Kirstie and Phil Launch House Hunter App

Kirstie and Phil Launch House Hunter App

HARROGATE, England, June 29, 2011/PRNewswire/ --

Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer, the TV property gurus, have launched
new research revealing UK home hunters overspent their combined budgets by a
staggering GBP3.7 billion last year, despite falling house prices and what
should be a buyers' market.

The survey of 2,000 home buyers, announced to coincide with the launch
of the new iPhone app 'Kirstie & Phil's House Hunter
[http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/kirstie-phils-house-hunter/id444080922?mt=8
' , has revealed that almost half (49 per cent) blow their budget on average
to the tune of over GBP10,000.

For one in ten home buyers (10 per cent) the situation is even more
extreme, with finances stretched to cover an additional spend of up to
GBP50,000, whilst for a frivolous few (2 per cent) it topped the scales at
more than GBP100,000.

One in five buyers (20 per cent) admit to getting caught up in the
excitement of the moment, letting their heart overrule their head, whilst
one in ten (10 per cent) don't factor in the cosmetic work required to make
their new house a home. A similar number (11 per cent) are caught out by the
level of legal and estate agent fees they need to build into their buying
budget.

Stamp duty is another major issue, with more than half of house hunters
(58 per cent) saying they are clueless as to the level they are required to
pay when shopping and budgeting for their new home.

The House Hunter iPhone App is packed with videos and audio tip guides
from Kirstie and Phil [http://www.kirstieandphil.com ] and contains a
definitive guide to finance, mortgages, dealing with agents and legal
processes.

Kirstie Allsopp said: "Going over your intended budget isn't always a
bad thing if it means getting your dream home for a price you can still
afford. However with house prices as low as they are at present it should be
a buyers' market, and so it's worrying to hear how many people are spending
too much either because they're not striking a deal or because they're not
on top of their finances."

Phil Spencer added: "We know from helping hundreds of people through the
buying process that the same problems and pitfalls arise time and time again
and that's why we've created the app. It's the first to combine an extensive
property search function with great tools to help buyers manage their
individual search."

Kirstie & Phil's House Hunter app is available from the iTunes store now
and integrates the Zoopla search engine to enable users to search for
properties anywhere in the UK.

House Hunter is packed with Kirstie and Phil videos
[http://www.youtube.com/user/KirstieandPhil ] as well as house buying tips
and guides [http://www.kirstieandphil.com/house-hunter-app ] from Kirstie and
Phil providing a comprehensive guide to buying a home.

The app has been jointly developed and produced by The Talent and Brand
Ventures team at BBC Worldwide and Raise The Roof Productions.

Further details about the app can also be found on Kirstie and Phil's
website, the Kirstie and Phil Facebook
[http://www.facebook.com/KirstieandPhil ] and YouTube Channel which features
an exclusive introduction to the app from Kirstie and Phil.

Notes to Editors:

The survey of 2,000 UK home buyers was undertaken by One Poll in
February 2011.

About BBC Worldwide:

BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned
subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists
to maximise the value of the BBC's assets for the benefit of the licence fee
payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The
company has six core businesses: Channels, Content & Production, Sales &
Distribution, BBC Magazines, Consumer Products (including DVD publisher 2
entertain) and Brands, Consumers & New Ventures, with digital ventures
incorporated into each business area. In 2009/10, BBC Worldwide generated
profits of GBP145 million (operating profit before specific items) on sales
of GBP1074 million (including Group revenue and the Group's share of
joint-ventures' revenue).

PR contact:

Emma Campbell
Town Centre House
Cheltenham Crescent
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG1 1DQ
+44(0)845-4567-251

http://www.kirstieandphil.com

Source: BBC Worldwide

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