Conservatories have the power to add more light and space to an existing property, according to an industry expert.

Graham Lock, director and co-founder of housenetwork.co.uk, said that adding some form of extension was the quickest way to make the home bigger. Read more…

Homeowners have been warned to brace themselves for freezing temperatures and possible snow, as the cold weather continues to sweep across the UK.

Cold air has been flooding in from the continent over the past few days, causing temperatures to drop as low as -10 degrees C in some areas last night (February 2nd). Read more…

Reducing the VAT on home improvements would encourage more people to make their homes more energy efficient, according to the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC).

The Federation of Master Builders recently put out a call to the government to reduce the number of rogue traders who take cash in hand payments and often provide a sub-standard job. Read more…

Sellers must be competitive if they hope to sell their property this year, as the housing market continues to favour buyers.

Selwyn Lim, director of Mouseprice, said those looking to buy a property know it is a buyers’ market – thanks to lower transaction levels and stricter mortgage lending – and sellers must become more competitive if they wish to find a buyer. Read more…

Winter has traditionally been a tricky time to sell a property due to the seasonal slowdown, but the current housing market climate has turned this on its head.

According to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), the winter sees less competition for both sellers and buyers, meaning people are more focused in their search and are more likely committed to pushing their sale through. Read more…

Homeowner insurance holders across the UK have reduced their spending of late but ignored the biggest monthly outgoing, according to a new report.

Research from Barclays this week shows that 58 per cent of homeowners have never changed their mortgage outside of moving house. Read more…

Landlords carrying commercial property insurance should consider placing their money in both safe and more risky assets, this autumn.

Figures from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) show that despite improvements in the UK commercial property market in the first half of 2011, occupier demand fell back in the third quarter of the year. Read more…