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With real estate prices on the rise, both houses and apartments are shrinking. In a fairly recent Independent article, property market experts pondered a future in which homes and apartments get smaller -- one that’s already a reality for many first-time homebuyers. While living in a small house or apartment might come with some limitations, it’s still possible to decorate without much compromise. Below, we’ve listed five creative and effective ways to get the most from a small living space,...

Jackie Andrews from Barnet says her kitchen is stocked with wedding gift appliances that have out-lasted her husband following new research that shows Britain's kitchens are awash with old devices. Nearly seven in ten Brits regularly use household appliances which are at least 10 years old, according to the study, with 37 per cent owing a fridge that’s more than a decade old and four in ten still using an oven after a decade or more. Jackie Andrews, 62, from...

Buying a home is difficult at the best of times. Even if you’ve managed to pull together an enormous deposit, you still need to convince the lender that you’re worthy of a mortgage. The problem is that now more than ever, major banks and lenders scrutinise applicants’ credit reports and financial status in the finest detail. On the plus side, some of the more proactive and dynamic lenders on the market are acknowledging the imperfections in the system. Providing an...

They say that living in the capital means you’re more likely to be affected by crime, especially theft, including burglaries. However new research from MoneySuperMarket has revealed that this perception is not justified. Data analysed from more than 2.5 million home insurance quotes over the last two years has revealed the postcodes most at risk of burglaries, and London is entirely absent from the top 20. Happy reading for Londoners…but not so much for Essex who have a couple of...

Whether you currently own a property with a short lease or you are looking into purchasing, understanding lease extensions is key. The process is not always simple; however, you might be surprised at some of the rights that are granted to all leaseholders. Here we look at six things that you need to be aware of. Your lease might not affect you – but it will affect the value of your property Some homeowners and buyers get confused by the...

An army of gnomes assembled outside City Hall yesterday to protest against the increasing number of items that are being stolen from our gardens. Four in 10 homeowners have had items stolen from their garden - including bikes, plant pots and the iconic lawn ornament figurines. The demonstration called on homeowners to do more to protect their dwellings. Researchers who polled 2,000 adults found those who have been victims of theft have had three belongings stolen on average. Other possessions...

Balancing a career with home life is one of the biggest challenges facing most workers today. Commutes eat away at precious hours of the day and keeping track of everything that needs to get done after work, let alone doing it, adds even more stress. No wonder that so many find running a home equal to or sometimes even more stressful than their careers. It seems that home is no longer the place we turn to for comfort and an...

These have been linked to kidney and testicular tumours, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, low birth weight decreased fertility and effects on the immune system

The festive season is upon us and, with it, a whole new wave of seasonally-inspired home decoration trends. The colder months are a hugely popular time for people to redecorate their homes, possibly because it's an activity that takes place completely indoors, beyond the reach of the cruel British winter. It's also an opportunity to make your home a cosier, more inviting place - somewhere you're happy to spend long evenings avoiding the snow. We've seen a number of truly...