Homes & Gardens

Would-be buyers more willing to sacrifice holidays than cigarettes when saving to buy a home

Holidays are the first things to be cut among those keen to buy a home, according to a survey from Barratt Homes.

The five star housebuilder, which is building homes in Plymouth, asked 2,000 people which luxuries they would cut back on in order to save the money needed to make their dream move.

More than a third of those asked (35 per cent) said they would forgo that special...

Help to Buy makes the difference for first time buyers in Plymouth

Almost 900 homebuyers in Plymouth have used Help to Buy with 80 per cent being first time buyers.

As New Homes Fortnight gets underway (February 12-25), latest government figures reveal that 886 people in Plymouth have used the scheme since it was launched in April 2013.

First time buyers accounted for 80 per cent of sales and local housebuilder Barratt Homes says the scheme...

SW creatives host new interior design show at Plymouth's Royal William Yard

A team of second-year BA (Hons) Interior Decoration, Design & Styling students from Plymouth College of Art recently welcomed interior design traders and guests from associated industries to the first dedicated interior design trade show at Ocean studios, in Royal William Yard, Plymouth.

The event, which was planned and delivered entirely by students of the college, featured...

5 Ways to Prevent Risks in the Home

Nothing will be more important to you than the safety and protection of both your family and property. Therefore, it makes perfect sense if you want to discover the best ways to protect your home and loved ones. To find out more, read the following five ways to prevent risks in the home.

1. Install a Burglar Alarm

A burglar alarm will allow you to sleep peacefully at night...

Housebuilder brings £24m investment to local area

Five star housebuilder Barratt Developments, which has a number of new developments in Plymouth, has built 520 homes in the south west during the past year and brought around £24 million to communities where it is constructing new developments.

The figures form part of the company’s socio-economic footprint, and reveal just how the local economy has benefitted from the new housing....

Considering a loft conversion? Here are 5 things you need to know

Adding a loft room to your property is great for a number of reasons. First of all, it gives you additional space and a new room to enjoy, whether you’re planning to use it as a stylish bedroom , a pajama lounge, a playroom or if space allows, a separate living area with everything including the kitchen sink, for guests or a teen. It’s also a sure-fire way to increase the value of your home ,...

How to Make Your Living Room Cosier

One place you can guarantee everyone in the house gathers each day is the living room. It’s the perfect spot for relaxing, reading and watching television. That’s why it’s important to put your time and effort into making it a cosy location for all to enjoy. It’s possible your space feels cold and you’re looking for ways to increase the cosiness factor. Be glad to know there are plenty of...

First time buyers in Plymouth welcome Stamp Duty scrapping

First time buyers in Plymouth will likely be celebrating as the Chancellor has scrapped stamp duty taxes for first timers on properties up to the value of £300,000 in the Autumn Budget.

Those buying properties up to the value of £500,000 will also benefit from the tax break on the first £300,000 of their purchase. This will save those buying their first home thousands of pounds and...

Check your Christmas and New Year bin collections

Christmas and New Year holidays are just around the corner and Plymouth City Council wants to make sure you know what day your bin collections are, and what you can do with all that Christmas packaging!

As part of Plymouth’s ongoing recycling campaign, the Council wants to make sure that local people know what they need to do when.

Councillor Mike Leaves, Cabinet Member for...

Ex burglar reveals how to keep your home safe this Christmas

Posting our plans on social media, leaving gift boxes we have bought in outside bins and forgetting to lock doors and windows… the simple mistakes that are inviting burglars into our homes.

As Christmas approaches, homes become filled with expensive gifts and gadgets. This sadly means that the festive season is also the peak time that domestic burglary increases due to opportunistic...

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