Monthly Archives: September 2021


2909 Home Renovation Update

What the Latest Home Improvement Trends Say about the Property Market

The pandemic didn’t just trigger an exodus of city slickers moving to the country, it also kick-started a multi-billion-pound home renovation boom.

UK property owners spent £110 billion on home improvements* last year – a 30% increase year-on-year.

While some people kept things simple by giving a few rooms a lick of paint, others embarked on major projects resulting in a 25% increase in planning applications for home extensions.**

What kind of renovations are popular right now? Let’s examine an analysis of planning … Continue Reading…


2209 How Home Sellers Can Avoid Fall-Through Agony (1)

How to Avoid a Home Seller’s Biggest Frustration

We’re about to banish a myth that many people still believe about selling a home.

The misconception is that once you’ve accepted an offer for your property, the hard work is done.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Yes, it’s fabulous to receive an acceptable offer you’re delighted with, but there are still lots of potential twists and turns along the road to selling successfully.

You don’t want your sale to hit roadblocks that slow the moving process down and raise the chances of it … Continue Reading…


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Recycle Awareness Week

Recycle Now has been running Recycle Awareness Week annually, with 2021 being its 18th year. The emphasis is on celebrating how many of us are recycling and ensuring we all continue to do so.

As the Zero-Waste Chef blogger Anne-Marie Bonneau said: “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”

Here are some ways you can work on waste.

Plastic packaging waste

Plastic packaging is important to protect food wastage through the economic … Continue Reading…


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30 years of Richard James Estate Agents

1991 was the year that saw the publishing of the first ever World Wide Web page, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the summer of Bryan Adams and, of course, the launch of Richard James Estate Agents, which opened its doors on the somewhat inauspicious date of Friday 13th September. Unlucky for some, the opening day has proved to be successful for the founders Richard Fowler & James Rota who have overseen the growth of the business over the past … Continue Reading…


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Looking to Invest? Rental Property Is Strong in East Northants

Have you ever considered becoming a landlord? Investing in property can be a great way to make the most of any money you have to invest. Generally, it’s best if you’re prepared to invest over a long period of time. So, why is right now a great time to get into property?

High numbers of tenants
The latest stats* from May 2021 showed that numbers of prospective tenants continue to increase. Per letting agency branch, the average number of tenants jumped from … Continue Reading…


0109 What Social Media Tells You about an Estate Agent

What Social Media Tells You about an Estate Agent

When choosing an estate agent, it pays to channel your inner Miss Marple or Sherlock Holmes and do a little online sleuthing.

As we all know, many estate agents are known for having the ‘gift of the gab’. You’d be hard-pressed to find one who doesn’t claim to have a strong community standing, good track record, and proven marketing formula.

But how do you know if they’re telling the truth? Social media is a good place to start.

We’re not suggesting you believe everything you … Continue Reading…