Financial News
Housing Market “Going Green”
Posted 2008-01-7
The current trend towards “going green” and marketing more environmentally friendly products and services has filtered into the housing market as well. In addition to the government’s “Building a Greener Future” policy, which offers stamp duty exemptions for carbon-neutral homes, an Energy Performance Certificate may soon be introduced. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will focus on energy efficiency, insulation, and other environmentally sound practices for homes. John Slaughter, director of external affairs as the Home Builder’s Federation, expressed his opinion that the new EPC will most likely influence many buyers’ decisions when searching for homes. He explained that the benefit to the EPC is that it will “raise awareness of the benefits of good levels of energy efficiency and insulation…not just running costs but [for the] comfort of the house and so forth.” ...
Read Housing Market “Going Green”
-
Delicious -
Digg -
Reddit -
Facebook -
Stumbleupon
Housing Market Cools in Northern Ireland
Posted 2008-01-5
The steaming Northern Ireland housing market appears to be cooling from its record price growth of 24.2% (or an astounding £150 a day) last year. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) warns that real estate agents may be forced to work a bit harder to make a sale. Although they expect sales will pick back up in 2008, RICS states that home owners looking to sell also need to be realistic about the price they set for their homes, as the unbelievable price growth from last year has cooled. Tom McClelland, RICS Northern Ireland spokesperson, explained that this trend could benefit many first time home buyers, as there is “less competition for properties in the sector of the market within the first time buyer’s price range.” ...
Read Housing Market Cools in Northern Ireland
Property Market Set for Correction
Posted 2008-01-4
According to a new survey by The Motley Fool, a much needed correction in the property market should be seen in 2008. The report estimates that the prevalence of sellers will outweigh buyers; specifically, for every four buyers there will...
Read Property Market Set for Correction
Pet Insurance Can Save Money
Posted 2008-01-4
Owning a dog can certainly be expensive; proper food, grooming, and care for when you are out of town all add up. One of the most expensive costs in owning a dog can be the trips to the veterinarian, which can easily tally in the hundreds. Tesco Pet Insurance has stated that for the 5.2 million dog owners in the U.K., financial planning for both unexpected and expected costs is important. The company reports that only 12% of dog owners take out insurance policies for their pets, even though they can drastically reduce bills at the vet’s office. Tesco hopes that the 38% of pet owners who stated that they felt they could not afford veterinary treatment for their pet will consider Tesco’s new discounts in pet insurance. The company is offering a 20% discount for purchasing pet insurance online, and 10% off for purchasing pet insurance over the phone. ...
Read Pet Insurance Can Save Money
Signs of Interest Issues Abound
Posted 2008-01-3
Are you peering out from behind the curtain, fearing the arrival of the postman? If so, you are not the only one. A recent USwitch study reported that 25% of 16-44 year olds were sweating the arrival of their January...
Read Signs of Interest Issues Abound
Many Brits Set to Switch Credit Card Companies
Posted 2008-01-2
If the advertisements offering 0% interest on a new credit card have lured you into considering switching credit companies, you aren’t the only one. According to an Abbey study of over 1,000 adults, what would equate to three million British...
Read Many Brits Set to Switch Credit Card Companies
Bank of England’s Lack of Interest Rate Cut Impacts Consumers
Posted 2008-01-2
Contrary to what many industry commentators expected, the Bank of England decided not to cut the base interest rate for the month. Ray Boulger, of John Charchol, suggested that may result in increased payments for mortgage holders; he approximates consumers...
Read Bank of England’s Lack of Interest Rate Cut Impacts Consumers
Bankruptcy Rates to Increase
Posted 2008-01-2
KPMG estimates that 130,000 people will declare bankruptcy as a result of overspending during the holidays, increasing mortgage payments, and unmanageable credit card bills. This figure is 20,000 higher than 2007, which saw approximately 110,000 people declare bankruptcy. The...
Read Bankruptcy Rates to Increase
Jumping Ship in the Credit Market
Posted 2007-12-28
“Credit card companies can expect a busy transfer season in January as millions of us wake up to the cost of Christmas before the New Year financial hangover set in,” says Sean Gardner, chief executive of MoneyExpert. MoneyExpert’s recent...
Read Jumping Ship in the Credit Market
Mortgage Repayment Problems Signal Greater Problem
Posted 2007-12-18
Mortgage problems abound. A study completed by the Bank of England in September, 2007 found that nearly one million home-owning families were struggling to make their mortgage payments, and an additional 1.8 million stated they were struggling ‘at least occasionally.’...