The AnswerBank Articles

Property Investors 'Should Overpay Their Mortgage'

For those of us lucky enough to have some spare cash buying property as an investment is a good idea. Buying to let has also become a popular way to make money. Those who have chosen to invest in property should consider over-paying on their mortgage loans, an expert says. This can improve a person's credit rating, ac...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Make Sure Your Mortgage Is Right For You

Whether you are moving house or just remortgaging to get a better deal it is vital to do your homework beforehand. A mortgage is probably the largest financial commitment you will ever make so it has to be the right one. You can, of course, do your initial research on the internet, but one of the best ways to find out...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Lack Of Properties 'Leads To Rent Rises'

For many reasons there are quite a few people in the country who rent their homes and do not own them. This can be an advantage as you can be more flexible about moving around. You do not have total responsibility for the property. So if anything goes wrong you simply pick up the phone and call the landlord who has to ...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

First-time buyers 'need funding help'

First-time buyers need help with funding their home purchases, it has been asserted. More schemes are needed to assist people who struggle with getting together a large deposit, according to First Rung Now. Finding an affordable mortgage can be a "huge problem", managing director of the firm, Helen Adam...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Houses 'can be bought cheaper at auctions'

For those who watch plenty of daytime television, the BBC show "Homes under the Hammer" is something you may be familiar with. The show chronicles the efforts of people rennovating houses they bought at auction, starting with the bidding process and finishing with a guided tour of the newly-decorated propert...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Eligibility For Right To Buy mortgages

Although most of us in the UK own our own home, many of us are in rented accommodation. Of those renting a large percentage do so from their local authority in what is traditionally called ‘council housing’. From the early 1980’s many renters in council provided accommodation have been able to buy th...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Protect Your Mortgage As Well As Yourself

Many of us who own our own home and have a mortgage will have a mortgage protection policy. Usually our mortgage provider has asked us to take out a policy with them but we are not always sure of the reason why. It could be vital to your financial well being as well as peace of mind to take out this sort of cover in th...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Things to consider when buying property abroad

For some people simply heading away to a hotel on a foreign holiday is not enough. Many are choosing to buy property abroad, but are not thoroughly considering the potential pitfalls of purchasing a foreign retreat. Some choose to buy when they retire, others may make theirs an investment earlier in adulthood. Eithe...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Consumers Can Save On Water Bills By Shopping Around

While water bills don’t attract anywhere near the attention given to gas and electricity, the question of who should foot the bills for improving the nation's infrastructure has once again been brought into question. Recently, the industry regulator Ofwat revealed that the ongoing need for investment will mean t...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Have you got a mouse about the house

Mus domesticusYou have Well, lucky, lucky you! No wonder Walt Disney chose this sweet, shy, moustache-twitching little furry fellow as his inspiration for Mickey Superstar. And we've all been00:00 Mon 25th Nov 2002

Tell me about the yucca plant, please

The yucca is a succulent, tree-like plant native to southern North America, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean - in other words, the hot bits! It thrives in drought and blossoms with creamy clusters00:00 Tue 23rd Jul 2002

Building a garden wall

With summer coming, now is the time to get to work in your garden. A new wall can make all the difference, whether it is used to separate your property from your neighbours or as an internal feature.00:00 Tue 30th Apr 2002

With the temperatures rising should we be starting to think about the garden pond

A. This isn't the time to start clearing out debris or changing the water, that should be done in late autumn or early winter when things are dormant. But the pond is starting to come alive now00:00 Sat 20th Apr 2002

Is solar heating just for the environmentally conscious or is it viable for most households

A. While we are dragging well behind many of our European counterparts (there are 60,000 homes in Holland that generate electricity by way of solar panels, for instance) solar heating is no longer00:00 Sat 20th Apr 2002

Is Chelsea the biggest flower show of the season

A. No, although it can certainly lay claim to being the most famous, probably in the world. The biggest is actually the Royal Horticultural Society's Hampton Court Flower show. It is held at the00:00 Sat 20th Apr 2002

Why has bamboo become so popular in our gardens

A. The first bamboos came back to this country with the planthunters and merchants who opened up the Far East, particularly Japan and China. The early introduction commonly made their way on to00:00 Thu 21st Mar 2002

Garden spring clean

It may not feel like it, but when the clocks go forward this weekend it is officially British summer time. With spring just about sprung it might seem a bit premature to start thinking about those00:00 Thu 21st Mar 2002

What is the National Trust for

A. Its exact role and direction in 2002 is the subject of much debate at the moment. However, basically its core functions are, as they describe it themselves, 'to preserve and protect the00:00 Thu 21st Mar 2002

Why has growing herbs become so popular

A. Loads of reasons. For a start they are extremely easy to start and maintain and you don't need much room to grow one. Then there are the plants themselves, which often have attractive foliage and00:00 Thu 14th Mar 2002

How do you go about stripping a piece of wooden furniture that has been painted

A. Every week thousands of us either find some old wooden furniture in the attic or uncover something at a junk shop or sale, but the true character of the piece is disguised by an often tatty00:00 Thu 14th Mar 2002