Surge in parents acquiring buy-to-lets for students Going to university is a big step and the hardest part can be finding the right accommodation. It was very popular at one time for parents to buy property for their children to use whilst studying away from home. Over time, this became less common as more student accommodation blocks were built and heavy-duty buy-to-let regulations and reductions in
Property prices likely to continue rising After the rollercoaster year of 2020, 2021 was a difficult year to predict in the housing sector. With a return of stability to the market, we can look at the forecast for the new year. More than 22% of homeowners plan to move in the next 18 months, due to direct results of the pandemic. In a recent survey, it
The paint colours that could decrease the value of your home Smartening up a room is a great idea to attract prospective buyers, but certain paint colours could put a negative effect on the value of your home, potentially decreasing its value. The use of trendy colours can date a property and be costly to update. So, what are the key colours that experts would
When it comes to decorating for Christmas, there’s no right or wrong answer but everyone seems to have a different date where it’s seen as acceptable to make a start. Last year was unlike any other, with a last minute lockdown disrupting plans for households across the UK. With the pandemic under better control in 2021, research suggests that Brits will be hitting the
What are your house guests most interested by? Through the use of eye-tracking technology, new research has shed light on the key factors that guests will notice the most when visiting our homes.* As could be expected, an office space is one of the most eye-catching areas of a property, which makes sense considering the rise in working from home in the last 18 months. Top 10
UK house prices have climbed on average by £25,000 in the past year alone House prices rose by 10.6% during August, up from 8.5% during July – bringing the average price to £264,000.* This strong national increase is being fuelled by the perfect storm of high buyer demand combined with low housing stock levels. The stamp duty holiday helped increase house prices in the
After an extremely busy year for the housing market, thanks to the Stamp Duty Holiday and a shift in the needs of homeowners, we saw the national average price of property and the demand hit an all-time high. But it looks like good news is on the horizon for buyers as the steep rise in house prices has shown its very first signs of
How much stamp duty will I pay in July 2021? The full stamp duty holiday has come to an end and is now being phased out. Stamp duty will return to the original rates by October 1. From 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021 there is a transitional period, when you won’t have to pay tax on the first £250,000 of a new
Rishi Sunak has announced an extension of the stamp duty holiday until the end of June in the budget with lower rates until the end of September. This will be welcomed by those buying a home who have been very worried about having to pay up to £15k extra on their purchase if they don’t complete in time. The extension will likely cause another
Find an agent with a good track record Use google reviews and all the agents to get consumer feedback on agents within your area. Make sure you get on with your estate agent, and that you trust them. They will be the first point of contact for any potential buyers, so you need to make sure that they will represent you and your property
Letting adverts stating NO PETS are a common sight on any lettings portal in the UK. But it’s important for landlords to at least consider all tenants for their properties. Remember just because you advertise as Pets considered doesnt mean you then have to accept a Pet. Here Birchills give some compelling reasons to consider allowing tenants to have a pet. How many tenants
