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Chancellor Rishi Sunak made two big announcements about the property market last week and triggered a flurry of activity. Both initiatives represent attractive propositions for savvy landlords. But, as always, it pays to do your homework first. Stamp Duty holiday The Chancellor’s headline-grabbing announcement was a Stamp Duty holiday. He raised the threshold to £500,000,…
When you buy a property that needs work, you usually hope to be able to recoup the cost of renovation by adding significantly to the future selling price. That’s the theory anyway! But getting the builders in can be stressful, and we have all heard stories of extortionate costs, unforeseen extras, no-shows, and poor, even…
Since the easing of lockdown restrictions, the property market has roared back into action. This has been turbo-charged in England and Northern Ireland by the stamp duty holiday announced last week on the first £500,000 of property sales. If you’re thinking of purchasing a property or simply looking to add value before you sell, Nigel,…
During the boom years, if you were minded to move house you simply got on and did so! Any delay in moving up in a rising market could prove expensive as the property you were buying would inevitably have appreciated more in cash terms that the one you were selling. Moving up the property ladder…
Do you remember when you rode a bike without support for the first time? Or when you learned to swim? And who can forget the moment when the driving examiner turns and says ‘congratulations, you’ve passed.’ You also never forget your first love or the first home you buy. That’s why at Martin & Co…
Most lessees (nb not tenants) have the statutory right to purchase the freehold of their building, called Collective Enfranchisement, under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. Such a purchase certainly has its appeal if your lease is beginning to look a little light – say 80 years or less. In this instance it may…
Eggs-citing design Architects have designed a floating chicken farm. Yes, really. The three-storey creation will nestle on a concrete pontoon in a Rotterdam waterway, in The Netherlands. It will house 7,000 hens, an egg processing plant, and a cress farm. So, what do the neighbours think? As the chicken farm will go next to an…
If you’re putting your house or flat on the market for sale or rent, there is one thing you can do to make an immediate impact. To maximise your chances of securing the best possible deal, spend time preparing your property before it is photographed for promotional purposes. You wouldn’t turn up to an important…
If you had to sum up 2020 in one word (without using “unprecedented” because it has been overused) what would it be? Weird? Abnormal? Or what about unheard-of? Okay, maybe that is two words, but you catch our drift. Whatever adjective you choose, it is a safe bet that you will not forget the first…
Next Monday the All England Lawn Tennis Championship was set to start. Wimbledon’s hallowed courts were to welcome the very best players on planet Earth. But like many of the sporting, social and cultural events across the UK, it’s been cancelled. While we can’t sit back and watch the likes of Federer, the Williams sisters,…
Whether you’re a veteran landlord with years of experience, or a rookie still finding their feet, now is not the time to be going it alone. After all, Starsky had Hutch, Cagney had Lacey and Mulder had Scully (yep, we’ve watched lots of old crime shows during lockdown). Chelmsford landlords currently find themselves in a…
Space may well have been the final frontier for the crew of the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek, but it’s also made the news recently much closer to home. According to a BBC report based on data from property portal Rightmove the Covid-19 induced lockdown has changed people’s priorities when it comes to buying or…