Watch out for Letting Agents Running off with your Cash!

With business for letting agents booming while income from estate agency has plummeted in the last 12 months, it’s important for both landlords and tenants to be aware that letting agents (unlike estate agents) are not regulated and although there are some great letting agents out there, there is the potential for them to run off with YOUR cash!

There have been a number of stories emerging in the last 12 months of estate agents who have turned to lettings to help cover their bills, then have got into financial difficulties.

Read on to find out what you should do to ensure your money is safe!

Should you buy before the stamp duty increase?

On 1st January 2010, the stamp duty threshold changes. So is it worth you completing before the end of the year? As a result if you complete on a home for £175,000 before 31st December 2009 you won't pay any stamp duty and from January 2nd (no-one will be working on New Year's Day!) you will pay 1% x £175,000 = £1,750 to the government in stamp duty land tax.

Read my thoughts on the stamp duty changes here ....

How to buy via an Estate Agent

Many people complain bitterly about estate agents. Some of the complaints are valid, some really aren’t fair. If you want to successfully buy through an estate agent it’s essential that you understand what information you give them, how to ensure they want to sell a property to YOU and that you know when an agent is telling the truth – and when they might be telling some porky pies!

Read my easy to follow guide to ensure you get the best service from estate agents!

Now IS the time to Build your Own Home!

Come on, 5 million of you watch Grand Designs when it’s on, yet only 15,000 people a year make the effort to build. Reasons given for not building are mainly ‘I can’t find a plot’ or ‘I can’t afford it’ or ‘I don’t want to build it myself’. Well the credit crunch has taken all of these reasons to NOT build your own home away!

So if you think you can't afford it or find a plot - read on to find out how you could build the house of your dreams!

HIPS – when will the politics stop?

I feel sorry for anyone dealing in HIPs. The idea is sound, have as much information as possible about a home before you make an offer, this way less sales are likely to fall through after the offer stage. But, even before they were introduced, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) mounted a legal objection, which was overcome. Now there is a major battle on with the Conservatives determined to scrap them if they come into power. Not only have they become a political football between Labour and Conservatives, they are also a dividing the property 'industry experts'.

Read on to find out what current HIPs arguments are raging ...

What to consider when investing or buying property overseas

Many people just ‘fall’ into buying property abroad. Either they go to a show and like the look of the fancy developer photos and get sucked in by the patter of the clever salesmen (usually ex time share sales people!) or they go on holiday, meet someone in a bar, get invited to a ‘free’ event and with little due diligence hand over tens of thousands of pounds. Don’t let this happen to YOU!

To ensure this doesn't happen to you, read my essential guide to buying a property overseas.

Thinking of Renewing your Home Insurance?

Let's face it, we all hate renewing our home insurance and when the renewal notice lands on the doormat, it's just not a very exciting thing to have to do! So how many people actually take the time to search for the best deal, and look at all the small print that relates to the dos and dont's of insuring one of the most valuable assets you own and all your prized possessions?

Find out how you can save some money on your insurance ...