The Three Home Improvements That Impress Buyers the Most

When it comes to home improvements, it’s wise to think carefully before you splash the cash.

Homes renovated to a high standard attract more buyer interest and sell more quickly.

However, not all refurbishment works will bring you the same rate of return.

Buyers tend to pay particular attention to the condition of specific areas of a property, so it’s best to invest your time and money in these places.

Here’s a guide to some of the best-value home improvement projects, including some tips … Continue Reading…

Landlord’s Guide to a Dispute-Free Garden

Gardens can boost a rental property’s appeal, often making it more attractive to potential tenants – especially during May, as spring is here and summer is around the corner.

But, as beneficial as they may be, gardens can also be a source of friction between landlords and tenants, particularly when it comes to maintenance responsibilities.

To skilfully swerve such disputes, landlords should adopt a proactive approach.

Here are five straightforward strategies to help keep your garden an asset, not a liability.

Simplify garden designs

Choose … Continue Reading…

Property Viewings: Should Sellers Stay In or Go Out?

So, you’ve prepped and primped your home, and it’s been photographed looking its very best.

Now you’re ready for the next step in the selling process – viewings.

This can be a make-or-break moment, where buyers fall in love and make an offer on the spot or run a mile.

So how can sellers ensure viewings run smoothly and that nothing they do or say deters a potential buyer?

Aside from the obvious things, like keeping your home clean and clutter-free (with no dirty … Continue Reading…

April Market Review

Despite the poor weather the traditional Spring housing market appears to have come to life after a very up and down first quarter to the year. April has seen more sellers placing their properties on the market and more buyers have been purchasing, so activity is up on both fronts.

The stability of interest rates and talk of a potential rate reduction has helped to restore confidence, however, some mortgage lenders have raised their rates in recent days following speculation that … Continue Reading…

Five Things You Should Know about Owning a Buy-to-Let Abroad

Investing in a buy-to-let abroad can be a tempting prospect. Owning your own little piece of paradise while earning a rental income can seem like a win-win scenario.

However, it’s essential to have realistic expectations about the challenges landlords face when managing a property overseas.

Here are five things to consider before investing in an overseas rental.

The distance factor

Managing maintenance and repairs is difficult when you live hundreds of miles away (especially if you don’t speak the local language). As a result, … Continue Reading…

How NOT to Sell Your Home: Five Mistakes That Deter Buyers

Most home sellers want three things: to get the best possible price for their property, to complete the sale in good time and to avoid bucket-loads of stress.

These three goals may sound simple and achievable, but you’d be surprised how many sellers lose their way during the marketing process.

As a result, they waste time and money and cause themselves more anxiety than necessary.

To help you avoid a few common pitfalls, here’s a guide to how not to sell your home.

In other words, … Continue Reading…

Moving Thoughts from a Dad’s Perspective

There’s plenty to consider when moving home, especially when a growing family is involved.

Over the past few months, we’ve looked at the buying and selling experience through the eyes of different members of a family who moved recently.

We’ve spoken with teenagers, tweenagers (9 – 12), younger children (5 – 8) and mums.

In this article, it’s dad’s turn to share his thoughts, fears and advice on moving home with a family.

Here’s Dave’s experience.

From first glance to final offer

“At first sight, the … Continue Reading…

The Pros and Cons of Taking Your Kids to Property Viewings

If you’re looking for a new family home in or around Wellingborough, Irthlingborough or Rushden, viewings will play a key role in your quest to find ‘The One’.

While marketing photos and virtual tours serve an important purpose, nothing rivals seeing the décor, layout and location with your own eyes.

Viewings also give buyers the chance to discuss the property with the agent and learn more about its history and the seller’s situation.

With all this in mind, where does that leave parents? … Continue Reading…

Making Tax Digital: A Timeline for Landlords on the Upcoming Changes

Did you know that HMRC plans to introduce new rules on how landlords file their tax returns?

Here’s an update on what these changes involve and a timeline for when they’ll come into force.

Making Tax Digital (MTD) is an initiative designed to streamline the tax system by fully digitising it.

As MTD has been mooted for quite some time and its implementation delayed twice already, you may have already heard about it.

But if you’re hazy on the details or have buried your … Continue Reading…

Home Sellers: Staging Your Home on a Budget OR

Are you planning to sell your home this year?

Or just curious about what your property may be worth in the current market?

Good news – this article will give you five easy-to-follow tips highlighting how effectively staging your home can boost its appeal to potential buyers.

Styling your home can also potentially speed up the sale and even increase the value of offers you receive.

Let’s dive into the tips.

Declutter and depersonalise

Start by decluttering each room to make your home appear more spacious … Continue Reading…