Helping Innovate Property (HIP) – Blog, Housing Market News and Articles

Are you thinking about purchasing your first home? This can be an exciting yet daunting experience for anyone. Of course, you need to be prepared if you are exploring the property market for the first time. There is a lot that needs to be considered, and numerous steps you need to take. After all, this is probably the biggest investment you’ll ever make, and so you don’t want to throw money about or sign up for a mortgage without a lot of thought and research going into it. With that being said, let’s take a look at some useful tips for first-time homebuyers.
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Have you ever wondered where you’ll get the most sunlight for your money? Many holiday home buyers are seeking maximum sunshine for minimum cost.

Even though Spring is just around the corner, us Brits aren’t guaranteed sunlight, as we suffer from grey skies and rain. You can understand why many holiday property owners have swapped Blackpool for a glamourous property in Spain.

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A transfer of equity is a transaction where legal ownership of a property changes hands but at least one of the original owners remains on the title. For example where a couple transfer it into the sole name of one or other of them or a person is added to the title.

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It is extraordinary how swiftly having an efficient broadband service has become a key lifestyle requirement.  As our homes acquire more and more smart devices and our work and leisure activities become increasingly internet dependant, a fast, data generous broadband service has become an essential component of modern life.  Our reliance on broadband will only increase as more and more smart devices become available and yet, according to Ofcom, ‘One in seven homes could be paying more than they need to for broadband and could get faster services for the same or less money.’

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It can be quite daunting to buy a wood for the first time. Everything related to the purchase and installation of the wood might seem very confusing, especially when some strange wood terminology shows up. Among them is one that you might come across more often: floating floor. But what is a floating floor?

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Most people prefer to work with a fresh canvas. Imagine painting your masterpieces on someone else’s painting. This is probably why brownfield sites are not the most desirable land to start building projects on, commercial or residential. Greenfield sites are a clean slate, previously unbuilt upon and typically are cheaper and easier sites for construction, but as the countryside in the UK rapidly disappears and the population increases, it is time for developers to start re-considering brownfield land.

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It’s obvious that smart home concept becomes globally popular and appealing idea. It eases our life making it more tranquil and secure. A lot has been said about the many benefits house automation brings to homeowners. But have you ever thought those smart home gadgets that gradually invade the world markets can actually help you save money and energy? Well, they really can! So, enjoy your high-tech house and avail of the clever devices you have invested in!

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Over the past five years we have seen an incredible shift towards homeowners and property developers sourcing the most sustainable and economically friendly floors for homes. Unsurprisingly this is a movement that has continued and whilst the threat of deforestation and climate change is still apparent there are many who are doing their upmost to help the environment. So how does this affect the flooring world and what steps have been put in place?

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Are you in the preparatory stages of a new build? Maybe you’re ready to bring in an electrical contractor but are worried about how they’ll fare coming up against Part L of the Building Regs? In this article, I’ll be covering how to choose an electrical contractor for a new build that will be required to pass an air permeability test.

What is Part L

In 2006 the government passed Part L of the Building Regs setting the standards for air permeability in certain new builds and extensions in the UK. The Regulation is concerned with the conservation of fuel and power through limiting heat gains and losses via the building’s fabric. Split into 4 parts the documents lay out guidelines for both new and existing buildings.
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It’s a well-known fact that a properly maintained garage can add serious long-term value to your property. However, if fallen into disrepair, or poorly insulated, garages can also act as parasites, siphoning off your fuel energy and allowing the elements in.

First Things First

Before insulating any garage, it is important to know what that garage is going to be used for. Garages can double up as workshops, exercise spaces and games rooms, offices and studios. To know what type of insulation to use it is essential to know what it will be required to do.
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We are helped out in this day and age when it comes to wanting to switch energy suppliers, but most of us are still very cynical of the whole process. Did you know it can take as little as five minutes to switch, and you could save around £200 in the process over the whole year? Think what else you could spend that money on. Home interiors? Holiday money? Clothes? For just five minutes of your time, it’s silly not to save yourself some money.

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