In this two-minute read, we give you our best ideas for unloading your unwanted socks/smellies/toys/slippers (delete as appropriate). Now we’ve all eaten our weight in turkey, pulled some crackers, and snoozed in front of the TV, it’s time for the great post-Christmas tidy-up. The first place to start (once all that wrapping paper has been cleared away) is with your unwanted presents....
2021
In this three-minute read, we explore the growing trend of multigenerational living. Remember when you were younger and you couldn’t wait to move out of your parents’ house, rent your own place and live independently? Well, times are a-changin’, and being an adult with your own bills, mortgage payments, and countless other expenses has lost its charm for many. In fact, more and more people...
This two-minute read looks at how landlords can keep their property safe from criminals and dodgy dealers. Every landlord has lost sleep worrying about what goes on in their rental property when they’re not around. There’s always a flicker of fear that a tenant – no matter how trustworthy they seem – might turn out to be a nightmare and cause damage to the property. But carpet stains...
In this two-minute read, we look at how new trends could change our homes next year and in the future. If the past couple of years have taught us anything, it’s that no one really knows what’s going to happen in the future. But we’ve dusted down our crystal ball (with the help of some Google searches) to discover the trends forecasted to shape the way our homes look, function, and...
This three-minute read explains the role of rent guarantors. When a landlord has a niggle of anxiety over whether a prospective tenant will pay their rent, there is a way they can help protect their investment. A landlord can ask a tenant to provide a guarantor to ‘guarantee the tenancy’. Guarantors are often family members or close friends – and a little bit like a human safety...
In this two-minute read, we look at reasons why a property may be classified as unmortgageable. Selling a property can be tricky at the best of times, but when a property is deemed unmortgageable things can get complicated. ‘Unmortgageable’ means lenders won’t allow a potential buyer to borrow the money they need to buy a property. For many sellers, this can be a knockout blow and can...
Two Important Questions to Ask Before You Sign with an Estate Agent In this three-minute read, we look at how to gauge if an agent is giving you an honest property valuation. The first question a seller always asks an estate agent is: “How much can you sell my property for?”. The second is: “What is your fee?”. This focus on price and fees makes perfect sense; understandably every seller...
In this two-minute read, we look at five fundamental ways landlords in can make their rental properties more profitable. Some people think the only way landlords can make more profit is to ruthlessly keep hiking up their tenants’ rent. But that’s incorrect on two fronts. Firstly, continually increasing a tenant’s rent is no strategy to keep them long term. Secondly, the five ways we’re about...
In this two-minute read, we look at a question we often get asked at around the question of whether being granted planning permission adds value to a property? The quick answer to this is nearly always a yes. Here are four ways being granted planning permission can add value to your property. Lofty ambitions – Adding an extra bedroom A loft conversion that adds an extra bedroom, especially...
In this three-minute read, we look at the issues landlords should consider before raising rents. The uptick in inflation, along with pressure on interest rates, means that many landlords will be considering rent increases right now. Before deciding on a course of action, here are some points to consider. Why would a landlord raise rents? Rising mortgage and maintenance costs.Tax and...