Current News
- Fish Home Finders make a splash at 2011 UK Property Awards - 29 October 2011
- News and views on the property market - 01 March 2011
- Top 10 Things To Do - Central England - 01 March 2011
Fish Home Finders make a splash at 2011 UK Property Awards
29 October 2011
Fish Home Finders has been celebrating having been awarded ‘Highly Commended: Best Property Finder, West Midlands’ at the prestigious UK Property Awards.
The UK Property Awards aims to recognise excellence across the property industry. The presentation was made at a gala dinner held at The Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Friday 28th October.
“We are delighted to receive this award in what has been a very busy year for us. It is especially rewarding as this year we were the only Home Finder outside of London to win an award.”
“Many thanks to all our clients for their support over the last year and to those who contributed with the fantastic testimonials in support of our entry.”
David and Heather Richardson receiving their award.
News and views on the property market
01 March 2011
Market Overview
There is a variety of opinion on what 2011 holds for the property market although it certainly looks like it will remain a buyers’ market. At best it is likely that prices will rise very slightly or remain static. Other industry commentators are predicting a sharp decline of up to 10% by the end of the year. As ever, no-one really knows. What we do know is that housing market trends are closely linked to the general economy and that forecasts for the UK economy are for very modest growth (1.3% growth in GDP). Mortgage approvals will also remain subdued, with continued pressure on lenders. Banks and Building Societies will be looking to attract ‘low risk’ borrowers with straightforward financial circumstances and significant deposits.
In terms of the rental market, 2011 looks like being another buoyant year. Many people who would normally be looking to buy their first property are staying put in rental accommodation and saving for their increased deposits. Others are renting to see where the market is going and not committing to purchasing in the current uncertain economic climate. This has resulted in a shortage of supply of rental properties and increases in rental prices in many areas.
Top 10 Things To Do - Central England
01 March 2011
Experience Medieval England - Warwick Castle
Experience one thousand years of jaw dropping history, great battles, ancient myths, spellbinding tales, pampered princesses and heroic knights.
Explore The Cotswolds
Explore an area famous for hundreds of honey-coloured limestone villages in beautiful rural settings, stretching from south west Warwickshire to Bath in Gloucestershire.
Discover the ‘University of The Great Outdoors’
Herefordshire is an ideal place for people who love the Great Outdoors. With over 2,000 miles of footpaths in every corner of the county, you can walk the 154-mile Herefordshire Trail or have a gentle stroll along the Wye Valley. If you enjoy activity-based holidays, there are cycling tours with traffic free trails and quiet country lanes and water based holidays on the River Wye, with canoeing, fishing, kayaking, sailing and riverboat cruises.
Shop till you drop – the Bullring, Birmingham
For the ultimate retail therapy experience, take a trip to Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre. With over 160 stores, including the iconic Selfridges building it’s the UK’s most visited shopping centres.
Be entertained Shakespeare style – RSC, Stratford-Upon-Avon
Probably the most famous classical theatre company in the world, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is celebrating its 50th birthday in the newly refurbished theatre, complete with observation tower overlooking the historic town of Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Experience the ‘Cheltenham Roar’ – The Cheltenham Festival 2011
The most prestigious meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar, the Cheltenham Festival, celebrating its centenary this year, plays host to some of the best jumping action in the world from 350 spectacular acres in the middle of the beautiful Cotswold hills.
www.cheltenham.co.uk/racing/index.html
Climb England’s oldest hills and admire the views – The Malverns, Worcestershire
The Malvern Hills have been described as a mountain range in miniature, the eight mile ridge containing some of the oldest rocks in Britain. Today you can enjoy over 4500 acres of open countryside climbing to the highest point at Worcestershire Beacon or enjoying the quiet ramblings along the wooded slopes.
www.malvernhills.org.uk/visiting/things_to_do.aspx
Visit one of the world’s oldest and most famous Universities – Christchurch, Oxford
The largest and most famous of all the Oxford colleges, founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, Christchurch is the only college in the world with a cathedral within its walls. More recently it has featured as the 'Hogwarts School' in the Harry Potter blockbusters.
Experience the atmosphere of a bygone age - The Tall Ships’ Festival, Gloucester
The Tall Ships' Races are an internationally acclaimed annual competition organised by Sail Training International and held every summer in European waters, with Gloucester Docks to host the 2011 event. Each year between 70 and 100 vessels from 15-20 countries, crewed by some 5-6,000 young people from over 30 countries worldwide take part in this unique event that combines four days of activities in each port with racing or cruising-in-company between ports. The main aim of the event is to provide an opportunity for young people to develop their personal skills in a challenging and memorable sail-training environment and hence at least 50% of a Tall Ship's crew must be aged 15-25.
www.thecityofgloucester.co.uk/tallships
Visit one of the “most extraordinary districts in the world” – Ironbridge, Shropshire
Sometimes known as the "Valley of Invention", the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site is universally recognised for its unique role in the development of the Industrial Revolution that originated in Britain in the early years of the 18th century.
