Kate Faulkner

The outlook for buy to let investors and existing landlords for 2012 is certainly looking bright. For new or moving tenants however the picture isn't quite so great. So for those already renting, as long as you are a good quality tenant, 2012 could be a good year.

There are three main monthly rental indices, one quarterly and several indices and research papers which measure specific markets, such as the student market and room rents, which help to explain the current rental market.

2011 has proved a good year for the rental market. Firstly, lenders have started to realise buy to let investors are typically a ‘safe bet' when it comes to lending money, and secondly, tenant demand is on the increase, meaning lower voids and rents have started to recover and in some cases overtake the heights achieved in September 2008.

A new scheme (well, strictly speaking, one to replace the old ‘HomeBuy Scheme') called FirstBuy has been announced, including the housebuilders that will be taking part. A total of £210 million has been allocated during 2011 to 2013 to provide nearly 10,500 new homes for sale in England, with the first time buyer homes expected to be available for sale in September 2011.

The current market is back in the doldrums and when the property market is falling, past experience tells us it's a great time to bag a bargain and buy a house at a discount that you are unlikely to get in the coming years. Our property expert Kate Faulkner gives a step by step guide on how to buy a property by haggling down the price.

While we are in recession the media reports on property prices are always confusing. Some days prices will be reported as going up, the next down! With inconsistent reports, it's tough to know when is the right time to sell a house is. Kate Faulkner, MD of independent property advice site Designs on Property explains how you can work out when is a good time for YOU to sell your home.

If you are selling your property then it's natural to want to try and secure the best price for your house. However bear in mind that you probably don't want to pay more for a property than it's actually worth - so why would someone else want to do the same?

Kate Faulkner, MD of the independent property advice site Designs on Property says that the coming year may be a good time to buy if you are a first time buyer depending on your ‘risk profile'.

Stamp duty is a tax that buyers have to pay to the government when they purchase a home. Recently for first time buyers, there was some good news on the stamp duty front. From 25th March 2010 to 25th March 2012 as a first time buyer paying stamp duty, you are exempt if you buy a property under £250,000.

Buying a flat as opposed to a house is different. There are various reasons why buying a flat is different to buying a house. These are typically because you buy a flat under a ‘leasehold' agreement. A leasehold agreement essentially means that you buy the flat, but have to abide by the freeholder's rules and regulations.