2024

Buying a home is a huge undertaking that many property hunters find exciting – but also a bit scary. With so much at stake, what if you make an offer you later regret?  Or what if you don’t make an offer and miss out on a great deal? If you often feel indecisive at viewings, here’s some advice on letting your five senses guide you.  Your sense of sight, smell, hearing,...

Choosing the right estate agent is a big step on the road to successfully selling your home.  But with so many agents making big promises to win your business, how can you identify the genuine professionals from the wheeler dealers? Meeting different agents at the start of the process can leave you feeling overwhelmed and confused.  But by asking these seven questions, you’ll...

If you’re a landlord, you can probably think of nothing worse than your rental sitting empty. The prospect of covering the mortgage and utility bills in between tenancies may keep you awake at night. And there are security implications too: a lengthy void period may invalidate your landlord insurance and increase the risk of squatters moving in. But in a desire to get new tenants in, it’s...

As it’s Child Safety Week*, here’s a handy reminder for AREA homeowners about how to keep your precious little ones out of harm’s way. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent or guardian, it’s important to ensure your home is child-proof. Babies and children are infinitely curious and love climbing on furniture and grabbing and tasting whatever they can get their hands...

It’s an exciting moment when a buyer puts a good offer on the table. After all your hard work to prepare your home for sale, it feels like everything is finally falling into place. But before you agree a price in a rush of giddy delight, it’s important to ask a few questions – especially if more than one buyer is interested. This is because you need to understand a buyer’s position to...

When summer arrives, the issue of property security becomes even more relevant for landlords. The summer months provide more opportunity for thieves to take advantage of longer days, open windows and doors, and vacant properties. As a landlord, you need to protect your investment, but it’s also good practice to help your tenants feel safe and secure. Here are five relatively simple security...

The Renters (Reform) Bill was a proposed new law that would have meant some big changes for landlords – with new rules on tenancies, possession grounds and evictions. With the general election coming on 4 July, let’s take a look at what this could mean for the reform of rental law going forward. Renters Reform – where we are now The new Bill made pretty erratic progress after it was...

In a testament to our unwavering dedication to excellence, Nest in Essex has secured membership to an exclusive network of the nation's top independent agencies. The Ethical Agent Network (EAN) has welcomed Nest in Essex into its esteemed ranks, recognising our agency's profound commitment to customer care, professional approach, community support, and strong moral compass. Led by the highly...