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Landlord – prepare your properties for winter with our guide

As we head towards the Winter months, now is the optimum time for landlords to prepare for the potential issues that may arise from the harsher weather. Spending a little time and effort now may well save money further down the line in the event of an accident or repair cost. Here’s our list of essential landlord checks:

Boiler Service

The number one priority for every landlord should be checking that the boiler in your property (or properties) is in good condition, as repair costs can be extremely expensive. Book a boiler service to ensure that everything is working correctly and safely as boilers can break down with the surge in gas consumption that comes in the colder months.

Protect the Pipes

Adding lagging to your pipes (specially designed pipe insulation) is an inexpensive measure which will give you peace of mind knowing that your piping will not burst due to freezing and splitting. Focus on pipes in external areas and lofts which may be subject to the most extreme temperatures and you should avoid any problems as the cold sets in.

Smoke and CO Alarms

In line with regulations interlinked smoke alarms must be installed in each hall on each floor including every reception room and a heat detector in the kitchen – now is the perfect time to double-check these are in good working order and that your tenants are safe in your property. If your rental property has a fireplace (or solid fuel appliance) or central heating system then an additional carbon monoxide alarm must be fitted within one meter of the appliance in the same room, as the chances of these items being used increase astronomically in winter.

Open Dialogue

One of the key pieces of advice that we can give to protect your property through the winter is to create healthy dialogue with your tenants. As they are living in the property day-to-day, they will be able to tell you about any smaller issues so that you know how to avoid any larger issues. Make sure your tenants know where the stopcock is in the property, where the fuse board is located and who to call in case of an emergency. This could be invaluable in saving you time and money.

Protect the Roof

Chipped, cracked or dislodged tiles on your roof could lead to significant water damage and in cold temperatures this can lead to structural issues with water freezing and expanding. Double-check that your roof is in tip-top condition, and whilst you’re at it take the time to clear out your gutters to avoid blockages when the inevitable rain falls.

A Guide to Designing a Child’s Bedroom

Designing a child’s room can be tricky; there are a number of factors to consider so it is hard to know where to begin. Design trends are forever changing and your child is constantly growing, so it is important that you consider a few things before starting.

Striking the balance between fun and practical is a challenge and designing something that your child does not grow out of too quickly is not easy, but by taking the time to think it over, you can save yourself a lot of hassle and create a space that is fun for them and easy for you to manage.

Draw Up A Floor Plan

Before you start buying all sorts of cute and colourful furniture, it’s important to remember that depending on your child’s age, this room could have a variety of functions.

Have a think about what the room will be used for and draw out a plan. If the room just needs to be a comfortable place to sleep then you should have plenty of freedom, however, if it also needs to be an area to play and study, you’ll require a good amount of floor space and maybe a dedicated little corner for a desk.

Everyone’s home and preferences are different but you want to get as much out of the space as possible, so take a moment to consider the role that the room will play and how it may change over the next few years.

Choose The Right Colour

It may be tempting to simply ask your child what their favourite colour is and then start buying paint or wallpaper.

While it is a good idea to include your child in the design of their room, if their favourite colour resembles a highlighter pen, then your best option is to go with the more neutral shade of that colour.

Your best strategy is to aim for a colour palette that nicely blends with a variety of furniture and will not look so childish once your child turns into a teen. Save yourself a redecoration job in 18 months by picking a colour that will age well with the rest of the ever-changing décor.

Decide On The Flooring

When it comes to flooring you have a few options, all with their pros and cons, so you just have to decide which will be best for you.

Carpet helps keep the room a little warmer but is vulnerable to stains. Hardwood is much more durable and easy to clean but does not provide much cushion for a child that is a little more clumsy than most. You could also opt for rubber flooring that does offer the benefits of both carpet and hardwood; however, it is the most expensive option of the three.

The flooring that is best for you is dependent on the age of your child, but research your options while keeping your budget in mind and make sure your choice of flooring compliments the room and doesn’t break the bank.

Getting The Furniture Right

There are two key things to keep in mind when choosing your furniture, functionality and lifespan.

We’ve already established that space is a valuable commodity so finding multifunctional furniture can be a real lifesaver.

Beds that have storage built in underneath are quite easy to find and the extra storage they provide can go a long way, as well as free up more of the room for other essential items. This also gives you an opportunity to get a little creative and look for ways to combine 2 items into one such as adding some padding to a desk or dresser so that it also can be used as a changing table.

The other consideration for furniture is its lifespan. There is a lot of cute miniature beds, tables and chairs that might look great, but you must remember that they will grow out of it quicker than you think. A good strategy would be to buy some furniture that they can grow into. Their small clothes may not justify full sized dresser just yet, but it will not be long before you are looking for extra storage space and their feet are hanging out of the end of the bed.

Add Character Through Accessories

Now that your room has been planned out, you have chosen your colour palette, had the flooring fitted, assembled and placed the furniture, it’s time to add character.

The great part about this phase of designing the room is that because the rest of the room’s features were kept neutral and timeless, you can now give your child a good amount of freedom to add their own personality to the room from accessories.

Whether it’s action figures, bed covers or posters, you can basically style the room however you want and the best part is, these accessories can be easily replaced and changed over the years at the same rate as your child’s taste in décor shifts from one thing to the next.

Easy steps to decluttering your home

 

Do you sometimes feel as though you’re drowning in a sea of clutter? Or that your house has become more and more disorganised? Well, now’s the time to hit those common, messy areas!

Start by sorting through everything you own

Getting started is always the hardest part but performing an audit of everything you own is a great first step. Gather common built-up items like books, items of food, jewellery, paperwork, loose batteries or anything you’re saving “just in case”. Find out how many duplicates or useless items you have and throw them away. Whatever there is leftover, sort and store them properly.

Next… tackle the wardrobe

Let’s face it, a wardrobe is a totally different beast to the random things you tend to collect.

A good system to operate in the future is a one in one out system. Every time you buy a new item of clothing, throw away an old item.

Whilst you’re at it, you should tackle your sock drawers. Throw away any old and worn out items, and add an organiser to the draw to keep everything separate and neat.

Sort out your utensils drawer

You know you’ve collected too much cutlery when the draw starts to stick. Take everything out of the drawer and throw away those useless tools (like your melon baller or your citrus juicer) and add a divider to better divide your essential utensils.

Organise your garage, shed and/or loft space

Transparent boxes are your best friend when it comes to organising your storage spaces. You can stack them all on top of each other and you can see all the contents you’ve stored inside them, meaning you don’t need to go through a hundred boxes to find something.

Get the kids involved

Encouraging your kids to keep their bedrooms neat and organised  (easier said than done) is a brilliant way to keep one of the messiest areas of your house neat and tidy.

Introduce them to the idea of donating unwanted toys to charity shops and how doing so can have a positive impact on the lives of others. It’s also a vital life skill your children will need to learn, so everyone wins!

Tips on selling as the days get shorter

 

As the days get shorter, it is more important than ever to present your property in an appealing manner if you are going to attract potential buyers. With that in mind, we have put together some season-specific advice to help you find a buyer…

Let the light in
Never is it more important in the year to keep your rooms bright and airy than during the change between seasons. This is because of how quickly the levels of light fluctuate, turning your beautiful property into a less-appealing version of itself, with dark rooms and corners. To avoid this, use uplighters to brighten up your rooms during viewings – this type of lighting can be easily placed into corners or areas which may appear darker. Furthermore, blinds and curtains should be drawn back to allow plenty of natural light and don’t forget to turn any lights on under kitchen cupboards etc. to create multiple sources of brightness.

Keep paths clear
During this time of year, leaves may start to fall from the trees leaving debris around your property. Ensure that your kerb appeal is kept to its maximum by clearing away any wilting plants and debris from your property, especially on the path to your front door where potential buyers will most certainly be looking. If you have the time, consider tidying up your flower beds and removing any shrubbery which may not be looking quite as lovely as during the summer months.

Clean, clean and clean again
Of course, presenting your property in a clean and tidy state is a given, however you should consider other areas to spruce up in order to maximise the available light. Clean your windows regularly to ensure that they sparkle for prospective buyers and let in as much natural light as possible (this will also help with the aforementioned kerb appeal). Clean your front door so that it looks at its best – many of us will have white UPVC doors to match double glazed windows, and if this is the case then use a cleaning product to rejuvenate it.

Keep it cosy
You want your property to seem cosy and inviting and the drop in temperature gives you the perfect chance to make your home comfortable and welcoming. Turn the thermostat up so that during viewings your property is warm and incentivises your viewers to really take their time looking around before they brave the cold weather once more. If you have a fireplace, think about lighting it up or at the very least light some candles.

These are all simple tips that really don’t need a huge outlay in money to do but could completely revitalise your property’s appeal, so it’s worth considering doing when selling to enhance the buyer experience as it often translates to a quicker and even higher offer.

A Brief Guide to your Help to Buy options

 

If you’re a first-time buyer looking to purchase a property, then you’ll almost certainly be aware of the Help to Buy scheme and its success in helping people get onto the property ladder. What you may not be aware of is how the scheme works, and how it helps buyers to secure deposits for homes that would otherwise be out of their reach.

With that in mind, we’ve put together a rough guide to how Help to Buy works.

Can you get a sufficient deposit together?

Most standard mortgages require a deposit of at least 5% of the value of the home you want to purchase. If you are able to get the capital required, then you may not need to apply for any scheme.

Equity Loans

If your deposit doesn’t stretch that far, however, never fear! This is where Help to Buy Affordable New Build Scheme comes in. If you have a 5% deposit, you can apply for an equity loan for purchasing new-build properties. The Government will lend you up to 15% of the property’s price, and there is no interest to pay.

For example, should you purchase a £200,000 house, you’d pay £10,000 (5%), get a mortgage for £160,000 (80%) and the Government would loan you the remaining £30,000 (15%).

This scheme is open to first time buyers and existing home owners. For more information tap here: https://www.mygov.scot/help-to-buy/how-it-works/

ISAs

If you’re still saving for that all-important deposit, then a Help to Buy ISA is available to you, with the Government adding 25% on top of the value of your savings (up to £3,000) with up to 2.6% interest tax-free. A word of caution; if you’re considering this option, then you would need to apply for your ISA prior to 30th November this year. Click here to learn more.

Shared Ownership

If you can’t stretch your finances to be able to afford the entirety of a mortgage, Shared Ownership provides you with the opportunity to buy a share of your home (between 25% and 75% of the property’s value) whilst paying rent on the remaining share. You can also buy bigger shares in the property once you’re able to, offering you flexibility for the future whilst owning a significant stake in the home you wanted.

Purchasing a home doesn’t have to be beyond any first-time buyer. Speak to our financial experts about your Help to Buy options and find out how you can finally buy the property of your dreams.

6 Simple Kerb Appeal Improvements for Homeowners in Fife (4 min read)

Making a good first impression is key when presenting your home for sale. Potential buyers and renters are always extra vigilant when it comes to viewing properties, from the front gate to the back garden, meaning it’s even more important to present your home in the best light from the start. Continue reading 6 Simple Kerb Appeal Improvements for Homeowners in Fife (4 min read)

House prices forecast to increase 1.2% over next three months

A new study from reallymoving.com has found that current market conditions are indicating a 1.2% increase in property prices over the next three months of summer, which bodes well for a strong summer. The average UK property price now stands at £237,110.

These figures are supported by analysis by the Halifax looking at house prices over the last quarter. The latest Halifax house price index showed that property values actually increased by 2.4% over the last quarter, with Russell Galley, Managing Director of Halifax, explaining that, “Generally the housing market is displaying a reasonable degree of resilience in the face of political and economic uncertainty. Recent figures show demand looking slightly more stable, with mortgage approvals ticking along just above the long-term average.”

With regional markets also showing resilience in the face of the potential instability that can be attributed to the ongoing Brexit uncertainty, property is set for another strong quarter. Eight of the twelve regions of the United Kingdom are set to see prices rise in the period to September 2019, with Northern Ireland and Wales all showing extremely positive growth.

Rob Houghton, CEO of reallymoving.com noted that: “The chance of us leaving the EU without a deal seems increasingly likely and people are realising that the window between now and the end of October may present their best opportunity to sell. The market has proved itself to be surprisingly stable over the last twelve months.”

Do higher temperatures affect house prices?

It is widely accepted that the warmer months in spring and summer bring with them spikes of activity in terms of the buying and selling of properties. A new piece of research has taken this one step further, however, and directly linked an increase in temperatures to increases in house prices.

The research conducted by a national estate agent firstly looked at seasonal differences in selling prices, and it comes as no surprise that the summer season posted the highest average selling price. In Winter 2018, the average selling price was £291,810 and this increased to £293,347 in spring time. Summer average sale prices increased once more to £301,321 and prices during the autumn period fell to £289,833.

With seasonal changes prevalent in terms of property pricing, it is the temperatures themselves which the research then looked into. The data shows a direct correlation between price decreases between January and February as the temperatures cool, and similar changes are recorded as both temperatures and prices consistently increase from February through to July.

When analysing the seasonality on a financial level, the research shows that selling prices increase by £2,150 for every single degree of temperature change. For every degree that the temperature increased, this represented an extra £1,461 in sold price; however, the drop-off in temperatures increased to £2,838 for every degree colder.

Fife Properties Group Office Owner, Jim Parker commented, “While it is often perceived that the summer time can produce higher prices, often this is due to the fact that sellers with higher-priced property come to market at this time of year and push this average figure up so we should not get hung up on seasonality. It is true that spring and summer tend to bring more people to the market, and it does go quicker because viewings can be undertaken quicker due to lighter nights. I always recommend it is worth getting the facts first before making any decisions on selling and that is what we are there for.”

Fife Properties currently offer a FREE initial consultation service which not only provides an idea of the current value of your property but gives extremely useful advice on maximising the value when selling. To book click the link: https://www.fifeproperties.co.uk/property-valuation/

Nearly half of over-55s would downsize to fund jet-setting lifestyle

With more people living longer and ageing with much better health than ever before, those aged 55 and over are playing a key part in the national economy. Recent research from SunLife has surveyed this age group and found that nearly half would sell up in order to fund a more jet-set lifestyle.

Recent data from the Office of National Statistics has shown that the proportion of those aged 65 and over will rise by 5% over the next thirty years, with greater economic contributions coming from this group as the years progress. For those currently 55 and over, SunLife questioned 1,000 homeowners with a big choice; if they had the option between staying in their family home but never holidaying away from the UK again, or downsizing and then using the cash for foreign holidays which would they choose?

Interestingly, nearly 50% said that they would downsize (44%) in order to enjoy a jet-set lifestyle in their later years – what this does suggest, however, is that 56% would not be prepared to sell their family home. The research has shown that as we get older, the more attached we become to our properties; with those in the 65-80 group voting overwhelmingly to keep their property at the expense of not holidaying again.

Of course, as we get older the inclination to travel could decline as we may be less mobile or find the appeal of travelling for long periods less attractive than in our younger years, which could explain the growing desire to stay-put as we age.

Fife Properties Group Office Owner, Jim Parker commented: “Years ago this was never a factor but more and more people are realising that it’s more beneficial to release equity now by downsizing so they can either enjoy a better quality of life at a more affordable level and also passing some money on to their children to help them get started or pay off their mortgage. One other factor that seems to be appearing is the realisation that life savings could end up being taken by the government to pay for long term care if it’s needed.”

Fife Properties currently offer a FREE initial consultation service which not only provides an idea of the current value of your property but gives extremely useful advice on maximising the value when selling. To book click the link: https://www.fifeproperties.co.uk/property-valuation/

How to sell your property quickly in Summer

With plenty of buyers motivated to move before the winter months set in, summer can be the perfect time to sell your property. If you’re selling, or considering selling, then read some of our pointers to help you sell quickly this summer…

Kerb appeal
As is always the case with selling properties, a first impression can make or break a sale with a poorly presented property often putting off buyers before they have even set foot in the home. In the summer this is especially important as buyers will often drive or walk past a property before they decide to book a viewing. With the summer sun shining a light on any less-than-perfect parts of the exterior of your property, you should ensure that flowers are planted, weeds are pruned and lawns are mowed. Extra attention to details, such as ensuring that the front door has been cleaned and the windows are streak-free will pay dividends in your selling process.

Accessories
A neutral interior will appeal to a mass market and increase the scope of your property in terms of potential buyers, but if you are looking to make the most of the summer then don’t be afraid of colour. Using accessories to add pops of colour around your home that reflect the brighter summer season – such as burnt orange and lemon – will make your property stand out from the crowd in those all-important photographs.

Lights
When we think of summer, we all first think of sunshine and brighter evenings – so make the most of this light when presenting your home for sale. Get rid of heavy curtains and dark blinds, which can make a room feel smaller and prevent the light from entering a room. Buyers want to feel that rooms are bright and spacious, so if possible, have windows and doors open throughout the house to create a light, airy feeling (as well as bringing in those fresh summer scents).

Set dress
Set dressing refers to the arranging of a room or space in order to paint a picture of the kind of lifestyle which could be enjoyed in your property. Never is it more important to set dress your garden than throughout the summer months, with potential buyers wanting to know that they will be able to enjoy the outdoor space which your home provides. Tempt potential buyers by showing off your outdoor spaces with garden furniture, fire pits and barbecues.

Viewing times
During the summer months, many people like to start work early and leave early in order to benefit from the longer evenings; make sure that you can accommodate as many viewings as possible by being flexible with your viewing times. Allowing people to view your home early in the morning, as well as in the afternoon will help bring more people through the door as well as showing off your property in a favourable light.

Fife Properties Managing Director, Jim Parker commented: “Summer is certainly a lot faster when selling as people can now view in the evening because of the lighter nights. All these tips can add real value to your property and often get more than the home report value as people can see themselves moving in easily with not much to do. Now is the time to sell while the going is good”
Fife Properties currently offer a FREE initial consultation service which not only provides an idea of the current value of your property but gives extremely useful advice on maximising the value when selling. To book click the link: https://www.fifeproperties.co.uk/property-valuation/

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