If you live in or near the East Midlands and are interested in anything property related, there’s one event that needs to be in your diary.

The East Midlands Home and Property Show at Loughborough University on September 10-11 is a must attend event for any current East Midlands residents, or indeed, anyone considering a move to this corner of the UK.

The show will be launched by TV star and qualified surveyor Jonnie Irwin, presenter of Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun: Home or Away, who will be on hand to offer advice about property. You’ll also be able to speak with mortgage, finance and legal experts, as well as local housing developers, estate agents, moving experts, architects and interior designers.

The show is taking place at the Sir David Wallace Sport Hall within the Loughborough University campus. Download a map of the campus or, for more information, call 0116 2616867.

Show opening times are Saturday September 10 - 10am – 5pm; Sunday Sept 11 -  10am – 3pm.

Do you watch Kevin McCloud on Channel 4′s Grand Designs TV show and think ‘that could be me building my own home?

Then from 7th-9th October Birmingham is where you should be for inspiration. The live version of the TV series is at the NEC exhibition centre this year, which will be hosting the all-painting, bricklaying and roof tiling Grand Designs Live starring the ever-eloquent Mr McCloud.

Kevin McCloud speaking at last year's Birmingham Grand Designs event

Hundreds of suppliers and experts will be joining McCloud at the show so if you want advice and information about building your own home including interiors, technology, bathrooms, kitchens and much more, then PrimeLocation.com the show’s official property partner, has a 2 for 1 offer on tickets to the event. To find out how to take advantage of this deal and for terms and conditions go to the PrimeLocation.com website.

Prince William and Kate Middleton

We know about the engagement ring, the proposal and that the wedding itself is happening sometime next summer, but what we’re all still waiting to find out is where Prince William and Kate Middleton will make their marital home.

So far, it seems most likely the royal couple will put down roots in a house that the Prince of Wales has been building on his Harewood Park estate in Herefordshire, a farm he bought back in 2000 in border countryside between Monmouth and Ross-on-Wye.

William’s father is reportedly in the process of spending between eight and nine million pounds turning the once run-down estate into an eco-farm, including the creation of a ‘green mansion’ in an undisclosed location within its 900 acres of rolling countryside that is said to be earmarked for William’s – and now Kate’s – use.

The property – which is under construction – is a restored and enlarged six-bedroom farmhouse that’s also a model of environmental friendliness and will include a reed-bed sewage system, wood chip boiler, solar panels and walls lined with insulating sheep’s wool.

The really good news is that Ross-on-Wye locals are likely to welcome their new royal neighbours with open arms, according to Richard Butler, owner of the local Richard Butler Estate Agents, who says the property is worth in excess of two million pounds and is of a “phenomenal size”.

“It would be very good news for the area,” Butler says.

“Once it’s finished, it will probably be one of the better, if not the best properties of its style in the whole of Herefordshire.”

For the past year or so during their ‘extended courtship’ William and Kate have been living in a secret location on the island of Anglesey while William does a three-year stint as a search and rescue helicopter pilot at RAF Valley. The property, which is a whitewashed farmhouse, is being rented for £750 a month and very much off the beaten track and has access to a private beach.
 
Melfyn Williams, chairman of the Wales-based estate agent The Property People, says the island’s locals would also dearly love to the see the couple make their permanent home in Anglesey.

“It’s a lovely part of the country, it’s got sandy beaches and rugged mountains and is close to where Prince William is currently working.”
 
The Harewood Park estate won’t be the couple’s only likely address. When staying in London William and Kate will have an apartment in Clarence House to use as well, not to mention Kate’s parents’ place in Bucklebury, Berkshire, where until recently a bedroom had been set aside for her use.

We’ve heard there has been some protest over the fact that we’ve closed the nominations for our blog awards already.

We admit that launching the competition so close to Christmas may have meant that many of you were too busy tucking in to your turkey to get your nominations in. So, we have bowed to the pressure and are pleased to announce we’ve extended the deadline for nominations until midnight on Sunday 10th January.

Keep those nominations coming!

Calling all property bloggers… We want to celebrate your writing.

Whether dozens, hundreds or maybe thousands of people follow your thoughts on bricks and mortar why not win yourself a bit of  hard, ‘put it on your mantlepiece’ recognition?

Because we’re announcing the launch of our very first blog awards – and we’re looking for your nominations.

The categories are:
Best blog
Best blog post
Best newcomer (for a blog that started in 2009)
Users’ favourite blog

And the prizes?
The winner of the Best blog category will win £250 of Habitat vouchers. The winners of the other categories will win £150 of Habitat vouchers.

You can nominate any property blog (including your own) so please email your nominations to editorial@primelocation.com, with ‘blog awards’ in the subject line.

Nominations close at midnight on 3 January 2010, and we’ll be announcing the winner towards the end of January.

From the nominations for the Users’ favourite blog category, a shortlist will be posted on this page in the middle of January 2010, giving you a chance to vote for who you want to win.

Good luck!

If you’re looking for inspiration about how to decorate your home, make improvements, save money or even make money from your home, then head on down to the Ideal Home Show.

The EDF Energy Ideal Home Show opened at Earls Court in London on 20th March and is running until 13th April 2009. Now in its 101st year, the show is the place to go to discover new ideas for your home and this year, more than ever before, the emphasis is on ‘loving where you live,’ saving energy and saving space.

With the credit crunch a key issue in many people’s minds, the show is packed with ideas for cutting the cost of living and money saving experts will be sharing their views on how to adapt to the economic downturn. Eco issues are also a big theme and they’ll be plenty of advice and information on how best to go about reducing your carbon footprint and making your home more energy efficient.

The kitchen is often the hub of the house and you’ll find some of the UK’s favourite chefs and food experts on hand at the Celebrity Chef’s Kitchen Theatre. Amongst the names appearing are Raymond Blanc, Sophie Grigson and Aldo Zili, and they’ll be providing cookery demonstrations, answering cookery questions and signing copies of their latest books. Other theatres hosting events at the show include The Smarter Living Theatre, with demonstrations of the latest gadgets and innovations, and Home and Garden Theatre, with talks and demos from some of the top home and garden names.

The show is open from 11am-9pm on weekdays and 10am-6pm at weekends. The ticket prices have stayed the same for the third year running and are priced at £14 on weekdays and £16 at weekends. For more details, or a list of exhibitors, check out the Ideal Home Show website.

If you’ve already been to the show, or are going soon, then tell us what the highlights were for you!

If you’re an owner of a listed property, or are interested in purchasing a listed property, then there’s a show taking place this weekend that could be right up your street.

The third annual Listed Property Show, which is organised by the Listed Property Owners Club (LPOC), is taking place at Olympia in London on Saturday February 21st (10am–5pm) and Sunday 22nd (10am-4pm). The show aims to offer practical advice and inspiration to homeowners who are looking to restore or refurbish their listed properties. On hand will be plenty of listed property experts and nearly 150 specialist suppliers, who will be showcasing their products and services.

Also taking place during each day of the show will be a number of informative lectures. Some of the highlights from the lecture programme on Saturday 21st February include a look at VAT and the listed building, advice about understanding dampness, a talk on energy efficiency and a look at how you can get the best out of your local council when dealing with planning issues.

On Sunday 22nd February, there’s a chance to delve into the past with a talk looking at how you can go about tracing the history of your house, plus repeats of some of the lectures from Saturday, so you don’t miss out if you’re only able to attend for one day.

Tickets to the Listed Property Show are free of charge. It’s possible to turn up and register on the day, or you can apply for a ticket in advance by registering on their website. For more ideas of what could be in store, why not browse the gallery of highlights from 2008’s show.

With the current turmoil and uncertainty in the economy, some landlords and buy-to-let investors are having a hard time and wondering how to cope with the situation. If you feel in need of a bit of extra help and want to find out how you can protect yourself during the credit crunch, there are free events taking place this month that could help with answers.

The Money Centre, one of the UK’s largest independent buy-to-let mortgage brokers, is running several free Investors’ Days, incorporating seminars and exhibitions designed with landlords in mind. On Tuesday 25th November, a free event is taking place at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange, from 10am–3pm.

On Wednesday 26th November, they’re heading to Belfast and will be running another free event at the Park Avenue Hotel in Belfast. Both days include an exhibition, running from 10.30am–3pm, plus a seminar programme from 11.30am–2.15pm (with a free buffet lunch thrown in, too).

The events are aimed at both seasoned investors, new buy-to-let purchasers and even those who are considering doing so. Some of the topics on the menu for discussion include the current economic situation, successful planning during the credit crunch, top secrets to renting, hints and tips for the portfolio landlord and aims for the future.

The seminars are also designed to help you learn key skills for dealing with letting during the credit crunch period. In fact, the Money Centre says it’s not all bad news for investors as there are ways of benefiting from the opportunities created by the credit crunch. With networking opportunities included too, it’s a good chance for investors to get together and tackle their concerns and issues head on.

To find out more, or book a place at either event, call 01603 489 12.

For more advice for landlords, take a look at our dedicated Landlords, Developers & Investors guides.