Buying a home is arguably the biggest financial commitment that most of us are likely to undertake in our lifetimes. With a severe national housing shortage, new build properties are an increasingly attractive option for prospective buyers. 

Here, Emma Cannon-Jones, a Legal Executive at our firm, highlights some of the things to consider when buying a new build property and advises on how the process usually unfolds.More...

Most flats are held on a leasehold basis. This means you have the right to use and live at the property for a fixed period of time, in accordance with the terms of the ‘lease’, the terms of this being the agreement between the freeholder and yourself. Upon the expiration of the lease, ownership of the property then reverts back to the freeholder.

Sounds gloomy; but is buying a leasehold property really all that bad? Here, Rachel Church, a solicitor in our firm, discusses the pros and cons of purchasing leasehold properties; offering some advice on some particularly common situations that prospective buyers can find themselves in. More...

Nearly 5,000 Welsh purchasers have now utilised the Help to Buy scheme to get onto the property ladder and we are proud to say that Howells were the first conveyancing solicitors to complete a Help to Buy Transaction in Wales. We've completed a total of 1,146 to date- equating to 23% of all cases. 

Now, almost half a decade later, the government mortgage guarantee scheme has come to an end, but the Help to Buy ISA and Help to Buy equity loan continue to be a popular choice for first time buyers. But, where are these Welsh buyers purchasing and what type of properties are they selecting? 

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House prices have been rising, making it increasingly difficult for people to save up for the deposit they require to climb onto the first rung of the property ladder.

More and more first time buyers are receiving financial assistance from parents and, in some cases, their grandparents when purchasing their first home. Legal and General recently published a report listing the ‘Bank of Mum & Dad’ as being responsible for funding 25% of mortgage transactions this year. More...

At midnight on April 5th the new financial year began and a new tax was introduced to the complaints of many a buy-to-let investor. More...