The Beetle That Invented Your Mortgage
It’s in Alabama in 1915 that a small grey insect about the size of a pea is quietly eating its…
Buying Tips
The Grandmother With Opinions About Chimneys
There is a first-time buyer walking into a property survey somewhere. He has a very specific list of questions. He…
What Five-Year-Olds Know About Buying Houses That You’ve Already Forgotten
You can learn more about negotiation by watching a child at a market stall for 10 minutes than a weekend…
The Words You Sign Your Life Away With
"Mortgage" – a word you say so often during the buying process that it becomes wallpaper and stops meaning anything.…
The Invisible Constitution Your House Already Lives Under
That document which decides more about your future home than the seller, estate agent and surveyor ever will is a…
What You Actually Buy When You Buy a House (It’s Not What You Think)
Most people, if you asked them when they became a homeowner, would point to the moment the estate agent handed…
The Language That Proves You’ve Never Really Bought Anything Calmly
Every time you spend money, you are – technically – paying a penalty. That's not a metaphor. The word ‘buy’…
The Furniture in Your Living Room Has Already Survived a Fire Test
Somewhere in an accredited testing laboratory, before your sofa made it onto the shop floor, someone held a lit cigarette…
What Your Street Is Standing On (And Why It Matters More Than The Kitchen)
An estate agent will tell you about the south-facing garden, the original Victorian tiles and the ‘characterful’ layout that means…