Has it ever occurred to you that our gardens are – potentially – the largest nature reserve in the country?

The total area of private gardens in the UK adds up to almost two million acres. This weekend is the Big Garden Birdwatch, running since 1979, and over half a million people will typically take part. It is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey, and last year over 9 million birds were counted. Over the course of one hour, between 26 and 28 January, residents are asked to submit the birds they see in their gardens to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Guides are available online to help spot the different species you might encounter.

The stats are quite scary – over the past 50 years, the population of birds in the UK has dropped by 73 million.  House sparrows top the list of birds spotted – 1,401,338 in 2023, but they have declined by 57% since 1979. 

We can help by making our gardens better for wildlife, and there are so many ways we can do this, whether we have a small patio, a stretch of lawn or a mature plot full of shrubs and trees. 

• Bird tables, and sophisticated variations which are squirrel-proof, are increasingly popular. 

• We can put out water too, especially during hot and cold spells. 

• You will also attract butterflies and bees if you grow plants rich in nectar. Catmint is a magnet for bees and a buddleia bush in full bloom is heaven for butterflies. 

• Nettles are great for feeding the caterpillars of many types of butterfly. 

• Berry bushes bring in birds. 

• If you have a lawn, you could let part of it grow wild, and adding a wildflower mix will look stunning for both humans and wildlife.

• Piles of leaves, logs or stones all help mini beasts find homes.

The RSPB website has all sorts of information on what different birds like to feast on. 

Why not join in for an hour this weekend and enjoy recording your garden visitors?

Last month, changes were made to how some aspects of Right to Rent checks are completed in England. 

Since 2014, anyone letting a property in the UK has been obliged to complete a Right to Rent check every time they take on a new tenant. As part of the changes to Right to Rent checks, landlords in England are no longer allowed to accept physical biometric residence cards and permits, nor Frontier Worker permits. All holders of these cards and permits in England will have to verify their identity using an online service operated by the Home Office. 

There are legal implications for anyone who does not follow the new laws. It is illegal for landlords to only check people that they think are not British citizens; the government states that potential tenants should not be discriminated against based on speculation about where they are from. 

For now, this change is limited to tenancies in England. For the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland, the Home Office will require tenants to register with a certified identity service provider (IDSP), which will use identity document validation technology (IDVT) to share checks with agents and landlords. 

If you are a tenant or landlord looking for answers, get in touch and we will help wherever we can. 

With demand for homes still outstripping supply, sellers can be confident they will find a buyer quicker than ever before. * 

On average, properties are spending just 33 days on the open market, compared to 2019 when the average time on the market stood at 67 days. As well as this, the huge decline in sale time means that 53% of property sales are now being agreed at a figure above the asking price, as buyers bid higher to secure their ideal home. * 

The large number of buyers continues to create a competitive market, ideal for sellers. Over 125,000 prospective homeowners took to the market in April to take advantage of the great seller’s market. *  

If you are looking for a quick sale of your property, start by booking a free property valuation here. 

*Rightmove 

If you have ever considered building a property portfolio as a landlord, now could be a great time to start your journey. 

Information from a market-leading property portal indicates rents have risen at the fastest rate on record, and tenant demand has almost doubled. At a time when interest rates on traditional savings accounts are low, many believe it is a good time to invest in the property market. * 

Lenders are evidently committed to supporting prospective landlords. A recent report from a popular money comparison site revealed there are currently 2,235 mortgage products on offer to first-time landlords, an increase of more than 70% than the same time last year.  

A huge 64% of available buy-to-let mortgage products are catering to first-time investors and rates are attractive, allowing landlords to protect themselves against future rate rises by locking into a good deal with a fixed-rate mortgage. The average two-year fixed rate mortgage for a first-time landlord is currently 3.19%, rising to 3.47% for a five-year fixed product.  

If you would like to explore buy-to-let properties and mortgage products which could lay the foundations for your property portfolio, call us today and talk to one of our team members. 

Whether you’re planning to move soon or have already found your forever home, freshening up your interior is always a great idea. But where do you start? These are some simple tricks to make your rooms stand out – for all the right reasons.

Start with the areas you use most

Paying attention to how they could function better. For example, maybe you love your sitting room but can never find a comfortable, well-lit spot to read. In this case, consider adjusting the furniture to better use any available natural light or strategically position lamps to illuminate a dedicated reading nook.

Think about your theme

If several rooms need improving, think about a theme to guide the design. Clean, neutral tones and natural textures promote a feeling of space and airiness, so this might be a good place to start when browsing for inspiration. However, specific areas such as formal dining rooms and bathrooms may need a pop of vibrant colour or a richer, more elegant palette to match the vibe you need.

Smaller spaces can be more challenging.

Your downstairs cloakroom may be functional, but it can be interesting too. If it’s narrow and offers high ceilings, why not create a mini art gallery to give it a sophisticated touch?

Introduce texture

If you don’t want to redecorate the whole house, consider introducing texture and interest instead. Bed canopies, soft covers and throws, sheepskin rugs or a styled fireplace can add luxury to any room. Alternatively, playing with contrast and proportion can help you engage with spaces differently. Think oversized mirrors or introducing modern pieces against a period backdrop.

Call V&H Homes for free advice on maximising value

Getting the décor just right to attract buyers is essential if you’re looking to sell. Of course, there are many ways to style or stage your home. Luckily, our expert team can advise you on this.

Last year, Rightmove saw a 26% increase in web traffic, with over four million of us visiting their website on Boxing Day.
 
Your property could be marketed to a HUGE online audience over the festive period and the New Year.
 
Listing is a sure-fire way of capturing attention from serious buyers and tenants.

Did you know...
 
Online property searches double over the Christmas and New Year period.
 
On average, there's a 20% increase in people searching online for their next home.
 
9 pm was the citied as last year's prime property-surfing time. 
 
Over 2.3 million people visit Rightmove on the 29th December.
 
Over 3.3. million people visit Rightmove on the first day of the New Year.
 

With the property market currently at optimal conditions for those looking to sell their home, nervous sellers are being encouraged to capitalise on this record-breaking surge in activity.

This urge to sell comes after housing stock has decreased month-on-month, causing a drop of 40% in stock levels since January.*

Could a move be on the cards for you this year? Value your home today with V&H Homes and start your journey today.

In addition to the stark decrease in stock levels, the 2021 property market has also seen a massive 40% of properties selling above asking price.*

With houses in Surrey increasing in price by 10% in the past 12 months, could learning your home's value be the motivation you need?**

If you feel like you need support on navigating your way through the property market, speak to our team.

The next six months are expected to be a busy time for the property market

As restrictions are officially lifted and the stamp duty holiday draws to a close, we take a look at what will be influencing home purchases going forwards over the next few months.

What will happen to house prices after the stamp duty holiday?

As demand still remains above normal levels for the season, many people will be undeterred by the end of stamp duty savings next month.

Instead, they'll be pushed to buy based on their changing needs and living conditions, meaning house prices are expected to remain consistent.

Market update

Over the last year, average property prices in Surrey, have increased by 12%, with the average property now worth £613,048.*

*Rightmove Intel

This article was extracted from Rightmove for informational purposes

The government has announced that the temporary stamp duty holiday in England and Northern Ireland has been extended until the end of June.

The news will hopefully come as a relief to those buyers and sellers who have been desperately trying to get their sale completed in time to meet the previous deadline of 31st March.

What is the temporary stamp duty holiday? 

The temporary stamp duty holiday, first announced by the government on 8th July last year, means that if you are buying a home up to the value of £500,000 you will not pay any stamp duty.

The extension means you now have until 30th June to complete on the purchase to make the stamp duty saving.

Then, to smooth the transition back to normal, the nil rate band will be £250,000, double its standard level, until the end of September.

It will return to the usual threshold of £125,000 on 1st October.

There hasn’t been any further update from Scotland on any extension to the Land & Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) holiday, which is currently due to end on 31st March 2021.

In Wales, temporary Land Transaction Tax reductions are also set to end on 31st March, but we’ll let you know if this changes.

Are there delays in the home-moving process right now? 

When the announcement was first made in July we recorded our busiest ever day on Rightmove, as people rushed to see if they could move home and make use of the savings, leading to a huge increase in the usual number of sales that would be going through the legal process.

We estimate that there are currently 628,000 sales going through, and this massive number, coupled with the challenges of conveyancers, solicitors and councils working from home, has led to delays in the home-buying process.

Our latest data shows that it is taking an average of 65 days from the time a seller has a property listed by an agent on Rightmove until they get an offer accepted, and a further 126 days to get through to legal completion, which is almost seven months.

But remember these are averages, and other factors such as if you are a cash buyer or if council searches in your area take longer will affected how long it takes.

What do the experts say?

Our resident property data expert Tim Bannister explained that the stamp duty holiday extension should give tens of thousands of home-movers the chance to complete before the new deadline.

He said: “This three-month extension will come as a huge relief for those people who have been going through the sales process since last year and were always expecting to make use of the stamp duty savings.

“Our recent data shows one in five sales that were agreed in the same month the stamp duty holiday was first announced in July last year still haven’t completed, so this additional time will make a big difference to help those stuck in the logjam complete their purchase in time before the new end of June deadline.

“Buyers who have recently agreed a sale now have a race on their hands to see if they can also make use of the stamp duty savings, but many with purchases over £250,000 will find that time is too tight to complete before the end of June and so shouldn’t be factoring this into their purchase.

“It’s worth remembering that the average savings vary massively around England, and first-time buyers will still be exempt if they’re buying for £300,000 or less. There are also many other reasons people are choosing to move, evidenced by the strong buyer demand Rightmove has already seen in the first two months of the year.”

The following information is extracted from Rightmove

A mortgage guarantee scheme aimed at helping first-time buyers and existing homeowners is set to be unveiled by the government in this week’s Spring Budget announcement. 

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to reveal the specifics of the scheme on Wednesday (3rd March). In the meantime, we can share what we know so far.  

What do we know about the mortgage guarantee scheme? 

Under the new scheme, which is expected to launch in April, we anticipate that buyers will be able to purchase homes worth up to £600,000 with a deposit of just 5%. 

And this means that the majority of buyers should be eligible for the scheme, as our data analysts have found that 86% of properties currently listed for sale on our site have an asking price of £600,000 or less. 

However, please note that with an average asking price of £621,886, many properties across Greater London will be priced above the scheme’s proposed threshold of £600,000 (see below). 

What impact could the mortgage guarantee scheme have regionally? 

What are some of the key statistics? 

• The national average asking price for all properties is currently £318,580, which is 3.0% higher than February 2020  
• The national average asking price of a first-time buyer property is £200,692, which is 3.6% higher than February 2020
• Since the 2013 Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme was first launched, national asking prices have increased by 29% from £246,748 in October 2013 to £318,580 in February 2021 
• Since the 2013 Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme was first launched, national asking prices for first-time buyer properties have increased by 36% from £147,464 in October 2013 to £200,692 in February 2021

The rent or buy debate is a pretty controversial topic with no simple answer, but we want to put paid to the ever-present myth that buying is always better than renting.

But renting doesn’t mean you are throwing away money in the same way that buying a home isn’t always the right decision at certain times in your life. So we’ve come up with a list of 12 reasons why renting might just be the better option for you.

1.No maintenance costs or repair bills

When renting a property, your landlord is usually responsible for all maintenance and repair costs, ensuring you don’t have the financial responsibility to get these things fixed.

2. No large down-payment

Renters have the better financial deal upon signing as a house with a mortgage requires a sizable down payment compared to the usual deposit for renting a property.

3. There’s a fixed rent amount

Rent amounts are certain for the span of the lease agreement – so long as it’s a fixed-term contract – making it easier to budget your money so you know exactly how much you’re required to pay.

4. You can keep things flexible!

When you buy a house you are tied down to living in that location for at least a few years usually, whereas if you’re renting a property you have the flexibility to move around if something changes in your life or outlook.

5. You have the options for housemates

Housemates are many things – from being someone to split the bills with to potentially becoming some of the best friendships you may ever have.

6. Invest money on your own terms

Choosing not to buy a home – at least for the moment – opens up other possibilities for saving and investing so you can choose exactly where your hard-earned money is going.

7. Generally lower utility costs

Rental properties typically have a more compact floor plan, therefore renters can often expect to face lower utility costs – another money saver.

8. Enjoy being mortgage-free

By renting you can put away as much (or more) savings as a homeowner, but without the debt that comes along with owning a property.

9. Urban living at a cheaper price

Depending on where you want to live, trendy areas, such as major cities, and beach communities, are typically more renter friendly.

10. Decreasing property value

Property values go up and down over the years depending on the area you live, and, while this may affect homeowners in a big way, it affects renters substantially less so, if at all.

11. Excuse yourself from costly updates

As a renter, there is freedom in knowing you couldn’t remodel your home even if you wanted to, so this a way of saving money.

12. Insurance is cheaper

Renter’s insurance is significantly cheaper than the insurance home owners have to pay.

So there you have it. It’s likely you already have your own opinion about whether renting or buying is right for you now – or in the future – but hopefully this article has given you a few reasons to show that renting can be seriously advantageous for many of us.

If you are considering selling or letting your property in Ashtead, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Epsom, Bookham or the surrounding areas, call V&H Homes on 01372 221 678