• Mortgage approvals hit 64,000 in June—tracking with the 12-month average—signalling stable demand.
• Mortgage lending surges to £5 billion, the second-highest monthly figure since October 2022.
• Rents up again: The average UK monthly rent climbs 0.4% to £1,313, amid fierce competition and dwindling rental stock.

This week’s guest: Philip Farrell

Russell is joined by Philip Farrell, CCO and Founder at Offr.io, the company behind a platform that lets estate agents run fully digital auctions directly from their own websites.

With 30 years in estate agency behind him, Philip explains why the traditional house-buying process is stuck in the past—and how modern, tech-powered auctions could finally bring speed, transparency, and certainty to UK property sales.

• One in three deals collapse: Learn why buyers walk away—and why most of it comes down to poor visibility and paper-based delays.
• From cattle markets to click-to-bid: Philip busts the myths about auctions and explains how Offr.io is dragging the process out of the 1970s and into the 21st century.
• The future is digital: With 42% of offers now made outside business hours, estate agents who fail to modernise may find themselves left behind.

Have a question or comment? Email us at HomeFront@radionewshub.com 

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• The UK’s average house price remains flat month-on-month at £296,000, with annual growth still tracking at 2.5%.
• Homes that won’t sell: New data reveals one in five properties on the market has been listed for over six months—prompting calls for sellers to price more realistically.

This week’s guest: Brian Berry – CEO, Federation of Master Builders

Russell is joined by Brian Berry and Iona Stewart-Richardson from the Federation of Master Builders for a sobering look at the true cost of rogue builders—and how to avoid becoming a victim:

• No licence, no oversight: Why anyone in the UK can call themselves a builder—without accreditation, training or regulation.
• Cowboy chaos: From unfinished kitchens to collapsing roofs, discover how innocent homeowners are losing life savings—and even their homes.
• Your builder checklist: Learn the 14-point vetting process used by the FMB, the red flags to watch for, and why a good builder will never be able to start on Monday.

If you have a question or comment? Email us at HomeFront@radionewshub.com

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• Mortgage borrowing boost? Chancellor Rachel Reeves proposes allowing lenders to offer mortgages up to six times salary—a potential 33% increase in affordability.

• Valuation scandal exposed: A Panorama investigation reveals how some estate agents are accused of overvaluing properties—raising fresh concerns about industry practices.

This week’s guest: Lucy Parker – Keller Williams Real Estate, Dubai

Russell is joined by Dubai-based estate agent Lucy Parker for a compelling look at what’s drawing thousands of Brits to the UAE—and what it really costs to buy there:

• Why millionaires are flocking to Dubai: From tax breaks to total safety, Lucy explains why over 16,000 wealthy Brits are heading east.

• Off-plan gold rush: How buyers are doubling their equity within months—and why Dubai’s housing shortage is fuelling the rise.

• Golden visas & AI in schools: With 10-year residencies, world-leading education, and chilled pools in 50-degree heat, Dubai is reimagining modern living.

If you have a question or comment? Email us at HomeFront@radionewshub.com

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• US House price crash? One in six American homeowners are now selling at a loss—up from just 4.4% a year ago. Could this be a warning for the UK market?
• Wi-Fi tops wish iist: Reliable internet is now officially the number one must-have feature when buying a home—beating driveways and walk-in wardrobes.
• Homes England completions rise 12%: Government-backed schemes saw nearly 37,000 new homes completed in the last 12 months, with 79% of new starts classed as affordable.

This week’s guest: Steve Wayne – Founder, Benjamin Stevens Estate Agents

Russell is joined by Northwest London estate agent Steve Wayne for a wide-ranging and eye-opening conversation about how the UK housing market really works—from micro-markets to marketing tricks:

• How local schools drive prices up: Steve reveals how one high-performing school caused a 20% jump in property values.
• The empty homes problem: Thousands of UK homes are sitting derelict and forgotten—Steve explains how some owners don’t even know they own them.
• The sole agency trap: Why Steve is campaigning for a maximum 4-week agreement.

Email us at HomeFront@radionewshub.com

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• Mortgage Approvals Rebound: After four straight months of decline, May saw a 3.9% jump in mortgage approvals—good news for estate agents, and possibly a sign of renewed market confidence.
• Move-In Times Hit 205 Days: According to new figures, it now takes over 200 days on average to move house.
• Cornwall Tax Crackdown Backfires: A doubling of council tax on second homes is forcing homeowners to slash prices by up to £100,000, as demand plummets in picturesque hotspots.

This week's guest: Ben Beadle – CEO, National Residential Landlords Association

Russell sits down with Ben Beadle to break down the biggest shake-up in landlord legislation in decades:

• Section 21 Is Dead: The so-called ‘no-fault eviction’ is being scrapped—replaced by mandatory reasons for repossession and a raft of new compliance rules.
• Pets Without Permission: Landlords will no longer be able to refuse pets without a valid reason.
• The Landlord Exodus: With rising costs, new energy rules, and shrinking control, are landlords are quitting the market—or not?

Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com 

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• Interest-Only Mortgages Crash: Are borrowers losing interest—or are lenders pulling the plug?
• Non-Doms Flee: Changes to the non-domicile tax regime cost the government £401 million in lost stamp duty, according to estate agents, Knight Frank.
• Land Banks Unlocked: Developers finally dip into their hoarded land plots—600,000 of them worth £200 billion.

This week's guest: Charlie Lamdin – Founder, Best Agent

Russell challenges property expert Charlie Lamdin, who offers uncomfortable truths for both sellers and buyers:

• The Housing Market Doesn’t Exist: Charlie dismantles the myth of “a” housing market, revealing tens of thousands of micro-markets, often split not just by region, but by street.
• Overpricing Epidemic: Estate agents are often overvaluing homes to win instructions, distorting prices and clogging the market.
• First-Time Buyers Rule the Market: A record-breaking 54% of 2024 transactions were from first-time buyers with mortgages.

Got a question about your own buying or selling journey? Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com and it could be answered on a future episode.

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• Rightmove reports an unusual 0.3% drop in asking prices for June—despite buyer demand being 3% higher than last year

• New government pledge of £39 billion for affordable housing could result in up to 500,000 new homes 

• Over 20 years, UK house prices have soared by 74%—but market sentiment is shifting 

This Week’s Guest: Lucian Cook – Head of Residential Research, Savills

Russell is joined by one of the UK’s foremost property analysts to explore what’s really happening behind the headlines in today’s market.

• Why a muted housing market may signal short-term price dips—but not a crash

• How stricter mortgage regulations insulated homeowners from a steeper downturn

• What six-times-income mortgages mean for buyers—and whether they pose a risk

Got a question about your own buying or selling journey? Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com and it could be answered on a future episode.

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• May was the busiest month for agreed home sales since 2021, according to Rightmove—defying fears that the end of stamp duty relief would stall the market

• 57% of homeowners who considered moving in the past 12 months have now decided to stay put, with a third opting to renovate instead

• Liverpool tops the list of the UK’s busiest property markets, with an average of 46 homes sold per estate agent branch, followed by Bradford and Nottingham—Glasgow ranks lowest with just nine

This Week's Guest: Jane King – Mortgage Adviser

Russell is joined by one of the UK’s most experienced mortgage brokers to uncover what really matters when applying for a mortgage in 2025.

• The biggest mistake buyers make when it comes to credit scores—and how a mismatched address can quietly derail your application

• Why the question “how much can I borrow?” might not be the right place to start

• The real impact of your deposit size on interest rates—and why chasing a 5% deposit deal might cost you more in the long run

• Why 4–5% mortgage rates aren’t unusually high, and why they’re likely here to stay

Plus:

First-time buyer Gareth Butters beats the odds with a lightning-fast two-month completion—hear how he did it.

Got a question about your own buying or selling journey? Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com and it could be answered on a future episode.

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• House Prices Surge Again: Nationwide reports a 3.5% annual rise with a 0.5% boost in May alone—defying predictions that the end of stamp duty holidays would kill demand.
• Rental Crisis Deepens: Average monthly rent hits £1,226—a new high not seen since October 2024, marking the fifth consecutive month of increases.
• Housing Association Scandal: A staggering four-fold increase in tenant complaints since 2020 

This Week's Guest: Andy Morrison – Director, UK Property Development Ltd

With Labour promising 300,000 new homes annually, Russell grills a developer at the coalface about whether the target is realistic.

• The 1970s space comparison: Have today's new homes really shrunk compared to houses built decades ago—and is it just about room size or room count too?
• The land banking mystery: Over 1 million plots already have planning permission but remain empty—why aren't they being developed?
• Why 300,000 new homes is such a huge challenge: The real obstacles including skilled labour shortages, material cost spikes, and market dynamics that make government targets unrealistic

Plus: First-time buyer Gareth Butters beats the odds with a lightning-fast two-month completion!

Got a question about your own buying or selling journey? Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com and it could be answered on a future episode.

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• Fines for Land Banking: Labour’s Angela Rayner sets her sights on housebuilders who sit on land without building, threatening penalties to encourage delivery on new homes.
• US Buyers Eye the UK: Inquiries from American house hunters are at their highest since 2017—driven largely by demand for smaller second homes.
• Seaside Market Cools: After years of coastal property booms, average seaside house prices are now dipping—though Sandbanks still tops the charts at £965,000.

This Week’s Guest: Julie Ford – Property Complaints Mediator

With a record 73,000 consumer complaints against estate and letting agents in the past year alone, Russell is joined by redress expert Julie Ford to explore what’s fuelling the breakdown in trust between agents and the public.

• From ghosted buyers to inflated valuations and broken promises, Julie shares:
• Why poor communication is at the heart of most disputes
• What your rights are if things go wrong during a sale or let
• How regulation—and even a simple apology—could fix a broken system
• Plus: A jaw-dropping real-life case where an unpaid rent bill traced back to a broken flowerpot

Got a question about your own buying or selling journey?

Email HomeFront@radionewshub.com and it could be answered on a future episode.

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• House Prices See Modest Growth: The Home Front’s new "House Price Index of Indexes" cuts through the noise of conflicting market data.
• 100% Mortgages Are Back: A potential return to pre-2008 lending practices—what could this mean for buyers?
• Rental Pressures Mount: UK rents continue to climb, putting added strain on tenants.

Russell is joined this week by Marc von Grundherr of Benham & Reeves, who offers deep insights into both the London and global property markets. He describes London as more than just a place to live—calling it a “trophy asset” and a stable, long-term investment. The conversation also explores rent control policies, with a closer look at the unintended consequences seen in Scotland and Berlin.

And in his Diary of a First-Time Buyer, Gareth and his partner are racing toward exchange within three weeks. Their plan? Secure the property, complete some key renovations, and only then make the big move.

For answers to your property questions, email: HomeFront@radionewshub.com

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• The Bank of England cuts base rates to 4.25%, offering relief to mortgage holders and optimism to homebuyers—what does this mean for you?
• Knight Frank boosts its UK house price forecast for 2025 to an increase of 3.5%, thanks to improving interest rate conditions
• Sadiq Khan plans to build on parts of London’s Greenbelt to tackle the capital’s deepening housing crisis

Russell is joined this week by conveyancing power duo Lorraine Richardson and Stuart Forsdike, and it’s a deep dive into what really happens between “offer accepted” and “here are the keys.” They talk about covenants, easements, and why it’s neverjust a paperwork exercise. From boundaries to bizarre planning issues, they break down why you need a good conveyancer — and what happens when you don’t.

Plus, they answer the crucial question: what can buyers and sellers actually do to speed up the process and reduce the risk of a fall-through?

And in his Diary of a First-Time Buyer, Gareth Butters is finally getting some answers from Hackney Council... but after a long wait, it turns out the searches are missing some key info. So, flood reports or indemnity insurance — what’s the safer bet?

If you’ve got any property questions you’d like answered on the show, get in touch: Homefront@radionewshub.com

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• Homeowners over 60 now hold an astonishing £2.89 trillion in net housing wealth
• March stamp duty receipts jumped 63% year-on-year, hitting £1.4 billion
• Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire tops the list as the UK’s most expensive rental postcode – with tenants paying 358% above the national average

Russell is joined this week by Lynda Clark from First Time Buyer Magazine to ask: is it still possible to get on the property ladder without a miracle? They talk through the pros and cons of shared ownership, why new builds are often the easiest way in, and how first-time buyers can avoid common mistakes. Plus, how much difference does skipping a daily coffee habit really make when you’re saving for a deposit?

And in his Diary of a First-Time Buyer, Gareth Butters has been studying his surveyor’s report — and now he’s discovered Hackney Council’s average search time is longer than he expected!

If you have any property questions you need answered on the programme, send them to: Homefront@radionewshub.com

[00:04:20] – Buying is now cheaper than renting

[00:05:57] – High rents make saving almost impossible

[00:08:14] – Why new builds are ideal for first-time buyers

[00:10:29] – Huge demand, not enough homes

[00:13:38] – Your first home won’t be your last

[00:14:23] – Always speak to a mortgage advisor first

[00:20:41] – Stamp duty is easy to forget

[00:27:06] – The Bank of Mum and Dad is booming

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• April mortgage news – lenders now offering 7 x your income (with caveats)
• Sub 4% mortgages now available
• The HMO (houses in multiple occupation) market is worth £78bn

Russell has an exclusive story this week, about one of the major UK property portals. Nigel Lewis from TheNegotiator.co.uk joins him to discuss this and other property news.

And in his "Diary of a First-Time Buyer," Gareth Butters has been studying his surveyor's report!

If you have any property questions you need answered on the programme, send them to: Homefront@radionewshub.com

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• Property transactions were up 50% in March, according to Barclays
• Mortgage rates are going down plus advice on looking out for fees
• The meaning of mortgage "affordability" is changing

One of England's only private islands is on the market, Russell talks to the agents Ed Casson and Simon Pelling about the 380 acres that could be yours for £25m

Plus Nicholas Court from Court & Co Estate Agents with advice for buyers and sellers across the country

And in his "Diary of a First-Time Buyer," Gareth Butters discovers how what happens in Washington is affecting his house purchase in London.

If you have any property questions you need answered on the programme, send them to: Homefront@radionewshub.com

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The latest house price data — are prices going up or down?

Daniel Clarke is a buying agent, but what does a buying agent do? Is he an estate agent – or not – and what's the difference? Daniel explains the ins and outs of searching for a home, the difference between "off" and “on-the-market” properties, and what a "pocket listing," means.

In his "Diary of a First-Time Buyer," Gareth Butters is looking for a home in Islington, North London. Hear his latest update as he negotiates the highs and lows of home-buying. This week, it’s all about the money!

If you have any property questions you need answered on the programme, send them to: Homefront@radionewshub.com

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· The latest data on private rents and an update on the Renters’ Rights Bill

· How many new homes have been built so far this year?

· Landlords beware—especially if you live in Salford, where some have been fined £45,250

Paula Higgins is the founder and CEO of Homeowners Alliance. In this episode, why Brits are obsessed with owning property, and why homeownership is decreasing. Plus, some thoughts on affordability for first-time buyers

Is it better to buy or rent now, financially, and what are the pros and cons of both options? Also, why landlords are selling up and how this could be good news for first-time buyers. In his “Diary of a First-Time Buyer,” Gareth Butters is looking for a home in Islington, North London. Hear his latest update as he negotiates the highs and lows of home-buying.

If you have any property questions you need answered on the programme, send them to: Homefront@radionewshub.com

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·       There’s no sign of a drop in demand for mortgage approvals.

·       The latest house price data from Nationwide, one of the largest lenders in the UK.

·       Everything you need to know about the changes in Stamp Duty, as of April 1st.

Oli Reid is the CEO of Living Redefined. With over 150,000 people in temporary accommodation, what does the government need to do to solve the problem, and where is the money going to come from?

In a wide-ranging conversation, Russell and Oli discuss Britain’s housing crisis and the huge challenges facing the government.

Plus, Gareth Butters is a first-time buyer, looking for a home in Islington, North London. Follow his journey through the cutthroat world of property viewings and appointments as he negotiates the highs and lows of home-buying in his "Diary of a First-Time Buyer."

If you have any property questions you need answered on the programme, send them to: Homefront@radionewshub.com

04:23 What do we mean by social housing?

06:53 How many people are living in temporary accommodation in the UK?

08:21 Is there enough social housing in the UK, and how many people are on waiting lists?

17:08 How will the social housing problem be fixed, and where will the money come from?

21:02 The number of empty homes in Britain, and who owns them?

25:50 The Diary of a First-Time Buyer – Has Gareth found his dream home yet?

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• The latest UK government statistics on housing affordability
• Halifax and Nationwide have released the latest house price index
• Renting a one-bedroom flat is now unaffordable across half of England for key workers

Ben Madden is a director of estate agents, Fine and Country. First-time buyers have rarely had it so good, claims Russ. Does Ben agree? How do estate agents really make their money and is there an argument that they should be charging higher fees? The estate agency fee is on average less than 1% of sale price, lower than most countries in the world. Russell and Ben discuss whether estate agents get a raw deal and whether the estate agency model needs fixing. Plus, are specialist buying agents worthwhile when you're searching for a home? Ben provides some fascinating insights into how estate agents work and how you can work with them to sell your property or find your dream home.

Gareth Butters is a first-time buyer, looking for a home in Islington, North London. Follow his journey through the cutthroat world of property viewings and appointments as he negotiates the highs and lows of home-buying in his first "Diary of a First-Time Buyer."

01:16 Houses are more affordable, according to the latest data

02:35 How long does it take on average to buy and complete on a property?

06:15 Why do estate agents get such a hard time from the media and public?

12:02 What does an estate agent do, exactly, for their fee?

18:37 How long does it take on average to buy a property?

24:18 What is a buying agent and how do they work?

28:00 How should estate agents improve their reputation in the UK?

30:27 First-time buyers have rarely had it so good, does Ben agree?

34:28 The diary of a first-time buyer with Gareth Butters

Get in touch if you have any questions: homefront@radionewshub.com

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