The latest from Royston & Lund: Property News

In this months edition, we take a look at which room in your house is the best value for money, so you know where to concentrate your energy. Since the initial lockdown back in March 2020, the demand for both rural and coastal properties has increased massively due to changing priorities and habits.

We also take a look back on 2020 at the positive property developments that took place and how this may effect 2021.Finally, we give advice to landlords on how they can cut down on emergency call out costs, costing landlords billions each year.

If you have any questions about your property circumstances please contact us.

Richardson Gardens, Wilford Lane, West Bridgford

A small development of only four Brand New detached properties built by Swallow Hill Homes overlooking the Nottingham Forest training ground.

We're holding an open day for the last 2 remaining homes for sale on a small development of 4 properties.

OPEN DAY Saturday 22nd February 2020 (by appointment only).

Richardson Gardens, Wilford Lane, West Bridgford

Guide Price from £500,000 to £525,000

The properties are built to a high specification over two and three floors and are offered to the market with completion on plots 3 and 4 early Autumn 2020.

Swallow Hill Homes have been creating homes since 2005 and are a local company based in Beeston who employ their own team of builders. Building 5-10 properties a year, they ensure high standards and focus on constructing good quality houses using high quality materials.

On this development they are building using Staffordshire blue bricks on the ground floor, render on the upper floors, and slate grey windows & roof tiles for a crisp modern vernacular.

Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to purchase one of these fantastic houses in such a sought after location.

For more information about this development, please contact our sales team on: 0115 981 1888 or sales@royston-lund.co.uk

Sleeping Beauty

Thursday 20th - Saturday 22nd February

Click here to read Sleeping Beauty.

Celebrating Shakespeare

Monday 24th February - Saturday 7th March

Click here to read Celebrating Shakespeare.

Rushcliffe 10k

Sunday 1st March

Click here to read Rushcliffe 10k.

Richardson Gardens, Wilford Lane, West Bridgford

We're holding an open day for the last 2 remaining homes for sale on a small development of 4 properties.

OPEN DAY Saturday 22nd February 2020 (by appointment only).

Richardson Gardens, Wilford Lane, West Bridgford

Guide Price from £500,000 to £525,000

The properties are built to a high specification over two and three floors by Swallow Hill Homes.

On this development they are building using Staffordshire blue bricks on the ground floor, render on the upper floors, and slate grey windows & roof tiles for a crisp modern vernacular.

Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to purchase one of these fantastic houses in such a sought after location.

For more information about this development, please contact our sales team on:

0115 981 1888 or sales@royston-lund.co.uk

Have you seen us on social media?

Did you know that we're always active on social media! We have a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts where we love to share our passion for property with you all!

We use our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share a bundle of information to support you in your property journey. You'll find:

The latest property market news
Our local insights
Event updates
Top tips
Property guidance
Coming soon spoilers
Featured properties
New listings
Properties back on the market

There's lots happening so don't miss out! To be transported to our pages please follow the links below:

Our West Bridgford Sales Department have welcomed two new experienced Sales Negotiators to the team!

Since the property market “re-opened” on the 13th May, we have witnessed the market bounce back in a way we could not have imagined. Enquiries and transaction have continued to increase as the market has continued to grow. In order to assist with the high volume of clients looking to buy and sell, we are delighted to have recently welcomed both Deborah Unwin and Kirsty Marcer to the team.

Deborah and Kirsty have been working in the property industry for many years and will bring an abundance of experience to Royston & Lund. With a combined total of almost 40 years experience between them we know that our newest team members will be fully competent in aiding you with your next property sale or purchase.

If you are considering bringing your home to market you are sure to achieve a quick sale in the current market conditions. You can contact Deborah or Kirsty on 0115 981 1888 or by emailing sales@royston-lund.co.uk

Foxfield Way, West Bridgford

2 or 3 Bedroom Semi Detached Homes

Shared Ownership £120,000

Shared Ownership option of 35% - 75%

Two or three bedroom semi detached houses developed by Linden Homes, located in West. Multiple plots are available - please call us for further information.

Click here to read Foxfield Way, West Bridgford.

Caudale Court, Gamston

2 Bedroom Apartment

Shared Ownership £80,000

Shared Ownership option 50% - 100%

A spacious two double bedroom apartment situated in the sought after Gamston development close to the centre of West Bridgford.

Click here to read Caudale Court, Gamston.

Hornbeam Close, Edwalton

3 Bedroom Terraced House

Shared Ownership £96,250

35% - 75% Shared Ownership Option Available

A three bedroom house developed by Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes. Designed with family living in mind, providing the calm of the countryside and the bright lights of the city.

Click here to read Hornbeam Close, Edwalton.

Wenlock Drive, West Bridgford

2 Bedroom Apartment

Shared Ownership £155,000

50% Shared Ownership Option Available

A well presented two bedroom second floor leasehold apartment situated on the sought after "Square" development in the desirable suburb of West Bridgford.

Click here to read Wenlock Drive, West Bridgford.

Which room in your home is the best value for money?

Faced with a third lockdown, how are you maximising your time to your advantage?

Whilst it might be the furthest thing from your mind right now, making home improvements is the perfect way to spend all of that extra time indoors.

So that you know where to concentrate your energy, we've outlined the rooms considered 'best value'.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the best-valued room has been revealed as the master bedroom, where we spend an average of 2,482 hours a year.

A recent study from comparethemarket.com has shown that Brits spend £308.51 each year on renovating the main bedroom, which makes sense when we consider just how much the room is used.

The average person spends about 26 years sleeping in their life, which equates to 9,490 days. We also spend seven years trying to get to sleep, totalling 33 years or 12,045 days spent in bed!

With the pandemic forcing more of us than ever to work from home, it is no surprise that the home office follows the bedroom for the room most used within our households.

Since March, an average of £213 has been spent on sprucing up the office room or area where we're working.

In the last five years, over £10k is spent on improving our homes on average, with just under a quarter of that going on our kitchen.

It seems we enjoy improving our culinary skills as well as our homes, with Brits spending just under 800 hours a year in the kitchen.

With many people adding renovations to their New Year’s resolution list, it is important to know which room to do first.

If you are thinking of making changes to improve the value of your property, it is best to start with the kitchen or bathroom.

When buyer’s view a property, nothing grabs their attention more than a stunning kitchen or a modern bathroom. These improvements don’t have to break the bank to go a long way to impressing prospective owners.

If you’re improving your house for your own purposes only, it’s best to start with the room you would notice changes in the most.

To get your home valued or browse our latest properties, visit our website.

Demand for rural and coastal properties

Since the initial lockdown in March, the demand for rural properties has increased massively due to changing property priorities and working habits.

Rightmove’s yearly review for 2020 shows that both coastal and rural areas were favoured by buyers as many moved away from central locations.

The top 10 best selling areas in the UK last year were dominated by idyllic locations, such as Devon, Surrey and Somerset.

Similarly, properties with larger living areas, dining rooms and gardens all seemed to be the most popular on the market.

With many expecting to be working from home for a while, or even swapping to remote working on a permanent basis, the significance of a central location is no longer as prevalent for buyers and tenants.

According to Rightmove, out of the top ten best selling areas of 2020, seven of those had a population of 10,000 or less, showing that life away from the hustle and bustle of the city was preferred by many during the pandemic.

Specific areas that have seen impressive growth since the outbreak are Wiltshire, Hampshire, Stockbridge, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

Amongst these, Hertfordshire was the most popular with a 75% increase in sales year-on-year, and no evidence of this slowing down.

Similarly, suburban areas in the north west have seen the biggest price growth this year, with prices rising from £184,299 to £213,706 on average.*

Rightmove’s director of property data, Tim Bannister, said: “this year we’ve seen an uplift in the number of home-movers escaping to the country and we think this trend will continue for now as people show their willingness to make significant life changes.

“The data highlights just how influential the unexpected events of this year have been in shaping the nation’s housing priorities, with many buyers determined to swap city streets for rural and coastal retreats.”

If you’re looking to prioritise green space in your next property we can help.

*Property Industry Eye

Positive property market developments

Looking back on 2020, it’s easy to focus on the negatives. However, the impact last year had on the property market was definitely overall positive.

What is in store for the sector this year?

Government schemes

2020’s COVID crisis gave rise to the stamp duty and mortgage holiday to support property homeowners and landlords through their financial hardship.

The stamp duty holiday began on July 8th and will remain in place until March 31st this year, giving buyers and investors the opportunity to see savings of up to £15,000.

Due to the scheme, house sales rose by a huge 21.3% in September.*

Whilst it's been reported that an impressive 140,000 more people are waiting to complete on their house purchase since this time last year.**

Similarly, the mortgage holiday was initially introduced in March 2020 and has been extended various times with a current end date of July 2021.

This scheme was announced to help households who had been financially impacted by the pandemic and can be taken for up to six months.

For more information, please speak to your lender directly on whether a payment holiday is the right solution for you.

House price surges

With property priorities changing to favour gardens, large living spaces, rural locations, home offices and dining rooms, prices for these properties has increased massively.

Similarly, with the aid of the stamp duty holiday, many buyers have been able to push themselves financially and purchase a larger property than they first thought possible.

With so many positive elements to take away from 2020, and a bright future for the property market ahead, now is a great time to evaluate your options.

If you’re thinking of buying, selling or letting this year, contact us.

*GOV.UK
**Property Wire

How landlords can cut down on callout costs

Emergency property issues are costing landlords billions every year, according to research from Direct Line.

The average cost of a callout in the UK comes to around £765, with landlords having to fork out approximately £2,141 over the whole year.

It’s an unfortunate part of being a landlord, as these emergencies are usually unforeseen and time-consuming or costly to fix.

The most common issue for landlords to fix is plumbing, closely followed by gas or heating.

Thankfully, on average, plumbers have the best arrival time out of all contractors, with a typical response time of 13 hours from first contact.

Whilst gas and heating engineers take twice as long to respond at 21 hours.

As a landlord, it is a legal responsibility as well as a moral obligation to make sure your tenants feel safe in your property, making it all the more important to help prevent the need for emergency callouts and issues – where possible.

Although these tips won’t give you immunity from all problems, they will go a long way to preventing problems further down the line.

Clean your pipes often – hair, grease and other gunk can build up in your drains over time, potentially causing a blockage.

Using a non-corrosive drain cleaner is a great idea to clear the grime in your pipes.

Annually service your boiler – whilst it might sound unnecessary to have your boiler checked every year, a qualified heating engineer will be able to spot minor issues that need fixing before the situation escalates.

Insulate your pipes – during winter, it’s important to ensure your pipes don’t freeze, as this could cause them to burst.

Insulation can be cheaply purchased from many DIY stores and is easy to install.

Check your fuse box is in date – it is easy to forget about your fuse boxes, however, they contain essential features that prevent electrical faults and fires.

If your fuse box is close to expiring, hire a qualified electrician to ensure the property is safe.

Change the smoke alarm batteries – whilst this isn’t an issue that requires an emergency contractor, it could require the emergency services if left neglected.

Smoke alarms are crucial to alerting people in the property of a potential fire and could be the difference between life and death.

Batteries are cheap to buy and easy to install, making it a simple job to protect your tenants and your property.

For any questions about our services for landlords, get in touch from our website.