First Time Buyers Home Show Unravels The Mystery Of Homeownership

On Saturday 28th April the Grand Connaught Rooms in London's stylish Covent Garden will once again open its doors to the First Time Buyers Home Show, the one stop shop for anyone thinking about buying their own home.

First Time Buyer magazine, which has been running since 2008 and is the brains behind the show, has helped hundreds of people by giving them advice on home ownership, breaking down the mysteries of shared ownership, mortgages and how best to make the transition from renting to holding the keys to your very own home for the first time.

The Home Show is free to attend and is open from 10am to 5pm with seminars running throughout the day. Seminars are also free and will cover all aspects of buying your own home. Registration is open now via the website. Sign up for all the latest news on exhibitors and seminars and to register your interest in attending.

Exhibitors at the Home Show include the main sponsor, Barratt Homes who has developments across the south east and around the UK. Also showing how easy it can be to get on the housing ladder are housing associations and housing charities such as Origin Housing, Affinity Sutton, Newlon Housing Trust, Circle and Southern Housing Group. For those in need of financial and legal advice the Law Society, Hodders Law and Nationwide Building Society will be on hand to answer any questions. The list of exhibitors is growing day by day, so keep checking the website for all the latest information.

The calibre of the exhibitors at the show is highlighted by how many have been nominated in the First Time Buyers Readers' Awards which will take place in London on Friday 20th April. The awards highlight achievement in areas such as private development, affordable housing and architectural design. The shortlist has been drawn up by industry experts Lynda Clark, Roger Southam, Kate Faulkner, Sylvia Marshall and Marcus Wilshire.

Lynda Clark, editor of First Time Buyer Magazine said "It's going to be a fantastic event where first time buyers can find out as much as they like about buying their first property. They will be able to find out the difference between the various purchasing options including shared-ownership and shared equity"

She adds "Homeownership is clearly still an aspiration for the majority of young people, even if the reality of doing so may seem like a long way off. Those who come along to the show will be able to discover different ways to a buy a home sooner rather than later and often with a much lower deposit than perhaps they may have realized."

Home Show www.ftbhomeshow.com
FTB Readers Awards www.ftbawards.com
FTB Magazine www.firsttimebuyeronline.co.uk
Grand Connought Rooms www.grandconnaughtrooms.com

Confused.com want to give you £1000 when you purchase home insurance!

Confused.com is offering £1,000 to spend on household bills to four lucky householders who get a home insurance quote through the price comparison site during March.

The giveaway comes on the back of recent Confused.com research which found that 34 per cent of homeowners admitted they have never switched home insurance provide. This is despite the fact 70 per cent of Confused.com home insurance customers could save money on their home insurance premium.

To motivate people to shop around for a better deal, four lucky customers who get a quote on home insurance in March through Confused.com will be randomly selected to win £1,000 to spend on household bills.

Gareth Kloet, Confused.com Head of Home insurance said: "We wanted to say thank you to those people who are looking to get home insurance through Confused.com, by giving them a chance to win £1,000.

"As we all know, money is a topic of much discussion and many people can't afford to buy those essentials for the home, or even pay some bills. Therefore at Confused.com we wanted to give our customers a helping hand. Not only by saving them money by using our comparison site but by also giving them the chance to win £1,000 to spend on things they need.

"We want people to be aware that they could save hundreds of pounds on their home insurance just by shopping around for a lower quote. 22 per cent of homeowners are under the illusion that switching home insurance is too complicated, but by using a comparison site like Confused.com it means that we do the hard work for them."

FACTFILE:
73.9% could save, 10% of customers saved at least £229.10 against their renewal price (July - Dec 11)

Property Hunting Goes Social With Launch of First Facebook Property App

No one ‘likes’ Estate Agents!

Property Hunting Goes Social With Launch of First Facebook Property App

• Launch of world’s first ever Facebook app for selling / buying / renting property
• Sell your property with Property Place via Facebook for one off cost of £75 and save over £4000 in agent fees*
• Find and chat to potential roommates on Facebook – for just £35

This week sees the launch of Property Place, the world’s first ever property app on Facebook. Previously in beta, the full version of Property Place officially launched on Friday, complete with over 400,000 properties.

Property Place lets you sell or rent out your property, or find someone to fill your spare room, using the social networking power of Facebook. Cutting out expensive estate and letting agents, Property Place is the cost-effective way to take control of what can be one of the most stressful events in your life.

With almost half the population of the UK now on Facebook (29.9 million), you can reach a huge audience, in minutes. And best of all, it will only cost you £75 to sell, and £35 to let, your home with the added benefit of being able to share the listing with your social network and beyond.

Being on Facebook, the app allows you to arrange viewings through Facebook’s private messaging or check out profiles of potential roommates. You can also create property wish lists to share with friends.

If arranging viewings yourself sounds like too much work, Property Place has partnered with Emoov, the online estate agency, who can handle the logistics and ongoing management for a fee of £295. At a fraction of the cost of an agent, you still save thousands of pounds.

Landlord Jack Eddowes, 25 from Leeds, uses Property Place to let out his Sheffield student properties via Facebook, saving himself the cost of a letting agent. He says, “Typically students spend more time on Facebook than any other website so it makes sense to market my properties with Property Place on Facebook. It’s far more convenient for me and prospective tenants to communicate.”

Chrissie Lightfoot, from Leeds, cashed in on her two bedroom flat in Leeds city centre a few months ago when her job took her further afield. She turned to Property Place, making the ideal flexible arrangement on Facebook to make some extra money by renting out her flat whilst she was away on business.

Sohail Rashid, founder of Property Place, says: “We’re all feeling the pinch and looking at ways to save money – Property Place is the perfect tool for people looking to sell or rent their property without the hefty estate agent fees, saving the average user £4,150.

“You can upload details of your property in minutes and manage the whole process in one place. With nearly 30 million of us using Facebook in the UK it’s the future of buying and renting property!”

To try Property Place for yourself, go to http://apps.facebook.com/propertyplace/. Property Place is also available to non-users of Facebook at www.property-place.net.

Christmas Clean Up: 90% Cut Corners when Cleaning their Home

A clean house is top of the Christmas wish list thi
s year
• 9 out of 10 of us will only be cleaning the rooms our guests will see
• Weather related grime and cooking spills top the list of annoying Christmas messes
• Vacuuming is the preferred cleaning task for men and women (53.8%)but women are left to manage the majority of the clean-up operation
With our homes set to play host to a revolving door of family members and guests this Christmas, there’s much to be said for the state they will be left in after the big day. However new research commissioned by BISSELL® Experts in Home Cleaning™ reveals that two thirds (66%) of Brits admit to being more concerned about cleaning the house before guests arrive rather than after they have gone.

A study involving 2,005 Brits highlighted our eagerness to impress our friends and visitors, so much so we are prepared to cut corners. A staggering 9 in 10 (89.7%) of us admit that we will only clean the visible areas such as kitchens (30.7%) and living rooms (31%). Meanwhile bedrooms are sure to be neglected, with 22.8% admitting these are the messiest areas of their home.

BISSELL® the World’s No.1 brand in carpet washing and vacuum cleaning appliances* today also reveals the top stains and messes that will be driving us crackers this Christmas. Weather related messes such as snow and outdoor dirt have over a third of us reeling (40.3%) at the prospect of dirty floors, a high probability considering this year’s snow predictions! Meanwhile the inevitable cooking spills fall in second place, at 21%. Lower down on our Christmas clean-up crimes are the decorative messes that come with Christmas such as decorations (8.9%) wrapping paper (12%) and pine needles (9%).

One important question left to be answered, however, is who exactly will be rolling their sleeves up to get the job done after the Christmas carnage this year? In 60% of UK households it appears that traditional roles continue to live on with women taking on the lion’s share of the cleaning duties compared to men (19%). There are still some households (18%) that share the cleaning duties – so there’s still hope! The cleaning task most favoured by both men and women alike is vacuuming (53.8%) with men in particular (57.6%) claiming this as their top household chore.

Alistair Roberts, European Managing Director at BISSELL®, comments: “With the amount of time we spend in our homes at Christmas, the increased traffic and general comings and goings during the festive period, our homes take quite a beating. It comes as no surprise that 87% of us only clean the areas of the home that are visible to us however it is the dirt buried deeper beneath the surface that we cannot see and can be harder to reach that is exposing our families to harmful germs and allergens. While messes and mishaps are inevitable over the festive season BISSELL® is at hand to help homes prepare and recover with minimal effort but maximum results.”

A standard vacuum cleaner only reaches approximately half of the dirt in carpets while carpet washing digs to the very bottom of the carpet pile removing deep down dirt. Whether preparing for the Christmas season or cleaning up the aftermath, BISSELL®’s range of carpet washers, steam cleaners, sweepers and vacuums will help to keep your floors dust, stain and germ free this Christmas and beyond. Many of the products in the BISSELL® range are approved by Allergy UK for the reduction and removal of house dust mites, cat, dog and pollen allergens. BISSELL® is the only carpet washing brand to include Scotchgard™ protection in their cleaning solutions, making carpets more resistant to future staining.

To find out more visit http://uk.bissell.com or visit the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/bisse

See Hainsworth at the show

Hainsworth, one of Britain’s most prestigious textile mills, will officially launch its new consumer lifestyle brand Scarlet & Argent at Home at Top Drawer 2012 (Earls Court, January 15-17th).

Home at Top Drawer (http://home-london.net/register-now/) is a unique retail buying event showcasing the newest homewares and interior accessories and it will feature stunning collections from the leaders in UK and International design.

Scarlet & Argent – www.scarletandargent.co.uk - is a timeless collection of exquisite woollen blankets, throws and accessories created for the home which celebrate British manufacturing and draw upon traditional processes and heritage designs.

The brand is instilled with a stunning heritage that spans across seven family generations and is synonymous with some of the most iconic moments in British history since 1783.

The company has been a luxury fabric supplier to the world’s royalty for decades, including Queen Elizabeth II. It has exclusively supplied ceremonial woollen cloth to the Ministry of Defence which can be seen on the iconic Royal Guards standing outside Buckingham Palace.

Its cloth covers the famous Woolsack in the House of Lords, features regularly in blockbuster movies such as Harry Potter and was used to make the uniforms worn by Princes William and Harry at the Royal Wedding.
The Scarlet & Argent collection will be launched officially at Home at Top Drawer and is also now available for online sales at www.scarletandargent.co.uk. The range will roll out to major retailers and independent homes and interiors stockists after the show.

There are nine iconic blankets and throws in the launch range which includes Liberty fabric baby blankets, a throw influenced by the colours of the British flag and the Lupton Blanket. William Lupton & Co. Ltd belonged to Kate Middleton’s great-grandmother, Olive Lupton, and became part of Hainsworth in 1958. As a cherished piece of Scarlet & Argent heritage, the Lupton family crest is the inspiration for this blanket.
A team of designers – both in-house and from London – has worked on the launch collection. New lines to extend the brand will be added over the coming months. Once launched in the UK, the brand will be pushed to an overseas market.
Managing Director Tom Hainsworth said: "As an English company since 1783, Scarlet & Argent is a celebration of our Hainsworth heritage, our English roots and our passion for British quality and detail.

"A painstaking amount of research and development has gone into creating our first collection and we cannot wait to launch at Home at Top Drawer. In addition to selling through retailers, we have created a powerful e-commerce site which enables us to sell directly to the consumer for the first time.

"We are extremely proud of our history and everything we have achieved as a company during the past two centuries, but our business strategy going forward is about harnessing the best of our heritage with the best in modern manufacture, technology, sales and marketing.’
Each piece in the Scarlet & Argent collection is created exclusively in our specialist Yorkshire mill, one of the oldest woollen mills in Europe, from the selection of the raw wool to the hand-finished touches.
Tom added: ‘‘We use only the finest natural materials and insist on impeccable finishing – because we know that it is this attention to detail that gives our beautiful woollen blankets, throws and accessories their exceptional quality, their indulgent textures and a special place in people’s homes."

www.scarletandargent.co.uk

The name Scarlet & Argent was inspired by their iconic scarlet cloth, which is worn exclusively by the Queen’s Guards and as the Military’s ceremonial dress. Prince William wore it on his wedding day. As a result, it has become a colour that is synonymous with our founders, Hainsworth. When Scarlet is coupled with Argent, a bright white silver, the colours of the English flag are created.

The Scarlet & Argent Collection
Beautiful in their simplicity, timeless in style and exquisite in their detail, Scarlet & Argent woollen blankets, throws and accessories effortlessly enhance the look of your home to create inviting interiors that exude relaxed elegance and contemporary charm.

Lupton Blanket – William Lupton & Co. Ltd belonged to Kate Middleton’s great-grandmother, Olive Lupton, and became part of Hainsworth in 1958. As a cherished piece of Scarlet & Argent heritage, the Lupton family crest is the inspiration for this exquisite blanket. Price: £450.

Equine Amber Throw – A true statement piece, this beautifully tactile throw is inspired by equestrian heritage style and woven with the iconic Newmarket colour palette of amber, red and navy. Price: £105.

Albion Throw – Inspired by our country’s iconic colours, this beautifully simple tribute to timeless style is created with the exceptional British quality that Scarlet & Argent is so very proud of. Price: £105.

Dale & Moor Throw – Inspired by the Yorkshire countryside’s colour palette, our eco-friendly Dale & Moor Throws are a modern tribute to a traditional wool drying process in which cloth was stretched over wooden tenter frames and pinned in place with hooks. This process is also the historic origin of the saying ‘on tenterhooks’. Price: £75.

Top & Tail Blanket – With its striking contemporary, masculine design and striking block colours, this blanket exudes confidence and sophistication. Created with the finest quality wool it is luxuriously thick and will give your living space rugged warmth and an urban edge. Prices: £250 and £375.

Chamber Blanket – Beautifully fluffy and sumptuously soft, these luxurious lambswool blankets are the epitome of British quality. Characterised by Scarlet & Argent’s attention to detail they add an instant touch of luxury to your bedroom or living space. Prices: £255, £325 and £395.

Liberty Born Blanket – Woven with luxuriously light and ever so soft merino wool, these truly lovable baby blankets are trimmed with Liberty fabric adding an extra special touch for that extra special little person in your life. Prices: £90 and £105.

Vivid Living Blanket – Living up to their name, our Vivid Living blankets effortlessly inject character and charm into a room. Bold and beautifully textured, this vibrant collection of blankets is expertly woven with a contemporary colour palette and a classic cellular design. Price: £145.

Twill & Granite Throw – The name Twill & Granite derives from the two special weaves we use to create these subtly striped throws. Beautifully textured and woven with only the finest merino wool, Twill & Granite throws exude relaxed sophistication. Price: £150.

Luxury Lifestyle Accessories - Scarlet and Argent’s contemporary collection of luxury woollen and hand-printed accessories are the ideal accompaniment to our stunning range of throws and blankets. Price: Cushions £85, Door Stops £30 and Draught Excluders £40

Don't let Dad do the DIY!

With Father's Day upon us, it’s time for the women to get out the DIY tools and let Dad take a break from his shed! Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance has revealed that although UK men can talk a good game, they are more likely to hinder the process and cause disasters than women.

A recent survey by the UK’s leading provider of point of sale credit solutions revealed that almost a quarter of men (23%) liken themselves to Nick Knowles’ style of DIY and claim that though they know the basics, it is their female partner who is more likely to shine and get the job done this Father's Day.

What’s more, contrary to popular belief, men are a third more likely to have a costly DIY disaster than women, which is why fathers should put away the paintbrushes and power tools and stay tucked up in bed on Sunday.

And though some women across the country would prefer to get a professional to do the job (16%), 90 % own tools and know how to use them just like their DIY idol Craig Phillips.

In fact, ladies across the country are surpassing men across the board. More than half of women compare themselves to Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen’s painting skills, Linda Barker’s artistic flair and Charlie Dimmock’s green fingers, yet barely a third of men (33%) admit to the same skills.

Gerald Grimes, manager director at Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance, said: “Sunday’s are the perfect time for sprucing up the home with some family DIY and it’s clear that the nation is keen on practicing their skills and comparing their efforts to celebs. We are seeing a real trend in DIY as consumers look to improve their homes instead of moving and we expect to see a big surge over the Father’s Day weekend. Whether dads get a day off, only time will tell!

Over a quarter (27%) of those surveyed went on to agree that DIY is a cost effective way of doing up the home and over 10% feel that DIY is a good stress buster.

(EDITOR: As my wife's late father was a Master Builder and she has qualifications in interior design, decorating, garden design and gardening, I know my place as chief tea maker!)

Home-buyers urged to seek out new “quality mark”

The Law Society is urging home-buyers to look out for the new Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) logo when seeking a lawyer to handle the legal aspects of buying a home.

The new scheme is a mark of excellence for residential property lawyers that has seen hundreds of law firms seek to secure the new status mark, which recognises high-quality in conveyancing.

Since opening for applications in January almost 900 firms have applied to obtain the new status, with over 100 so far having passed the rigorous assessment process in order to achieve CQS status.

Law Society President Linda Lee points out: “In the same way that you used to use a CORGI or, as it is now, GasSafe registered engineer, to install a gas boiler, the CQS is a quality mark that is recognition of high residential conveyancing standards solicitors provide.

"Buying a home is generally regarded as one of the largest purchases of anyone’s life, so it makes sense to use a solicitor. Firms that have secured CQS status have gone through a robust assessment process to achieve it.

"As the costs of moving home or arranging a mortgage rapidly increase it may be tempting to seek cheap conveyancing quotes, but as Which? recently said, using a “reliable and efficient” solicitor rather than looking for the cheapest option is essential. With CQS the public can easily identify those firms who have met the exacting CQS standards which reflect the professionalism residential property solicitors provide.

“There is so much to think about when buying a home that little research is undertaken into which firm should handle the legal aspects of the process. CQS allows consumers to identify high quality easily in the knowledge that these firms have undergone a thorough assessment in order to become a CQS member and are subject to  ongoing assessment in order to remain a CQS member."

To find a CQS firm in your area visit www.lawsocietyapproved.com/Conveyancing.aspx