When people begin searching for a new home, it’s easy to focus on the number of bedrooms, the size of the garden or whether there’s enough parking. While those features are important, the truth is that buying a home is about so much more than bricks and mortar. It’s about finding a place that suits […]

The UK home buying and selling process has long been criticised for being too slow, too uncertain and too prone to transactions falling through. With a national average of around one in three agreed sales failing to complete, the Government has signalled its intention to modernise the system and improve the experience for everyone involved […]

I joined Armitstead Barnett in October 2023, having worked as a Land Agent since 2016 while also completing a Master’s degree in Rural Estate and Land Management at Harper Adams University. One of my main reasons for joining the firm was the opportunity to further develop my professional qualifications and progress my career. A significant […]

The agricultural land market across the North West continues to demonstrate resilience despite an increasingly challenging economic backdrop for many farming businesses. While demand remains generally robust, buyer sentiment is becoming more selective as different sectors of the agricultural industry face varying financial pressures. For several years, the dairy sector has been one of the […]

Many people will find themselves acting as an Executor of an Estate at some stage. While this can be a significant responsibility, Executors have a legal duty to administer the estate correctly, ensuring that all assets are recorded accurately, fairly, and in accordance with the law for the benefit of the beneficiaries. One of the […]

The first round of the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) is due to open on Tuesday 30th June 2026, following the recent announcement from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). For SFI26, there will be two application windows: one opening in June and a second opening later in the year, in September. Recently, the RPA released […]

The Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP) involves the replacement of six major tunnel sections along the Haweswater Aqueduct route, totalling approximately 52km. This route was originally completed in the 1950’s, with the current project aiming to ensure continued supply of drinking water. The total construction cost is estimated to be around £3 billion. This is […]

The commercial property market across Lancashire and South Cumbria has continued to show encouraging signs during the first half of 2026, although activity levels have varied depending on property type and location. One trend we have noticed is an increase in instructions relating to secured lending. These have included both the refinancing of existing properties […]

The 2026 agricultural land rental market remains relatively tight, with the amount of land available to let continuing to decline. This reflects cautious landlord behaviour and ongoing structural changes within farming businesses. The market is increasingly shaped by post-Brexit agricultural transition policies, the gradual removal of the Basic Payment Scheme, volatile milk and grain prices, […]

Our Summer Open Home Event was another fantastic success, bringing together motivated buyers with some of the very best homes across Lancashire, Cumbria and North Yorkshire. Over the weekend of 13th – 14th June, an impressive 89 properties opened their doors. From charming cottages and countryside retreats to beautiful family homes and lifestyle properties, there […]

The Government has recently published proposals to reform the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for commercial property, setting out a new direction for how energy performance may be regulated in the years ahead. Although these proposals remain subject to consultation and are not yet law, they provide a useful indication of how policy may develop […]

Artificial Intelligence is changing many industries, and property is no exception. Today, anyone can ask an AI chatbot to estimate the value of a house, shop, office or investment property and receive an answer in seconds. The response is often delivered with impressive confidence and apparent certainty. The question is: does that confidence translate into […]