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Improving your kitchen with a new island

A new kitchen island can significantly enhance the value of your home by offering both functional, aesthetic, and social benefits

Increased Functionality
Additional Workspace: Additional countertop space is much appreciated for tasks related to food preparation and cooking, and it is provided by a kitchen island.
Storage Solutions: A lot of kitchen islands include built-in shelves, drawers, or cabinets, which provide much-needed storage for kitchen necessities, clear up clutter, and improve kitchen organisation.
Multifunctionality: Islands may be used as a breakfast bar, a space for youngsters to complete their schoolwork, or a place for informal dining, and as such the kitchen becomes a more functional and focal point of the house.

Enhanced Social Space
Entertainment Hub: The social appeal of the kitchen is enhanced by the addition of a kitchen island, which provides a natural meeting place for family and friends. It makes entertaining guests more convenient and encourages participation during food preparation.
Open-Plan Living: Modern house designs favour open-plan layouts that smoothly integrate the kitchen with the living or dining spaces, which may be defined with the aid of an island.

Modern Aesthetic Appeal
Design Focal Point: A chic kitchen island may draw attention to itself and improve the room`s overall design. An island may greatly improve the visual attractiveness of the kitchen, regardless of whether it has a clean, modern design or a traditional, rustic appearance.
Customization Options: A kitchen island may be tailored to complement the current décor thanks to the large selection of materials, colours, and finishes available, which improves the kitchen`s unified design.

Potential for Increased Property Value
Homes` kitchens are frequently their best selling points, and a well-designed kitchen island may increase the appeal of the house to prospective purchasers. Given that it combines luxury with functionality, it may play a significant role in a buyer`s decision-making process.

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Rent rates at highest point since October

Rent rates are now 6.4% higher year-on-year

Rents rose last month to reach a new seven-month high, with the average rent in England now costing £1,183pcm. This is 1.4% higher than that of April, which saw the average rent cost being £1,166. October 2023 saw rents on new tenancies costing an average of £1,190pcm, and last month marked the highest point in rent rates since then, which may indicate that rents are heading into a summer upswing.

The average amount of time a property stays vacant in between tenancies is currently 11% higher than this point in 2023, when it stood at a 19 day average. Last month, the average salary of someone looking to rent was £37,095, which was an increase of 0.8% from the month prior. 33 was the average age of a renter in England last month.

The recent data indicates the beginning of likely price increases for the summer. Rents typically peak in the upcoming summer months, due to it also generally being the busiest time of year for the rental market. So far this year, annual rent increases have been rather stable, often remaining between +6-7%. In the summer of last year, rental averages crossed the £1,350 monthly threshold for the first time, and this has implications that in a few months’ time, we may see our first rental average of £1,400, or even more if this 6-7% annual tendency holds true. The latest numbers show some indications of reducing pressures, even if rents are still higher than incomes and inflation.

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