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Welcome to The Spectator’s property newsletter, On the House. Make yourself at home with our guide to property, interiors, markets and living well, curated for your inbox and delivered monthly.
This month, Liz Rowlinson heads to Berkshire to see what attracted the Prince and Princess of Wales to the county when they decided to move house in the summer. Ruth Bloomfield wonders whether properties in north London are recession-proof, despite the vilification of the area by politicians of late. Somerset is best-known for cider, cheese and Glastonbury – but the steady stream of
creative emigrés makes it an attractive prospect for house-hunters, too.
While a falling market often makes grim reading for homeowners, Ed Mead looks on the bright side: it’s a great time to buy a larger house. ‘Every so often, periods of uncertainty or tightening credit lead to a fall – and for most that should be the time to pounce,’ he writes, while Michael Simmons looks at last month’s fall in house prices – the second in a row. Ruth Bloomfield examines the recent trend of collapsing property sales and wonders why so many are falling through. And Ross Clark makes the case for a council tax rise.
Emma Wells takes a look at 14 Fournier Street, an imposing, early Georgian house nestled in the heart of London’s Spitalfields. Aside from its stunning interiors, it has an interesting backstory: it’s said to be the house where the fabric for Queen Victoria’s wedding gown was woven. And finally, Robert Jackman reveals which household appliances are stealthily driving up your energy bills – and some of the worst offenders are surprising.
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