Notes on the UK property market
Guides and data-led insight on buying, selling and searching for homes — sold prices, valuations, commutes, schools and more.
Commute-first house hunting: search by journey time, not distance
Why searching by door-to-door journey time beats a radius on a map, and how timetable-based commute search redraws where you can afford to live.
School catchment myths: what actually matters when you buy near a school
Catchment areas aren't fixed lines on a map. How admissions really work, how distance is measured, and how to judge a school beyond its Ofsted badge.
How to judge a street, not just a house
You can renovate a kitchen. You cannot renovate a street. Here are the street-level signals that separate a good buy from a lasting regret.
How to check flood risk before buying a home
Flood risk is one of the few property problems you can fully check before offering — and one of the most expensive to discover after.
What is a UPRN, and why it matters when you're buying
Every address in Great Britain has a hidden ID number. It quietly decides whether the property data you're relying on is right.
Sold prices vs asking prices: what the gap tells you
Asking prices are marketing. Sold prices are fact. The gap between them is one of the most useful negotiating signals a buyer has.
How to research a house before you view it
Half an hour at your desk can tell you more than a 20-minute viewing. Here's exactly what to check before you book.