£2,000 PCM

 

£925 PCM

 

 

 

 

 

£1,200 PCM

 

£895 PCM

 

The property market is a fast-paced and confusing world, so you’ll need a good agent on your side to help you navigate its complexities. Finding the right agent is crucial to the outcome of your sale, so to ensure that you make an informed decision, it’s important to ask all the right questions.

Here are 10 key questions you should ask your estate agent before committing to working with them.

What is their experience in the local market?
You’ll need to know how much experience your agent has in the local market, as they should be able to provide local market insights such as trends, values and any potential challenges. Don’t settle for the cheaper option, as an experienced agent is better equipped to help you navigate the intricacies of your specific area, enabling a better outcome for your sale.

Can they provide any client testimonials?
Reputable agents are proud of their client testimonials and references, so they will be more than happy to share them with you. Customer feedback can give you valuable insight into any business’ reputation, so don’t hesitate to ask for this information or check the customer ratings online.

What’s their marketing strategy?
When the market is competitive, a robust marketing strategy is what will make your home stand out to potential buyers. Make sure to enquire about the agent’s approach to marketing, including both online and offline channels, professional photography, and any unique strategies they might use to showcase your property effectively.

How will they determine the value of your property?
Receiving a professional valuation is one of the most important steps to selling your home, so you’ll need to know that your agent has a solid and reliable strategy. A good agent will consider a multitude of factors, such as recent sales in the area, the condition and appearance of the property, and current market demand. Using this information to paint a full and accurate picture ensures that your property is competitively priced.

Is your property ready to sell?
While selling ‘as-is’ is sometimes a viable option, an agent will be able to assess your home during your valuation and advise you on any necessary repairs or additions. Ask your agent whether your home is ready for the market, or if it could benefit from a spruce-up to bump up its value.

How will they communicate with you?
The key to any successful partnership is effective communication, so make sure to discuss your preferred mode of communication with your agent. Whether it’s emails, phone calls, or face-to-face meetings, setting your expectations early on will help to avoid any misunderstandings.

How long does it take to sell houses in your area?
Knowing the average time it takes to sell a home in your area will help you manage your expectations and form a realistic plan. It also gives you an idea of how efficiently your agent can sell properties in your location.

Do they have experience handling properties similar to yours?
Every home is unique, but some fall into specific categories which require the careful handling of an expert (e.g., period homes and luxury properties), so make sure your agent has had experience selling similar listings. This experience can be invaluable when it comes to finding the right buyer and selling for the right price.

How do they handle negotiations?
The skill of negotiation is a crucial one in all areas of the property market. Ask your agent about their approach to negotiations and how they plan to secure the best deal for you while also maintaining a positive relationship with potential buyers.

What happens if your property doesn’t sell?
Lastly, it’s important to ask your agent about what their strategy will be if your property doesn’t sell within the agreed timeframe. Whether it involves reevaluating the marketing plan or adjusting the pricing strategy, having a clear plan in place shows that your agent is prepared for any curve balls, allowing you peace of mind throughout your sales journey.

 

For more information, contact our expert team today

 

The journey to your ideal home is often not a short one, and if you’re contemplating taking the plunge into homeownership, you may consider renting first to test the waters. Renting provides the unique opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ and comes with a range of benefits that might just make it the perfect first move.

Here are some of the advantages to renting before you buy:

Flexibility and freedom
Renting allows a level of flexibility that buying a property does not. If you’re unsure about your long-term plans or if you’re keen on trying out a few different locations before laying down roots, renting allows you to relocate easily without being tied to a mortgage or any of the other commitments that come with owning a property.

Try out different areas
If you haven’t lived alone yet, it can be difficult to know what surroundings would best suit your lifestyle. Renting first means you can live in and explore an area before having to commit to it. It’s a great way to experience a different walk of life, try out local amenities, plan your commute, and get a feel for the community.

Maintenance and peace of mind
One of the perks of renting is that you aren’t responsible for major property repairs or maintenance, allowing you to save both time and money. This is a great way to ease yourself into homeownership, as you can focus on gaining your independence without feeling like you’ve been thrown into the deep end on your own.

Gain experience
Being a reliable tenant is a great responsibility to take on before homeownership. You can learn how to budget around bills, how to take care of a home, and what it means to live independently. This experience will be invaluable when you buy your first home, as it will enable you to hit the ground running.

Build your credit score
Being a responsible tenant can also positively impact your credit score, which might make it easier for you to secure favourable mortgage terms when you decide to buy a home later. If you pay your rent on time consistently, this will demonstrate your financial responsibility to mortgage lenders.

Learn more about yourself
Renting a home allows you to experiment and figure out what works for you long term. This is a valuable opportunity to understand what your home requirements are in terms of size and layout, which will help you make a more informed decision when the time comes to buy your own place.

Simplify your transition
Renting puts less pressure on the transition into independent living, especially if you’re going to be living with a partner for the first time. Living in a rental home first allows time to adjust to the responsibilities of maintaining a household and to experience cohabiting with another person without the immediate commitment of ownership.

 

Contact us today to explore the exciting possibilities that renting can bring to your property journey

 

A great opportunity appears to be on the horizon for landlords as the government announces plans to make it easier to convert your house into two flats without planning permission. This will reduce the red tape, costs and transform the process of making your property more profitable. But the advantages don’t stop there, and they are not only confined to landlords.

A greater return on investment
Whether you are a landlord with an extensive property portfolio or own a home in which you see the advantages of subdividing into flats, you stand to gain. Landlords achieve a greater return on investment by being able to increase rental income and the value of their property. If you are a homeowner, you could benefit from renting one flat out and living in the other when considering downsizing. And, both parties will benefit from an increase in the value of your property assets while providing a more compact, energy-efficient place to live.

The process will be faster
Currently, to undertake such a conversion, you need to seek planning permission, as converting a house into a flat is not defined as a permitted development. The government’s proposal will change this and speed up the process, as you will no longer have to delay work on your property. Listed building consent or conservation area consent may be required if necessary, and the government has stipulated that the permitted development right must not change the external appearance of the building.

When will these plans come into place?
The government is already in consultation about the change in 'permitted developments' legislation that will allow homes to become two flats. It is expected to be implemented towards the end of the year. The government, landlords, tenants, and homeowners are eagerly anticipating these changes, and the sooner the government brings them into force, the better, as they will have many positive benefits for all parties and the wider economy.

How will this affect the market?
Increasing the supply of energy-efficient and compact flats will provide more high-quality homes for tenants. Landlords will be able to achieve greater rents from the same property. With the outlook for 2024 looking promising, finding funding to convert homes into flats will be easier. The wider economy and communities will thrive as half-empty homes in need of modernization benefit from a makeover. Happy tenants in place will spend money, and the economic spinoffs will help improve many postcodes. This could help to add to the value of property in these areas while curbing spiralling rental inflation.

Communicate with your agent
Whatever your property plans are, it’s always good to keep in touch with your agent. New opportunities appear daily, sometimes hourly, in all shapes and sizes. Certain houses lend themselves well to conversion into flats. Your agent will be able to inform you when such properties are arriving on the market, connect you to a good mortgage advisor, value your existing property, and manage it if you don’t want the hassle of finding tenants or maintaining your property. It always pays to do your research; a good agent can give you a rental valuation to see how much extra rent you could achieve if you take advantage of the government’s new plans.

 

Contact us to make the most of your property’s opportunities

 

As a landlord, it is important to understand how to increase rent in a fair and reasonable manner. While maximising return on investment may be appealing, you should assess the impact on your tenants and ensure that any rent increases are justified. This guide will help you increase rent the right way while maintaining a positive relationship with tenants.

What are the rules surrounding rent increases?
Although landlords are generally allowed to increase rent, there are rules and regulations that must be followed. Rents cannot be raised during a fixed-term tenancy unless there is a clause in the agreement that states a pre-agreed increase. Rents can be raised once a year in a periodic tenancy, as long as the tenant is provided with sufficient notice.

How can landlords increase rent?
Here are the four most common ways landlords can raise rent:

Signing a new tenancy agreement
The most common way of increasing rent is by signing a new tenancy agreement with altered rates. This is the most straightforward way of increasing rent because there are fewer regulations to follow, and landlords are free to adjust prices to reflect market value and cover additional costs.

Activating the fixed-term increase
If a fixed-term agreement contains a clause allowing the landlord to increase rent at a certain point during the tenancy, a written notice must be issued stating when the increase will take effect. The notice period should ideally be at least two months, and both parties must sign a rent increase agreement.

Reaching a mutual agreement
Landlords can contact tenants to discuss potential rent increases. When taking this approach, it is crucial to be honest about the reasons for proposing a rent increase while also considering the impact on the tenant. If a deal is reached, a rent increase agreement must be signed to make it official.

Serving a Section 13 notice
If a landlord cannot reach an agreement with a tenant, they may choose to serve a Section 13 notice. This is a more formal method of increasing rent and can only be served in a short-term periodic tenancy. The landlord must fill out ‘form 4’ and serve it to the tenant, who may then accept or challenge the rent increase. If a tenant challenges a rent increase, it will be referred to the first-tier tribunal, which will consider the arguments presented by both parties before deciding whether or not the rent increase is fair.

How much can landlords increase rent by?
There is no specific limit on how much landlords can raise rent. However, the government stipulates that any increases must be fair and realistic based on the local market. A rental charge that significantly exceeds the local average rent of similar properties would not be seen as fair or realistic.

How can an estate agent help?
Estate agents play an important role in assisting landlords with increasing rent in a fair and reasonable manner. They research the rental market on behalf of landlords and recommend an appropriate rate to charge, as well as assisting in negotiating with tenants to achieve the best results for both parties while maintaining a positive relationship.

Final thoughts
To ensure a stress-free and profitable tenancy, landlords must strike a balance between increasing rental income and maintaining positive relationships with tenants. After all, losing a reliable tenant because of an unreasonable rent increase could cost you more money than it’s worth. Rules and regulations differ depending on the type of tenancy and the method of proposing a rent increase, so it is important to keep up to date with the latest legislation with the help of a trustworthy estate agent.

 

Looking to maximise your return on investment as a landlord?