Archive for the ‘Advice’ Category
May
20
Posted under
Advice,
General If you are thinking of letting a property and planning on filling it with designer items and furniture, then now is the best time to buy. Due to the current recession, shops are putting on sales and offering items at bargain prices, just to make a sale and a little bit of money. A number of high street stores are offering items of furniture at almost half the original price.
A friend of mine bought a number of designer radiators the other week and managed to get them at a discounted price due to the store having a closing down sale. They look great and were a complete bargain!
Make sure that before you go shopping you take a look around the house to see what items you could do with being replaced. It may be useful to make a little list so you don’t forget. You may realise that the office chairs you have been using could really do with being thrown in the skip or the headboard on your bed needs updating. Now is the best time to take a trip to the shops to bag a bargain.
If you are planning on letting for the first time, then now is the time to invest in time such as washing machines and sofas for the future.
Mar
04
Posted under
Advice Right, so we assume you have managed to attain a property, you might have done some work to the property to make it more presentable or to increase the return value and now you are wondering what to do next. Before you push your property straight on to the market, here are some finish touch tips to ensure you get the most from your investment.
Double Check Your Work
If you have had to perform any significant building or interior work, double check everything to make sure you haven’t missed anything. For example if you repainted, try to ensure you have painted every nook and cranny, including behind radiators and other fixtures.
Clean and Tidy
Clean every single part of the house. This can be tiresome and should be done properly, so if there are any doubts in your mind about your cleaning abilities, consider hiring some professional cleaners. In cities this can be quite cheap due to high levels of competition so you should definitely utilise the services house and carpet cleaners in London or Manchester.
Empty the Property
Leave any furniture or appliances you plan to let as part of the contract but try to move any of your own items to a different location, otherwise the property can look more cluttered and messy than is necessary.
Feb
27
Posted under
Advice There are 304 property companies facing financial crisis and many of them are on the verge of insolvency.
The figures given by Begbies Traynor’s early warning system, ‘Red Flag’, indicate sharp rise in number of companies in critical condition from 185 in 3rd quarter to 221 in 4th quarter of 2008. Read the rest of this entry »
Feb
18
Posted under
Advice As you are probably well aware, fixing up a property so it is suitable for letting can be a difficult and expensive task. The benefits can be great but it can be hard to get a good balance between the ever increasing costs of improvements and the overall gain. Read the rest of this entry »
Feb
01
Posted under
Advice House builders, who have been struggling hard for more than a year due to mortgage squeeze and a continuous fall in house prices, which contributed to sharp decline in property transactions, are going to benefit through £500m rebate being given by the taxman. Read the rest of this entry »
Jan
28
Posted under
Advice Garden ponds are areas of peace and tranquillity. People can use them as a place to go and unwind after a hard days work. They also add to the overall look of a garden, giving it that added visual appeal.
Read the rest of this entry »
Jan
22
Posted under
Advice So you have a property and you think that during this time of hardship and the current gloomy economic situation surrounding us all, it might be a good idea to let out said property.
Read the rest of this entry »
Jan
14
Posted under
Advice The title of this topic is a common question asked by budding landlords. If you are planning on letting a property with a fireplace (or several fireplaces for that matter) what should you do with it?
The problem is of course that your potential clients are a mixed bag of needs and wants. Some might like a fireplace some might not. Read the rest of this entry »
Jan
08
Posted under
Advice Year 2009 is going to be another tough year for buy-to-let landlords, predicts the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA).
The Association has forecast increase in rate of repossessions due to likely failure of large number of landlords in payments of their mortgage. Read the rest of this entry »
Jan
08
Posted under
Advice The Nationwide Building Society in its latest survey has confirmed 16% fall in house prices in the UK in 2008 and reported average price down to £153,048.
December 2008 witnessed 14th consecutive fall of 2.5% in house prices, making it 18% lower than peak in October 2007. Read the rest of this entry »