With rising numbers of cyclists using London's roads, Rentonomy (recent winners of the Primelocation Users' Favourite Blog Award) has had a look at the five top areas in which cycling commuters live. Using the latest Census figures, they've worked out that around 12% live in Dalston, followed by Stoke Newington (10%), Highbury (9%), Clapton (9%) and Herne Hill (8%) and that cyclists in these areas could be saving up to 15% of their rent rather than using annual Travelcards.
Fancy a beach hut or a cricket pitch? The beach hut bubble has certainly not burst. Hut 305 - with a leasehold expiring in 2029 - is on the market with Waterside Properties in Mudeford for £200,000 (plus a £1,900 service charge and £500 council tax bill). Feaatures include lovley views over the Solent and Isle of Wight, room to sleep four (bunk beds and two bench beds), solar panels to power spotlights and socket, gas cooker, ridge, sink, and a fitted kitchen, and decking. Alternatively, as the Ashes gets into full gear, why not splash out on a property which has its own cricket pitch and pavilion? This 11 bedroom home in Salisbury (pictured above) is on with Chesterton Humberts. Price on application.
Homeless Londoners moved to temporary accommodation in Devon Research from housing charity Shelter shows that homeless Londoners are being moved to temporary accommodation some distance from the capital and in some cases as far away as Devon and Manchester. Their figures from 31 London councils indicated that 11,513 homeless households were placed in temporary accommodation outside their home borough in 2012, 580 outside London, with 120 moved 20 miles or more away.
Is 2007 peak about to be topped? Nine consecutive months of year-on-year growth has seen the number of residential valuations so far in 2013 exceed the 2007 record, according to chartered surveyors Connells Survey & Valuation who say that the first six months of 2013 has seen 1% more valuations than in the same period six years ago. The total number of residential valuations conducted in June rose by 54% from a year ago,
John Bagshaw, Corporate Services Director of Connells Survey & Valuation, said: 'The second step and beyond are becoming more affordable for some people. But if and when the housing market can support a return of first-time buyers moving up the chain could rapidly become the new bottleneck. Even if owner-occupancy starts to pick up again, the fundamental ratio of earnings to house prices will keep a lid on aspirations for a bigger garden or a spare bedroom. House prices may be rising as a result of activity overall, but wages are still lagging behind the economic climate rather than racing ahead, and this is likely to affect the housing food chain for many more years to come.'
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