House prices suffer biggest drop since 2009 – Nationwide August 1, 2012 British house prices fell at their fastest annual pace in nearly three years last month, data from mortgage lender Nationwide showed today, as the effects of nine months of recession spread further across the economy. Nationwide reported a 0.7 per cent decline in house prices in July, a much bigger drop than that forecast by [...]
Mortgage approvals plummet to their lowest level for 18 months July 30, 2012 MORTGAGE approvals plunged to their lowest number in a year and a half in June, according to Bank of England data released yesterday. Only 44,192 loans for home purchase were waved through by lenders last month, down from 50,544 in May and significantly below economists’ forecasts. While two extra bank holidays falling in June might [...]
Conquer a daunting wall of ice without a trip to the Antarctic July 30, 2012 Clinging precariously to a sheet of rippling blue ice, the summit in sight, I took a leap of faith. Digging my spiked shoes into the metre-thick walls of the “chimney” of frozen water, I lunged with an ice axe, connecting for a brief second, only to dislodge a block the size of my fist: it [...]
EPISODE 62 – THE HANGING COMMITTEE July 30, 2012 The school year has ended. The children have dispersed, if only briefly. It seems that many of them will reconvene shortly in Tuscany, with splinter groups in Umbria and the Dordogne. Noel presented Mr Donnelly with a fine and very expensive teapot as his end of year gift. As recommended by Nick. It seems that’s [...]
Five tips to help you get your beach body July 30, 2012 If the fact you’re going to be baring all in a couple of weeks has completely slipped your mind, fret not. There’s still time to tackle your 2012 tum. 1) Splash out on a Swiss ball. Whether or not you’ll resemble an Olympian in fourteen days is debatable, but a Swiss ball is the perfect [...]
HOUSE PRICES ON THE SLIDE July 30, 2012 House prices across the country fell for the first time in seven months in July, with even resilient London and the south east of England seeing a slowdown in growth, claims research out today from Hometrack. Rising house prices in London and the south east have been offsetting the decline across the rest of the [...]
Lake Como’s new luxury retreat July 29, 2012 LAKE COMO is not the sort of place you’d imagine having any shortage of luxury. For all that, Casta Diva is supposedly the first luxury hotel to be built there in 100 years. Originally an 18th century villa belonging to the legendary soprano Guiditta Pasta, the hotel has been expanded beyond the singer’s (heavily and [...]
Summer in grand style at Stockholm’s stateliest hotel July 29, 2012 SWEDEN has a wintry reputation: reindeer and igloos; massive cable knit sweaters with dorky prints and, of course, a depressing lack of daylight. But winter’s flipside is, in my view, the more compelling reason to visit. A 2AM sunrise, green fields and summer houses and lakes, sailing, country pursuits of all types, rolling in the [...]
A truly unique home in idyllic surroundings July 26, 2012 This gorgeous Grade II-listed property with Capability Brown gardens is set in an idyllic country setting, with views towards the Exe Estuary and Lyme Bay. In addition to the main house, there is also a boat house, complete with a large open-plan kitchen, two bedrooms and reception room. The main house has four bedroom “suites”, [...]
A luxe Alpine hideaway for next season July 26, 2012 This 400 sq m chalet has all the trimmings and fixings you could require – and at a price you’d be unable to find at Courchevel or Switzerland. Special features include a spa with sauna and hot tub, as well as a massage table should you require some special attention after a hard day of [...]
