Brought to you by chelmsfords' property experts
What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think of shared living? Retirement homes? Student houses? Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler and Joey from Friends? Whatever thought comes to mind first, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing negative media reports around Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in the UK. Dozens…
Cracks, marks and stains leave the biggest negative impression on prospective buyers during a viewing, with a 76% turn-off rate. This is according to Sell House Fast who surveyed 1,266 people who have been to several viewings over the last year. 71% of prospective buyers said they would be dissatisfied by bathroom fixtures not functioning…
We all panic from time-to-time. Readers of this blog that are of a certain age will recall Corporal Jones running around the Walmington-on-Sea barracks shouting ‘don’t Panic, don’t panic’ in TV sitcom Dad’s Army. But panicking was exactly what Jones was doing. And tenants do, too, sometimes. Unfortunately, that can mean they desert your rental property…
The tightening of the mortgage market has created opportunities for vendors who are understandably tempted to consider letting as a lucrative alternative to a sale. Despite the Help to Buy scheme, the dearth of mortgage availability has meant that fewer would-be purchasers are able actually to buy. They are therefore forced to rent if…
Whether we are heading to the polls again in a few weeks’ time for the third time in five years remains to be seen, but the political parties should remember that it is more than Brexit on people’s agendas. A recent poll from Ipsos MORI for the Chartered Institute of Housing found as many people…
£3,485 is the estimated average cost of school uniforms for a child over the course or their school life (Reception to Year 11). The cost is equivalent to 4.31 months’ of a mortgage repayment or 3.31 months’ of average rent, although there are substantial regional variations. Across the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber,…
One of the best things about Chelmsford is the variety of properties available, whether you’re buying, renting or looking to invest. As a landlord, the kind of property you choose to invest in will play a part in your success. Chelmsford’s spectrum of property ranges from modern, city centre flats to stunning period homes in areas like Great…
Photographs form a critically important part of the marketing mix designed to promote your property at its best. Every image really counts, as people will decide whether to enquire further or dismiss a property based solely on the first impression given by the photograph. So why allow an amateur photographer, to take your photos?…
The UK’s top ten mortgage lenders lent a staggering £211.3 billion in 2018, increasing their market share to 78.7%, up from 77.1% in 2017. The top seven lenders retained the ranking they held in 2017, according to data released by UK Finance. The Yorkshire Building Society and Virgin Money swapped places in 2018, with Clydesdale…
One thing you’ll always hope to avoid as a landlord is a dispute with your tenants. Unfortunately, though, this does sometimes come with the territory. And often it can be down to deposits at the end of a tenancy. A 2017 survey by ARLA Propertymark confirmed what will come as little surprise to many of you –…
Even experienced landlords can suffer with the dreaded void period. So, so-called accidental landlords, or those with less experience, often don’t know what to do to stop the rot. It’s costly. It’s frustrating. But it’s also avoidable. Take a look at our seven top tips for keeping your buy-to-let property tenanted… 1 Use a good…
Given the huge impact of recent tax legislation, it will probably come as no surprise to read that more than half of private landlords plan to boost their portfolios via limited companies over the next 12 months. A study by Precise Mortgages found that 55% of landlords plan to buy property through limited companies –…