Homes & Gardens

Leading housebuilder Barratt Homes is predicting a rise in buy-to-let investors in Exeter now that pension changes give individuals far greater control than ever before over their retirement funds.

Barratt Homes managing director Paul Moran said they have already seen an increase in enquiries from potential buyers looking to invest in property and the five star housebuilder has now produced a step by step guide geared to helping first time investors through the process.

As part of the changes people are now allowed to access their defined contribution (DC) pensions as...

The number of properties coming onto the market continued to drop, pushing prices rapidly upwards in the South West, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey.

In most parts of the country, the supply versus demand imbalance led to a rise in house prices in March and in the South West 36% more chartered surveyors reported a rise in house prices in March (up from 31% in February) and 16% more chartered surveyors expect prices to increase over the next three months in the region compared with 6% in February (albeit the results for both are significantly lower than in...

The lighter nights and bank holidays coming up could only mean only one thing for many of us; house hunting or home improvement time. It is with this in mind that RICS has created an online suite of consumer guides to help homeowners improve, buy or sell a home.

Each easy-to follow guide offers clear, specialist advice, suggestions and helpful recommendations, and is available to download for free, with topics including Home Extensions, Subsidence, Party Walls, Rights to Light, Buying a Home and Selling a Home.

Graham Ellis, RICS Associate Residential Director said: “The...

The first in a series of initial air tests at one of Exeter City Council's developments of Passivhaus homes has delivered outstanding results of 0.19 air changes per hour (depressurisation) and 0.2 air changes per hour (pressurisation) at five0Pa.

The development of six houses near Newport Road, Exeter, which will be known as ‘Reed Walk’ is being built by independent contractor, C G Fry & Son. Once completed, it is one of three sites currently being developed by ECC to deliver high-quality, affordable Passivhaus homes for Exeter's social tenants.

The design of the...