1. Get a basement or loft conversion they will instantly add value to your home and can often offer a great living space for a bedroom or home office.
2. Convert your garage, garage conversions offer a fantastic opportunity to add valuable living space to your home from as little at ?6,000.
3. Tidy up your front door I know that it is a simple and obvious one but the feeling a potential purchaser has when they are looking at your front door will have a huge impact on their first impressions of your home.
4. Spend your money on your kitchen first then on the bathroom, many people waste money tidying up minor items in bedrooms and living rooms. Most buyers will be happy to put their own stamp on bedrooms and living rooms but are not as comfortable with the disruption and costs associated with kitchen and bathroom projects.
5. Get planning permission for a home improvement project, you will then benefit from the planning gain that?s the increase in value before the building work even starts!
5 best ways to increase the value of your home
September 18, 2010
Banks accused by some of discrimination against mortgage lending on new build developments
September 16, 2010
The poor battered house builders are finding a fresh cause for concern as some property professionals are accusing the banks of discriminating against lending on new build developments. With surveyors being advised to value with caution and comparables not always perfectly comparable some new build property developers are suggesting a less than level playing field with second hand homes.
Commercial Property growth continues at a lower level of inflation
September 14, 2010
The rents and yields that properties are achieving are having a restraining effect on capital growth of commercial property portfolios. With commercial property values having risen by over 15% in the previous 13months it is rents and lease negotiations that are restraining growth. There are private and institutional investors looking for high returns from commercial property so cash is moving into the sector. Funding is also an issue for those looking to gear up and expand their portfolio and many appreciate that there are currently some fabulous investment opportunities.
Vultures circle Connaught?s remains
September 13, 2010
Many companies in the construction industry have been picking over the bones and contracts of the slayed giants corpse. The best bits have been dressed and prepared by the administrators but how will the rest be carved up?
How to make a lot of money in property?
September 12, 2010
There are several ways in which to make a lot of money in property one of which is the speculative development of commercial units, Retail, Office or Industrial. This is a fabulous way in which to make several hundred thousand pounds in a relatively short space of time. Great that?s all you need to know off you go to make your fortune as a speculative commercial property developer. Is there a catch, I am afraid so in fact there are a few. One of the most interesting is that the nimby culture ( Not in my back yard) and the mere thought of someone making hundreds o thousands of pound in a short space of time will probably make you unpopular in the areas you develop. I mean who wants some ?property developer?, swaning in and creating jobs, improving infrastructure and utilizing brown field sites and wasteland? Also did anyone mention the fact that you will need to raise funding in these challenging times or even worse stump up a few hundred grand yourself. Then there is the waiting time during the planning and build stages, praying that the market does not collapse. Not to mention the fact that if you get it wrong you could lose just as impressive sums of money and be pursued by your now not so jolly lenders.
Professional private rented sector quickly loses favor with Government
September 11, 2010
The Government has failed to commit funding to the professional private rented sector as it battles to get off the ground and assist tenants to find quality housing and create work for the embattled construction sector. With a fall in public spending and continuing shortage of bank funding this new housing structure look like a golden opportunity to improve the rental market. Instead the Government is relying on institutional investors to provide the cash required to start new build property developments.
Series 2 Property developments show me the money
September 10, 2010
Building out a site
Building out a site is a very traditional and popular way to make money as a property developer, this is done simply by building to the planning permission and selling on the house / office/ etc or units as they are usually described. There are three key variables that affect the success of a new build or speculative property development. They are land value, build costs, and sale price if the novice property developer get any of these figures wrong in their property development appraisal the results can be devastating for the project. The three key issues to avoid are over paying for the site, under estimating the build costs or the one that catches out most novice property developers is over estimating the sales figures. If that all important GDV gross development value is overvalued valued on the property development appraisal the profit from property development is doomed before you break ground.
Preparing your home for the winter months
September 9, 2010
Now is a great time to start thinking about preparing your home for the winter months, check that all the gutters are clear and that your home is well sealed and that driving rain and damp cannot penetrate your home. Are you ready for the winter temperature with the drop in temperature often causing the return of problems like condensation and black mould. Have you installed a positive pressure unit to rid your home of condensation, black mould and dampness?
