Monthly Archives: October 2020


261020 Scary door

What frightens the wits out of landlords in Wellingborough, Irthlingborough & Rushden?

There are many different fears we all have in life.

There’s the fear of scary clowns like the one made infamous by the horror classic It.

Or more everyday things like fear of failure, of missing out or missing the bus.

One of the things we’ve become very skilled at over the years we’ve been working in the Wellingborough, Irthlingborough & Rushden rental market is helping landlords overcome their fears.

And below are four things landlords fear. The good news is we know how … Continue Reading…


211020 clock

Tips for Selling Your Home AFTER the Clocks Go Back

It’s tempting when the clocks go back (as they will do on Sunday morning) to think that it’s all downhill to Christmas but take our word for it: there’s still time to make things happen in 2020.

It’s mid-autumn and nine weeks until Santa visits – too early for us here at Richard James to dust off our Christmas jumpers and reindeer ears.

If you feel the same way, and recent events have prompted you to re-evaluate where and how you want to … Continue Reading…


imagesCA37OIET

Quick! Time Is Running Out To Save Up To £15,000 On Your New Dream Home

The Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday introduced by the UK government in July, is due to end on 31 March 2021. The holiday was introduced to boost the housing market and means that purchasers buying their main residence will pay ZERO stamp duty on properties worth up to £500,000. This is a potential saving of up to £15,000 if you act soon.

Would you like to save up to £15,000 on your next home move?

The average time to sell … Continue Reading…


191020 Downing Street

What Landlords Need to Know About the Tier System When It Comes to Moving

We look at what the new tier system means for landlords and people looking to rent in Northamptonshire.

The tier system announced by the Government this week to combat the increase in Covid-19 cases has caused some concern from landlords and people who are looking to move.

The good news is that it shouldn’t.

This is because even in the highest tiered areas which the Government has said are at very high-risk, people can still move. Albeit with extra safety precautions which we’ve … Continue Reading…


CosyHome-unsplash

Cheer Yourself Up by Creating a Cosy Home

As the nights draw in and the mercury drops, it’s time to take a little inspiration from our Nordic neighbours.

The stylish Danes have mastered the art of dealing with long, dark winters by embracing what they call hygge (pronounced hoo-gah).

Hygge is a sense of cosy contentment brought about by enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Imagine yourself, warm drink in hand, sitting in a comfy chair in front of a crackling fire, and you’re on the right track.

The idea of hygge is … Continue Reading…


5 Point Checklist - Sellers

Thinking of Selling Your Home? Do These Five Things First

Selling a home can be stressful, but by following a few easy rules at the start of the process, vendors can save themselves time, money, and heartache.

A little bit of pre-sale prep will help you avoid the two most common home-selling horror themes.

Scenario one: The process is painfully slow and drags on for months (or sometimes years) leaving the vendors living in limbo and tearing their hair out because they can’t seal a deal.

Scenario two: The vendor falls in love with … Continue Reading…


091020 pencils

What Will You Be Drawing on this Month

This month sees the world’s biggest drawing festival take place.

Throughout October, there are activities taking place across the globe to encourage people to pick up a pencil and pen and start getting creative.

Due to Covid-19, many of these are now taking place online. And at the end of this article, we share a link where you can access more information.

The Big Draw attracts millions of people of all ages and highlights the benefits of getting arty.

These include:

Reducing stress – drawing … Continue Reading…


071020 Horizon

Thinking about Moving? Here’s what’s on the Horizon in the Housing Market

After one of the most unusual years on record for the housing industry, the latest market predictions from a major property chain make for interesting reading.

Think back to March, when the housing industry screeched to a halt for more than seven weeks during what is typically a busy time of year for property sales.

Then jump ahead to May and June when the UK’s market re-opened – and demand rocketed. A month later, the Stamp Duty holiday was announced, leading to … Continue Reading…


Bonus 061020 Breaking News

Breaking News – Big boost for first-time buyers

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday afternoon that he would make the dream of buying a first home a more achievable reality for first-time buyers.

The news came in a speech to the virtual Conservative conference.

The PM claimed his Government would introduce fixed-rate long term mortgages which would see as many as 2 million first time buyers being able to borrow 95% of the value of the property they want to buy.

The move is intended to help younger buyers afford a home … Continue Reading…


021020 walk

Nine enjoyable things to try this October

1 Plant some bulbs

Bulbs are easy to plant, can go in either the ground or pots, require virtually no looking after and pack a colourful punch. What’s not to like? Plant daffodils, tulips and hyacinths for spring blooms and alliums and lilies for summer flowers.

2 Play conkers

Every October, thousands of people flock to the village of Southwick in Northamptonshire to partake in that most British of pastimes: the thwacking of horse chestnuts. We are, of course, talking about the World … Continue Reading…