Property news and blog posts.

What Is Equity Release?

Equity release is a way of converting the equity in your property into cash. You may want to consider this if: You're unable to obtain a high-street mortgage (due to age or income); You need cash to make home improvements; Or you need to pay for health care. There are many different schemes: the most [...]

By | March 27th, 2017|Property|0 Comments

What Is Joint Ownership of Property?

When two or more people buy a property they will hold it as joint tenants or tenants in common. What Are Joint Tenants? The first of these, joint tenants, is when each owner owns the whole of the property. If one dies, the property is owned wholly by the survivors. This is most commonly used by [...]

By | March 20th, 2017|Property|0 Comments

What Deposit Do I Need To Buy A House?

When you buy a property you will need to pay a sum of money to secure the purchase on exchange of contracts. The deposit is held by either the buyer or seller’s solicitors on behalf of everyone involved. When Do I Need My Deposit By? You will need to work out what deposit you have [...]

By | March 13th, 2017|Property|0 Comments

What Are Help to Buy Schemes?

As it has become increasingly difficult to get on the property ladder, Help to Buy Schemes were introduced in 2013 to help first-time buyers acquire their first home. The schemes allow you to buy your first property with a 5% deposit, instead of the usual 10%. Help To Buy Scheme Criteria To be eligible you [...]

By | March 9th, 2017|Property|0 Comments

Surveys and Why You Need Them

Buying a house is usually the biggest investment you will make in your lifetime. So you have to make sure you do things right. Surveys are often the only way to find out exactly what you are buying, what repairs are needed, future maintenance and any other issues that are likely to crop up in [...]

By | January 23rd, 2017|Property|0 Comments

The Privatisation Of The Land Registry: What Does It Actually Mean?

If you've ever bought a house then you will have dealt with the Land Registry. It was them after all that documented your ownership rights. Yet, despite being Government-run for many years it has recently been the subject of calls for privatisation, first in 2014 and then once more in 2016, as the Government look to raise [...]

By | January 16th, 2017|Property|0 Comments

Common Problems with Leases and How Solicitors Can Solve Them

When buying a flat, you will have to comply with a lease agreement between yourself (the Tenant) and the person who owns the development/building (the Landlord). The format and terms of leases vary considerably. There are common problems that crop up with some leases and need to be resolved, particularly if you are arranging a [...]

By | January 13th, 2017|Property|0 Comments

First Time Buyers – How To Compare Quotes

One of the first stages in buying a property is obtaining an estimate of costs. As a first time buyer, this is important as it allows you to budget for your move and get to grips with the costs involved. This will help to understand the quote process and find out what is expected of you. [...]

By | January 4th, 2017|Property|0 Comments

What Is Stamp Duty Land Tax?

If you purchase a residential property in England or Wales and pay more than £125,000 you must pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). The levy is based on the price you pay for the property and other payments, such as fixtures and fittings, the release of a debt or the transfer of an outstanding mortgage. [...]

By | December 22nd, 2016|Property|0 Comments

First Time Buyer Guide – Getting Started

As a first-time buyer, you may feel like you are bursting with questions, whether it's “how long does the process last?” or “what is an indemnity policy?” Everyone buys a property for different reasons. It therefore makes sense that you will be looking for something different and perhaps have different questions when you are buying [...]

By | December 21st, 2016|Property|0 Comments