News & Legal Updates

I wholly support the call by Financial Services Director Nigel Stockton from Countrywide, urging the Government to introduce mortgage lending targets.  He said “Since November last year lenders have been closely monitoring their sales volume by imposing stricter lending criteria and new restrictions on lending.  We would speculate that the continued issues with the Eurozone … Continue reading "Call for Government to introduce lending targets"

Readers of previous blogs will know my views on surveys and general reports on house prices.  Trying to explain to a purchaser that not all houses are selling for 10% less than the Home Report valuation is difficult,  especially when they have read in newspaper articles that they should simply offer 10% lower than the … Continue reading "The Cost of Change"

I wanted to give an update in relation to our first property auction. I am pleased to advise  we managed to achieve a couple of sales and perhaps more interestingly 75% of the properties at the Auction have had an increase in viewing activity and 33% of the properties advertised at the Auction now have … Continue reading "2nd Blackadders’ Property Auction"

I have noticed that clients are once again finding it difficult to get mortgage funding for their purchases. I recently read a report from Mortgage Advice Bureau’s CEO, Peter Brodnicki, estimating that the total mortgage market in 2012 will be £125b. This compares with £135b last year and £360b at the height of the boom. Peter … Continue reading "Mortgage Lending Tightening"

I was interested to read that Housing Minister Grant Shapps has launched a £30m fund to provide short-term finance for self-builders. He has also contacted mainstream lenders asking them to provide finance for self-build projects. He is working closely with self-build champion Kevin McLeod (from T.V. show Grand Designs), to highlight how important self-build is for the … Continue reading "Self-build fund"

Apologies for the lack of blogs over the last few weeks.  This has been brought about by an unprecedented surge in activity in the Scottish property market in general and my business in particular.  This is a good sign, however, there are some interesting and perhaps worrying trends developing which I will report on over … Continue reading "First time buyers – key to property market"

I was disappointed to read a recent report by Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Scotland which showed that Scottish surveyors were among the most pessimistic in the UK when it came to activity in the housing market.  I do agree that there is still a problem in relation to mortgage finance, in particular for first … Continue reading "Scottish Home Buyers Thin on the Ground"

As readers of previous blogs will know I have been campaigning vociferously for the government both Scottish and UK to take urgent action to assist first time buyers. I was delighted to hear the announcement from the Scottish Government of their backing for a three year national Mortgage Indemnity Scheme developed by home building industry … Continue reading "Stop Press – First Time Buyer Mortgage Scheme"

I was delighted to see Malcolm Cannon the Chief Executive of ESPC calling for a rethink on the Home Report.  As readers of previous blogs will know I have been campaigning for a number of years for the abolition of the Home Report.  Malcolm’s research coincides with my view that rather than decreasing the number … Continue reading "Home Report Update"

Despite my efforts to have an update every month and I am now conscious that we are at the start of March and you have not yet an update.  Whilst I apologise for this I am very pleased to advise it has been caused by a huge surge in activity in the Blackadders Property Team … Continue reading "Property Market Update"