A stamp duty reclaim (or a refund some may say) is an application to the government where you can claim some (if not all) your tax back that you paid when you purchased a house. A lot of people don’t know this or are unaware that this can be done.
Read MoreIn the business world you may have come across this term before but never given it much thought. So what exactly is business rates relief? It’s exactly what it says on the tin. A relief is to lessen or totally eliminate a burden. In the case of a headache, think aspirin, paracetamol. The same way some businesses are exempt (or relieved) from paying any business rates whatsoever.
Read MoreNew landlords might be wondering what is a tenant handbook and what exactly goes into one of these? It's exactly what it says on the tin, a handbook to which a tenant can go back to if they need answers or to look-up something. However it is worth a mention not all handbooks are made equal but for the purpose of this blog we will look at one of the better ones. I followed a check-list and formed the basis of my handbook on that.
Read MoreThe task of getting in new tenants can be extremely daunting. Afterall, there is a lot of legislation to adhere to and some hoops to jump through. Luckily there are plenty of lovely (local) High Street agents that will be glad to help for a small fee. But, first things first, you must decide, are you hiring the services of a letting agent or are you self-managing?
Read MoreRising mortgage rates are putting financial pressure on UK buy-to-let landlords, especially those with small portfolios, reports the Financial Times. As many of them look to exit the market, this could lead to an increase in house sales, further depressing house prices and raising rents, warns a report by consultancy Capital Economics.
Read MoreI have decided to give my property business a spring clean in this quite period. It’s a much valued focussed time where distraction will be few and far between. I have a new agenda but before I strategise I need to tie up loose ends and tidy up my business inventories. What I mean by all this is to clear-up all the clutter and improve business processes.
Read MoreHappy New Year everyone and a warm welcome back from us here at the Opulent crew. Keep your eyes peeled for what’s hot and what’s not every bi-monthly or if you prefer drop us an email and we can send it right into your inbox, so you never have to miss out on the gossip. So what is the hype this season? Mainly three issues spring to mind:
‘High Interest’ ‘High Inflation’ ‘High Energy’
Read MoreThe latest new-build sector insight by the new-build sales optimisation platform, Unlatch, has revealed that the Government has continued with its woeful efforts where new-build delivery is concerned, missing its latest target in 2021 by -39% – a shortfall of almost 120,000 homes. Unlatch analysed data on the number of new home completions seen across the UK in each year and how they stack up when compared to the Government’s own targets.
Read MoreA sinking feeling has taken over financial markets at the end of a volatile week of trading. Investors are digesting the unpalatable implications of inflation and fretting that there will be a need for a bigger dose of the bitter medicine being administered to try and bring it under control. Tech stocks are taking a tumble everywhere, from Wall Street to Hong Kong and London as expectations of sharper interest rate rises hit valuations.
Read MoreThe way we build our homes and their future environmental impact once erected has become a primary concern for the construction industry as countries worldwide set out to hit ‘net-zero’ targets. Last year’s COP26 shone a light on the target’s governments, businesses, and individuals will need to commit to and meet in order to avoid the most devastating effects of climate change.
Read MoreOn March 23, Rishi Sunak will present his spring statement to the House of Commons, hard on the heels of what markets expect will be the next increase in interest rates from the Bank of England. March is thus becoming a month heavy in economic policy. What might this mean for the housing market? Starting with the Bank, some City analysts are describing rise in official interest rates on March 17 as a “nailed-on certainty”.
Read MoreTowns and cities across the country will be transformed thanks to a radical new regeneration programme that will breathe fresh life into disadvantaged communities. Under plans set out in the Levelling Up White Paper, due to be published next week, derelict sites in towns and city centres will be transformed creating new homes, jobs and beautiful new communities across England.
Read MoreNew research has revealed how the new-build market looks based on the diversity of stock currently available to buyers and how this differs across our major cities. The new-build sales optimisation platform, Unlatch, analysed the level of new-build stock currently on the market before dissecting it by property type both at national level and across 20 major cities. When we think new-build, we tend to think flats, so it’s hardly surprising that they account for the largest proportion of British new-build stock in the current market.
Read More12 steps to Property Investing
Investing explained in twelve steps as part of our Christmas campaign we are running this December. No BS just quick to the point little golden nuggets of information to get you started in your property journey. In as little as 12 days you will know exactly what it takes to break into the industry and get your foot in the door…literally.
Have an Opulent holiday and see you on the other side of 2021.
Read MoreOne in three mortgage customers in the UK were rejected by lenders during the process of applying for loans, new research has found. A survey of more than 750 mortgage customers in the UK has uncovered the trials and tribulations they have faced when applying for their loans. It found that 68% were successful at their first attempt, while 32% were rejected on at least one occasion.
Read MoreFollowing on from last months article there is more on Pets. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 in England, which states that tenants cannot be charged for all up-front letting fees or extra security deposits for pets, many landlords are nervous of accepting pets into a property, mostly due to excessive wear and tear, and a greater chance of uncleanliness and damage.
Read MoreWhether to allow pets in your property is something of a thorny issue. The benefits of pet ownership are well publicised, however since the Tenants Fees Act effectively banned pet deposits, some landlords have been worried about accepting animals over concerns they could cause damage.
Read MoreSo “What's in a Name? .....That which we call a rose”..........
Okay, not about to go all Shakespeare on you but the name was important to me.
Opulent: Don’t you just love it? So how did this name come about? Well, it wasn’t too much effort. As a vocabulary that word always stood out to me, kind of like serendipity, another of my favourite words.
Read MoreBuying vs renting - which is better? When it comes to residential property we are often taught to buy rather than rent, whether that's through a mortgage or as a cash purchase. Renting is considered a waste of money and that you’re just paying off someone else's mortgage when you could be clearing your own.
Today we will have a look at both and see which one is more financially preferable.
Read MoreThere comes a time in your life when you need a change, but when that time is only you know. Everyone is different, you need to look at the situation you are in in your life at that moment in time. Do you even need to move or are you forced to move? For whatever reason. Your motives could be to improve your financial situation or to move closer to family and friends or you want to move just because you want to. We will explore some of the reasoning behind why some people may want to sell their home.
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