I’m sure you will have notice that some very cold weather is currently upon us, and unfortunately it is here to stay for a little while with snow falling around some parts of the country and snow forecast in other areas of the country too. For all property owners and tenants preparation for the cold snap should hopefully already be in full flow as there are a number of things you can do to ensure property safety.

Structural Safety and Pipes

Modern homes are built to be robust and withstand freezing temperatures, however some older properties may struggle in severely cold conditions if they are not looked after properly. Perhaps it will be worth investing in a structural survey if you have any doubts? It will also be extremely important to bear in mind a decent property insurance quote that will cover you in the event of seasonal damages.

In terms of the water pipes that run through your property, freezing temperatures can, naturally, cause the pipes to freeze, so it will be important to keep your heating on, at least very low, in order to make sure the pipes do not freeze. It may just be the case of turning it on for a few hours a day, and anyway, in such cold weather it may just be a necessity to have the heating on!

What to do Outdoors?

It’s not just the pipes internally that need looking after, it’s the external ones too! Guttering and drains can crack if they freeze so it will be important to make sure they are clear and clean and especially not broken as this could then cause a whole host of problems.

Furthermore, driveways and any paved areas outside your property can become slippery and dangerous due to ice. Therefore, if you own a property it may be worth investing in a bag of grit or a very large bag of salt to sprinkle across the surface. This will minimise the chance of anyone slipping over, and if you are landlord it will be in your best interests to ensure the safety of your tenants. Perhaps instruct them to get a bag of grit or salt and then reimburse them at the earliest convenience.

The winter weather can have an overwhelming impact on a property if it is not properly looked after. With some care and attention however, it will be more than possible to fight off the cold snap and prevent any damages befalling your property!

An analysis of indices has shown that UK property prices were almost unchanged throughout 2011. It has been revealed that December saw the biggest monthly fall in prices last year as they dropped by 1%.

House Price Watch

Furthermore, the House Price Watch analysis of data from CLG, LSL Acadametrics, Halifax, Nationwide and Rightmove has portrayed that property prices, over the entire year, were almost unaltered with annual growth for 2011 being recorded at -0.1%. So, whilst less people may have been acquiring a new property insurance quote due to fewer people buying a home, actual property prices did not vary much at all it seems.

It has now been reported that the average price of a home in the UK is currently £195,166. This is around 9.6% lower than at the peak of the property market in October 2007 when the average price was as high as £215,089. That was however a time when the majority of people had more disposal income.

Rate of Growth

Meanwhile, this latest report has revealed the annualised rate of growth for each month’s data. Data is also regulated over three and six month periods, which provides a less volatile representation of market trends than individual monthly cut-outs. The annualised rates at three and six months show growth to be at -4.9% and -3.7% respectively.

Stuart Law, Chief Executive of Assetz, has been commenting on the House Price Watch data: “Property prices were relatively flat in 2011, recording a nominal annual price fall of 0.1% in December which translates as £268 in monetary terms. This lack of growth can be attributed to poorer job prospects, with unemployment now at its highest level since 1996 according to the ONS, and the ongoing Eurozone crisis which is impacting confidence and making lenders more cautious.”

Investors Returning

Mr Law went on to add that he expects a “Spring bounce” to occur and that London along with other major towns and cities have remained strong and on an upward curve despite the overall stagnation.

He also stated that the competitive nature of the mortgage market has resulted in more mortgage products becoming available on better terms.

It is expected that more investors will be, and already are, returning to the property market in a bid to take advantage of reduced prices. However, it is true that some landlords have seen minimal capital growth on their investment in the last few years.

Property analyst Hometrack;s study said that the eurozone crisis has motivated a large number of overseas buyers to invest in London’s property market, while the Games is set to heighten interest in the capital’s properties.

The report said nationally, house prices have unsuccessfully been able to record a monthly increase for a year and a half, while the pressure on household budgets including buildings and property insurance, bills, tax, food and also the poor economy are predicted to drive them further down.

In January, London was the only area in England to experience an increase in house prices, with a 0.1% increase, compared to property prices in the North East which fell by 0.4%, the biggest fall in the country.

The average house price across the country remained flat in January, following a 0.2% drop in both November and December, the survey of 1,500 surveyors and agents revealed.

Demand for properties in London is high and stay on the market for just 6.5 weeks, while sellers in the North, Midlands and Wales must wait an average of 3 months to shift their property.

The Olympics

As the Olympics brings everyone’s attention to London, the report said that the strong London market “looks set to continue through 2012 as the Olympics firmly focus the eyes of the world on London, and overseas buyers, in the midst of global uncertainty, continue to consider London a safe haven.”

Richard Donnell, Hometrack director of research said, “The latest Hometrack survey reveals a market dogged by uncertainty.

“On a national basis house prices have not increased over the last 18 months – a theme carried over into January when prices were unchanged.”

He carried on to say “London looks set to buck the national trend again in 2012 thanks to overseas buyers providing a boost to prices in London’s prime areas.”

Nationally, 2012 got off to a slow start in general. Agents reported that some 10.5% fewer new buyers signed up in January compared to December, while 5.4% fewer properties were listed and 14.3% less sales were agreed.

The number of properties coming to the market in Wales and England in the last

It’s a daunting task isn’t it? But with the economy (hopefully) beginning to pick up, we can expect more and more people to move home in coming months and years. Furthermore, in London, property sales have remained high as have property prices. So we do indeed know that people are still moving to new homes, despite economic doom and gloom.

In addition, it has been reported that in the first ten days of 2012 there were over 44 million property related internet searches, which is an encouraging 30% more than the same time last year. So it does indeed seem that more people are thinking about a new home.

Packing

The most daunting thing about moving house is, for me, the packing! I hate packing, as I’m sure a number of people reading this very blog do too. It’s just so tedious isn’t it? Now, when I say I hate packing, the only packing I’ve ever really done is when going on holiday, or moving into and out of fully furnished rented accommodation, and yes that is difficult and tedious enough! So I cannot even imagine how stressful packing up an entire house can be. Nevertheless, it’s just one of those things that we all need to get on with at some point!

However, moving can be a time to have a good clear out. Get rid of anything you know you will never need again – you may find that you can donate a large number of items to local charity shops, so before throwing things away maybe run them down to local charities to see if they are interested.

Removals

Furthermore, my advice is to get yourself a good, professional removal company in order to help you transport everything. This can only be done once everything is packed, but it could be easier to pack in stages, and thus transport your belongings in stages. It would be a wise idea to hire a removal company around two weeks before you are due to move as this will allow you enough to time to find one that is free on the date you need them! In order to try to save some money it will be worth hunting around for a good deal, or for any sort of discount they may be offering.

It will also be good to inform the removal company of the amount of large items you need to move, such as furniture for example.

Admin and Legalities

In addition, it will be important to make sure you carry out all the paper work and admin that needs to be done when moving house. You will need to arrange property insurance at your new home; you may find that you can simply transfer your existing policy to your new house without much of a change in the price. You will also need to inform just about everyone you know of your new address, along with banks and utilities companies. Basically any company you have any connection with needs to know your new address, just in case they send you anything important. It will also be worth leaving a forwarding addressing for the new occupants of your previous house, just in case anyone still sends post to the old address.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of things that need to be done when moving house, but as long as you are organised then everything should run smoothly!

Today we’re thinking about DIY. It’s something you either love or hate and more often than not it can be an argument maker and a key area of dispute between couples. We’ve all been there, whether it’s witnessing your parents arguing about how to fit a toilet seat, or whether you’re the one arguing with your partner about the best way to paint a wall…it’s a common occurrence and one we can all relate to.

New Flat

Having moved into a new flat I didn’t expect to be doing any DIY – for a start it’s rented and I didn’t think the landlord would be happy with me making changes to her beautiful property. And, don’t get me wrong, it is a very beautiful property and I wouldn’t change a thing, however, upon moving in, the first thing I noticed was that the bedroom and bathroom doors didn’t actually close. Now that to me is a bit of problem, especially if someone requires privacy in the bathroom!

What to do?

So, I thought I better contact the landlord in order to inform them and to seek advice and guidance about steps to take as I didn’t want to set about breaching any contract I had just signed, or any landlord insurance policy the landlord had taken out, by hacking away at the doors to make them fit.

The landlord, however, was rather relaxed about the whole thing and advised me to have a go at fixing them myself, providing I knew what I was doing. I settled any doubts they had by telling them I have an A-Level in Design & Technology (without sounding too Del-Boy and Rodney-esque) and that I would be able to sort the doors out without a problem. The landlord was so relaxed about it because they intended to get some new doors in the property at some point in the near future anyway.

Having a go

So I went out, bought the right tools, and got to work. It was NOT as simple as I first thought it might be. Basically I wanted to plane the sides of the doors whilst they were still attached to the hinges. Whilst it was indeed do-able, it was a bit of a hassle and I would advise anyone else to take the doors off the hinges first.

That’s not rocket science but I thought, why bother taking them off the hinges when it would only be a thirty second job? Well, it wasn’t a thirty second job as I soon found out. It took a while and after I had planed the doors I decided to smooth them down with sandpaper. It was easy enough, but it still didn’t stop an argument between me and my girlfriend. She was of course, as usual, correct when she advised me to take the doors off the hinges, but I just didn’t listen did I?!

This is a bit of mild example of a DIY tiff but an example nonetheless, and I’m sure over coming years there will be many more arguments as a result of a bit of pesky DIY.

Do you have any amusing examples of DIY you’ve carried out?

I came across an interesting article today that discussed the best locations to invest in London in 2012, and the list was a rather surprising one.

Property prices in London have been rising and they are expected to keep increasing over the year, especially with the Olympics coming to town in the summer which, as we know, will result in rents rocketing, but prices to buy in London will also be effected, which could in turn effect property insurance quotes too. The more expensive a property, the more expensive the insurance is likely to be.

So, what are the top three areas that will be the winners over the course of the year and subsequent years to come?

Kentish Town

First on the list was Kentish Town and Peter Malcomess of Chesterton Humberts has been quoted saying: “With the opening of the new French school in Kentish Town last September, enquiries on family homes directly related to the school currently make up around 15% of all our enquiries. These requests are mainly from French families living in London looking for large apartments or family houses in the area.” Kentish Town is now beginning to compete, in terms of property prices, with its neighbour Camden.

Would you look to invest in Kentish Town if you’re a property investor?

Battersea

Second on the list is Battersea, home to the much loved dog rescue facility. Battersea was listed as the second best place to invest in 2012 due to the fact that an extension to the Northern Line will put Battersea on the Tube Map once and for all. A local estate agent at Douglas & Gordon, Mark Hutton, has been upbeat about the new plans as people are already looking to invest, as he stated: “People are already buying into the area with these plans in mind.”

Furthermore, David Barnett, a property developer has been stating that investors will increasingly become attracted to the large expanse of land, the accessibility and the fact that the land is relatively cheap. The American Embassy is also to be built in coming years which will in turn help with the regeneration of the area.

Croydon

Third on the list was Croydon. Now this to me was quite a surprise at first, especially if you think back to the riots in August last year, however, we must not forget that the South London borough is already home to some very wealthy property owners and some very expensive homes, and it has great links to central London.

Over coming years property in Croydon is also expected to become increasingly popular, and therefore prices are set to rise. There are also plans for a Westfield Shopping Centre to open there which will of course pull in visitors from all over the country! Croydon could indeed become a property hotspot in future months and years.

Out of these three locations, hypothetically, where would you most likely invest your money?

Some blog worthy news today comes fresh from Facebook, and that is the news that a property application has been launched on the social network. It is intended for selling, buying and renting property, and is simply called Property Place.

Having launched today the app has over 400,000 properties listed. Facebook obviously built up an extensive database of properties across the different markets before putting the app live.

Cost Saving

Property Place will allow users to advertise property that is for rent or for sale and is a means by which to cut out expensive estate and letting agent fees. It seems Facebook’s people in charge are aiming to create a platform whereby the average internet user can do almost everything they want via Facebook.

It must be said that this new venture from Facebook demonstrates some very clever, innovative thinking. They’ve found one of the most stressful tasks that people are faced with, moving home, and created an app on their site in order to simplify things and save property hunters time and stress.

Through Facebook viewings can be arranged either by the user themselves, or via a Property Place partner, Emoov, the online estate agency, as they can handle the logistics and management for a fee of £295. This is still at a fraction of the cost of a high street agent and so will save users thousands. With such big savings, more people may be encouraged to invest in more comprehensive property insurance, rather than just paying for the bare minimum.

Big Fans Already

Just one of the many people already familiar with the app is Jack Eddowes, from Leeds. He uses Property Place to let out his Sheffield student properties, and he has been commenting: “Typically students spend more time on Facebook than any other website so it makes sense to market my properties with Property Place on Facebook. It’s far more convenient for me and prospective tenants to communicate.”

The founder of Property Place has confidently gone as far as stating: “It’s the future of buying and renting property!” Is it now a case of move over Rightmove and Zoopla, Facebook is now making a very big splash in your relatively small pool? Or will people stick to using the more established online property portals, or alternatively, a good old fashioned estate agent and/or letting agent?

Last week we blogged about the proposal that the Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, was to make it illegal for landlords to sublet their homes with punishments such as two years imprisonment and a hefty fine included in the plans. Well this week, there has been a further development on the story, as it seems that it’s not just us here at PropertyQuoteDirect that agree with the proposed plans!

Backing for Plans

Paul Shamplina, of Landlord Action, has said that he is fully behind the plans as he is often called in by landlords in order to evict problem tenants, only to discover that the actual problem is the landlords, rather than the tenants. Furthermore, it is also likely that such landlords would be operating without a landlord insurance quote.

Mr Shamplina has been quoted saying: “This is an extremely positive step in combating long-term abuse of the social housing system. There have been a growing number of tenants acting as landlords by sub-letting their council properties for their own financial gain, and this is to the detriment of thousands of other vulnerable people.”

Paul Shamplina then went on to add: “In the past, we have experienced ‘landlords’ seeking our assistance to evict their tenant, only to find out that the property is not in fact theirs and the ‘tenant’ is not actually aware the property is being illegally sub-let. Hopefully, imprisonment of up to two years as well as a hefty fine will act as a deterrent.”

Further Powers

In addition to these measures, it has also been revealed that local councils will be given more powers to further investigate any particular incidents where such fraudulent behaviour is suspected through an increased amount of access to data from banks and utility companies.

So far it has been the case that councils can request data but organisations can refuse to provide it. However, if these new measures were indeed put in place, then organisations would have to comply with council requests.

If there are any further developments on these proposed plans, we will deliver them here, on this very blog!

The Olympic Games are quickly approaching and it will be the summer before we know it, and so, although it may still seem like a while away now, many businesses and firms are preparing for the sheer influx of tourists to London’s streets, and if you are indeed a landlord, or a potential Olympic landlord, then you will no doubt be thinking ahead to the summer’s events too.

Location

Many landlords with properties in central areas of London will already have snapped up tenants for the few weeks that the Olympic Games are in town, however, the majority, as of yet, probably won’t have.

So, now could be the perfect time to begin trying to pull in tenants. It may be worth having a look at the Olympic website if you are wondering whether you are near the locations where events will be talking place. It’s important to remember that Olympic events will not just take place in East London, as there will be some taking place in Weymouth for example, along with other locations dotted around the UK. So it may well be worth looking to see if you are near any particular events which may pull in crowds, and with it, tenants.

Student Landlords

If you are a student landlord in London, then you may find yourself in luck, as it is likely that your property will be vacant during the summer which will leave it available for Olympic tenants.

If this is the case then it will be important to ensure your landlord insurance policy is valid at a time when you wouldn’t normally have tenants in your property.

Pricing

Furthermore, if your property is centrally located, then you will probably be able to charge whatever price you like and it is no secret that accommodation during the Olympics is quite a bit more expensive than normal.

However, if you own property elsewhere, then you will need to be careful with your pricing strategy; accessibility is a key factor, and you would not want to overprice a property that is just too far to justify the cost. Tenants will not want to have to travel for an hour to get to a particular venue or event whilst paying central London prices.

With the Olympics nearly upon us, many landlords will be excited about the prospects that could lie ahead as they will try to maximise revenue and profit.

It has been reported in the property news this week that Assetz, a property investment advice firm, has warned that this year is not one for taking punts when investing in certain areas. They have warned that the difficult state of the Eurozone could negatively hit prices here in the UK, even though buy-to-let is likely to continue growing this year.

Popular Areas and Bargains

Popular residential areas where employment is at a good level and where there is a strong infrastructure are of course going to lead to strong tenant demand, and it is inevitable that demand is likely to continue outstripping supply in such areas.

However, that doesn’t mean a bargain that will ultimately make you money cannot be found in areas of high unemployment. If you research hard enough you may find that certain areas of the country may have a high unemployment level, but such areas may also have a university nearby and therefore a strong student population. And of course, students need accommodation!

Student Accommodation

Letting to students, in any part of the country, could indeed prove a winning situation for any property investor. Letting to students can be very tricky business however. Student properties often suffer from damages. Many students like to have parties involving alcohol which can in turn lead to damages being sustained. A good way to protect yourself is, of course, with landlord insurance. If accidental damage is incurred, a decent insurance policy will protect you against the cost of repairs.

Furthermore, students often live off their student loan which comes in once a term on a specific date. This all means that cash and rent payments can sometimes be a bit of an issue for students so it will be worth keeping in mind that rent payments may be a little late sometimes.

Student Rates

Also, whilst rent is normally charged on a monthly rate, when letting to students it may be an idea to think about charging rent every quarter, and perhaps it will be a good idea to advertise the level of rent as a weekly amount; for example, £80 a week including bills that is then paid quarterly. This means students can pay you once their loan is in every quarter, as chasing rent every month will become a bit of a hassle for both you, and the student.

There are of course, a lot of positives about student letting, such as, a continuous supply of students and therefore a continuous supply of tenants, provided your property remains attractive and affordable.

Student property can be a pleasure to invest in as it can be very profitable. Students will also normally be relatively easy to work with and provided you have a good working relationship with your tenants, it should be a stress free process.