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Published: 08 February 2024

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Embarking on the quest for a new home is an adventure that goes beyond bricks and mortar. It's about finding a place that resonates with your lifestyle and aspirations—a location that's not just a backdrop but a central character in the story of your life. Here's how to master the art of choosing the ideal location for your dream home.

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Published: 20 October 2020

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Although the ban on evictions has now been lifted, there are certain measures and restrictions in place to protect tenants as we head into winter.

Find out what’s changed for landlords, tenants and the UK rental sector.

From a recent survey, 12.5% of tenants reported that they had either missed rental payments or made alternative arrangements, with an additional 12% of respondents concerned about their ability to keep up with rent in the future.*

Notice periods

To recap on what’s been put in place so far, six-month notice periods will give tenants who are served notice the added security of having somewhere to live whilst they seek alternative accommodation or financial support.

These extended notice periods will be in place until March next year, except in extenuating circumstances where a landlord may seek possession sooner, including for anti-social behaviour or rent arrears that pre-date lockdown.

Now that repossession cases can be brought to court again, landlords and tenants should take it under advisement to establish a resolution privately – if at all possible – as cases are prioritised by level of urgency to manage the court’s backlog and this may delay the ability to come to an agreement.

For landlords, it’s also important to note that when making your case, you will need to disclose your tenants’ financial situation and whether they’ve been affected by the pandemic, as this will be a key consideration.

The government’s Christmas evictions truce

Dates have been announced by the government to prevent tenancy evictions over the holidays, meaning that bailiffs cannot be instructed to help landlords regain possession between December 11^th and January 11^th.

There will also be further guidance issued to bailiffs, preventing action to be taken where local lockdowns are currently in force.

Concerns from the lettings sector

Policy and Campaigns Manager at ARLA Propertymark – Timothy Douglas – has commented that over the past few weeks, the government have not been clear when providing updates on eviction processes but have instead drip-fed information to the public.

As a result, this has made it very difficult to respond and plan ahead, with Douglas further stating that the UK government are introducing measures that are difficult to implement; especially when faced with rapidly changing local lockdowns.

If you’re a tenant or landlord looking for clarity on how this could affect you, please contact us directly.

*Source: Goodlord survey, Letting Agent Today

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Published: 20 October 2020

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From recent property exchange data, it has been suggested that buyers are seemingly ‘bored’ after the UK’s lockdown; leaving them eager to move on from the first half of 2020 and get on with their next property sale or purchase.

Since the end of August, reports suggest that there has been a 69% increase in property exchanges, which is a 20-month high for the sector.*

In areas where the property market was slightly slower to gain traction, such as London, this increase is an impressive 94% since restrictions were reduced. For which the majority of these exchanges achieved within 10% of the asking price.

Due to current conditions, prospective buyers are fearful of missing out on good deals, leading to an increased rate of accepted offers.

Key reasons you should be thinking about buying in October:

• Spurred on by strong market conditions, we’re listing stunning properties at an incredible rate as sellers and buyers rush to make their next move

• Starting the process now will give you just enough time to complete and be in your new home by Christmas, whilst taking full advantage of stamp duty savings

• Due to lockdown, sellers are more motivated to reach completion and avoid delays, making them more realistic about the offers they’re willing to accept

Are you ready to see what’s currently on the market in your area?

We have implemented measures to help you safely and responsibly move in 2020. For more information on what practices we have in place, contact us today.

*Source: Knight Frank, Estate Agent Today

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Published: 20 October 2020

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Rightmove have done extensive research into the effect that asking prices have on a property’s likeliness to sell.

Approximately 300,000 properties were brought onto the market this summer.

By September, 63% of properties that remained at the same price and hadn’t been reduced had reached Sold Subject to Contract (SSTC).

Whereas out of the 300,000 properties, only 32% of those that had come down in value had reached SSTC within that same timeframe.

This study confirms what we’ve long since known, that the asking price set for your home is a key determining factor in how it performs on the market.

When priced right the first time, Rightmove’s findings were that a house sold 26 days faster, on average.

As your leading local agents, we can ensure that your home is competitively priced.

Resident data expert at Rightmove – Tim Bannister – had the following to add: “This analysis shows just how vital it is that sellers listen to their agent when they recommend the asking price that the property should be listed at.

“If sellers are serious about selling, then starting with too high an asking price can cause unnecessary delays, and also make it a lot less likely they will actually find a buyer in the end.

“The temporary stamp duty holiday means more sellers are in a hurry to get a sale through conveyancing, and with this also taking longer at the minute a realistic asking price could soon end up being the difference between completing in time or losing out on the savings.”

Book your valuation today

We appreciate how demotivating it can be to experience delays when you’re excited to progress your property move.

That’s why our valuations take into consideration a number of different variables, such as the condition of your home and properties in your area, making us the experts who can confidently evaluate your home’s worth the first time.