Tag Archives: Property insurance

Dealing with natural emergencies

Posted on 7th November 2012

Dealing with natural emergencies – Its tropical cyclone season, the season of hurricanes and typhoons (the Pacific name for a tropical cyclone). We’ve heard the stories from Hurricane Sandy which was downgraded to a sub-tropical storm. Back in England however, we’re left with a slight drizzle of rain and are generally less likely to encounter disasters such as Hurricanes, earthquakes and so on. There is still however a natural risk – what should you do to protect your property?
Heavy rains and storms
The most common property […]

Hurricane Sandy Insurance Excesses

Posted on 2nd November 2012

Insurance Excesses – We’ve all been watching closely as Hurricane Sandy hit the US East Coast in the last week, causing loss of life and tremendous devastation. There may however be some slight relief for the thousands of property owners hit as the Hurricane was in fact downgraded to a “Post-Tropical Cyclone” before hitting the coast.
Why does this matter?
The fact that the Hurricane was downgraded means that homeowners may not have to pay out the same excesses (or deductibles) on their property insurance as would […]

The Friday Five – Top 5 EU Properties For Sale

Posted on 26th October 2012

The Friday Five – Top 5 EU Properties For Sale
In August it was revealed that Italy and Greece were going to put €42 billion worth of property as well as certain national treasures on the market to help pay for the growing EU debt. From castles to islands, those with enough money will be able to grab something truly unique. Good luck getting a property insurance quote for these though, as you’ll likely be paying a fortune! Here are our top five:
5. Orsini Castle
 
 
Orsini Castle […]

The Future of Buy-to-Let Lending

Posted on 19th October 2012

The Future of Buy-to-Let Lending
It’s difficult to tell whether the Euro crisis has reached a stage where everything has calmed sufficiently to allow headline writers a period of rest, or it’s got to the stage where the intricacies of the package required to save the currency have become so complex they’re just not worth publishing, but either way, we have reached something of a financial plateau in the UK. Indicators aren’t improving, but with Christmas well on the way, things aren’t necessarily getting worse. However, […]

Should you become an Accidental Landlord?

Posted on 15th October 2012

 
Should you become an Accidental Landlord?
With property prices stagnant, standard mortgages hard to get and property sales sluggish, many people turning to the private rental market when they need to find a home, rather than buying. But what do you do if you already own a home, and want to move? The answer for many is to become a so-called ‘accidental landlord’, letting their home while renting another. For those unable or unwilling to sell, it seems like the perfect housing solution. But is it […]

Retail landlords must be flexible

Posted on 10th October 2012

Retail landlords must be flexible -There are an increasing number of empty premises on high streets around the country, although figures are not clear or easily obtainable. There have been calls to government and the local authorities to do something about the situation, but is there anything that Landlords can do?
Tough times
The Olympics – Hopes of a boost in the economy with increased retail and tourism in and around London. It never happened. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London even acknowledged that Olympic retail figures were […]

Invest in Spanish Property

Posted on 5th October 2012

Investing in Spanish Property – Spain’s financial difficulties have been numerous, with house prices falling by up to 40%, mortgage finance deficits and banks wading through a very deep ford. The economy has taken a hard hit since 2008 and the unemployment rate is extremely high. Furthermore, Moody’s is deliberating whether to downgrade Spain’s credit rating which was already downgraded earlier this year to BBB.
Good for landlords
All this may well spell bad news for Spain, but it may be good for British citizens looking to […]

Tapping Pensions For Deposits

Posted on 24th September 2012

 
There’s been a lot of hot air this week: Yes, you guessed it, its Party conference season. Politicians have taken the week off to engage in their respective annual conferences and as per usual, there have been some crackers. Yesterday, Nick Clegg announced at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton of his audacious strategy to give the young a rung on the property ladder.
Rising costs
With the soaring price of property deposits and the average age of first-time-buyers rising to 35, Clegg has advocated releasing parent […]

Letting to Smokers

Posted on 10th September 2012

 
When choosing tenants for your next let it is essential that you evaluate all the risks but also consider each person as an individual instead of branding them with a label e.g. smoker. Tenants that smoke are often a group that is over looked by landlords because they are seen as too risky when it comes to causing damage to properties. However, there is no point ruling out a whole group of people because they are smokers, they could prove to be wonderful tenants.
Damage
There is […]

Retired Homeowners Living in Property Goldmine

Posted on 29th August 2012

 
Many retired homeowners are living in property that could make them substantial sums of money if sold. New figures out today from Retirement Solutions show that the over-65s are sitting on property with £757 billion of unrealised equity. Despite gloomy predictions in the housing market, the amount of equity per property has increased by almost £3000 over the last couple of years as the market has stabilised in many areas following the falls that came as a result of the credit crunch.
This has helped fuel […]