Evening StandardBest garden furniture deals: make the most of outdoor space
We are all spending more time at home than ever before and with reports that social distancing may extend well into the summer months, it has become crucial to get your outdoor space looking tip top.Transform your garden with elegant dining options, relaxing loungers and a huge variety of chairs in a whole host of different materials to make the most of the hot weather when it arrives.
Yahoo Finance UKCoronavirus: UK construction firms axe jobs at fastest pace in a decade
UK building firms face the steepest downturn in more than a decade, sparking warnings of the worst economic downturn in a century.
The GuardianUK house sales will collapse in 2020 as market goes into deep freeze, says study
UK house sales will collapse in 2020 as market goes into deep freeze, says studyMajor analysis of coronavirus impact stresses property prices will dip only 3% and then rebound next year * Coronavirus – latest updates * See all our coronavirus coverage
Yahoo Finance UKThe Wing: Coronavirus cash-flow wipe out forces global closure
A social club and co-working space exclusively for women has laid off almost all staff after its cash flow was wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.
Yahoo Finance UKFifth of millennials who were saving for first home now using cash to cope day-to-day
Millennials have been financially hit by the coronavirus pandemic as 22% of millennials who had been planning to get on the property ladder will be tapping into their savings instead.
House BeautifulMy New Home: special magazine out now with the May issue of House Beautiful
Moving made easy.
Evening StandardBest tools for DIY: kit to help you fix up your home
In the midst of a coronavirus pandemic, we’ll take silver linings where we can find them.For anyone staying indoors, one upshot is that we’re finally fresh out of excuses to avoid doing those odd jobs around the house. From giving your rugs the deep clean they need to sorting out the garden, now’s the perfect time to tick off all those tasks on your to-do list. Apart from anything else, they’re an easy way to take your mind off the current stresses in our daily lives.
The GuardianAustralian real estate agents face fines and jail if tenants told to use super to pay rent
Australian real estate agents face fines and jail if tenants told to use super to pay rentWarning from corporate regulator comes as tenants complain of heavy-handed demands from landlords during the coronavirus crisis * Sign up for Coronavirus: Australia at a glance, our daily email newsletter * Coronavirus Australia maps and cases: live numbers and statistics
SWNSA herd of deer have taken over a housing estate in London
Nature has reclaimed the streets amid lockdown - including a herd of DEER making their home on a housing estate in east London. The deer are believed to have come from nearby Dagnam Park which is just across the road from the estate in Harold Hill. They have been in the area for more than 1,000 years, and they have been seen in the housing estate before. But locals said there are now more than ever, since the streets have become more traffic and people-free. Filmed on 1st April 2020
Yahoo Finance UKCoronavirus: Rising UK house price data 'irrelevant' with market in lockdown
UK residential property prices surged before the coronavirus lockdown, but estate agents warn they are now furloughing staff.
The GuardianReal estate agents criticised for suggesting tenants consider using superannuation to pay rent
Real estate agents criticised for suggesting tenants consider using superannuation to pay rentAgents say they are only alerting clients to new financial hardship measures introduced by the government * Sign up for Coronavirus: Australia at a glance, our daily email newsletter * Coronavirus Australia maps and cases: live numbers and statistics
AOL.comAvoid using this bright colour for your front door if you're looking to sell your home
Painting a front door a colour other than white can reportedly add value to a home, though some hues do a better job at that than others.According to the estate agents interviewed by Apartment Therapy, while charcoal, red and black are proven winners, it's been found that hot pink is a poor choice for a variety of reasons, including clashing with surrounding properties, "polarising potential buyers" and lowering kerb appeal.The property's surroundings are an important factor to consider when picking a desirable door colour/. For example if by the sea, then a nautical hue - such as blue - is a good idea. While, those living in country villages should consider bare wood or a simple varnish to fit in with the natural environment.
The IndependentHow to move house during an outbreak
February 2020 would have gone down in the records as a promising, maybe even game-changing month for the UK housing market after years of uncertainty. It felt like things were settling down.Mortgage approvals were up, with 73,500 deals done on funding for property purchases that month alone. It was the highest number in years, an indicator that a vital component in deciding how confident we are in our national economy was on the up.
The Guardian'This is about survival': California tenants plan rent strikes as Covid-19 relief falls short
'This is about survival': California tenants plan rent strikes as Covid-19 relief falls short. Renters say governor’s emergency eviction protections leave many behind and that the only option is to withhold money
Evening StandardBest kitchen timers to keep your cooking on track
Boiling the perfect egg just got a whole lot easier.Whether you prefer them poached, scrambled, boiled, or fried, eggs are considered the fundamental basis of cooking where it is so easy to get it wrong.
Yahoo Finance UKCoronavirus: London's largest private developer creates COVID-19 depot for emergency supplies
Galliard is the largest private property developer in London, with a portfolio worth over £3.6bn.
The GuardianHammerson shop rent takings down two thirds
Hammerson shop rent takings down two thirdsRetail landlord deluged with deferral requests amid Covid-19 lockdown
HuffPost UKCan I Still Move House In Lockdown? A Guide For Renters, Sellers And Buyers
One reader said the delay was a “gut punch”, while others have been ghosted by estate agents.
PA Media: MoneyNumber of home buyer mortgage approvals lifted to six-year high in February
Some 73,546 mortgages were approved across the UK for house purchase in February, Bank of England figures show.
The TelegraphCoronavirus property Q Can I move house during lockdown, or should I hold off buying and selling a home?
The government has effectively frozen the market, calling on Thursday evening for a pause on all transactions, except those that are contractually obliged to go ahead and where an agreement can’t be reached to delay. This has left many buyers and sellers painfully in the lurch. Some have been left in self-isolation while having to legally complete on their property; others in temporary accommodation waiting to exchange have been told everything is on hiatus. Surveys, viewings and valuations are nearly impossible. Meanwhile, Savills anticipates a 5 to 10 per cent short-term fall in house prices. Recovery will be dependent on the state of the UK economy. So what should you do if you need to move house? Over lunchtime on Monday, Melissa Lawford, The Telegraph’s property correspondent, Thea Carroll, who runs the Thea Carroll Property Consultancy, and Andrew Boast, director of SAM Conveyancing, answered your questions on the state of the property market. Here, you can read a selection of the highlights from the Q 'I read a forecast that prices could drop by 20 per cent, is this true?' Thea: I think this figure is too high. What we are focusing on is the type of recovery the economy is likely to have combined with the current dynamics of the property sector. A popular theory at the moment is a 'V-shape' recovery, which means that there could be a recovery by April-June 2021, according to Oxford Economics. Second to that is the supply/demand balance and low interest rate mortgages. There is still a pent-up demand there and this will only grow over the next three to six months for those who need to move. Unlike 2007/08, people’s mortgages are at more serviceable levels of interest, so it’s more likely they’ll be able to absorb the impact. These notions support the theory that prices may wobble but more likely between 5 to 10 per cent. Melissa: Before the housing market crashes in the early Nineties and in 2008, house prices had been rising at a very fast pace. By contrast, coronavirus has hit at a time when, though the market was starting to recover, prices had been gradually declining relative to inflation. Many of the deals that were agreed before the outbreak already involved significant discounts. It is a good sign that the market was nowhere near as volatile as it was before previous crashes. 'Is it prudent to try for a discount days before completion?' Thea: Whilst it’s theoretically possible to chip the price post-exchange, I’m afraid they hold better cards here. Neither party is obliged to change the agreement, so they can just say no while you’re still obliged to complete in full or you could lose your deposit. If there are exceptional circumstances whereby the pandemic has caused you to be unable to gather the full completion monies, you should appeal to their understanding but know that it’s unlikely that they will concede. 'Can I still get a survey done?' Andrew: There are still companies out there undertaking surveys as the RICS hasn’t said that surveyors can’t: the organisation presently takes the view that its surveyor members should assess the risk on an individual basis. The question is: “Do you need your survey right now?” If you can hold off from getting your survey until the housing market starts back up and social isolating has eased then you can book your survey at that point with more reassurance that the transaction won’t fall through with you losing the money you paid for your survey. If you must get a survey as you are likely to exchange and complete in the next week or so, look for a company that is still open. They should adhere to Government guidelines and make sure the property is vacant when they conduct the inspection or, failing that, when the owners are out taking either taking their daily exercise or shopping for essentials. Under no circumstances should a survey be undertaken on a property when any of the household has tested positive for Covid-19 or has symptoms. 'I am close to completing on a house. Should I try to switch my mortgage from a two year fixed to a tracker?' Andrew: The challenge is logistics. Changing the terms of your mortgage may mean you need to submit a new mortgage application and at present certain mortgage products have been pulled in their entirety. You may not meet with some of the mortgage lender’s new lending criteria. By looking to change your mortgage product, you may then miss the opportunity to exchange and complete on the property with your existing mortgage offer (you can’t have two mortgage offers at the same time). By delaying the transaction to secure a new mortgage product, the seller may choose to pull out or the mortgage lender may look to revalue the property. The question is with a mortgage offer and a completion nearby would you prefer to buy the property now with the deal you have or wait to try and secure a better mortgage? You should speak to your bank or mortgage broker directly to see if they’ll agree to move you onto a new mortgage term without any disruption to the transaction. 'Should I still list my property for sale?' Thea: If you have already identified a property you’d like to buy, it certainly can’t hurt to attempt the sale of your property. Given that no viewings or valuations are permitted, so long as the agent already has all of the pictures/videos required to launch and you can find a buyer that has more than a 40 per cent cash deposit, I would give it a go to try and tie together a sale/purchase with a delayed completion. Your risk? More conveyancing costs. If it doesn’t work out, you can always try again in the summer. Melissa: While it will be much harder to finalise the sale of your home during the outbreak, you might find that it is a good time to drum up interest. More people have time for internet browsing. When China was in lockdown, IQI Juwai, which helps Asian investors buy property abroad, saw a big spike in web traffic while Chinese buyers browsed homes. 'We have exchanged contracts and are due to move on April 14. Where do we stand legally and what are our options?' Andrew: The legal position is that you are both contractually bound to complete on the day of completion, regardless of the coronavirus outbreak. If for any reason you fail to complete, completion monies don’t arrive or the property isn’t vacant, then the defaulting party will be served notice to complete within 10 days. Some ideas which might help are: 1. Stay in contact with the chain either through your estate agent or, if you have their details, direct with the seller. 2. Send completion money to your solicitor as soon as possible. Normally, you send your completion money the day before completion, ready to go out first thing the next day to the seller’s solicitor. However, to rule out any issue with sending money you can do so sooner rather than later. Beware of fraud though and never use emailed bank details. 3. Ask your mortgage broker to keep in contact with your mortgage lender and report any changes to your mortgage lender immediately. If there is an issue on completion here are some of the good faith options: 1. Delay the completion until the parties can complete. 2. If the top of the chain can move out, or if it is vacant, then the chain could move in under licence, i.e. they physically move in, but completion takes place at a later date. How to ask a question Leave your questions for this Q in the comments section below or email them to yourstory@telegraph.co.uk. If you would like to remain anonymous, please disclose this when you ask your question.
Yahoo Finance UKCoronavirus: London’s largest private developer using new tech to conduct 1,000 property viewings
The portfolio of homes, worth £3.6bn ($4.4bn), can now be looked at via virtual viewings technology.
Yahoo Finance UKPurplebricks will furlough staff as coronavirus hits UK property
Purplebricks will seek the government's help paying wages as the coronavirus hits the property market and its revenue.
Yahoo News UKCoronavirus: Labour urges government to scrap rent payments for three months
Outgoing Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell says people are being “driven to destitution” by the virus.
PA Media: MoneyWhat’s next for the housing market?
The property market is set for a sharp slowdown in the coming months.
- Sky News
Coronavirus: Britons told not to move house in another blow to UK property market
With some banks already withdrawing mortgages from sale, the government's order that all house moves be put on hold will effectively freeze the housing market. The announcement was reflected on the stock market, with house-builders all seeing sharp falls in their values on Friday.