The UK housing market has seen a number of ups and downs( mostly downs) over the past few years. However there are indications the market has finally begun to stabilise and several industry experts are predicting small price rises for many areas. The latest information from WhatHouse? indicated that average house prices have risen by nearly £5,000 in 2011. So is now a good time to buy or should you wait a little longer? While prices have gone up slightly they are still less than they were at this time last year. The forecast for the rest of 2011 and early 2012 varies on who you listen to. However many experts are of the viewpoint that the market will stay flat or see modest price increases. So if you are thinking of buying a home I would say do it now. The cost of housing is unlikely to fall and while any rises may be small they will only add to the expense of buying a home. If you’re thinking of buying your first home in the near future here are a couple of quick tips to help you out. Mortgage and Other Costs This is the biggest obstacle for many people and one reason why the market is so flat at this time. The days of 100% or higher home loans are well and truly over. Nowadays most banks and building societies demand a 10% deposit to obtain the best deals. However more 95% deals have started to appear in the last few months in particular for people with excellent credit ratings .. Of course there are a number of other things that you have to save and plan for as well as a deposit. On some houses depending on price you’ll have to pay stamp duty . You will also need to budget for solicitor and surveyor’s fees and also land registry costs. You’ll also need to furnish your new home and pay for all of the bills. This can come as a shock if you have been living in a shared house or with parents. New or Used Home? Should you buy a new or used property? With the current state of the housing market there is a big stock of new properties that developers are keen to sell. You can get some good deals on new houses with many developers reducing asking prices substantially. As well as reducing prices several developers are offering other incentives like help with finding a deposit, part exchange programmes and free white goods and home appliances. New build homes will also include a free 10 year warranty from the builder and are a lot cheaper to run and look after. Shared Ownership Shared ownership schemes have grown to be a lot more common in recent years. They allow people to purchase a share in a property that they otherwise would not be able to afford. A mortgage is paid on the part of the property you own and rent to a housing association that is the owner of the other share. You are able to increase the share of the home you own with time so that ultimately you can own 100% of it. Joining a shared ownership plan means that you don’t need to save for years to get a large deposit and you can get on the property ladder much faster. Another option is buying with a friend or group of friends. While this can seem like a good option it can be fraught with stumbling blocks for the unwary. Make sure that you use a solicitor to draw up legally binding agreements.

Find the biggest choice of new houses at WhatHouse?

2011 may be the year when the home market in england gets back on its feet and begins to recover fully. There are a number of indicators that people are feeling a lot more confident about where the market is going and even more new build homes are being built, purchased and sold. The squeeze on mortgage lending is beginning to reduce with more deals being introduced for the all important first time buyers. However saving a first deposit is an issue for most first time buyers with many banking institutions still needing a deposit of at least 10% of the cost. If you’re considering moving home this year either to a new build home or even a used one the first step should be to check out the What House web site. It features all of the most recent property news from around the United Kingdom in addition to expert advice about a variety of topics related to the property marketplace. You’ll find on the website an extensive list of new homes for sale near you and trends in the local property market. New build homes are selling at their highest rate for many years and proving to be very popular with first time buyers. The reason being new houses and houses are a lot cheaper to run and more energy efficient because of the modern construction materials they are built from. In addition they include a warranty that gives you total peace of mind and protection when you move in. If anything should fail with the house it will not cost you a penny to be put right. New houses also feature the most modern designs and finishes and come with all the latest appliances, fitted kitchens and bathrooms. Many homebuilders and developers in the united kingdom are now offering some great bonuses which help to make purchasing new build homes even easier. If you’re considering buying a new house or selling your old one be sure to read the What House internet site for all the information you need to know.