In plain English A closing date is the deadline for offers from anyone interested in buying your property. In a way, it’s a kind of blind auction, as every potential buyer won’t know about any of the other offers. And in a rising housing market, this can mean solicitors acting for buyers will try to [...]
H M Government’s launch of the Help to Buy ISA on 1st December 2015, has given many potential First Time Buyers the opportunity to save up to £12,000 and to then benefit from a 25% boost from the Government. In order to benefit from the maximum bonus of £3,000, individuals will have to save for [...]
If saving to buy your first home, why not take advantage of the new Help to Buy ISA sponsored by HM Government, launched on 1st December 2015. Your savings will be boosted by 25% if you have accumulated over £1,600 in your ISA up to a maximum of £12,000, representing a bonus of between £400 [...]
Central 1 bed flats have formed part our own investment strategy for the last 20 years and we have constantly recommended these as an entry level for any would be investor. Tenant demand is constant due to Edinburgh having a large transient population and of course the increasing number of single person households. Gorgie/Dalry is [...]
With the recent announcement about LBTT made by the SNP to change the thresholds of property tax yet again, people are left a little confused. Let’s simplify what has been announced... What is LBTT? In October 2014 the Scottish Government proposed a new alternative to stamp duty called Land & Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) which [...]
Flooding is a growing risk for homes in Great Britain. Property doesn’t necessarily need to be close to a river or the sea or situated on low lying ground to be exposed to flood risk. Surface water, groundwater and overflowing sewers are increasingly common causes of flooding.
Edinburgh is unique as a local government area in that it has private legislation empowering the Council to serve demands on co-owners to carry out common repairs, and in the absence of compliance from co-owners - for example the separate owners of a block of tenement flats - the Council is empowered to carry out the work themselves and to recover the costs from the co-owners thereafter.
How far are you willing to go in marketing your home in order to see it sold? Since the repeal of the Property Misdescription Act on 1st October 2013 and its replacement with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPR) and the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008 (BPR), selling your home brings with it an increased duty to declare its faults.
What is the Green Deal Loan? Green Deal loans are being offered by supermarkets and energy companies to pay for property improvements that will increase the energy efficiency of a property, such as double glazing or loft insulation. The interest rate is roughly seven percent a year and you repay the loan through your energy bills. The Golden Rule is that crucially your monthly repayments should not exceed your monthly savings made as a result of the improvements...