In the current property situation it appears that the majority of homeowners improving their properties are doing so to increase its value according to the Halifax.
The Halifax survey found that around 28 percent of people are planning home improvements this year, with the primary objective being add value. Of these people around half of them are expecting to add in the region of GBP5,000 to what the property is worth, with over 10 percent aiming for between GBP10,000 and GBP25,000.
By far the most popular improvement is redecorating, followed by garden improvements and adding new furnishings. A Halifax spokesman said that home improvements can add value to a home, although expectations of higher property values should be balanced against a market where the buyer is stronger right now, so prices can be variable.
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The Nationwide Building Society house price survey recorded the biggest year on year fall since they began collating data in 1991.
June saw house prices drop by over 8 percent compared with the same time last year, also down 1.7 percent compared with the previous month. In monetary terms the average property now costs GBP15,000 less than it did a year ago according to the Nationwide Building Society, something that can be seen as both good and bad. For first time buyers there is the chance to afford a house that was previously out of reach, but existing homeowners may not want to sell if they bought recently since they would lose money.
This latest drop makes nine consecutive months of price drops in the housing market, putting them at their lowest since the summer of 2006. The Nationwide Building Society are one of the key players in the mortgage market and are hopeful that things will turn around.
Effective from 16 May the Nationwide Building Society will have reduced interest rates on both two year and five year fixed rate mortgages.
The two year fixed rate mortgage will have a new rate of 5.95 percent with just a GBP599 arrangement fee. There is also a fee-free Nationwide Building Society two year foxed rate mortgage that will be available at 6.35 percent. These rates are for people moving house but there is also a remortgage offer, with rates of 6.15 and 6.55 percent respectively for the same mortgage offers as above.
The longer five year fixed rate mortgage can be had at 5.85 percent for house purchasers, again with a GBP599 fee, while the remortgage option is 5.95 percent. Customers coming to the Nationwide Building Society to change mortgage from a different company are also entitled to a special offer on a five year fixed rate mortgage, with no fee, at 5.95 percent.