{"id":10897,"date":"2017-03-24T10:00:29","date_gmt":"2017-03-24T10:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/?p=10897"},"modified":"2018-10-05T14:44:48","modified_gmt":"2018-10-05T14:44:48","slug":"this-weeks-hottest-property-news-24-03-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/this-weeks-hottest-property-news-24-03-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week&#8217;s Hottest Property News &#8211; 24.03.2017"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- SEO Ultimate Plus (https:\/\/seoultimateplus.com) - Code Inserter module -->\n<script async>(function(s,u,m,o,j,v){j=u.createElement(m);v=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0];j.async=1;j.src=o;j.dataset.sumoSiteId='b68b392479b5981b8acf46565e9fe32a0734fc21a1f7c1e60121eaa6ca1a1c64';v.parentNode.insertBefore(j,v)})(window,document,'script','\/\/load.sumo.com\/');<\/script>\n<!-- \/SEO Ultimate Plus -->\n\n<h1>House prices in England and Wales: growth in the East and West Midlands outstrips all other regions &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/property-news\/house-prices-in-england-and-wales-growth-in-the-east-and-west-midlands-outstrips-all-other-regions-a109006.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Evening Standard<\/a><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_10901\" style=\"width: 656px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10901\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-10901 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands.png\" alt=\"Image source\" width=\"646\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands.png 950w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands-260x178.png 260w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands-600x410.png 600w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands-100x68.png 100w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands-150x102.png 150w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands-200x137.png 200w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands-300x205.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands-450x307.png 450w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Midlands-900x615.png 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10901\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/property-news\/house-prices-in-england-and-wales-growth-in-the-east-and-west-midlands-outstrips-all-other-regions-a109006.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Image source<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Midlands see a property price boom as the rest of the UK lags behind as demand outstrips supply resulting from the housing crisis.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The average UK home now costs \u00a3310,000 following the second highest March increase in a decade, as demand continues to outstrip supply of available <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Home\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/home\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/home;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.01l0mw;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Home\" >homes<\/a> across the country.<\/p>\n<p>The greatest price increase was seen in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/topic\/east-midlands\">East Midlands<\/a>, which stretches from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/topic\/northamptonshire\">Northamptonshire<\/a> to Derbyshire and includes cities such as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/topic\/nottingham\">Nottingham<\/a>, Leicester and Lincoln, according to the latest Rightmove House Price Index.<\/p>\n<p>Homes in the region are now being marketed for a record average of \u00a3200,600 \u2013 \u00a310,800 more than a year ago.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/property-news\/house-prices-in-england-and-wales-growth-in-the-east-and-west-midlands-outstrips-all-other-regions-a109006.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n<h1>Buy-to-let property purchase activity &#8216;continues to be weak&#8217; &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.landlordtoday.co.uk\/breaking-news\/2017\/3\/buy-to-let-property-purchase-activity-continues-to-be-weak\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Landlord Today.com<\/a><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_10903\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10903\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-10903 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/BuyToLet-360x280.png\" alt=\"Image source\" width=\"440\" height=\"342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/BuyToLet-360x280.png 360w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/BuyToLet-360x280-260x202.png 260w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/BuyToLet-360x280-100x78.png 100w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/BuyToLet-360x280-150x117.png 150w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/BuyToLet-360x280-200x156.png 200w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/BuyToLet-360x280-300x233.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 440px) 100vw, 440px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10903\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.landlordtoday.co.uk\/breaking-news\/2017\/3\/buy-to-let-property-purchase-activity-continues-to-be-weak\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Image source<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>With the downturn in the <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Buy to let\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/buy-to-let\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/buy_to_let;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.083ycg;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Buy_to_let\" >buy-to-let<\/a> market affecting private rental housing, worrying figures show this is set to continue.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The number of buy-to-let <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Loan\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/loan\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/loan;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.01dnzs;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Loan\" >loans<\/a> secured by buy-to-let <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Landlord\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/landlord\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/landlord;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.02mx_6;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Landlord\" >landlords<\/a> increased in January to the second highest monthly level since the introduction of the 3% stamp duty surcharge on second homes in April 2016, behind November 2016, new figures show.<\/p>\n<p>But rather than new loans to invest in new much needed private rented housing, this activity was actually driven by buy-to-let remortgage lending which accounted for more than two thirds of total lending.<\/p>\n<p>The volume of loans for buy-to-let house purchase advanced in January was at an eight month low in part due to the traditional seasonal dip in activity in the winter months.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.landlordtoday.co.uk\/breaking-news\/2017\/3\/buy-to-let-property-purchase-activity-continues-to-be-weak\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n<h1>Affordability worsens all over England and Wales as house prices rocket way ahead of earnings &#8211; P<a href=\"http:\/\/www.propertyindustryeye.com\/affordability-worsens-all-over-england-and-wales-as-house-prices-rocket-way-ahead-of-earnings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">roperty Industry Eye<\/a><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_10916\" style=\"width: 576px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10916\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-10916 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale.jpg\" alt=\"Image source\" width=\"566\" height=\"366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale.jpg 2585w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale-260x168.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale-600x388.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale-100x65.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale-150x97.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale-200x129.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale-450x291.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale-900x582.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10916\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"http:\/\/familytolondon.co.uk\/property-in-london\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Image source<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>The worst is confirmed by recent ONS survey as the gap between wages and property prices continues to widen with no end in sight.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>House prices have been rising faster than earnings over the last two decades, highlighting a growing affordability gap.<\/p>\n<p>On average, working people could expect to pay around 7.6 times their annual earnings on purchasing a home in England and Wales in 2016, up from 3.6 times earnings in 1997.<\/p>\n<p>The figures are in a new report from the Office of National Statistics which looks into earnings and the price of housing.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.propertyindustryeye.com\/affordability-worsens-all-over-england-and-wales-as-house-prices-rocket-way-ahead-of-earnings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n<h1>Where to buy in zone 3: first-time buyer hotspots from Forest Hill to Leyton with easy commutes to central London &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/property-news\/buying\/first-time-buyers\/where-to-buy-in-zone-3-where-firsttime-buyers-in-search-of-more-space-and-commutes-of-less-than-20-a108951.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Evening Standard<\/a><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_10905\" style=\"width: 649px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10905\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-10905 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3.png\" alt=\"Image source\" width=\"639\" height=\"507\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3.png 877w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3-260x206.png 260w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3-567x450.png 567w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3-100x79.png 100w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3-150x119.png 150w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3-200x159.png 200w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3-300x238.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3-450x357.png 450w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Zone-3-600x476.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10905\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/property-news\/buying\/first-time-buyers\/where-to-buy-in-zone-3-where-firsttime-buyers-in-search-of-more-space-and-commutes-of-less-than-20-a108951.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Image source<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Following on from the previous week, the Evening Standard takes a look at the popular areas within zone 3 for first-time buyers, who still want to be within an easy commute to the center of <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/london\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/london;http:\/\/sws.geonames.org\/2643743\/;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.04jpl;http:\/\/yago-knowledge.org\/resource\/London;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/London\" >London<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/topic\/house-prices\">house\u00a0prices<\/a> move inexorably upwards, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/topic\/zone-3\">Zone 3<\/a> has become the new <a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/topic\/zone-2\">Zone 2<\/a>, beloved of first-time buyers because of its easy commutes to central London and its \u2014 moderately \u2014 affordable prices.<\/p>\n<p>It will probably mean accepting an 0208 phone number, but that is a small price to pay when compared with the sheer variety this inbetweener zone offers:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Harlesden: hot<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.homesandproperty.co.uk\/property-news\/buying\/first-time-buyers\/where-to-buy-in-zone-3-where-firsttime-buyers-in-search-of-more-space-and-commutes-of-less-than-20-a108951.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n<h1>Inside the &#8216;billionaire bunkers&#8217; where the world&#8217;s super rich will ride out the apocalypse &#8211; as sales surge 300 PER CENT since Donald Trump was elected &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-4332818\/Inside-billionaire-bunkers-bought-super-rich.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Daily Mail Online<\/a><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_10918\" style=\"width: 651px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10918\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-10918 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker.jpg\" alt=\"Image source\" width=\"641\" height=\"361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker.jpg 962w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker-260x146.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker-600x337.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker-200x112.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker-450x253.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Billionaires-Bunker-900x506.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 641px) 100vw, 641px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10918\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-4332818\/Inside-billionaire-bunkers-bought-super-rich.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Image source<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\"><strong>It&#8217;s all gone wrong &#8211; if the world&#8217;s richest 1% are already tripping over themselves to buy up their nuclear bomb proof bunkers since Trump&#8217;s election, there is no hope left for us!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">A growing number of the world&#8217;s super rich are preparing for the apocalypse by purchasing &#8216;doomsday bunkers&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">But don&#8217;t expect the one per cent to slum it out in drab, concrete dwellings as they survive the end of the world &#8211; these bunkers feature some of the most lavish layouts imaginable that are designed for the more <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Modern architecture\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/modern-architecture\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/modern_architecture;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.01tv5c;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Modern_architecture\" >modern<\/a> survivalist.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Your father or grandfather&#8217;s bunker was not very comfortable,&#8217;\u00a0Robert Vicino, CEO of\u00a0Vivos, told <a class=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2017\/03\/20\/luxury\/doomsday-luxury-bunkers\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNN<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;They were gray. They were metal, like a ship or something military. And the truth is mankind cannot survive long-term in such a Spartan, bleak environment.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-4332818\/Inside-billionaire-bunkers-bought-super-rich.html#ixzz4byXoEHmz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more here\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<h1>Higher house prices mean fewer burglaries, insurance firm claims &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.estateagenttoday.co.uk\/breaking-news\/2017\/3\/higher-house-prices-mean-fewer-burglaries-insurance-firm-claims\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Estate Agent Today<\/a><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_10920\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10920\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-10920 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/PropertyPrices-400x310.jpg\" alt=\"Image source\" width=\"400\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/PropertyPrices-400x310.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/PropertyPrices-400x310-260x202.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/PropertyPrices-400x310-100x78.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/PropertyPrices-400x310-150x116.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/PropertyPrices-400x310-200x155.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/PropertyPrices-400x310-300x233.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10920\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.estateagenttoday.co.uk\/breaking-news\/2017\/3\/higher-house-prices-mean-fewer-burglaries-insurance-firm-claims\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Image source<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>The good news about the UK&#8217;s rising <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"houses\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/house\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/house;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.03jm5;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/House\" >house<\/a> prices is that there will be less burglaries, although the bad news is that many are unable to own their first home &#8211; swings and roundabouts spring to mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>New analysis shows what appears to be the correlation between rising house prices and falling burglary <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Rates (tax)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/rates-tax\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/rates_tax;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.03hnzm;http:\/\/yago-knowledge.org\/resource\/Rates_(tax);http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Rates_(tax)\" >rates<\/a> across the country.<\/p>\n<p>The research, by Churchill <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"homeowners\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/home-insurance\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/home_insurance;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.0313mp;http:\/\/yago-knowledge.org\/resource\/Home_insurance;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Home_insurance\" >Home Insurance<\/a>, claims to show a direct correlation between <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/property\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/property;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.05wrt;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Property\" >property<\/a> values and crime levels, with the counties experiencing the sharpest rise in property prices also likely to experience the biggest decrease in reported burglaries.<\/p>\n<p>Across the 10 regions in England and Wales, house prices as reported by the <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Land registration\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/land-registration\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/land_registration;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.08xnz_;http:\/\/yago-knowledge.org\/resource\/Land_registration;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Land_registration\" >Land Registry<\/a> rose from an average of \u00a3199,493 in 2011 to \u00a3274,228 last year &#8211; an increase of nearly \u00a375,000, or 37 per cent.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.estateagenttoday.co.uk\/breaking-news\/2017\/3\/higher-house-prices-mean-fewer-burglaries-insurance-firm-claims\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n<h1>It&#8217;s time to ditch the decking and opt instead for swish stone, gravel or even fake grass &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/property\/article-4323820\/Ditch-decking-stone-gravel-fake-grass.html?ITO=1490&amp;ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Daily Mail Online<\/a><\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_10908\" style=\"width: 564px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10908\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-10908 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden.jpg\" alt=\"Image source\" width=\"554\" height=\"738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden.jpg 634w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden-155x206.jpg 155w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden-338x450.jpg 338w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden-100x133.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden-150x200.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden-200x267.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden-300x400.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden-450x600.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Garden-600x800.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 554px) 100vw, 554px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10908\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/property\/article-4323820\/Ditch-decking-stone-gravel-fake-grass.html?ITO=1490&amp;ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Image source<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\"><strong>Blamed for the surge in rodent pests amongst other things, decking is the new dirty secret when it comes to your garden&#8217;s landscaping.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Back in the early Noughties, the show Ground Force used decking as the go-to solution for any garden problem.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Need a low-maintenance garden? Put some decking down. Awkward shape, space or uneven ground? Decking. Got <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Land lot\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/land-lot\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/land_lot;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.0gs32y;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Land_lot\" >lots<\/a> of children and don\u2019t want mud traipsed through your tidy house? More decking.<\/p>\n<p>Now Alan Titchmarsh has apologised for the surge in the trend. \u2018I am partly to blame for the decking boom, and I am sorry,\u2019 he said in an interview. \u2018I know it\u2019s everywhere.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/property\/article-4323820\/Ditch-decking-stone-gravel-fake-grass.html#ixzz4bxmfjxnX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more here<\/a>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_column_text]\n<h2>Find Property for Sale in London and the Surrounding Area:<\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/barnet\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Barnet<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/bexley\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Bexley<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/brent\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Brent<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/bromley\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Bromley<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/camden\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Camden<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/chelsea\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Chelsea<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/croydon\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Croydon<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/ealing\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Ealing<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/enfield\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Enfield<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/fulham\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Fulham<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/greenwich\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Greenwich<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/hackney\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Hackney<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/hammersmith\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Hammersmith<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/haringey\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Haringey<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/harrow\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Harrow<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/havering\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Havering<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/hillingdon\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Hillingdon<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/hounslow\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Hounslow<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/islington\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Islington<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/kensington\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Kensington<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/kingston\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Kingston<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/lambeth\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Lambeth<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/lewisham\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Lewisham<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/london\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>London<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/merton\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Merton<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/newham\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Newham<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/redbridge\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Redbridge<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/richmond\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Richmond<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/southwark\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Southwark<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/sutton\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Sutton<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/tower-hamlets\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Tower Hamlets<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/waltham-forest\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Waltham Forest<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/wandsworth\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Wandsworth<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-for-sale\/greater-london\/westminster\"><span style=\"color: #1e3b5d;\">Property for Sale<\/span> <span style=\"color: #f58350;\"><strong>Westminster<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>House prices in England and Wales: growth in the East and West Midlands outstrips all other regions &#8211; Evening Standard Midlands see a property price boom as the rest of the UK lags behind as demand outstrips supply resulting from<span class=\"ellipsis\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/this-weeks-hottest-property-news-24-03-2017\/\">Read more &#8250;<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":10916,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wl_entities_gutenberg":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","spay_email":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"wl_entity_type":[602],"modified_by":null,"_wl_alt_label":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/House-for-sale.jpg","wl:entity_url":"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/post\/this_weeks_hottest_property_news_-_24-03-2017","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10897"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10897"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10897\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18385,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10897\/revisions\/18385"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10897"},{"taxonomy":"wl_entity_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wl_entity_type?post=10897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}