[ Spotlight: Wiring accessories ]
Despite the general downturn in the housing market, the home improvements sector has remained buoyant. ROB SHEPHERD examines the popularity of decorative wiring accessories and looks at how manufacturers have created something to suit virtually every kind of home décor
T
he property market has been hit very hard by the struggling economy – decreasing house prices, too few first time buyers and the unwillingness of banks to provide mortgages are just a few of the causes. Yet
our desire to modify and improve our homes shows no signs of abating, and a culture of ‘improve not move’ seems to have taken over.
Spend, spend, spend In a survey carried out by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), nearly half of the estate
46 ECA Today November 2012
agents questioned said people were considering house improvements rather than moving, due to slow sales in the housing market. With promises of a recovering housing market yet to materialise, homeowners and property developers are looking at other ways to enhance living spaces and increase the value of their investments. The general ‘rule of thumb’ promoted by property
experts suggests that householders should spend one per cent of the value of their home on improvements per annum, in order to maintain its worth. This may be easier said than done in the current climate, and
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