Property Locker Zoopla #ZPP100 power Agent

Property Locker are proud to announce we are now a 

Zoopla Property Power 100 #ZPP100 

sales and letting agent

fixed price sales £379 NO VAT NO COMMISSION

FIXED PRICE PROPERTY SALES - NO COMMISSION £379

FIXED PRICE PROPERTY SALES - NO COMMISSION

Property Locker are pleased to announce we are now offering fixed price property sales for only £379 no vat , no commission

• Local Knowledge , Assisted Viewings, Free Market Appraisal and Personal Service 
• Massive Marketing Reach Including Social Media and  Online
• Sell your home for Fixed Price £379 No VAT  No Commission
• Let Your Property For Only 10% Management Fee No VAT

Older tenants moving into flatshares to save money

Increasing numbers of tenants are choosing to go back to house and flat shares after renting alone or with a partner.

According to website SpareRoom, 51% of its users are in this position, while a further 16% have at some stage been home owners.

With the number of new people looking for flatshares on the site having risen by 31% since 2011, the findings suggest more tenants than ever are returning to flatshare in a bid to save cash.

Over the past five years, the fastest growing age group of flatsharers on SpareRoom has been 45 to 54-year-olds, up by 50%. Total flatsharers aged over 35 have increased by 26%.

The average age of a UK flatsharer is now 26.9, but in 2005 it was 25.8. In London the average age of a flatsharer is 27.2, up from 26.6 in 2005.

Across the UK, the average cost to rent a one-bedroom flat (including bills) is £12,669 per year, while the cost of renting a room with bills included is £6,079 – a saving of £6,590 per year. In London, the difference in price works out to £11,866.

Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, said: “While flat and house sharing is embraced by most young people as an affordable way to live, some prefer to make the leap to renting a whole property before they finally look to buy.

“That’s understandable, but for most, staying in shared accommodation would allow them to save for a deposit far more quickly, helping them achieve their ultimate goal – owning their own property – much sooner.

“The standard of flatshares is improving fast as landlords realise demand for quality shared accommodation is on the rise.

“The idea that, by flatsharing, home ownership could be within reach, will be incentive enough for many to stay in shared accommodation for a bit longer.

FIXED PRICE PROPERTY SALES - NO COMMISSION

Property Locker are pleased to announce we are now offering fixed price property sales for only £379 no vat , no commission

• Local Knowledge , Assisted Viewings, Free Market Appraisal and Personal Service 
• Massive Marketing Reach Including Social Media and  Online
• Sell your home for Fixed Price £379 No VAT  No Commission
• Let Your Property For Only 10% Management Fee No VAT

Property Locker was founded by an experienced property management and sales professional who has been involved in residential property market for several years.

Our client base currently extends throughout central Scotland, including Falkirk, Stirling, Clackmannanshire, West Lothian, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

We pride ourselves in providing a friendly, professional and reliable service at all times, ensuring that your needs are catered for in the most efficient and personal manner possible. Our focus is based on attention to detail, delivering quality, flexibility and service second to none.

For Landlords, we offer a range of services including full property management, property sourcing, trades and free advice. Our aim is to ensure that your investment is maximised to its full potential at all times.

For Tenants, we are always on hand to help you find your next property, ensure that your tenancy runs smoothly, and to answer any queries and deal with any problems in a prompt, efficient and professional manner.

For sellers we offer a fixed price selling fee with no vat or commission payable and we've negotiated exclusive deals with surveyors to keep your selling costs to a minimum giving true value for money. We will always be on hand to make sure your sales runs smoothly to completion.

For buyers whether you’re a 1st time buyer or an experienced investor were always happy to offer advice from the initial property search straight through to the completion of the purchase and we've also negotiated exclusive deals with solicitors and surveyors to help keep the your overall cost to a minimum.

Please have a look in more detail at what Property Locker can offer you, and do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, or to arrange a consultation.

www.propertylocker.co.uk

What you need to consider before investing in European properties .....

While there has been some good news concerning the UK housing market recently the same cannot be said of markets in Europe. Due to the Euro Crisis, the economies in countries such as Spain, France, Italy and Greece are all suffering, leading to house prices plummeting. This means that a large number of landlords from the UK are starting to consider investing in European properties, however there are some things that need to be considered before taking the plunge…

Be Wary of Struggling Economies

House prices in some of the most popular European holiday destinations are currently extremely low, with many landlords benefitting from purchasing luxury properties for heavily discounted prices. However, if a country is suffering due to economic difficulties it may not be wise to rush into investing in their property market. Many tourist locations in Europe are visited by those living in the same country or countries nearby, and if these people are facing financial difficulty then it is less likely they will be looking to rent out a property in the near future. Furthermore, economic decline can lead to shops, restaurants and other amenities surrounding your property to close, leaving a once thriving and popular area desolate in a short period of time.

Political Policies will Change

Falling house prices and economic uncertainty are huge issues for European politicians, which is why they are trying to find new ways to improve the situation. At this point in time nothing overly drastic has been decided upon, however if the economic situation doesn't improve controversial decisions may have to be made in the future. Add this to the fact that British politicians are currently debating leaving the Eurozone and you can see how the relationship between the UK and Europe may change drastically over the next few years. It is therefore important for all landlords thinking of investing in overseas properties to keep abreast of current affairs and have a back-up plan in case policies change in the future.

Budget for Additional Costs

Banks differ from country to country, which means if you are looking for a buy-to-let mortgage in France you may end up having to pay more fees than in Spain or vice versa. Banks in European countries may also have strict rules when it comes to who can apply for buy-to-let mortgages, so be prepared to fill out a large amount of paperwork and have all your credentials ready to be checked. Even after you are approved for a buy-to-let mortgage you will probably find that you will have to pay fees in order for it to be legally leased, as well as for overseas property insurance and letting agents. To try and reduce this cost make sure you do some research before heading to the country the property is based in as it will prepare you and ensure you won’t encounter any nasty surprises.

Do you Have the Time?

Letting an overseas property is extremely time-consuming and due to the language barriers, cultural differences and constant political changes you could find yourself spending double the amount of time on an European property than on one based in the UK. While letting agents and solicitors will be able to help with paperwork and keep you up to date with important information, as a landlord you have a legal responsibility to ensure that your property and tenants are safe. If investing in a European property you will automatically become what is termed an ‘absentee landlord’, which means that the likelihood of you being to deal with issues as and when they arise is very low. So before investing in a new property ask yourself if you realistically have the time to manage it properly, and plan how often you will visit the country it’s based in each year.

Even though the thought of owning a luxury property in a European country is extremely tempting, it comes with certain risks much like any other property investment. The only way to protect yourself if to keep a keen eye on the European property markets and ensure that you have an experienced team of letting agents in the country you are investing in.

Six in ten renters 'cannot afford to buy a home'

An increasing number of people are staying in the private rental sector as they cannot afford to buy a home.

This is according to a new survey by Rightmove, which found 60 per cent of tenants do not have the finances to pay for their own property, an increase of two per cent since the same question was asked three months ago.

The website claimed this is the highest number of "trapped" renters it has recorded since it began studying the issue in 2011.

However, owning their own home is still the ultimate ambition for the majority of tenants, with 96 per cent of those surveyed saying they hope to do so at some point in the future.

Interestingly, the study also revealed 31 per cent of renters who feel trapped have owned a property in the past. 

Miles Shipside, Rightmove director, commented: "The growing number of new households and former homeowners returned to the rental sector keeps producing new tenants."