A Strong March For Sales

The property market has experienced a distinct change over the past year with ever increasing interest rates and an uncertain economy. The media have tended to report mixed messages which have often been confusing but overall the market has remained resilient.

Richard James have invested in staff, longer working hours, offering good quality marketing, regular communication and accurate advice.

We have been proactive in contacting buyers, rather than waiting for them to contact us, we have valued properties accurately rather than over … Continue Reading…

Four Signs You’ve Found Yourself a Committed Buyer

It’s every seller’s worst nightmare. You’re on the cusp of finalising the sale of your property when your buyer gets cold feet and runs for the hills.

Just like that, your plans go out the window. If you’re part of a chain, the whole deal could collapse, meaning you need to find a new buyer for your property and a new place to buy.

And it’s even more frustrating if you had several offers on the table but opted to go with … Continue Reading…

Why Targeting Older Tenants Makes Good Business Sense

Older tenants are a growing force in the private rental sector, so is it time for savvy landlords to proactively target this demographic?

It’s one of the most striking trends in the housing sector over the past decade.

Between 2011 and 2021, the number of tenants aged between 45 and 64 skyrocketed by 70%, while those over 65 jumped by 38%.*

A third of renters are now over 45. And due to high property prices and the challenges of getting a mortgage later … Continue Reading…

Should You Drop the Price or Your Agent if Your Home’s Not Selling?

If your dreams of a speedy property sale have hit the skids, it’s time to change strategies. Read on to discover the best way to get your sale back on track.

No one likes admitting they’ve got something wrong. But if your home has been on the market for some time and interest has gone cold, it’s time to reassess the situation. Before you can determine your next move, you need to identify if:

• The price is too high and you … Continue Reading…

How to Make Sure Your Rental Property Is Safe

Many people are under the assumption that being a landlord is an easy ride. Get your tenants in, collect the monthly rent and that’s it, you’re laughing. Sounds like a dream… Unfortunately, it’s far from the truth, as most experienced landlords and agents will tell you.

Unless you’re lucky enough to have long-term tenants, every time a new lot of renters move in, there are lots of checks to be made, forms to sign, letters to send and on it goes.

One … Continue Reading…

How to Deal with Mother’s Day When It’s Difficult for You

If you’re looking forward to doing something special for Mother’s Day on Sunday, we wish you all the best – but this article isn’t for you.

It’s not that we don’t want you to have a great day (we do) or that we take issue with Mother’s Day itself (we don’t – mums are amazing and deserve a little pampering).

But we know that not everyone will feel like celebrating on Sunday. Mother’s Day can generate a host of complicated feelings if … Continue Reading…

Four Reasons Why Spring Is a Great Time to Sell Your Home

Spring officially starts next week, and with it comes a host of joys: longer days, trees in bud and flowers in bloom.

And if you’re selling a property, there’s something else to celebrate – a spike in buyers looking to make their next move.

Traditionally, spring is the busiest season for property sales (pre-pandemic data shows that properties listed in March sell the fastest*).

While successive lockdowns and the Stamp Duty holiday disrupted this seasonal order, normal activity is now resuming.

So, what’s the … Continue Reading…

Things To Consider When Selling A Rental Property

Over the last 12 months, it’s been reported that many landlords have decided enough is enough and are exiting the buy-to-let game in their droves. And whilst these headlines may or may not be accurate, one thing is for sure, selling a buy-to-let property is very different to selling a residential property.

So, if you’re a landlord considering selling a rental property, what do you need to know?

In this quick read, we look at some important factors you should be aware … Continue Reading…

Refurbing Your Buy-to-Let: Eight Ways Landlords Can Benefit

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That’s the view some landlords take on the question of renovating a buy-to-let.

They do the absolute minimum in terms of maintenance and repairs and only manage to meet their legal obligations by the skin of their teeth.

The décor is shabby and tenant turnover is high, but hey, they’re saving every possible penny, so they feel rather pleased with themselves.

So, is this the best way to get the most out of your property investment?

We’d … Continue Reading…

Choosing an Estate Agent: Three Questions to Ask Before You Commit

When hunting for a professional to sell your home, you’ll probably compile a list of property-related questions to fire off at prospective estate agents. 

What’s the property worth? What changes need to be made before it’s listed? And what’s the best way to market it?

All wise questions worth asking, but please, don’t stop there! No matter how keen you are to get your property on the market, you need to uncover a few more facts about how the agent does business … Continue Reading…