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Pretty, who now chairs the New Homes Marketing Board, which, in a national survey with YouGov, has found that 90% of the population think property prices have become a huge social problem, threatening the wellbeing of local communities.
The board, an offshoot of the Home Builders Federation, is demanding the government introduce a fast-track planning application process for starter homes to accompany a faster release of land.
Once housing output has increased, the board wants to see these measures followed by the Conservative Party’s proposal for the elimination of Stamp Duty – or at least raising the threshold to £250,000 and the introduction of other financial incentives for first-time buyers only.
As part of this package, Pretty called on the housebuilding industry to devote at least 20% of future output to homes suitable for first-time buyers, and give them greater help with deposits and moving costs.
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Asians targeted in new home build scheme |
| 26 March 2008 |
Wealthy Asian investors are being targeted by a scheme that allows borrowers to buy new-build homes off-plan in the UK and then defer stumping up cash for a deposit.
Zurich Bank in association with XBond, the UK financial management team, announced a new financial guarantee, the Zurich property deposit guarantee. The guarantee allows potential homebuyers of new build homes to delay paying the cash deposit until the property is completed when the total amount will be due. Paul Gratton, executive chairman of XBond, said: "The Zurich property deposit guarantee is a simpler, faster and more affordable way for people to guarantee a deposit on a property.
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XBond signs housebuilder Redrow Plc |
| 2nd October 2007 |
Redrow, one of the UK’s leading residential and commercial property developers, building over 5,000 new homes a year, has signed up with The Zurich Property Deposit Guarantee.
Zurich PDG exclusively available through the XBond Company – is the new financial guarantee that enables homebuyers to secure a property by guaranteeing the required deposit with a simple and cost effective new product. The Zurich Property Deposit Guarantee is a financial guarantee made to developers or vendors on the buyer’s behalf. It allows buyers to delay paying a cash deposit until the property is complete, thereby enabling them to act quickly to secure the home they want.Instead of having to hand over a full five or ten percent cash deposit, buyers simply pay a guarantee fee which is, typically, considerably cheaper than the cost of borrowing from the high street.
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Barratt joins scheme to let buyers defer deposits on new-build homes |
| 1st October 2007 |
Barratt Developments, one of the UK's biggest housebuilders, has signed up to a new scheme which will allow borrowers to defer stumping up cash for a deposit when they buy a new-build property.
The move, which will potentially make it easier for homeowners to buy a new-build home, comes amid fears of a slowing housing market due to the fall out from the Northern Rock crisis. Barratt said last week its sales had fallen in midSeptember as consumers became more cautious.
The scheme, launched by Swiss insurance giant Zurich, is aimed at customers who want to delay paying a cash deposit - which on a new-build home can easily be more than £20,000 - until their property has been built. It allows homeowners to buy a property deposit guarantee for a fee. Housebuilders accept the guarantee secured by Zurich in place of a cash deposit.
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Barratt lets buyers defer new-build deposits |
| 1st October 2007 |
One of Britain’s biggest housebuilders has joined a scheme enabling borrowers to defer deposits when they buy a new-build property.
Barratt says its decision to sign up to the Zurich Property Deposit Guarantee could make it easier for home owners to buy a new-build home. It comes a week after the developer said its sales had fallen in mid-September, as consumers’ spending habits became more prudent. The scheme, run by Swiss insurance group Zurich and the XBond Company, is aimed at customers who want to delay paying a cash deposit - which on a new-build home can easily be more than £20,000 - until their property has been built.
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Buyers
access market for less |
| 1st October 2007 |
Zurich has launched the Property Deposit Guarantee, helping homebuyers secure
a property for less.
Acting as a financial guarantee to developers or vendors
on a buyer’s behalf, Zurich’s product allows homebuyers to delay
paying a cash deposit until the property is complete, thereby enabling
them to act quickly to secure the home they want.Instead of having
to hand over a full five or ten percent cash deposit, buyers simply
pay a guarantee fee which is typically cheaper than borrowing
from the high street.
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