UXBRIDGE
Two apartments will be on view for prospective buyers at a special event on Saturday at The Heights development above The Pavilions shopping centre in Uxbridge High Street.

Prices range from £199,950 to £359,950 for the 83, one and two bedroom flats in the block.

“West is best,” declares Mike Bickerton, associate director of selling agent DTZ. “Schemes in west London hold their values better than those in other parts of London.

“The latest Land Registry figures for the area show that from July 2007 to July this year prices have remained steady with an average price rising from £269,122 up to £281,127. Particularly stable is the market for flats and maisonettes. Whereas some other London boroughs have seen price drops, average prices for apartments in Hillingdon have held firm at approximately £208,000 since the end of last year.”


HARROW
 Barratt is offering buyers a three year guarantee against the price of their new home falling. It’s believed to be the first time a major housebuilder has promised to make up the difference if purchasers find themselves in negative equity before the property is three years old.

The deal is available for those who purchase the remaining flats in the complex which has replaced the old Biro factory in Stanley Road, Harrow.

“The way it works is simple,” said regional managing director Glyn Hopping this week. “If you want to sell your apartment at The Arc within three years’ time and the value is lower than what you paid for it, Barratt will refund the difference up to a maximum of 15 per cent. In other words, even if house prices fall 15 per cent by 2011 you won’t be out of pocket.”

He explains: “We know that many people want to buy a property at the moment but are being put off by what they read about falling house prices.

“So we looked at what we could do to help. Customers who buy one of our homes with a price guarantee will only need a mortgage of 85 per cent of its value. That’s because we’ll give them a deferred loan for the rest and they can pay us back when they can afford to, up to ten years after completion.”

This week there were four one-bedroom pads left to sell and 12, two-bedroom flats. Prices start at £240,000. The development is open from 2pm until 6pm on Monday and 10am until 6pm from Tuesday to Sunday.