Three Easy-to-Do New Year’s Resolutions with a Difference
If you want to reset or refresh your life in the year ahead, why not make some property resolutions?
New Year’s resolutions like losing weight or joining the gym are so last year. This year, why not do it differently? Make some New Year’s resolutions for your home.
Here are a few to put on your list:
Resolution No. 1: Brighten up your life – brighten up your home
Now the Christmas decorations are due to come down (or maybe already have), it’s a … Continue Reading…
There are Four Types of Downsizers: Which One Are You?
Downsizers are a key part of the housing sector, but their motivations for moving are changing. Read on to find out why.
Downsizers play an important role in the property market. They free up hundreds of thousands of empty bedrooms each year and account for a third of all property sales.*
But they’re often stereotyped as empty nesters looking to offload a large property to reduce maintenance duties.
While this description holds true in some cases, the category is much more varied than … Continue Reading…
Six Key Questions to Ask Your Letting Agent
Don’t get just any letting agent to manage your investment property. Here are six useful questions to help you find a top professional.
Are you looking to lighten your load as a landlord in 2025?
Finding the perfect letting agent is your first step towards a New Year of hassle-free property management.
The right agent saves you time, reduces stress, maximises your income and can guide you safely (and legally) through the ever-changing maze of rental rules and regulations.
But with so many letting … Continue Reading…
Why 2025 Can Prove Positive for Property Owners
Homeowners and property hunters should feel optimistic about the housing market in the year ahead. Here’s why.
The newspapers are full of predictions of a national property crash.
The broadcast media are pumping out doom and gloom about the housing market’s prospects.
And ‘experts’ on social media and the local ‘pub professors’ are forecasting the end of the world (sometimes literally) but with little to no evidence.
But wait, the opening three paragraphs sum up what people were writing and saying about the property … Continue Reading…
Burst Pipes: Emergency Action Plan for Landlords
If a pipe bursts at your rental, quick action will save you time and money. Here’s what landlords need to know.
To steal a quote from Game of Thrones ‘Winter is Coming’. (Well, ok it’s here already.)
And the colder weather can bring different challenges for landlords, including burst pipes.
Here is some advice for landlords on dealing with (and avoiding) burst pipes at a rental property.
What causes a burst pipe?
In cold weather water in a pipe can freeze. As it freezes, it … Continue Reading…
The Race is On to Beat Stamp Duty Changes
Changes to Stamp Duty come into force next year. Read on to learn how much they’ll cost you and how to deal with them effectively.
December is traditionally a quiet month in the property market – but that’s not proving to be the case this year.
Buyer demand is up with the property portal Rightmove suggesting first-time buyers (FTBs) are leading the charge*.
So why is there so much momentum when buyers and sellers typically ease off in the run-up to Christmas?
As many … Continue Reading…
Should You Sell Your Rental in 2025?
The last few years have been challenging for some landlords. But don’t rush into a decision about the future of your buy-to-let until you’ve read this.
It’s fair to say that developments in recent years have made things more complicated for some landlords.
The restriction on mortgage interest tax relief and the upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill have prompted some investors to question staying in the buy-to-let market.
Despite these challenges, there are several positives to take on board.
Reasons to keep your rental
Demand … Continue Reading…
Changes to Leasehold Laws, What You Need to Know
If you own or are buying or selling a leasehold property, there could be some significant changes to think about in 2025.
With a leasehold property, you own the property but don’t own the land it sits on. Instead, you have a lease on it for a set number of years. You also pay ground rent to whoever owns the land – the freeholder.
There are five million leasehold properties in England and Wales. Most flats and some houses are leasehold. (Scotland … Continue Reading…
Why Landlords Love ‘Rent Ready’ Tenants and How to Be One of Them
Tenants can stand out in the competitive lettings market by being ‘rent ready’ before looking for a new place to live.
With an average of 21 people vying for each rental that comes on the market*, competition in the sector is fierce.
So, how can tenants avoid the frustration and disappointment of missing out on a great property?
The answer is to be ‘rent ready’.
What is rent ready?
Rent ready is a term used to describe a prospective tenant who has their documentation prepared … Continue Reading…
Christmas Toy Appeal 2024
For the past two decades, Jeanette, as Mother Christmas has been delivering joy to Northamptonshire’s most disadvantaged children.
Jeanette, who grew up in care, knows the joy a brand new gift can bring a child who feels unloved, neglected or forgotten. She has tirelessly worked since 2002 to bring joy to these disadvantaged children. She is asking for your help with the annual Christmas gift appeal by donating presents to be passed on to local children who are in need this … Continue Reading…