Don't Move - Improve

Most property pundits are suggesting that it is the ideal time to improve your home. The money spent on your home is an investment and with a good design you should make a modest profit or at the least break even. The money spent on moving is dead money and will offer little or no return.

Improving is an ideal solution if you require more space with an average kitchen extension costing £30,000 and a loft conversion costing from £20,000 upwards.

Now is an ideal time to improve as good builders are more readily available and build costs have been dropping consistantly over the last year.

The true cost of moving

For a typical £350K family home:

Stamp duty - £10,500
Estate agent fees - £5,250
Legal fees - £1,000
Survey & valuation fees - £1,500
Removal & incidental costs - £2,000
Decoration, carpets etc - £5,000

Total - £25,250