With the current unpredictable property market in the UK, many homeowners are improving what they have rather than sell.

Investing in their existing property can not only make the living space more appropriate to their needs, but it may also increase its future sale potential.

One area that is proving very popular is to add an extension - but where to start?

Specialist builder Symm offers some guidance:

• Seek professional advice from a property expert on what would make your property even more desirable.
• Think about what use the extra space will give you. Many people opt for another bedroom when actually a second bathroom or an enlarged kitchen would add more value.
• Consider the position of the extension both internally and externally. Where will it fit seamlessly with the external faces of the house, yet work with the internal flow of rooms?
• Think carefully about how you would ideally like the extension to be designed. A well designed space will not only work practically and aesthetically, but it should also be sympathetic to the existing building. The extension should look great AND add value.
• Ensure there is enough space in the garden to accommodate your desired extension, without compromising the visual balance.
• Which way will your extension face? Consider the light.
• Choose an architect and builder at the very beginning to ensure the smooth progression of the project. A highly trained team will advise on such issues as planning permission, materials needed to match the existing building, mechanical and electrical work and access points.
• Don’t forget that the many processes involved in getting the project off the ground can take time. With the design process, planning permission and actual construction you may have to make temporary adjustments to the way you live in the property.

Working in Oxford, London, the Cotswolds and southern England, as well as projects as far afield as New York, Symm’s expertise includes specialist and general building, joinery, decoration, restoration, project management, stonemasonry and mechanical services.

For more information on Symm’s broad range of building skills visit the website.

Some 32 per cent of prospective homebuyers say that proximity to a good school is an important factor when buying a new property, according to customer research from Barratt Homes.

So now Britain’s leading housebuilder has teamed-up with the Good Schools Guide to give parents who are looking for a new home the opportunity to research the best schools in the catchment area at the same time.

Visitors to Barratt Homes website simply enter a location, postcode or the name of the development in which they are interested and then have the option of asking for more information on nearby schools.

The Good Schools Guide search engine then generates a list of the nearest schools. Parents can filter the search by age-range (nursery, primary and secondary), or type (mainstream and special needs).

By clicking on a school’s name, parents can instantly access details such as the number of pupils and the percentages passing exams in English, Maths and Science as well as Key Stage 2 statistics. For those who want to find out more in-depth information, the school’s website and contact details are also listed.
Written by parents for parents, the Good Schools Guide is widely recognised as one of the most authoritative and independent education resources available today.

“Schools are a major consideration when we buy land to build our developments,” said Jeremy Hipkiss, Head of Sales and Marketing at Barratt Homes.

“We understand that parents want the very best for their children and that often it’s the school that dictates where they live - not the other way round.”

“We are introducing this service now because parents who plan to move in time for the new school year, often start house-hunting during the Spring selling season. We believe that our school-finder will give them a head start.”

Barratt Homes have a number of new homes available throughout the country.

Pictured here is: The Limes, South Milford – Yorkshire, a new range of luxury homes.

For further information on current available properties, please visit http://www.barratthomes.co.uk/Find-A-Home

Tel: Sales enquiries (0844) 5566166

Aaran Brown, (30 years old) who works at a gym in a prison, and Stephanie Hampstead, a 22-year-old nursery nurse, are a prime example:

“We were renting an apartment in Blyth Bridge and didn’t see buying as financially friendly enough to be an option for us,” Aaron said.

“It was only after Steph discovered she was expecting in December last year that– we could no longer ignore that we needed a larger home to accommodate our growing brood.

Like an increasing number of homebuyers across the UK, Steph and Aaran were able to purchase a property fit for their growing family, through the latest government shared equity scheme,
HomeBuy Direct – a three-bedroom townhouse at Miller Homes The Willows in Stone.

We came to view The Willows and fell in love with both the development and the townhouse.

With HomeBuy Direct being available we were able to move in sooner than we originally thought,” Steph added.

HomeBuy Direct is continuing to help many first time buyers, by offering the opportunity to purchase100 percent of a brand new home by paying from just 70 percent of its value.

The remaining 30 percent equity loan is co-funded by the Government and Miller Homes, meaning that a smaller deposit is required.

The loan then only becomes repayable after 25 years, with no interest for the first 5 years.

Aaran and Steph’s home is in the Tolkien style layout, an attractive three bedroom townhouse that offers the extra space, including the garden, that they were looking for. Picture by Steve Duttine Photography.

Linda Androlia, regional sales director for Miller Homes West Midlands, said: “HomeBuy Direct is continuing to assist those like Aaran and Stephanie onto the property ladder showing that new homes can be affordable and a much better option to renting.”

To find out more about the Stone based development or the properties available nearest to you, visit www.millerhomes.co.uk.

Sales Office Tel: (0800) 840 8695.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders recently reported that over 900,000 borrowers would now be in negative equity, as a result of the downturn in the property market.

They added that three in four of those have an average shortfall of between £6,000 and £8,000 so many homeowners now find themselves unable to move.

While a stagnant market could make you feel like you’re stuck on the same rung of the property ladder, why not make plans for when you can sell? Investing in some home improvements now could help claw back some of the value your property has lost.

There have already been a few small indications of recovery in the market recently - both Nationwide and Halifax have reported an average 1.5% rise in house prices in May, compared to almost 18 months of decline. Therefore now could be the perfect time to get your property into shape and ready for the recovery.

Adding significant value to your property, doesn’t necessarily mean spending a fortune on extensions, brand new kitchens or loft conversions; there are simpler and less expensive methods that could add considerably to your selling price.

So if current market conditions have left you unable to move, maximising the potential of your home is the next best thing. With a variety of ways to make improvements, to suit a range of budgets, it is possible to regain some of that lost value and prepare your biggest asset, for when the property market recovers.

Even if moving is a long way off yet, you can still enjoy the improvements you make whilst you live there!

Scroll down for some examples:

Install wood flooring
Installing wood flooring is one of the easiest ways to increase your valuation. The warm, natural tones of oak brings a touch of style and elegance to any home and can really enhance the existing decor.

A recent study by Woodcare showed that wood flooring could add 5 to 10% to the value of your home, whilst a survey of estate agents suggested that properties with wood flooring also sell faster.

It is much more affordable than ever before, with high quality oak flooring from top brands, now available for as little as £30 per square meter. Take a look at the superb range available at 1926 Wood Flooring, with styles and colours to suit all tastes:
http://www.1926woodflooring.co.uk

Give your kitchen a facelift
A new kitchen can also add 5 to 10% to your valuation, but it isn’t always necessary to replace everything, in order to have the desired effect; if you are happy with the layout, then you could consider either re-finishing or re-facing the existing units.

The cheapest option is to re-finish your kitchen by painting all your cupboard and drawer fronts, which is an excellent option if you want to compliment any other redecoration of the room.

Re-facing is also becoming more and more popular and simply requires the purchase of new cupboard and drawer fronts, rather than entire units. Also a new worktop to match your newly regenerated units, will really finish it off.
For further information, take a look at this guide:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/kitchencabinets

Re-decorate
It may sound straightforward, but it‘s easy to underestimate the impact that simply re-decorating a room can have. A fresh coat of paint on the walls, doors and skirting boards, can vastly improve the feel of a room and if you do it yourself, the only cost involved is for the materials.

Take your time researching and testing colour schemes for different rooms and remember that lighter, neutral colours provide the illusion of spaciousness and allow potential buyers to easily imagine living in that space.
There are plenty of tips in this useful guide and an excellent colour designer, from the Paint Quality Institute here:
http://www.paintquality.co.uk/deco/power/index.htm

Britain’s housing market is one of the biggest casualties of the economic turmoil, plagued with falling house prices, repossessions, a collapsed house-building industry, mass redundancies and restricted mortgage lending.

In the face of such problems, self-build and renovation specialist BuildStore is reporting a huge rise in demand for its services, as the nation’s frustrated homeowners take matters into their own hands.

BuildStore has noted a significant increase in demand for self-build land and renovation properties through its land database, PlotSearch; current subscription levels to the online service are up over 140% on levels six months ago; in the last three months, since January 2009, subscription levels are up almost 50%.

BuildStore’s Chief Executive, Raymond Connor, explains: “It is a critical time for the housing market, which has been suffering since the start of the credit crunch in 2007.

Homeowners are now looking for an alternative way to climb the property ladder, and are realising that by building a house themselves, they can save money, protect against negative equity and get the house they truly want, as opposed to paying a premium, for a house that has been designed and built without their input.”

This recent surge in demand shows that homeowners are taking advantage of the increase in land availability (up 50% in the last 12 months) and falling land prices (down 20% in the last six months).

The PlotSearch database is currently listing over 9,000 building opportunities, over 60% of which are priced below the current threshold for stamp duty (£175,000 until 3rd September 2009) and a third are priced under £100,000.

At a time when new homes and mortgages are both in short supply, self build plots, construction labour and even specialist self build mortgages are accessible and available, and BuildStore forecasts that 2009 will see more homeowners become homebuilders.

Web: http://www.plotsearch.co.uk

‘Quiet Corner’ is a new luxury development in Godalming, Surrey. Built by Lusso Homes with the interiors from Suna Interior Design, ‘Quiet Corner’ comprises four “Victorianesque” town houses.

Built over four floors, the properties have stunning views over the Surrey hills; these are maximized via the balconies in each of the master bedrooms. Every property has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and 3 reception rooms.

Designed for contemporary family living, the interior has a flexible layout that has been enhanced by the rich tones of the furnishings.

Quiet Corner comprises four traditionally constructed semi-detached town houses, boasting state of the art specification to suit a 21st century lifestyle.

• Contemporary kitchens by Alno, featuring coffee machines and wine coolers , are complimented by Qstone worktops.
• Luxury bathrooms are by Philip Starck, with sanitary ware by Hansgrohe.
• Category 5 E wiring provides cabling for HDTV, home entertainment systems, mood lighting and intruder alarms.
• Spacious and well-planned living accommodation across 4 floors, allows flexibility for families of different sizes.
• Outdoor areas are landscaped and parking is conveniently located.

Designed for contemporary family living, the interior has a flexible layout that has been enhanced by the rich tones of the furnishings.

Our picture features the Lounge area by Suna Interior Design.

Suna specialises in interior design and specification for high-class developers. The company is a foremost authority on design trends, and last year completed the design and specification for the prestigious Berkeley Homes ‘Gunwharf Quays’ development, in Portsmouth.

Web: http://www.sunainteriordesign.com

http://www.lussohomes.co.uk/main.html

The property market may have slowed during the economic downturn, but for homeowners looking to take advantage of current market conditions, competition amongst builders and VAT reductions, mean that there has never been a better time to renovate.

Now Architect Your Home, Britain’s leading provider of architectural services for homeowners, has announced that they will be running a price promotion during April, which makes starting your renovation project now, even more appealing.

The company is offering a discount of £100 off the cost of their initial kick-start visits, reducing costs to £450 for a half day and £750 for a full day visit; making expert architectural advice more accessible for homeowners.

These initial visits can make a real difference to your renovations, bringing the expertise and inspiration of a professional architect to bear on your project.

The visit lasts for four or seven hours depending on the size of your project and after the opening discussion to establish your requirements, your architect will produce sketched design options, working with you in your home.

This collaborative process, aims to give you an agreed proposal by the end of the visit and the drawings can form the basis of early discussions with planners, neighbours and builders.

Architect Your Home operates nationwide with a network of 50 offices. Since 2001, the company has provided architectural services and a unique cost-effective pay-as-you-go service, to more than 4,000 homeowners.

This has given homeowners access to a professional qualified architect regardless of their project size or budget.

More information on April’s promotion can be found at:

Web: http://www.architect-yourhome.com
Tel; (0800) 849 8505.

The editor of a new magazine, First Time Buyer, launched in December, believes that first time buyers can resuscitate the British property market, which is currently being strangled by mortgage lenders.

There is plenty of new property for first time buyers, plus schemes that specify that they don’t have to raise all 100% of the asking price.

Some examples of such schemes are HomeBuy, shared ownership, affordable housing schemes and rent before you buy; but, many young professionals are unaware that they are eligible for such plans, or don’t know how to go about it.

Sarah Garrett editor of First Time Buyer explained, “Builders and developers also proffer deals to help first time buyers and they offer another excellent alternative that first time buyers should not overlook.”

She continued, “With interest rates so low, mortgage payments can be cheaper than monthly rent.

Most shared ownership property, is in new developments in our larger towns and cities and many are ready for occupation now, by young professionals who want a new property that they can make their own.”

Living with Mum and Dad, renting with flatmates, compared to owning a brand new city centre apartment with your partner? No contest!”

First Time Buyer magazine aims to demystify the processes and jargon, dispel many preconceptions, to help the property virgins get onto the ladder; it is packed with helpful advice, from properties for sale, to analysis of financial options; plus schemes and incentives and top tips, to articles on successful first time buyers.

So, it is possible to get a great property and the best deal, if you know how! There are opportunities in every major city and large town across Britain.

Web: http://www.homebuymag.co.uk
Tel: (020) 7258 1777

The average number of transactions per surveyor (over the last three months) is now at 12.7, according to the RICS survey published last week; the lowest figure since the survey began.

However, help is at hand for the housing market, with the launch of HomeSwapper4Sale.co.uk.

A UK first for the private market, HomeSwapper4Sale.co.uk is a service that matches people looking to sell their homes, with those who want what they have to offer and vice-versa. Launched in August 2008 the website already has millions of pounds of property registered and matches for members are sent out daily.

A core benefit of swapping is that there are only two parties in the exchange, so it’s possible to avoid lengthy chains, which are all the more treacherous in today’s uncertain market.

The speed of the transaction is increased and the sale of the two swapped houses, stands a greater chance of reaching completion; what’s more, it can potentially save money for both parties.

HomeSwapper4Sale.co.uk covers all house types, values and locations; users can find matches to trade up, trade down, swap like for like, move down the street or across the country – it’s that flexible.

Plus, HomeSwapper4Sale.co.uk finds the matches automatically and alerts each member by email or text message, to make sure they don’t miss the opportunity of finding their next home.

For more information visit:
Web: http://HomeSwapper4Sale.co.uk