TSI
UK house builder vows to create bird friendly home developments
A unique partnership between a home builder and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds aims to see more wildlife friendly housing developments being built in the UK. Barratt Homes has signed an agreement, believed to be the first of its kind in the country, with the RSPB to boost natural habitats at its forthcoming homes developments in Nottinghamshire using updated landscaping and gardening techniques. As the country's urban wildlife struggles, with 60% of bees, birds, bugs and mammals facing decline, it is hoped that this agreement between the major home builder and the bird protection charity will help boost biodiversity. ‘With hundreds of thousands of homes needed across the country in the next few years, now is the time for conservationists and home builders to pull together to ensure the wildlife is boosted rather than ousted in the process,’ said Mike Clarke, chief executive of the RSPB. ‘We are confident that many positive steps can be taken to build wildlife into new housing developments, giving nature and people a home and increasing quality of life, and all relatively simply and cheaply,’ he added. The partnership will also see Barratt Homes working with the RSPB to raise employee awareness of wildlife friendly best practice across its sites in the region and throughout its supply chain nationally. ‘Our partnership with the RSPB will demonstrate how we can protect and enhance the biodiversity of the local area, benefitting the economy, creating employment and improving health and wellbeing for our customers and the communities we create,’ said John Dillon, managing director of Barratt Homes North Midlands. He pointed out that Barratt Homes prides itself on creating exceptional homes in the finest locations and recently achieved the maximum five star house builder rating in a customer satisfaction survey conducted by the Home Builders Federation (HBF). Continue reading
Almost three quarters of UK first time buyers want a house, not a flat
The majority of first time buyers in the UK are seeking to buy a house rather than a flat, new research has found. Traditionally the way onto the housing ladder has been to buy a flat and then progress onto the second step with a house but today’s first time buyers think otherwise. The research from Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks shows that currently 72% of first time buyers want a house and this figure is up considerably on last year when only 57% of first time buyers said they wanted a house rather than a flat. The 28% who said they preferred a flat this year is significantly down on 2014 when 43% of UK first time buyers were aiming to buy a flat rather than a house. ‘Our research has underlined the changing expectations of first time buyers and a combination of factors such as people entering the property market at an older age and homeowners staying in their home for a longer length of time is having an impact on the preferred type of home for first time buyers,’ said Steve Fletcher, director of retail banking. The research also highlighted that only Londoners are opting for flats when taking their first step onto the property ladder reflecting the high property prices, availability of housing stock and distinct challenges of buying a home in the capital. The London market shows a stark contrast to the 92% of those surveyed in Yorkshire and 90% in the Midlands who wanted a house rather than sampling apartment living. ‘We recognise everyone has their own particular needs and requirements and that’s why at Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks we focus on helping customers find the best way to buy their dream property, leaving them to concentrate on what matters most to them such as the location and whether it is a three bedroom home or a one bedroom flat,’ added Fletcher. The banks have a range of competitive mortgages including a 90% LTV mortgage fixed at 3.59% for three years and a 95% LTV mortgage fixed at 4.89% for three years. Continue reading
Canadian home sales expected to see gradual rise this year and into 2016
Home sales in Canada are set to see a continued gradual improvement and housing market but oil prices are likely to continue to weigh on the economy and thus real estate confidence. The latest forecast for home sales activity from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) says that in the Prairie region in particular lower oil prices are dampening consumer confidence and side lining potential home buyers. Home sales elsewhere in Canada are continuing to evolve mostly as expected, with the exception of a slower than expected spring market in Nova Scotia due to extraordinarily inclement weather and stronger than expected sales activity across much of British Columbia. It says that low rise property markets remain tight in parts of British Columbia and Ontario. These are the only two provinces where a shortage of listings for low rise homes is expected to fuel average price gains above inflation this year. In other provinces, listings have begun to decline but remain elevated. Average prices across the Prairies, Quebec and the Atlantic region are unlikely to see much in the way of price growth over the forecast horizon as sales gradually deplete listings. The forecast for national sales in 2015 has been revised upward, reflecting stronger than anticipated activity in British Columbia. National sales are now projected to rise by 1.3% to 487,200 units in 2015, which is slightly above its 10 year annual average. British Columbia is projected to post the largest annual increase in activity in 2015 at 12.2% while Alberta and Saskatchewan are expected to post the largest annual sales declines with a fall of 18.2% and 12.9% respectively. Modest changes in annual home sales are forecast for all other provinces. The forecast for national average home price growth has been revised upward to $429,400 for an annual increase of 5.2% in 2015. This reflects forecast average price gains in British Columbia and Ontario together with a projected increase in their proportion of national sales. British Columbia is expected to be the only province where average price rises faster at 8.5% than the national average, while the rise in Ontario’s average price of 5.6% is predicted to be roughly in line with the national increase. Average prices are projected to remain largely stable in other provinces this year, with annual changes ranging between plus or minus 1%. The exception is Alberta, where average price is forecast to slip by 2.8% amid a pullback in higher priced property sales activity. In 2016, national sales activity is forecast to reach 491,200 units, a further annual gain of 0.8%. The increase reflects an anticipated rise in sales activity in Alberta and Saskatchewan, in line with a gradual improvement in their economic outlook. Although sales in British Columbia are expected to remain strong in 2016, it is the only province where they are forecast to moderate by 2.9% due to stretched affordability. ‘Strengthening economic prospects should translate into slow and steady gains in… Continue reading
