Basic household skills are dying out

New research shows that young people are unable to carry out basic household tasks such as wiring a plug or sewing a hem.

Nearly half of those under 30 would struggle to wallpaper a room, 44% could not bleed a radiator and 35% would not know how to unblock a drain.

At the same time, 27% could not sew a hem and 26% do not know how to wire a plug, according to Direct Line Home Response 24 who commissioned a YouGov poll of 2,294 people in March.

Consequently, a fifth of young people admit they have panicked when confronted by a household emergency that they didn’t have the expertise to resolve. This inability to ‘do it themselves’ leaves almost one in 10 feeling inadequate.

The country’s domestic skills shortage also comes at a high financial cost. The younger generation shell out an average £1,741 per year on hiring tradesmen to carry out basic household tasks with the over 50s spending an average £331 over the 12-month period.

Many of the ‘Flat-pack Generation’ – young people who can assemble a flat pack wardrobe but not sew a hem – blame mum and dad for their failings. Almost one in five under 30s (18%) said their parents didn’t teach them basic household skills, while 10% say they are simply too busy to worry about such tasks.

The under 30s also admit they resent spending their spare time carrying out domestic chores (19%), with only 16% allocating five or more hours a week to them, compared to 27% of over 50s. Time isn’t the only issue for everyone though – 17% said they prefer to leave things to the experts.

This point of view is reasonable argues Direct Line spokesperson Carmel McCarthy. "Calling in tradespeople for basic domestic repairs can be expensive but attempting to deal with things yourself without the right skills can be dangerous, and botched repairs can often make things worse," she said.

For those under 30s not hiring in the experts, it’s mum and dad who are coming to the rescue. In the last five years alone, 20% have asked their parents to help with painting and decorating, 16% with putting up shelves, 13% with sewing a hem and 12% bleeding a radiator.

But while the under 30s appear to lack many practical skills, they do have some advantages over their older counterparts: 16% of the over 50s admit to struggling to assemble flat pack furniture and nearly one in five (18%) cannot set their VCR or Sky Plus – compared to 7% and 4% of under 30s.

Council taxes funded from traffic revenues?

The government is studying a plan that would allow local councils to reduce council taxes by funding them from income generated by satellite-tracked road tolls.

As much as £10 billion a year could be raised under the proposed national road-charging scheme, with most roads collecting 2p a mile. Higher rates of up to £1.34 a mile will be charged on congested routes and in cities.

It was expected that drivers would be ‘compensated’ with lower fuel duty but research from Imperial College has suggested that cutting fuel duty could actually increase car use, especially on low-charge rural roads. Instead, the government is reported to be looking at ways to use part of the revenue to cut council tax charges.

People living near motorways or in cities might get the biggest share and could have their rates cut by up to 50%.

The actual way the money would be spent will be under local authority control however, and it is expected they would divide it between investment in public transport and reductions in council tax.

Councils will get about a third of the revenue with the government spending a third on transport infrastructure improvements and a third going to run the toll collection system on a non-profit basis.

The former chairman of the Integrated Transport Commission, David Begg, commented: "It is far better to tax activities you want to discourage, such as driving in towns, than tax people for owning property," pointing out that people who contributed the least to congestion and pollution would benefit the most.

A third of the total projected revenue might be collected on London’s roads, the government’s Commission for Integrated Transport has calculated, bringing some £1 billion to London councils for redistribution. Don’t get excited just yet though, the scheme is unlikely to start before 2010, and even than only as a trial.

Desperate first-rung seekers take two jobs

Among a recent flurry of stories about parents helping out with their sibling’s mortgages, a snippet of news from Bradford & Bingley’s third annual First Time Buyer Report shows not all aspiring first-rung are relying on their families.

Almost one in five in some areas of the country are using the tried and tested method of earning some extra cash instead.

‘Two jobbers’, as Bradford & Bingley call them are working on average just under 12 hours extra per week. Others are working longer hours in their main job with nearly one-quarter (23%) working an average nine and a half-hours overtime each week to enable them to buy sooner.

First time buyers are not only working longer hours but also making sacrifices to their lifestyle in order to save harder. Of these 55% are spending less going out to bars, clubs and restaurants and 26% are cutting back on mobile phone bills, TV subscriptions and gym membership.

Duncan Pownall, Bradford & Bingley’s mortgage development manager said, "The message we are getting from our Report’s findings is that many first timers are prepared to compromise, work hard to save for a deposit and look to their families for extra help if needs be."

Supermarket to sell homes

From last Valentines Day you could have bought your wedding dress in a supermarket. Now the same store is setting up an estate agency business so you can also buy your home while doing the weekly trolley run.

Properties for sale will be displayed on touch-screen terminals inside Asda stores, which will also allow potential purchasers to register their interest. Staff will then visit to record details of properties or phone to arrange viewings.

The system will be trialled in 10 Asda stores in the Sunderland area during the summer but could be rolled-out across the UK by the end of the year.

Homes @ Supermarkets, as it will initially be called, will be run from a central hub office based in Hexham, Northumberland, where it will employ estate agents, surveyors, conveyancers and call-centre staff to manage all sales. All contact will be electronic, by e-mail or telephone.

The business will offer vendors free Home Information Packs which include a survey, search and land registry information. The packs will become compulsory next year.

Asda said vendors could enjoy total savings of up to £2,000 compared to using high street estate agencies.

However, National Association of Estate Agents chief executive Peter Bolton King told Press reporters that high street chains had tried and failed with similar ventures before.

Homebuyers prefer pubs to doctor's surgeries

A nearby supermarket, corner shop and pub rate more highly for today’s homebuyers than a church or family doctor’s surgery, according to a new report.

The research, investigating how homebuyers rate the importance of being close to a selection of amenities, revealed that a supermarket and local shop scored five out of a possible five on the average homebuyers’ wish list.

Linden Homes, who published the research to coincide with New Homes Week (20 – 27th March), said easy access to a train station, bus stop and motorway junction followed closely behind, suggesting that people value good public transport links as highly as access to the motorway network. Many people are clearly willing to commute to work as long as there are good transport links available.

It appears that the local pub, an intrinsic part of British culture is still secure in the hearts of our communities, with those surveyed rating it at four out of a possible five.

Easy access to green open spaces also ranked highly, demonstrating how much people still value communal areas where they can exercise and where children can play safely outside. However, healthy pursuits in general do not do so well, with gyms and cycle routes only achieving one out of five, where one is the least important.

Philip Davies, chief executive of Linden Homes said: "Homebuyers are increasingly looking for good quality local amenities on their doorstep when buying a new home, with the local pub and shops still playing an important role at the centre of the community. However it seems that gyms and other facilities, although still important, appeal to a more select group."

"These findings reinforce our commitment to building communities rather than just housing developments, with communal spaces, mixed use units, facilities and excellent transport links."

Linden Homes is launching Watercolour, a new flagship community in Redhill, Surrey, consisting of one and two-bedroom apartments, family homes, live-work units, a nursing home, shops, a crèche, designated bus routes and wildlife sanctuaries. Guide prices are from £180,000 for a one-bedroom apartment to £700,000 for four and five bedroom family homes.

Joint mortgages with a parent on the increase

A growing number of parents are pooling resources to jointly purchase new homes with their first time buyer children reports a house builder.

By buying a property jointly, parents can help their children onto the housing ladder by boosting their affordability and enabling them to buy a home that would have otherwise been out of reach. For the parents it may operate either as an investment or a gift, reports Linden Homes.

Both the parents and their son/daughter are named on the mortgage deed, and the lender bases its decision as to how much it will lend on the combined income of all the applicants. Typically, the available mortgage is calculated by subcontracting the parents’ own mortgage repayments from their income and multiplying by four, then adding in the child’s own salary.

Philip Davies, Chief Executive of Linden Homes commented: "Buying jointly with parents is becoming increasingly popular as children struggle more and more to fund their own first home purchases."

"Gifted deposits have been a common solution in the past, but as property prices rise even further out of reach of starting salaries, bridging the affordability gap becomes a bigger problem, especially in London and the south east."

A joint purchase requires a much greater commitment on behalf of the parents than a gifted deposit, but there are advantages for the parents too. They are likely to have more input into the choice of property and closer control over decisions made concerning their investment than if they had simply gifted a deposit.

In addition, joint purchases can be a great way for parents to make an additional property investment whilst assisting their child in their first property purchase.

First time buyer Emma Brickwood, 22 was struggling to get onto the housing ladder until her mother Susan came to the rescue and offered to jointly purchase a two-bedroom apartment at Linden Homes’ Evolution development in Leatherhead.

Susan Brickwood entered into a joint mortgage on the £232,500 apartment, allowing her daughter to secure the property she wanted rather than continuing to rent. Emma, who works as a trainee Chartered Accountant and earns a salary of £22,000 per annum, said, "My salary while I’m training is not large enough to buy my first home, so without my mum’s help it would have been impossible. Her investment means I can relax in the knowledge that I am on my way up the property ladder."

First-time buyers "miss the financial boat"

A new study has revealed that the nation’s financial advisers believe that if an individual hasn’t put the basic building blocks of financial security in place by the relatively tender age of 26, they could face a lifetime of struggling to catch up.

The findings may come as a wake-up call to Britons who can’t or won’t address their financial futures until they see grey hairs start appearing on their head, said the insurer Prudential.

To be specific, the advisers think that starting a pension should happen at age 22, buying your first house should happen at age 25, and starting to save should happen at age 26.

However, while this is the view of those people whose job it is to make sure people live in an idyllic financial situation, in reality things look rather different. The average first time buyer is aged 34.2 Similarly, the average age to marry – which is a traditional trigger to sort out finances – is 29 for women and 31 for men.

Just under half of 1,000 consumers questioned wish they had reviewed their finances earlier in life, so they would be in a better financial position, with 25-34-year-olds feeling this more than any other age group.

Roger Ramsden, Prudential UK executive director said: "At the bright young age of 26, many youngsters are not yet fully aware of the benefits that starting a pension and savings scheme can bring. For one thing, few are aware of the significant tax breaks of a pension. It is only later that they look back and wish they had acted earlier to maximise their finances."

Unfortunately many people do look back and regret it. The Pru study found that 42% of Britons wished they’d reviewed their finances earlier in life to put them in a better financial position.

Planning early is key to a secure financial future - but it is never too late to start, adds Roger Ramsden. "For those of us who do seem past it, we can still do an awful lot to improve our financial position, whether that is pay more into our pension, save more or reduce our debts," he said.

Italy protects against bankrupt builders

This month a new law comes into force protecting buyers in Italy against bankrupt builders, reports Italian magazine.

The Law Decree 122/2005 will offer protection to those purchasing new builds on the condition that they are a private buyer, they have bought from a building company and that the property has not been declared habitable before 21 July 2005.

Construction companies are now legally obliged to provide a bank guarantee of the price of a property for a contract to be valid. Under the new law, building companies must prove to the financial institution providing the guarantee that they are financially stable.

The law stipulates that contracts must include a full list of all building materials and contractors used. It is also now compulsory for builders to supply a 10 year building insurance.

The full impact of an aging baby boom generation is hitting recreational property markets across Canada, according to a report released yesterday by RE/MAX.

The RE/MAX Recreational Property Report, which highlights activity in 40 major Canadian centres, found that older baby boomers are fueling unprecedented demand for recreational properties in 67 per cent (27) of markets surveyed during the first quarter of 2006. Never before have those aged 50 plus been such a strong segment of the recreational property market.

"Baby boomers have played a key role in real estate markets across North America since the early 1970s," says Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President, Regional Director, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada.

"In fact, they've influenced everything from education, to politics, to the stock market over the past five decades. It comes as no surprise that boomers have now set their sights on recreational property. Frankly, it makes perfect sense. They believe in real estate as an investment and view recreational property as a relatively safe bet."

Rising prices on the waterfront

Boomer demand has also sparked an upswing in starting prices for three-bedroom, winterized recreational properties on waterfront lots. Virtually every market surveyed reported an increase.

Once again, the most expensive markets are found in the West, with Whistler ($1.1 million), Salt Spring Island ($1 million), Shuswap Lake ($1 million), Kelowna (Lake Okanagan - $1 million), Penticton ($800,000 - $1 million), Sylvan Lake ($800,000 - $850,000) and Vernon ($800,000) representing the top seven.

Ontario's Bala/Port Carling area in Muskoka ($500,000 - $550,000) is the most expensive recreational property market in Ontario-Atlantic Canada. Some of the most affordable oceanfront properties can be found on Canada's east coast, where starting prices are under $200,000.

"We've been expecting the first-wave of aging boomers for quite some time," says Elton Ash, Regional Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Western Canada.

"These 'seasoned citizens,' the oldest of which turns 60 in 2006, are now looking to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Some are selling houses in major centres and making their way north, south, east, and west for their retirement years but others are keeping their homes and buying vacation properties for themselves, their children, and future generations."

A flurry of activity
Limited inventory levels were reported in approximately 50 per cent of markets surveyed by RE/MAX. But most markets are reporting recreational property sales for the first quarter of this year on par or ahead of 2005 levels.

Teardown activity is rampant in most areas of the country, as baby boomers construct year-round lakeside dwellings that offer all the comforts of home. Renovation is also occurring at full-tilt in markets across the country.

"This is a generation that has had it all," says Polzler. "They've been the major force behind sales of luxury goods since the booming 1980s. Their homes reflect their success, whether they are in the city or the country."

Generation X getting in on the action

Although aging boomers are leading the charge for recreational properties, younger boomers and Generation X have also bolstered demand for properties from British Columbia to Newfoundland. Many of these purchasers are seeking more affordable properties and are willing to travel a distance to realize their goals and objectives.

"In Alberta, for example, the high cost of recreational property on Sylvan Lake has prompted younger purchasers to look at Gull Lake where waterfront can be bought at a fraction of the cost," says Ash.

"The same holds true for British Columbia, where buyers deterred by higher prices on Cultus Lake can travel further north to find more affordable properties on Harrison Lake. Similar examples exist in a growing number of Ontario markets."

Report highlights

International purchasers from Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand are fueling demand for big-ticket recreational properties in Salt Spring Island, Whistler, Sylvan Lake, Bala/Port Carling, and Newfoundland.
Americans, particularly those in the northern U.S. states, continue to play a major role in the sale of recreational properties across the country. The higher Canadian dollar has done little to dissuade buyers as prices for recreational properties in the U.S. reach peak levels.
Condominium units on the water's edge and the slopes continue to gain in popularity. The promise of a turnkey, low maintenance property, with full-time security has really struck a chord with today's purchasers.
Affordability is an issue in many recreational property markets. Some purchasers are looking at more reasonably priced back lot properties (some with deeded access to the water), second and third row homes, and raw acreage as an alternative to waterfront. Purchasers willing to make real concessions are considering remote properties on smaller lakes and rivers without hydro.

RE/MAX is Canada's leading real estate organization with over 15,900 sales associates situated throughout its more than 620 independently owned and operated offices across the country.

Homeowners trading up see sharp rise in costs

Higher rates of stamp duty have led to a sharp rise in the cost of moving to the most expensive properties, according to the Woolwich, the mortgage arm of Barclays.

And the lender’s cost of moving home survey 2006 showed the higher up the housing ladder homeowners went, the sharper was the rise in costs.

However, for the average homeowner, the cost of moving has risen more slowly than house prices since the beginning of the millennium, said the report.

For those on the lower rungs of the property ladder, the cost of moving from an average terraced home priced at £149,906 to a semi-detached of £174,744 is £5,304 in England and Wales.

In 2000 home movers paid £3,333 to move from the same type of home, that’s an increase of 59% compared to house price growth of 95% on these types of homes.

But the costs are up dramatically the further up the ladder home movers go. Moving from an average semi valued at £174,744 to a detached home worth £293,248 costs a massive £12,535 today compared to £4,535 in 2000 (an average detached property cost £161,086 in 2000). That’s an increase in fees of 176% compared to house price growth of 70%. This can be largely attributed to detached properties having gone through the government’s 3% stamp duty threshold set at £250,000.

Andy Gray, head of mortgages for the Woolwich said: "Contrary to popular opinion the increase in moving fees since the start of the decade for people on the lower rungs of the property ladder has not kept pace with house price inflation, and therefore should not be putting them off getting on the property ladder or taking the next step up."

"Competition amongst solicitors and estate agents has increased as the less buoyant market has meant less business to chase."

However, it’s at the top end of the market that people are getting unsettled by headline numbers like £25,000 to move up from a semi to a detached. "At these levels people are thinking seriously about extending or converting a basement or loft which can be more cost effective than moving," said Mr Gray.

The survey, which started in 1994, includes solicitors, estate agents, land registry and search fees as well as stamp duties but excludes moving firms' charges and surveys.
It also found that that last year solicitors fees have dropped by 1% while estate agents have raised their charges by 1%

DIY spending now double that on tradesmen

Homeowners are becoming evermore DIY daring it seems. New research not only shows we are spending more on do-it-yourself home improvements, but we are spending a massive amount extra on the tools to do increasingly adventurous jobs.

The Halifax research shows spending on DIY has increased by 76% in 'real' terms (i.e. after allowance for the increase in prices) from £6.4bn to £11.3bn over the past ten years. In comparison spending on tradesmen fell by 10% in 'real terms' to £5.7bn over the ten-year period.

Spending on DIY is now double spending on trades. In 1995, spending on DIY was on par with spending on trades.

The 76% increase in DIY spending over the past ten years was nearly twice the 41% increase in total consumer spending over this period. Within DIY, purchases of tools rose the most, up 126% over the past decade to £4.2bn, while spending on DIY materials rose 56% to £7.1bn.

DIY accounted for around 2% of total UK consumer spending in 2005. In 1995 DIY accounted for 1% of total consumer spending.

DIY spending highest in London and South East

Regionally, homeowners in London spend the most on home maintenance and repair with an average annual expenditure of £961, followed by households in the South East who spend, on average, £860. Families in the North East (£454) and Scotland (£548) spend the least.

Spending on DIY accounts for 23% of average household expenditure on housing and household goods in the South East compared with 16% in Scotland. The UK average is 20%.

Despite DIY spend, more than 6 million homes are not in 'decent' condition

6.3 million homes are classified as non-decent by the English Home Conditions Survey. This represents over one in four of the total 22 million households in England. 29% of private dwellings were found to be 'non-decent' – not meeting the basic standards required.

estate agents report 40% boost to house sales

Good news for the housing market as estate agents report house sales are up, first time buyer levels are up and time to sell property has fallen.

The monthly housing survey conducted by the National Association of Estate Agents has revealed that house sales have increased in March for the third month running demonstrating that consumer confidence really is back.

A fast paced market is also reported with the time taken to sell decreasing, also for the third month in a row. Meanwhile first time buyers have been reclaiming a larger share of the market whilst competing with a rise in investors looking for buy to let opportunities.

Sales rocket
House sales have increased by an astounding 40% since January, from an average of 10 sales to 14 per agent in March; this is a 16% rise on March 2005. This surge in the property market has been assisted by reported increases in house prices by 3.4% in February, alongside cheaper borrowing with fixed mortgage interest rates reported to be at 4.72% on average in February 2006 compared to a rate of 5.23% March 2005.

A seller’s market
There was an 11.7% increase in the number of buyers in March with an average of 371 on estate agents’ books, and a 4.9% decrease in houses available, with an average of 61 houses per agent.
Demand continues to out strip supply in many areas of the market. Noticeably the gap between asking price and final sale price closed further, indicating that sellers are being more realistic, contributing to what appears to be a vigorous market.

First-time buyers slowly gaining confidence
In a positive step forward the first-time buyer share of the market increased in March from 7.8% to 8.9%. This is however considerably lower than the same period last year when first-time buyers’ share of the market was at a high of 22.3%.

The increase in the stamp duty level could have encouraged a few new buyers onto the ladder; however it is clear that this is not enough to ensure a healthy influx into the market.

Buy-to-let
Another reason behind the lift in the market could be a renewed interest in the buy-to-let sector, with well-founded public concern for financial stability in retirement.

NAEA lettings agents reported an increase in vacant properties from an average of 14 to 15 per agent. As more and more people buy a second property for financial benefits, it is possible this sector of the market could become saturated.

NAEA president, Christopher Hall, said: "It is wonderful to see confidence from both buyer and seller return to the housing market. The market is back on track, following a slight cooling-off and dip in 2005, the picture for 2006 is very positive indeed."

"I am delighted to see an increase in first time buyers and pray that this continues. Going forward, I would like to see more new instructions so that supply continually meets demand curbing boom prices and allowing the industry to continue to steadily grow."

"In January I commented that I was confident average house prices would increase by up to 100% over the coming 10 to 15 years. Looking at the latest figures I believe we are still well on track for this."

Strong price rises reported for new homes

New home prices increased significantly last month, according to the latest report from newly-built homes website, SmartNewHomes.com.

The average price of a new home in the UK in March 2006 was £264,709, an increase of 3.1% from the same time last year and up 1.9% from the previous month. This is the most significant upturn in prices since November 2004 and signifies a full recovery from the downturn of 2005.

SmartNewHomes.com also looks at the price homebuyers are willing to pay for their new home. This ‘demand’ figure has decreased slightly from last month but remains 3.8% higher than at the same time last year, demonstrating that consumer confidence in the market is strong and providing further evidence that the housing market will show sustainable growth over the remainder of the year. The spring is the traditional time when house prices and activity in the market booms and it looks likely that 2006 will see a return to that trend.

London leads the way

New homes in Greater London have seen the strongest increase over the last year, rising by 11% since March 2005. London’s housing market tends to lead the trend for the remainder of the country so strong growth in this area provides further indications that prices will increase across the wider market, as was also seen in Yorkshire and Humberside last month.

The South West and Wales were the only areas to see prices decrease over the last year.

Scottish revival

The new homes market in Scotland continued to boom as prices in the country rose a further 1.1% over the last month to take them 6.2% higher than at the same time last year. Scotland’s mini boom has been boosted further by an influx of buyers to the area that has made Scotland the most popular region in the UK for almost a year.

Detached homes at new low

Less than a quarter of the new homes for sale in the UK last month were detached – a new low for the reducing property type whilst apartments surged to further dominance, making up 58.7% of the market. The average price of apartments has been increasingly steadily over the last six months, along with that of semi-detached properties. Detached homes remain the most expensive property type (excluding penthouses) but have seen average prices dip slightly since the same time last year.

David Bexon, managing director of SmartNewHomes.com, commented: "The upturn in the market over the last few months has taken average prices back to level they were at prior to the slump of 2005. After almost a year of negative annual price inflation, the market is back on track and 2006 is likely to be a year of sustainable growth."

"Consumer confidence has returned as buyers realise that the market will not succumb to a crash, interest rates remain low, and demand still outstrips supply. The next couple of months could see a further boost in prices as the market enjoys a traditional spring boom."

"Build us conservatories with new homes"

A conservatory is the top optional extra according to a survey of over 2500 potential buyers of newly built homes.

Most people would be interested in adding a conservatory while their new home is being built with 23.2 % saying they would definitely want one. This rose to 78.9% saying they would definitely consider it when they were alerted to the VAT saving.

Business development director Glevum Conservatories, David Simpson said: "What is interesting is that the vast majority of people still don’t know that conservatories are VAT exempt on new homes which could save them £2000 or more compared to buying one later."

"It is astonishing that house builders are not promoting this financial saving to their customers, particularly as this survey indicates the level of demand which exists."

The survey discovered that attitudes to conservatories have changed little over the last 10 years with the main desire still being for somewhere to relax and entertain with family and friends, with 76.8% wanting to use their conservatory in this way.

The idea of it being a place for growing vines, peaches and other tender plants so favoured by the Victorians seems to have died out with only 1.3% of those questioned saying they would grow exotic plants

An increasing number of people though, are planning to use their conservatory as an office or a permanent dining room, freeing up other areas of their home and making full use of this relatively inexpensive extra floor space all year round. The survey found that over 40% wanted a choice of ceramic floor tiles along with 38.4% opting for blinds to combat the glare in summer and provide insulation in winter.

According to David Simpson the survey result which should make the major house builders sit up and listen is that 32.5% of the respondents would be more interested in buying a new home if they were offered the chance of having a conservatory, with 37.6% saying they would actively seek out a housebuilder who offered a choice of optional extras, including conservatories.

"Homebuyers on new estates are far more interested in using their garden space for leisure activities," he said, "and this survey reveals that a conservatory plays a big part in this. It seems that the patio set, the gas barbecue and the all-weather conservatory are the essentials of the modern British summer."

Glevum, based in Gloucestershire is one of the most experienced new-build conservatory specialists in the UK and has worked with Wimpey, Bryant, David Wilson and Westbury and Miller Homes in the Midlands, the South of England and South Wales.

Sharing a mortgage becomes a symbol of love

Bricks and mortar could soon replace bands of gold as a symbol of marriage. Research by Alliance & Leicester Mortgages shows that one in four (28%) single first time buyers are putting off buying their first home until they’ve met Mr or Mrs Right.

The lender’s quarterly movingimproving index shows that over a third (39%) of those who would prefer to buy with their future mate view sharing a mortgage as a symbol of love and commitment.

However, those couples who are already renting together don’t seem to share the same rosy view. More than one in ten (14%) wouldn’t buy their first house together with their current partner – a quarter of them (26%) say it isn’t the right time in their relationship to take that step.

A further one in five renting couples (17%) would prefer to buy on their own in order to keep any potential profits from the future sale of their house.

Stephen Leonard Director of Mortgages at Alliance & Leicester said: "It seems that bricks and mortar are on the way to becoming the new marriage vows, with single people even wanting to delay buying their first property until they have found ‘the one’."

"However, those who are already living together seem to disagree and would prefer to keep their first property to themselves!"

A quarter (24%) of single potential first time buyers would prefer to buy their first property with a friend – not just for the advantages that two incomes bring when it comes to getting a mortgage. For them it’s all about having a ready made social life.

The number of single households is projected to rise in the future, according to government statistics – there are already over 6.4 million single households in England alone.

The movingimproving research reinforces this trend, as four in ten (38%) single potential home owners would still like to buy their own home - with half of them (51%) choosing to do so to keep their independence. Almost three in ten (28%) want to live on their own simply because they don’t know or trust anyone enough to buy a property with them.

Stephen Leonard said: "Singletons needn’t think that they have to wait for another person to be able to get on the property ladder. More and more lenders are moving towards assessing how much people can afford by looking at their individual financial circumstances as opposed to more old-fashioned income multiples."

"This will mean a truer reflection of how much people can spend on a mortgage each month."

Other findings reveal:
Seven percent of single first time buyers are turning towards their nearest and dearest family members to get a footing on the ladder.

Sixteen per cent of first time buyers who would like to buy a property with their parents only want them to help out with the costs – but they don’t want them living there.

Men are nearly three times more likely to buy their first property with friends compared to women (16% vs 6%).

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) estimates a record 2.3 million British holidaymakers are set to leave the country this weekend in a scramble for the sun.

Relentlessly cold temperatures here in the UK and a late Easter has fuelled demand for warmer destinations and also means that many of the Mediterranean resorts will be open, even though the summer season has not yet started.

Spain is the outright favourite country for this weekend, with the Canary Islands and Tenerife in particular - the most popular. The weather there promises to be sensational, and temperatures should firmly remain in the 20s. Mallorca is also very popular, followed by the Costas particularly del Sol and Blanca. Many people will also be heading over to Spain to visit their holiday homes this Easter.

Cyprus has regained its popularity this year, while Portugal - particularly the Algarve - is next followed by Tunisia, Egypt and Florida.

The Caribbean is also great in April and Barbados, Cuba and the Dominican Republic are also in demand this Easter. But before the European beach season really gets into full swing, now is also a peak time for city breaks and the top five this year will be Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Rome and Venice.

This year has also seen numbers to the Holy Land rise to pre-2000 levels, and hotels are booked out for the Easter and Passover, which coincide this year.

Martin Wellings, ABTA President said: "Although Easter is always a busy time of year for the travel industry, there seems to be a real pent up demand this year, that we've been able to fulfil. It promises to be a very busy weekend."

Last year over 2.2 million people flew abroad for Easter.

The scramble begins...

The mass exodus starts today, with many of the airports reporting Thursday as their busiest day.

Over one million passengers alone will be leaving the country through BAA airports this Easter, while from the South East just under half a million will leave from Heathrow, approximately 262,000 will leave from Gatwick, 172,350 from Stansted and 60,000 will depart from Luton. Manchester airport expects 220,000 passengers.

Other regional airports and ferry terminals will also be extremely busy over the weekend and at least another 80,000 will be leaving by Eurostar.

Many more will also be making the most of the weekend by venturing closer to home and UK beach resorts and countryside will also be busy. ABTA Members selling UK holidays have reported that bookings have been up substantially over the last few weeks.

According to VisitBritain, 23% of the UK adult population are planning a trip over the next two weeks inclusive of Easter, representing a 2% increase on last year. More than twice as many (60%) are planning an overnight trip in England during this period, compared to going abroad (27%).

The RAC told Metro: "Roads on Thursday evening are likely to be very busy, with rush-hour starting early. We also anticipate a busy Good Friday as many people make an early start to beat the traffic."

CONTROVERSY CONTINUES IN SPAIN

With the continuing political upheaval in Marbella town hall after the Socialist government finished the process of formally dissolving the town council and centralised power for at least the next 13 months, times are set to be tough for some British homeowners on Costa del Sol.

The arrival of administrators is eagerly awaited by 30,000 homeowners - thousands if not tens of thousands of whom are British – whose homes are now in legal limbo due to the alleged planning violations. The regional government of Andalucia has submitted plans to save all but 5,000 of these homes from destruction, though some local experts feel they will be able to save even more than that. Any homes which are destroyed will have to be compensated.

Further details have been emerging of the lavish spending and lifestyle of Juan Antonio Roca, the head of urban planning for the town who was arrested alongside mayor Marisol Yague and Isabel Garcia, a former Socialist councillor. Even in a town with a reputation for tackiness and lavish displays of wealth, Roca seems to have spent phenominal amounts of money on the most outlandish objects while controlling building rights as a cash-generating facility for himself and others in the local government, according to the prosecutor in charge.

The man who just 15 years ago was an unemployed builder is currently reported to worth €2.4 billion (£1.7 billion). His mansion contains 275 works of art, and Roca’s love of stuffed wild animals and hunting big game would have made JR Ewing proud – Roca was even nicknamed ’JR’ after the Dallas character.

Local agents are keen to stress that the vast majority of people who buy in the Costa del Sol never experience any legal problems, and the actions of a few are tarnishing the reputation of the whole region. Just two weeks ago, a protest rally of local people against the damage being caused by corruption in the town attracted a phenomenal 10,000 people.

STRESSED? MOVE TO SPAIN

The findings of a report demonstrate that UK residents living and working in Spain lead more satisfying lives, with less stress and more free time, despite working longer hours than in the UK.

The report commissioned by Spanish property developer Lar Sol, shows that Britons find the process of purchasing of a house on the Costas ’much easier’ than in UK, particularly for investors. It also finds over 50 per cent of people who had invested in property in Spain would reinvest their profit in Spain.

Katy Katani, international sales coordinator for Lar Sol explains, “Spain’s economy is booming, growing at twice the rate of its European neighbours. This surge has been fuelled by low interest rates and an unprecedented demand for property. The government is taking several steps to ensure this continues, by introducing cuts in income tax and corporate tax, by planning to reduce the number of tax bands on Spanish property and to eradicate income taxes on mortgages. When you consider these new measures alongside the obvious lifestyle reasons for moving to Spain. Its climate, lower of cost of living, better quality of life, it is not surprising that so many people are choosing to leave the UK to live and work in Spain.”

Britain is in danger of losing its best entrepreneurs to Spain, the report claims. Increasing numbers of UK citizens are actively emigrating to Spain to set up their own businesses or to find work. Last year, 30,346 British citizens signed working contracts in Spain and the country remains the most popular place for Britons to move to. Research shows that Spain is the first option for one in three Britons planning to buy or move abroad this year. A large proportion of these people are expected to set up successful businesses in Spain, fuelling further growth in the economy.

Katy continues, “British people like to buy from British people and as more and more Britons move to Spain, they are creating a sustainable network of potential clients for British businesspeople. The problem from a UK point of view is that while so many Britons are enjoying huge success in Spain, the UK is at risk of losing some of its best entrepreneurs as they seek a more satisfying life in the sun.”

Lar Sol´s report was conducted by Hamilton Research among 394 Britons already owning or considering buying property on the Costa del Sol.

new sky news 13-04-06

WELCOME ALL

It took Spain over a thousand years to reach a population of just over 40 million. In less than four years the population is now reaching 45 million, those 5 million are non Spanish. Unemployment in Spain still hovers around 10%. The number of immigrants in Spain rose to the equivalent of 8.5 percent of the total population as of January 1. 2005, according to figures released by the National Statistics Institute (INE). The largest immigrant group hails from Equador with 475,698 residents, followed by Morocco with 420, 556, Columbia with 248,894. Romania with 207,960. The Center for Sociological Research (CIS) released a survey showing that three out of every five Spaniards responded that there are too many immigrants in Spain.

Women Set To Become Biggest Internet Users By 2007

Women's use of the internet is catching up with men's and on current trends is set to overtake it next year, a new survey suggests.

In the last three years the amount of time women spent online has increased by 63%, compared to growth of 54% for men, according to a report by the European Interactive Advertising Association. Last year, men spent an average of 11 hours online a week compared with women's nine hours.

The EIAA Digital Women 2006 Report, which forms part of the ongoing Mediascope Europe Study, says the amount of time women spend watching television has increased by only 12% in the same three-year period from 2003, while time spent reading magazines has fallen by 4.5%.

Michael Kleindl, chair of EIAA, said: "Whether it's sharing opinions through blogging, saving time on the weekly shop with e-commerce or communicating more efficiently by instant messaging, the internet is becoming increasingly integrated into the woman of today's lifestyle."

Internet usage is highest among the 16- to 24-year-olds, young professionals and women with children.

Today, 60% of women use broadband to go online compared with only 17% three years ago, and the fastest growing sites are for auction, shopping and banking or finance.

The study involved 7,000 random telephone interviews with 1,000 respondents in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Nordics and 500 respondents in Belgium and the Netherlands. Interviews were conducted between September and October 2005.

The EIAA is a pan-European trade organisation for sellers of interactive media, whose members include AD Europe, AdLINK, AOL Europe, MSN International, Tiscali, Yahoo! Europe, Lycos
Europe and T-Online International.

www.the-grapevine.co.uk

Spanish beach clean-up to attract new buyers

A massive beach and coastline clean-up operation has been started by Spanish Officials to improve the chances of getting more tourists and home buyers.

The Spanish government is spending 20 million euros this year buying up blots on the coastal landscape such as derelict buildings and plots to improve the scenery for millions of holidaymakers and new home buyers.

According to the Environment Ministry 63 plots have been purchased and demolished this year so far as part of a programme to return the seashore to its natural state. Spain has a 10,000-kilometre coastline and only about 122 locations have been identified for this year, so there’s a long way to go yet.

The scheme is called Operation Eyesore and is using ‘Law of the Coasts’ to tear down Beach bars, homes, walls, jetties etc. The law allows illegal or abandoned structures within a certain distance of the seaside to be demolished. The law was passed in the 1980s after officials realised that unrestricted building during the tourism boom had turned much of the coast into an eyesore and was souring many foreign visitors on holidaying in Spain. Now it is being used to return the environment to it’s natural state.

Jose Fernandez, the chief of the Ministry’s Coastal Department, said that a dozen of the demolitions had taken place in Almeria province, followed by nine in Murcia, six in Coruna, and five in Girona. The rest occurred around the rest of Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands.

Lawyers are latest suspects in Marbella scandal - Oh Dear, this is now getting very serious

MARBELLA — Six lawyers from a Madrid firm appeared in court in connection with their alleged involvement with the EUR 2.4 billion corruption scandal involving Marbella city council.

The lawyers, who work for Sanchez Zubizarreta-Soriano Pastor, are accused of playing a part in the corruption ring led by the mayor of Marbella and the head of urban planning.

Earlier, the judge detained the businesswoman Monserrat Corulla in custody.

This brought the number of people in custody in connection with the scam to seven.

Last week, police launched a major operation to break up the web of civic corruption centred on Marbella but which also has links to Madrid and Murcia.

Twenty-three people were detained for alleged trafficking of favours, bribery and fraud involving a total sum of EUR 2.4 bn.

Police have seized hundreds of thousands of euros of cash, at lest 100 thoroughbred horses, valuable works of art, a helicopter, luxury cars and homes which were the alleged fruits of the scam related to property.

Corrupt council officials were said to have granted permission for illegal building projects in return for payments and favours from developers.

Juan Antonio Roca, the head of urban planning, was said to be the 'brains' behind the scam.

The head of the local police in Marbella, Rafael del Pozo, is also to appear in court on Wednesday after it was alleged he may also have played a role in the scandal.

France and Spain are still the most popular choices for UK investors buying property abroad, according to research from foreign currency specialist HiFX.

HiFX report further increases in demand in French and Spanish property markets from UK investors in March, with the two countries accounting for 43 per cent of its currency transactions for buying property abroad for the month.

HiFX claims that this is because the majority of British overseas property buyers are 'traditionalists' who see their overseas purchase either as a holiday home or somewhere to retire to. Cheap flights, the ease of renting out properties, a well-established expat community and the simplicity of escaping to the sun are other key factors influencing the purchases of this group. As a result France, Spain and other destinations close to the UK tend to be favoured.

HIFX's research also confirmed that more people overall are now looking abroad for investment opportunities.

Adventurers and hotspot investors
Whilst most UK overseas property investors are 'traditionalists', a significant minority are more adventurous in their choices and look to buy property further afield.

Despite dropping to 10.6% of all enquiries in March, Australia still accounted for a large share of investor interest overall coming in as the third most popular place to buy a second home.

Interest in Canadian mountain resorts rose by 66% during the month although the country still only represents 2% of enquiries overall.

The UK is seeing an increasing number of 'hot spot investors' interested for property purely for financial purposes. This group is the most flexible of the three and are constantly chasing the latest hotspots and emerging markets.

Bulgaria came in fourth in HIFX's Global Property Hotspots league for March representing 9.4% of all enquiries. Property prices in the country are expected to rocket even more quickly than at present after Bulgaria joins the European Union in 2007.

You pays your money and you takes your risks
Each group of buyers face their own risks. Traditionalists can be hit by higher prices, adventurers take on unproven markets and hotspot chasers are at the mercy of changing fads or sudden market fluctuations.

Mark Bodega, marketing director at HIFX, said: 'People buy abroad for many different reasons. For some people it's an emotional decision based on a life-long dream, for others it's an exciting step into the unknown and for some it's simply a financial investment.'

Loving Your Work

A long time ago, I heard Jim Rohn talk about the necessityto "love your work, every single day." I've never forgotten that.

Jim was wise enough to make the distinction about "liking"your work every day. Very few of us are fortunate enough to enjoy every moment of every day on the job. Things go wrong. People get cranky. Sometimes, stress and tension and anxiety are life's way of telling us we are in the wrong line of work, or it's time to make some changes.

But those daily ups and downs are not the same thing as"loving" your work.

Ultimately, your financial success is the result of"loving" your work--nurturing it over time, going the extra mile, doing it right whether anyone is watching or not. Love means taking care of the details. Loving your work means investing in your customers, investing in tools and skills and resources. Ultimately, loving your work means investing in your own future.

Whatever your job, profession, or business, love and sustain it. Care for it and give it every chance to grow.There is no other path to ultimate, long-term success.

MORE NEW ROUTES MAKE IT EASIER TO REACH YOUR HOME OVERSEAS

As we move into the summer booking season for many travel companies, more new airline routes are being announced to make it even easier for you to reach your property overseas, or to make areas accessible in which you may wish to purchase which previously were out of reach.

Ryanair has announced the expansions of services from two of its regional airports, Shannon and Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield. From Shannon the company will now be flying additionally to the property hotspots of Biarritz, Carcassonne, Faro, Krakow and Venice. These routes will start from mid-October and will coincide with increased frequency from Shannon to Barcelona, Malaga and Milan.

The Irish airline has also expanded it’s route network from Doncaster Sheffield airport and from 31st October will fly three times weekly to Barcelona. The four-times weekly service to Pisa will begin on 14th September. This extension to services through Robin Hood airport will, according to the company, bring an additional 100,000 passengers through the airport, and will sit alongside the daily service to Dublin.

In addition, Polish low cost carrier Centralwings has said it is on course to double its carriage numbers to 1.5 million in 2006, with the introduction of a flurry of new routes. This week saw the start of new routes through Leeds Bradford, Dublin and Edinburgh to various airports across Poland. According to international press officer Magda Zawadzka, the UK & Ireland have been instrumental in this growth, with passenger numbers increasing by more than 50% since accession to the EU.

Source: www.travelmole.com