London: Property Heaven or Property Hell

London is a fabulous city, there is no doubting that. As the capital of our great country it has more to offer than any other of our city locations with cultural, historical, entertainment and sporting attractions all packed alongside the riverside. Sprawling out to the suburbs there is a richness of diversity and quality of character in the neighbourhoods that is not replicated anywhere in Britain; local produce markets bursting with colour line the high streets and crowded makers fairs make the covered market halls lively and bustling.

And yet many are choosing to move away from London instead of flocking to this vibrant and shimmering city. If you are thinking about making this move, then who do you turn to so you can be sure that you get what your property is really worth on today’s inclimate market? 

What’s Out There for Buyers?

Part of the problem with living in London is that it can be very hard to find the right kind of property in the right kind of area at the right kind of price. This may sound like house hunts all over the country and to some extent this is true. However, the London property market has a mind of its own and as such it is rather important to have an inside man, an expert to guide you through the minefield.

Therefore more and more buyers are turning to specialist estate agents or those with local branches, situated in the area where they are seeking to live. Trust in more generic estate agents seems to be slipping as the housing market dips and dives and properties can sit on the market for months or be scooped up within a matter of minutes. The only people who can know what is likely to happen are those based locally who know the complex market inside out. 

And For Owners?

If you currently own a property in London and are seeking that idyllic countryside dream so are looking to sell, be sure to seek out a company that is local to your area and specialises only in the sale and/or letting of London properties. Choosing to go with a generic estate agent or a large scale online corporation will not get you the price that your property deserves so always shop around locally for the best estate agent for you.

Bear in mind the trend for buyers to stick with these specialist services and place your marketing in just the right location for the best response. Make sure that you have dressed to impress at viewings and see the results in a swift sale at the right price for you.

Living in the South East of England

The South East of England is a highly popular place to live. Companies like Cala Homes regularly sell homes throughout the counties in this part of the world. It’s one of the biggest investment locations in the whole of the UK. There are so many advantages to living here which simply aren’t available living elsewhere. Here are some of the reasons why people want to live in this area.

The Transport Links

The South East of England is an important part of the country economically, especially in shipping. Most of the UK’s trade with Europe comes through ports somewhere in the South East. It’s led to a great deal of investment in the transport infrastructure. It’s the home of the UK’s only high-speed rail system which goes straight up to London.

It’s easy to get to the city of London for business. A lot of workers commute into London from the southeast each day via road and rail.

The presence of the ports makes it easy to get to Europe. Dover is in the South East and is the main sea link to the continent. Countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, and France are within easy reach for travellers living here.

The Weather

England doesn’t have the best reputation for its weather, but the South East receives some of the lowest levels of rainfall and the most sunny days out of the entire country – hence why so many tourists spend time here. People who prefer milder weather throughout the year and nice summers will love staying in a place like Kent.

Good Job Prospects

The South East plays host to many of the government’s job creation schemes. As one of the most important parts of the country, it regularly gains investment from Westminster. Due to its solid transport system, it’s simple to commute to the likes of London, Canterbury, and Dover for work.

There are good job prospects for everyone because of its proximity to the capital. People of any background can move here as long as they want to work.

House Prices

It can be a worthwhile investment to buy a house in the South East. House prices have a history of constantly going up in the long-term, despite the recent problems with the national housing market. 

Investors tend to target the South East because of the pool of buyers and sellers, with many people choosing the area for their second homes and summer residences.

Diversity of Environment

The area is similar to the county of Yorkshire in the north. There are so many different environments to experience. There are cities for those who want to reside in an urban environment and small country villages for those with a more rural calling. There are woods where people can relax and beaches where they can have fun with the kids.

It’s a place where anyone can experience something they love, and this is why it’s such a prime location to buy a home.

How to Select the Most Suitable Conference Centre in London?

Which is the best place in the world that offers a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity? The answer is pretty simple. You cannot find a better place that offers a perfect combination of modernity and tradition than London and based on the international arrivals, it is the world's most visited city as well. There is no doubt about the fact that it is one of the most popular commercial centers in the world and this multicultural city offers a unique cosmopolitan nature as well.

All these unique features have always been a reason for large as well as small companies to open their offices in London. Lucky ones have succeeded in establishing their offices in London and others are waiting for the right opportunity. London has become a hot destination for conferences, meetings and corporate events and a huge number of companies always look at London as an ideal place for conferences. If you want to identify the most suitable conference centre in London, you will have to take care of these important aspects for making your event a grand success:

First of all, you will have to make sure that the total ambiance of the conference centre goes in complete harmony with the nature of the meeting or the image of your company. Many London hotels offer specially designed centres for corporate banquets and meetings and you should select the most suitable location that complements the purpose of your conference. You should not select the same place for a hardcore presentation that demands a formal ambiance and a promotional campaign with a lighthearted nature.

It is always advisable to select a conference centre that is located in the business center of the city. At the same time, you should be aware of the traffic in London because it can keep your delegates waiting in the traffic for hours. Such a situation can spoil the mood of your delegates and in order to avert this embarrassing situation, you should select a conference venue that bypasses the heavy congestion areas.

London is one of the most multicultural places on this earth and people from different cultural backgrounds, races, religions and countries have made London their home. So you will have a lot of entertainment options for your international guests and a lot of venues that offer different facilities and services as a package for the guests. You should always check well in advance whether the conference centre that you plan to select offers all these facilities.

It is well known fact that London is a dream destination for conferences. But you should never take things for granted and it is absolutely essential to visit the venue personally to make sure that the arrangements go well with all your requirements. This approach will help you to identify the most suitable conference centre in London. Visit venuefinder.com for more information.

When is the Right Time to Buy a House?

Knowing when the right time can be to buy a house can depend on a number of different factors; you need to be aware of changes in the UK property market, as well as of the availability of different mortgages. At the same time, it’s crucial to consider your short and long term personal finances, and whether you’ll be able to buy a house and then be able to build up its value over time. There are also some timing issues that need to be worked out when deciding on a house purchase. 


While the UK property market is still not out of recession, the continued resilience of the London market and the capital’s house prices is having a gradual impact on nationwide prices, with London having experienced a 0.7 per cent increase in property prices in February. Other rises in house prices have been down to some fluctuating sales costs, which are going through a period of gradual improvement and stalling - the average price for a house in the UK is around £213,710 which represents a small growth on previous years. 


You should also be aware of the different schemes set up by the Government to help first time and existing house buyers to lower the costs of mortgages and get them onto the property market. The most recent of these schemes is Help to Buy, which will offer house buyers a 20 per cent deposit loan on top of their own 5 per cent contribution - these loans will be interest free for the first five years, and set at a rate of 1.75 per cent thereafter. The Government are similarly offering home buyers a guarantor scheme for mortgages, with banks being encouraged to offer higher value loans. 


When looking for a mortgage, the right time to get one can depend, then, on how cautious or optimistic banks and other lenders are at any given time; the Help to Buy scheme, which follows previous efforts to raise confidence in the property market, should help reduce risk for lenders. However, the mortgage market is still fairly stagnant, with only marginal increases in borrowing, and more repayments made than new loans taken out in February 2013. 


For most people, then, there is no ideal time to buy a house, but rather a climate of caution that needs to be carefully explored; you’ll need to make sure that your personal finances are strong enough to cover at least a 5 per cent deposit, and that you can cover stamp duty, conveyancing and other fees, which can quickly add up. Look ahead to consider whether your wages and savings can cover monthly mortgage payments and any renovation costs. 


You can make things a bit easier on yourself, though, by looking to buy a new property in Winter-time, where prices tend to be a bit lower as demand falls. Speak to estate agents about offers, and look into options where sellers may be unable to wait until the Spring for a potentially higher price. Similarly, watch out for new mortgage deals and interest rate changes for the start of the new financial year from the 6th of April, if you want to see if banks are willing to lend more at reasonable prices. 

Author bio: Liam writes about finance, from estate agents in Ipswich to mortgage rates. He attends regular finance seminars to ensure he stays on top of the industry.