AHouse Property and Community News Digest

Welcome to AHouse News

Sat, 19 May 2012 00:05:35 GMT

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Be a good neighbour

Sat, 19 May 2012 00:05:35 GMT

Daily Echo | Good neighbours: COULD you help your neighbours and make a difference to elderly and vulnerable people living in your area?

Homes: Jubilee jubilation - interactive

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:00:58 GMT

Guardian Life and Style: It's the Jubilee, so now's the time to bag a Union Flag cushion - or four

Tiny solar-panel-like cells help restore sight to the blind

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:05:01 GMT

ScienceDaily: Solar Energy News: Using tiny solar-panel-like cells surgically placed underneath the retina, scientists have devised a system that may someday restore sight to people who have lost vision because of certain types of degenerative eye diseases.

Knightsbridge Barracks prepared for GBP300m+ sale

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:31:00 GMT

Residential and Regeneration from Property Week: The Ministry of Defence is preparing to offload Knightsbridge Barracks - a much sought after development opportunity on Hyde Park, PropertyWeek.com can reveal.

Takes more than a European financial crisis to knock homebuyers' confidence

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:23:05 GMT

theRatandMouse: Knight Frank/Markit House Price Sentiment Index (HPSI) remains at near 20-month high, this positive forecast comes despite UK households perceiving a decline in value of their homes for the 23rd successive month in May. Technorati Tags: property, real estate...

Ombudsman passed membership database to Yellow Pages

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:19:29 GMT

Estate Agent Today: The Property Ombudsman released +ndash; and apparently gave away +ndash; its database of estate agents to Yellow Pages six years ago. The deal, which ended last year, materialised only this week after agent Trevor Kent was sent an email by Yell inviting him to advertise, and offering an exclusive deal available...

Where are the burglary hotspots in the UK?

Fri, 18 May 2012 11:46:24 GMT

UK Property Blog: Landlord insurance experts Just Landlords have recently released a new infographic which highlights the top 10 burglary hotspots in the UK and some interesting facts about burglaries. It is clear from the infographic that the 2 places to avoid are London and Yorkshire which both have multiple locations that make it into the top 10, [...] Related posts:The best places in the UK to be a landlord

Homes too small to store household basics

Fri, 18 May 2012 06:33:45 GMT

Home Move Property News: Some of Britain+#8217;s homes are so small and lacking in storage space that people are taking extreme measures to squeeze into their living space. New research from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) highlights the case of a household where the vacuum cleaner has to be stored off site and reveals that in some [...]

Eddie Murphy finally offloads his New Jersey home for $12m after putting it on the market for $30m

Fri, 18 May 2012 04:36:03 GMT

Daily Mail: Property has been on the market since 2004.

How to add value to your home

Fri, 18 May 2012 01:00:00 GMT

: Most of us expect to make a profit - no matter how small - when it comes time to sell up and move on. But there are certain improvements that have a greater chance of increasing the value of your home now. Will all improvements improve the value of your home?The simple answer is no, says Mark Newton of estate agents Newton Fallowell."Home improvements might make a house more marketable but won"t always add value, so don"t launch into expensive projects just because you expect to make a...

New home wanted for controversial sculpture

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Get Surrey: READERS of Get Surrey are being asked to suggest sites to house a controversial sculpture of a chair engulfed in flames, commemorating the Guildford Guy riots of the mid-1800s.

Police Appeal For Help In Tracing Missing Woman

Thu, 17 May 2012 23:25:51 GMT

Surrey Police Witness Appeals: Surrey Police is appealing for help in tracing a woman who has not been seen since midnight yesterday (May 16).

What next for mortgage rates?

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:23:36 GMT

This Money: Lenders are hitting borrowers with higher payments and slashing interest-only options, so is now the time to get a new mortgage and should you take a fixed or tracker deal? Read our latest analysis

Nationwide announces further cuts to mortgage rates

Thu, 17 May 2012 17:26:00 GMT

Mortgage Solutions: Mortgage Solutions Nationwide Building Society is to cut its two and five year fixed rates by 0.10% this Friday, with NewBuy rates also set to be reduced.

Buy to let landlords may put property investment on hold during recession

Thu, 17 May 2012 13:29:28 GMT

Residential Landlord - UK property investment news: Buy to let landlords may become more cautious when considering expansion plans following news that the UK has technically slipped back into recession says Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection firm. The current market conditions...

Greenridge - my wood.

Thu, 17 May 2012 01:56:56 GMT

Woodlands Blog: Having been born and brought up in rural Devon and then subsequently spending a career of 50 years at sea, the prospect of retirement with all its encumbrance of zimmer frames and wheel chairs was not sitting too comfortably on my shoulders. A year into this experience, at about the time the wife stopped talking [...]

First time buyer offer at pair of banks

Thu, 17 May 2012 01:00:00 GMT

First Rung Now: First time buyers could save themselves GBP599 when using a fresh mortgage offer from Yorkshire and Clydesdale that gets rid of fees, they have announced.

Coventry Cathedral scraps plans for solar panels

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:05:46 GMT

Telegraph Solar Power News: Coventry Cathedral has abandoned plans to become the UK's first cathedral to install solar panels on the roof as new research shows Government cuts have caused the solar industry in Britain to decline by a quarter.

Free education, growth and low house prices mean life is a bed of roses at 70

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:23:38 GMT

Telegraph: Property Market news: The perfect age is 70, according to research showing the extent to which pensioners benefited from the post-war boom.

Visit the Nottingham Homes + Property Show

Wed, 16 May 2012 01:00:00 GMT

: Nottingham"s postcodes are among the thirty most affordable in the UK, research by FindaProperty.com has revealed using information from its new valuation tool .The city"s thirty-plus postcodes have an average house value of GBP141,854, making it an ideal place to buy an affordable home - and an even more ideal place to hold this month's free-to-enter Nottingham Homes + Property Show.For example, prices for one-bedroom flats within Nottingham City centre start at approximately GBP40,000 while at...

35% of movers expect house price rises

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:26:27 GMT

Buy +amp; Selling Property from The Independent: Home movers have delivered their most upbeat house price forecast in more than a year and a half, according to a study.

Green living: a floating eco-home

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:24:19 GMT

Green Property News from the Daily Telegraph: Sarah Lonsdale tests the latest 'eco' products and sorts the fads from the finds. This week: the off-grid, floating eco home.

Avelo buys TrigoldCrystal

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:52:04 GMT

IFA Online: ifaonline Avelo, provider of technology solutions to the Financial Services industry, has acquired sourcing system TrigoldCrystal.

Growing Perennial Vegetables

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:16:11 GMT

Zone5: Book Review How to Grow Perennial Vegetables Low-maintenance, low-impact vegetable gardening by Martin Crawford Forward by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Green Books 2012 ppbck 224pp Martin Crawford is the director of the invaluable Agroforestry Research Trust in Dartington, Devon, and this is +#8230; Continue reading +#8594;

The EU must come together on the green climate fund (Analysis)

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:00:00 GMT

Earthwire: Lives and livelihoods in vulnerable countries hang in the balance while rich countries bicker over who will disburse climate cash, argues Wendel+nbsp;Trio of Climate Action Network Europe. More '

How to Decorate With Solar Lights

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 01:29:28 GMT

Solar Power News:

NEW SYSTEM GIVES LOCAL AUTHORITIES POWER TO SOLVE HOUSING CRISIS

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:01:00 GMT

Home Builder Federation: Government must now ensure LA"s meet obligations The National Planning and Policy Framework...

One-third landlords unaware of property's energy performance

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 01:15:12 GMT

Energy Saving Trust:

Turkey relaxes restrictions on foreign property investment

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:14:24 GMT

Holiday Lettings: Restrictions on the purchasing of property in Turkey by non-residents are to be relaxed, according to property news website Global Edge.

Current legislation states that foreign citizens may only purchase property in Turkey if the country from which the procurer originates grants Turkish citizens the same rights. It is this enforced reciprocity that is being alleviated from the Turkish law.

It is believed that many foreign investors are dissuaded from purchasing property in Turkey due to the elevated cost of doing so. The only way to get around the current law is to set up a company. This, however, requires the employment of an agent or developer, which is costly, and can take a long time. The average setup cost for buying a Turkish property is GBP2,000 and it is proving to be a barrier to sale that is seriously hindering the growth of the real estate market.

Speculation indicates that opening up the real estate market will draw major opportunities from the Arab and Russian markets. Potential buyers in these markets currently have no access to Turkish property as their markets are closed to Turkish buyers.

Investors from Arab nations would be keen to invest as they consider Turkey to be a safe-haven with no prevalent hostility towards them. Russian buyers are particularly discouraged by the lengthy processes and bureaucracy involved in buying Turkish property so removing these deterrents will entice them to invest.

Buyers from countries such as the UK, the US and Germany will be less affected by the relaxing of this legislation as these countries are open to investment from Turkish nationals, thus are already able to purchase Turkish property without too much hassle.

Such policies can take a while to be enforced in Turkey. However, the economic need for direct investment to relieve the nation"s current account deficit is likely to encourage a quicker reaction.

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Return of sellers boosts housing market

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:43:09 GMT

Mortgages.co.uk: Return of sellers boosts housing market

Robert Dover's Cotswold Olimpicks brings Athens to Chipping Campden

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:03:01 GMT

UKNetGuide: English folk may not have a reputation as the fastest runners, highest jumpers or strongest throwers, but they certainly love a good game of Tug of War. It is lucky then, that quintessentially English athletes have the chance to swap exotic Olympic stadiums for a hill in the Cotswolds where they can show off their unique skills.It was nearly 400 years ago that Robert Dover decided to bring the spirit of Ancient Greece to middle England and set up his Cotswold Olimpicks after gaining royal permission from King James I. Mr Dover invited his countrymen to compete in events such as throwing the sledge hammer, spurning the bar, wrestling, singlestick, jumping in sacks, tumbling, pike drill, backswords, coursing and even shin-kicking - which remains an event to this day. Indeed, poet Ben Johnson once wrote of the event: +quot;The Cotswold with the Olympick vies/In manly games and goodly exercise.+quot;Back in the 19th century the games were more brutal, with neighbouring villages challenging each other and contestants preparing for the shin-kicking event by strengthening their shins using coal hammers and wearing iron-tipped boots. Nowadays, shin-kicking contestants hold each other by the shoulders and attempt to bring their opponent to the ground by administering a healthy round of kicks to the lower leg. Kickers don traditional white smocks for the event, paying homage to shepherds, and are permitted to protect their poor shins with just straw, which results in quite an amusing spectacle for onlookers. The judge, known by the ancient term Stickler, ensures that foot-to-shin contact has been made before a fall counts. Once contestants have booted their way through the first few rounds, the competitor who wins the best of three sessions in the final round emerges victorious.Usually held in June, the games take place on the original site of Dover+#39;s Hill, which is situated above the village of Chipping Campden, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The 2012 event will mark the 400th anniversary from the moment Robert Dover opened the first games, dressed in clothes gifted to him by King James I.Other events which typically take place at the modern Robert Dover+#39;s Costwold Olimpicks include the Championship of the Hill and the Tug o+#39; War contest. There are usually other fun things for families to take part in such as dancing, running races, martial arts displays, face painting, a dog display and live music.The event is known to many as a predecessor of the Olympic movement, with the British Olympic Association citing the event in their successful bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. +quot;An Olympic Games held in London in 2012 will mark a unique anniversary - it will be exactly 400 years from the moment that the first stirrings of Britain+#39;s Olympic beginnings can be identified,+quot; stated the organisation.It is no wonder that the Cotswold Olimpicks attract so many visitors each year - the wonderfully eccentric event harks back to a time long before the emergence of the Olympic superstars of today, and certainly before the dawn of health and safety legislation.Find out more about the Cotswold OlimpicksView a video of the bizarre shin-kicking eventFind out about accommodation and other things to do in Chipping Campden +nbsp;

Chris Brown: A green deal for communities?

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:07:00 GMT

Regen.net news | Environment: The Government's Energy Bill has a long way to go if it is to succeed in its goal to create a large-scale, market-driven take up of retrofitting existing buildings

England has fewer vacant properties, but there are more empty homes in Scotland, reports show

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 09:16:32 GMT

Europe Property News: The number of long term empty private properties homes in England has fallen for the first time in three years, according to the latest annual Halifax Empty Homes survey.

More landlords needed as rental demand rockets

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 14:05:00 GMT

About Property - News: People in Brighton are being encouraged to enter the UK buy-to-let market by the city council, as it aims to reduce waiting lists for its social housing.

More landlords needed as rental demand rockets

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 14:05:00 GMT

UK Property News: People in Brighton are being encouraged to enter the UK buy-to-let market by the city council, as it aims to reduce waiting lists for its social housing.

You had to be there - CONFERENCE 2010

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:17:00 GMT

Community Matters: Community groups need more than just encouragement to build a big society!

Property News from Times Online

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:37:29 GMT

Property News from Times Online: Property News from Times Online

Property Development News

Property Development News:

Communities called on to Combat Noise - Noise Action Week 2012 â 21st to 26th May

Environmental Protection UK: UK communities are encouraged to work together to combat noise problems

Property News

Homes +amp; Gardens:

Net Lettings

Net Lettings:

My Neighbourhood Watch

My Neighbourhood Watch:

AHouse Property and Community News Digest

Welcome to AHouse News

Be a good neighbour

Homes: Jubilee jubilation - interactive

Tiny solar-panel-like cells help restore sight to the blind

Knightsbridge Barracks prepared for GBP300m+ sale

Takes more than a European financial crisis to knock homebuyers' confidence

Ombudsman passed membership database to Yellow Pages

Where are the burglary hotspots in the UK?

Homes too small to store household basics

Eddie Murphy finally offloads his New Jersey home for $12m after putting it on the market for $30m

How to add value to your home

New home wanted for controversial sculpture

Police Appeal For Help In Tracing Missing Woman

What next for mortgage rates?

Nationwide announces further cuts to mortgage rates

Buy to let landlords may put property investment on hold during recession

Greenridge - my wood.

First time buyer offer at pair of banks

Coventry Cathedral scraps plans for solar panels

Free education, growth and low house prices mean life is a bed of roses at 70

Visit the Nottingham Homes + Property Show

35% of movers expect house price rises

Green living: a floating eco-home

Avelo buys TrigoldCrystal

Growing Perennial Vegetables

The EU must come together on the green climate fund (Analysis)

How to Decorate With Solar Lights

NEW SYSTEM GIVES LOCAL AUTHORITIES POWER TO SOLVE HOUSING CRISIS

One-third landlords unaware of property's energy performance

Turkey relaxes restrictions on foreign property investment

Return of sellers boosts housing market

Robert Dover's Cotswold Olimpicks brings Athens to Chipping Campden

Chris Brown: A green deal for communities?

England has fewer vacant properties, but there are more empty homes in Scotland, reports show

More landlords needed as rental demand rockets

More landlords needed as rental demand rockets

You had to be there - CONFERENCE 2010

Property News from Times Online

Property Development News

Communities called on to Combat Noise - Noise Action Week 2012 â 21st to 26th May

Property News

Net Lettings

My Neighbourhood Watch

Communities called on to Combat Noise - Noise Action Week 2012 â 21st to 26th May