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Can the right school really add £21,000 to your Property value?

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The property market is a constantly evolving entity, and one which continues to fluctuate in line with wider economic and social trends. You would not know this if you were to look at the existing property market in the UK, however, which has enjoyed almost continuous growth over the course of the last 18 months.

There are signs that this trend is beginning to reverse, however, as the rate of house price growth first began to decline during the final quarter of 2015. Even more significantly, prices began to fall during April, as uncertainty over Brexit began to take a heavy toll on the property market.

Are we approaching the Perfect storm in the UK Property Market?

House prices declined by 0.8% last month, and while some may argue that this is only a temporary state of affairs it may also be indicative of a longer-term economic transition. More specifically, as prices have grown beyond a point that the market can bear and a recession has begun to loom large over the UK economy, home-owners are braced for a decline in the value of their property.

This will create something of a predicament for home-owners, many of whom will be compelled to take the initiative and add value to their own properties. They will also be wary of spending too much in a depreciating market, however, creating the need for a delicate balance between investment and return. Ultimately, this may create a perfect economic storm that has the potential to undermine even the best real estate investment.

How the right school can add huge value to your home

Fortunately, there are actually organic and cost-effective factors that can instantly add value to your home. Research has suggested that houses based in leading catchment areas throughout the UK can command a price point above the national average, for example, with figures from the Land Registry estimating this increase at £21,000.

Properties based near the top 100 state schools are worth 25% more on average than those further afield, so it is worth checking which catchment area your home falls in when placing it on the market. While these figures fluctuate depending on the precise rating of the school and its past performance, it is the type of factor that can help to optimise the resale value of a property without forcing vendors to risk their hard earned capital.

The Last Word: Helping you to decide whether to twist or stick as a home-owner

Given the changeable nature of the property market, this and similar factors may prove decisive when choosing whether or not to sell your home in the existing climate. Along with the accessibility of home-owner finance and the type of bad credit loans featured here, there is a clear opportunity for some owner-occupiers to optimise the value in their properties and sell before the market begins to depreciate noticeably.

While houses based in a popular catchment area may boast a significant advantage in terms of value and demand, it is important to make a couple of considerations before listing your property. Your property must be suitable for the necessary target audience, for example, as houses with three or more bedrooms will instantly be more appealing to young families who are actively looking in a positive catchment region.

Families are also among the most price sensitive consumers in the market, so you will to set a viable price point that offers value for all parties involved.

Blackrock Launches Unconstrained Sterling Bond Fund

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BlackRock launched a total return bond fund that seeks out income in global fixed income markets, while maintaining a UK bias. The BlackRock Sterling Strategic Bond Fund (‘the Fund’) is not constrained to any specific benchmark, and aims to deliver attractive levels of income through opportunistic and conviction-driven investing.

The Fund has core holdings in sterling-denominated corporate bonds but with the flexibility to exploit a broader opportunity set, sourcing income from across the entire fixed income universe including strategic allocations to emerging markets and high yield.

The Fund will focus on three well defined but complimentary elements:

  1. High quality income generation from sterling and overseas corporate bonds
  2. High conviction alpha extracted from both global credit and macro markets
  3. Efficient allocation to broad fixed income sectors including global high yield and emerging markets

Jeremy Roberts, Head of UK Retail Sales at BlackRock, says: “As financial markets become increasingly diverse and complex, the hunt for yield gets even harder. In a low-return, low-rate world, income is golden. With a go-anywhere approach we believe this fund will appeal to investors that are looking for an attractive income delivered by experienced managers with a strong track record.”

Ben Edwards, Co-manager of the BlackRock Sterling Strategic Bond, adds: “We’re delighted to be able to offer the Sterling Strategic Bond fund to complement our existing UK Fixed Income range. While investors are not suffering from a lack of choice in this sector, we believe clients will benefit from the same outcome driven style and disciplined risk management that have underlined our successful Corporate Bond Fund over the last 10 years.”

Simon Blundell, co-manager of the BlackRock Sterling Strategic Bond, adds: “We are excited to broaden our existing suite of offerings in the UK fixed income space with the launch of the Sterling Strategic Bond fund. The funds approach will build on our success on the Corporate Bond fund with the addition of a wider more global opportunity set. We will also asset allocate between different parts of the global fixed income markets including high yield and emerging markets to enhance the level of income we know our clients require in this low yield environment.”

BlackRock’s Global Fixed Income business manages $1.53trillion on behalf of clients, with over 400 professionals providing expertise on research, portfolio management, risk management and quantitative analysis (as at 31 March 2016).

Brits have ‘little or no understanding’ of their financial position

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Brits have little or no understanding of their financial position, according to new research.

A study of 2,000 adults found 58 per cent aren’t sure about their hourly rate of pay, while 70 per cent can’t say exactly how much they pay in income tax. In addition, two thirds of people can’t say accurately how much is in their bank account, while 64 per cent aren’t sure of the precise amount they owe on their credit cards.

But financial ignorance is bliss, accordingly. Almost a third of the respondents said life is too short to worry about money and 62 per cent expressed no intention to try and get a better grip on their finances in the near future.

A spokeswoman for Newcastle Building Society, which commissioned the study of 2,000 adults said: “Our researchers discovered that in the first instance, most people – eight in 10 – think they have a good understanding of their current financial position.

“But when you dig deeper and ask those same people about the detail around their financial affairs, from what they earn to what they pay on things like mortgages, rent, and other bills, they’re less certain. Pensions is an area that baffles many. Forty per cent of those who have a pension aren’t clear on how much they pay in, or even that there are tax benefits to doing so.”

Only half of those polled only have a rough idea of how many bills are coming in and what they pay on them, and only 45 per cent of people were able to say how much they spend on the mortgage or rent each month down to the last penny or pound.

When it comes to spending habits, the average adult finds it hard to track their spending day to day. Indeed, researchers found that when conducting the weekly food shop, either online or in store, less than half keep a close eye on what they are spending.

The spokeswoman for Newcastle Building Society continues: “For most of us, money is hard earned, so being prepared to put time into personal financial planning is a worthwhile investment.

“It’s significant that nearly half of people we surveyed (48 per cent) find that talking about money is reassuring, motivating or empowering, and those who want to fully understand their options to get a better grip on their financial future could consider seeking professional financial advice as a good start point.”

Are private number plates a good investment?

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As the value of your car continues to decline in relation to its’ age, it is not uncommon for the number plate displayed on a car to become a bigger source of cash than the vehicle itself.

Private number plates – otherwise known as vanity plates – are sequences of letters and numbers that can be configured to display names, words, initials and short phrases.

It’s been proven that private number plates have the ability to increase significantly in value as the years pass, but is it possible to receive a decent return on your investment when you purchase a vanity plate?

We share why private number plates can be a great investment, along with how to predict the amount you can be expecting to receive in a few years’ time:

Why invest in a number plate?

Because no two number plates are the same, it is guaranteed that your personalised plate is truly unique (and will be forever!). This means that their value is only likely to increase over time due to desirability being the main factor in which a plate sells for.

The stress-free nature that comes with purchasing a private number plate means that the investment process is made simple. No matter where you display the plate, how often the vehicle it is used on is driven or the car it is displayed on changes, the price in which it can expect to sell for remains unaffected.

Successful investments

Despite the growing number of celebrities that are investing in personalised number plates, normal people with an interest in finance are turning to number plates to earn extra income.

Let’s take the number plate “ELV 1S” – it was purchased in 1990 for £75,000 and is now worth an estimated £100,000, resulting in 33% more cash than originally invested.

However, you don’t need a such a large sum of cash to invest (or wait for such a long period of time before selling).

The number plate “ATT I4H” was bought for £1,101 in October 2015 and sold for a massive £8,670 just two months later in December.

Estimating your return on investment

It is highly unlikely that the standard number plate in which you receive when purchasing your car will be worth a substantial amount if you come to sell it in a few years.

There are a few common names, letters and numbers that you should look out for when searching for a plate to invest in to receive the highest possible return.

These can include:

Competition and rarity

The popularity of your number plate is the number one factor in which its’ expected return can be calculated.

Common names, initials and letters that can be used to signify words are amongst the most popular, with names like John, Sarah, Jane and Chelsea expecting to be worth the most.

Number plates of this nature are likely to have a strong following. This can also influence their high prices.

Impact

The impact in which a number plate gives off is also an indication in how much can be worth.

Let’s take the plate “25 O” – the most expensive private plate ever sold in a UK auction. It was purchased for over £500,000 in 2014 with the main reason being the “wow-factor” that it gives off.

Generally speaking, the shorter the plate, the more it is worth. People are prepared to pay a lot of money for a high-impact reg plate and if you manage to grab one for a reasonably low price, you could be in with the chance of getting a huge ROI!

To find out more about investing in number plates, get in touch with Platehunter – an online seller of private plates – and find your ideal match today.

Almost 1/3 of Americans admit eating food that has gone off to save money

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31% of Americans have admitted to eating food that is past its sell by date to make money go further, brand new research has revealed.

A surveyed analysing the spending and saving habits of over 1000 US citizens found that 42% have bought and worn used clothes to save money, while a quarter have risked their lives by driving a faulty car to save money on repairs.

360couponcodes.com, who commissioned the research, also revealed that Americans frequently take freebies just to cut costs.

When asked what items they take, American’s said the most common items were napkins, ketchup sachets and pens, followed by plastic cutlery, toiletries and packets of sugar. These acts were considered a moral grey area by those surveyed, with less than a quarter of Americans agreeing that taking the above items for hotels or food chains is stealing.

Mike Meade CEO from 360couponcodes.com said “The study results we’ve received are interesting as it seems Americans, like most people, enjoy getting a good deal, even when making the simplest of purchases.”

Almost a third of thrifty Americans stated they review their budget several times a week to stay on top of things, while more than 80% claimed they shop at dollar stores to avoid going over their budget.

The survey also revealed that penny pinching has a negative effect on people’s family lives, with one in four couples surveyed admitting they’ve had arguments caused by a partner’s attempts to save money.

A third of those surveys also admitted to sacrificing their social life to make ends meet.

Meade added: “Making our money go as far as possible is important to everyone. It’s important to keep things in perspective and find the right balance between finding easy ways to seek out the best deals and enjoying spending the money that Americans work very hard to earn.”

In March, it was revealed that nearly half of American children are currently living near the poverty line according to research by the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

Is Britain headed for another Recession?

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Since the great recession, businesses in the UK have been able to utilise technology and social networking to reduce marketing costs. The same principle can also be applied to alternative areas of business, from logistics and operations to the way in which products are sold.

This is particularly true in the case of SME’s, where service providers such as TNT have constantly innovated to create low-cost and efficient solutions. It is this climate of innovation and growth that initially helped the UK to recover from the last recession, although the economy has struggled to return to the peaks achieved prior to 2007.

Which data-sets are pointing to the onset of a recession?

This sluggish recovery is more prevalent in some industries than others, and the most recent data-sets seem to suggest that the UK is bracing itself for another widespread recession.

The nation’s industrial sector is already back in recession, for example, and this represents the third time in eight years such a scenario has unfolded. The Industrial Production Report has revealed that output shrank by 0.4% during the first quarter, marking the second quarterly contraction in a row. This decline, which first set in during the autumn of 2015, also confirms that the industry has suffered its largest annual fall in nearly three years.

Total output in March was 1.9% lower than the previous year, underlining the onset of a recession and the challenges facing businesses in the months ahead.

Beyond the world of manufacturing, concerns are also growing about a marked slowdown in the economy as a whole. The Lloyds Bank purchasing managers’ index fell to 52.1 at the beginning of April, for example, which also represents the lowest point since 2013. A Labour Force Survey has also revealed that the number of jobs created in the UK has not increased since December, as business sentiment continues to fall nationwide.

The storm clouds ahead: Is Britain heading for another recession?

Let’s face facts; these figures are concerning and certainly suggest that the UK is in the grip of an economic decline.

With many data-sets also plummeting to their lowest points since 2013 (which was the year when the the British economy first began to emerge from the shadows of the great recession) there is no surprise that businesses are bracing themselves for a period of austerity later in 2016.

There are statistics that offer optimism, however, including a relatively low rate of unemployment and an improved economic output of 7.3% (in comparison with the previous peak value reported before the last recession in 2008). These figures hint at a solid foundation and an overall basis of economic strength, which may ultimately prevent the UK from falling into the grips of a fully-blown recession.

This has yet to be seen, but there is no doubt that the British economy is set to experience considerable turbulence in 2016.

One thing is for sure; there is no way to accurately predict precisely what will happen in the months or years to come!

Will the Chinese Economic Recovery boost the UK?

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Let’s face facts; China remains a key player in the global economy. It is a linchpin that is often central to widespread economic performance, impacting on other developed nations such as the UK, the U.S and those throughout Europe.

It is estimated that recent deals made with the Chinese will bring an estimated £30 billion in investment to the UK, for example, which will in turn create up to 3,900 new jobs nationwide. While the timing of these deals has been well-received, their nature also highlights the power and influence of Chinese economic forces.

Is the Chinese Economic decline over?

This is why there has been such concern about the performance of the Chinese economy, which has endured a turbulent time over the course of the last 18 months. As manufacturing output diminished and currency reverses plummeted towards the end of 2015, the forecasts for a global recession (and a national decline in the UK) gained considerable momentum.

Not only are there signs that China may be experiencing an economic recovery, however, but it has even been suggested that the extent of the countries plight may have been exaggerated. Some confusion has certainly emerged surrounding China’s currency reserves, which according to conflicting media reports have been both dwindling and rising steadily simultaneously.

Rather than burning their reserves to defend the position of the Yuan, however, it appears as though the figures have been skewed by the U.S Dollar and the currency used by the IMF when publishing data.

In addition to this, recent growth statistics have also helped to discourage talk of a Chinese and global recession. In fact, China’s economy is projected to grow by around 6.7% by the end of the second quarter, with improved output in the automotive and crude steel sectors helping to underpin expansion. This is undoubtedly excellent news for the British economy, both in terms of investment and labour market growth.

Can China’s economic growth be sustained?

Of course, it may be argued that some of the factors that have inspired growth will not be sustained. Experts such as Currency Fair have chartered a decline in value of the Yuan in recent times, for example, which has helped to stabilise China’s export market. Once the value of the Yuan increases on the back of economic growth, however, the demand for Chinese exports may fall accordingly.

For the time being, however, we can expect China’s diverse and powerful economy to continue to grow. Given the recent investment deals struck between the UK and China and Britain’s potential departure from the EU, this growth will also help to drive business sentiment and job creation nationwide. The UK would be wise to capitalise on this, and build on the influence of the Chinese economy while it is prospering.

Will Leicester City’s League win trigger an EPL Spending Spree?

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When Manchester City beat local rivals and defending champions United 6-1 in October 2011, many considered it to represent a huge shift in power. Despite losing pride and the league title to their bitter neighbours, however, Sir Alex Ferguson’s response was to invest heavily in star-striker Robin Van Persie and the costly Dutchman inspired United to reclaim their championship the following year.

This captures the Premier League in microcosm, as until this season the pursuit of success has been almost universally fuelled by wealth and spending power.

The Financial Figures behinds the Foxes’ Success

The incredible ascent of unfancied Leicester City has changed the landscape of British football, while raising serious questions about the business model that underpins the coveted Premier League. After all, the Foxes’ inaugural league title has been earned on the back of old-fashioned values such as spirit, team-work and defensive organisation, while even their so-called star performers have been plucked from obscurity and lower league football. The club has also won the title with a minimal budget, investing in free transfers and nominal fees to build a title-winning squad.

In financial terms, cumulative cost of Leicester’s preferred starting line-up this season amounts to a modest £21 million. This is among the lowest in the league, while it is also significantly lower than Champion teams such as QPR and Leeds United. In contrast, it cost £292.9 million to assemble fourth placed Manchester City‘s typical starting eleven, while eight of these players cost more by themselves than Leicester’s EPL team. Despite this, there is a 13 point difference between the two, while the Foxes comprehensively thrashed the Citizens 3-1 at the Etihad in February.

The financial chasm is even greater when you consider the value of Premier League squads. In total, Leicester’s entire squad cost a total of £62.55 million to assemble, which is scarcely more than City paid to purchase Belgian forward Kevin de Bruyne. It is also an incredible £47.10 million lower than relegation-threatened Sunderland spent to create their playing squad, while leading clubs such as Manchester United (£391.1 million) and Manchester City (£411 million) have outspent the Foxes without coming close to challenging their dominance.

Will Leicester Citys League win trigger an EPL Spending Spree

Will the Leicester Model break the Mould or break the bank?

This is a real power shift, and with overseas clubs such as Athletico Madrid also outperforming major rivals with a minimal budget, the question that remains is whether Leicester’s model will break the traditional EPL mould?

It would be nice to imagine such a scenario, as this would see larger, wealthier teams place an emphasis on youth development and reinvest their capital into grass-roots areas of the club rather than transfer fees, inflated wages and agent commissions. It would also make sense too, as the financially-prudent success achieved by Leicester and to a lesser extent Athletico (who compete annually with global powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid) has helped to reconnect top-flight clubs with their fan bases.

Unfortunately, it is more likely that Leicester’s success will break the bank rather than the EPL mould. More specifically, the leading clubs are likely to dig even deeper in an attempt to blow the Foxes out of the water, especially with incoming managers such as Pep Guardiola (at Manchester city) likely to be afforded upwards of £200 million to spend in the pursuit of new players. In this respect, we should expect to see last summer’s transfer window spending record of £870 million to be shattered, while clubs may even pass the £1 billion mark in a bid to reassert their authority.

Travel agents ahead of global tourism trends

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UK travel agents are generating millions in revenue and boosting the UK economy as they stay ahead of global 2016 tourism trends.

Travel experts the-travel-franchise.com/ are helping agents and their customers to maximise holiday experiences. Click here for villas.

The typical holiday maker in 2016 is a demanding customer and successful travel agencies have to be fully equipped with a comprehensive portfolio of experiences to offer their customers. Priorities vary for each individual and British tourists might be looking to discover an untouched place, going after a taste of some pure luxury, ticking a Unesco World Heritage site off the bucket list, heading somewhere off the grid to disconnect or simply searching for a no nonsense beach holiday.

The marketplace is diverse and the possibilities for the modern jet setter seem endless.

Considering ABTA’s 12 destinations to watch for 2016 there is a healthy mix of those aforementioned elements. Abu Dhabi, Canada, China – the Silk Road, France, Hawaii (USA), Iceland, Iran, Naples and Apulia (Italy), Peru, Poland, Queensland (Australia) and Sri Lanka offer a wide variety of experiences.

China features in that list but it is not just incoming tourism to the vast Asian country which is trending. Over the past decade the Chinese have been traveling abroad in steadily increasing numbers with the country’s one billion plus population now spending around $500 billion on foreign travel. Recent fluctuations in the economy in China could impact that number over the course of 2016.

For British and European tourists meanwhile there is a growing trend for unplugging and completely disconnecting from work whilst on holiday. Wifi, 4G and the ubiquitous smartphone have changed our relationship with work and travel.

But here the choice ultimately sits with the tourist and the travel agent simply has to make options available. Still want that 4G connection when exploring the wilderness or deliberately going off the grid to escape the grind? Whatever your preference there is a perfect destination out there for you.

The world is becoming ever more connected. Cheaper flights, more flights, a growing awareness of the requirements of tourists in an ever expanding number of destinations, dissolving language barriers, a growing worldwide population and the expansion of horizons means greater opportunity for tourists and for travel agents.

Likewise, that untouched, undiscovered or exotic and remote destination is becoming ever more sought after. Whilst for older tourists a comfortable cruise in the Caribbean or luxury train journey across southern Spain might be the ideal break, millennials in particular are looking for adventure.

Younger travellers are less likely to be concerned about luxury accommodation and more interested in having unique and authentic experiences, getting a true taste of a destination by living like a local, having opportunities to learn something new and trusting word of mouth recommendations from people they meet along the way.

Over the past couple of years, meanwhile, city breaks have taken over from beach holidays as the most popular style of travel. According to Statista.com, London remains the most visited city in the world, having welcomed 18.82 million international overnight visitors in 2015, whilst Bangkok, Paris, Dubai and Istanbul complete the top five.

New York sits in sixth place on the list, with the Big Apple hosting just two thirds the amount of international visitors as London. Rio does not feature in the top 20 of most visited international cities but the beautiful Brazilian city’s unique atmosphere will be promoted throughout August as the 2016 Summer Olympics roll into town.

Featured Image – Source / CC 2.0 

The rise, fall and rise of Bitcoin: Steam Now Accepting the Popular Crypto-currency

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While the pace of technological advancement and innovation remains something to behold, its diverse range of applications are often misunderstood or unappreciated. Take the concept of autonomous cars, for example, which while having the potential to reduce road accidents by an estimated 90% have largely been derided and treated with suspicion.

In some instances, the notoriety of an application actually detracts from the merits of the technology behind it, and this is certainly true in the case of Bitcoin. Despite being underpinned by advanced and diverse Blockchain technology which actually has multiple applications in the consumer mainstream, Bitcoin has continued to dominate the headlines throughout its tumultuous and often turbulent history.

The rise, fall and rise of Bitcoin

While London-based PR firm CCgroup has recently explored the numerous and surprisingly diverse range of potential Blockchain applications, there is far more media mileage in discussing the considerable peaks and troughs of Bitcoin. The standard bearer and market pin-up for crypto-currencies, Bitcoin has enjoyed a short but volatile history that makes for a truly fascinating case-study.

Make no mistake; however, Bitcoin is now on an upward swing after a period of significant turbulence. This has culminated in the decision of game-streaming platform Steam to accept the crypto-currency, in a move aimed at engaging players located in Brazil, China and India. More specifically, Bitcoin transactions and the supporting Blockchain technology will be integrated into the platform, making it accessible to more than 100 million global users. This move reflects the international scope and scale of Bitcoin, while it also highlights the tamper-proof and universal nature of Blockchain.

This is the type of development that Bitcoin innovator Satoshi Nakamoto had in mind when he launched his white paper back in October 2008, which underlined his vision for a peer-to-peer, electronic currency that could be used globally. It looked like this would never come to fruition after a challenging period during the currencies infancy, however, as a perceived lack of regulation and an unfortunate association with Silk Road (and illicit marketplace for drugs trading) undermined its appeal. Now increasingly popular and the subject of significant regulation from various international bodies, Bitcoin may be on the verge of realising its true potential.

What Next for Bitcoin

Having emerged from a grand vision and sunk to the brink of extinction, Bitcoin is finally being established as a legitimate and keenly regulated currency. Last year saw the introduction of New York’s ground-breaking BitLicense, for example, which is recognised as the world’s first digital currency-specific regulatory authority. We can subsequently expect it to become increasingly popular in the digital marketplace, while bricks-and-mortar retailers and other establishments may also begin to consider Bitcoin as a viable payment method.

While Bitcoin’s renaissance and journey towards legitimacy will continue to be well-documented and widely celebrated, however, the underpinning Blockchain technology will probably go unheralded. It is this technology that makes Bitcoin easily accessible across the globe, however, meaning that it is also primarily responsible for the currencies growing appeal.

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