Miller Homes’ Bill Hughes Reigns ‘Supreme’ for Fifth Time

 

Here at Miller Homes we have been celebrating the fantastic achievements of Bill Hughes, our record-breaking site manager who has won one of the most prestigious accolades in the house building industry for the fifth time – a first in the competition’s history.

Bill became the first candidate to win the much coveted Large Housebuilder Category for the fifth time at the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) Pride in the Job Supreme Awards last Friday, he previously won the same category four years in a row from 2003 to 2006, as well as placing runner-up in 2008 and 2009.

Bill was crowned the Supreme Award-winning site manager in the large housebuilder category, following a rigorous 18 month judging process and we’re all thrilled here at Miller Homes. This is a truly unrivalled and unique achievement. Winning the category is recognition for all his hard work, efforts and dedication to excellence at all times. The fact that Bill has won this fantastic industry award category five times is an incredible achievement.

The NHBC Pride in the Job initiative assesses all of their registered site managers in the UK, working across a range of different sites, to find and reward those who show dedication and excellence in every aspect of the job.

Pride in the Job recognition within the house building industry is something which we all strive for.  This year we have been fortunate to have three very worthy finalists in the running for the Supreme title and their achievements reinforce the exceptionally high standards adopted by Miller Homes, giving our customers the confidence that their homes are being built by award winning site managers.

My congratulations also go out to Patrick Malyn and Scott Brown, who were  among the 32 regional award winners that made it through to the Supreme Awards.

Over 13,000 site managers working on NHBC registered sites were automatically entered into the competition.  Bill’s win and Pat and Scotts’ achievement in reaching ‘Supreme’ status is testament to the high quality of workmanship, site safety and management that we demand on all of our new build developments.

Well done Bill.

By Chris Endsor, Chief Executive of Miller Homes


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By admin on January 20, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Positive feelings for 2012 and a New Year’s resolution

It’s not everyone’s favourite month, January. Usually marked by the post-Christmas lull, frosty temperatures and the prospect of unwelcome credit card bills (let’s face it, Blue Monday’s a dark day on all calendars), I can see why some people possess negative feelings towards the first month of the year. But, the way I look at it, things don’t have to be so bad!

2011 was challenging for many, but on the back of some of the successes we had at Miller Homes (see the last blog post) it’s hard not to feel positive about what can be achieved in 2012 if you stay optimistic. The housing market demonstrated some resilience last year as house prices grew by 1%. With predictions of a more stable year ahead coming from many of our industry peers and growth levels of around 2% predicted by Rightmove, it’s clear to see that we’re on the right path to securing prosperity and stability in the housing industry.

It’s also worth noting that with the current Government stamp duty relaxation due to finish on March the 24th, the first quarter of this year will be a great time to buy if you’re a First-time buyer. Currently, the concession allows First-time buyers to save up to 3% on the purchase of a property of up to £250,000 – my advice would be to buy now! And even if you miss the savings that come with the stamp duty holiday there is still a raft of purchase incentives available to help any potential customer find their dream home.

So, if your new year’s resolution for 2012 is to buy a new home, make sure you visit http://www.millerhomes.co.uk or a take trip to one of your nearest Miller Homes developments.

By Victoria Finch, National Marketing Manager


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By admin on January 9, 2012 at 9:42 am
Season’s Greetings from Miller Homes

With the festive season in full swing and 2012 hot on our tails, it seems only fitting now to spread some goodwill and round up some of our very own celebrations.

We at Miller Homes have had an excellent year (again).  Our client satisfaction scores hit a high this summer, we had our best ever year for Pride in the Job winners (26 – a Miller Homes record), we won Best Large Housebuilder at the Scottish Housing Awards, Private Developer of the Year at the First Time Buyer Reader Awards, Best Affordable Housing at the Housing Excellence Awards – and much, much more. It’s not too hard to see why over 97% of our customers would recommend us to their best friend!

It’s even better to finish the year with news from the kind people around our developments. It’s been fantastic to see charity at home in Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire this December. Times may be tough but that’s not stopped nearly 50 toys worth over £350 being donated.  Similarly, in the West Midlands people are being encouraged to think about those less fortunate than themselves and donate winter essentials to the Birmingham Christmas Shelter. There’s certainly no evidence of  Ebenezer Scrooge in these regions.

We have had a great year and we are doing all that we can to assist people all over the country make their home- owning dreams come true; our wishes for 2012 are as follows:

 

1. FirstBuy Fame.

FirstBuy is a truly brilliant scheme.  It gets people onto (and up) the housing ladder that would have struggled to move otherwise.

Basically, anyone who qualifies for FirstBuy is offered an equity loan of up to a maximum of 20% of their purchase price (based on the open market value). This means they only need to fund the balance of the purchase price (as little as 80%) by means of a conventional mortgage (from a Qualifying Lending Institution), savings and any deposit where required. And despite its name, it isn’t just for first time buyers either.

We just need to keep getting this message out – before people miss out.  It won’t be around forever.

 

2. Confidence in the Market

We in the UK are very good at talking ourselves down, but far less so at talking things up – and right now, we really need to.  There are plenty of reasons to stay positive – mortgage supply is much better now than it was a year ago, FirstBuy is helping to get first time buyers onto the property ladder (which the market really needs), the Government has pledged to do more to ease the housing shortage and houses are selling. They really are.

 

3. Rent Realisation

In great swathes of the UK, it will now cost you less each month to buy a home, than it would be to rent the exact same one – but not enough people can see that.  Now really is the best time to buy and hopefully more and more people will realise this over the coming months.

 

4. Low Interest Rates

It’s low interest rates that are making owning a home so wonderfully affordable at the moment.  Let’s keep them that way.

So, whilst our fingers are crossed for the above and we look forward to another year of making owning a dream home a wish come true, it’s fantastic to have all of your support along the way. Whether you’re a Miller Homes customer, fan, follower or reader, I wish you a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

By Chris Endsor, Chief Executive of Miller Homes


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By admin on December 23, 2011 at 11:14 am
A Buyer’s guide to FirstBuy

Our previous blog on Firstbuy made reference to the Rightmove survey results, which indicate that 45% of potential first time buyers now believe they are more likely to get on the property ladder thanks to FirstBuy. But what about the remaining 55%? I suspect there may well be plenty of house hunters who remain unaware of the Firstbuy scheme – and how they could stand to benefit from it.

For those of you currently looking at your options in a challenging property market, Firstbuy is the scheme introduced by the government earlier this year to offer a helping hand to those who may otherwise struggle to get that ever-desirable first step onto the property ladder.

As the name of the scheme suggests, Firstbuy is primarily aimed at first time buyers – the lynchpin of the UK housing market. What the scheme offers is financial support to the tune of up to 20% of the purchase price – meaning that the buyer may only have to fund as little as 80% of the purchase price themselves. The 20% equity loan is made up of equal contributions from the HCA and the housebuilder and is only repayable after 25 years, or when the property is sold or remortgaged – whichever comes first.

Whilst the name of the scheme indicates that it is targeted at first time buyers, this is not the only group able to benefit from the government’s assistance. Key workers, members of the armed forces and those who have previously owned properties but are now unable to buy or move without assistance also qualify for Firstbuy, which is expected to assist some 10,500 purchasers into a new home over the next two years.

So house hunters take note – even if you are looking to buy a home which is not your first, Firstbuy may be able to give you the helping hand you need. Failing that, we have our very own range of purchase incentives, tailor-made for house hunters nationwide who are searching for that dream home.

By Michaela Lancaster, Miller Homes Regional Sales Director – North West


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By admin on December 13, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Buy new to beat the bills

It’s around this time every year that energy bills leave consumers out in the cold. With winter evenings turning cooler and darkness falling long before most people get home from work, the inevitable worry about winter bills creeps in. Despite the recent simplification of tariff structures from one of Britain’s biggest suppliers, energy bills are expected to rise still.

The average household dual fuel bill in the UK is now £1,293 – a number pushed up by an estimated £224 over the past year.

I’m not going to debate the causes behind rising fuel costs. There are many factors that have pushed up fuel bills in 2012; EU carbon reduction targets, a sluggish economy and knock on effects from world disasters have all played their part. However, there is one way to beat the bills- aside from donning that extra Christmas Jumper.

If you’re looking to buy, a new home this could be the perfect way to save on future energy bills (as well as avoid the soaring prices of rent). Admittedly, this isn’t an option that is available to everyone, but on the back of the recently announced Housing Strategy for those that have been waiting patiently, now could be the smartest time to buy a new home.

New homes are built to the latest environmental standards and are up to six times more energy efficient than older style properties. The latest innovations in design mean that all of our homes benefit from wall and roof insulation, low energy, high output heating systems and double glazing to ensure that the heat is kept well and truly locked in.

Whenever energy companies make headlines with rising fuel prices and large profit margins, I can’t help but think that buying a new home is becoming the smartest investment in these tough economic times.

UK homeowners will increasingly look to green technologies to help them save big money when it comes to household energy and new homes right now are the best possible way to ensure you get the maximum out of your thermostat!

By AnneMarie Britton, Sales Director, Miller Homes Scotland East


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By admin on December 6, 2011 at 2:47 pm

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