Woodhouse Property Blog

Do something positive for you, your community, and the planet’s health by celebrating National Gardening Week. A two-minute read.

There’s nothing quite like a bit of digging, watering, or pruning to calm the nerves and soothe the soul.

Gardening is good for our mental and physical health, reducing the risk of depression, osteoporosis, and stroke and – added bonus alert – it’s great for the environment, too!

What impact do constant scrolling and swiping have on your ability to focus, reflect, and connect? A two-minute read.

If you can’t read two pages of a book without getting twitchy or struggle to go for an hour without checking social media, then you’re not alone.

A recent study by tech giant Microsoft found that the human attention span has shrivelled by 25% in just a few years. It’s just one of a growing number of studies suggesting that in the digital age, our ability to focus is decreasing.

If you’re taking out a new mortgage or about to refinance your property, have you considered a green mortgage? No? Never heard of it? Well, that’s what we’re here for.

A green mortgage is not actually new. In fact, the concept was first launched about 30 years ago but wasn’t used much. However, in the last few years, green mortgages have been gaining momentum, and are being offered by more and more high-street lenders.

A new scheme offering heat pump grants worth up to £6,000 to homeowners in England and Wales launches this week. We look at who is eligible to get heat pump grants from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, how to apply and how heat pumps work.

Property portals have revolutionised the market, but can an algorithm replicate an astute estate agent’s experience, empathy, and enthusiasm? A two-minute read.

Here’s a statistic that sums up just how integral the internet is to buying and selling property these days: 98% of people start their home search online. (The other 2%, we presume, are still wondering what happened to Ceefax and Amstrad computers.)

Today is World Sleep Day so let’s look at why a good night’s kip is so important. (A three-minute read.)

The pandemic has impacted almost every area of our lives, including our ability to enjoy a deep and blissful slumber.

Studies in the UK, US, China, and Italy have all found that since Covid-19 emerged, insomnia has increased dramatically.

The problem is so widespread that there’s even a (somewhat clunky) buzzword to describe it: ‘coronasomnia’.

In the lead-up to World Sleep Day on 18 March, let’s look at what causes sleep disruption and how to beat insomnia.

As a nation of pet lovers, it’s no surprise that dog ownership increased significantly during the pandemic. Unfortunately, so did the number of dog thefts. There were more than 2,000 reported incidents in 2020 and this number is going up.  

While dog theft is on the rise, catching those responsible is not. Just 2% of such cases led to suspects being charged in 2020, and concerns have grown so much that the government set up the Pet Theft Taskforce to tackle the issue.

On 14 March, the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance will hold their annual Dog Theft Awareness Day. So, in this quick read we offer tips to ensure your four-legged best friend is as safe as possible.

Life, as we knew it pre-pandemic, is gradually looking more like it used to, as Governments across the UK relax Covid-19 rules.

This is exciting for many but it can also feel a bit overwhelming as activity levels rise.

It’s important to take responsibility for looking after ourselves so we don’t tip over into post-pandemic burnout.

Here are some suggestions of tools to try.

With a raft of high-tech home security gadgets on the market, it’s easier than ever to keep your family, pets, and precious belongings safe.

Whether installing a completely new system or tightening up existing security measures, Hertfordshire homeowners have plenty of options to choose from.

Sometimes, all it takes is a smile or wave to make someone smile. It’s free, it’s polite and most of all, it’s kind.

February 17^th is Random Acts of Kindness Day. Yes, a whole day dedicated to being nice. Started by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation in America, the initiative has gone global in a bid to remind people that being kind is easy.

Converting your loft into a bedroom is a great option for many homeowners in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. It can help growing families maximise their space, stay in their home for longer, and even get a great return when it comes to selling up in the future. But while there are many positives, there are some downsides to consider, too.

If you’re thinking about getting a loft conversion in your Cheshunt, Hertfordshire home, here are some of the pros and cons to consider before you commit.

Asking prices for Cheshunt homes rose at the fastest annual rate in almost six years as the number of available properties dropped to a record low.

This year’s colossal hike in energy costs has left millions of households reeling. And with no relief in sight, the problem is likely to stay at the top of the agenda throughout 2022.

Here’s an eight-point plan to help landlords deal with the issue as best they can

When a tenant gets in touch, don’t faff about – a prompt response will save you time and money in the long run. A three-minute read.

Picture this: you’re frantically busy at work, scrambling to meet an urgent deadline when your phone pings.

It’s your tenant raising what seems like a pretty minor issue, so you make a mental note to get back to them in a few hours when things calm down.

But time flies, and before you know it, days have passed, and you still haven’t taken action to address the issue raised.

A new Government fund allowing landlords to pick up £350 towards the purchase and installation of charging points for electric cars has been announced today.

With installation typically costing around £500 for an average property, the cash sum is a significant contribution towards the total cost, and with a huge increase in the number of electric cars on the road a charging point could potentially be a significant draw for potential tenants.

Don’t make the rookie mistake of cutting corners with reference checks – it’s a sure-fire way to wind up with a nightmare tenant. A three-minute read.

When it comes to tenant selection, there’s a saying that all landlords should heed: Go with the right tenant, not the first tenant.

Sometimes, landlords are so eager to see rent payments rolling in that they treat the reference checking process as a tick-box exercise rather than an investigative one.

But rushing to greenlight the first person willing to take your property can come back to haunt you.

Calling all landlords! Have you checked your buy-to-let property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating lately?  

No?

Unfortunately, there have been some legal changes that might mean you’ve got some work to do (and money to spend), so you need to keep reading.

An EPC details how energy efficient a property is, recommends how to improve efficiency, and gives a general idea of associated costs.

At the moment, a rental’s EPC must be a rating of E or above as per the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) and should be updated every ten years. However, the government looks set to increase this to a rating of C or above for all newly tenanted properties by 2025, and for all existing tenancies by 2028.

We explore what the rising rate of older renters means for Cheshunt & Broxbourne landlords. A two-minute read. 

Landlords looking to secure reliable, long-term tenants shouldn’t overlook a growing demographic in the rental sector – the older renter.

Recent statistics* show that the proportion of people aged 45 to 54 who rent is 16% (up 5% in ten years). During the same period, the proportion of renters aged 55 to 64 rose by 5% to 11%.  

This three-minute read looks at the changing rental market and what it means for landlords.

With the rental market changing enormously over the past decade, savvy landlords need to stay on their toes to make the most of their investment.

It’s often thought that being a landlord is easy: buy a property, rent it out, and hey presto! You’re all set. Unfortunately, it’s never that simple, and many landlords look to sell up for an easier life.

Whether it’s age, personal circumstances or changes in the law, in this article, we explore five common reasons why UK landlords sell their properties.

If you do a quick Google search on ‘how to keep love alive’, communication comes out on top of many of the pieces of advice shared.

Almost all relationships benefit from good communication. And that advice extends beyond being a partner, parent, or friend – it can easily be applied to the landlord and tenant relationship.

Are you a landlord with a new rental property? Are you about to decorate? Step away from the colour charts, put down the paintbrush, and read on.

Sometimes, it’s hard to separate your personal taste from your rental. After all, you’ve paid a lot of money for it, and you’ve probably invested time and effort getting it ready for the rental market.

With the annual tax return deadline only a few weeks away, its essential to ensure all your paperwork is up to date to avoid all that late-night uploading on 31st January! Using our handy tips, you can make a start right now.

Nowadays the majority (60%) of landlords who buy properties use a limited company, three times the rate in 2016.

When searching for a new home, do you scroll past properties that look a little worse for wear? You know the ones, where the carpet hasn’t been changed since the 70s and the floral wallpaper is curling off the walls?

Lots of buyers look for newly renovated or new-build homes due to fear of the doer-upper. If that sounds like you, we’re here to tell you that you’re potentially missing out.

Older, unloved properties may look scary, but they’re often hiding bags of potential.

Here’s what to consider when buying a doer-upper.

Have you got a big one? A small one? Maybe you’ve got a wonky one.

Whatever its shape or size, we’ve all got one.

We’re talking about your hooter. Smack bang in the middle of your face; the nose is a great tool when trying to sell your home.

Known as ‘scent branding’, businesses all over the world are investing in signature scents to harness the power of smells, memories, and emotion.

In simple terms, a nice smell can help your property stand out in a crowded market.

What separates a mediocre estate agent from an exceptional one? It’s not what they say; it’s what they do.

While some agents talk a big game, in reality they just go through the motions. But great agents (and we like to think that here at Woodhouse Property Consultants Ltd we fall into that category) go all out to get the very best deal.

Selling a home is not a solo project – well, not if you hope to achieve top selling price. A three-minute read.

If there’s one piece of property advice worth remembering, it’s this: be wary of anyone who tells you that selling a home is so easy that you should do it yourself.

Taking that first step on the property ladder is simultaneously exciting and terrifying. No matter how old you are, buying your first property will make you feel like a proper grown-up.

Before you even find the right property, there’s lots to learn, so in this quick read, we’ve pulled together our top five tips for first-time buyers.

Are you thinking of selling your Cheshunt & Broxbourne Borough home? Then let’s look at two trends that have dominated the market over the past year and see what they mean for you. 

Demand is strong

Many people predicted that the robust demand seen in early 2021 would fizzle out when the Stamp Duty holiday ended – but they were wrong! 

This two-minute read looks at parents’ integral role in helping young people get on the property ladder.

There’s one financial institution that never seems to go out of fashion, and that’s the dear old Bank of Mum and Dad (or BOMAD for people who like acronyms).

About half of all first-time buyers (FTBs) last year relied on BOMAD, with parents dishing out a record £9.8 billion to help their offspring get on the property ladder.¹ The average contribution was £58,000. 

And in the past ten years, BOMAD has coughed up £54 billion, assisting 1.4 million buyers.²

If you’re experiencing financial difficulties, you may be considering selling your home. This is a very challenging decision and needs to be given some serious thought.

In this two-minute read, we look at some areas to think about before you decide whether to sell your property or not.

This piece is not meant to offer financial advice. We recommend speaking to a financial expert before making any big decisions.

Welcome to the Cheshunt and Hertfordshire Property Market Update for March 2022.  New instructions were up, sales were up but is the Market starting to shows signs of stabilising?

Well the answer is still Not yet. Although more properties have been listed for sale in February compared to January, the level of choice for buyers is still low and is 26% below the number of properties which were available for sale in February 2021, but slowly the choice is starting to grow.

When you visit a show home, it’s easy to imagine yourself sitting at the beautifully laid table, sinking back into the comfy sofa or settling in for a night’s sleep in a luxury bedroom. Every room has been set up to tempt you. But is a new-build home really the right choice for you and your budget?

We’ve explored some of the plus points of a new-build property.

So, you’re keen to sell your home in Cheshunt, but you’re just not getting any offers. What’s going on? How can you make your home more attractive to potential buyers?

Welcome to the first housing market report for 2022. It’s been an extremely busy start to the New Year, busier than many people expected after a seasonal slow down in December.  When we re-opened after the New Year,it has felt like those house buyers have been back out looking in full force.

Many buyers are now starting to get frustrated - it is not unusual to hear that over 12-18 viewings have been booked on a home in Cheshunt and surrounding areas and that they are all proceedable buyers. We have had buyers upset that they have missed out and other buyers saying they are getting desperate.

Congratulations on your decision to sell your home in Cheshunt, Hertfordshireand search for a new home. This is an exciting time for you and now is the right moment to consider two highly important elements to make sure you sell your property and locate and purchase your dream property without hassle or stress.

Right now, you may be in the position of not knowing how to sell your property and where or how to start your search, or even what to look at first, and that’s where we come in! Here at Woodhouse we are experts in property sales and searches in Cheshunt and surrounding areas in Hertfordshire and have plenty of useful tips to help you through the process.

Just because your home is a fixer-upper, that doesn’t mean you can’t sell it for a great price. There is a huge market of family DIY-ers and developers that would love to snap up your home and give it a refresh.

Here at Woodhouse, we can help sell any property, no matter the condition. But if you’re worried about buy-ability, check out these tips on how to sell a home in need of repair in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.

It’s no secret that home renovations can give your home a boost in value. But knowing which DIY projects will reap the most benefits is a tricky one.

If you’re selling up in the next few years, being selective about what you renovate is always a wise choice. Some renovations are worth more in resale value than others.

National Indoor Plants Week promotes the importance of live plants in interior spaces.

What is the outlook for the housing market next year?

When they run smoothly, joint tenancies can be a good source of income for landlords. This three-minute read explains how to get the best out of them.

Joint tenancies are a great way for friends or couples to live together and share the rental burden. (Think about best buddies and flatmates Joey and Chandler in Friends, they had a ball, right?)

And joint tenancies can also be good news for landlords, providing steady long-term income and low tenant turnover. (If your tenants are happy and get along like Joey and Chandler, they’ll stay for years.)