Advertisement

Can we sell our £1.2million house without the neighbours knowing?

Our detached house was valued by an estate agent for £1.2million a couple of years ago. We're now looking to sell up and move somewhere smaller by the coast. We're keen to avoid having all and sundry know the house is up for sale and don't want a 'for sale' sign plonked outside the house. We are also very keen to avoid time wasters. What are our options?

Ready to go wild? Take a look inside this South African game reserve with 28 bedroom suites which could be yours for £9.7m

Magic Hills is a privately owned game reserve stretching around 40,000 acres, with the furthest ends of the property reaching into both the western and northern Cape. The expansive reserve has a number of on-site accommodation options for guests, including 28 bedroom suites across five luxurious lodges.

We will soon be moving into a three-bedroom semi-detached house built in the late 1930s. What are the options for reducing our energy bills?

EXCLUSIVE

The average home insurance premium for a period property is £547 per year, compared to £302 a year for homes built after the year 2000, Compare the Market said.

Abandoned water tower in Cambridgeshire going up for auction for £275,000

A disused water tower in Cambridgeshire is going up for auction on 30 May with a guide price of £275,000 before fees. The property comprises a large 1950s former water tower together with surrounding land. Perched on a generous plot near the shores of Grafham Water, Perry Water Tower is a landmark and now stands as a blank canvas for residential or potentially even holiday let use.

Audrey Hepburn's former home of 30 years is up for sale...have a look inside

The former home of Audrey Hepburn in Switzerland is up for sale with a guide price of around £17,500,000 or CHF 19,000,000. Hepburn lived in the 12-bedroom eighteenth century Swiss home, La Paisible, which translates as The Peaceful, for 30 years. It is nestled in the picturesque village of Tolochenaz, near Lausanne, and offers a glimpse into the private world of one of Hollywood's most famous icons.

Seven-bed Yorkshire castle with a steam room and wine cellar on sale for £7m

A seven-bedroom Grade II-listed castle in North Yorkshire has been put on the market for £7million. The 700 year-old property, called Kirby Knowles Castle, spans 14,208 sq ft and is set in 65 acres of land overlooking rural Yorkshire. Mary Queen of Scots was a frequent visitor to Kirby Knowles Castle at the time when Sir Thomas Rokeby, a knight and one of the justices of the King's Bench, owned the property. It later fell into disrepair after being empty since the 1950s.

My neighbour can have up to seven cars parked in front of his house and on the pavements, which he sells to private buyers. What can I do?

The TINY London flats that still won't attract stamp duty after 1 April

There are only a handful of properties for sale in London that will be exempt from stamp duty from next week, research has found.

My neighbour bought the bulk of the property in August 2024 and he immediately ripped out the carpets on the ground floor. The noise is terrible.

The tree's roots have warped the fence post and caused one panel to fall out. The fence belongs to me - so can I ask my neighbour to contribute?

Historic Grade II-listed TOWER in Northampton up for auction for £225k

A Grade II-listed tower in Boughton, Northampton, is going up for auction with a guide price of £225,000 to £250,000. The converted eighteenth century Hawking Tower was built as a folly by the Second Earl of Strafford and Wentworth. Its construction was mentioned in a letter to Whig politician and author, Horace Walpole, in 1756.

Labour wants more timber frame houses: What's good and bad about them?

Labour is pushing for more timber frame homes, saying they would be better for builders, and for the planet. Keir Starmer 's government wants to build 1.5million homes during the course of this parliament, and last month environment minister Mary Creagh unveiled plans to boost the number of those with a wooden framework. This is Money examines the pros and cons of timber frame properties, what they cost and whether or not they are likely to become widespread across Britain.

Reeves reveals Labour plan to train 60,000 construction workers: Is it enough to build

Labour has said it will train 60,000 new construction workers, as part of its mission to build 1.5million homes by the end of the current parliament in 2029. In the Spring Statement , Rachel Reeves confirmed plans for a £625million package aimed at ramping up the number of people across Britain who can build homes, and getting younger people into work. But one trades expert says 225,000 extra workers are needed, and Labour's plan to train 60,000 'barely makes a dent.'

Best homes for sale in Greece: As Britons flock there, here are seven sun-soaked

As well as a cheaper cost of living and low taxes, Greece offers a golden visa for those investing in property in the country. It is no surprise Britons are flocking to Greece to retire or enjoy a better work life balance. This is Money reveals seven properties up for sale across Greece to suit a number of different budgets.

Badgers have made their sett under my son's garage, digging out several tonnes of soil into his neighbour's garden. What should we do next?

The garden can sell your home - here's five tips to get it in shape before listing

Keeping a property's exterior and garden clean and tidy can help boost a home's value by more than £26,000, or 10%, findings claim. We outline why keeping your garden in order is important from the perspective of a property's value. We also speak to a gardening expert about his five top tips to help get your garden in shape now.

Nowhere near net zero homes! Energy performance ratings in England are dire... here's

More than half of properties in England fall below the C energy performance certificate rating which landlords will be required to meet by 2030, findings suggest. Of all the homes in the UK, including those owned by landlords and owner occupiers,  74,770 homes scored top marks with an A EPC rating according to an analysis by door and window supplier Eurocell.

Chateau DIY: Win the Dream will see aspiring chateau owners compete in challenges to prove they have what it takes to win a French chateau.

I want to buy a house near Heathrow's expansion, can I haggle more money off?

Having recently started a new job in the area, I am considering buying a house close to Heathrow Airport. However, it would be heavily affected by the third runway expansion plans. It's a three-bedroom bedroom semi-detached house listed for £510,000 and it went on the market before the plans were announced by Rachel Reeves . It doesn't seem to be that cheap, can I negotiate more money off - what is the best way to do this?

A new data series by estate agency Jackson-Stops gives buyers a helping hand in selecting family-friendly locations to live in England.

My wife wants to create an open-plan living, kitchen and dining space. How do we know if we can knock a wall down or not?

Undertakers turned three-bed home being sold by The Traitors star - and could be yours for

Nathan Khider was a contestant on the latest series of the BBC 's hit television show The Traitors . The 39-year-old, a Faithful, was banished in the second episode. Now, however, Nathan's busying nurturing his property business, Nathan K Real Estate. The businessman is on the lookout for a buyer for a former funeral undertakers turned bachelor pad in London .

Pengethley Manor, a former hotel, has 29 bathrooms and five grand reception rooms, and is currently being used as a private home.

I'm interested in the concept of feng shui, but don't really know how it works or what it entails. Could it help my small home feel well put-together?

Inspired by Amanda and Alan's Spanish Job? Five doer-uppers for sale in Spain

If you've been watching BBC One's Amanda and Alan's Spanish Job while languishing in the gloom of the British winter, you may be feeling inspired to take on a sunny property project of your own. The good news is that there are swathes of properties waiting to be loved and renovated across Spain and elsewhere. Last month, Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez declared that he wanted to ban non-EU citizens from buying homes in Spain in a bid to help quash the country's housing crisis. However, the plans remain firmly in the proposal stage and it remains unclear whether or not they will be implemented in the future.

Whether it's a cosy cottage you are after or a plush apartment with a seductive communal cinema room, there's something for everyone in the property market this Valentine's Day.

We bought our first flat in country's 'most miserable town' Slough and LOVE it - here's

Julius Pablo, 27, and his partner Raquel Robes, 31, are overjoyed at their recent property purchase. The couple have put down roots in a newly-built two-bedroom flat in Slough, having paid £425,000 for the property. In December, research by Rightmove found Slough was ranked as the most miserable place to live in Britain.

Every evening, a number of foxes now show up on our road waiting for food. The cat's scared to go out, bin liners are being ripped open and the noise is terrible.

While Thornbush Farm in West Yorkshire is now derelict, it's history is far from dull, and the entire 8.5 acre site is going up for auction on 5 February.

Nationwide's new mortgage rule gives first-time buyers less of a helping hand

Nationwide has dealt first-time buyers on modest incomes a blow by upping the minimum income threshold on its sole applicant Helping Hand mortgage from £35,000 to £40,000. The minimum income for joint applicants has stayed the same, at £55,000, a spokesman for Nationwide said. The lender's Helping Hand mortgage is designed to give eligible first-time buyers the opportunity to borrow up to six times their annual income.

Every day I come across several cat poos on my lawn, driveway and in my flower beds. There are too many to clear up. What can I do to resolve the problem humanely?

From 2023 to 2024, the average cost of a home in Stoke-on-Trent jumped by over £33,000, or 17.2 per cent, from £193,662 to £227,002, Halifax said.

I have a boundary dispute with my neighbour: Can I get a chainsaw and chop off part of his

Seven years ago, I bought a property with a neighbour's shed encroaching on my land at the back of the garden. Though the estate agent made me aware of this at the time, it wasn't an issue for me as I didn't need a mortgage. However, I now wish to move house and the encroachment is proving to be to be a problem. What can I do?

Grade II-listed Greyfriars House, which spans 14,000 square feet and has nine bedrooms, was designed in 1896 by architect Charles Voysey.

Aside from the characters and the plot, the television show has thrust Barry and Billericay firmly into the spotlight. We look at what's on offer at both locations.

My new neighbour's leaf blower is driving me mad - what can I do?

A new family recently moved next door to us and appear to be very keen on leaf blowers. Every or every other day, the man of the household puts on his safety goggles and ear defenders and fires up the leaf blower. The leaf blowing seems to last for hours and can start before 8am in the morning. He even sometimes gives it a go when it's dark outside in the late afternoon.

David Arfield, branch Manager at Cameron King Estate Agents in Cippenham, Slough, explained to This is Money why he disagrees with the findings about Slough.

We want to sell our house quickly, but I'm worried our lively neighbours' Christmas lights are putting buyers off. How can we get our place sold?

How rich are YOUR neighbours? Disposable income levels in cities across Britain revealed

New data points to a more nuanced picture of the North-South divide emerging when it comes to value for money and levels of disposable income. Residents in Brighton have the highest amount of disposable income of people in any city in Britain, data seen by This is Money reveals. Brighton dwellers have, on average, disposable cash totalling £1,315 a month, pipping London residents, with £1,013 in spare cash, to the post, MoneySuperMarket said.

The kitchen worktops are quartz - essentially fake marble. Given recent health concerns, would it be difficult to find a tradesperson willing to remove it?

Christmas lights are often used year after year, so they can get damaged and worn out - with older non-LED models a particular risk.

What was it like buying your first home in 1974 vs 2024: How much harder is it to get on

An analysis of house prices, salaries and deposits every year since 1974 reveals how tough it can be for couples to buy their first home. House prices have surged by 2,534% in 50 years, while salary growth has failed to keep up, data shows. In 1974, the average cost of a home was £10,027. Fast-forward to 2024 and the figure is £254,985 higher, at £265,012, Mojo Mortgages said.

Asking prices for the most viewed homes online via Rightmove range from £750,000 for an eight-bedroom house in Accrington to £45m for a nine-bedroom property in London.

He whizzes past the house, wakes us up at all hours and recently, almost mowed down me and my young children when we were leaving our front door.

London's last piano factory is up for auction and the huge site is expected to fetch

Prospective buyers on the hunt for something a bit different can snap up a piano factory or old boarding school house. On Wednesday 11 December, London's last piano factory is going up for auction via Savills. The entire site is vast, spanning over 25,000 sq. ft. Alternatively, also going up for auction is a grand Grade II-listed former boarding school currently used as a four-bedroom family home.

EXCLUSIVE

Applications made to councils to change the use of a property from commercial to residential have soared in recent years, data shows.

Westminster penthouse with MI6 history up for grabs for just shy of £4m

A two-bedroom 2,759 sq ft triplex penthouse located in the heart of Westminster, London, has gone on sale for £3,950,000. The unique flat is located at Whitehall Court, the former home of MI6 spymaster Sir Mansfield Cumming and screenwriter Brian Clemens.

New data reveals the things that prospective buyers want to see on a house viewing - and how much extra they are willing to pay for them.

EXCLUSIVE

The cost of moving home has more than doubled since 2014, data seen by This is Money shows - and stamp duty rises next year will see it soar even further.

Roofers branded least trustworthy tradespeople as cost of building work surges

The cost of getting building work done by tradespeople is surging and has risen to over £12,000, new data from Checkatrade reveals. While prices are on the up, the quality of tradespeople, however, remains mixed, with roofers being dubbed the least trustworthy, according to the platform. Checkatrade said roofers had the worst-rated review scores on its platform. It claimed roofers were more likely to be 'declined' from the Checkatrade platform than any other tradesperson

Figures from Nationwide reveal which of Britain's national parks is priciest, and how much more it costs to snap up a home.

If a property is marketed by an estate agent as being in band C, for example, what are my legal rights if this shifts to a higher band once we move in?

EXCLUSIVE Millionaire filmmaker Charlotte Fantelli's New Forest home is up for sale for £1.7MILLION - have a peek inside

Millionaire filmmaker and entrepreneur Charlotte Fantelli, 40, is selling her sprawling home spanning four acres in the New Forest, and it could all be yours for £1,725,000. With a penchant for motorsport, Charlotte has directed, written and produced, among other hits, the 2023 documentary De Portago , fronted by Will Buxton, and the Le Mans documentary, Journey to Le Mans , narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart. Fantelli's latest series, Car and Country Quest , recently premiered at the iconic Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy. She said the thing she'll miss most about the property is the double waterfall-style shower, used with the doors open.

This is Money is throwing the spotlight on three rural plots going up for auction via Savills on 19 November. All have bags of potential, but will require a serious commitment.

Located on Craven Street, the Grade II-listed house spans seven floors and offers prospective buyers period features as well as contemporary finishings.

Garage conversions tips: More homeowners are opting to do it - is it wise?

Garage conversions are growing in popularity as homeowners opt to improve rather than move, according to research from MyBuilder.com. Britons are letting their creative juices flow and creating cinema rooms, offices, annexes, playrooms, craft rooms and even bars in their garages. Susi Prudence, a 39-year-old copywriter from Maidstone, converted half of her double garage in her new-build house into a bar.

My property shares a driveway with a neighbour. The driveway is now badly in need of repair, but my neighbour won't pay up. Is there some way of legally enforcing him to pay for the repair costs?

Galia Grainger, the star of Channel 4 's Celebrity Fat Fighters TV show in 2017, is selling Merlin Court, her Devon fat-busting retreat for £895,000.

I want to buy a Grade II-listed cottage - how restricted will my renovations be?

I 'm a first-time buyer and have fallen in love with a three-bedroom cottage dating back to the eighteenth century. It beats the grisly flats I've been looking at in more expensive areas hands down, but is in less commutable spot than I'd hoped. The cottage is Grade II-listed, which does concern me a little, particularly as I'm not a property guru. What should I be aware of before buying?

I'd like to know how I can boost security in my home and on my driveway. What options are available and how much can these systems or products cost?

EXCLUSIVE

The removal of loadbearing walls and installation of new windows overlooking neighbours were the most common works undertaken without permissions in place.

We take a tour with the reality star billionaire who bought Lympne Castle in Kent

Picture a typical day at a Medieval English castle. It will probably involve a tea room. Some slightly bored schoolchildren wandering around the grounds. Perhaps a historical re-enactment.That sedate image couldn't be further from the £25million plans hatched by Real Housewives of Toronto star, Ann Kaplan Mullholland, who bought Lympne Castle near Hythe in Kent back in 2023 for £5.5million. I visited the Grade I listed castle, parts of which date back to 1080, to take a tour with Ann and hear about her plans to kit out the castle in her very unique style.

First-time buyers look set to pay thousands more on stamp duty costs after Rachel Reeves opted to steer clear of any tweaks in the budget.

If last year is anything to go by, we'll regularly have to put up with firework displays coming from our neighbour's back garden. What can we do?

People are throwing rubbish in my skip: How can I stop them?

We moved into our house last year and the property needs extensive renovation and extensions. While getting works done, we've had to use a number of skips. The skips are always placed on our driveway. Are there rules against this sort of thing? What can we do to prevent this and get the problem resolved?

Noisy children on a trampoline make our lives a misery: Do we have a right to privacy?

How far away from our boundary fence and house should a trampoline be under privacy law, please? We have to keep all doors, windows, air vents and curtains closed because of our neighbours' noisy children on a trampoline and in a kids swimming pool abutting our boundary fence. When I finally sent a polite text to my neighbour requesting them to quieten down, the response was 'no', followed by several malicious communications. What can I do? This can't continue.

Our house is covered in brown pebbledash - should we get rid of it?

We recently moved into a 1930s three-bedroom semi-detached house. It's spacious inside and we like the area. Unlike some of the properties we viewed, the house has been updated to a high standard inside. The exterior of the property is pebbledash, which I'd say is a sandy brown colour. Our neighbours and quite a few others on the street have the same pebbledash on their properties. Should we remove our pebbledash?

In the last six months, Checkatrade turned away a record 668 tradespeople who failed its sign-up checks, representing a 13% rise year-on-year.

We have two types of bamboo in our garden - does it need removing?

We bought our current home eight years ago. On either side of the garden is bamboo, planted by previous owners. We're no experts, but it appears to be two different types, one is close to our conservatory and the other is towards the back of the garden, near the shed office. Recently, I've noticed the occasional odd shoot a good distance away from the plant coming up through the grass. What should we do?

There are not one, but two, unique island sea forts going up for auction via Savills later this month on 18 June. We take a closer look at what's on offer.

We want to tear up the garden in our new home and replace it with artificial lawn - is it

We've just bought our first home and it comes with a nice compact 20ft garden. However, it's quite overgrown and we're not all that green-fingered. We want to put down an artificial lawn so we don't have the upkeep of constantly cutting grass and de-weeding. Is it a good idea?

We're house hunting in our local area and have found a four-bedroom home with a pool in the garden which is roughly 20ft x 13ft, with a deep end of 6ft.

This is Money speaks to estate agents to find out how sellers can increase their chances of securing a quick sale at the best price.

How buying a property for £175k could get you citizenship in the Caribbean

Moving to a sun-kissed island for a slower pace of life is a dream held by many. But even if you have the funds and the freedom to do so, getting the right to live permanently in a different country often brings complications. Five countries in the Caribbean are willing to help expats with that, however - on the condition that they buy a property or invest money in the area. In some countries, properties that qualify for the 'citizenship by investment' scheme cost £100,000 less than the average UK home. MailOnline explains how these 'citizenship by investment' schemes work, and looks at some of the eligible properties on the market right now.

We've lived in our house for decades and are considering downsizing. We're not sure if we should get rid of our artex ceilings before listing.

Busiest house moving day of 2024 is this month - eight tips to save money (and stress) if

Friday 30 August is set to be the busiest day of the year to move home, with over 20,000 moves expected, findings claim. For the last 12 years, August has been the busiest month to move and on 30 August, four times more households than average plan to move, according to the HomeOwners Alliance (HOA) and Reallymoving. Moving is a notoriously stressful, time-consuming and costly affair. With the help of experts, This is Money reveals eight tips to help streamline the process.

Potential buyers of Woodbine Cottage in Ardersier, near Inverness, may get some remarkable views of the Moray Firth, but also face a massive renovation job to make the building fit to live in.

Jeremy Clarkson's pub spikes interest in Burford property... but what homes could you buy

The opening of Jeremy Clarkson 's pub, The Farmer's Dog, in Asthall near Burford in Oxfordshire, has prompted a flurry of online searches for properties in Burford, according to Rightmove. During the bank holiday weekend, the number of searches for homes in Burford was 63% higher than the same period a year ago, the data suggests. This is Money reveals six properties on sale in or near Burford via Rightmove.

Located in Brockley, south London, the three-bed one bathroom property is on sale for £750,000. But the house's unique selling point is its colourful frontage, painted by Italian street artist Renato Hunto.

EXCLUSIVE

McCloud, 65, bought the rural hideaway - which came with planning permission to convert a cow shed into another new home - for £1.1 million in June 2021.

House prices will rise £61,500 on average in the next five years, predicts Savills

House prices will rise by an average of £61,500 in the next five years according to estate agent Savills, after it revised its prediction upwards from six months ago. The average value of a home in Britain is forecast to increase 21.6% by the end of 2028, according to Savills. It has also revised its annual forecast, which now stands at an increase of 2.5% for 2024. Savills had previously expected house prices to fall by 3% this year, but made the revision on the back of falls in the cost of mortgage debt.

Tiny cliff-side Poldark cottage with stunning views of one of Cornwall's best beaches

A one-bedroom cliff-side cottage that appeared in BBC's Poldark has sold for £423,000. Bidding for the property, which has views over one of Cornwall's best beaches, began on Monday at a guide price of £395,000 before nearly £30,000 was added to the value over two days of offers. According to auctioneers, the property has the potential to be transformed into a 'Grand-Designs style project'.

Brian Smith, 57, says his mobile home in South Cornwall is 'unsellable' due to an ongoing problem which sees his neighbours' sewage 'bubble up' through their bathroom when the tanks are full.

A British version of Netflix 's Selling Sunset will follow a millionaire property mogul and his estate agent team as they try to sell London 's most expensive homes.

Luxury Devon penthouse in Grade I listed Flete House is for sale for £450k... but there's

The penthouse is part of Flete House Tower, which is set in 12 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds in the village of Ermington, two miles from the town of Ivybridge. The apartment for sale is number 21 and is in the tower, accessed from the ground floor via a staircase or lift.

The average asking price of a rental property outside of London climbed to a 17th consecutive record, reaching £1,291 a month, according to Rightmove.

Britain's most expensive and cheapest places to buy or rent a home revealed

Aberdeen tops the list of the cheapest cities to be a first-time buyer while the most expensive is London. And for tenants, the cheapest city is Carlisle, while the most expensive is also London. For those who can afford to save a good sized deposit of at least 20 per cent, it is cheaper to pay a monthly mortgage than rent in each of the largest cities in Britain.

A total of 40 per cent said it was either 'very difficult' or 'somewhat difficult' to keep up with their rent or mortgage payments.

The average service charge on a flat in England and Wales is currently £2,247 a year, nearly a third higher than in the first quarter of 2019.

Four farm silos listed for £200k and they can be converted to a fabulous family home

A unique opportunity to convert four silos into a luxury family home is available after planning permission was granted on a piece of land in West Norfolk. Silos are used in farming to store grain or fermented feed for animals, but these structures are set to get a new lease of life as the local authority has given the green light for them to be converted into a three-bedroom home. The land is currently for sale with a price tag of £200,000, and the conversion will take considerably more funds to complete.

A Section 21 notice allows landlords to legally evict tenants without providing a reason for doing so, creating uncertainty for those renting the property.

Take a look inside this lovingly restored 1960s landmark Essex home lived in by an

We speak to current owners Alan Walker and his wife Sandy, who bought the detached modernist property in the Essex town of Loughton in 2013. They are the third owners of Sussex House, which was originally built in 1965 and lived in by the architect Geoffrey Bateman. The estate agent handling the sale of the property is Savills, which is advertising it with a price tag of £1.85million.

  

DON'T MISS: PROPERTY

buy to let

Compare true mortgage costs

Work out mortgage costs and check what the real best deal taking into account rates and fees. You can either use one part to work out a single mortgage costs, or both to compare loans

  • £
    £
  • £
    £
  • years
    years
  • %
    %
  • yrs
    mths
    yrs
    mths
Advertisement
Advertisement
close