If moving is starting to feel more realistic, September is a useful time to prepare. Understanding your budget, priorities and local property search now could make things much easier when the right home appears.

The future of the United Kingdom is once again being discussed, with the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland meeting in Cardiff to discuss closer cooperation, economic issues, energy, Europe and wider constitutional questions.

The UK property market is entering another important period of change. The Government has confirmed plans to introduce independent regulation of property agents, with the intention of giving consumers greater protection and creating higher professional standards across the sector.

The UK housing market remained subdued in August, with house prices edging up by 0.2% over the month and annual growth sitting at 1.6%, according to Nationwide's latest House Price Index.