Latest Property News - Homelets & Sales

Details: Published: 05 May 2022; Hits: 619

UNFURNISHED LETTINGS: WHAT FEATURES DO TENANTS PAY MORE RENT FOR?

The average age of a first-time buyer has risen to 32, and tenancies are lasting longer than ever. Not all national trends apply to lettings in Liverpool, but this one absolutely does.

With renting no longer seen as a temporary measure, tenants are looking for a sense of permanence combined with more comfort. This means surrounding themselves with their own belongings in a well-presented and well-equipped home.

While most people want to live with their own furniture, the term ‘unfurnished’ doesn't mean entirely bare. There are certain fittings that everybody expects, and others that some tenants will pay extra rent for.

Details: Published: 05 May 2022; Hits: 476

PROTECTION MONEY: A GUIDE TO LANDLORD INSURANCE AND REDUCING YOUR PREMIUMS

We all know someone who never insures anything and never has any problems. But given that £8m is paid out every day in home insurance claims, not everyone has the same luck.

Although it isn’t a legal requirement to insure rental homes, a survey of 3,000 landlords revealed that around 85% do protect their buy-to-lets. For the other 15%, research by LV suggests that landlords spend £600m every year on repairs that could be covered by insurance.

Most of our landlords are properly covered, but we also speak to some who haven’t fully considered how to protect themselves and their buy-to-let. Confidence and luck are wonderful assets, but not much use when a boiler breaks down late at night, or a tenant runs into difficulty.

A comparatively small monthly cost could save you from enormous bills and nasty surprises. With that in mind, this week’s blog looks at the different types of landlord insurance available, and how you can reduce your premiums while having complete peace of mind.

Details: Published: 05 April 2022; Hits: 549

COST OF LIVING CRISIS: WHAT CAN LANDLORDS DO?

We've all seen the headlines: inflation at its highest point in almost 30 years; interest rates are rising, and the energy cap is about to lift. Everyone's on tenterhooks to see what it will mean for their bank balance, and of course, landlords and tenants are going to be affected.

Nobody quite knows how things will turn out, but the forecasts are stark. It's estimated that 7 million people will fall into financial difficulty after the energy cap lifts on April 1^st, rising to 14 million with a further expected price rise in October, just in time for winter.

So, what can landlords do to get ahead of the problem? The short answer is "act now". The longer answer is "actually quite a lot".

To get you started, this week's blog is chock-a-block with practical tips on how you can work together with your tenant on making things easier for them while still protecting your income, investment and costs.

Remember that you're always welcome to get in touch about life as a landlord. Call us on 0151 280 4047 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – we're here to help.

Details: Published: 14 March 2022; Hits: 664

BEHIND THE SCENES OF A TYPICAL WORKING WEEK

To describe this job in a single phrase, it would have to be 'never a dull moment'. Aside from opening the office, making a coffee and checking new messages, no two days are ever the same.

Meeting new people and being out in the neighbourhood are two of our favourite things, but the icing on the cake is handing over the keys on moving day. It's such a moment of joy for everyone – the landlord, the tenants, us – as a whole new chapter begins.

The lettings world moves much faster than sales, but agents have far more paperwork and responsibility. With no solicitors checking contracts, it's down to us to get everything right, and all while keeping up the pace.

There's a lot more happening than showing people around homes, so join us for a glimpse behind the scenes to see how it all comes together.

Details: Published: 04 March 2022; Hits: 525

DOES YOUR BUY-TO-LET TICK THE RIGHT BOXES FOR THE RIGHT TENANTS?

There’s a book by Simon Sinek called Find Your Why, and it's all about identifying your reason for having a business: why do you do what you do?

The same question can be applied to your rental property: why would a tenant choose your buy-to-let instead of another one? Why would they pay you more rent? And why would they stay beyond their initial contract?

Asking yourself these questions helps you appreciate everything that's already great about your rental property, and to seek out areas for improvement. It's an integral part of owning a successful buy-to-let, both when it’s empty and while it’s occupied.

It's also why we carry out interim inspections – not just to identify repairs, but also to ensure our landlords' lettings portfolios keep up with the local market and ahead of government legislation.

So let's look at how you can review the rentability of your own buy-to-lets to keep them performing at their peak and pulling in the crowds.