There is an innate charm in hand built stone walls. The exquisite masonry and beautiful textures afforded by the material transport us to times gone by. Stone properties have a character that new builds could never emulate and this is the reason why they are sought after today. In fact, for those who can afford it, it is in fashion to build stone houses that resemble old stone properties!

In France stone property, especially old French stone built property is highly sought after as they are unique and not exactly growing in numbers. Today we have a number of new construction techniques that are less labour intensive and therefore more cost effective, but for many years in the history of civilisation, stone was the one hardy and reliable material of choice for construction.

Ever since the stone-age, human beings have developed and honed their ability to deal with stone. Tools that can cut and chisel stone have existed for thousands of years, and there is archaeological evidence that man has lived in stone dwellings for centuries. (more...)

Many people who are looking for second homes originally intend to buy it for their enjoyment and envisage themselves sunning themselves around the pool and enjoying their retirement in a villa which may be miles from the nearest town.

In reality, however, some estate agents report that while this may have been their original intention, they soon end up changing their mind and their specifications for their Prague apartments change quite quickly for several reasons.

Property does not come cheap, even where prices have been falling and when prospective buyers start to realise the costs involved in running a second home they start to look at the possibility of renting it out when it is not in use or even buying it solely as an investment property. (more...)

Many people shy away from equity release schemes as they firmly believe that they have to preserve their estate for their children. By releasing some or all of the cash while they are still alive, they feel that they are robbing their sons and daughters of their rightful inheritance.

Yet you have to consider that we were not put on this earth solely to provide for our children and leave them a comfortable house in our will. Most children would agree that they would prefer their parents to lead a comfortable life than them having barely enough money to survive.

Equity release can be the best scenario in many cases as you can take a lump sum from the bank or company to live on and enjoy your twilight years, which is then paid back with interest when you and your spouse pass away, from the sale of the house. (more...)

Many Brits disappeared off the property scene since the financial crisis of 2008 and it is only now that some estate agents around Europe are reporting an increase in demand from UK buyers for properties abroad.

If you are considering buying a property abroad, whether it is a property in Portugal, Spain or France, do your homework to make sure that you get the best deal, as although prices have increased in some areas around the European Union, there are still some bargains to be had in many areas across the region.

Prices in some parts of Spain fell by around forty percent during the crisis, and yet they held up well in other parts of Europe such as in some parts of France and especially Paris and the South which never failed to increase even during the worst period of the crisis. (more...)

When it comes to insuring your property, you cannot be too overcautious when considering how much to insure both the building and the contents for. Let's face it, if the worst happens and you lose everything in a fire or flood then it will be too late if you suddenly realise that you have under insured your home and belongings.

Many people tend to scrimp on their property insurance as they look on it as a way to save money in the short term, but in the long term scheme of things it could cost you dear and while you are advised to get several quotes both from local firms and internet money market companies, the main criteria is that you are covered for the right value and correct conditions.

For the actual house itself, don't necessarily go on the market value of the house, but ask yourself rather, how much it would cost you to build from new if the building was totally destroyed. (more...)

The recent economic crisis has shaken confidence in the property market, and it is still too early to see if there will be a recovery or not. Prices have certainly dropped from their highs of five years ago, although that said, they have not bottomed out to 1990 prices. Thus, it is difficult to see which way the market will go right now.

London property and real estate in particular has taken a hard hit, but arguably, this is because many of the houses were and have been overpriced for quite some time. As with all markets, a correction was due, and this is it.

So, when is the best time to get back into the market again, especially for first time buyers? This is a hard question to answer. The biggest problem at the moment, is that banks are simply not lending people money as easily as they were before. Some are even asking for a fifty percent deposit, which on a one hundred and fifty thousand pounds property, is quite a significant sum! (more...)

Buying property overseas is a difficult business. Before you even get around to organising the box shipping UK to Australia, there are many other hurdles to clear. Most of these involve finding the right home for you, a process that can be simplified if you follow a set of basic guidelines.

To begin with, it is important that you make time in your schedule to take a reasonably long trip to the country in which you would like to live. This journey should involve viewing several potential properties and really getting to grips with the ones that appeal to you.

Secondly, it is crucial that you find a lawyer who speaks both your language and the language of your destination country. Of course it goes without saying that he or she should also be familiar with the specialised legal ins and outs of the country as well. (more...)

Selling your house is a difficult and stressful business. It is also one that requires infinite patience and stamina. Letting go of a property you have developed can be hard, and resisting the urge to put a Home Reversion clause into the contract is even harder.

However, there are ways and means of simplifying your move. Most of these have to do with effective packing and organisational strategies.

To start with, you should ensure that the business of packing up your possessions begins well in advance. You don't want to be sitting surrounded by packing cases in the middle of the night before you have to leave. (more...)

When it comes to buying or selling property, there are regulations and proper procedure usually needs to be followed to ensure a smooth transaction. Different places have different rules, so it is always necessary to understand the local procedure.

The value of a property is subject to several factors such as going rate, location, condition, age, assets that can add value etc. it is important that a professional valuation of the property is conducted before putting it on the market.

A detailed report on the condition of the property is usually a part of the property transaction. Once the deal is finalised, the property needs to be transferred from the seller's name to the buyer's name. This work is undertaken by property Conveyancing solicitors. (more...)

Buying land overseas can be a tricky business. However, the purchasing process can be significantly simplified if you follow a few simple guidelines.

Whether you're looking at leaseback property Cote d Azur, Cannes or a holiday home by the coast in Cape Cod, it's very important that you visit the region personally and spend a good deal of time there. Unless you are buying to lease on a permanent basis, you need to be certain that the atmosphere of the country suits your character and your requirements.

Secondly, it is crucial that you find yourself a good legal professional who is familiar both with the language of the region and with its laws. It will be very difficult to arrange contracts from a remote location, especially if you plan to use a lawyer based in your own country. (more...)

With the government spending cuts, the recent VAT increase and most of us worrying about whether we will keep our jobs or not – not to mention the imminent threat of a hike in interest rates – it is not surprising that many of us are very wary when it comes to moving house and we are choosing to extend our current ones or make do instead.

Many of the polls show that house prices are still decreasing, although this has slowed down over the last few months and the fact that there is also a shortage of new houses coming onto the market mean that prices are set to stabilise this year.

It is therefore unlikely that prices will go down by much more and may even increase as the economy recovers, however slowly, therefore now might, in fact, be the time to consider making a move. (more...)

When you are looking out for a property it is easy to fall for it with your heart, rather than your head, and to overlook those things which you know means that it is not quite the right property for you, as certain aspects of the house are either unsuitable or could end up costing you time and money.

Property maintenance is one of these aspects which should not be overlooked. You may love the look of the huge garden but you don't even spare a thought for the fact that this huge field will need to be mowed, the hedges trimmed on a regular basis, and the bird control firm called in.

You may love the old style of the house and the quirkiness, but what will happen when the roof starts to leak and the wooden windows and shutters needs replacing? An old house may be charming but it is usually inherently full of maintenance problems and unless you can do them yourself it will work out very expensive. (more...)

A new trend in property sales is that of marketing the property yourself. When you work out how much it costs to go through a traditional estate agent, a private house sale starts to look like a very attractive prospect indeed.

It used to be the case that deciding to put your own house on the market was very difficult and you had to take out expensive ads in the papers without any guarantee of success. However, there are many internet sites now which you can join for a small set fee where you can advertise your property details.

These sites are very popular with buyers as they know that they might be able to get a better bargain than if the estate agents fees had to be taken into account, so there is a good chance of actually selling your house though this process. (more...)

Crime is sadly becoming far more common in these times and we should do everything we can to protect our property and our belongings from theft and vandalism. It can be costly to install the latest equipment, such as a High Security Fence, but not when compared to the cost of having your house broken into.

There are some measures which are not so expensive and a local security firm will be able to advise you on this. A burglar alarm, a webcam and a light which comes on when it detects a person are all measures that do not cost the earth but which can make a real difference.

Have the locks checked on your home by an expert to make sure that they are effective. There is no point to have the strongest dead bolt on your front door if the window at the back of the house does not work properly or can be easily broken into. (more...)

Many businesses, especially start ups, choose to rent their premises instead of buying it and the company budget will often not stretch to paying the mortgage on a property. It is far easier to find offices to let than having the responsibility of maintaining your own building.

However, you may wish to consider buying your own premises if the business is going well and if funds allow for it, especially if you are living in an up and coming area. Some of the shrewdest property investments have been made when the price of the properties in the area were very low and are now worth several times what they were, than when they were bought.

It is not a decision to be entered into lightly, but it could well be a good investment for the future, particularly if you have a niche business which means that any premises you use have to be converted for use. (more...)

If you have an investment property to let or if you will be away from your own house for a few months and are thinking of letting it, you have the choice between trying to let it privately and using the services of letting agents.

For a basic fee a letting agent will find a tenant for your home and draw up a lease contract, but for a larger percentage of the rent, he or she will also act as the landlord in your absence. That is, if there are any problems in the house such as a broken boiler or if the tenant locks himself out, they go to the letting agent.

It may seem like a chunk out of the rent each month but many people prefer the peace of mind that they have from using the services of a letting agent, especially if they are out of the country and not easy to contact. (more...)

If you spend long periods away from your home, it is imperative that it is properly maintained or you will end up facing all sorts of problems. These can range from overgrown garden and property maintenance issues, through to pest invasion and security issues.

If you know that you will be leaving your property for more than a few days make sure that it is cleaned properly before you go and that all uneaten food is disposed of properly, otherwise you may come back to find mice, rats and cockroaches, which have been attracted by the rotting food, and you will end up having to call the pest control man for a programme of Deratisation.

Security is one of the main issues as any savvy burglar will not take long to realise that you are away from home. (more...)

Buying property of any kind can be a tricky business. The fact of the matter is that every house has its flaws, and your task as the prospective owner is to find out what these are, and to determine what kind of problems they will pose in the long run. You don't want a house with a wood worm infestation, for example; you'll be adding Fumigacion bills to your list of payments before you've even closed the deal.

It's important that you begin your search for a house with some intelligent research. Property is a big purchase and will, undoubtedly, cost a lot of money. You don't want to walk into this kind of deal uninformed or unprepared.

To begin with, it's a good idea to do some reading on the subject. You could just ask your estate agent to give you tips but remember that your property professional is in the business of selling. Whatever he or she tells you may simply amount to a big marketing pitch. (more...)

If you are a first time budget traveller, then you are more than likely in the market for some holiday money tips. Planning a cost effective vacation can be a very difficult task, but, with some research and foresight, it is not impossible.

Accommodation is, of course, a huge part of your holiday budget. Spending a fortune on an hotel appears rather too lavish if you are working on a tight budget, and so you might want to consider renting holiday property instead.

Self-catering apartments have, over the years, received rather a bad reputation, but in recent, cash-strapped years, there has been a revival in vacation flats and villas. These are invariably far cheaper than a conventional, hotel-based holiday, and, what's more, do not need to be the basic, Spartan-style lodgings they used to be. (more...)

When buying a property, whether it is your first step on the property ladder, a move up or an investment or holiday home, it can be quite difficult to have a full understanding of the finances involved – a process which after all is one of the most crucial things.

Luckily, if you know where to find them, there are plenty of tools available on the internet which can make this process much simpler. You can find lots of tools if you look, such as an equity release calculator and mortgage calculator, so that you can easily work out your repayments and the potential effects if the interest rates shift.

After all, you need to be able to work out if you can still afford the repayments if the interest goes up by a couple of per cent or even more. (more...)

It has certainly been a rough few years in housing markets all around the world. From Dubai to Dubrovnik and Dublin, property prices have quite literally crashed in many areas and the same can definitely be said of Spanish villas.

Indeed, the Spanish property market could have been labelled with the term Iberian Tiger, in its own right, such was the level of investment being pumped into it. But then the crash came about, earlier than in many other European countries and that was that.

But was that really the end of things? It would appear not, as this market is now rising from the ashes, like a beautiful phoenix, and things are most certainly showing sings of getting back on track. (more...)

It is often said that the most expensive purchase you will ever commit yourself to is for your home. There are very few people who are in the fortunate position of being able to buy a property outright. Most of us mere mortals will therefore need to obtain a loan, or mortgage, in order to purchase the home of our dreams.

Whether it is for a first time purchase, to move up the property ladder, or to purchase a second home in the UK or overseas, a mortgage will allow you to put that all important roof over your's and that of your family.

For First Time Buyers, most lenders are able to offer up to 95 per cent of the property value. The amount they lend will, of course, be dependent on the property value and your ability to pay back the loan. They will therefore take into account your job security and salary and any other financial commitments, such as car loans and credit card repayments. (more...)

If you are embroiled in the process of selling your home, the time will inevitably come when the professionals from Hudson Moody Estate Agents inform you that it is time to have an open house. This event is hosted by the property agents who are handling your sale, but will require that you do a few things to prepare for the event.

A show or 'open' house is about showcasing the best features of your home. Prospective clients are invited to spend a morning or an afternoon browsing through the interior at their leisure, while an estate agent draws attention to various good points on the way.

In order for the event to be a success, it is important that you have your home in great shape before hand. This means that you will need to do some serious cleaning in preparation. Vacuum thoroughly throughout the whole interior, and make sure that all surfaces are free from dust and lint. (more...)

If you are on the look out for your first apartment, the chances are good you are having a little trouble coming up with criteria for choosing the right one. Unless you happen to know all about things like house insurance and mortgages, you might be under the impression that the only important factor is whether or not you like the wallpaper.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. But never fear, picking out an apartment is not quite as dull as insurance brokers and bankers would have us believe. In order to make sure you end up with the right property for you, it's a good idea to sit down and draw up a list to guide your search.

The first thing you will need to look at is, of course, cost. Whether you are renting or buying, this should be at the very top of your list. Work out your budget and calculate a sum that you can afford, and whatever you do, stick to this figure. Experts agree that it should definitely not exceed a third of your income. (more...)

When it comes to redecorating your property, you may find it difficult to decide on the type of style and the colours that you want to decorate in. You can take inspiration from many sources such as uknetguide or the websites of popular decorating programmes but in the end it comes down to personal choice.

However, many people make the mistake of decorating in such a personal style that it either dates quickly or makes it very off-putting to prospective buyers should you ever wish to sell your property in the future.

Remember those avocado suites of the seventies? There are still an incredible number around and people who look around houses are generally put off by them as they know that it will cost thousands of pounds to replace them. While they were in fashion at the time they dated very quickly whereas a simple white suite chosen wisely could have lasted for decades without dating. (more...)

If you are currently in the process of selling your property, the time will inevitably come when your estate agent decides to host an open house. Basically, this means that on a specified date and for a certain period of time, your house will be opened up to the public and your real estate professional will guide potential buyers around its best features.

As the owner, you will not be present, however, you will be required to prepare for it in the days leading up to the event. Your primary goal here will, of course, be arranging your home to emphasise on its best features, and this will no doubt involve plenty of cleaning and tidying.

It is important to remember, however, that while you want your house to be as spotless as possible, you do not want to give it the clinical atmosphere of a commercial property in Grantham. Rather you want to retain the homeliness of the environment. (more...)

Sometimes it is difficult to decide when to leave home and get your own place. One of the biggest considerations is money, as buying your own home is incredibly difficult. Also, rents are increasing as renting is becoming more popular, especially among young people.

It is possible to find flat or house shares, which are cheaper than renting a flat yourself, but then you have the possibility that you might not get on with your flatmates. If you have a friend you can share with then it is better to rent a house or a flat between you.

It isn't only about finding an affordable property. When you first leave home, you need to borrow or buy enough furniture and household goods to start you off in your new home. Furnished properties are available, and even though they may cost a little more, they could save you money on purchases. (more...)

In times of economic hardship, office refurbishment may seem like a luxury, rather than a necessity to factor into one’s budget. However, there are a number of benefits to refurbishing your property. Firstly, having the office space or property refurbished means that the morale of the employees will be lifted. This is especially important during an economic recession, as making the office space a more pleasant environment to work in has been proven to improve output efficiency and productivity.

With the property market not as good as it used to be, any small improvements can prove effective in increasing the property’s overall value. Thus another benefit of office refurbishment is the opportunity to increase the value of your property.

Deciding how you would like to design the improvements for your office can be a daunting task, so it could be worthwhile to consult a professional office refurbishment company. The staff at one of these companies will be able to help you to use the office space of your property in an effective, functional and aesthetic way. (more...)

Property security is very important. You are making a very big investment when you invest in a property. You therefore need to make sure that it is well secured. Some people invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars to set up advance surveillance camera as a way to safeguard their property. This however is not really necessary. There are much simpler and cost effective ways of effectively safeguarding your property.

Due to the increase in the crime rates, the need for property security is increasing. In order to give you peace of mind, you need to invest in property security. Many home owners prefer security cameras and alarms in order to safeguard their property.

When choosing security cameras, you need to make sure that you are familiar with the different cameras that are available so that you can choose the right one that will meet your property security needs. You need to make sure that all areas of your property are covered – indoor as well as outdoor. In terms of indoor protection, you need to make sure that every floor of your property has a security camera especially the floors that have priceless objects. (more...)

The purpose of highway maintenance services is to make sure that the highway network is safe for the transportation of people and goods. Delivering safe, serviceable and sustainable roads while taking continuous improvement into consideration is the core objective of highway maintenance services.

One of the most important aspects of highway maintenance services is inspections. Inspections are necessary in order to detect defects in advance so that they can be fixed before they lead to dangerous obstructions on the road. Inspections also makes it possible for unlawful interference and obstructions on the road to be identified and removed thus ensuring the safety of road users. Frequent road inspections also make it possible for the need of routine or planned maintenance work to be identified.

There are four general types of inspection: scheduled, condition, specific, and random. The aim of scheduled inspections is to identify obstructions, interference, and defects on highways and to take care of them immediately in order to keep highways and their users safe. The aim of condition inspections is to assess the condition of highways in order to determine the need for structural maintenance. Specific inspection is carried out based on a specific need or demand while random inspection is carried out on an ad hoc basis to identify unlawful interference and obstructions on highways. (more...)