Our industry blog
Share Of Freehold Properties – What you need to know!
Estate agents often trumpet the fact a flat is being sold with ‘a share of the freehold’. This doesn’t mean the flat itself is freehold – that would be bad news, as mortgage lenders won’t lend on freehold flats. What it usually means is that the freehold of the block...
Flats & Leasehold Properties – Things to be mindful of – Part 2
Following on from the success of our previous post we thought we'd take a closer look at leasehold properties and the tings to be aware of. SO where to begin? Ground rent A lease is basically an extremely long-term letting agreement, with the rent already paid up...
Flats & Leasehold Properties – Things to be mindful of – Part 1
It’s well known that buying a flat is generally a more complex operation than buying the equivalent house. This may explain why quotes for conveyancing mushroom significantly in size as soon as you utter the dreaded word ‘leasehold’. So what exactly is all the fuss...
Looking to make an offer on a house?
You’ve found the property you want. Now all that remains is to have your offer accepted and put the wheels in motion to buy it. But should you start by offering the full asking price? If not, how hard should you negotiate? Estate agents are not necessarily the...
The Ultimate Home Buyers Viewing Checklist
House-hunting can be an exhausting business. You may like the look of a property on paper, but estate agents’ particulars and brochures don’t tell the full story. Even online virtual tours won’t give an honest ‘warts and all’ picture, so it’s essential to discover...
Buying A Home Privately – No Estate Agent Involvement
So you're thinking of doing away with the estate agents and going out on your own, we walk you through the best approach. To get the house you really want means trying every angle. A small but significant number of properties are advertised privately. To save a lot of...
Starting The Search For Your New Home – Home Buyer Tips
Starting your search It has never been easier to search for property. The estate agents’ website Rightmove.co.uk have a virtual online monopoly, claiming that as many as 90 per cent of estate agents list their offerings with them. But there are several other sites...
Tips On Finding The Right Property – Home Buyer Guide
Finding the right property Choosing a new home sounds like fun. Snooping around other people’s houses promises at the very least to provide hours of cheap entertainment (judging by the number of TV shows devoted to the subject). But the potential for enjoyment is...
Thinking Of Buying Your Council Home – Read Here First!
Want to buying your Council home? If you currently live in social housing, you may be able to buy your home at a generous discount. If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you can apply to buy your council house if it’s your only or main home and you’ve had...
Shared equity schemes – What are they and what’s available
Shared equity schemes - What are they and what is available to you? Help To Buy This is an ’equity loan scheme’ where the Government stumps up interest-free loans of up to 20% of the property’s value, allowing you to buy with a deposit of only 5%. The scheme only...