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Housing market transactions have increased for the second consecutive month, rising by 11% in July from 64,915 in June to an estimated 72,100 in July.

According to the July LSL Property Services/Acadametrics House Price Index transaction activity has doubled since January.

House prices have also registered their first rise in five months, rising by 0.1% in July. Average prices over the last three months have remained largely stable.

New figures reveal the local authorities that will be hardest hit across the country by planned cuts to housing benefit which will lead to increased debt and homelessness, warns Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people.

The Government announced cuts of £1.8bn to housing benefit in its emergency Budget soon after coming to power.

A life-sized reconstruction of a living room will be hoisted into St Ann’s Square next week to launch a hard-hitting campaign aimed at cutting burglary across Manchester.

One in three burglaries happen through an open door or window and the mocked-up living room, which is open on two sides, will demonstrate how easily a burglar can get into your home if you don't take simple precautions.

The number of financial advisers expecting commercial property prices to fall has increased significantly since the start of 2010.

Research carried out in July 2010 on behalf of Reita, the education and awareness campaign for quoted property and REITs, shows that 24% of 269 independent financial advisers (IFAs) surveyed believe that prices will fall, compared with only 6% in January 2010.

As the new term approaches, mydeposits.co.uk, a Government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme, has compiled top tips for students heading off to university and renting a property for the first time.

With so many things to think about and organise, from taking care of finances and student loans to materials, books and equipment for studies, moving can seem quite daunting.

The number of properties taken into possession by first-charge mortgage lenders continued to fall in the second quarter of 2010, according to the latest data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

There were 9,400 repossessions (down from 9,800 in the first quarter and 11,800 in the second quarter of 2009).

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has issued a reminder to struggling homeowners to seek help early to have a better chance of staying in their homes.

His call came on the day (12th August 2010) new research shows that the number of home owners who have given up their home due to financial difficulties has been much higher than solely shown by repossession statistics.

Minister for Communications, Ed Vaizey welcomed new guidance from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) on business rates for broadband networks.

Following discussion with the industry, the VOA has issued revised guidance on how it values fibre optic networks.  VOA has made it clear that it is committed to working with broadband providers to ensure the fair and accurate rating of this emerging market.

The housing market experienced one of its strongest months of the year so far in July, according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).

The NAEA’s monthly market report found that demand for housing had increased, more sellers were putting property onto the market and the average agent made more sales than in June.

The freezing up of the buy-to-let mortgage market that emerged as an unwelcome side-effect of the credit crunch appears to have eased a little, according to the latest buy-to-let survey results from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

While buy-to-let lending still remains very subdued and ongoing challenges remain, in the second quarter of 2010 the number of buy-to-let mortgages taken out was 24,900. This was 13% up on the 22,000 in the first quarter, and 15% higher than the 21,600 in the second quarter of 2009.