neighbors, teachers and community groups that makes for safe streets, strong schools and thriving towns"Mon, 30 Apr 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1003The Safest Place To Live In Londonhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1004Crime rates are dropping faster in Bexley than anywhere else in London. The borough has seen an overall reduction of more than 3,000 crimes in the year to March 2007 compared to the previous 12 months. The total number of crimes stood at 16,997 compared to 20,011 - a drop of 15.1 per cent. The latest crime figures published by the Metropolitan Police show a decrease in Bexley in all but one of the 11 categories. (source: Bexley Extra) Only gun-enabled crime has increased, from 37 to 47 incidents. Significant successes include motor crime, which has dropped by more than a quarter to 2,087 incidents, violent crime, which is down 1.4 per cent to 3,742 incidents, and race crime, which is down 7.6 percent. Bexley police borough commander, Tony Dawson, said: "These figures are the results of a great deal of hard work, not just by police but also our partners and the community. The Community Safety Action Zone approach that we operate in Bexley is recognised as good practice across London and allows Bexley Safer Neighbourhood Teams to maximize the time they spend dealing with local issues." Altogether there have been 2,000 fewer victims of crime in Bexley in the past 12 months. Mr Dawson added: "These reductions have been supported by excellent performance in detecting crime. I am particularly pleased with the successes in detecting rape and hate crimes." But the borough commander insists Bexley Police will not become complacent. He added: "We are now putting the same focus on anti-social behaviour as we have on crime. We have introduced a Safer Transport Team to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on our buses and rail networks. We continue to focus on licensing related disorder and, with the support of Bexley council, have removed and reviewed several licenses for premises in Bexley." He added: "I know that this is not just about numbers. The figures reflect the lives of real people whether they live in, work in, or visit Bexley."Mon, 30 Apr 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1004Hips Are Postponed Until 1st August 07.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001011Home information Packs including Energy Certificates will be implemented on a phased basis from 1st August. From then the Packs will be required for the sale of four bedroom properties and larger,with smaller properties being phased in as soon as sufficient energy assessors are fully qualified. Until the end of this year,properties can be marketed as soon as a pack is commissioned,and as a temporary measure Energy Performance Certificates can be up to 12 months old when a property is put up for sale. We will keep you fully posted on future developments.Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001011Bank Of England Leaves Rates At 5.5%http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001012Interest rates were left on hold yesterday amid signs that four increases since August are starting to bite. The Bank of England`s monetary policy committee left borrowing costs unchanged at 5.5% after rates hit a six-year high last month. The decision came after Halifax reported that house prices rose only 0.3% in May, their slowest pace this year. Britain`s biggest mortgage lender said that although the annual growth rate was still in double figures, at 10.6%, this was below the peak of 11.1% in March and the secong successive month the rate had edged down. The average house price now stands at £196,893. Evidence of moderation in housing market activity, suggests that the interest rate rises since last summer are having an impact on the market.Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001012Estate Agents Are Not Bad After All !http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001013A recent survey came up with the following findings: 70% of people in the UK beleive the property market will continue to increase in value. 62% of movers plan on buying a more expensive property. 25-34 year olds most confident and ambitious age group. 76% have never had a bad experience with an estate agent. 74% say agents help bysaving time. 58% say agents help reduce stress. Despite recent interest rate increases there is a high level of confidence in the property market with 70% of people in the UK believing the market will continue to increase in value over the next three years according to this new survey by GfK NOP. The survey shows that whilst consumers like to look at properties on the Internet , they still prefer to arrange viewings and make offers via the agent - getting the personal touch.Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001013Tour De Francehttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001014The Tour De France succesfully passed through Abbey wood on Sunday 8th July and as you can see from the picture our chosen charity ` Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice ` the charity we are supporting for our aniversary year were out in force with there very own Sunny man. So much so that they actually raised in the region of £1550.00 for this hospice - well done to everyone involved. Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001014Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice Funday On Sunday 15th July 1pm - 5pm.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001015If you fancy a family afternoon packed full of fun, entertainment and arena events including a Fun Dog Show organised by Bexley Dog Training Club then please feel free to come along. If you would like to come along then make your way to Bostall Heath Playing Field, Bostall Heath, Abbey wood. FREE ADMISSION & PARKING.Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001015D-Day For Home Information Packs.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001017The controversial home information packs (HIPS) comes into force today the 1st August 07, initially only for properties with Four or more bedrooms. The packs, to be provided by sellers for their potential buyers, contain key information about a property, including title deeds, local searches and an energy performance certificate.(EPC) If you are unsure about HIPS and need some advice or more information then please feel free to contact either of our offices for some free professional advice.Wed, 01 Aug 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001017Property Values On The Up Despite Interest Increaseshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001018House prices jumped 12.1 per cent in the year to June, the biggest annual increase since March 2005. According to the Department for Communities and Local Government, house price growth doubled in June, with prices jumping by 1.6 per cent. The South East also saw double digit gains of 10.7 per cent, while growth was running at 9.6 per cent in both the East and Yorkshire and the Humber. The stronger than expected figures contrast with other indexes which had shown the housing market was slowing down in response to higher interest rates. Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001018Property Price Increasehttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001019This month... Modest monthly increases continue as average asking prices rise by 0.6% (£1,473)Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001019Hospice Donationhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1005Able Estates were delighted to attend Greenwich & Bexley Hospice`s Charity Auction Dinner at the lovely Blackheath Golf Club. We took this as an ideal opportunity to present them with our first contribution in our aniversary year, as you can see we presented them with a rather BIG cheque in every sense of the word. We are very proud to announce we presented the Hospice with a cheque of £3,770.00 after our 1st quarters business plus in addition to this we also snapped up 8 tickets for a further £720.00 in the hospitality suite in the O2 Arena to watch Prince perform as part of the Auction event. I think it would be fair to say the whole evening was a real success with lots of moner being raised as well as our contribution going towards this fantastic charity. We look forward to making our next contribution in the near future.Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10053 Bedroom Properties Need A Hip From Today - 10th September 07http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001020Following the introduction of Home Information Packs (HIPS) on 1st August 2007, for properties with 4 bedrooms and above, the next stage of HIP implementation is with us. As from today, Monday 10th September 2007, the Goverment is rolling out HIPs to 3 Bedroom properties, this will obviously have more of an impact on the market as basically there are more 3 bedroom properties than 4 Bedrooms. For more information or to discuss HIPs please feel free to contact either of our branches to speak to a member of staff who are fully up to speed on HIPs.Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001020Bank Of England Keeps The Interest Rate The Samehttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001021The Bank of England kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a six - year high as policy makers assessed the effect on the economy of higher credit costs and a run on Northern Rock Plc. The Monetary Policy Committee,led by Governor Mervyn King,left the bank rate at 5.75%, matching the forecast of all except one of the 60 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The decision follows panic among depositors at Northern Rock after money-market rates jumped,leaving the bank unable to fund its business.The run on the lender,the first in more than a century,has clouded the outlook for economic growth and inflation,and sparked crticism of the way the central bank handled the seizing-up of credit over the past two months.Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001021Crossrail Given Green Lighthttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001022The goverment has given the go-ahead for the £10bn Crossrail project. Crossrail will improve train services to and from Abbey Wood Station by providing journey time savings and a greater variety of journey opportunities. With Crossrail operational,the total number of seats available on trains to central London from Abbey Wood would almost double as a result of longer,more frequent trains. During peak periods,Crossrail could run up to 12 additional train services per hour. Estimated journey times are: Abbey Wood - From / to Liverpool Street 10 minutes Abbey Wood - From / to Tottenham Ct Rd 16 Minutes Abbey Wood - From / to Paddington 22 minutes Abbey wood - From / to Heathrow 54 minutes Crossrail will open up the Thames Gateway region and in turn offers excellent future investment opportunities with good long term capital growth on property prices. For more information contact our Abbey Wood Sales team on 0208 306 2020 or alternatively e-mail to paul.servis@ableestates.comWed, 17 Oct 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001022Christmas Promotionhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001023If you instruct either of the able estate branches to sell your property before christmas we will give you a luxury hamper for you and your family to enjoy over the festive season . Terms and Conditions Apply please call, e-mail or pop in to either branch for more detailsFri, 09 Nov 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001023Able Estates Sponsor 7 Acres Under 16 Football Team.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001024Able Estates are very pleased to announce that they will be sponsoring 7 Acres Under 16 Football Team whose home ground is in Church Manor Way, Abbey wood. 7 Acres will be playing their games in newly supplied Red & Blue Nike kits with the distinctive Able Estate Logo across the front. The last time Able`s sponsored 7 acres they won the league they were playing in, so not to put to much pressure on the players we expect the same, only joking as long as the boys do their best and most of all enjoy themselves thats all that counts. You can see 7 acres playing their football in and around the London borough of Bexley, L.B of Greenwich and other surrounding areas. Here`s to a succesful year for 7 acres and Able Estate.Mon, 19 Nov 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001024Greenwich & Bexley Hospice - 2nd Ables Donation.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001025On Thursday 15th November 2007 Peter Jones one of Able Estates Directors and Lynn Randall the sales manager at the Abbey wood branch proudly presented the hospice with our second donation of the year - a cheque for £3,090. If you had missed previous news items and newspaper articles Able Estates are supporting the Hospice throughout this year to celebrate 10 years of selling and letting houses in the London Borough of Bexley & Greenwich. The hospice truly is a fantastic place run by amazing people, if you would like to make your own seperate donation or to find out about some of the fundraising events either contact Able Estates or direct to the Hospice.Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001025Full Roll Out Of Hips - 1 & 2 Bedroom Properties Included.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001026All homes marketed for sale from 14th December 2007 in England and Wales will need a Home Information Pack (HIP) This was announced by Housing Minister Yvette Cooper on the 22nd November 2007 and extends HIPs to residential properties of all kinds. Before most properties with one or two bedrooms can be marketed (as from the 14th December ) a HIP will have to have been formally requested.This falls in line with the current requirements for properties with three bedrooms or more. The temporary provisions enabling marketing to commence,once a HIP has been formally requested,will now be extended until the 1st June 2008. Most of the leasehold information, now classed as Required (compulsory) will become Authorised (voluntary).The exception is the Lease itself,which must be included in the HIP. As always if you are unsure about any aspect of the HIPs process please feel free to contact either of Able Estates branches and our staff will be happy to help.Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001026Happy New Year From Able Estates.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001027Able Estates would like to wish all of our clients past, present and future a Happy & Prosperous New Year. If you are thinking of Selling, Buying, Letting or Renting a property then please make us your 1st port of call, we would love to help you with your property matter. Alternatively if you need any Financial Advice we can offer you free advice from our in house consultant. Once again Happy 2008.Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001027House Prices Up 5.2%http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001028Todays Daily Express front page quoted that Britains struggling housing market received a huge boost yesterday as the country`s biggest mortgage lender announced a rise in property prices. The Halifax bank says its figures for December show that the market grew 5.2 % year - on - year - dispelling scaremongering predictions that prices will fall this year. The bank also reported a 1.3 % hike in house values during December itself,all but wiping out falls in the previous three months. It is the biggest monthly rise since February last year and gives further ammunition to experts who predict that property prices will continue to rise steadily this year. Overall, the value of the average home in the UK now stands at £197,039 - around £11,759 more than at the start of last year. The Halifax expects price rises to slow in 2008 but says this should be seen in the context of a 182% surge in property prices over the past years.Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001028Mortgage Rates Drophttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001029Mortgage lenders match rate cut The majority of the rate cuts will take place in March Major mortgage providers have been quick to announce that they will pass on the latest UK interest rate cut. Most will wait until early March to cut standard variable rates in line with the 0.25% base rate reduction. Halifax, Nationwide, Abbey, Royal Bank of Scotland/NatWest and Lloyds TSB all said they would pass on the interest rate cut in full. A £100,000 repayment mortgage would be £15 a month cheaper, said the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). But the CML warned borrowers not to expect an automatic cut in standard variable and discount rates across the market. "Lenders` rate-setting policies are more complex than simply the level of the base rate," said Michael Coogan, director-general of the CML. "They are determined by a range of factors including the cost of retail funding and the cost and availability of wholesale funding." Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001029House Prices Rise.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001030U.K. house prices rose in February for the first time in four months after two interest-rate cuts by the Bank of England encouraged sellers to demand more for their homes, Rightmove Plc said. The average asking price climbed 3.2 percent to 237,856 pounds ($466,000) from January, compared with a 0.8 percent decline the previous month, Britain`s most-used property Web site said today. In London, values increased by 0.9 percent. "With a couple of interest rate drops," homeowners seeking to sell "are probably thinking the outlook is more positive," Miles Shipside, commercial director at Rightmove, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. "They`ve got the whole year to pitch their asking price. It`s not the return of a boom." Other reports have shown the property market slumped after the benchmark interest rate reached a six-year high in 2007 and credit costs rose. Bank of England Governor Mervyn King said last week that further price drops are "possible" as economic growth slows and banks curb loans to consumers. The average time a property spent on the market rose to 93 days from 78 days a year earlier, Rightmove said. Average stocks per real-estate agent increased to 64 from 54 in February 2007. Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001030Able Estates Make Further Donation To Hospice.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1006Throughout their 10th anniversary year Able Estates have been sponsoring The Greenwich and Bexley Hospice by making a donation from every sale or let that they agree. Pictured here is Dawn Servis one of the directors and Adam Burton the Sales Manager from Able Estates presenting the Chief Executive Jim Bennett and Peter Butler of the Greenwich and Bexley Hospice with a donation cheque of £3,630 for the third quarter of the year, the running total of Able Estates donations so far is £12,000 quite an achievement. The hospice rely heavily on funding from the local community and that is why it is so important to raise awareness of the hospice and the work that is does. Dawn Servis said "we`d like to thank all our vendors and Landlords who have instructed us in the last year and to any new ones for the coming year we are pleased to announce that we will be continuing to support the hospice". Jim Bennett added " We are delighted to receive this donation from Able Estates their support is invaluable in the palliative care". For further information please call one of our branches: North Heath and Erith 01322 400 222 or Abbeywood and Thamesmead 0208 306 2020 or visit our web site www.ableestates.comTue, 26 Feb 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1006Able Estates Doing London To Brighton Bike Road.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001031Able Estates are delighted to announce that they will be entering a team in to this years London to Brighton Bike Ride which will take place on the 15th June 2008, the same day as Fathers day. Details of donations / sponsorships will be announced soon, the bike road supports the British Heart foundation. Watch this space for further news.Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001031Greenwich & Bexley Hospice News.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001032For all up and coming news and future events to do with Greenwich & bexley Cottage Hospice please log on to www.cottagehospice.org.uk for full details. Have you ever thought about volunteering for the Hospice? Again you can check out the website for more details or you contact the Volunteers Manager on 020 8320 5812 or email barbaraoakes@gbch.org.uk Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001032Darlings Duty To Boost Market.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001033THE NATIONAL Association of Estate Agents are calling on Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling to use this month’s Budget to ease the immediate problems facing people in the housing market. Their three-fold appeal to Mr Darling covers a revision of Stamp Duty threshold, a new look at how Capital Gains Tax affects the buy-to-let market and the VAT-free ‘green’ policies. `The Government needs to be aware that with inflation rising, consumers must have a helping hand,` said NAEA president Stewart Lilly. With first-time buyers being priced out of the market at the bottom end, the NAEA want a revision of Stamp Duty and are proposing a new scale, starting at £200,000 rather than the current £125,000. Their proposed new scale is: Properties up to £200,000 — zero; £200,000 to £300,000 — one per cent; £300,000 to £450,000 — two per cent; £450,000 to £1 million — three per cent; £1 million to £2 million — four per cent; £2 million and above — 4.5 per cent. At the moment, one per cent Stamp Duty applies from £125,000 to £250,000, three per cent up to £500,000 and four per cent above that. `We would like to see a scale of Stamp Duty that reflects the house price inflation in recent years,` said Mr Lilly. Meanwhile, the NAEA are also concerned that buy-to-let investors are being left out in the cold on Capital Gains Tax. They feel it should be revised to create a better incentive, enabling investors to buy and sell property more easily, creating fluidity and variety in the market. As far as green policies are concerned, Mr Lilly said a lifting of VAT on eco products to promote energy efficiency and sustainability in the home has to be the way forward. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001033Peter Jones One Of Able`s Directors Is Entering The London Marathon.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001034In January 2007 I started training for the London Marathon.After several months running in all types of weather(usually the wet and cold type)and with only a couple of weeks to go I unfortunatley got an injury that forced me to pull out. In January 2008 I started training again for this years Marathon and have been pounding the streets ever since.Now that I have earned myself some embarrassing `chaffing` scares and have experienced the pain of `joggers nipple` I feel ready to take on the biggest physical challenge of my life! My chosen charity that I shall be running for is the Lymphoma Association.They help people who have Hodgkin lymphoma and non-hodgkin lymohomas.These are cancers of the lymphatic system,which,collectively,are commonly known as lymphomas.The lymphatic system is part of the `immune system` - the bodys defence against infection.Around 9000 patients are diagnosed with Non - Hodgkins lymphomas and nearly 1400 new cases of Hodgkin lymphoma seen amongst those aged between 15 to 35. This is where the Lymphatic Association can help,by providing information and emotional support to anyone with lymphatic cancer and to their families,cares and friends. Anyone wishing to show their support can log onto www.justgiving.com/peterjones4, or call,click or pop into either of Able Estates offices.All donations will be greatly appreciated, Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001034Market Overview & Monthly Update For March 08 From Able Estateshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001035 Market Overview and Monthly Update In spite of the credit crunch resulting in a more stringent mortgage environment, sellers are testing the market at prices still remarkably close to the peak of last year’s boom. Most sellers coming to the market seem to be ignoring the increased competition from other unsold properties and the challenge buyers now face in obtaining a mortgage. As many of these sellers are likely to be buyers themselves, they seem to be trying to bank a higher figure for their home but want a bargain when they buy. It’s human nature, but in the current market, sellers should price below their competition to achieve more interest now and avoid a larger price drop later in the year. The challenge to sellers is to get smart and accept this new reality. The best price sellers can achieve has fallen - though they won’t lose out if they are then planning on buying as well. Smart pricing is required and should take into account recent comparable property sales, buyers’ affordability constraints and competing properties on the market. Fortunately levels of new listings remain limited by market conditions, the costs of providing a HIP, and drastic cut backs in new homes. These factors will help prevent excessive over supply from causing the sharp falls seen in many areas of the US housing market. Over the past month, time on the market has seen a substantial drop to 82 days from 93. Whilst this is to be expected at this time of year due to more sales than in the quieter winter months, this reduction shows there is a positive base of activity in the market if you are willing to price intelligently. As the credit crunch shows no sign of easing, there is a risk that lending criteria will tighten even further, causing more damage to the market. Some properties may effectively become un-saleable as potential buyers cannot get a mortgage. If we are to avoid a period of stagnation, as a matter of urgency, sellers need to price more realistically now rather than later in the year. Summary Here at Able Estates we feel that it is important for you to make the right decision on which agent you chose to market your property, we regularly keep in touch with the markets ongoing trends and find ways to market and sell your property using our unique selling skills. We are also local agents who employ local people with vast knowledge on your area to answer any queries and questions to your potential buyers. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001035Able Estates Very Own Marathon Man.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001037Able Estates are extremely proud to confirm that Peter Jones one of our directors completed this years London Marathon in a fantastic time of 4 hours, 35 minutes. Peter`s chosen charity that he ran for was ` The Lymphoma Association ` who help by providing information and emotional support to anyone with lymohatic cancer and to their families, carers and friends. The lymphatic system is part of the ` immune system ` - the bodies defence against infection. Around 9,000 patients are diagnosed with Non - Hodgkins lymphomas and nearly 1400 new cases of Hodgkin lymphoma seen amongst those aged between 15 to 35. If you would still like to make a donation to this fantastic charity it is not to late - to show your support you can log on to www.justgiving.com/peterjones4 or call or pop in to either of the Able Estates branches plus you can e-mail Peter on nhsales@ableestates.com Well done Peter, we are all very proud of you. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001037Market Overview & Monthly Update For April 08 From Able Estates.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001038House sellers have finally recognised that a decade of rising prices has come to an end. With average asking prices rising below the level of wage inflation and Bank of England interest rates of 5% compared to 5.75% a year ago, buyers with cash or reasonable deposits are now able to get more home for their money. On average across the country the length of time a property stays on the market has risen as well, from 82 days to 85 days over the last month, by far the highest measured for this time of year. Sellers will thus need to set their initial competing price competitively, and also be prepared to negotiate. First time buyer affordability has been boosted by property prices falling over the last month. The change in seller behavior indicates a speedier market recovery could be feasible with coordinated action by all relevant stakeholders, including the Government, the Bank of England, lenders, sellers and agents to improve buyer affordability by reacting more quickly to the new market conditions. With Bexley’s annual asking price growth down to 1.1%, and average earnings growing at 3.7%, buyers with their financing in place will find that their purchasing power has now improved over the last 12 months. This ongoing improvement in buyer affordability is key to market recovery. Buyers who have saved through the winter and are now emerging to enter the spring market will find there are deals to be had. It’s a buyers’ market, but only if that buyer is buying for cash or can put down a good deposit. It could be a good time to trade up in the market. Likewise, sellers would be smart to look for buyers with a short chain, as there is more chance of longer chains falling apart with mortgages more difficult to obtain. To reiterate without the driver of rising unemployment and significant levels of forced sales, the most likely outcome is market stagnation with depressed sales volumes as opposed to substantial price falls. Neither a crash nor the current stagnation is a palatable or politically acceptable outcome. Unless the anticipated steps to be taken by the Bank of England are effective, potential buyers will be impotent to the seduction of lower asking prices, unless they are cash-rich. While this month’s reduction in interest rates by the Bank of England was welcomed, its limited influence on potential buyers’ mortgage rates shows that on its own, it is not enough. Rather than talking or finger-pointing, immediate action is needed to improve mortgage liquidity and enable lenders to raise funds. Re-opening the money markets so that the interbank lending rate falls closer in line with base rates would give a further, and much needed, boost to affordability and sentiment. In spite of challenging market conditions, sales have not ground to a halt, and deals are still being done. The market therefore has the potential to recover confidence if the right conditions are put in place. The slowdown is a natural market reaction to prices that we knew were overheated, though it has been magnified with the added major complication of the credit crunch. Tue, 13 May 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001038Bank Holiday Opening Hourshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001039Please note both Able Estates branches will be open all over the Spring Bank Holiday and we will be delighted to see you and see if we can find your dream home. Our opening hours are as follows: Saturday 24th May - 9.00am to 6.00pm Sunday 25th May - 10.00am to 4.00pm Monday 26th May - 10.00am to 3.00pm Please feel free to either call us on 020 8306 2020 or call in to see us for more infomation.Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001039House Prices Won`t Crash - Experts Believe Market Is `Robust`http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001040Home owners received a double dose of good news yesterday as experts dismissed predictions of a property crash - and Britain`s biggest mortgage lender cut its rates. Despite doom-mongers` gloomy forecasts, house prices remain up on last year with annual growth at 1.7 per cent last month. The figure comes as Halifax announced it is to cut some mortgage rates by between 0.10 and 0.20 percentage points for existing customers, potentially saving them hundreds of pounds per year. John Wriglesworth, housing economist at Wriglesworth Consultancy, said "There is no sign of a property crash and never has been. Predictions otherwise have been grossly exaggerated. What we have we seen is a small correction from a massive peak and there is very little chance falling into an abyss. What we need is for lenders to loosen the purse strings." Halifax`s decision to slash rates on its three- and five- year fixed and tracker deals means customers looking to remortgage will now pay up to £200 a year less on an average £100,000 mortgage. The cuts follow the lead of the Nationwide Building Society and Abbey, which reduced rates last week. In further good news, the latest house price index - based on information from five major UK house value surveys - showed annual growth remained steady at 1.7 per cent last month. Although, down for 3.6 per cent in March, the figure shows the house prices are still up on last April. The typical house in the UK is now valued at £215,089 six months ago. But annually, the typical home owner would have seen the price of their home rise by £2,279 since April 2007. Stuart Law, of Assetz House Price Index which carried out the research, said "I`m yet to see any firm evidence of a house market crash. Values in this country have remained extremely robust." He said with some lenders now cutting their rates, the market "should return to a degree of normality, perhaps as soon as September". Peter Bolton King, chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents, also predicted an upturn in the market in the second half of the year. He said: " We just need a couple of good deals offered by lenders and people will start to borrow and buy again." But while mortgage market looks more positive, the cost of personal borrowing is soaring, with the rate for a £7,500 loan rising by almost one per cent to an average of 8.88 per cent in the past six months. A survey for MoneyExpert.com as found loans were becoming more difficult to obtain as lenders imposed stricter criteria.Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001040Market Overview & Monthly Update For May 08 From Able Estateshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001041New-to-market sellers, not facing financial distress, are testing the market at prices now in excess of the peak of the boom and ignoring the consequence of ever-tightening mortgage availability. New sellers can see the storm clouds overhead but seem to believe it’s only raining on other people. The reality is it started raining last September, and has reached storm force in the last month. The free flowing mortgage tap has been turned off. Sellers who are out to achieve last year’s prices need to accept that the market has fallen and that they will end up being punished by a lower price in the long run. Discretionary movers can afford to test the market and sit there for months. Whilst this is a usual trend at this time of year, it is still indicative of the ‘business as usual’ mindset following 10 years of steadily rising prices. In the current market, over-pricing is the wrong tactic both to sell your house and speed a recovery in sales volumes. Potential buyers of these properties are more mortgagable than those in lower price brackets. However, if a lack of funding and affordability is affecting buyers further down the chain, sellers at the top need to price more realistically to get the market moving. Lenders are looking after number one by raising mortgage arrangement fees, monthly repayments and deposit requirements, and the amount they are prepared to lend is falling. Sellers therefore need to act in a more coordinated way to help improve affordability throughout the chain. However, there are thousands of estate agents and hundreds of thousands of sellers, so reaction to a deteriorating market is a slow process. Average unsold property stock per estate agency branch has jumped to a new record figure, rising from 69 to 73; the highest ever figure Rightmove has measured since records began in August 2002. The previous high was 72 properties in August 2005. Sales are still happening where sellers are pricing realistically, especially where they are getting similar reductions on the home they are buying. With the current mortgage famine forecast to last for 2 years, sellers need to focus on trying to attract the limited number of buyers who have access to funds. Some estate agents are now turning away new instructions if they are similar to the properties they already have on their books and cannot sell. This is a major cultural change for most estate agents, but those of us with experience of previous downturns recognise there are big costs in burdening ourselves with even more over priced stock. Fri, 23 May 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001041Market Overview & Monthly Update For June 08 From Able Estates.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001042Home sellers’ expectation of the price they will be able to obtain when selling their property is lowering, shows the Rightmove House Price Index. In spite of the lowest housing transactions for 30 years, new sellers had been coming to the market asking record prices. Thankfully, new sellers are now taking some proactive steps to price more realistically from the outset to attract increasingly hard-pressed buyers. It is essential your property stands out over your competition, especially with a property to buyer ratio of 15 to 1. Sales are still happening, and there is a pent-up demand for the right properties at the right price. The homes that are in special locations have strong character details or immaculate finishes are still popular if priced realistically. Run-of-the mill homes that are not much different to others on the market have to stand out as bargain buys, and badly presented homes have to be really cheap. Lenders are trying not to lend right now and are just cherry-picking for profit. With approximately half the mortgage funds available, homes have to stand out to attract the half of buyers that can still buy. For most sellers that will mean whatever they thought of asking for their property at the peak of the boom, they need to take at least 10% off. Otherwise, their property will stagnate. Remember rental yields are up and existing landlords are looking to take advantage in a slow down in the market and add to there portfolio. After a decade of relatively easy selling conditions, motivated sellers and their estate agent need to act together to ensure their property has the power to attract that one buyer away from the other 14 competitor homes. Many estate agents were not in the market in the early 90’s downturn and in the meantime, new technology and resources have emerged to fundamentally change successful sales techniques. The transparency and reach of the internet means buyers are much more informed, and with one million properties for sale at the moment, all of which can be easily accessed online, there is no hiding if your home is not properly priced and marketed. Sellers need to consider the 3 P’s - Pricing, Presentation and Promotion. Pricing has to be below the competition and presentation of their property has to be the most attractive on the street. Having got those two basic elements right, it is then crucial to promote the property to really stand out from the rest. Estate agents now have to market like pro’s and sellers have to provide them with the right raw material. Once you’ve sold, this is a great market for trading up; with ample opportunity to negotiate a reduction on the one you are buying and moving into a sought after area where there is normally restricted choice. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001042Able`s Make Final Donation To Greenwich & Bexley Hospice.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001043Peter Jones, one of the Able directors recently visited Greenwich & Bexley Hospice to present Jim Bennett & Peter Butler with the final payment from our Aniversary year wher Ables had pledged their support to the hospice throughout this year. Able`s will still keep in touch with the hospice and even help out at some of the fundays, take part in the sponsored events etc etc We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the hospice and in turn donating monies towards this truly special place. To make a donation or to see what functions are coming up you can visit their website - www.cottagehospice.org.ukMon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001043Vendors Deposit Scheme At Able Estates.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001044In an ever changing Mortgage market, many potential buyers may find that their hard saved deposit just doesn`t secure them the advance that they need and, ultimately, keep them off of the housing ladder. This can be a frustrating situation for both buyers and sellers alike. This is where a Vendors deposit may be useful. This scheme may benefit the seller in finding new buyers with limited or no deposit and may also benefit the buyer who may now find that a cheaper more cost effective mortgage is available for them. If this is something that sounds of interest then please call our offices and ask for information.Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001044Ables Complete The London To Brighton Bike Ride 2008.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001045We are pleased to confirm that all 6 represenatives of Able`s completed this years London to Brighton bike ride. After 54 taxing miles up and down many hills they all arrived safe & sound in Brighton where they were met by friends & family. All 6 agreed it was a really brilliant day and will definately be taking part next year (are they mad ?? ) Obviously the reason this bike ride takes place is to raise money for the ` British Heart Foundation ` Ables have already raised some monies through their branches but would ask you to please sponsor them as well, you can do this on line by visiting www.justgiving.com/ableestates or call / visit one of our branches. The ` British Heart Foundation ` is a fantastic charity so please please sponsor our team, anyway we are off now to train for next years bike ride - Thanks for reading.Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001045After The Bad News, Now Some Good ........http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001046Nationwide Building Society has cut rates on selected mortgage products, it has been announced. Under its new pricing system, rates on its two year fixed rate offer with maximum loan to value (LTV) of 75 per cent will be cut from 6.55 per cent to 6.48 per cent. Meanwhile, borrowers seeking a two year fix with maximum LTV of 95 per cent will see the rate cut from 7.25 per cent to 7.18 per cent. The cost of the two-year tracker has also dropped and is now available from 5.98 per cent with an arrangement fee of £599. Matthew Carter, divisional director for mortgages at Nationwide, said: "As a building society we always aim to offer our members the best possible deals. "These price changes reinforce our message that, despite tougher market conditions, we remain very much open for business." News of the move comes after Abbey announced it is cutting its tracker rates by up to 0.20 percentage points for borrowers with 25 per cent equity, with Birmingham Midshires also expected to announce a reduction this week. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001046Landlordshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1007Are you getting the best service from your Agent? If not give Able Estates a call! Competitive management fee including full management, tenancy agreements, inspections, rent guarantee, legal cover, subscription to tenancy deposit scheme. No hidden extras. Introduction service also available.Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1007Costs Of Fixed Rate Mortgages Fallinghttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001047The average rate on two-year fixed rate mortgages has fallen below seven per cent, bringing a modicum of respite to cash-strapped borrowers. According to Moneyfacts, just ten days age the typical rate on these deals peaked at 7.08 per cent - its highest rate in a decade However, signs of an easing in conditions in the money markets mean that lenders have been able to cut the cost of deals, with the average rate now standing at 6.96 per cent. The cost of three and five years fixes has also been cut by lenders, with typical rates now at 7.18 per cent and 6.99 per cent respectivelyTue, 22 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001047First Time Buyers Returning To Markethttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001048First time buyers are beginning to return to the property market, new figures from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) suggest. According to the organisation during June its members reported that the proportion of sales involving novice homebuyers hit 11.8 per cent. This represents an increase of 1.2 per cent from May and a rise of 9.8 per cent compared with June last year. Chris Brown, president of the NAEA, commented: "Members have reported that the first time buyer market is slowly increasing with 11.8 per cent shown as the percentage share of first time buyer sales in June. "For first time buyers who have the adequate funds in place and can secure mortgages, now is a time they can operate as opportunists and take advantage of the market and the properties and prices currently available." The Council of Mortgage Lenders has reported that in June the average deposit put down by first time buyers stood at 13 per cent.Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001048Stamp Of Approvalhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001049It was announced this week that the government are considering suspensions to the existing stamp duty levels in order to help first time buyers and those at the lower end of the property scale through the credit crisis. An official government spokesman stated that talks were being held to find a way top relieve the burden felt by the current financial state as a whole, and to boost the property market. Currently all homes above £125,000 are required to pay Stamp Duty, but in a move similar to that which the Conservatives took in 1992 when they raised the threshold to £250,000. The official told the Daily Mail that the government is being "exercised about the housing market and they are looking at a lot of different measures."Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001049Fixed Rate Deals Becoming Cheaperhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001050Thursday 31st July 2008 The cost of fixed-rate deals is falling, offering a "glimmer of hope" to borrowers amid the downturn in the housing market, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk. Research conducted by the personal finance site showed that the average cost of a two-year fixed rate as of July 11th was 7.08 per cent. However, since this time the fall in swap rates, which are used by lenders to set rates for fixes, the average rate has fallen to 6.95 per cent. The cost of the deals has been brought down after a number of mainstream lenders have announced cuts to rates recently. These include Halifax, Cheltenham & Gloucester (C&G), Nationwide and HSBC, which currently charge an average rate of 6.76 per cent. Darren Cook, mortgage expert at the site, commented: "There is a faint glimmer of hope the fixed-rate mortgage market is returning to some sort of normality."Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001050Stamp Duty Axed Below £175,000http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001051Homebuyers will not have to pay stamp duty on properties costing £175,000 or less for the next 12 months. The current £125,000 threshold will be raised as part of a package of measures aimed at boosting the housing market. Someone buying a home for £175,000 will save £1,750 under the scheme, which is likely to cost the Treasury £600m. The goverment estimates half of all property transactions will now be exempt from stamp duty - up from one third when the threshold was £125,000.Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001051The Naea Urge Consumers To Be Patient.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001052THE NAEA URGE CONSUMERS TO BE PATIENT AND CONTINUE TO SEE BUYING A HOME AS A SOUND INVESTMENT. Peter Bolton King, Chief Executive of The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the residential sales arm of the National Federation of Property Professionals (NFOPP), comments: `The property market has been unsteady since the start of the year and quite an unpredictable one. It has been a tough time for the industry and a loss of confidence from consumers is clear from the drop in sales and a ‘wait and see’ approach being adopted by so many. `There has been a stream of negative information portrayed in the media and despite all of the pessimisms surrounding the industry a property should still be seen as a sound investment. The market is shaky now but it will return in the next year or two and when it does it will offer substantial returns. The reduction in new build homes is serving only to increase pent up demand. As long as a home is purchased with the plan to settle in and keep it for the foreseeable future then now is a great time to invest in a property.` Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001052New Property Website Launched From The National Association Of Estate Agents - 22 / 10/ 08.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001053Propertylive.co.uk, the new portal from the National Federation of Property Professionals, finally went live yesterday (Wednesday), good news for the many member agents rooting for its success. NFOPP chief executive Peter Bolton King said that it had been hoped to launch the portal over the weekend but a couple of glitches had forced the delay. Another glitch yesterday meant that the site failed almost immediately after going live, but was swiftly up and running again. Bolton King was careful to control expectations, and asked his member agents to be patient over the next few weeks as work continued on uploading properties. `Technically, we have an enormous task because I don’t think anyone else has tried to build a site so rapidly, with so many properties. We have 200,000 ready to go on. I think we will start by loading 50,000 properties and build from there.` Journalists had initially been specifically briefed that the site would go live just over a week ago at Agency Expo, but in the event there was merely a demo. Meanwhile, another site, propertylive.me, has established itself online. However, Bolton King said that its existence had nothing at all to do with the delayed launch of the NFOPP site. Propertylive.co.uk will be a free benefit to all members of NFOPP, including the NAEA and ARLA. Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001053Market Overview - October 08http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001054The number of loans granted to first time buyers declined in August to 15,600, according to data released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), whose members provide 98 per cent of all UK mortgages. The number of loans granted, is the lowest since the CML began compiling the information back in 2000, with the first time buyer average approved loan at £106,754. According to property data company Hometrack, it is estimated that there are 1.6 million 20-39 year olds, who are renting because! they cannot afford to get on the property ladder. Potential buyers are forced to stay in rented accommodation for longer than they had planned. Mortgage finance is still generally expensive and first time buyers are now spending 12 per cent more per week on mortgages, compared with a year ago. This coupled with increased deposit requirements, is resulting in further deterring prospective buyers. Consequently many first time buyers are ‘playing the waiting game’ in the hope that given time, they will once again be in a position to climb onto the property ladder when the housing market ‘bottoms-out.’ However the current market does now offer genuinley affordable properties for 1st Time buyers, so be careful playing the waiting game.Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001054Able Estates Market Overview November 08http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001055The downward trend in asking prices continues, with new sellers now marketing at 4.9% less than 12 months ago, the largest year-on-year fall ever recorded by Rightmove. At the same time, `property vultures` are circling, looking harder and longer for a good deal. Old habits associated with ten years of a rising market remain however despite a severe downturn in property sales volumes. New sellers increased their asking prices by 1% compared to last month, though the price rise was far less pronounced than the October norm of circa 2% seen in more buoyant years. This continued the traditional of an autumn bounce in asking prices as, in spite of financial mayhem, some sellers are tempted to think their own residence is more desirable than its competition. Estate agents are also competing for scarce additional stock on the off chance it will sell and boost revenues before Christmas. However, all should note that for the first time, this month sees all regions of the country slipping into negative territory compared to a year ago. Any potential buyer will drive a hard bargain, so the temptation for sellers to price up and negotiate later may seem like a good idea. These are not the tactics of sellers in real financial hardship, and it would appear that the economic downturn has yet to become an everyday reality to most people. This is about to change as, unfortunately it looks like rising unemployment and an increasing pipeline of repossessions will drastically alter the complexion of the market in 2009. For now, we continue to see evidence of the lack of urgency for sellers to enter the market resulting in average unsold stock per estate agent decreasing from 78 to 76. These levels still remain at historic highs, a testament to the lack of buyer activity as well as sellers being unwilling to accept a price in line with those few deals that are being achieved. Sellers should be mindful that rapidly rising unemployment is historically linked to a surge in forced sales, driving prices down further. While fewer buyers may be ready to proceed, a number of `property vultures` are looking harder and longer for the right deal. Prospective home movers researching the market now spend an average of 13 minutes per visit to the site. During searches, sellers who price too high are easy to ignore and in danger of missing the impact a new listing generates. Once initial momentum is wasted, their fate tends to be a downward spiral of price reductions and a growing suspicion among would-be buyers that the property lacks appeal and popularity. For those who have been active in the housing market in the last 20 years, or were now hoping to get on the housing ladder following recent price falls, the rules have changed for good. When we look back on these turbulent times, I suspect we will not only realise that we came closer to the brink than most imagine, but we will also clearly recognise it as the end of the long period of growth in owner occupation.` Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001055Interest Rate Cut - November 08http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001056Borrowers who are now `Quids in` Friday 7th November 2008 So, what does the 1.5% cut in base rate mean for those with mortgages? Undoubtedly, the real winners are those with tracker mortgages, which follow the movements of the Bank of England’s base rate. This immediately translated into large monthly savings for borrowers who have benefited from an overall cut in interest rates from 5% to 3% in the last few months. Recent borrowers with tracker mortgages in particular are reaping the rewards. However, the bad news is that on Wednesday, the day before the 1.5% interest rate cut – taking us back to 3% – Woolwich, Lloyds TSB and Northern Rock all removed their tracker mortgages, while Abbey pre-empted what it thought would be a half-point cut in interest rates by increasing its margin on tracker mortgages by 0.5% on Tuesday. Furthermore, according to the Financial Times, brokers say they expect all lenders to raise tracker mortgage rates to avoid being inundated with applications from homeowners looking to benefit from further interest rate falls. However, for those who got their tracker mortgages in good time, the savings are extraordinary and the luckiest (though no doubt they’d say the savviest) are the buy-to-let brigade who are now benefiting from good rental demand as well as lower borrowing costs. They are literally `Quids in`. We currently offer an Independent Mortgage Advice Service to all our prospective purchasers and would like to extend this service to our existing customers as well. If you are interested in a ‘No Obligation’ review of your mortgage or financial arrangements with our resident Mortgage Adviser please contact us on 020 8306 2020. Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001056Bbc Makeover Showhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001059Able Estates were contacted by the BBC as they were looking for a property that needed a little freshening up for a Property Program they were doing in 2009. They chose this lovely 2 Bedroom End of Terrace house to have a professional makeover for that program. The property is located in North Thamesmead and is literally minutes away from the local Golf Course & River Thames with its lovely walkways. Once inside you will find a property comprising of Entrance Hall, Kitchen, Living room leading on to a lovely Conservatory which in turn opens on to the Rear Garden. Upstairs are 2 Double Bedrooms and a Shower Room with Double Shower Cubicle. Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001059Positives In 2009 - Make This Your Year !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001060Fellow Estate Agents and Independent Financial Advisors (IFA) are feeding us with positive news and to enable us all to share in this feel good factor we would like to pass this positive information onto you `The Public` This week an IFA in South East London was over the moon, he said, ‘one lender has introduced a fixed rate of 4.99% with a deposit of 15% with no ridiculous arrangement fees.’ Hooray finally a lender who is moving in the right direction and away from the 25% deposit requirements of 2008. The Bank of England, for the fourth month, has reduced the official base rate and it now stands at 1.5 percent. Hopefully this will give the banks and building societies another kick start in reducing their rates. This genuinly is an excellent time to buy a property, there are great bargains for 1st time buyers, Vendors looking to upgrade and Investors to be had - PRICES ARE LOW & THERE IS LOTS TO CHOOSE FROM, so let’s do away with the doom and gloom of 2008 and welcome in an optimistic 2009. Make this the year you finally get on the property ladder, buy an Investment home or trade up to that bigger Dream home!! Dont wait for the market to bottom out because before you know it prices will be on the increase and you will have missed the boat. If you would like to discuss your property requirements or need advice on selling your home then please feel free to call either of the Able Offices. Best Regards Paul Servis Able Estates Director. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001060Docklands Light Railway (Dlr) Stationhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001061The new Woolwich Arsenal Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Station has now opened. It is the terminus to a new £18 million extension providing another vital north-south link to the capital. The extension also links DLR King George V Station on the north of the river with Woolwich Arsenal in the south. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London said "I am absolutely delighted that this extension of the DLR with its cracking new station is up and running and puts Woolwich Arsenal firmly on the Tube map". Woolwich has long lacked the transport links that encourage the creation of new jobs, homes and shops and this is exactly the sort of project that will help kick the credit crunch where it hurts. The extension will also play an important role in the Olympic transport network. People in this part of London will now be just a 24 minute hop, skip and jump away from the Olympic site. As with the rest of the DLR network, Woolwich Arsenal station has step-free access to all platforms and trains. Connections - Woolwich to London City Airport in six mins, Canary Wharf in 20 mins, Stratford in 23 mins and Bank in 28 mins. In the peak period, trains will leave every six to seven mins DirectTue, 13 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001061Ables Are Now On Facebookhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001062We are pleased to inform you that you can also find Able Estates on Facebook. It is an open group which means anyone can join. Please feel free to invite your friends and family to join our group. In the meantime, if you are considering selling or renting your property, please contact either of the Able Offices for some free, professional advice.Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001062London To Brighton Bike Ride - 21st June 2009http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001058The staff of Able Estates are once again taking part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride. They sucessfully took part in 2008 and raised around £500 and are hoping to beat that figure this year. Any sponsorship would be greatly appreciated for this worthy cause.Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001058We Are Open All Over Easter Bank Holidayhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001063Please note that both Able Branches are open all over the coming Easter Bank Holiday Weekend, our opening hours are : Good Friday - 10 am - 3 pm. Holy Saturday - 9 am - 6 pm. Easter Sunday - 10 am - 4 pm. Bank Holiday Monday - 10 am - 3 pm. Please either call us on 0208 306 2020 or pop in and see us . Happy Easter Weekend from all the staff @ Able`s.Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001063Signs Of Spring In The Uk Market !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001064The latest survey from online portal Rightmove has revealed that sellers who are putting their homes on the market this month are raising the average asking price by 1.8 per cent - the biggest rise in more than a year - and this, coupled with a smaller annual decline, has given new hope that the UK market is recovering... The third consecutive rise in asking prices this month - taking average prices up by almost £4,000 to £222,077, is hopefully heralding a new dawn for the UK property market. The rise in asking prices this month is the biggest rise in 14 months and, although prices did still drop in April, it was the smallest decline since January and well down from the nine per cent fall last month. There was also an increase in the number of new sellers tempted to market their homes in the last month, up 13 per cent from March to 22,260. Time on market for properties has also fallen from 81 to 77 days, which is another good indicator that this may be more than just a seasonal bump and could be the start of a market recovery. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) also reported that the number of loans for home purchases jumped by four per cent in February compared to January. 24,300 mortgages worth £3.1 billion were completed by banks and building societies during the month, up from 23,400 in January. The British Bankers` Association (BBA) said mortgage approvals increased for the third month in a row in February, up to 28,179 from 24,278 in January and way above November`s record low of 17,878. However, Londoners still had to endure their homes falling by an average of 3.2 per cent - the only region to show a decline. Research from property website Globrix showed that a small number of towns across Britain proved to be surprisingly resilient against the housing slump. Cheltenham, Guildford and Sevenoaks have all seen average property prices fall less than two per cent since September last year, with prices in Cheltenham prices dropping by just 0.2 per cent to £219,999 in that period. Rightmove`s Commercial Director, Miles Shipside said, "It looks like we are now bumping along the bottom of the trough. "But, for there to be any real sense of optimism that we`re on a sustainable road to recovery, the availability of mortgage finance needs to improve significantly. "Thankfully mortgage lenders are finally starting to release more funds to finance new house purchases. "Some sellers are doing deals at prices that have adjusted to the new reality, though there also remain some real property black spots of overpriced supply outstripping recession-dimmed demand," added Mr Shipside. For any advice regarding your property please feel free to call either of the Able branches. Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001064Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice Charity Walk This Coming Bank Holiday Monday.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001065Hospice 15th Anniversary Sponsored Walk Our anniversary walk takes place on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4th. Are you joining us for our special walk? If so thank you for registering, if you have yet to decide, please think about it now. It`s FREE to take part if you are gaining sponsorship for the Hospice. Ask your friends and family to join you – if they can’t make it – ask them to sponsor you! It all takes place along the Green Chain Walk and the Thames Path with some amazing views to take in along the way. Registration - is so easy. All you have to do is click this link to our website www.cottagehospice.org.uk/walk or fill in a form which you can get by giving us a call on 020 8312 2244 or pick one up from any of our 12 charity shops or Hospice Reception on Bostall Hill. We have 3 starts – so there’s one local to you: Eltham Park South, Glenesk Road, Eltham Charlton Park Bostall Heath, Abbey Wood (opposite the Hospice) With 15 routes of 3, 5, 7, 10 or 15 miles to choose from – there’s something for everyone! If you can’t manage any of these – do the ‘Hospice Stroll’ – a flat circuit available at each start point. There’ll be fun warm-up sessions, hot and cold refreshments and everyone receives a medal on completion (including your dog!) Please pass this message onto your family and friends and support your local Hospice - see you there! Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001065May Day Bank Holidayhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001066AS NORMAL ABLE ESTATES WILL BE OPEN ALL OVER THIS COMING BANK HOLIDAY !! SATURDAY 2nd MAY - 9am - 6pm. SUNDAY 3rd MAY - 10am - 4pm. MONDAY 4th MAY - 10am - 3pm. Either call us on 0208 306 2020 or pop in to see us, we may have a property you may want to buy or let.Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001066London To Brighton Bike Ride - 21st June 2009http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001067We are delighted to say Able`s will be entering a team in the bike ride for the 2nd year running.If you would like to sponsor us please log on to: www.justgiving.com/paulservis Its very easy to do and all donations go to The British Heart Foundation which i am sure you will agree is a fantastic charity. Thanks for your support - Able EstatesFri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001067Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospicehttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001068LAUNCH OF HOSPICE LOTTERY - We are delighted to announce that we have launched a Lottery that will support our on going work. This will be a new and important income stream for us and in time will raise significant amounts of money that will support our very special care. Some key points about the Lottery - It will cost £2 to play. The draw will take place every Friday. Each £2 weekly entry entitles you to a unique number which will be sent to you in the post. Numbers are randomly selected by computer. There will be 40 prizes each week comprising of:- 4 prizes of £50 5 prizes of £20 10 prizes of £10 20 prizes of £5 Prizes are issued automatically and a cheque is sent the week following the draw. The first draw will be held on Friday 31st July 2009 You can register on line at www.cottagehospicelottery.org.uk or telephone 0870 085 3779. How will £2 make a difference? It will be used to add value to our patient care at the hospice, in the community, in local care homes and at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich. It will also provide support for families and carers.Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001068Able`s Staff Take To The Television !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001069Able Estates staff are now officially TV stars - You may have spotted our Director Paul Servis on BBC London News last Friday 15th May on the 6.30 local news and also the News @ 10 that night. Paul was asked whether he thought the money being spent on the new highspeed ` Crossrail ` link going in to Abbey wood was worth it - he gave a definate Yes it is - great for the local Area, Business`s & most importantly improves this areas transport links for you the Public !! On Weds 27th May @ 11am you can also see Lynn Randall from our Abbey wood office appearing in a property program called ` The Unsellables ` which features one of Able`s properties in Sunningdale Close, North Thamesmead having a makeover & Lynn being asked questions about the property & local area. Lynn has dealt with properties in and around Thamesmead for many years so was the ideal member of staff to be on the show. So if your at home next wednesday then please tune in, alternatively if you would like to find out more about the property in Sunningdale Close which has had the makeover or would like to know more about the new ` Crossrail ` link coming in to Abbey wood then please feel free to call Paul or Lynn on 0208 306 2020 They will be happy to help you.Thu, 21 May 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001069Tories Will Put Pledge To Scrap Hip`s In Their Manifesto !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001070The Conservatives’ promise to scrap HIPs immediately, if they get into power it is to be in the party’s general election manifesto. The news was revealed by shadow housing minister Grant Shapps in a meeting with the chief executive of the NAEA, Peter Bolton King, and president Gary Smith. Smith said of Shapps that he was extremely well briefed and that his approach `was in accord with ours on virtually every point` raised in the meeting. Shapps also confirmed that the Tories will retain Energy Performance Certificates, whilst making them less bureaucratic. He did not, however, offer any support for compulsory licensing of estate agents, letting agents and landlords. Smith said it was made clear that the Tories favour self-regulation. Only if circumstances necessitated regulation in the future would licensing be considered, but even then it would be a ‘light touch’ approach. Other subjects discussed at the meeting included the difficulties of home buyers in obtaining mortgages, rates on empty commercial properties, and the problems for private developers in raising finance for housing projects which could lead to a shortage of supply of new properties when the market picks up again. Smith said: `We came away with the feeling that the points we raised had been listened to and understood, and where we believed action was required it would be carefully considered.` Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001070June Updatehttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001071Prices fell by 0.5% in June, with the average price of a property now standing at £157,713 – 15% down on this time a year ago. According to the Halifax, house prices have fallen every month of this year apart from January and May. This is roughly in line with Nationwide, which reported a 0.9% rise in May. But although Nationwide’s average house price – at £156,442 – is very close to Halifax’s, Nationwide says that average house prices are now only 9.3% lower than a year ago. Nationwide has also reported house price rises in three of the last four months. However, completely out of sync with both is the average asking price of property on Rightmove, which now stands at £226,436 – a 0.4% fall on May’s figure, down just 5.5% year on year, and far higher than either Halifax’s or Nationwide’s selling prices. RICS chief economist Simon Rubinsohn said of the latest Halifax figures: `It is far from clear that prices have bottomed.` Propertyfinder director Nicholas Leeming said: `The short-sighted mortgage rate hikes by lenders in June dented public confidence and set back house prices, a blot on the housing market landscape after the positive indications of recent weeks. `This doesn’t mean the housing market revival has ground to a halt at the first sign of trouble, but it serves as a reminder that the property market is still in intensive care.`Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001071Are Rents Beginning To Stop Their Long Slowslide ?http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001072Rents across the UK are finally showing signs of stabilising, after prolonged falls because of saturated supply. Average monthly rents went up 0.3% in June to £641 – a rise of just £2 from May. But this was after a continuous monthly drop, altogether amounting to a decline of 11%, since their high in August 2008. The number of new tenants registering to rent has gone up 18% in the last 12 months. `Since last summer, rents have been forced down by a huge increase in the supply of stock on the lettings market. However, a rapid rise in demand from tenants in May and June has helped redress the balance and stopped the downward pressure on rents.` Tenants signing a lease in June 2009 are saving an average of £624 a year compared with tenants who moved into rented accommodation in June 2008, when typical monthly rents stood at £693 per month. One reason for today’s lower rents is that tenants are haggling. Website FindaProperty says an online survey it carried out this month, involving almost 2,000 tenants, indicated that almost three-quarters are or will be negotiating a rent reduction. Most want 5–10% knocked off. The site reports rental stock levels nearly 70% higher than in June 2008. In London, as opposed to the whole of the UK, rents have been falling for 15 months in a row, according to FindaProperty’s sister site Primelocation. It reports that prime rental properties are still flooding on to the market, but that the growth rate is finally slowing. The rate of the rise of new rental properties on the market is the lowest since April 2008. Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001072Home Loans Up But Levels Still Very Low.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001073The Council of Mortgage Lenders has reported that loans for house purchase climbed 23% from 36,500 in May to 45,000 in June. But the CML warned that this was less than half the average number of loans recorded for June over the last seven years. Between April and June 116,700 house purchase loans were advanced by lenders, up 50% from the previous quarter but 22% down on the same period in 2008. There were just 17,200 first-time buyer loans in June, and 27,800 loans for home movers. The average first-time buyer had a 25% deposit, and home movers had a deposit of 31%. Paul Samter, economist at the CML, said: `Low interest rates and realistic selling prices have helped generate a welcome increase in transactions. `But there is some way to go before we reach normal levels of activity.` Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001073Estate Agents Climb The Popularity Polls !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001074Are the public finally beginning to love estate agents? Or at least, not hate them so much? According to a survey by the Co-operative – haven’t they got better things to do, like sell Mother’s Pride, Angel Delight and digestive biscuits? – agents now come only sixth in the list of least respected professions. Agents have normally topped ‘worst’ lists fairly effortlessly, generally vying for first place with MPs and journalists. But not this year. Top come traffic wardens, followed by politicians, which seems a bit unfair on traffic wardens. Then come call centre staff, bankers and footballers. Strangely, this year’s top ten scumbags include taxmen, salespeople and lawyers – but not journalists. Regards Your friendly Estate Agents @ Able Estates. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001074London Agents Put Up ` Sold Out ` Signs As The Market Picks Up !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001075 Some London Agents have put up Sold Out signs as prices soar 12% in a month. Asking prices for properties new to the market have shot up 2.8% from last month, Rightmove reported today, making it the largest October rise for six years. The trend is almost right across Britain, although price rises are the most pronounced in London. In some parts of London, prices jumped by over 12%. The only regions where prices did not rise were the North and East Anglia. Of the 95,000 fresh stock to the market across the UK, 22,000 are priced at under the current Stamp Duty holiday level of £175,000, which ends on December 31. But it is notable that the number of new listings is down 36% on two years ago. Rightmove says that in London, agents are all but sold out of stock and are reporting that they have fewer than ten properties on their books. Transactions levels are also still way down – 54% – on 2007. Rightmove warns that these are historically low volumes which distort house price movements. The site also warns that housing market paralysis could set in for the first half of next year. It cites four possible reasons: Stamp Duty and VAT will have risen; Britain will be firmly entrenched in its new austerity age, when people may lose the taste for trading up; a general election will be forthcoming; and the prospect of HIPs being scrapped may encourage sellers to hold off. For more information about selling your property please feel free to contact either of the Able Estates offices for some free professional advice.Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001075Rental Market Overview - October 09.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001076The national rental market is looking much more healthy than it did six months ago. The clear out of stock is continuing in fairly dramatic fashion as the sales market improves and a seasonal surge in demand helps mop up excess supply, particularly at the lower end of the market. "Consequently, rents are on a clear upward trend and long term buy-to-let landlords in London and the South East in particular have reason to feel optimistic that the market is making a sustained recovery." • The stock of rental properties on the market dropped sharply in October (-10.2%) - the most significant monthly fall in the history of the index - bringing supply back to the level last seen almost a year ago. • Rents rose marginally (+0.1%) to £830 pcm in October - the sixth consecutive month of stable or rising prices - remaining 3.8% lower than a year ago. • Gross yields dip from 4.56% in October as rising house prices put pressure on rental returns • London and the South East lead the rental market recovery while the majority of regions suffer falling rental values If you are considering buying a property to rent out or you are already a Landlord and you need some free professional advice then please feel free to contact either of the Able Offices.Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001076London To Brighton Bike Ride 09 - Grand Total.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001077As you can see from our Certificate, Able Estates raised a Fantastic grand total of £2,144.02 !!! All of this goes to the British Heart Foundation. Able`s would like to thank everybody who made a contribution and to say a BIG WELL DONE to the riders who represented Able Estates. We shall be taking part in next years London To Brighton bike ride & shall notify everybody accordingly. Thanks for sponsoring us. AETue, 24 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001077Green Retrofit Worth £6,500 For Each Home, Say Tories !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001078Every household under a Tory government will be entitled to claim at least £6,500 in retro-fitted energy improvements. The scheme, which has attracted the support of Tesco and Marks & Spencer, would cover energy-efficient lighting, modern boilers, and cavity and loft insulation. Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps says it will create 70,000 new jobs. Customers will pay nothing up-front, but will be drawn into the scheme by the promise of lower utility bills. The new system will be paid for by retailers, utility firms and charities, who will claw back the costs over a 25-year period from customers’ energy bills. The small payback will be visible on customers’ bills over each billing periodFri, 27 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001078Hips Would Go Within Weeks Says Shapps !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001079The Conservatives would scrap HIPs `in a matter of weeks` after coming to power, shadow housing minister Grant Shapps has said. Nothing unusual in that: he has been saying it to the trade press, including EAT, consistently and for some time. However, he is now widely telling national newspapers the same thing. Speaking to The Times, in an interview now carried in several other papers, he said that abolishing HIPs would be his first task, should his party win the election. Shapps said: `House prices are rising because supply is restricted. HIPs have not helped. The main priority is to scrap them. They are easy to suspend and there are emergency powers we can use to do so. This can happen very quickly. HIPs will be gone in a matter of weeks.` Shapps also said in the same interview that a Conservative government would raise the house price threshold above which Stamp Duty is payable to £250,000 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001079Woodland To Become Wildlife Havenhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001080A major project is underway to promote jobs and transform an area of rundown woodland into a wildlife park for protected species. A scheme has begun in Thamesmead, off Waldrist Way, to plant more than 1100 trees and 3200 shrubs in an area that has seen historic unlawful horse grazing, vandalism and partial water logging during wet periods. It forms part of Veridion Park, set in 67 acres, which will bring 680,000 sq ft of new commercial space in a deprived area, creating jobs and attracting businesses. The work is being carried out by developer Tilfen Land, backed by Bexley Council and the Forestry Commission. Bernie Harverson, the arboriculturist advising Tilfen Land, said `The impoverished nature of this woodland, together with historic damage, has limited its longevity and diminished its overall value to wildlife generally. "By improving the woodland health and structure, biodiversity will be significantly increased and the habitat for bats, water voles and other wildlife species much improved". Felling of the dead and dying trees will be completed out of the bird-nesting season. New ditches and ponds will be put in to extend the existing dyke network, providing additional habitats for the endangered water vole. The phased replacement of the existing woodland over a 15 year period with more appropriate native species will complete its revitalisation and ensure its longevity as an area of borough importance for nature conservation. It follows the completion, in November 2009 of ecological work on land at Norman Road in Erith. It saw the excavation of a new section of ditch and the reprofiling of the existing Belvedere ditch to provide additional habitat suitable for local wildlife, together with the creation of a seasonal wetland and species-rich grassland. A barn owl box was also installed to provide additional nesting habitat for the barn owl pair that nest at the near-by Crossness Nature Reserve.Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001080Mp Meets Bosses Over Deprived Townhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001081A Minister met with community leaders and police chiefs to discuss the problems faced by people living in one of the capital’s most deprived towns. Barbara Follett MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, came to Gallions Housing, Harrow Manor Way in Thamesmead on Tuesday. She met leaders of Bexley and Greenwich councils, housing association heads, bosses from developer Tilfen Land and commanders for the two boroughs. Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin said `The purpose of the meeting was to familiarise the Minister with the problems, challenges and opportunities facing Thamesmead. It has unique problems because it is straddled by the boundary for two boroughs. `Greenwich receives more funding because it has more areas of deprivation, but some of the poorest parts of Thamesmead fall in Bexley borough which gets less funding. `The Tavy Bridge regeneration project has stalled because of the recession. `You can’t solve these problems with one meeting, but it was a positive discussion and I’m confident we can overcome many of the cross border issues, like funding`.Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001081Public Say House Prices Will Keep Rising This Yearhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001082Public say house prices will keep rising this year with only 13% of people thinking that the prices will fall. In comparison to January 2009 this figure stood at 69%! Miles Shipside, Commercial Director of Rightmove said `Given the looming election and the talk of pending austerity packages ahead, this consumer survey highlights a surprisingly positive price outlook.` He added, `The property market is in a virtuous circle scenario where consumers are seeing less property up for sale and property fresh to the market, selling more quickly!` That rightly gives them the impression that we are over the worst of the recent price falls and that there is likely to be upward pressure on prices.` Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001082Stamp Duty - New Rules In The Budget.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001083As I am sure you are all aware, there are two changes to stamp duty in the Yesterdays budget. Purchases of properties at over £1 million have been announced to have a 5% stamp duty rate. Please note that this does not come into force until April 2011. More importantly, a two year stamp duty holiday commencing with properties completing from today BUT this benefit is only available to `first time buyers`. This, of course, begs the question – what is a first time buyer? This has been defined as a person who has not previously acquired a major interest in residential property. Also excluded are companies, trustees and partnerships. This effectively means that you cannot use your children to buy the property and get the benefit and set up a trust so that you have a benefit in the property. Accordingly, a first time buyer does not mean someone who does not have a property to sell at that time but it must mean someone who has never owned a property or a share in a property before. Although we are waiting clarification, we assume from this that if a couple are buying a property and one of them has owned a property previously and one hasn’t, then the relief is not available. As yet there is no guidance as to what paperwork requirements the Revenue need before granting this exemption. We are making urgent enquiries with the Revenue about this and we will advise you further. Overall this is good news for the Current Housing market and hopefully it will give the market a much needed Kick Start. We will put any further news on our website.Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001083House Prices Resume Their Steady Rise !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001084 House prices rose again in March, by 1.1%, according to Halifax, following a 1.6% dip in February. House prices are now 9.1% above last April, when they were at their lowest. Nationwide also reported a rise in house prices last month, of 0.7%. Like Halifax, it had also reported a dip in February. Halifax says the average house price now stands at £168,521, while Nationwide’s average price is £164,519. Halifax housing economist Martin Ellis said: `There are signs that an increase in the number of properties available for sale is beginning to reduce the imbalance between supply and demand. This should help to contain the upward pressure on house prices.` If you would like a free valuation or some free professional advice then please call either of the Able Offices. We are here to help.Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001084Resurgence Of Interest In Buy To Let In The South !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001085 Several letting specialists are reporting a resurgence of interest in buy to let in the South, with an increase in enquiries from landlords considering buying a property to let for the first time and those wanting to extend their portfolios. Buy to let finance is still not easy to come by, but the situation has improved slightly in recent months, with more mortgage products and better deals coming onto the market. This, coupled with the extremely high demand for rental accommodation, has prompted many investors to take a fresh look at buy to let.` Able Estates are confident that, done with the right advice and guidance, buying to let is an excellent long-term investment. Recent Government figures from the Communities and Local Government’s English Housing Report, published last month, confirm the increasing importance of the private rented sector (PRS) in the UK’s housing needs, with a growing proportion of households living in privately rented accommodation. The figures show that the number of households renting privately has risen by one million since 2001, from 2.1 million to 3.1 million in 2008-09. The PRS now accounts for 14.2% of all households in England, up from 12.7% in 2007 and 10.1% in 2001. This trend looks set to continue as renting grows in popularity. Our branches in Abbey wood & Thamesmead are seeing more people turning to renting, whether through necessity or choice, and renting for longer. Demand is outstripping supply, with good quality properties of all types and sizes being snapped up by waiting tenants.` Despite the favourable outlook for buy to let, Able Estates advise all landlords – whether new to the market or experienced in letting property – to always seek advice from an independent letting specialist when looking to buy a property to rent out. Market conditions vary from area to area and can change, so prospective landlords need to limit their risks by getting impartial, up-to-date advice from an expert. An independent specialist can help landlords make the best decision when choosing a property to let.` Able Estates offer to accompany landlords when they view possible properties for purchase, to give their opinion on its potential as a buy to let investment. They also give objective advice on its rental value and what work might need doing to the property to attract the best possible rent. Able Estates have a wealth of experience in Lettings & Management and are also members of ARLA - The association of Residential Lettings Agents - for all your enquiries please contact one of the Able Branches.Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001085Hips Industry Faces New Selection Setback !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001086The Lib Dems – whose leader Nick Clegg easily outshone Cameron and Brown in last night`s televised debate – have set the cat among the pigeons by including a promise to ditch HIPs in their election manifesto. The surprise inclusion means that in the event of a hung parliament where the Lib Dems hold the balance of power, HIPs are reasonably likely to be abolished. Were there a Lib Dem coalition with the Conservatives, HIPs would certainly go, as the Tories have also made ditching HIPs a manifesto commitment. The two parties now look to be the proverbial dream ticket. Interestingly, the Lib Dem manifesto promises on planning are almost identical to the Conservatives’. If there were a Lib Dem coalition with Labour, then the removal of HIPs could be one of several measures Labour would have to sacrifice to secure the Lib Dems’ co-operation. The Lib Dems have already made it plain how serious they are about any deals they might do, letting it be widely known that if there were a pact with Labour, they would not want Gordon Brown as prime minister. However, the manifesto promise to get rid of HIPs was unexpected. Although the party has often condemned the measure, it was in fact the Lib Dems themselves – in the Lords – who allowed HIPs to get on to the statute book by dropping their opposition at the very last minute. Had they stuck to their guns and continued their united stance with the Tories, HIPs would not have passed on to the statute books. Also in the Lib Dem manifesto is the so-called Mansion Tax, at 1% on properties over £2m. There are also various ‘green’ measures involving insulation and incentives to replace out of date boilers and install double glazing. The party also wants to encourage farmers to convert existing buildings into affordable housing. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001086Home Information Packs Scrapped !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001087Homeowners selling their properties will no longer be required to produce a home information pack (Hip), after the government announced they will be scrapped. Hips, which were launched in 2007 and have since become mandatory for anyone selling a home, have been dogged by criticism. Estate agents have long complained they add red tape to the selling process, while sellers have grumbled about the £200-£400 price tag attached to the packs. Today communities secretary, Eric Pickles, laid an order before parliament suspending Hips, pending primary legislation for a permanent abolition. "The expensive and unnecessary home information pack has increased the cost and hassle of selling homes and is stifling a fragile housing market," he said. "That is why I am taking emergency action to suspend the Hip, bringing down the cost of selling a home and removing unnecessary regulation from the home buying process. "This action will encourage sellers back into the market, and help the market as a whole and the economy recover." Sellers will still be required to get an energy performance certificate (EPC), showing how energy efficient a property is, within 28 days of putting their home on the market, as this is a requirement under EU law. The cost of these is typically around £60. The National Association of Estate Agents welcomed the news, saying that Hips had "failed to benefit homebuyers and actively discouraged sellers." However, the announcement will mean that thousands of people who trained as home inspectors and rely on the packs for their income could lose their jobs. There are between 3,000 and 10,000 people whose livelihoods depend on Hips, according to the Association of Home Information Pack Providers. Graham Brick, who works as a consultant for provider YourHIP.net and part time at Stansted airport, said his income would instantly drop on the back of today`s news. "There are thousands of people out there who are now going to have to live off their savings, quickly find another job or go on the dole," he said. "We have already had calls from people today cancelling their Hips." He added that Hip providers were hoping the government would allow them to continue to provide EPCs, but he understands this side of the business could be given to the country`s utility companies. Jayde Cruickshank, an employee of Property Information Exchange, a company that provides Hip elements to home inspectors, said he was "angry and upset" by today`s news. "We are going to have to completely change our business model overnight," he said. "Not only do we provide the components within the Hips but we have invested thousands of pounds in developing Hip software. All of that is now down the drain." He addded that while he was confident the business would survive in another guise, the company was going to have to make at least five people redundant. He added: "I just don`t understand the rationale for this decision. "I`ve worked in the housing market for a long time and Hips got rid of those sellers who were just putting their houses up for sale to test the market and left us instead with the serious sellers. It has also shortened the time taken to sell a property." The homebuying process will become more expensive as a result of the abolition of the packs, with buyers having to pay for the searches contained within the Hip from today For more information about the scrapping of HIPS or EPC` s please contact either of the Able offices for some free, professional advice.Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001087Uk Homebuyers Fee To Be Abolished.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001088The £22 fee homebuyers must pay to find out about issues or restrictions that may affect a property is being abolished, the government has announced. Until now, legislation stated that a £22 fixed fee should be charged for this information when an individual inspects the records in person. But the law is now being changed to stop people being charged in order to ensure compliance with European regulations relating to "environmental information". These state that checking this type of information in person should be free of charge. A spokeswoman for the department said that while the law had not yet been amended, its advice to local authorities was that "this should be free from now". She said there were 736,000 property transactions in England last year, and if this charge had not been in place homebuyers could have saved as much as £16.2m. Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001088Crossrail Saved But Fares To Rise !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001089Bus & Tube fares are set to rise above inflation after the Mayor of London secured the future of the Crossrail project despite it being a year later than scheduled. Tickets on the capital`s buses & tubes will rise by 2% above inflation in January, with similar increases expected until 2015. As a result, bus users travelling with an Oyster pre - pay card will see single fares rise by 10 pence to £1.30. On the tube, the cost of a weekly travelcard for Central London will rise by £1.80 to £27.60. This comes after Mayor of London Boris Johnson secured funding for the £15.9 billion Crossrail project, which will link Heathrow to Canary Wharf, with stations at Abbey Wood & Woolwich. But the 72 - mile fast link route is due to be completed later than expected in 2018, saving approximately £1 billion in construction costs.Sat, 30 Oct 2010 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001089Gap Between Auction & Estate Agent Prices Widens !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001090Homes that sold at auction in December were 26.4% cheaper than property sold through estate agents. According to a new report from Fathom Consulting, the discount is the largest since the bottom of the housing market in late 2008 and early 2009. The gap between auction and estate agency prices had been around 20% since the middle of last year. Fathom Consulting says that the discount is significant because it claims that auction prices predict what will happen in the wider market. The index, produced in association with property portal Zoopla, was based on 389 properties sold at auction in December. So the message is very clear, to achieve the best possible price for you property always use an Estate Agent and not an Auctioneer !! ABLE ESTATES. Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001090Rental Properties Snapped Up Inside 15 Days !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001091Private rental properties are being let within 15 days on average – five days quicker than a year ago, reports Countrywide, the UK’s largest letting agency chain. It says there are an average of 4.4 tenants vying for each property across the UK, with the South-West generating the greatest demand with an average of 5.9 tenants. In the last quarter of 2010, Countrywide said the number of new tenants registering for rental accommodation increased by 14% compared to the same period in 2009. Overall, the total number of new tenants registering for rental accommodation exceeded 200,000 last year – a record high with new tenant registrations increasing by 37%, which peaked between July and September 2010. Agents throughout the UK reported a significant lack of property supply, with the average number of properties available to let per branch falling by 29%. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001091House Buyers Hopeful Over London House Price Rises !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001092 People have a positive outlook on house prices over the medium and long term, but are not so upbeat for the next 12 months.That is the finding of the latest London School of Economics survey of House Price Expectations. The survey, which gauged people’s feelings on the UK housing market over the next 12 months, five years and ten years, was sent to current and prospective customers, most of whom are interested in property within London. Respondents were asked to think about a hypothetical house in London worth £200,000 and to give their view on whether values will go up or down over 12 months, five years and ten years, ignoring inflation. Some 43% of respondents were ‘certain’ house prices will rise over the next ten years, 26% were ‘certain’ they will go up over the next five years, but only 8% were ‘certain’ they will rise over the next 12 months. People currently renting had a more pessimistic view on house price increases than owner occupiers. Renters see house prices decreasing by 1% over the next 12 months while home owners perceive a rise of 3%. Tenants think prices will rise by 11% in five years, against 18% from owner occupiers. In ten years’ time, tenants believe prices will have gone up by 26%, while owner occupiers think values will have gone up by 37% For all your property matters please call one of the Able offices who will be happy to help..Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001092Able Estates - 14 Years On And Still Going Strong !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001093Able Estates first opened its doors in February 1997 and the main 3 directors, Dawn Servis, Peter Jones & Paul Servis, remain very much hands on within the business, you will find them based in one or other of our branches - Abbeywood & North Heath. In the 14 years Able`s have been trading much has changed, not just the market place but also the technology that Estate Agents now use. Able Estates pride themselves on using all the modern approaches applicable to today’s market but at the same time maintaining traditional values namely, putting the client first. The message is clear, if you are thinking of Selling or Letting your property or you want to Buy or Rent then call the Independent Agent you can trust - Able Estates. Contact any of the 3 directors and they will be happy to help as always. Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001093Oh Boy, Its George !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001094Boy George brought his mum along to officially open a Music workshop for visually impaired people in Abbey Wood. The room above te Abbey Arms pib in Wilton Road was jammed packed on Monday 13th April for his arrival to the centre. On the workshops - Boy George said : ` It is great, it is hard enough to learn an instrument when you arent visually impaired so this is fantastic.Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001094Confidence Rises In State Of Uk Housing Market !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001095 More Britons expect house prices to rise rather than fall over the next 12 months, according to the Halifax Housing Market Confidence tracker. Although house prices fell by 1.2% on a quarterly basis in April, one in three of survey respondents actually predicted that average UK house prices will rise this year, while 23% expect a fall in prices. This means, on balance, more people in Britain think house prices will rise than fall, revealing a positive House Price Outlook Score of +9 percentage points. The majority of Britons think that any house price movement over the next year will be relatively small with more than a half (57%) expecting any change to be between +5% and -5%. A further 26% think that house prices will remain the same. Nonetheless, almost a quarter (24%) believe there will be more significant change in house prices with increases and decreases predicted of 5% or more. Half of Britons (50%) think that it would be a good time to buy over the next three months - more than three times the proportion that felt that it would be a good time to sell (14%). Just 15% were positive about both buying and selling in the next 12 months, suggesting that the level of housing market activity may remain subdued. The survey highlights concerns among consumers over the uncertain outlook for the UK economy. Just over a quarter (26%) expect their personal financial circumstances to worsen over the next few months with a further 54% anticipating no improvement. Consistent with such concerns, 52% identified worries about job security as one of the main hurdles to buying a property: more than any of the other potential headwinds facing home buyers. Respondents also picked out household finances (31%) and concerns about rising interest rates (22%) as major barriers to buying a property. The tightening in lending criteria since 2007 has put off many from attempting to enter the market. Half of those questioned (50%) thought that being able to raise a deposit was a major barrier to home buying. Additionally, over a quarter of all respondents (27%) thought that the general availability of mortgages was one of the main obstacles to buying a property. Suren Thiru, housing economist at Halifax, said: "More Britons expect house prices to rise rather than fall over the next year. This is likely to partly reflect the relatively low burden of servicing mortgage debt. "However, confidence in the UK housing market is likely to remain subdued over the coming months, given consumers` concerns over the outlook for the UK economy in general, and the jobs market in particular." Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001095Banks Come Under Fire Over 1st Time Buyer Mortgage Rates.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001096Banks have come under fire for charging FirstBuy applicants hefty premiums. The scheme, launched at the beginning of the month, aims to provide 10,000 loans to first-time buyers helped by equity being pumped in by developers and the Government. First Buy borrowers then take out a mortgage on 75% of the value of the property. However, Halifax is charging FirstBuy borrowers 4.49% for a two-year fixed rate deal, compared with 3.59% for those outside the scheme. It means that FirstBuy borrowers with a £150,000 loan would be paying £890 more a year than non-FirstBuy borrowers. Halifax charges no arrangement fee, but Barclays charges £299, and Barclays also charges FirstBuy borrowers more – 4.59%, compared with 3.58% for standard borrowers. If you require some free mortgage advice then please call / e mail either of our branches and we will get our mortgae consultant to contact you. By contrast, Nationwide Building Society charges a £400 fee but does not charge FirstBuy borrowers extra, allowing them to take any deal in its core range that is available to those with a 75% deposit. A FirstBuy borrower with Nationwide would pay 3.24% for a two-year fix, compared with Halifax’s 4.49% for the same deal and Barclays’ 4.59% for a three-year fix. Melanie Bien, of Private Finance, said: `It seems unfair to charge FirstBuy borrowers more, when the whole point of the scheme is to give them access to more competitive mortgages.` A total of 14 lenders are currently signed up to the FirstBuy scheme. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001096Able Estates Are Now Tweeting !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001097You can now follow Able Estates on Twitter - for details of all new properties, News & updates on the Property market go to www.twitter.com/ableestates Happy Tweeting.Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001097Buy To Let Mortgages Continue To Grow In Popularity !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001098The National Landlords Association (NLA) has reported a continued increase in the popularity of buy to let mortgage products. A survey found that the number of schemes provided during the second quarter of 2011 grew by 25% when compared to the first three months of the year. Average loan sizes also increased by £2166 to £138,525.80, representing a growth of 6.4% since January. This growth is mainly due to the greater number of lenders offering higher loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages and the availability of finance for Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which tend to be higher value properties. Over 50% of buy-to-let offers processed by NLA Mortgages were for loans over 70% LTV – resulting in an average LTV of 67%. Low interest rates and future predictions were reflected by the increased popularity of variable mortgage products, comprising 59% of all mortgage applications. `Wider choice and better products for landlords mean that the overall buy-to-let market is improving. Although demand for finance still outstrips supply, the level of buy-to-let lending is gradually increasing giving property investors a reason to be optimistic.` If you are considering buying a property to rent out and would like some free, professional advice then please contact Paul Servis on 020 8306 2020 and we will arrange for a financial consulatant to contact you. Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001098Mortgage Lending Recovers To Highest In Over A Year !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001099The number of mortgages lent for house purchase rose 7% in August from the month before, to reach 52,000. The figure was up 2% on August the year before, the Council of Mortgage Lenders said. The number of loans to first-time buyers rose 5% both from July and August last year, with 19,000 loans taken out by first-time buyers. Home movers took out 33,000 loans in August. Lending to both first-time buyers and home movers was at its highest for over a year. Meanwhile, remortgaging activity rose sharply by 9%, with 34,100 remortgage loans advanced. Lending criteria for both groups in August showed little change from the previous months. First-time buyers continued to put down on average 20% of their property’s value as a deposit and borrowed 3.20 times their income, slightly up from 3.17 times in July. Typical deposits for home movers stayed at 31% for a second month but in August home movers on average paid 9.4% of their income on mortgage interest payments – the lowest since monthly records began in 2002. Paul Smee, director general of the CML, said: `Even though it is impossible to ignore the knocks to confidence emanating from the Euro zone, August lending showed welcome signs of life. `With those moving house experiencing a record low in the proportion of their income needed to pay their mortgage interest, it is clear that the low-rate environment is a benefit to those with mortgages, even against the backdrop of the gloom in the wider economy.` Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001099Able Estates Say Now Is A Great Time To Go House Hunting !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001100With the onset of autumn and the darker nights just around the corner, don’t be tempted to go into hibernation when it comes to house hunting – or indeed selling your home. With children firmly settled into a new school year and the focus for many on a new start for 2012 - now is the perfect time to be looking for a new home. `Autumn is a great time to get out there and see what is available before everyone gets bogged down with thinking about Christmas,` `Our message to buyers and sellers is ‘don’t hold back’ – if moving is on your mind then take steps to make it happen!` Via its 2 Branches Able Estates assists numerous customers through the selling and buying journey, with instant access to up-to-the-minute mortgage deals and lender information helping to make it as smooth as possible. Here are some tips that may help: - Sell your property through a reputable agent, preferably one who is, like Able Estates, a member of the Property Ombudsman scheme and the National Association of Estate Agents. - Decide on a definite location – how far are you willing to commute, what are the local schools like, is there a GP surgery on your doorstep, is there a bus service into town? Train Station close by ? - Always take a list of questions with you to ask at a viewing. - Do your homework - take a drive around the area as well as checking out the local amenities. - If you know it is right – move fast and put in an offer. - Above all, liaise closely with your estate agent. For some free professional advice call either of the Able Estates offices or visit our website www.ableestates.com Alternatively if you are a tweeter you can follow us @ableestates.comWed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001100Cash Secured For Village Regeneration.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001101Funding has been secured for the third phase of regeneration in Southmere Village, Thamesmead. The Homes and Communities Agency has agreed to give Gallions Housing Association the money it needs to build around 290 homes, shops & a library by 2015. Chief Executive of Gallions Tony Cotter said : ` This is a major step forward and will allow us to push ahead with plans to change the Thamesmead landscape by creating much - needed quality, affordable housing in the area. Mr Cotter said Gallions will work with architects PRP & builders Kier to ` sketch out how phase 3 will look ` & obtain planning permission. Affected businesses & residents will be written to, Gallions said, about what they can expect & when they will be involved. The housing associationsaid it will run consultation & information sessions at the 1 Stop Shop @ Tavy Bridge in the coming months.Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001101Rents Rise For The First Time In Every Single Region !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001102 For the first time on record, asking price rents have risen in all regions of England and Wales. In September, the average rent in England and Wales rose by 0.7% to £718 per month, surpassing the previous record high of £713 in August. With annual rental inflation at 4.3%, the average rent is £29 pcm higher than September 2010. The average yield in September rose from 5.2% to 5.3%. On a monthly basis, rents rose in all regions of England and Wales for the first time on record. As a result, rents hit record highs in six regions – London, the South-East, Yorkshire and the Humber, the East of England, Wales and the East Midlands. Rents increased the fastest in the South-East and the East Midlands, where they rose by 1.8% and 1.1% respectively compared to August, while the smallest increases were in the West Midlands and the North-East, where rents rose by 0.2% and 0.3%. However, over the course of the last year, London’s rents have risen at a faster rate than any other region, increasing by 5.8%. The next biggest annual increases were in the South-West and the West Midlands, where rents rose 5.4% and 5.1% respectively. `In areas of the highest demand, such as the capital, competition is driving up rents at a faster rate than elsewhere – but no region has been immune to the growing demand for rental homes from frustrated buyers. `In many cases, buying a home is now cheaper on a monthly basis – provided renters can get past the stumbling block of the substantial deposit requirements. For the majority, saving a £25,000 deposit is a herculean task. `As things stand, we won’t see competition among prospective tenants diminish without a substantial expansion in the supply of rental properties available on the market.` But while rents are on the rise, total annual returns on a rental property dropped back in September after property prices fell annually. The average total annual return in September was 1.8%, the equivalent of £3,005 – calculated by £7,661 in rent, with a capital loss of £4,666. The survey also finds that tenant arrears improved markedly, following August’s seasonal increase, dropping to their lowest level since April 2010. Just 8.6% of all UK rent was unpaid or late by the end of September – down from the 10.7% of rent unpaid or late in August. Unpaid rent totalled £243m across the UK in September, down from the £300m unpaid in the previous month. Whether you are looking to Let out your property or Rent a property then please contact me on020 8306 2020 / paul.servis@ableestates.com. Regards Paul Servis.Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001102Over Three Quarters Of Landlords Set To Pull Out Of Lha Sector.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001103 Over three-quarters of private landlords who currently accept housing benefit tenants are set to be forced out of the market, unable to afford to continue letting to those on lower rates of Local Housing Allowance. A new survey of 528 landlords in October by the National Landlords Association has found that Government caps being rolled out on housing benefit payments will have a serious effect on tenants reliant on LHA. The first cuts, affecting new tenants, came in last April, and the second round, affecting existing tenants on LHA, are due to be implemented in the New Year. The survey found that 77% of landlords who have LHA tenants are either considering or already taking steps to reduce their involvement in the LHA market. A quarter of respondents say they are already reducing the number of tenants they have on housing benefit payments, while half plan to do so in the future. NLA research has found that the LHA cuts will have a varied impact on families across the country, with some losing very little but others losing hundreds of pounds. Government figures show that nearly 1.3 million households currently claim LHA across the UK. Some examples of how the caps will reduce LHA payments, based on rates from March 2011 before the cuts began in April, are: • A one-bedroom flat in Willesden, north-west London: before the cap, the rate was £275 per week, now it is £250 per week – a £25 cut per week. • A five-bedroom house in Guildford, Surrey: before the cap, a family would have received £691.15 per week, now it is capped at the four-bedroom rate of £400 per week – a £291.15 cut. David Salusbury, NLA chairman, said: `The shortage of housing across the UK is putting even greater pressure on the private rented sector. Capping housing benefit payments at this time will only lead to more people struggling to pay their rent. `The Government must monitor the impact of the roll-out of LHA caps. It is essential that tenants are not left at risk and that landlords can continue to provide this accommodation for the more vulnerable in society. `The number of people claiming benefits continues to rise, and these caps could result in fewer affordable rental properties for benefit claimants.` Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=100011032 In 5 Homes For Sale Have Has Their Prices Cut !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001104Over 40% of all UK properties currently on the market have experienced at least one price reduction, with the average chop over £19,500 – or 7.4% of the original asking price. The amount of the discount is £3,500 more than this time last year. Glasgow tops the list of places where the biggest discounts are on offer, followed by Newcastle and Bolton. In Sunderland, there is the highest proportion of properties on the market that have been discounted at least once, with more than half (53.6%) of sellers having to reset their expectations downwards at least once. Even in London, nearly a third (32.6%) of properties for sale in the capital have had to be reduced in price. Nicholas Leeming of Zoopla said: `With the latest economic forecasts for 2012 looking decidedly gloomy, sellers may have to reduce their expectations further if they are serious about making a move.` Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001104House Prices Stable Despite Economic Pressures.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001105UK house prices in the three months to November were 0.6% lower than in the preceding three months, according to the latest data from Halifax. This measure of the underlying trend was negative for the second successive month following three consecutive increases. On a monthly basis, house prices fell by 0.9% in November. This continued the very mixed picture shown by the more volatile monthly figures. There has been an even split of monthly price rises and falls this year with five of each and one month of no change. The average UK house price in November was marginally lower than at the end of last year. The average price in November was 0.7% lower than in December 2010 on a seasonally adjusted basis, at £161,731. Annually, prices in November were 1.0% lower as measured by the average for the three months to November against the same period a year earlier. This continues the improvement experienced since May when prices were 4.2% lower and is the smallest annual fall since November 2010 (-0.7%). Martin Ellis, housing economist, said: "Overall, house prices have remained remarkably stable in 2011 despite the difficult and deteriorating economic climate and the substantial pressure on households` finances. "The UK average price now is only marginally lower than at the end of 2010. In addition, activity has recently shown a few signs of strengthening a little. "We expect the market to remain broadly unchanged in terms of both prices and sales over the coming few months as demand and supply conditions alter little." To find out wwhat your property is worth please contact either of our offices to arrange a FREE valuation.Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001105Gradual Recovery For Uk Property Market 2012.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001106The National Association of Estate Agents has revealed its predictions for the UK property market over the next 12 months. Chief executive Peter Bolton King said 2012 would see a "gradual" recovery for the UK property market, as it continues to bounce along the bottom - with no "great upturn" to mark a change from the previous 12 months. Bolton King said: "I don`t believe that we will see a significant fall in house prices over the next 12 months as some have feared. But equally, it is unlikely we will see any great upturn to help the market back to full capacity. It is likely that property transactions will remain at a similar level to that in 2011." However, a lack of available finance would remain the biggest barrier to would-be home buyers in 2012 Bolton King warned, with first-time buyers in particular struggling to access mortgage finance from many major lenders. "Next year will see a continued lending barrier facing those entering the housing market for the first time, with major lenders sticking to tight mortgage policies," he said. "Clearly, when the Stamp Duty holiday disappears in the second quarter of 2012 it will become even more difficult for first-time buyers to access the market." Commenting on regional variations, he said: "What we will see in 2012 is a continued increase in `micro-markets` across the country. Demand for property in some areas fuels a healthy market while other, less desirable areas, are in danger of being left behind. Even within the same town we see some types of property proving more popular than others. "Pressure for housing will increase in London and the South East throughout 2012. The top end of this market will also remain very resilient, and we believe that purchases from overseas investors will continue apace." Overall Bolton King believes that house prices, on average, will see little change. "Confidence in 2012 will be a key factor and this, to some extent, will be driven by the media." If you are thinking of Selling or Letting your property in 2012, call us at Able Estates for some free professional advice - we are here to help.Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001106More 1st Time Buyers Plan To Beat Stamp Duty Deadline !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001107 Mortgage valuation activity in the final quarter of 2011 outstripped business a year ago, according to Connells Survey and Valuation. The firm says that the increase was driven by first-time buyers hoping to beat the end of the stamp duty holiday in March. Although the total number of valuations the firm conducted during December declined by 14% on a monthly basis, this was a much smaller fall than the average drop of 20% between November and December that has occurred since 2007. During Q4 2011, valuation activity grew by 3% compared to the previous quarter – an increase of 71% compared to Q4 2010. In fact, throughout the whole of 2011, Connells report 43% more valuations than in the previous year. John Bagshaw, corporate services director of Connells Survey and Valuation, said: `The seasonal Christmas slowdown may have set in during December, but the monthly dip was much smaller than in recent years. `Better than expected lending figures as banks and building societies hurried to meet full-year targets helped drive the annual increase in valuation activity in the run-up to the new year – a welcome contrast to the situation the previous December, which saw a dismally low level of lending.` In Q4 2011 there were 9% more valuations for first-time buyers than in the previous quarter – an annual increase of 56%. Similarly, valuation activity for home movers grew by 6% on a quarterly basis, a 61% increase compared to the final quarter of 2010. Bagshaw said: `We are starting to see first-time buyers with finance act with a greater degree of urgency to move before the end of the stamp duty holiday in March. This should filter up property chains, helping bolster spring activity.` In 2011 as a whole, Connells Survey and Valuation also reported conducting twice as many valuations for remortgagers than in 2010. Buy-to-let activity also increased annually in Q4 2011, rising by 83% compared to Q4 2010, despite a quarterly fall of 11%. Bagshaw said: `Growing remortgaging and buy-to-let activity were key to the resilience of the mortgage market last year, and this is likely to be the case as 2012 progresses. `Although the eurozone crisis may impede lenders from drastically growing their loan books, tenant demand and rents will remain strong, enticing new investors to the sector.` While Connells reports on its valuation activity, the firm does not indicate how many valuations resulted in mortgage agreements. For more advice on this matter please contact either of the Able offices.Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001107Uk House Price Confidence Increases !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001108 Around one in three British people think house prices will rise rather than fall in 2012, according to the latest Halifax Housing Market Confidence tracker. Some 29% of Britons forecast that house prices across the UK will increase over the next 12 months, while more than the 22% that predict a price decline over the same period. As a consequence, the headline House Price Outlook balance has moved into positive territory with an overall balance score of +7 percentage points (29% minus 22%). This represents a marked improvement compared with the negative reading of -2 (28% expecting a rise minus 30% expecting a fall) recorded in October`s survey. However, the outlook for the housing market remains subdued. The majority think that any house price movement over the next 12 months will be relatively small with around two-thirds (65%) expecting any movement to be between +5% and -5%. Eight of the 11 UK regions tracked recorded a positive headline House Price Outlook balance (i.e. indicating that more people expect house prices to rise rather than fall). This contrasts sharply with October`s tracker when just three regions had a positive headline balance. Londoners have the most optimistic outlook for the housing market with an overall net balance of +21, followed by the East Midlands (+18) and Yorkshire and Humber (+14). At the other end of the spectrum, the North East has the most negative outlook for house prices (-3). More than half of those questioned identified difficulties in raising a deposit (57%) and concerns about job security (55%) as the main obstacles to buying a property. Respondents also picked out household finances (33%) and the general availability of mortgages (30%) as major barriers to buying a property. Half (50%) of those questioned think that it is currently a good time to buy, five times the proportion thinking that it is a good time to sell (10%). Perceptions of the UK housing market as a better one for buyers than sellers partly reflects the dramatic improvement in home affordability over recent years. Recent research by Halifax revealed that mortgage payments for a new borrower in the second half of 2011 were at their lowest as a proportion of disposable earnings for 14 years. Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: "The modest improvement in consumer confidence in the outlook for house prices reflects the resilience of the UK housing market over recent months in the face of a weak economic recovery and the deterioration in the outlook for both the UK and global economies. "Looking forward, we currently expect broad stability in house prices in 2012, although there remains much ambiguity around this given the considerable uncertainty regarding the prospects for the UK economy." Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001108Home Sellers Cut Asking Prices By Record Amounts !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001109 Over a third (36.7%) of UK properties currently for sale have been reduced in price at least once since first coming on to the market. The average discount off the original asking price being offered by sellers across the UK on these homes now stands at £19,580 (7.5%) according to property search website Zoopla. The average discount on price-reduced properties on offer today is over £1,000 more than this time last year when it stood at £18,475 (7%). Home owners have slashed huge sums from their original asking prices in an attempt to attract buyers. The total amount reduced from the asking prices of all properties currently for sale across the country stands at £2.5bn, Zoopla estimates. In some areas, almost half of all properties on the market have had their prices chopped. For example, in Stockport, 48.74% have had price reductions averaging £17,384. In Scunthorpe, 43.19% of homes have had their prices cut by an average of 9.12%, lopping £13,207 off the asking price. Sellers in Blackpool are also making big concessions, knocking 9% off their original asking prices on average, whilst Maidstone rounds out the top-three areas with the highest average reductions at 8.5% (£19,668). Even in London, 30% of homes for sale have had price cuts of 6.42%. Stockport has the highest proportion of discounted properties for sale with nearly half (49%) of sellers having cut their asking prices at least once. Other areas where a big proportion of sellers have felt the need to drop prices include Chesterfield (45%) and Rotherham (44%). Zoopla director Nicholas Leeming said: `The current average discount of £19,580 is a new high, indicating that sellers have come to terms with the market realities.` Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001109Mortgages Now Funding Just 46 % Of Housing Transactions.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001110 Cashflow has become king and mortgages a less dominant feature of the housing market, with most sales now financed by equity. A new report from Savills says that the shift away from mortgages to equity has been a key change in the market. It says that in 2001, mortgage debt funded 62% of all housing transactions. By 2006, it had fallen to 55% and last year it stood at 46%. The report says that constraints on mortgage debt have been the main catalyst – citing bigger mortgages and more rigorous vetting of mortgage applications. It estimates that in the year to the end of September 2011, based on Land Registry figures, £150bn was spent on house purchase. That was 47% less than the £284bn spent at the peak of the market. Lucian Cook, of Savills research, said: `Equity has replaced debt as the dominant source of funding of house purchase. It favours high-value markets, particularly those in the South of England.` The new research also says that equity will reign for some time to come, because of new proposed reforms. The Financial Services Authority wants mortgages only to be lent where they can be repaid without borrowers having to rely on house prices going up. The FSA also wants lenders to account for future interest rises and, whilst not banning interest-only mortgages, wants these to be assessed on the basis of repayment. The report says that the biggest consequence of the shift from debt to equity has been the growth of the private rented sector. It estimates that the value of private rented housing stock in the UK has risen by 42% in the last five years to just over £900bn. It says further growth is inevitable, with ‘many potential large-scale landlords and housing providers’ still waiting in the wings. Savills expects the private rented sector to expand to 20%-23% of housing stock in England by the end of 2016. The report also warns that the UK property industry needs to adjust to the new reality. It says: `The valuation of residential property is still predicated on the old mortgage-funded, owner-occupied world.` However, the report adds, if UK housing is `to attract new forms of funding, as it must in the new age of debt drought, we have to understand equity and the cash it can generate`. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001110Value Of Uk Housing Soars By £1.8 Trillion In Past Decade !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001111New research from Halifax shows that the value of the UK`s private housing stock rose by £1.8 trillion (84%) in the decade to 2011. The value of the housing stock at the end of 2011 is estimated at £3.9 trillion, up from £2.1 trillion in 2001 The increase of £1.8 trillion over the decade is equivalent to £68,500 per household - in the owner-occupied and private rented sectors - in the UK. The value of the UK private residential housing stock has grown at more than twice the rate of increase in overall consumer prices, with the retail price index up by 38% over the past ten years. The picture changes when looking at the value of housing stock since 2007, however. Over the past five years the value of the UK`s housing stock has declined by 5%, or £187 billion. This reflects the reduction in house prices since autumn 2007: a decline that is nonetheless more than compensated for by the significant increases in the half decade prior to 2007. Housing equity rises by nearly £1.2 trillion over past decade Whilst the value of housing stock has soared during the past decade, so has the total value of outstanding mortgage balances, which have more than doubled (111%). The £1.8 trillion increase in the value of housing assets, however, outstripped the £655 billion rise in mortgage debt between 2001 and 2011. As a result, housing equity - the value of housing assets less the total value of outstanding mortgage balances - has increased by £1.1 trillion from £1.5 trillion in 2001 to £2.6 trillion in 2011. Overall, the value of housing assets in the North1 has risen by more than in the South since 2001, increasing by 90% and 79% respectively over the decade. As a result, the South`s share of total UK private housing sector assets has fallen from 60% in 2001 to 58% in 2011. However, the South`s share of the UK`s housing assets has increased in the past five years from 55% in 2006 to 58% in 2011. All 12 regions of the UK have seen a significant increase in the value of their private housing stock during the last ten years. The biggest increase was in Scotland where there was a 131% increase (from £113.5bn in 2001 to £262.6bn in 2011), followed by the North with a rise of 102% (from £50.5bn to £101.8bn). In Yorkshire and the Humber housing value has almost doubled to £236bn from £119bn in 2001 (98%). The smallest increases were in the South East (68%) and the West Midlands (71%). The large rise in Scotland is a combination of a 111% growth in house prices and a 16% increase in private housing stock -the biggest increases across the UK in both key components of the value of the housing stock. Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: "The value of UK`s housing stock has soared in the decade to 2011notwithstanding the decline in house prices seen since autumn 2007, rising by 84% to just under £4 trillion at the end of 2011. Whilst outstanding mortgage debt has more than doubled over the last ten years, the value of the housing stock has risen by more in monetary terms. As a result, the total value of housing equity has shown a healthy increase. For most homeowners housing is still very much the main store of private wealth." Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001111Mortgage Lenders Call On Goverment To Extend 1st Time Buyer Stamp Duty Break !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001112The Council of Mortgage Lenders is calling for the Stamp Duty break for first-time buyers to be extended beyond March 24 amidst fears of a spring slump. The CML also expressed concerns that overall lending for house purchase will fall this year in any case. The CML says that it fears a distortion in the market, with a damaging fall in activity after the exemption ends, and argues that it would cost little to keep the break going. CML chief economist Bob Pannell said: `The CML expects first-time buyer transactions to pick up as the concession end date looms nearer. For those who miss the deadline, the credit-constrained environment we find ourselves in means first-time buyers will increasingly have to fund Stamp Duty from their back pockets, so the end of the concession will have a real impact.` The CML’s call has been backed by Charles Haresnape, managing director of Aldermore Residential Mortgages. He said: "The CML is right to ask for the Stamp Duty exemption to be extended beyond March. The cost to the Government would be minor in comparison to the benefit it would offer home buyers on tight budgets. I believe it`s incumbent on both government and lenders to do everything possible to help first-time buyers and we need to see more being done to help this important sector of the market." Separately, Santander Mortgages said it estimated first-time buyers had been saved £319m by the Stamp Duty concession, which came into play in March 2010. Meanwhile, both the CML and RICS have said house sales have edged up slightly as first-time buyers looked to beat the end of the Stamp Duty holiday. But the CML warned that overall mortgage lending this year could be lower than last year – which itself was 6% down on the year before. RICS surveyors said they felt more optimistic about the market, although they also reported house price falls, with the majority expecting more to come. The RICS said that supply of properties on the market rose slightly last month, but overall new buyer demand had dipped. And while first-time buyer activity was up prior to the end of the Stamp Duty holiday, surveyors said that lack of affordable mortgage finance continues to hold back the market. Meanwhile, the CML said that the number of mortgages to first-time buyers bounced up 7% in December compared with November. The number was also 14% higher than December the year before. There were 18,700 loans advanced to first-time buyers, with a 3% rise in purchases of properties costing less than £250,000 – the price at which Stamp Duty will again be payable when the exemption ends. The number of mortgages for home movers slipped 2% on the month in comparison, while remortgages declined 15%. The final month’s figures for 2011 show what a mixed year it was for the mortgage market as a whole. Remortgage lending increased by 17% from 2010 to £47bn but house purchase lending, at £75bn, was 6% down on the previous year. Within the house purchase market, lending to both first-time buyers and movers fell in 2011 but first-time buyers fared slightly better. There were 193,000 loans worth £23.4bn taken out by first-time buyers in 2011, down from 200,100 loans worth £23.9bn in 2010 – a 4% fall by volume and 2% by value. Movers took out 316,500 loans worth £51.4bn last year, down from 343,200 worth £55.1bn in 2010 (down 8% by volume, 7% by value). Paul Smee, CML director general, said: `We have been expecting a flow of first-time buyers on to the market as the Stamp Duty exemption ends in March. December’s figures appear to show this has now begun. `The market in 2011, while still subdued, saw a welcome increase in annual gross lending for the first time since 2007, when the financial crisis began. With the Eurozone problems still rumbling on, however, we believe there is still a real risk that this year’s lending levels will be lower than those seen in 2011.` David Whittaker, managing director of Mortgages For Business, said: `There is a very real danger that the end of the first-time buyer Stamp Duty holiday will mark the beginning of a new slump at the bottom of the housing market as a rush to complete transactions before the deadline is followed by an activity vacuum. `This will put even more pressure on an already over-burdened rental sector and create more problems for buyers further up the housing ladder who rely on first-timers in their property chains. `As a result, landlords and professional investors will continue to be relied upon to provide the safety net for the housing market. `Lenders and government must recognise this contribution and provide investors with as much support as possible. If they don’t, the safety net will almost certainly be too small to catch everyone.` Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001112Gross Mortgage Lending Lending 10% Stronger Than A Year Ago !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001113Gross mortgage lending declined to an estimated £10.5billion in January. Lending fell by 14% from £12.2billion in December but was 10% higher than the total of £9.5billion in January 2011, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Although a seasonal decline is expected, January was the sixth month in a row of higher year-on-year lending. In the latest CML market commentary, chief economist Bob Pannell said: "Housing and mortgage market sentiment has improved a little over recent weeks. "The increase in lending compared to January last year helps support our view that housing and mortgage market activity may be boosted by first-time buyers seeking to complete deals before the stamp duty concession ends in March. "Should inflationary pressures continue to fall back, the squeeze on household finances should ease progressively and help support stronger economic recovery going into the second half of the year. This can only be good news for the housing market further down the track." Nicholas Leeming, business development director at Zoopla.co.uk, said: `The property sector relies on a healthy lending market and while lenders are still nursing the hangover of the crisis this is another step in the right direction. The Bank of England has hinted that rates will stay low for the foreseeable future so borrowing will remain cheap as a result. However, the end of the first-time buyer stamp duty holiday looms large and this will have a significant impact on the market. Lending figures will remain strong in the lead up to the deadline as first-time buyers rush to beat the deadline but it’s likely we’ll see a lull in the middle of the year as a result of activity exhaustion from this section of the market. It’s important then that lenders keep introducing attractive and affordable mortgage deals to boost activity. If they don’t, we’re in danger of taking one step forward and two steps back.` Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001113Allagents Starts To Spill Beans On Best & Worst 500 Agents.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001114Allagents, the highly controversial self-styled ‘trip advisor’ review site for estate agents, is to publish league tables of the top 500 and worst 500 agents in the UK, based on what the site insists is entirely genuine customer feedback. The league tables are not yet available but last night, Allagents released ‘snapshot’ statistics showing that the smallest, single-office agents have done best, with 67% of places, leaving the larger chains trailing. Only one firm with more than 30 offices is in the top 500 – apparently making it all the way to fourth place. Medium-sized businesses with 10-30 branches have done only a little better, with just 12 in the top 500. However, small single-office agents also did worst in the 500 bottom placed agents, taking up 55% of places. Seven of the chains are in the ten most bottom placed agents. Individual branches have also been scored. Allagents says it was clear that some of the big players have some highly rated branches: `What stands out is that without the burden of being dragged down by the overall chain performance, these branches could be up there with the country’s best rated providers.` In a mailer this week to agents, Allagents says: `These tables will revolutionise the estate agent industry and so the time has come for all estate and letting agents to embrace Allagents and take the opportunity to openly demonstrate to prospective customers why they should be doing business with you. Email all your clients and encourage them to write a review for you. `There is no other site that can provide this data based solely on your customers’ experiences and the league tables will set the benchmark for how a client will choose their next estate agent or letting agent.` The mailer also shows how Allagents is trying to up the ante, with featured reviews, advertising opportunities, its ‘transparent agent scheme’, plus a free property portal and an awards scheme. It says the awards scheme will be separate from the league tables. Allagents has drawn considerable controversy from agents, with some claiming that negative reviews look made up or posted by rivals, and that positive reviews have been put up by the agents themselves – all practices denied by Allagents, which insists that it has controls in place. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001114At Last, Rays Of Sunshine Appear On The Housing Market !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001115Green shoots in the housing market are reported by Hometrack this morning. It said there has been `a marked improvement in housing market conditions` this month. The number of new buyers registering jumped 18%, after two months of major declines, and represented the strongest level of demand seen since the start of the downturn. The rise compared with the 15% increase in potential buyers recorded in February 2009. Property listings also grew, by 15%, whilst average time on the market crept down to just below the ten-week mark. Hometrack attributes some of the rise in demand to first-time buyers looking to beat the end of the Stamp Duty holiday on March 24. While average selling prices have not changed at all since the start of the year, this is masked by a small increase in London offsetting price falls across six regions in the North and Midlands, and unchanged prices across the South-East, East Anglia and Yorkshire & Humberside. However, Hometrack points out that it is a scarcity of supply that remains a key feature of the market. Hometrack director of research Richard Donnell said: `As investors and first-time buyers have no properties to sell, the growth in demand outpaced the increase in supply across nearly all regions. `Over the last six months, there has been only a small (1.5%) increase in the supply of housing and this scarcity continues to act as a support to pricing.` He added: `While the seasonal pick-up in demand is to be welcomed, the fundamentals facing the housing market remain largely unchanged: the average time to sell, for example, remains at relatively high levels and the balance of supply and demand remains in negative equity. `In the short term, a lack of housing for sale is set to underpin prices, while market activity will benefit from the support of first-time buyers as they race to beat the ending of the Stamp Duty holiday.` The Hometrack survey is based on responses from around 5,000 estate agents. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001115£100 Million Boost To Breathe Life Back Into Empty Homes !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001116 Neighbourhoods suffering the blight of empty homes could benefit from a £100 million boost to bring these properties back into use and provide stable homes for families in need, Communities Andrew Stunell has announced. Seeking expressions of interest for the scheme, the Minister stressed that the funding was to breathe new life into the country`s abandoned streets by bringing back into use clusters of empty homes that can often attract anti-social behaviour, vandalism and fly-tipping to neighbourhoods. There are more than 700,000 empty homes across the country - with around 280,000 unused and under-maintained for six months or more. Since the introduction of the New Homes Bonus the number of long term empty homes has been reduced by nearly 38,000 since October 2009, with rewards to local authorities of £64 million as a result. Today Mr Stunell offered £50 million Government funding to areas with clusters of empty homes which have good market prospects, such as access to transport links, but require intensive refurbishment to return them to a liveable standard. Councils who wish to apply will match the funding they receive - bringing the total investment to £100 million. Every successful bid must have strong local support and aim to bring at least 100 homes back into use. Communities Minister Andrew Stunell said: "It`s shocking that hundreds of thousands of houses sit unoccupied while people across the country are in need of a home of their own. Thousands of homes have already been brought back into use in the last year - but there are still many areas where there are whole streets of abandoned homes. "That`s why today I`m offering Government cash, backed up by the investment of communities themselves, for a £100 million boost to breathe new life into these areas and providing homes to those in need. "I want my ambition to be matched by the communities that apply for this cash injection, with local people backing locally-led efforts to bring at least 100 empty homes in their area back into use. And in addition, these areas will receive further financial recognition for their efforts through the New Homes Bonus." Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001116Beatles Homes Celebrated With Grade 2 Listing !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001117Paul McCartney and John Lennon`s childhood homes in Liverpool have been listed at Grade II, celebrating the huge cultural and historic associations that the two houses have as the place where The Beatles composed and rehearsed many of their early hits. They were listed by the Tourism and Heritage Minister, John Penrose, on the advice of English Heritage. 20 Forthlin Road, home of Paul McCartney from the age of 13 to 22 is the house where up to 100 Beatles songs were composed and a place of intense creativity and musical production. John Lennon lived at Mendips, 251 Menlove Avenue, from the age of 5 to 22. The house tells a biographical story of the legendary musician with tangible evidence of the band`s formation and rehearsals, such as the porch which was enclosed by his aunt to ensure she wasn`t disturbed by the music. Both houses are managed by the National Trust. Yoko Ono said: `I am delighted to learn that English Heritage have classified Mendips as a Grade II listed building. Mendips always meant a great deal to John and it was where his childhood dreams came true for himself and for the world.` Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: "Listing very often celebrates architectural or aesthetic distinction, but in this case it celebrates historical association. The Beatles played an incredibly important role in the national cultural story. These new listings mark the special historical interest of the buildings where hits such as `Please Please Me` were composed and where the phenomenon that was The Beatles began." The following places associated with The Beatles have previously been selected for listing: the Casbah Club in Liverpool, Abbey Road Studios in London and the zebra crossing outside the studios. Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001117Small Increase In Uk Houseprices.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001118Average UK property prices edged up by 0.6% last month, according to the latest data from Nationwide. This increase takes the year on year rate of house price growth up to 0.9% from 0.6% in January. Chief Economist Robert Gardner said: "Evidence that house prices picked up a little in February follows a series of data releases suggesting that economic conditions may not be quite as weak as feared after the UK economy contracted in the final quarter of 2011. "Surveys of activity in the manufacturing and service sectors point to a rebound in January, while consumer confidence and retail spending were both stronger than expected during the month. "Measures of activity in the housing market have also picked up, with the number of housing transactions rising by 23% y/y in January and the number of UK mortgage approvals - a leading indicator of sales - up 36%. "However, it remains to be seen whether this trend will be sustained. Given the still challenging economic backdrop this increase in housing market activity may be the result of a temporary rise in first-time buyers entering the market to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday before it expires in March. Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001118Confident Landlords Plan Portfolio Expansion !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001119Confidence among property investors is high as three in five plan to expand their portfolios over the next six months, according to specialist mortgage broker Mortgages for Business. The strength of the private rental market and the poor performance of property prices over the last year has given professional landlords and property investors the platform upon which to build their portfolio of properties. While the majority of investors (63%) will need to remortgage existing properties to fund their expansion, a similar proportion (62%), believe lenders are not doing enough to support landlords and property investors. The results come from Mortgages for Business’ inaugural quarterly Property Investor Survey in which 185 landlords and investors were surveyed. One in five (20%) feel that lenders should reduce their fees in order to support property investors. 18% believe lenders should increase LTVs and 15% feel that lenders should grow the number of case by case lending decisions rather than rely on computers and credit scores. While four fifths (81%) of property investors intend on investing in vanilla buy-to-let property over the next six months, 22% plan on expanding their portfolios with Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and 15% with Multi-unit Freehold Blocks (MUFB), both of which provide higher average yields for investors. 14% intend on investing in commercial or semi-commercial property which also average higher yields than vanilla investments. David Whittaker, managing director at Mortgages for Business, commented: `Although overall mortgage and lending to first time buyers is finally starting to increase, landlords remain confident about the future of the private rental market and plan to expand their portfolios over the coming months. However, more and more investors are exploring which options will give them the best returns on their investment. While vanilla buy to let properties remain popular, more complex deals are offering higher yields on average and are growing in popularity, particularly because of the shortage of housing stock currently on the market.` Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001119Up To 9 In 10 People Who Want To Move Are Stuck !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001120The downturn in the housing market has left the UK a nation of frustrated house-movers, a think-tank has said. The large majority of people who want to move have been unable to. Furthermore, most people want to move not because of location but because of changes in their personal circumstances, such as splitting up or moving in with someone. According to Understanding Society, a study of 40,000 households funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, between 2009 and 2010 only 10-14% cent of people who wished to move actually did so. The study also found that living in an urban setting or in a less deprived area increased the likelihood of being able to move, while living in rural or more deprived areas reduced the likelihood. The findings are based on a sample of 16,000 individuals who were asked about their desire to move home, and their expectations of moving in the next year and why they wished to move. They show that 39% of individuals living in urban areas wish to move, compared to 28% in rural areas. In the most affluent areas, 29% of people expressed a desire to move, compared with nearly half (45%) of those living in the most deprived areas who want to move. The main reason given for moving home by those who managed to do so was either needing bigger, smaller or better accommodation. Family-related reasons such as divorce or moving in together also ranked highly and were mentioned by 25% of respondents. Location motives, such as wanting to move to a better neighbourhood, came further down the list with mentions from just 12%. All told, 27% of previously single people moved in with their partners and 9% of movers separated from a partner. A further 17% of movers who were previously renting bought a house. While 31% of movers from rural areas moved into urban areas, only 11% of movers went from urban areas to rural ones. Dr Birgitta Rabe, of the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex, who analysed the data, said: `In recent years there has been a stark contrast between individuals wanting and expecting to move and their actual moving behaviour. `This has wider economic implications for people’s flexibility in a challenging job market, because it is home owners, either with a mortgage or those that own their home outright, who find it most difficult to achieve their moving desires.` Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001120House Prices Now £40,000 Under Peak, Says Halifax !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001121House prices fell 1.9% year-on-year in February, with a monthly decline of 0.5% largely reversing the 0.6% gain made in January, says Halifax. The average property price in February was £160,118 – 1.9% lower than February last year, and nearly 20% below Halifax’s average house price of around £200,000 at the height of the market in August 2007. The Halifax report is also in slight contrast to Nationwide’s for February, which gave a monthly rise in prices of 0.6% and an annual rise of 0.9%. However, with Nationwide putting the average house price at £162,712, both were close to what the Land Registry has been reporting. Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: `Overall, prices nationally are at broadly the same level as last spring. This stability in prices is explained by the fact that market conditions have changed very little over this period, with demand supported by low interest rates and supply remaining tight.` Halifax also said that for the second month running there was a rise in first-time buyers scrabbling to beat the end of the Stamp Duty holiday on March 24. Wed, 07 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001121Epc Changes ; Agents Say Timescales Will Be Impossible.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001122Changes that estate agents will have to make to their IT systems are simply not capable of being done by the time the new EPC regime kicks in. Only five days – including a Sunday – have been allowed between necessary information being made available and implementation. The claims have come from agents sent information about how to retrieve EPCs from the Landmark website. They have said, in two robust words: ‘no way’. The highly complex ‘guidance’ issued by CLG on March 2, but due to communications problems not widely circulated until Monday this week, says that the new-look EPC will be issued on April 1. On the same day, an ‘API’ code will be released – enabling estate agents’ IT systems to ‘talk’ to the Landmark site via an Application Programming Interface. Without the code, agents will have to log on manually to the Landmark website each time they want to access individual EPCs. The log-on would include a CAPTCHA, whereby agents would have to ‘fill in the box with the letters they see’ – very time consuming for agents with a large number of EPCs they need to access and print off. Nick Salmon, managing director of Harrison Murray, said: `If the code is not released until April 1, it means agents will have just five days – including a Sunday – to rewrite and presumably test their own systems. `We will, of course, obey the law, but when I asked our IT team to look at the guidance, they said it was not possible to automate our systems within the timescale.` Another mystery is that the guidance gives what looks to be a screengrab of the Landmark site as agents will see it. However, closer inspection reveals a date of last October – when the EPC changes were last due to kick in – and that the text is in Latin, suggesting that as late as March 2, the Landmark designers did not have actual wording. Other agents have told EAT that they are concerned that they will be required to pre-pay a minimum of £10 upfront to Landmark in order to get redacted EPCs – those without addresses. One said that agents were being forced into a commercial contract with Landmark – a private firm, holding what is a public database, and which belongs to the Daily Mail – and asked what was wrong with using Tipp-Ex. Our readers’ concerns were put to Landmark who agreed the following statement with the Department of Communities and Local Government: "DLCG requested Landmark to develop a system to enable property gents to retrieve the EPC for attachment to the written particulars without additional cost to the taxpayer. "It was agreed that this would be developed on a cost recovery basis. As part of the EPC Retrieval Service, domestic and non-redacted EPCs are provided free of charge. "As the redacted commercial EPCs are a value-added and optional service, there is a charge. The use of the Register Operator`s service also means that the Register Operator is responsible for supplying the EPCs and ensuring that the redactions are carried out to the same standard in order to ensure consistency." Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001122Stay One Jump Ahead Of The Easter Bunny If You’re Selling This Springtimehttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001123As Easter approaches, many people take advantage of the school and Bank Holidays to enjoy a well-earned break. But with your estate agents continuing to work hard on your behalf, there are a few steps you can take to ensure there are no missed opportunities when it comes to viewings. Independent estate agents and valuers Harrison Murray have a few seasonal tips for sellers to ensure they don’t miss out on any interest in their home this Easter. - Inform your agent that you are going away – and above all, leave them a key. There is nothing worse than having to turn away interested viewers in your absence because the agent has no access to your home. - Ensure that your home is spotless if you are going away for a few days. - DO empty household rubbish bins, make sure all work surfaces are clean and tidy, clear out magazine racks, ensure that draining boards and sinks are clear of washing up and the dishwasher is empty. - DON’T leave any washing hanging over the radiators, dying flowers in a vase or fruit past its best in the bowl. Give your home a general once-over to ensure there is no clutter lying about. - A couple of strategically placed air fresheners will ensure a pleasant aroma in your home . - Finally, make sure your agent has a contact number in case they need to call you about that all important offer! Harrison Murray’s development director Jackie Scotten said: `The Easter break is a great time to recharge your batteries after the winter months – but for those people who are looking to move, it presents a wonderful opportunity to go house hunting. `If your home is for sale and you are planning a few days away over Easter, it is certainly worth doing what we have suggested before you leave.` Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001123Yields And Rents Stay Strong In Buy-To-Let Sectorhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001124A 4.8% growth in the average monthly rent led buy-to-let investors across the UK to achieve a rental yield of 6.1% in 2011, according to figures from BM Solutions. Strong demand for rental properties increased further last year, with the average monthly rent climbing to £716 in 2011 from £682 in 2010 as a result. While 2011 rental yields were marginally lower than the previous year (6.2%), they remained buoyed by continued rental increases across the UK. Regionally, the highest rental yields in 2011 were in the North (7.0%), North West, Yorkshire and the Humber (both 6.3%), Wales (6.0%), West Midlands and the East Midlands (both 5.9%). Greater London (4.8%), South West (5.0%), South East (5.2%) and East Anglia (5.3%) all registered yields below the UK average. Phil Rickards, BM Solutions, said: "There is a very healthy demand for rental properties across the UK right now, which in part may be driven by the costs associated with buying a home: costs which, for some, will only increase as the stamp duty holiday comes to an end. Average gross yields on a buy-to-let property have been just over 6% for the past two years, driven by growth in rental values. "However, with house prices likely to remain broadly flat again this year, buy-to-let landlords can again expect little capital gain on their investment in 2012." While the national average monthly rent increased by 4.8% overall, there are more significant gains in regional areas. The largest increases were in East Anglia (8.0%) and the North (6.9%). The South East and Greater London recorded rises of 5.8% and 5.6% respectively. In contrast, rents increased by less than 1% in Wales (0.1%) and Scotland (0.7%). The average rent in Greater London remains significantly higher than elsewhere in the UK, at £1212 per month. The average monthly rent in the capital is 69% higher than UK average of £716 and 41% above that in the South East (£858) - the next highest region. The lowest average rents are in Wales (£474 per month), the North and Yorkshire and the Humber (both £488 per month). Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001124New Duty For Agents To Check For Legionnaire`s Diseasehttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001125 A new duty has fallen on letting agents and landlords – to carry out risk assessments for legionnaire’s disease, and if necessary, take action. The Health and Safety Executive has released a revised Approved Code of Practice: Legionaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems. It underlines legal requirements for landlords and managing agents to ensure that the risk from exposure to legionella from all water systems in residential rental premises is controlled. Whose responsibility it will be – ie, agent or landlord – can be answered by a simple question: if a tap breaks or leaks, who is responsible for getting it repaired? The new guidance insists that landlords and agents must keep records for at least five years. They must give details on all aspects of risk assessment control. To comply with the law, landlords and agents need to be aware that legionella bacteria can multiply in hot or cold water systems and storage tanks, and be spread via showers and taps. Risk assessments must identify and assess potential sources of exposure, and steps take to prevent or control any risk that is identified. Risk assessments can normally be carried out by agents or landlords, and include assessing whether conditions are right for bacteria to flourish – in water tempteratures between 20C and 45C. Areas of stagnant water, infrequently used outlets, debris in the system, and thermostatic mixing valves should all be inspected. However, the part of the risk assessment likely to cause most problem is whether any particular tenants, such as older people or those already ill, might be vulnerable to infection. Landlords and agents will also have to balance one set of advice – to raise the temperature of warm water to control legionella – against the risk of possible burns and scalding. Steps taken to control the threat of legionella include disinfecting the system, ensuring no water can stagnate anyway, insulating pipework, and keeping water cisterns covered and free of debris. Tenants should also be advised about risks, and told to take precautions such as flushing through showers they rarely use. Anyone with concerns can contact their local HSE office of environmental health department. Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001125Agents Warned On Saleability Of Solar `Rent A Roof` Homes.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001126Have any of our readers found that households that have rented out their roofs to solar companies are finding it impossible to sell? Thousands of households are thought to have agreed to rent their roofs to solar panel companies, usually for 25 years, in return for free electricity. Now there are warnings that such homes may not be mortgageable. According to a story in Guardian Money, owners of such properties are being turned down for remortgages, which suggests that prospective purchasers of such properties are also likely to be rejected. Guardian Money was contacted by a Southampton couple who were refused by several companies when they tried to remortgage, even though their existing mortgage provider, RBS, apparently agreed to the scheme. Applications for a remortgage have been apparently turned down by Skipton and Nationwide, although RBS has offered them a mortgage on the basis that it approved the solar installation. The couple are now worried they won’t be able to sell if potential buyers also struggle to find a loan. Guardian Money says that although the case is probably the first of its kind, others could follow, resulting in a raft of legal disputes over the ‘rent a roof’ scheme. Peter Ambrose, of conveyancing firm The Partnership, said: "There is an increase in litigation expected from frustrated sellers whose buyers cannot get mortgages on their potential purchases because of these restrictive leases." Guidance to brokers by the Skipton, updated on February 20, says: `The society will NOT lend where the panel provider is supplying and fitting panels free of charge, is taking income from the grid tariff scheme and is creating a long-term lease against the roof and roof air space.` Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001126Van Gogh`s London Home Sells For £565,000http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001127The South London house where Vincent van Gogh lived from 1873-1874 was this week sold at auction for £565,000. At the age of 20 Van Gogh arrived in London to start work at an art dealership in Southampton Street and from August of 1873 he lived at 87 Hackford Road. The house was owned by Mrs Loyer who lived there with her daughter and it was Mrs Loyer`s daughter who Van Gogh reputedly first fell in love with. There is also a sketch of Hackford Road which includes number 87, this was in the possession of Eugenie Loyer`s granddaughter, Mrs Kathleen Maynard, and is now in the Van Gogh museum, Amsterdam. No 87 Hackford Road, SW9 is a three-bedroom end of terrace house which is Grade II listed and in need of modernisation. Van Gogh`s stay is recorded with an English Heritage blue plaque. In addition, to commemorate the fact Van Gogh lived here, the Van Gogh Museum of Amsterdam produced a gold medal and presented it to the current owners which will be given to the new purchaser. Russell Taylor, Savills Auctions, said: "We had a number of bidders vying for the property but the winning bid was to an arts enthusiast who had a great admiration for Van Gogh." Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001127Britain Of Two Halves As Market Continues To Splinter !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001128 A Britain increasingly of two halves emerges in this morning’s Hometrack report, which paints a picture of house price rises in the South, and of widespread falls throughout the East Midlands, Wales and North. During March, prices fell in few parts of London, the South-West and East Anglia. There were higher percentages of falls in the South-East and West Midlands, while in Yorkshire and Humber, about half the region had house price falls. But in the East Midlands, North-West and Wales, house price falls were prevalent, and in the North they were universal right across the region. With such widespread variations, the Hometrack survey shows national prices as a whole barely shifting – up just 0.2% from February. There was a rise in applicants of 4.4% from February, showing a downward trend. Time taken to sell also varies widely across the country, from 11.6 weeks in the Midlands and North to under six weeks in London. Richard Donnell, director of research at Hometrack, said: `The housing market is not firing on all cylinders nationally. The divergence in the relative strength in northern and southern England is set to remain. `We expect prices to track sideways in the short term, with the outlook for the second half of the year hinging on households’ expectations for the economy and their incomes.` The Hometrack report never gives house prices, but said that in March, London prices rose 0.5% over the month – the highest monthly increase since April 2010. However, those London hikes will mostly have been recorded pre-Budget, when Stamp Duty on £2m-plus properties shot up for private purchasers from 5% to 7%, and for properties bought by entities such as partnerships, collective investment funds and companies, to 15%. With London agents still hammering out post-Budget deals at around the £2m-£2.5m mark, there is nothing yet to confirm, or deny, speculation that prices lower down the scale will have suffered any knock-on effect. Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001128London Sends Out Early Spring Shoots To The Country Market !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001129 The first green shoots of recovery have been seen in some prime residential markets beyond London which recorded their first quarterly price rise in a year, according to the Savills prime regional index. Key commuter hotspots, close to London, showed particularly strong quarterly growth of over 5 per cent. Average values in the UK index (which measures properties averaging just over £1 million) increased by a marginal 0.6 per cent in the first three months of this year. This growth was mainly confined to the South East where values rose by 1.5 per cent, driven by the equity-rich sellers of London homes who started to make the move to the country. `There was a noticeable increase in buyer numbers from London in the Home Counties this quarter with 43% of buyers coming from the capital in January to March, compared with 36% in the final quarter of 2011,` says Yolande Barnes, Head of Savills residential research. `This is a clear sign that the £18 billion of foreign private equity that has flowed into prime central since 2007 is now beginning to trigger a migration of equity out to prime markets in the regions. Over the course of the property cycle, its impact will be felt everywhere as it moves out from London and increasingly impacts on cheaper properties.` Crucially, prime regional prices are still on average -17.1 per cent below their former 2007 peak and represent extraordinary value for those seeking to leave London, Barnes believes. Even in the South East, prices are still 11.7% cheaper than they were in 2007. `Ultra-prime country properties over £2m had been recovering more in line with London prices, although still stand nearly 10% below their former peak. It would appear though that the 7% stamp duty rate has now created a threshold in the market in which properties priced between £2.0m and £2.5m could see some chipping of values or buyers pausing for thought. `There are clear signs that the falls we have seen in prime markets – even those close to London – are now slowing and that those regions which are traditionally the first to recover after the capital have bottomed out, and are even starting to recover. `In January, we said that 2012 would present ‘unprecedented opportunities’ for buyers selling in London and buying in the country and some of them now appear to be taking that opportunity. The price differential between London and the country has opened to its widest ever and this has triggered interest from Londoners priced out of larger homes in the capital.` Annual growth across the prime UK market, like the mainstream market, remains in negative territory at -2.8 per cent year on year, and values are still more than 17 per cent below peak – in contrast to prime central London where they are now some 20 per cent above their former peak. After the budget, many more Londoners may well wish to avoid the £2m pricing point so a trade out to a larger £1m country house may prove an increasingly attractive option to them. The Savills market strength indicator for prime property in the Home Counties has just started to tick up and reveals positive prospects for country house values further afield as time goes on. Average values across the South East have all but flat-lined, with annual falls of just -0.8 per cent on the back of the quarterly rise, while the Eastern region is just -2.2 per cent down year on year, but marginally positive (+0.3%) in the first three months of the year. Some key commuter hotspots have shown sharp first quarter growth on the back of renewed interested from London equity buyers, Henley has grown by +5.2%, Guildford, +4.0%, Harpenden +4.5% and Esher by +3.9 per cent. This is the first clear signal of a ripple of wealth out of the capital, which traditionally indicates that the prime markets further afield should be beginning to bottom out. The steepest falls are still being seen in the Cornish second home hotspots. These have had an adverse impact on the index because the ‘late cycle players’ such as cash-rich bonus recipients who drove prices to unsustainably high values in the 2006/7 boom have now withdrawn from that market. Prices are now re-calibrating to those affordable by local prime buyers rather than national holiday home buyers. The prime Cornish market fell -2.3 per cent in the first quarter and is down -18.7 per cent year on year, remaining some -28 per cent below peak. `Values in Cornwall have struggled to correct, with sellers remaining stubbornly attached to unrealistically high asking prices,` says Barnes. `There are signs from the market that buyer and seller expectations of value are becoming more aligned, but realistic pricing will be key to achieving a sale. `By contrast, the more accessible prime Devon market is flat year on the year after adding 2.3 per cent in the first quarter.` Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001129Happy Easter Everyone!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001130We would just like to take this opportunity of wishing everybody a Happy Easter and to let you know that we are open on Good Friday, Easter Saturday & Bank Holiday Monday. Please feel free to either call us or pop into to see us.Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001130Housing Crisis To End In 2012 As Banks Loosen Credit Standards !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001131Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit. The analytics firm notes the average credit score required to attain a mortgage loan is 700. While this is higher than scores required prior to the crisis, it is constant with requirements one year ago. Additionally, a Fed Senior Loan Officer Survey found credit requirements in the fourth quarter were consistent with the past three quarters. However, other market indicators point not just to a stabilization of mortgage lending standards, but also a loosening of credit availability. Banks are now lending amounts up to 3.5 times borrower earnings. This is up from a low during the crisis of 3.2 times borrower earnings. Banks are also loosening loan-to-value ratios (LTV), which Capital Economics denotes `the clearest sign yet of an improvement in mortgage credit conditions.` In contrast to a low of 74 percent reached in mid-2010, banks are now lending at 82 percent LTV. While credit conditions may have loosened slightly, some potential homebuyers are still struggling with credit requirements. In fact, Capital Economics points out that in November 8 percent of contract cancellations were the result of a potential buyer not qualifying for a loan. Additionally, Capital Economics says `any improvement in credit conditions won’t be significant enough to generate actual house price gains,` and potential ramifications from the euro-zone pose a threat to future credit availability. Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=1000113112 Reasons Why The Uk Economy Will Boom Again Soon !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001132Forget what the papers say - here are 12 reasons the UK economy will boom again soon !! Our economy is set to roar out of recession Here’s a heretical thought: The UK economy is storming back to prosperity. In fact, if things carry on we’ll be back to 3 per cent growth pretty soon and all indicators will be pointing in the right direction. Even today things are pretty damn good. Absurd? Well, most voters will tell you it is – the GfK index of consumer confidence in the economy over the next 12 months is at minus 30, indicative of mass national pessimism. Nationwide’s barometer of public confidence is low and falling. Yet the data tells a different story, one of growth, job creation and low inflation. We really could be on the brink of a spectacular revival. So if you want to start humming Rule Britannia and telling cynics that this sceptred isle is on its way back then are here are 12 cast-iron reasons you can reel off. 1 The economy is set to grow The Office for Budget Responsibility, which provides the independent forecasts for the government, is forecasting real terms growth of 2 per cent next year, then 2.7 per cent and 3 per cent in 2015. Even this year growth will be 0.8 per cent. 2 Exports are up Exports grew strongly in 2011, and hit a record high in October. Exports to BRIC nations are up 150 per cent in five years. (Read the latest BRIC countries news and business advice.) Exports to the Eurozone nations grew 11.3 per cent last year despite the ongoing crisis. There is a large number of high-perfoming sectors: for example, livestock exports are up 22 per cent on 2010, with the Far East being the fastest growing market. 3 We have the Pound… …and not the Euro. 4 Jobs market is improving Since December 2009 private sector employment has risen by 650,000 jobs – more than offsetting the net layoffs in public sector employment of 365,000. And what are the prospects for future hirings? Actually, a string of surveys suggests the rate of hiring is improving. The Federation of Small Businesses says there is a net balance of 1.2 per cent of small firms looking to hire. Looking long term the OBR forecasts employment rising steadily from 29.1m this year to 30m in 2016. 5 Savings ratio is back on track In order to `detoxify` the economy it is necessary to recapitalise the banks and to reduce the appalling borrowing levels of consumers. This requires an increase in the savings ratio – the percentage of household income saved by consumers. During the 2000s the ratio was 4.3 per cent, indicative of the spend-and-borrow ethos of the Blair-Brown era. By comparison, the ratio during the eighties and nineties was 8.9 per cent. At the start of the financial crisis in 2008 the ratio was a dreadful 1.7 per cent. Since then the rate has rallied. In the last quarter of 2011 the savings ratio was 7.7 per cent, a slight fall on the previous quarter, but undeniably in the right ballpark. Vicky Redwood of Capital Economics said: `Although the household saving rate nudged down in Q4, the back-data have been revised up a fair bit. So it now looks like households’ finances are in a bit better condition than before.` The detox is well underway. 6 We are in the right sectors Ignore much of the blather about needing to `rebalance` the UK economy. It is, in fact, highly diverse with specialisms in precisely the right areas: pharmaceuticals, defence, nanotech, financial services, oil & gas, computer chips, hi-fi, computer games and mining. Our agriculture sector is world-class, and devoid of the terrible CAP-related problems facing Poland, France or Ireland. Our motorsport industry is larger than that of France, Germany and Italy put together. Like this? Try… Our free newsletter 37 ways to rescue the economy, by Britain’s brightest brains Can our £15bn design industry become the next superstar sector? 7 Services sector is recovering fast The Purchasing Managers Index, which reflects the health of the services sector, rose from 53 in February to 55.3 in March. Any number above 50 indicates growth. Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit which compiles the PMI, said the data suggests the UK economy grew by 0.5 per cent in the first quarter, contradicting fears we slipped back into recession. 8 Public sector borrowing is falling The biggest challenge of this parliament is to cut the difference between tax revenue and state spending. In 2011-12 the government borrowed £137bn to cover the shortfall. By 2016-17 this will have fallen to £21bn according to the OBR, or 1.1 per cent of GDP. 9 Inflation is low, and falling In 2011 the Consumer Price Index hit 4.5 per cent. Cue panic! But this figure was partly due to high commodity prices and the VAT rise. The CPI is forecast to fall to 2.8 per cent this year and then stay at 2 per cent for the next few years – the ideal scenario. 10 Government borrowing is absurdly cheap When Labour left office lenders were asking 4 per cent to lend to the UK government. Now the effective rate of interest on 10-year gilts is a shade over 2 per cent. This matters. The two percentage point fall equates to a saving of £43.2bn over the next five years. 11 The size of the state is shrinking When the state gets too big it squeezes out the private sector, causing economic stagnation. In the noughties the government grew 53 per cent in real terms – the biggest expansion by a developed economy excluding war and socialist revolution. In Northern Ireland and Wales public spending reached more than 70 per cent of GDP, and 64 per cent in the under-performing North-East. Now the bloatage is deflating. The government will decline from 48.4 per cent of GDP in 2011 to 39 per cent in 2016-17. Still some way short of Hong Kong’s 17 per cent. But a welcome start. 12 Brits love entrepreneurs While the French are wondering whether to vote for a guy who wants a 75 per cent top rate of tax (Francois Hollande, currently bookies’ favourite) or his rival who wants a 100 per cent rate (Jean-Luc Mélenchon, admittedly an outsider), the UK has cut the top rate and offers a raft of incentives to start-ups. Our universities are hot-beds of ambition. And we have the strongest investment environment of any European nation, ranking #1 for private equity by a considerable distance. Overall, the World Bank ranks the UK as the easiest place in the world to borrow money. Together, entrepreneurs and finance are the most powerful engine economic prosperity. And on both counts Britain is up there with the very, very best. Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001132Olympic Lettings Dream Looks Over As Tenants Fail To Materialise !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001133 Hopes of private lettings creating Olympics gold appear to have failed to get off the starting blocks. Undeterred, landlords are still piling into agents, hoping for a quick buck and lured by the prospect of premium rents advertised on agents’ websites. But according to one Foxtons agent in north London: `We physically can’t get out to see all these properties because of the number of inquiries coming through from potential landlords.` While there are exceptions – Knight Frank is reporting inquiries from companies wanting to short-term rent whole blocks this summer – London agents are reporting more landlords than tenants and a huge number of unlet Olympic properties. There is also the minor problem that prospective tenants for the Games do not have unlimited budgets. Unsurprisingly, most seem to want the cheapest possible accommodation – and do not want to pay the six-times normal rent being hyped. Some of the expensive rentals can be found on Zoopla`s special Olympics section. These include a six-bed flat in Knightsbridge for £80,000 a week and a nine-bed apartment in Blackheath, two minutes from where the horse action will be, for £17,500 a week – which must make the local bed and breakfasts look like bargains. www.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/property/london/?keywords=Olympic Joanna Doniger, who runs sporting events accommodation companies Tennis London and Accommodate London, says agents have also been greedy. She says: `We charge 15% of the rent to let a property for the Olympics, exactly the same as for Wimbledon, but some of the big London agents are charging getting on for double that.` Foxtons charges 26% commission for any let of less than six months, Hamptons 25% for an Olympics let (compared to 20% for non-Olympics short lets), Keatons 22% and Winkworth 20%. We always did think it might end in tears. Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001133Uk House Prices To Reach Pre - Recession Levels In 2016 !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001134Cebr’s updated housing forecast shows prices rising by 0.8% in 2012 according to a new report by the think tank. Cebr confirm a view that has remained fairly consistent for three years that low interest rates and increasing availability of mortgages will help house prices edge up over the 2012-2016 period, reaching pre-recession levels in Q2 2016. Cebr bases its forecasts on a mix of micro and macro factors. The key micro factor is the shortage of housing relative to potential household formation. The key new micro issue is the changes in the planning regulations reannounced in the Budget. These are likely gradually to boost the supply of housing and will constrain the gentle rise in house prices. The key macro factors are affordability, employment and mortgage availability. The first of these will be slightly positive, the second slightly negative and the third increasingly positive. Cebr expects the mortgage famine to ease gradually as the QE already announced flows through the economy and as banks recapitalise themselves. `House prices have been pretty stable over the past two years` says Shehan Mohamed, main author of this report `Lending for housing was £74.5 billion in 2011 and we forecast that this will rise to £109.9 billion by 2016`. Cebr’s regional house price analysis, also included in the report, shows house prices are likely to continue to rise more quickly in the London and the South East, though the gap in house price inflation with the rest of the country is likely to close because of the 7% stamp duty and the heavy taxation on corporate home ownership announced in the Budget and because of the non-recurrence of special factors like the Arab Spring and the euro crisis which boosted the London market in 2011. Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001134Rightmove On Collision Course With Government Over Epcshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001135Rightmove and the other big property portals are set on a collision course with the Government over EPCs. Although the CLG has given what it must have thought to be unequivocal advice, in a new debacle the portals are advising that they do not need to produce EPCs for their online listings, saying the advice is unclear. The Q & A advice from CLG says: Q. `Do the regulations also apply to electronic written particulars on internet sites?` A: `Yes.` The same advice defines written particulars as containing two or more of the following: photo, floorplan, room sizes or measured area of building, and, in the case of a rental property only, price. Whilst this would take in virtually all lettings listings, which almost inevitably include both a property photo and the rental price, agents arguably would only need to leave a floorplan out of their sales particulars to be let off the hook in terms of having to show an EPC. However, a cursory glance at a number of online listings yesterday showed that 100% of the properties for sale EAT looked at all contained, or led directly to information containing, photos, floorplans and room measurements. All, however, had the pre-April 6 EPC graphs with them, before the requirements changed. (Actually, one property didn’t have any EPC with it at all – see the link at the end of the story.) The portals are insisting that their listings are adverts and not particulars, and EPCs do not need to be carried. However, like CLG, they are putting the onus for legal obedience totally on agents. Rightmove has emailed all of its agents, saying that in their view, ‘the new regulations do not place any additional obligations on Rightmove, although you may wish to consider separately how the new regulations might affect your own company website’. Yesterday evening, a Rightmove spokesman confirmed: `The new EPC requirements apply to property particulars. Rightmove is a property advertising website and the information displayed on Rightmove by all our member agents takes the form of adverts and not property particulars. This is clearly stated at the bottom of every page on Rightmove that displays details which have been provided to us by the agent about a specific property, and will continue to do so. `We have communicated this to Rightmove member agents and it remains our view in light of the most recent DCLG statement clarifying the new EPC requirements. We do, however, understand that some member agents may wish to display the full EPC as part of the property advert on Rightmove. `Rightmove does provide the functionality for agents to do this if they so wish, either via their datafeed provider or through a manual property upload.` Zoopla is taking the same stand. A spokesman told EAT: `Zoopla provides a medium for agents to advertise properties, much like newspapers. It is the advertisers’ responsibility to ensure that their adverts comply with all relevant legislation. `Our interpretation of the recent changes regarding EPCs do not require agents to include EPCs in all property advertisements which would include newspaper advertising, online ads, etc. That said, we do encourage our members to upload the full EPC report with their property adverts as this provides useful information for potential househunters.` A spokesman for CLG said yesterday: `Where a property or letting agent intends to make more detailed information about a building available, either on their own website or another property portal, and the information provided meets the definition of written particulars, then an EPC must be provided with those details. `The onus will be on property and letting agents to ensure that an EPC is provided with those details, not the website designer or the company who operates the property portal. `As far as property portals are concerned, the requirements of the Regulations were circulated widely and published on the DCLG website, and Page 8 of this policy document clearly indicates that written particulars on property portals are required to display the EPC.` Notably, Rightmove has been careful to use the wording ‘in our view’ in offering its advice, whilst Zoopla stresses ‘our interpretation’. Even CLG has opened the doors to a field day for lawyers, prefacing its own Q & A advice as follows: `The Department is unable to provide legal advice and in any case we cannot provide a definitive interpretation of the law as only the Courts are able to do this… `…You may need to consult the legislation itself to see how it applies in your circumstances; it is your own responsibility to ensure that you comply with the legislation. Should you require further clarification you should seek your own legal advice.` Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001135Rightmove: National Asking Prices Hit New Record Highhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001136 The national average asking price of property coming to market is now £243,737, breaking the previous record set nearly four years ago according to the latest Rightmove House Price Index. This is £1,237 higher than the previous peak recorded in May 2008, just a few months before the game-changing collapse of Lehman Brothers. However, the rise should not be overstated—if prices had kept pace with inflation (as measured by the RPI) since May 2008 then they would now stand at £270,459, so they have fallen by 9.9% in real terms. In addition, the national average asking price is buoyed by London’s strong performance. While new sellers nationally are asking 0.5% more than the last record set in May 2008, those in London have found sufficient confidence to raise their asking prices by 14.9%. This has acted like a crutch to support the national average and enable it to surpass the levels achieved prior to the onset of the worldwide interbank lending crisis. Removing the capital from the dataset demonstrates the extent of the ‘London effect’ and reveals that average asking prices in the rest of the country have actually fallen by 4.3% since May 2008. Miles Shipside, director of Rightmove comments: `From a national perspective, it has taken four years for new sellers to pitch their asking prices above their previous record. However, this is not a universal signal of a housing market recovery. The richest seams of housing market activity are concentrated around those with access to cash and finance, with a strong bias to the south and London in particular. Even within regions there are micro-market hotspots where demand from those that can buy and the confidence and momentum it engenders are helping to push asking prices to new record highs. It’s a somewhat perverse state of affairs for many of the mass-market not deemed as mortgage-worthy by the lenders that, at a time when many aspiring buyers are excluded, the national average price of property coming to the market is at an all-time high`. The rise in new seller asking prices of 2.9% (£6,798) this month is the highest recorded in the month of April since 2007, five months before the run on Northern Rock. Those that can raise a substantial deposit enjoy historically low interest rates fuelling rising prices in the markets they operate in. The generally more affluent southern regions have all seen more bullish upwards price pressure in the last 12 months compared to the northern half of the country. London leads the way with an annual increase of 7.9%, followed by East Anglia at 6.2%, the South West 3.9% and 3% in the South East. The generally more credit-starved northern regions have all recorded lower annual increases (East and West Midlands, Wales and North) or falls in the case of Yorkshire and Humberside (-0.2%) and the North West (-1.2%). Both London and the South West have recorded new price peaks this month, surpassing previous records by 2.1% and 2.3% respectively. Also highlighting the better price performance of the south, the two other southern regions of the South East and East Anglia are just £810 (-0.3%) and £2,489 (-1.1%) off their previous peak prices. In contrast, the price peaks in all of the northerly regions (see table 1) were set during 2007, prior to the withdrawal of Northern Rock as a mass-market lender. Current new seller average asking prices in Wales are the furthest adrift, 12.3% (£23,171) down on their previous peak set in August 2007. The regions of Yorkshire and Humberside and both East and West Midlands are also over 10% below their 2007 record highs, with the North region being the closest to its July 2007 peak, but still nearly £10,000 (-5.8%) shy. Shipside comments: `This is a reflection of the new world where house prices in micro-markets are driven as much by banks’ willingness to lend as by consumers’ desire to buy, making buying aspirations more achievable in the relatively credit-worthy south, and London in particular. Those deciding to sell in the south are looking a lot more confident in their pricing power than their more nervy northern counter-parts. While there are still micro-market hotspots in the north, there are more negative elements to add in to their moving equation, such as employment prospects and lack of equity. Such factors can undermine, or scupper, prospective buyers’ ability and confidence to buy at inflated prices. More potential buyers in the south have the virtuous circle benefits of less economic stress, greater access to equity making them more appealing to lenders, and consequently more confidence to pay higher prices.` While new sellers in the south are leading the way in terms of price recovery compared to previous peaks, transaction volumes still remain well below pre-credit crunch norms. Nationally, 30% fewer properties were brought to market this month compared to April 2007, and 0.5% fewer than April last year. The South West region, where the average price of properties coming to market has also hit a new high, has the largest year-on-year fall in new property listings, with the number of properties coming to market down 5.5% on April last year. London, the other region to record a new high this month, has actually seen lower fresh property supply compared to the previous month, down by 5%. This is an unusual event as the spring moving season should be gathering pace, with more sellers coming to market not less. The net effect is another new asking price record for the capital. Where prices have risen substantially this has helped those who wish to trade up to benefit from additional equity to shake off their ‘credit-crunch blues’ imposed by the harsh deposit requirements of lenders. The downside is that would be `trader-uppers` in popular locations are currently faced with less fresh choice to tempt them to come to market themselves. Shipside observes: `Fresh property stock is a bit scarcer this April compared to last, and this is a key factor in providing a price floor for spring prices to springboard from. This is the strongest price-bounce Rightmove has ever recorded for the first four months of the year. New sellers are setting asking price records in the fresh-stockstarved London and South West regions, and agents report this is also the case in micro-markets in other regions where a shortage of fresh stock is coinciding with the traditionally more active spring market. However, local market conditions vary considerably. So, while the overall prospects of a seller achieving a record price are higher in London and the South West, doing your research on your own local micro-market is essential to gauge what type of property is in demand, how quickly it is selling and how close to the asking price is being achieved. Buyers scour the market looking for the best value, and can easily spot properties that are out of line. The tightening of the stamp duty noose will cause some price machinations, especially for the higher priced thresholds where the tax-take really starts to bite`. Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001136Merger Between Digital And Zoopla Gets The Go-Ahead !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001137The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has finally given clearance for the proposed merger between Digital Property Group and Zoopla to go ahead. The transaction is now expected to complete within the next few weeks, said the two businesses in a joint statement, `and will create a credible alternative to current market-leader Rightmove and deliver enhanced value to the businesses’ estate agent and developer members across the UK`. Evidence received by the OFT during its investigation found that the merger would not result in reduced competition and consequently did not warrant reference to the Competition Commission for further investigation. However, the decision is very overdue, and had been expected on March 1. There is more than a hint that a price-cutting war could follow the merger, with the two companies stressing that it will be a big win for agents. In their joint statement, Digital - which publishes FindaProperty and Primelocation - and Zoopla said: "The merger, once completed, is set to be a big win for consumers and advertisers alike, with far greater coverage of property listings and an unrivalled consumer audience across the UK. The combined business will be in a position to offer an enhanced product to its users and superior value proposition to its members." It is not known who will lead the new merged firm, but the Daily Mail`s Digital Group is due to have the larger stake. Zoopla, however, has made considerable growth in recent months. Both lag Rightmove by some way, with Rightmove claiming a market share in the region of 84%. Alex Chesterman, founder and CEO of Zoopla, said: "We have always been firmly of the view that this transaction is pro-competitive and is good news for both our users and customers. We are glad to be in a position now to be able to get on with the business of making the proposed benefits a reality. We have much work to do to integrate our businesses and are looking forward to the opportunities ahead.` Mark Milner, CEO of the Digital Property Group, said: "Yhis is an important day for the industry, given the long-awaited balance in the market that this deal will deliver. It has been a long time coming and the enhanced value that the combined business will provide will make this deal a clear win for UK estate agents, letting agents and housebuilders.` `Martin Morgan, chief executive of DMGT, said: "We are delighted that the merger has been approved. We now have the opportunity to challenge the market leader in the online property sector, to the benefit of both consumers and clients`. Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001137First-Time Buyer Numbers Increased In February !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001138Lending to both first-time buyers and home movers increased in February with first-time buyers taking the bigger increase, according to latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders. 14,100 loans worth £1.7 billion were taken out by first-time buyers, up 8% by number and 6% by value from January and up 18% by number and 21% by value on last February. Home movers took out 22,500 loans worth £3.7 billion, a 2% increase in number and a 3% increase in value from January and a 16% increase in number and 19% increase in value from February 2011. House purchase lending rose in February. 36,600 loans (worth £5.4 billion) were taken out, up 4% by number and 2% by value from January and up 17% by number and 20% by value from February last year. Remortgaging continued to decrease in February. £3.3 billion was advanced, a 6% fall compared both to January 2012 and February 2011. For the first time since April 2011, there was an increase in the proportion of income first-time buyers spent on mortgage interest payments, from 12.1% in January to 12.5% in February. This is likely to reflect a combination of factors including an increase in average first-time buyer income multiples (from 3.19 to 3.23) and a modest increase in some borrowing rates. This still leaves mortgages for first-time buyers much more affordable than as recently as 2008, when first-time buyers on average spent 19.6% of their income on mortgage interest payments. First-time buyers borrowed on average 80% of their property’s value in February, unchanged in over a year. Since the summer of 2011, more than 95% of first-time buyers have taken out repayment loans and February`s proportion was 96%, unchanged from January. Repayment loans to new home movers and remortgagors also increased in February from 81% to 82% for home movers and from 76% to 77% for those remortgaging. 51% of first-time buyers bought properties priced between £125,000 and £250,000 in February, up from 49% in January. February was the last full month of the stamp duty concession although next month`s data is expected to bring a further rise in first-time buyer numbers as they moved to beat the 24 March deadline. CML director general Paul Smee said: "It is encouraging to see the continuing year-on-year improvement in house purchase lending. However it is not yet clear whether the end of the stamp duty concession will lead to a falling off in first-time buyer numbers and how much this may be offset by the government`s NewBuy scheme, available to all buying a new build property." David Newnes, director of LSL Property Services said: `Much of the rise in lending to first-timers will be put down to the rush to beat stamp duty which has undoubtedly contributed strongly to the spike in February. But the increasing value of loans over the year indicates there may be more to the growth in first-time buyer lending than a mad rush to beat the taxman. Loans only increased by 2% in value in February, while the increase over the year since February 2011 was ten times larger. Although the growing funding costs of banks has put high LTV lending under strain in recent months, over the longer term, conditions for first-time buyers have seen modest improvement. That’s why the return of stamp duty in this vital part of the market is potentially dangerous. We will have to wait until April’s figures to assess how much damage stamp duty is doing at the lower end of the market`. Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001138Mayor Candidates Call For Cuts In Private Rentshttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001139 Two London mayoral hopefuls have come up with housing strategies in their manifestos. Brian Paddick and Siobhan Benita have both unveiled plans that would effectively cut private rents throughout the capital. Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson have also put housing at the centre of their manifestos. Livingstone would, if elected, set up a not-profit lettings agency for private landlords and tenants. LibDem Paddick has pledged to build 360,000 new homes in the next ten years if he is elected, and introduce a ‘living rent’ whereby Londoners would pay no more than one-third of their net salary on rent. He says that currently tenants in the social rented sector spend 37% of their income on rent, while private rented households spend more than half of their pay on housing costs in 22 of London’s 33 boroughs. Independent candidate Benita would create a new department called Homes for London which would be responsible for implementing her policies. She would create a fixed-price housing market built on council-owned land. The land would be given to developers, but homes built on it would have to be sold into a regulated housing market controlled by Homes for London. These would be sold or let at around half the market rate. She would also set up a ‘mayor’s lettings MOT’ to improve standards in the private rented sector. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001139New Ratings Site Launches - With A Difference !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001140A new service has launched allowing agents not only to see how their vendors and landlords rate and comment on each part of their customer service, but also to gain greater insight into the cost-effectiveness of each element of their marketing. Unlike the controversial ‘TripAdvisor-style’ review sites, Agency Intelligence does not publish feedback on any website. Instead, it provides subscribing agents with PDF reports for them to publicise or use internally as they wish. Agency Intelligence works by emailing the agent’s past six or 12 months of vendors and/or landlords, asking them to complete a series of questions online. Because it does not therefore rely on clients being sufficiently happy or unhappy to have the motivation to seek out a review site, Agency Intelligence aims to provide a more representative sample of clients’ views. A respondent can only complete a questionnaire once, and only following an emailed invitation – minimising the chances of the results being skewed by an agent giving himself a blanket 5/5 or a competitor giving 1/5. The agent’s PDF report shows over 20 client-friendly graphs, summarising satisfaction with each part of their service – from satisfaction overall and with price achieved, down to the level of communication and professionalism. Agents will also be able to see how their results compare against the average of the other agents taking part. Founder Charlie Snell said: `We’ve been beta-testing Agency Intelligence for a while now and offer a service that not only provides agencies with a valuable, independent way to measure and demonstrate their service, but also gives them greater clarity over the effectiveness of their marketing expenditure, and help in planning their marketing budgets.` Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=100011401 In 4 Homeowners Rely On Trustworthy Neighbours !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001141For one in four people, having trustworthy neighbours is the key to feeling most secure at home, according to the latest Association of British Insurers consumer survey. But the findings highlight that many homeowners are needlessly putting themselves at risk of financial disaster by overlooking basic security precautions. To help homeowners protect themselves, the ABI has produced a guide on home insurance and some answers to common home insurance questions. Nearly three in ten people admit to leaving doors unlocked and windows open when going out briefly, despite the fact that the survey showed 42% of people recognise the importance of good locks. With 36% of all burglaries being opportunistic, failing to secure doors and windows is an open invitation to thieves, particularly as we approach summer. And with an estimated quarter of households admitting to having no contents insurance at all, mistakes like these could leave people footing a hefty bill. The two new ABI guides offer advice on how to ensure you buy the right amount of cover and clearly set out what is covered by standard buildings and contents insurance and options people can pay extra for, such as accidental damage cover. The ABI has also produced a home security guide providing advice such as what to do if you are leaving your home unoccupied for a long period and how this might affect your insurance. Nick Starling, Director of General Insurance at the ABI said: "While it can be reassuring for householders to have neighbours they can trust, this alone cannot substitute the value of sensible home security measures. Common mistakes, such as leaving doors unlocked and windows open, could invite thieves, putting your possessions at risk. And with one in four households without contents insurance, homeowners could be left footing a big bill to replace valuables. "Following sensible security measures and ensuring your property and its contents are adequately covered are the wise steps people should follow to protect their homes." Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001141New Epc Twist: Government Allows People To Opt Out Of Database.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001142People WILL be able to opt out of having their EPCs made publicly available on the national database. Yesterday, the national EPC register run by Landmark, the private firm owned by the Daily Mail, went public amid fears that it would be a snoopers’ charter – enabling anyone to search for EPC information using a postcode. But in what looks like an extraordinary U-turn, the Communities and Local Government Department has very quietly announced that anyone with an EPC can opt out of making it publicly available for data searches. The announcement was so quiet that Mike Crompton, corporate communications officer of trade body the Institute of Domestic Energy Assessors, said his own industry was unaware of it: `They’ve sneaked this in under the radar – the reason being that they don’t want anyone to know about it. But people should. `Why should they be inundated with calls from double-glazing firms simply because they’ve put their house on the market? We have been worried about vulnerable clients.` IDEA is advising all its members to let property owners know they can opt out of the national database. Crompon said: "We are concerned that there are significant security issues: an EPC might say that a property has 90% double glazing which would suggest to a crook that there is a weak entry point somewhere." The opt-out is at odds with the uncompromising requirement by CLG that all domestic EPCs must carry the full addresses of the property and cannot be redacted – a major concern for agents for vulnerable clients such as elderly people, or where properties are lying empty. Yet, despite the clause allowing opt-out from the EPC database, agents will still be required to attach the front page of the EPC, complete with full address, to all property particulars, including those that appear online, for example on Rightmove. The database opt-out clause has apparently not been publicised to anyone, with even EPC suppliers unaware of its existence. One said that making the public database go live on a Sunday, complete with the opt-out clause, was simply the CLG ‘burying’ its own bad news. It appears in a pdf document on the CLG website. Despite EAT’s continued requests to CLG for updates, our attention was never drawn to this. A tiny handful of industry providers were apparently sent website links that did not work properly, but others, including Crompton`s own industry body, were kept in the dark. The opt-out link late last week was also sending out security warnings when EAT tried to use it. According to sources, CLG are embarrassed about the opt-out clause and still hoping to keep quiet about it, since if everyone knew about it, there could be opt-outs on a massive scale – leaving the whole idea of a searchable public register in tatters. In the same note about the opt-out, CLG promotes the idea of a public register, saiying: `The register represents an extremely valuable source of information about the energy efficiency of buildings, and the benefits of making use of the data have made it desirable to widen access.` It says that individuals can look up EPCs for free, and can compare individual properties, whilst ‘authorised’ organisations such as Green Deal providers, local councils, universities and government departments can have bulk access to the data and use if for marketing and research purposes. Opting out looks to be straightforward and can be done by virtually anyone – owner, landlord, tenant or ‘representative’ – with seemingly no checks. It simply requires people to define their relationship with the property, file their own names and email addresses, plus the address and postcode of the property concerned, plus its RRN – the Report Reference Number of the EPC itself. Opting out is also mentioned in passing in a new privacy impact assessment of making EPCs public – also made quietly available on the CLG website. Organisations – for example, insulation firms – will be allowed to write to someone whose contact details have been obtained from the EPC register up to three times. If they do not get a reply, they must delete the person’s contact details from their database. How this will be policed is not clear. The latest EPC documents are available via the link. The reference to the opt-out is on Policy Update 4, page 6. (This link is once again proving unreliable, but should work if you paste it in to your browser.) http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/changesenergyperformance Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001142Private Landlords Deserting Housing Benefit Sector.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001143 More than half of landlords can no longer afford to rent to housing benefit tenants because of cuts to allowances, with seven in ten saying they will not have housing benefit tenants in three years’ time. The claim has come from the National Landlords Association after it surveyed its members. The survey showed that 53% of landlords believe Local Housing Allowance cuts have made it unaffordable for them to rent to those on benefits. Nearly half of landlords (46.9%) believe tenants aged under 35 will be hit hardest by the changes and almost 69% of landlords say they can’t see themselves letting to LHA tenants in 2015. The LHA cuts have seen maximum rent benefit payments reduced to the 30th percentile of local average market rents rather than the previous 50th percentile. The age at which a tenant on benefits qualifies for any more than a single room in a shared house has also been raised from 25 to 35, forcing many more people into shared accommodation. David Salusbury, NLA chairman, said: `It’s concerning that so many landlords appear to be planning to withdraw from the LHA market within just three years, as they can no longer afford to let their properties to tenants at the reduced benefit rate. `In view of the pressures on housing, the private rented sector will inevitably play an increasingly important role in providing housing to LHA tenants, particularly those aged under 35, who aren’t able to access other housing. `It is vital that local authorities work with landlords to provide the support services needed to help this demographic, as many are forced to move into shared accommodation.` The NLA also reported that three-quarters of its members have not been approached by councils about reducing rents in return for direct payment of LHA. The survey shows that just 25% of landlords have been approached by their local authority to reduce rents. David Cameron drew criticism earlier this year when he claimed in the Commons that rents were falling as a result of the welfare reforms. Landlords who voluntarily drop their rents can do so in return for direct payments of LHA. Salusbury said: `They have the discretion to make LHA payments direct to housing providers, but our research shows that only 25% of local authorities are currently speaking with landlords.` Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001143Career Oppportunity @ Able Estates.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001144We are looking for an experienced Full Time Negotiator to work in our busy Northumberland Heath/Erith branch. Experience in both Sales & Lettings is essential. Full driving licence required / Good salary tailored to experience. Please contact Dawn or Suzannah on 01322 400222 or email CVs to: nhsales@ableestates.com Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001144Public Grows In Confidence Over Housing Market !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001145 People are growing in confidence about the housing market, two new surveys have claimed. A third survey separately pinpoints growing optimism among first-time buyers. Halifax said this morning that 39% of respondents to its ‘Housing Market Confidence tracker’ poll believe house prices nationally will increase next year – almost double the proportion that believe they will go down. A similar poll by property portal Zoopla says that 67% of British home owners expect house prices to rise over the next six months. The average property price across Britain is expected to rise 3.9% between now and October. The Zoopla poll also says that people are now finding it easier to get a mortgage than at the end of last year, with 17% saying availability has improved. However, in the Halifax poll, 25% think that lack of mortgage availability is a major obstacle to home buying, and 45% think that raising a deposit is a serious problem. Both the Zoopla and Halifax polls report highest confidence among home owners in London, where house prices are expected to rise by 5.5% in the next six months, according to Zoopla. The Halifax survey says that most people still think of it as a buyers’ market: 55% think now is a good time to buy, more than double the 24% who believe it is a good time to sell. The Halifax poll also finds that nearly two-thirds of people (61%) are worried about job security, citing this as the major potential threat to the housing market. In the third poll, from the Post Office, aspiring first-time buyers were asked about their plans. Of those who plan to buy within the next five years, 14% expect to buy this year, and 22% next year. Almost half (45%) are confident of being able to fund the deposit themselves by saving up, while 16% will get help from their parents and the same proportion plan to use the Government’s FirstBuy scheme. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001145Property Sales Increase In March - Hmrc....http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001146A significant rise in the number of properties sold in the UK during March is revealed in the latest data from HM Revenue and Customs. There were 74,000 completed sales during the month - and increase of 11,000 on the previous month. However, while the increase could be perceived as indicative of the traditional spring bounce, many will point to the end of the stamp duty concession as being the real reason behind the rise as first-time buyers tried to beat the deadline. The stamp duty exemption for first-time buyers who bought homes valued at between £125,000 and £250,000 ended on 24 March. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001146Homeowner Confidence Grows !!!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001147Positive signals have emerged for the housing market in the first quarter of 2012 with a rise in the number of British homeowners who expect house prices to climb over the next six months. According to the latest Zoopla.co.uk Housing Market Sentiment Survey, two out of three (67%) British homeowners are confident of house prices rising by the Autumn. This is the highest proportion of homeowners predicting property price growth since the first half of 2010 and in stark contrast to sentiment at the end of 2011 when only 55% of owners were predicting prices to climb. In addition to the rise in overall confidence, homeowners are also more bullish now about how much they expect average house prices to rise over the next six months. At the end of 2011, owners expected prices in their local area to increase 2.2% on average. Over the last quarter this has risen to 3.9% - again, the highest price growth expectation in almost two years. Confidence amongst homeowners in London is at a near all-time high with 82% of property owners in the capital now confident of property price rises over the next six months. And owners in the capital are predicting that house prices in London will grow 5.5% by October. There has also been an improvement in sentiment towards mortgage financing with an increase in the number of property owners reporting that it is now easier to secure a mortgage than it was at the end of 2011. 17% of respondents believe mortgage availability has improved, up from 11% last quarter. Nicholas Leeming of Zoopla.co.uk commented: `The property market has been in need of some positive news of late as many indicators have pointed toward stagnant prices. These results show that homeowners now feel a lot more positive than at the end of last year and this confidence could bolster transaction and activity levels as we move further into the year.` Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001147Public Confidence In The Housing Market Continues To Rise !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001148Britons are becoming increasingly confident in the outlook for the housing market, according to the latest Halifax Housing Market Confidence tracker. Over 1 in 3 (39%) of respondents predict that house prices nationally will increase over the next year, almost double the proportion that believe house prices will fall (20%). Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, commented: "It is encouraging that the level of consumer confidence in the housing market continues to improve, albeit from a very low base. This is consistent with the broad stability that we have been seeing in house prices nationally in recent months. According to the latest Halifax House Price Index, house prices in the first quarter of 2012 were just 0.1% lower than the final quarter of 2011. "There is, however, a substantial north-south divide to the improvement in housing confidence which is reflective of property prices in the South currently more resilient than in the North. Overall, we continue to expect little overall movement in prices this year provided that the UK economy does not suffer a pronounced weakening." Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001148Row Grows Over `Social Cleansing` Of Tenants Priced Out By Private Rents !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001149 The ‘social cleansing’ row over a London council’s apparent attempt to ship hundreds of tenants who would normally be put into private rented accommodation to places as far away as Stoke-on-Trent has intensified. Newham Council has written to housing associations in other parts of the UK to ask for help with accommodation. It blamed a combination of high private rents and housing benefit cuts for its move, saying private rented accommodation is unaffordable for families who rely on Local Housing Allowance. The council has criticised the Government’s decision to cap housing benefit payments at £400 per week for a four-bedroom home, saying there is a huge gap between that and market rents. The spokesperson added: `Alongside a number of other London councils, we are exploring the option of working with housing associations outside the borough to house people with an immediate need in the private sector.` But housing minister Grant Shapps said it was blatant electioneering on the part of Labour-run Newham Council, and has written to the BBC – which broke the story – to complain about its coverage. He complained that the coverage could be causing Newham people real distress, and said that the BBC had been ‘hoodwinked by politically driven scaremongering’. However, the National Housing Federation said that Newham’s attempts to house up to 500 families away from the capital were just the tip of the iceberg. It said the ‘desperate move’ by Newham was a consequence of cuts to LHA. Jacqui McCluskey, director at the umbrella body Homeless Link, said: `Charities warned Government that housing benefit reforms could risk increasing both evictions and homelessness in the capital – something the Department of Work and Pensions own assessment predicted. ?? `Because of LHA caps and a lack of affordable housing, homeless charities are already struggling to find clients private rental accommodation in London. Reports that councils are being left with little choice but to seek housing outside the capital only add to our concerns. `We are working with our members to see if they have received similar requests from councils. If this is becoming common practice, Government must modify its reforms. `With more welfare reforms in the pipeline, we must avoid making homelessness worse.` Shapps has claimed that there are more than 1,000 properties for rental within five miles of Newham currently advertised on Rightmove. But there are questions as to how many landlords are now accepting LHA tenants, even if they are happy with the rent levels. Landlord bodies say that their members are quitting the sector, not just because of caps to the benefit, but because LHA is paid to the tenant, who is then trusted to pass it to the landlord. There is also a question mark over Newham’s own attitude towards private landlords: the council is attempting to be the first in England and Wales to introduce blanket licensing of every rental property in its borough, effectively regulating all local landlords. The Residential Landlords Association said the Newham case proved that more needs to be done to help the private rented sector. The RLA said there is a ‘crisis’ in the London private rental market, with a chronic shortage of rental properties. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001149Half Price Repossessed Properties In Spainhttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001150A new report compiled by Fitch Ratings reveals that achieved sales prices on repossessed properties in Spain are almost half - 48% - lower, on average, than the valuations conducted at the time of loan origination. The agency has analysed loan-by-loan repossession figures on Fitch-rated Spanish structured finance transactions, the bulk of which relate to homes in Spain. . Carlos Masip, director in Fitch`s RMBS team in Madrid, told Reuters: `The significant discount of achieved sale prices from initial valuations reflects the distressed property market conditions.` Senior Masip projects that Spanish property prices will continue to fall, as a result of high unemployment, a lack of mortgage liquidity and a chronic oversupply of properties. He added: `Downward pressure on values is set to remain as home prices are still high relative to average incomes, credit is in short supply and there is a huge overhang of unsold stock.` The data analysed by Fitch is made up entirely of property transactions resulting from distressed loans, made up primarily of high loan-to-value ratios at the height of the property market in 2005 and 2006. "Fitch expects property prices to continue falling, due to the recessionary environment and severe dislocation of the Spanish property market," says Juan David Garcia, senior director and head of Fitch`s Structured Finance team in Spain. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001150First-Time Buyers `Increasingly Hopeful`http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001151An optimistic one in eight prospective first-time buyers say they are hoping to purchase in the next five years, according to research from the Post Office. Of those who plan to buy their first home within the next five years, almost a quarter hope to achieve this in 2013 with one in seven (14%) expecting to buy in 2012. The research also reveals the first-time buyers who want to buy and need to raise a deposit, expect to save an average deposit of 16%. Post Office`s own customer data confirms this, with first-time buyers in 2011 putting down more than 15% on average. Mike Cook, Head of Mortgages at Post Office, said: "First-time buyers are the life blood of the property market and our research shows that challenging stories about first time buyers and wider economic issues have not dampened aspirations to get on the housing ladder. "It is also interesting to see that despite the resurgence of 10% deposit mortgages recently, the average first-time buyer is aiming for the cheaper rates available at 15 or 20% deposit - even if it takes that bit longer to save." Almost half of first-time buyers (45%) say they are confident they can fund the deposit by themselves. The rest are using a variety of ways to build the deposit, including one in ten that are planning to use money from an inheritance. Cook said: "With the end of stamp duty exemption for homes costing below £250,000, first-time buyers will now have to find the money for stamp duty as well as their deposit. It appears that for the majority of would-be buyers the good old savings account comes to the rescue with the rest receiving a helping hand from family and the Government." Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001151Buyers Ignoring Valuations In Home Reports !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001152Buyers are taking little notice of the house price valuation given in Home Reports – the Scottish version of HIPs. Only 16% of properties sold in the first three months of this year achieved their Home Reports valuation, says the Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre. On average, homes have gone for 6% less than the valuation figure. It says the average price in Edinburgh during the first quarter of this year was £195,221 – 5.9% less than last year. The ESPC says that sellers are showing a greater willingness to accept ‘slightly lower’ offers, which has led to a 12% rise in sales. Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001152Uk House Prices Grow By 3% In The First Quarter !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001153Analysis of data from Assetz House Price Watch in the first quarter of 2012 reveals that the housing market has had a strong start to the year despite continued economic gloom, with a 3% rise in house prices since the end of last year. The average price of a home is now £202,017, an increase of £5,864 since December. This is the highest average house price recorded by House Price Watch since July 2008. The annualised average rate of growth now stands at 10.3% while the three and six month annualised rates of growth are 12.17% and 3.73% respectively. Stuart Law, Chief Executive of Assetz, said: `The year has got off to a strong start, with a 3% rise in average house prices in the first quarter as an average of all of the main indices. Whilst there were a number of factors driving the market upwards, such as a rush to complete purchases ahead of the stamp duty holiday being withdrawn, there were also a number of negative factors such as rising mortgage rates that failed to quell the rise in transactions. In fact, HMRC figures showed a large surge in completed sales in March, up 17% in a month, as house buying demand continued to grow. `Mortgage lending was also up 30% month on month in February. Nonetheless we still have the ‘new normal’ level of transactions, only around half of those in 2007, and we have no expectation that transaction levels will reach those peaks again for many, many years as we move towards becoming a rental society in the UK. `We feel that our estimate of a 3% rise in UK house prices for the whole year of 2012, which was at the top of the range of forecasts, could be comfortably achieved, regardless of the initial version of the GDP figures released today indicating that the economy is falling slightly again. `The UK buy to let community is still one of the main beneficiaries of this double dip recession, with the overall depressed mortgage market driving the private rented sector onwards and upwards. We continue to see strong demand from both experienced and first time investors looking to buy in this strong market.` Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001153Homeowners Urged To Protect Homes Against Flooding !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001154With continued heavy rain and potential flooding still forecast, home and contents insurer Hiscox has urged homeowners to take some practical steps to help prevent water entering their property and the subsequent damage. This comes as the Met Office has put out flood warnings for parts of the UK. Joanne Musselle, Head of UK Claims, said: "The heavy rain could cause severe damage to homes but taking some basic steps can reduce the risks." Preparation is important to help minimise damage. Here are Hiscox`s tips to help protect your property: * Move anything of value including furniture, electrical equipment and valuables (including photographs and sentimental items) to upper floors; * Prepare an emergency kit in case you are trapped or need to evacuate - this should include blankets, torches, waterproof clothing, food, water, a shovel and a first aid kit; * If you don`t know, find out how to turn off the electricity supply (in the dark if necessary); * Make copies of all your important documents and store them in a dry safe place which is easily accessible; * If there is a known or recurring problem, prepare for flooding by placing sandbags around the perimeter of your house, especially doorways and places where water can easily seep in; * Relocate your cars to safer areas; * Prepare a list of important emergency phone numbers, including emergency helplines for your local water company and insurance company Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001154Angry Agents `Open Can Of Worms` As They Hit Out At Portals` Prices !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001155 A number of NAEA members from the Surrey area have met to discuss the rapidly rising cost of listing their properties on the major portals. Chairman James Wyatt said that five times the normal audience attended after the meeting was held at just a few days’ notice, at agents’ own instigation. And he added that as agents discussed their own rates and dealings with the portals: `We opened a can of worms.` He said: `At the meeting, around 100 offices were represented, and another 25 or 30 agents would have attended if they could have done. I think it shows the measure of concern in the industry. `Times are tough for a lot of agents at the moment. After advertising and staffing costs, portal costs will be next on their hit list. `One agent I spoke to is spending £8,000 a month on portals. Another who was at the meeting said they had pulled all their offices off the Digital portals last month and hadn’t noticed any drop in business.` He said that both Rightmove and DPG had increased their charges far in excess of the rate of inflation in the last year, and with a flat housing market, some agents are feeling the heat. Wyatt said: `This meeting was held at the members’ request as double-digit price inflation from the portals is not sustainable in the long term. NAEA members are looking at the alternatives.` He said that the hot topic of the day was the merger between Zoopla and DPG. `We are watching closely,` said Wyatt. `The merger is meant to be a big win for consumers and advertisers – the estate agents – but we see this as an opportunity for DPG to increase their prices to Rightmove’s levels and for those two portals to effectively create a duopoly. `Historically, duopolies tend to lead to market manipulation and price fixing.` He said that NAEA agents do have their own portal, PropertyLive. Wyatt added that Surrey members have put a plan in place to market this portal `much more aggressively`. PropertyLive is due to be revamped shortly. Wyatt said: `Members are hopeful that PropertyLive will have improved, and we are told that there will be a massively enhanced search engine optimisation. It is a wait and see situation. `There is a growing belief, or at least wish, that PropertyLive could eventually emerge as a serious player.` Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001155French Election May Mean Influx Of Buyers & Tenants In London !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001156Here Richard Barber and Lucy Morton of London estate agency W A Ellis comment on the state of the Prime Central London property market for sales and lettings: Richard Barber, partner in residential sales: `April has proved to be a month of conflicting information and mixed messages. "According to Findaproperty.com, London has experienced a 5.4% rise in asking prices over the last quarter, and data from Lloyds has suggested a 5% rise in the number of transactions in houses over £2m in 2011 to 1,518. Savills, however, has predicted that the market for the rest of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013 will be flat, rising again in 2014 and 2015. `In our experience, the market in general seems to have retained its impetus – we have had at least three instances of properties going to best bids over the last three weeks, although it would seem that there is a little more supply coming to the market. The busiest price level is, of course, beneath the £2m watershed whilst we contend with the speculation and fallout from the Chancellor’s budget which is still fresh in all property owners’ minds. Although we have heard of several schemes to mitigate exposure to the increased level of stamp duty and potential 0.7% annual charge, it would appear that many potential purchasers previously using these vehicles are now electing to purchase in their own names or that of a family member. It will undoubtedly be some months before the government’s consultation paper has been fully digested and there is some clarity on the potential impact of the Chancellor’s new measures.` Lucy Morton, senior partner and head of lettings: `The Prime Central London lettings market is seeing the impact of the recession (announced last week), as the city is not employing the normal influx of expats, so we have less tenants coming into London. Prime Central London rents reportedly dropped for the 6th consecutive month in March, but it is interesting to note that they are still higher than this time last year, and certain types of property are still commanding a premium. In particular, family houses, due to the tremendous shortage of stock on both the sales and lettings market. Unless current tenants give notice to vacate in the summer, we believe new families arriving to London will struggle to find suitable homes. Indeed, we have recently acted for one family who have rented two flats in Lennox Gardens as they were unable to find a suitable house. We have agreed a letting this month on a substantial family house at £20,000 per week and we are noticing that some houses which have been sticking on the market due to impediments such as adjacent building works, are now letting. `Since the Budget, I have been inundated with calls from our overseas clients questioning the impact of the increased Stamp Duty on their investment as many own their properties in off-shore companies or as ‘non-natural persons’. We are all eagerly awaiting further news on this from the Government as the uncertainty is causing concern and some foreign investors are putting further investment into property on hold until they receive clarity on this levy. `That said, we may well see an influx of French investors and tenants if Francois Hollande is elected President on 6th May. He plans to raise upper income tax to 45%, bring more people under the annual wealth levy, and introduce a hotly contested 75% super tax band for anyone whose annual income exceeds £1million. London is already a favourite destination for the French with the Lycées brimming full, so it will be interesting to see the result of the election. `This month sees the end of our financial year, and I’m very pleased to report that our lettings income has increased by more than 25%, year on year. This is due to our increased market share, the efficient systems we have in place, and the quality of our instructions and tenant base.` Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001156Significant Increase In Residential Property Activity !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001157The UK housing market showed continued signs of improvement during April according to the latest figures from "For Sale" board company Agency Express`s Property Activity Index. Month-on-month data for April 2012 shows that nationwide residential property sales increased by 9.5% - the third consecutive monthly increase. Meanwhile new "for sale" listings also rose by 13.3% compared to March - the fourth consecutive monthly increase. Given a longer-term perspective, new "for sale" listings during April were the highest since May of last year and the second highest since August 2010, while "sold" properties achieved the highest monthly volume since February 2010. Of the 12 UK regions covered within the Index, 10 saw month-on-month increases in new listings during April, compared to March, whilet 11 regions saw increases in properties sold. For both categories, figures were also reassuringly positive when comparing performances for April with those of April last year. Specific high-flying regions for new listings were Wales (up 17%), the South West (up 18.9%), Scotland (up 25.8%) and the South East (up 33.4%). For sold properties, the best regional performers in April followed similar lines with the South East (up 19.4%), Scotland (up 20.5%), the South West (up 29%) and Wales (up 85.4%). Monthly comparisons of new "for sale" listings for individual towns and cities in April, saw the nation’s hot-spots as Cardiff (up 32.2%), Glasgow (up 33.4%), Cambridge (up 37.1%) and Exeter (up 43.7%). Market leaders in terms of sold properties were Norwich (up 50.7%), Carlisle (up 55.2%), Cambridge (up 62.3%) and Newcastle (up 67.9%). Agency Express Managing Director Stephen Watson said: "Despite concerns over the impact from the ending of the Stamp Duty `holiday` for first-time buyers and the Government’s `double-dip` recession figures announced last week, the UK housing market remains in good health. "Our Property Activity Index offers a different view on the market place compared to other indices... it’s a barometer as to what is happening or is likely to happen in the near future, so with the monthly volume of board movements hitting their highest levels in over two years and consecutive month on month growth since the new year, I am optimistic that we will continue to see strong performances throughout 2012." Thu, 03 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001157Last Chance Saloon As Tenants Deposit Deadline Nears !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001158Here is an important reminder. Landlords and agents are now in the last chance saloon as far as tenants’ deposits are concerned. That is because the 30-day grace period for AST tenants’ deposits to be protected AND the prescribed information given to tenants is nearly at an end. The time is up on May 6 – this Sunday. The deadline is important where there were on-going tenancies on April 6, when the tenancy deposit rules changed. The new rules do not catch tenancy agreements retrospectively, ie, where the tenancies ended before April 6. But they do catch continuing tenancies where the deposits were not protected and/or where the prescribed information was not given. Thus, urgent action is required right now for any deposits not protected and any prescribed information not given. Under the new rules, tenants will be able to bring claims even where their tenancy has ended after April 6, and will be able to do so for up to six years. Be aware that the new rules have been purpose-designed to make it impossible for courts not to impose penalties. Be aware that if you have a tenancy that started before tenancy deposit rules were brought in at all (April 2007), good advice is to ensure that these old deposits are also now protected. If you are uncertain as to whether the prescribed information was given or given correctly, then serve another copy. As solicitor David Smith says, `if in doubt, protect, protect, protect`. Thu, 03 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001158Thousands May Lose Their Homes As Benefit Cuts Arrive !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001159Over 90,000 people received news on Friday (4th May) on how they will be affected by the new benefits cap - with thousands set to lose their homes. The Department of Work and Pensions is writing to more than 90,000 adults (over 67,000 households) in danger of losing benefits when the overall benefit cap is introduced in April 2013. The letters will be the first time households discover they could be at risk. With 44% of those set to be hit living in social housing, many are already struggling to make ends meet. National Housing Federation chief executive David Orr said: "The letters will come as a shock to many vulnerable families. The overall benefit cap is a crude measure that fails to reflect the stark differences in housing costs across the country, caused by the desperate shortage of affordable housing. `Housing associations want to do everything to help minimise the brutal effects of the cap. But they can only do this when they know who will be affected. We’re calling on councils to share their information soon so housing associations can identify who will need support. With under a year to go before many people start losing their homes, there’s no time to lose." The National Housing Federation, which represents housing associations in England, is calling for local authorities – who will know which families may be affected – to share the data sooner rather than later, as social landlords like housing associations have less than a year to prepare tenants for the changes by helping them find work, get financial advice or a new affordable home on their new benefits. Councils are being urged to share crucial data on which families may face benefit cuts as warning letters hit doormats on Friday. Tue, 08 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001159Buy 2 Let Lending Is The Bright Spot In Poor Mortgage Market !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001160Lending for house purchase last year was the lowest for 36 years, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has reported. Buy-to-let lending bucked the trend by showing 40% growth. The CML also criticised the Government for ‘less helpful’ policies towards the housing and mortgage markets, which it says will increase repossessions. Martijn van der Jeijden, chairman of the CML, says in his introduction to the CML’s annual report for 2011, that cuts in State support for borrowers in difficulty will put ‘upward pressure on mortgage arrears and repossessions in 2012 and beyond’. He also criticised the Government’s ‘insistence that its welfare reforms should entail paying housing benefit to tenants rather than landlords’, saying that this would discourage lenders. Van der Jeijden, who describes last year as ‘challenging’ for the UK economy, borrowers and lenders, is also critical of the FSA’s proposed reforms. He says: `It is clear that we still have a great deal to do to help deliver the right kind of regulatory reform which does not unnecessarily constrain the mortgage market.` The report shows that there were 508,000 house purchase loans last year, down from 538,000 in 2010 – and the lowest annual total since 1974. Lending to first-time buyers slipped by 2% last year, compared with 2010. Altogether, says the CML, there were 870,000 properties purchased last year, including cash purchases and buy-to-let. Buy-to-let lending was the only sector that grew, expanding by 40% – with £14.1bn advanced, up from £10.01bn the year before. Even so, it remains subdued, and far down on the £45bn buy-to-let loans in 2007. Altogether, there were 124,000 buy-to-let loans last year, a 32% increase in number on 2010. Remortgaging also grew, up by 18% to reach £46.7bn. The CML’s annual report also criticises the European Commission for trying to impose its directive on credit agreements relating to residential property on the UK market. It calls the Commission fundamentally misguided in its attempts to create a single mortgage market in Europe. Under the directive, buy-to-let mortgages would be treated like ordinary residential mortgages and assessed on the borrower’s income, but not on rents. The CML wants buy-to-let lending to remain outside the scope of regulation for the home-ownership market. Tue, 08 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001160Cih Calls For Debate On The Future Of The Housing System !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001161The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has welcomed the Communities and Local Government Select Committee report which highlights the need to address key issues about future housing finance. Gavin Smart, CIH director of policy and practice, said: `The future operating environment is going to be all about the economy and its impact on housing. There is a crucial debate to have, which encompasses the whole housing system - including private developers and fiscal (tax) levers - about financial models and making sure that we have a housing system that delivers in the longer term. CIH will be leading this debate at Housing 2012 in Manchester.` We are really pleased that the points we made when we gave evidence are present throughout this report; the operation of the council housing finance system, the future of funding for affordable housing, the future of ALMOs, and the impacts of welfare reform. CIH is very clear that government needs to systematically consider the future of housing finance across the whole housing system. We hope that government will acknowledge and react to this in their response to the Select Committee report. Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001161Households Spend A Staggering £10,416 A Year On Rent !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001162Households are spending an average 38% of their take-home income on rent, with those in London spending 71%, according to new figures from FindaProperty.com. Its latest Rental Index, shows the average asking price for renting in the UK is now £868 per month - 1% up on the same time last year, but below the record high of £890 in September 2011. At present, the average UK household has a net income of £27,242 a year, with those living in rented accommodation spending roughly 38% or £10,416 of this on rent. This rises significantly for those living in the capital, where the average price for a rental property is 71% (£25,824) of the average London household`s net annual income of £36,384. The average rental household in London spends nearly as much (95%) on their rent in a year as the average UK household takes home. Last year`s rental price increases appears to have come to an end for the time being with the slowdown driven by the steady or falling price of houses and larger flats. In contrast, the rental asking prices of studios and one and two bedroom flats are at an all-time high, creating a tough rental environment for tenants seeking smaller, more affordable accommodation. Samantha Baden, property analyst at FindaProperty.com, said: "Average rental prices peaked in September of last year but have come down since then, most likely as a result of more properties coming onto the market. "Overall, rental supply increased in the first quarter of the year, especially for bigger properties. In contrast, smaller homes remain in limited supply and as a result, individuals and couples are still facing record asking prices for smaller flats and therefore spending a significant proportion of their overall household income on this. "This is particularly pertinent in areas like London where demand is high, which is why tenants looking for more affordable rental property should consider the impact of location as well as size." Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001162Homemovers Deliver Most Upbeat Price Forecast For Nearly 2 Years !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001163 House price optimism is at its highest for seven quarters, Rightmove’s latest quarterly Consumer Confidence Survey of over 40,000 home-movers finds. More than a third of respondents (35%) expect house prices to be higher one year from now, the highest level since the third quarter of 2010. The survey also finds that the proportion of those expecting house prices to be lower in 12 months’ time is also at its lowest level (20%) for seven quarters. Miles Shipside, director at Rightmove, comments: `While the most common view remains that property prices will be about the same one year from now, this is the most upbeat price forecast Britain’s homemovers have delivered in nearly two years. Confidence plays an important role in motivating those who can afford to buy to actually go ahead and transact. By self-selection, many of them are hunting in the same better-heeled locations which in turn builds greater momentum and price rise expectation in these more affluent areas. Conversely, lower levels of activity in less well-off areas spreads negative sentiment fuelling falling price confidence.` Respondents were asked to explain the main reason for their price predictions and, interestingly, mortgage-related issues feature prominently in both the price optimist and price pessimist camps. Among price-optimists, 35% report an improving mortgage market and a further 14% identify continued low interest rates as the main reason for their view that prices will be higher 12 months from now. Mortgage-related concerns are even more prevalent amongst price pessimists with nearly two-thirds (64%) collectively citing the following reasons for their negative price outlook: little or no improvement in mortgage availability (33%), high deposits required by lenders (16%) and fear of interest rates rising (15%). Shipside comments: `The mortgage market continues to occupy home-movers’ thoughts and there is evidence here that house price confidence is steered by their interpretation of mortgage availability. How you read it, which probably depends on whether you are ‘included’ or ‘excluded’ as mortgage-worthy by the lenders, seems to determine what you think will happen to prices. Those with larger deposits will naturally have a more positive interpretation of access to finance and, therefore, prices.` Half of those intending to buy in the next 12 months state that finding a suitable property to buy is their single biggest concern. This has risen consistently from 36% two years ago and 44% a year ago to 50% now. Rightmove has previously reported that fresh property choice coming to market remains subdued at around 35% below 2007 pre-credit-crunch levels. The most active buyer markets tend to be those where the cash-rich wish to live, leading to suitable property shortages and rising prices. Shipside, observes: `Those looking to buy this year say their biggest concern is finding a suitable property to buy. This is leading a big chunk of those at the sharp-end of the property market to forecast higher prices as the lack of suitable choice will encourage them to pay a bit more to secure the right home when they find it. Those who can proceed will often be competing in the same locations as other deposit-rich buyers which could lead to increased rivalry for the most appealing properties.` One of the features of this downturn is that property prices have held up or recovered better than many anticipated. This has not aided a return to the levels of affordability seen in previous downturns, which has been one of the factors in keeping sales transaction volumes muted. Indeed, nearly half (46%) of those surveyed state they felt property prices in their local area are above fair and reasonable levels. Shipside adds: `In spite nearly half of people stating they think property prices are top heavy in their local area, the overwhelming view is that property prices will be the same or higher in a years’ time. Those that are active in the market are perhaps looking in the better areas so their view is likely to be influenced by more buoyant conditions in cash rich locations. The less active deposit-poor areas will be those where prices will have to be dropped if a seller is keen to sell.` Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001163One Third Of House Sellers Cut Their Asking Prices !!!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001164One third (34%) of properties currently for sale have been reduced in price since first coming on to the market, says property portal Zoopla. But the proportion is down from 37% in February. The average discount is £19,012, or 7.5% of the original asking price – £500 less than in February. The portal estimates that £2.9bn has been knocked off current asking prices in total, with £1.3bn in reductions in London alone. Newcastle tops the list of places where the biggest discounts are currently being offered by sellers with average reductions of 11.1% (£22,151). Sellers in Liverpool have also made large concessions, knocking 9.2% (£14,031) off their original asking prices on average. Rotherham has the highest proportion of discounted properties for sale, with 43.9% of sellers having cut their asking prices at least once. Other areas with a high proportion of asking price reductions include Swansea (42.5%) and Barnsley (41.6%). * Yesterday, Zoopla announced it has acquired UpMyStreet, one of the longest-standing property information websites, for an undisclosed sum. Launched in 1998, UpMyStreet was one of the first property websites in the UK, carrying local information about places to live. With immediate effect, users of UpMyStreet will be re-directed to Zoopla. The acquisition will be added into the mix when Zoopla’s own merger with the Digital Property Group completes – expected within the next few weeks. Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001164House Prices Set To Rise Again From Next Year !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001165 Although values will fall marginally this year, house prices will start to rise again next year and could increase by as much as 8% over the next three years. The forecast has come from property consultancy CBRE, which also says that prime central London will continue to outperform the wider housing market, with values increasing by 6% this year and by 22% over the next three years. Jennet Siebrits, head of residential research at CBRE, said: `Despite the market being characterised by monthly fluctuations, the longer-term outlook for the housing market is fairly static. We don’t expect it to pick up until the economy fundamentally improves. `Low interest rates are continuing to stave off repossessions and forced sales, but a substantial proportion of would-be buyers remain unable to move. Ultimately, bank lending still needs to loosen further to spur on housing market activity.` The firm did raise its concerns over the new 15% Stamp Duty rate for ‘non-natural persons’ buying property over £2m, but said it was less worried by the hike to 7% for individuals buying at this threshold. Siebrits said: `Property prices in prime central London have increased by 30% over the last two years, so the additional expense incurred by the introduction of the new 7% rate has to be viewed within the context of the significant and ongoing price rises in high-value homes. `However, the new regulation designed to prevent overseas buyers avoiding Stamp Duty Land Tax could have unintended consequences as it also captures UK domiciled companies.` Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001165Repossessions Stable, Arrears Falling Says Cml.http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001166 The number of repossessions in the first quarter of 2012 was 9,600, the same as in the first quarter of 2011, breaking the recent trend of year-on-year increases in repossessions, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Repossessions in the first quarter were higher than the 8,700 that took place in the fourth quarter of 2011, but this represents a normal seasonal pattern. Overall, the repossessions landscape appears stable for the time being. Through the first quarter of the year, there was a modest improvement in the total number of mortgages in arrears. The number of mortgages with arrears of 2.5% or more of the outstanding balance fell to 157,800 (1.4% of all loans), down from 160,300 at the end of December 2011 and 170,500 at the end of the first quarter of 2011. Within the total number of arrears cases, the largest improvements were in the middle arrears bands. Year on year, the number of loans in the 5-7.5% arrears band fell by 12%, and reached its lowest number since the fourth quarter of 2008, while the number in the 7.5-10% band fell by 13% to its lowest since the third quarter of 2008. The only arrears band to show a year-on-year increase was the group of loans with arrears of 10% and over, with the 28,000 loans in this category, 300 higher than a year earlier, representing the highest number since June 2000. The 45,000 central forecast for repossessions in 2012 may be revised down when the CML publishes revised housing market forecasts later in the summer. However, continuing pressures on household finances, changes to welfare benefits, and an upward drift in mortgage rates all have the potential to disrupt the current stable picture. Paul Smee, CML director general, comments: "Combined efforts by borrowers, lenders and money advisers are ensuring that payment difficulties are being managed effectively, with the result that the number of repossessions remains relatively low. Repossession really is a last resort, as the numbers show. Anyone worried about their mortgage should be assured that lenders will try to help them get back on track, as long as this is a realistic prospect." David Whittaker, managing director of Mortgages For Business said: `The year-on-year rise in buy to let lending reflects the state of the overall property market. Demand for rental property is as strong as ever as mortgage funds remain out of reach for many would-be buyers and high-street banks remove scores of owner-occupier mortgages from the market. While the overall value of lending fell quarter-on-quarter, this has more to do with stagnant and falling prices rather than a drop in landlord appetite. Indeed, with the residential property investment sector steadily increasing its share of the overall mortgage market and with investors becoming Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001166Public Optimistic About Outlook For Housing Markethttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001167 Despite the welter of uncertain news about the housing market, optimism among home owners is on the up with more than one third expecting house prices to be higher in 12 months’ time. Furthermore, nearly half (46%) regard today’s house prices as fair and reasonable. According to a consumer confidence survey released by Rightmove, the public is the most upbeat for two years. Those who cite concerns give mortgage-related issues such as mortgage availability and high deposits as one of the main reasons for their views. But the biggest worry for half of buyers is being able to find a suitable property. The huge survey of over 40,000 home movers showed that relatively few (6%) are worried about being able to meet mortgage payments. The same proportion is concerned about house prices changing. Despite the housing slump of the last three years, ambitions for home ownership have not been dented by the recession. Meanwhile, separate new research carried out among 2,000 adults for the AA Home Emergency Response service is similarly upbeat. It reveals that of those who have bought their first home since the 2008 housing peak, 37% feel they can realistically aspire to owning a detached home. The equivalent figure for those who bought for the first time in the 1970s is 39%, falling to 33% for first-time buyers in the 80s, and 32% for those entering the housing market in the 1990s. Aspirations for the size of home have increased: for those buying for the first time since 2008, 22% have set their eyes on a detached house with four or five bedrooms, and 3% expect eventually to own a home with six or more bedrooms, three times the proportion of those getting their first mortgage in the 1980s. Both men and women are equally bullish in their belief that a detached home will be within their reach, but it’s the younger generation who are most likely to feel this will be at the upper end of the market: 7% of 18 to 24-year-olds believe they will end up owning a detached home with six or more bedrooms. The 1980s is remembered as the decade in which Margaret Thatcher’s Government heavily promoted the benefits of home ownership. However, for a quarter (24%) of those buying in that decade, a terrace home was the limit of their ambitions. Only 15% of those buying for the first time since 2008 believe their ultimate home will be a terrace, and just 11% believe that the pinnacle of their home ownership will be an apartment. Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001167Council Bans £40,000-Plus Couples From Waiting List !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001168The private rented sector is poised for growth after one council announced that couples earning over £40,000 a year will no longer be eligible for a council house. Other local authorities are set to follow Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s landmark announcement, which goes much further than housing minister Grant Shapps’ suggestion last year that people earning over £100,000 should not get a council home. Hammersmith & Fulham Council is also proposing to give priority to foster parents, ex-services personnel and special constables, together with people in work or training, and those with a local connection. The council is one of the first to spell out how it plans to implement the Government’s legislation that ends tenancies for life and gives local authorities more flexibility to deal with waiting lists. The laws, which came into effect last month, stop the practice of allowing those on high incomes to stay in council homes for life and pass them on to their children – but do not set income caps. H&F’s proposals are likely to be mirrored by councils all over the country as they struggle with a national waiting list of 4m people. H&F itself has 14,000 council properties but only 500 new places each year and 10,000 people on the waiting list. ??Andrew Johnson, head of housing, said that in future, half of council house allocation every year would go to people in jobs or training or to the special priority groups. At the moment the authority allocates just 15% of its homes to those in work.?? He said: `We have decided to prioritise foster parents, as many people say they cannot take in children because housing is so expensive. If we can do anything to help vulnerable children in care it will be worth it. If we can make more foster places available it will also be a saving on our residential costs.`?? The council has also decided to supply council homes for former Army personnel and special constables because of the ‘dangerous nature of the work they do’.?? Johnson said: `We want to incentivise residents to make the most of their lives. `Council housing can be a great safety net to help get people back on their feet – but it should be a springboard, not a destination. `The current system does not promote personal aspiration or provide tenants with any incentive to try to move into home ownership and does not make the best use of the housing we have.` Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001168Seaside Home Prices Double In Decade !!http://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001169Since 2002, house prices have more than doubled in half of the seaside towns surveyed in England and Wales, according to latest research from Halifax. Over the past decade, the average house price in seaside towns rose by 97%, slightly ahead of the 95% increase in the whole of England and Wales. Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, commented: "Seaside towns are still very popular places to live. They offer a unique lifestyle that for many can`t be matched elsewhere, with that all important sea view, together with a typically high quality of life and a healthy environment. "However, seaside living often comes at a price. The majority of seaside towns in Wales, East Anglia and the South West have an average house price that is higher than the surrounding area. But, this is not always the case and good value properties can be found in many seaside towns in the South East and Yorkshire and the Humber, in particular." Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 GMThttp://www.ableestates.com/newsdetails.aspx?ID=10001169�