August 2018 - Fife Properties
Fife Properties

Month: August 2018

Compulsory Super-Fast Broadband For All New Homes

Almost everything in your home, from your phone and TV to your washing machine and refrigerator can connect to the internet today, and many studies have shown that a slow broadband connection can be a deal breaker for homebuyers in today’s market.

In today’s constantly connected world, it is no surprise that the Government announced plans to introduce a legislation that would see all new homes fitted with fibre networks to ensure they receive a super faster broadband speed.

A recent report detailed plans for upgrading the entire country from copper-based to full fibre networks by the year 2030. New build homes would, of course, come with fibre networks as standard, but older homes and some of the more rural locations throughout the UK would eventually make the switch also.

According to new figures in comparison with the rest of Europe, the UK has got some work to do in order to catch up in terms of connectivity.

89% of Portugal features full fibre connections, Spain boasts 71% and France has 28% and rising, whereas only 4% of the UK is able to provide the top speeds that come with a full fibre connection.

Fibre connections are not the only upgrades planned for the UK, as the Government hopes that switching from copper-based networks will provide a strong foundation for 5G coverage throughout the country and a target has been set to connect 15 million premises to full fibre broadband over the next 7 years.

DCMS Secretary of State – Jeremy Wright – spoke on the Government’s plans, he said; “The Government is looking to improve the housing supply in the UK and has an ambition of building 300,000 new homes a year over the next few years. We will ensure that the ambitions of significantly increasing the housing stock and world-class digital infrastructure are aligned. It makes practical sense to ensure that these new developments have future proofed full fibre connectivity wherever possible,

“We want everyone in the UK to benefit from world-class connectivity no matter where they live, work or travel.”

Fife Properties Managing Director, Jim Parker said, “This is pretty startling figures and the UK seems to be lagging behind. The government needs to push forward to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of technology and communications”

How Much Does Disrepair Put Off Homebuyers?

As homebuyers, when viewing a potential property, we’re all on the lookout for anything and everything that needs fixing or could use a bit of work.

While we’d all love to find a home that requires no work at all, chances are whenever you buy a property, it will come with its fair share of needed repairs.

But what type of damage to a home is most commonly a deal breaker for prospective buyers? Well, GoCompare has sought to find this out.

New research from the comparison site has quizzed people on which types of disrepair would lessen their enthusiasm for a home and what would completely kill their interest in a property all together.

The biggest turnoffs are…

It was found that Damp was the biggest hurdle for buyers, with a huge 69% of survey participants stating that signs of damp on the walls and ceiling would force them to withdraw their interest in a home. This is understandable as damp left unchecked can lead to some very serious structural issues.

Not too far behind in the survey results was bad odours at 63% said that smells such as damp, food, cigarettes or pets would be a deal breaker.

Rotten windows and peeling paintwork took 3rd place in the results, with 59% saying that they would not put in an offer if they spotted these blemishes on a home.

Staying connected

As expected, not having a space to park your car is a big issue for 56% of buyers and it is no surprise that in today’s always-online world that 53% desire a high-speed internet connection. The same percentage of participants would be put off a home If there was any work on the property that was uncompleted.

Some of the other negatives that made the list were neighbours with a messy garden (48%), a dirty interior (46%), outdated electrics (46%) and poor natural lighting (43%).

Fife Properties Managing Director, Jim Parker commented, “Buying a home is a major investment and most people are put off by outdated properties or those in a poor state of repair. While dated décor can be remedied easily and relatively cheaply, major flaws from poor maintenance or badly botched DIY can be expensive to put right. Poorly prepared homes and untidy gardens may suggest the current home owners may have neglected the property over the years.”

Fife Properties can do an initial pre-marketing home assessment to ascertain and advise of any issues that might affect your properties saleability. You can book a FREE initial consultation today at the following link https://www.fifeproperties.co.uk/property-valuation/

Revealed: The Best Day Of The Week For Moving Home

When it comes to moving home, there are plenty of things you can do to make sure things run as smooth as possible, but at the end of the day, moving home will always be a challenging process.

Some have described it as one of the most stressful tasks you will ever take on and although most of us would just prefer to get started and hope to get it over with as soon as possible, new research suggests that some days are better than others.

Which days do people prefer?

Compare My Move conducted a study in which they analysed 66,500 house moves throughout the UK to find out people’s preferences for when they feel is best to move home.

The research found that the most popular time to move home is during the summer and on a Friday, suggesting that most people are looking to take care of the whole process in one weekend.

In terms of expense, it was found that moving home on a Thursday is the most expensive day to do so if you’re hiring a removal van and the opposite is true if you move on a Sunday.

These findings are true throughout the majority of the UK, except for Wales, where the most ideal day is a Wednesday and the least popular day is surprisingly a Saturday.

Movers avoid Sundays!

What may come as no surprise to a lot of people is that the least popular day of the week in the UK, in general, is Sunday, which is understandable with many of the local shops and amenities operating for a shorter number of hours or closed altogether.

August is the most active month of the year for moving, most likely due to families wanting to wrap everything up during the school holidays, but this does vary to other warmer months such as July and September, depending on which region you’re looking at.

Co-founder of Compare My Move – Dave Sayce – commented on the findings of their research. He said “Our research shows that Friday still reigns supreme for movers across Britain, with a huge 30% of movers choosing this day. With one day off work netting you three days to get settled in with the help of the weekend, it’s clear why Friday is such a favourite. If you want to nab a Friday move at a decent rate, make sure you book at least three months ahead of time, and always compare removal quotes.

“If you’re looking for a budget move, our data shows that the cheapest rates are on the most unpopular moving days of Sunday and Tuesday. Only 5% of our users opted for a Sunday move, and with businesses and banks winding down on the day of rest and Monday morning looming, it’s easy to see why”.

Fife Properties Managing Director, Jim Parker commented, “The research backs up what most people already know and if you are flexible on moving days then it is clear that you might want to take advantage of the cheapest days”.

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