greenacres, a new development of 56 affordable apartments and houses at the Berkeley Homes flagship edenbrook development in Fleet, Hampshire, is being launched through Thames Valley Housing.  These homes are available through the New Build HomeBuy part-buy, part-rent government-led initiative which helps people step onto the property ladder.

The official launch will be held on Saturday 18^th September at the Hart Leisure Centre on Hitches Lane in Fleet, GU51 5HS. Representatives from the Thames Valley team will be there all day to answer any questions on greenacres and New Build HomeBuy.

The new homes at greenacres have the exceptional benefit of backing onto a new 84 acre country park with a variety of diverse environments, from woodland to meadowland and wetland with ponds and streams, all connected by a network of footpaths and cycle ways. Other features include an amphitheatre that will host outdoor events throughout the year.

Niki Turner, Assistant Director (Sales & Marketing) for Thames Valley Housing, comments: “Fleet has recently been voted the fifth best place to live in the UK[1] and Thames Valley Housing is pleased to be working with Hart District Council to provide such excellent quality new affordable homes in the area to those that may not otherwise be able to step onto the property ladder. All the residents of greenacres will have direct access to the beautiful country park and every home will benefit from the award winning designs and specifications.”

The properties at greenacres will include one and two-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom houses. Each home will have carpets and flooring throughout, high quality integrated kitchens with a fridge/freezer and washer/dryer and allocated parking. Some apartments will have private balconies. Energy will be supplied by centralized Biomass technology, which is designed for maximum efficiency to keep the energy bills low.

edenbrook is the culmination of a unique vision from award-winning architects John Thompson & Partners, the local authority and Berkeley Homes. The homes are inspired by the American arts and craft movement which gives them their ‘New England’ style. The high-quality build and design of the properties have been proven to stand the test of time whilst having a contemporary look and feel.

Though in a rural location, greenacres is only 1.5 miles from Fleet town centre, which offers a wide choice of leisure and retail facilities including a traditional high street, a covered shopping centre and three supermarkets close to hand. Fleet station just over a mile from edenbrook with direct trains to London Waterloo in under 40 minutes, while the M3 (Junction 4a) is only three miles away.

Prices at greenacres start from £47,250 for a 30% share in a one-bedroom apartment priced at £157,500.

All the properties at greenacres are available through the New Build HomeBuy part-buy, part-rent government-led initiative, aimed at helping first time buyers, and those looking for help to buy their own home, get on the property ladder. To apply for this scheme, purchasers need to have an annual household income of between £18,000 and £60,000 and work or live within the Hart district. Interested applicants can register with their local HomeBuy Agent.

For more information on greenacres or other HomeBuy schemes, please contact the Thames Valley Housing HomeBuy team on 0844 470 4645 or email sales@tvha.co.uk. Please visit www.homebuy4u.co.uk

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Country living town-style at Fleet’s most desirable new address – Thames Valley Housing launches greenacres at edenbrook is a post from: My First Home Blog

Despite the estimated average age of first time buyers now at 38, Misha Verrall, an accounts assistant for Wysegroup in High Wycombe, has stepped onto the property ladder at just 21 years of age. She bought a 25% share of her new two-bedroom apartment at Living at Wycombe Mead in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, through the New Build HomeBuy part-buy part-rent scheme offered by Thames Valley Housing.

“I wanted to move out of my parents’ house as I was working full-time and ready to have my own space,” says Misha. “A few of my friends had already bought their own properties and I wanted the same independence.”

“I couldn’t afford to buy on the open market so I considered shared ownership and Thames Valley Housing was recommended to me by a friend. When I found out they were selling apartments at Wycombe Mead, I was very excited because it has been such a highly anticipated development.”

Misha continues, “I was really impressed by the amount of space available when I visited the show apartment. I never thought I would’ve been able to live somewhere like this on my budget!”

Misha bought a share of a two-bedroom apartment off plan on the first floor for £43,750 and hopes to ‘staircase’ on her property in the future. She financed her mortgage through her own savings, plus a little help from her family.

“My new home has a balcony overlooking what will be landscaped gardens surrounding the development. Having two bedrooms is ideal for friends and family to stay over, plus I’ll have loads of space for studying as I am starting my ATT (Association of Taxation Technicians) studies in December. I should be moving in September and cannot wait!” concludes Misha.

Living at Wycombe Mead in High Wycombe is a development of two-bedroom apartments built by St James Homes.

The new apartments will be part of a larger community, which, when completed, will have six acres of well-landscaped public gardens with the River Wye and one of its tributary streams flowing through the development.

The picturesque landscape will be complemented by the high quality and excellent design of the apartments themselves.  Each new home will include integrated kitchen appliances, Alno kitchen units and glass splash backs, an energy efficient boiler with less than 10% carbon emissions, audio entry systems and carpet and ceramic tiles. There is also one allocated parking for every home and many plots have balconies.

High Wycombe is a market town of history and character that has a popular food market on the High Street on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The centre of town is just a ten minute drive away from Living at Wycombe Mead, and new bus links and cycle paths will be added for residents.

The adjacent retail park has a variety of restaurants, a local pharmacy and a Fitness First gym. The new Eden Centre in the town centre has shops, a multiplex cinema, library and bowling alley.

High Wycombe is surrounded by the beautiful Chiltern Hills which is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – ideal for outdoor leisure pursuits.

High Wycombe is located on the Chiltern Line with a regular direct service to London Marylebone station. The main station is 2km from Wycombe Mead and the peak journey time to London is approximately 40 minutes. An extensive bus and coach network complements the road and rail links connecting the town with neighboring counties and towns.

Prices at Living at Wycombe Mead start from £45,000 for a 25% share in a two-bedroom apartment priced at £180,000.

All the properties at Living at Wycombe Mead are available through the New Build HomeBuy part-buy, part-rent government-led initiative, aimed at helping first time buyers, and those looking for help to buy their own home, get on the property ladder. To apply for this scheme, purchasers need to have an annual household income of between £18,000 and £60,000, work or live within Wycombe District and can register with their local HomeBuy Agent.

For more information on Living at Wycombe Mead or other HomeBuy schemes, please contact the Thames Valley Housing HomeBuy team on Tel: 0844 470 4645 or email sales@tvha.co.uk or visit www.tvha-wycombemead.co.uk

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Shared ownership adds up for young accountant – First time buyer steps onto the property ladder is a post from: My First Home Blog

The world is composed of a chaotic organization of complex systems.  Finance, architectures, current events and many others are the composition of our complex world.  The complexity does not stop there. Theses complexities extend to different parts of the world and to the society.

In architecture, we have witnessed the seasonal changes in housing.  From pre-urban houses, we are now in the trend of urban houses.  Within this range of periods, various types of houses were introduced in the society.  Some of these houses were adapted easily and some were not highly embraced by the people.  One of the most interesting types of house in history are townhouses.  These are houses occupied by the elite class of history.  Let us take a look at how this type of house made its way back to the present.

A house in town or simply a townhome is a symbolic property of United Kingdom.  How was this type of house developed?  The building of uniform-faced houses leads to the development of townhomes.  Uniform-faced houses were enhanced to become what we have known as townhomes.  Nicholas Barbon is one of the builders of the first townhomes in United Kingdom.  Townhomes are traced back to ancient times.  Some of the historic townhomes in UK are Grosvenor Square and Bath’s Queen Square.  These are just few of the known townhomes in United Kingdom.  Most member of the working class favored townhomes over apartments.  It is because provides a more comfortable ambiance than apartments.   Living in a townhome is really like living in your own personal convenient living.  Even the Duke of Norfolk is immensely patronizing townhomes.  The proof is the Arundel Castle and the Norfolk House.  Most of the patronizers of townhomes are wealthy individuals because basically, they are the ones who can afford building such a type of house.

At present, more than 25% of the population of United Kingdom lives under terraced houses.  This is the modern shift in townhome designs.  Townhomes today are built like terraced houses.  The row house structure of terraced houses is now used in modern townhomes.  Historically, townhouses are only used by the aristocrats as residence during special seasons and parliament sessions.  It is only used as the homes of the aristocrats in the major cities.  Today, townhomes are used by every people regardless of status in the society.

Modern townhomes are built following the designs of terraced houses.  Uniform houses are connected in a palatial structure.  These houses are divided only by party walls.  Unlike ancient townhomes, modern townhomes comprises a row of houses and only the largest part is separated from the whole house.  Townhome at present are somewhat in between a terraced house structure and a detached house structure.

The rise of townhomes in ancient times and its downfall during the First World War has increased the desire of the working class today to relive this type of housing.  The people in United Kingdom now felt the importance of preserving the historical designs of houses.  It is not only a tourist attraction in the United Kingdom but a symbol of its historic events.  It is a symbol of how the aristocrats once reign in the premise of United Kingdom.  It is expected that townhomes will become more in demand in the future.

It is history relived in the future.

History Relived in the Future is a post from: My First Home Blog

Experian has said that £500million in unpaid bills is accumulated each year by private tenants. The Walker Review confirms says that from every household’s water bill, £11 covers others’ debts each year.

The review proposes increased metering to conserve water, but also says that customers should be allowed to escape liability for water used. Unlike other utilities, water companies are not allowed to cut off or limit supply and that makes debt collection harder.

This problem has escalated following the government’s decision to pay housing benefit to social housing tenants rather that the landlords, who would normally pay the bills.

While there is not a complete lack of sympathy for the water companies – as landlords often have unpaid debt themselves – passing on the debts of others is simply unfair. Added to that, a report by KPMG earlier this year showed water firms were “pouring £1 million down the drain every day” through supply chain inefficiencies.1

In their response to the Walker Review published today, the landlords set out alternative solutions to this problem.

There could be a significant improvement in debt levels if water companies stopped issuing bills to ‘the occupier’, and instead worked with landlords to identify when tenancies started and finished. However, the water companies must help themselves by making it easy for landlords to give such notice, and then by promptly acting on the information received.

The water companies are asking the government to consider introducing a similar law to one concerning council tax, which would allow local authorities to pass council tax bills to landlords in situations where the tenant cannot be identified.

Ian Fletcher, BPF director of policy, said: “If the government decides to pursue the passing on of a private debt to an innocent third party we will fight it tooth and nail because it is wholly inequitable. Landlords are neither the consumers of the water being provided, nor the unpaid debt collectors for the nation’s water companies. It seems incredible that we are even discussing passing debts from what are very well resourced companies on to what are predominantly small businesses. The policy being suggested in any case simply does not stack up. On the one hand government is urging water conservation through the use of greater water metering, on the other hand this policy would allow tenants to run the taps all night, safe in the knowledge their landlord could face the bill.”

Richard Jones, legal counsel for the RLA, said: “A serious principle is at stake here. Nowhere else in this country is someone compulsorily made responsible for paying for goods or services supplied to another. The water industry is guilty of special pleading by large profitable corporations. Small landlords already have enough problems in collecting money which is due to them. If it is not paid they have to pass it on to the other tenants through higher rents. Landlords should not be expected to underwrite monopolistic water companies in the way which is proposed. Aligning water charges which are charges for a service with council tax is wholly inappropriate and will create many more problems than it solves. It would mean a massive retraining programme for water companies accounts/collection staff and a lot of extra work for them. We are wholly opposed to proposals to make landlords liable.”

Landlords upset over paying tenants’ water bills is a post from: My First Home Blog

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Mortgages For Dummies (Kindle Edition) is a post from: My First Home Blog

Source: cml.org.uk

“Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.”

You have probably seen this statement on mortgage advertising, but have you ever stopped to think about what it means?

If you fall behind with your mortgage repayments and cannot catch up again, you could eventually lose your home. But you can take steps to protect yourself against this risk by taking out Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance (MPPI).

This information has been prepared by the CML and the Association of British Insurers, in consultation with the government, to explain what MPPI is and to answer your questions.

What is MPPI?

Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance (MPPI) pays your monthly mortgage payments for a specified period if you suffer accident, sickness, or unemployment. Lenders and insurers have agreed to adopt certain minimum standards for MPPI, so you can be confident that the level of cover you will be offered meets or exceeds these.

How does MPPI work?

You pay a premium each month while the mortgage is running. If you become unemployed, or unable to work due to accident or sickness, the policy starts to pay out (usually direct to your lender) to pay your mortgage.

To keep the cost of the insurance down, there are some periods where you will not be covered (you should check the individual policy for exact details). The main ones are an “exclusion period” of up to 60 days when you first take out your policy, during which any claim for unemployment would not be met (although claims for accident or sickness would be paid). In addition, there is an “excess” or “waiting” period of up to 60 days for each claim, during which no payments will be made. So it makes sense to try to keep enough money in savings to cover two months worth of mortgage payments, even if you have MPPI. There are some circumstances when MPPI will not cover you – for example, unemployment caused by misconduct, or that you knew was impending at the time you took out the insurance, or sickness claims caused by certain pre-existing medical conditions.

How does it work if I have a joint mortgage with someone else?

The MPPI can be set up so that it covers both of you, usually by allocating a proportion of the MPPI to each person (eg 50/50 or 60/40). If one person needs to claim, then the amount of the benefit payment will be the proportion of the MPPI allocated to that person. It is also possible to allocate the MPPI on a 100/100 basis, so that 100% of the MPPI is paid, even if only one of the joint borrowers loses their income. This type of arrangement will generally require higher premiums.

What if I am self-employed or on a contract?

You will generally be able to take out MPPI even if you are self-employed or on a contract. But make sure you check the details of the circumstances in which you can make an unemployment claim.

How do I buy MPPI?

If you are taking out a new mortgage, you will probably be offered MPPI by your lender or the intermediary arranging your mortgage. Unless the MPPI is part of a mortgage “package”, it is up to you whether you take the MPPI offered with the mortgage or to buy it from elsewhere. If you already have a mortgage, you may be able to buy MPPI from your lender, or through an insurance broker, or direct from an insurance company. MPPI is usually cheaper (and the terms may be more generous) if you take it out at the time you start your mortgage, rather than leaving it until you have had your mortgage running for a while.

What happens if I need to claim?

Your policy document will tell you how to claim. Usually, you need to obtain a claim form, complete it and send it to your insurer, together with some evidence (such as a redundancy notice) to support your claim. If you take a temporary job, then provided you let your insurer know beforehand, you can interrupt a claim without having to pass the 60 day excess period again when your temporary employment ends.

What if I have a complaint?

You should first contact whoever sold you the policy, or the insurer. They will consider the complaint. If this does not resolve the problem, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Check it out!

Most people should consider taking out full MPPI, covering the full amount of the mortgage payments following accident, sickness or unemployment, and this is what you will generally be offered in the first instance. But if you already have other cover -such as accident or sickness cover from your employer, Income Protection or Critical Illness insurance, or substantial levels of savings – you may decide that you do not need the full level of MPPI insurance. If so, you may decide to “top up” your existing cover (perhaps by taking out the unemployment-only element of MPPI), or you may decide that you do not wish to take out MPPI at all. But be very careful that you are not being over-optimistic about your ability to meet your mortgage and other commitments if you decide not to take out MPPI. If you decide not to take out MPPI cover, your lender or intermediary may ask you to sign your confirmation that this is the decision you have reached, after considering all the circumstances. Signing this confirmation will not affect the willingness of your lender to try to help you if you do not take out MPPI and subsequently fall into arrears with your mortgage repayments at a later date. However, if you have MPPI or some other form of protection, both you and your lender will have greater scope for dealing with payment difficulties.

This leaflet has explained only the very basic provisions of MPPI. For further information, contact your mortgage adviser. Remember - no-one expects the worst to happen when they take out a mortgage, but how would you cope if it did? Don’t risk losing your home – protect your mortgage repayments.

Other useful information

• The Association of British Insurers provides other leaflets and information on insurance. These are available on the ABI website or by writing to Association of British Insurers, 51 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HQ.
• The Department for Work and Pensions has leaflets and information on welfare benefits (including Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance). You can find the address and phone number of your local office in the local telephone directory.

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Take Cover for a Rainy Day: how insurance can protect you from mortgage arrears. is a post from: My First Home Blog

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The New York Times Ultimate Crossword Omnibus: 1,001 Puzzles from The New York Times (Paperback) is a post from: My First Home Blog

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Remote Data Backups: Peace of Mind is a post from: My First Home Blog

The National Approved letting Scheme (NALS) welcomes the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) committee report, which revealed Britain, requires 50,000 additional rented homes annually, above the present stock.

The report’s findings and recommendations are supported by the NALS who would like to see further regulation of letting agents through best practice accreditation. With increased Local Authority involvement, the NALS suggests the consumer’s rental experience, will be both ensured and enhanced.

Ms Caroline Pickering, NALS chair said,

“The NALS accreditation scheme is recognised and supported by the government and backed by key organisations within the private rented sector, and provides –what we believe to be- the answer to the challenge of ensuring that clearly defined management standards are provided to landlords and tenants by lettings and management agents.

“By encouraging streamlined working partnerships between Local Authorities, landlords and agents, we can improve and maintain the property management standards of those in rented accommodation with the minimum of bureaucracy being introduced.”

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For more Housing market news register free www.myfirsthomeltd.co.uk

The National Approved Letting Scheme Accepts Government Report is a post from: My First Home Blog

That is just one of an unprecedented number of astonishing incentives dangled in front of UK prospective house buyers. This Mercedes car deal was recently offered by Consort Homes. Patricia Flemming, marketing manager, Consort Homes (Scotland) said, “We offered the car just to be different. A lot of other companies are offering mortgages subsidies, so this was a way of us standing out.” Finding it difficult to get onto the property ladder? Myfirsthomeltd.co.uk is aware of the difficulties that are faced by first-time buyers in finding an affordable home, in a location that is desirable and within budget. Taking into account the best options presently available to UK first-time purchasers, new homes offer the best route onto the property ladder. Across England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, builders and developers are intensifying their promotion and advertising campaign. It is now officially ‘a buyer’s market’ with house builders doing all they can with incentives, discounts and special deals to assist first-time buyers into their dream home. Incentives by home providers now include:-

• Offering free mortgage deals for a year
• Offering to contribute towards mortgage payments for up to 2 years
• Offering to pay deposit
• Offering to pay legal fees and stamp duty
• Buyers offered sales at 75% of the purchase price with the balance on interest-free loans for up to 10 years.
• Cashback offers
• Potential Landlords who want to purchase buy-to-let flats are being offered a guaranteed rental figure for up to four years.
• Move-in packages that involve floor coverings, interior design, furnishings and cash discounts.

The range and volume of offers is a reflection of the slow-down in the housing market since last year. The number and variety of incentives being offered is unprecedented, largely because buyers are thin on the ground. With fewer buyers active, the builders have to work harder, which in turn will improve affordability for many first-time buyers. myfirsthomeltd-ServiceAtYourFinger-TipsTo learn more about these offers and to be kept informed on future incentives, register free: www.myfirsthomeltd.co.uk to receive our regular newsletter.

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• Country living town-style at Fleet’s most desirable new address – Thames Valley Housing launches greenacres at edenbrook (myfirsthomeblog.com)

Buy A House, And Get A Free Mercedes Car! is a post from: My First Home Blog