In the News – Home Finance

How does your garden grow?

Since the pandemic hit the UK, Brits have been spending more time in their garden – and spending more on them, too. According to new research1, 58% of respondents to a survey said their garden is now a bigger priority, which has been reflected in their spending. Almost a quarter of respondents (22%) spent more than £600 on their garden last year, compared with 12% in 2019. What’s more, over a quarter (27%) say they intend to spend over £600 in 2021.

The best return on your BTL investment

Buy-to-let (BTL) property can turn a real profit and provide a good income for landlords. Typically, UK BTL investors see a 5% annual return on average from their property – but profit is very much dependent on location. According to research, the top 10 places to invest in a rental property are: Sunderland, Blackburn, Durham, Blackpool, Oldham, Cleveland, Liverpool, Wigan, Bolton and Manchester.

Home moves prompted by nightmare neighbours

While the pandemic has prompted many people to move in search of more space, larger gardens or a more rural lifestyle, other people have less positive reasons for moving. According to a survey2, 28% of those asked why they moved home cited a desire to move away from noisy or messy neighbours. It’s likely that neighbour frustrations annoyed us more than usual last year, due to the amount of time we spent at home.

1Quickmovenow, 2021

2Yes,Homebuyers, 2021