There’s no need to panic if you’re hoping to use Help to Buy to find a home in the capital. The end of October deadline for applications is still nearly four months away, and you have hundreds of developments to choose from, spread right across London . According to Hamptons, the equity loan scheme is currently available at a total of 368 sites, and in every borough apart from the City and Kensington & Chelsea . From inner-city enclaves to leafy suburbs, we’ve pinpointed some of the best locations to find your perfect home. North An average house price of £415,000 means that Colindale is very affordable by north London standards. It’s rather well-connected, too, being on the Northern line and only 20 minutes from Euston and King’s Cross, and close to the North Circular and Brent Cross. Regeneration is well under way: shiny new shops and restaurants – including Bang Bang Oriental, London’s largest Asian food hall – and more than 10,000 homes are being … [Read more...] about Here are the best places in London to find a home available with Help To Buy
Katie price london marathon
‘I bought a £480,000 flat in London by myself thanks to Help To Buy’
David Waters, 29, a video marketing manager for a company based in Reading, had been renting in London for years when he had an epiphany. Although he had his own bedroom, everything else was shared with strangers and he started questioning whether he could actually afford to buy. So he decided to explore his options and researched the market. Fast-forward six months and by taking advantage of the government’s Help to Buy scheme, David has been able to buy a spacious two-bedroom flat, priced £460,000, on the first floor of Lovell Homes’ Trinity Walk development in Woolwich. ‘I knew that continuing to rent as part of a house share in London did not make good financial sense – it’s money down the drain,’ he says. ‘In fact, it made no sense at all as the rental payments were higher than my mortgage is now. Plus, on a practical level, I had a bedroom and shared everything else with housemates.’ When it came to choosing what and where to buy, David wanted enough … [Read more...] about ‘I bought a £480,000 flat in London by myself thanks to Help To Buy’
Lauren London reacts to boyfriend Nipsey Hussle’s death with Instagram tribute: “I’m lost without you”
Actress Lauren London has spoken out following the death of her boyfriend, rapper Nipsey Hussle. Hussle died at a Los Angeles hospital on Sunday after he was shot multiple times outside of his store, the Marathon Clothing Company. "I am completely lost I've lost my best friend My sanctuary My protector My soul....I'm lost without you We are lost without you babe I have no words," the actress wrote on Instagram, accompanying a caption with a slideshow of photos featuring Hussle, herself and their 2-year-old son Kross. London and Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, had been dating for five years. The photos posted on Tuesday mark the first time that London has shared their son's face on social media. Hussle also has a daughter, Emani, from a previous relationship. According to a March 2019 interview with GQ Magazine , Hussle and London met in 2013 when she bought a mixtape from Hussle to gift co-stars on The Game . London's tribute was posted hours after Eric Holder, the man … [Read more...] about Lauren London reacts to boyfriend Nipsey Hussle’s death with Instagram tribute: “I’m lost without you”
Everything you need to know about Help To Buy before the scheme ends
The clock is ticking on Help to Buy . Launched amid much fanfare in April 2013, the scheme originally gave both first-time buyers and home movers throughout England financial assistance by means of an equity loan from the Government of up to 20% of the price of a new-build property, capped at £600,000. All they needed was a 5% cash deposit, and the loan was interest-free for five years and didn’t have to be paid back until they sold. In 2016 London Help to Buy was introduced, doubling the size of the loan to 40% in the capital, and last year a new version of Help to Buy brought in lower regional price caps everywhere bar London, as well as restricting the scheme to first-time buyers only. Help to Buy: How the scheme works – and is it worth it? Since 2013, more than 355,000 properties, with a combined value of £99billion, have been purchased with Help to Buy equity loans. Now, nearly ten years on, the scheme is being shelved completely. Although it … [Read more...] about Everything you need to know about Help To Buy before the scheme ends
Dentist’s urgent warning to Brits thinking of going overseas for cheap ‘Turkey teeth’
A dentist has issued a stark warning to Brits thinking of going overseas for cheap 'Turkey teeth'. The latest cosmetic dental trend of travelling abroad to get cheaper treatment is becoming increasingly popular as in the UK alone - 63% of those considering treatments are aged between 18-34, Liverpool Echo reports. However, experts say people committing to a lifetime of unnecessary, expensive and painful treatments could be at risk as many don’t even know what work they’ve had done when going for veneers, which is a wafer-thin covering for the front of the tooth. And coming away with a far more invasive outcome like crowns, where the surgeon will file down the existing teeth and add a fake tooth cap, or crown, could see patients walk away with 'Turkey teeth'. Dentists are warning Brits not to end up with 'Turkey Teeth' ( Image: Getty Images/Stock Image) While it may be cheaper in the short-term to travel abroad for the treatment, it could end up costing … [Read more...] about Dentist’s urgent warning to Brits thinking of going overseas for cheap ‘Turkey teeth’
‘We didn’t think we’d have a big enough deposit but Help to Buy saved the day’
After renting a house in Colchester, Meg Owen and Ben Dransfield decided to leave the busy town behind and buy their first home around 25 minutes away – at Cala Homes’ Newlands Park in Mistley , near Manningtree in Essex. ‘Our rent was already exceeding £1,000 per month and we had no guarantee it wouldn’t increase,’ explains Meg, 24, a building surveyor. ‘We were really keen to use our money smarter and pay towards a home we actually owned, rather than losing it all in rent. ‘I only graduated from university two-and-a-half years ago, but Ben has been saving for a home since he was 17 when he started his apprenticeship, so we did have a small amount of savings, but didn’t think it’d be enough for a deposit.’ Ben, 22, a wind turbine technician, sails out and back each working day. ‘With such long days out at sea, it was really important for me to have somewhere cosy to come home to, and Meg was adamant that everything be up to her high standards,’ he says. ‘We also … [Read more...] about ‘We didn’t think we’d have a big enough deposit but Help to Buy saved the day’
Oh dear, Brussels! City defies Brexit gloomsters to outgun EU and French rivals
Hermann Kelly slams financial burden of EU Sign up for FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info In a major blow for Emmanuel Macron , British banks made more profit than French rivals for the first time since 2015, despite Brussels officials desperately trying to shift more jobs out of London and onto the continent since Brexit . The buoyant banking sector was fourth only behind the global financial powerhouses of China, the US and Canada. UK banks generated £46billion in pre-tax profits last year as big lenders were significantly boosted by a strong recovery from the economy after the Covid pandemic, as well as a private equity deal-making boom and a soaring housing market. … [Read more...] about Oh dear, Brussels! City defies Brexit gloomsters to outgun EU and French rivals
Hunting for Antibiotics in the World’s Dirtiest Places
On a chilly autumn morning in northwest London, just outside the Euston train station, Adam Roberts stops at the top of an outdoor staircase, looks around for police, and tries to appear inconspicuous. This is harder than it sounds, and not only because he’s 6 foot 3. Roberts pulls a plastic-wrapped package from his pocket, tears it open, and slides out a long, slender tube and a swab that looks like an overgrown Q-tip. After checking again for anyone watching, he trots down the stairs, dragging the swab along the handrail, and slips the swab into the tube and the tube into his pocket. Then he strolls away. Listen to the audio version of this article: Feature stories, read aloud: download the Audm app for your iPhone. After a block, Roberts veers off busy Euston Road and down side streets toward his lab at University College London. He’s not up to anything nefarious—quite the opposite—but with closed-circuit TVs everywhere and London on high alert for terrorist threats, … [Read more...] about Hunting for Antibiotics in the World’s Dirtiest Places
Fans celebrate Nipsey Hussle’s birthday five months after the rapper’s tragic death
Fans honored the life and legacy of Nipsey Hussle on what would have been the rapper's 34th birthday on Thursday. After spending years releasing music in California's underground hip-hop scene, Hussle gained mainstream success with his 2018 debut album Victory Lap . The album's critical acclaim and Grammy nod felt like a victory for the within itself, but it was Hussle's relentless dedication and love of the community and place that raised him—the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles—that fans admired him for the most. On his birthday, hundreds of them took to social media to recognize how important of a figure Hussle was in their own lives and how they were continuing the marathon he so notably launched in the five months since he was tragically killed in March. Although no public tributes in honor of the "Dedication" rapper's birthday were announced, local media in Los Angeles reported large crowds were expected to gather in memoriam at Hussle's popular retail store, The Marathon … [Read more...] about Fans celebrate Nipsey Hussle’s birthday five months after the rapper’s tragic death
Kate Garraway puts on brave face at TRIC Awards as husband Derek is back in hospital
Kate Garraway puts on brave face at TRIC Awards Kate Garraway confirmed husband Derek Draper is in hospital (Image: GETTY/ITV) Sign up for FREE for the latest news from the world of showbiz SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info The Good Morning Britain star, 55, was appearing at the Tric Awards in London when she opened up about his condition today. Derek contracted coronavirus in March 2020 and spent more than a year in hospital. In April last year, the dad-of-two returned to the couple's family home to be with Kate and their children Darcey, 16, and son Billy, 12. His health woes were documented in two candid ITV films, including Finding Derek and the emotional follow-up Caring For Derek. Kate has since addressed her husband's … [Read more...] about Kate Garraway puts on brave face at TRIC Awards as husband Derek is back in hospital