Anita Howard, Author at National Residential - Page 4 of 5
 

News & Views

All posts by Anita Howard

Taxes, red tape and the onslaught on Landlords: it’s time to get out

This week the Telegraph hit the nail on the head when they reported that Landlord profits had collapsed in the past decade following an onslaught of taxes and red tape. That coupled with the unbelievable amount of hoops landlords have to jump through has pushed the entire sector to breaking point.

You can attempt to whip out as many rose-tinted glasses as you like, but the fact of the matter is, we’re deep into a war on landlords, and it’s pushed many of us to the decision that it’s time to get out.

No longer is this an “on the fence” decision, and certainly we don’t say this lightly, nor could we be accused of “scaremongering.” The truth is well and truly upon us, and the figures are grim.

Continue reading Taxes, red tape and the onslaught on Landlords: it’s time to get out →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

End of an Era: Landlord sells entire Property Portfolio in record time

Landlords who’ve been in the business a while are downsizing. If you haven’t thought about doing it before, or if you’re on the fence, you might want to think about it now, before we get too close to December.

For Shirley McLean, a landlord who has been a longstanding member of Property118, it was time to act. She initially became a landlord alongside her husband, who had been a builder but retired. “We decided it would be nice just to have a little bolthole in Scotland. And in order to finance that, we thought if we bought some to-lets that would basically pay for our holiday home and we could be a part of the community.”

Watch Shirley talk to David Coughlin about why, when and how she sold her portfolio with Landlord Sales Agency.

Continue reading End of an Era: Landlord sells entire Property Portfolio in record time →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Landlords, Fed Up with the Labour Government? Sell your Portfolio NOW

The never-ending onslaught of landlords, including the abolition of Section 21, tough EPC rules, and changes  to stamp duty, have left landlords fed up and thinking of throwing in the towel.

The Labour government is the final nail in the coffin for many landlords who are overwhelmed with all the rules and regulations and want to get out of the market as soon as possible.

For landlords who don’t know where to turn Landlord Sales Agency can help sell your portfolio quickly and for a competitive price.

Our buyers are a mix of new landlords, investors and first-time buyers meaning that whether you’re selling with or without tenants, the properties will be snapped up. It also means that we’re able to get you the best possible price.

We have an extensive private database of over 30,000 buyers and can sell your property in less than 28 days.

Continue reading Landlords, Fed Up with the Labour Government? Sell your Portfolio NOW →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Landlord Exodus: Tough New Rules spark mass Sell-Off

A mass sell-off is currently underway in the landlord sector, and it only looks set to increase. EPC requirements, The Renters Rights Bill, mounting financial pressures, the list of reasons goes on.

No doubt you’ve seen the recent headlines, and if you’re a landlord yourself you’ll be forgiven for thinking that the worst is yet to come. In fact, the property market continues to deliver tough news for landlords, with recent proposals suggesting that evictions are just one of the issues that may become increasingly difficult.

Labour’s plans are ramping up, in what can only be described as the “final blow to landlords,” with measures that could prevent landlords from evicting tenants who fail to pay rent if doing so would leave them financially disadvantaged or homeless. While the full details are still being ironed out, many landlords are already feeling the pressure.

Continue reading Landlord Exodus: Tough New Rules spark mass Sell-Off →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Think Properties Are Taking A Long Time To Sell? Think Again!

On Tuesday 30 May, David Coughlin, CEO National Residential and Landlord Sales Agency joined Paul Shamplina, Director of Partnerships at HFIS Group, as a guest speaker in LandlordZONE webinar  ‘Think properties are taking a while to sell on the market? Think again!’‘.

Watch now to hear them discussing the market conditions, the problems landlords face and what landlords can to do to react to challenging issues such as interest rates, the abolishment of Section 21s and EPC upgrades.


Continue reading Think Properties Are Taking A Long Time To Sell? Think Again! →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Property Buyers: Cash Is King

The advantage cash buyers have always held over house buyers needing a mortgage through an estate agent is in the speed they can complete.

Now  the average time it is taking  mortgage buyers to get a deal has almost doubled due to lenders being very, very cautious since interest rates have gone up and are expected to go up again, the advantage cash buyers have is even more persuasive.

To compound the problem for mortgage buyers, there are also huge delays in getting surveyors out to access properties. Of course cash buyers still need to do their due dilligence and also require surveys but they do not need to wait for lenders to review the surveys and any added delay makes cash buyer offers all the more attractive.

Continue reading Property Buyers: Cash Is King →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

David Coughlin and Paul Shamplina webinar reveals biggest issues vexing landlords right now

Steps landlords must take in 2023David Coughlin, CEO of Landlord Sales Agency recently joined forces with Paul Shamplina, the Founder of Landlord Action, TV presenter, author of articles, books and blogs as well as a regular speaker at property seminars and conferences, to identify and discuss key steps landlords need to take to achieve the highest profits from their portfolios in 2023. The webinar was watched bu hundreds of landlords and they were inundated with questions from those watching.

To read about the biggest issues vexing landlords right now or to watch a recording of the webinar, click here

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Landlord sells his tenanted property portfolio with National Residential for £500,000 in just 26 days

David Coughlin, CEO of National Residential tells us why a landlord from Wandsworth is celebrating after we sold his entire portfolio of 5 tenanted properties in less than a month, releasing over £500,000 in cash with zero hassle, worry or stress while we sorted out any problems on his behalf.

It’s just one example of why we pride ourselves with our “any problem we can fix” formula, led by myself, founder and industry expert, David Coughlin.  

If you’re looking to sell your buy-to-lets, were the team to do it. We use a modern auction strategy with unrivaled managment throughout the whole process – from listing to money in the bank –  which combines great sales prices with the speed of auctions.

Continue reading Landlord sells his tenanted property portfolio with National Residential for £500,000 in just 26 days →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

The best way to sell properties with awkward tenants

Take The Stress Out Of Trying To Sell A Property With Difficult Tenants

In these current times, there are a few challenges landlords may face when trying to sell their properties. Trying to sell a property while dealing with difficult tenants can be top of the list, but it doesn’t have to be.

It’s time to bring in the professionals to take those worries off your hands.

Continue reading The best way to sell properties with awkward tenants →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

National Residential sell buy-to-let properties for the best possible price

Helping Landlords Sell – Fast, Hassle-Free, and for the Best Price

Founded by established landlords who understand the challenges landlords face—whether it’s problem tenants, access issues, or simply wanting the best price. At National Residential, we take the stress out of selling and have the expertise to solve every obstacle.

All our buyers are chain free and pay 2% (min £5000) deposits, ensuring that buyers, regardless of whether they’re first time buyers or landlords, are financially committed to the sale from the start and are able to complete quickly.

We are rated as 4.6 on Google and Truspilot with over 300 reviews so you know your property investments are in safe hands.
Continue reading National Residential sell buy-to-let properties for the best possible price →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Thinking Of A Retirement Mortgage or Other Form Of Equity Release? Read This First…

From wanting to subsidize pensions to maintain a comfortable standard of living, to taking dream holidays, and/or raising cash to help family members in times of crisis; more and more people over the age of 55 are using wealth tied into the property they own to finance their life choices.

Most lenders now offer options such as Retirement Mortgages, Lifetime Mortgages, Drawdown Lifetime Mortgages, Pensioner Mortgages and Home Reversion Plans. They are aimed at people who want to raise cash from the equity in property without moving home but as people are living longer and/or taking retirement younger, they can all be very expensive options.

An alternative option that can be far cheaper and one that uses the wealth tied in a property rather than borrowing against it (as the options above do) is to downsize.

Here we look at the advantages and disadvantages of equity release compared to downsizing.
Continue reading Thinking Of A Retirement Mortgage or Other Form Of Equity Release? Read This First… →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Get More Viewings To Sell Your House Faster

Waiting for viewings can be a stressful, and despairing time. Buyers are expected to present their properties to get the most from viewings and are often encouraged to declutter and/or to depersonalise and/or to keep properties clinically clean for viewings. While all those suggestions are excellent (see below for more of the same), keeping a home in pristine condition can be expensive, time consuming and stressful. It’s no wonder most people would prefer lots of viewings in a short time frame than maintaining often impractical and inconvenient standards over prolonged periods because of a lack of viewings.

On average, it takes 15-20 viewings to sell a property if it is priced appropriately for the market*. Properties that are suitable for large numbers of people, priced correctly and advertised widely should attract 1 or 2 viewings per week most weeks of the year to achieve the UK average of 3 – 4 months to sell.

* If a property is priced too high, sellers may find they attract lots of viewings but do not receive any offers.

Continue reading Get More Viewings To Sell Your House Faster →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Selling Inherited Property Faster

Selling an Inherited Property – Fast, Simple & Cost-Effective

Selling an inherited property can be a long, expensive, and stressful process, often taking 12–18 months. Delays in probate, legal costs, and ongoing bills for an empty home can add to the burden.

At National Residential, we fast-track the process, saving you time, money, and stress.

Unlike traditional estate agents, we sell properties faster by running probate and the sale process at the same time.
Continue reading Selling Inherited Property Faster →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Setting A House Price

The single most important thing to get right to sell your house fast is the asking price. Almost every property will attract attention from buyers if the price is right so if you aren’t even getting many viewings, it could be a sign that buyers think your asking price is too high for the size and type of property compared to others in your area.

 

Finding the Right Asking Price to Sell Your Property

The ideal asking price is the highest price buyers are willing to pay within your desired timeframe. Overpricing leads to delays, while underpricing may cause regret.

We look at how to price your property to get the best price in the fastest time.

What Happens If You Price It Wrong?

❌ Too Low – Quick sale, but you risk selling for much less than market value.
❌ Too High – Fewer viewings, longer time on the market, and price reductions.

house price set too high to sell

Example of a property being left unsold on the market for almost a year due to overly optmisitic expectations. Urgency may be not be a factor if the property is owner occupied but properties can be very expensive to run if empty or without rental income.

Continue reading Setting A House Price →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Landlords We Can Help You Streamline Your Portfolio

landlords tax forcing landlords to sell up

Landlords face many problems, most relate to property and/or tenants however ongoing economic and legislative changes have added a lot more things for landlords to worry about. Shrinking returns, increased costs, more rules, more penalties and the prospect of fewer options to end tenancies have resulted in more and more landlords selling some or all of their rental properties.

Over the next 12 months 41% of landlords said they plan to sell at least some rental properties, compared to just six per cent saying they would buy

Why are landlords selling up?

  • Tax hikes: The UK government’s planned tax hikes are putting pressure on the buy-to-let market. 
  • Rising costs: Rising costs, taxes, and legislation are making it more attractive for landlords to sell. 
  • Mortgage rates: Mortgage rates have spiked and are expected to remain high for longer. 
  • Incentive repeal: The repeal of several incentives has put pressure on the buy-to-let market. 

How National Residential Can Help Landlords Sell Property With Minimum Disruption To Rental Income…

Our business is providing our clients with a FAST, SECURED WAY TO SELL PROPERTY AND COMPLETE THE SALE. Typically, the whole process from start to finish takes between 7 – 87 DAYS… i.e. less than 13 weeks.

What’s more, we also specialise in tenant negotiations and selling tenanted property with vacant possession delivered in time for completion to minimise the period a property is not producing rental income to offset running/purchase costs.

 

Continue reading Landlords We Can Help You Streamline Your Portfolio →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Property Auctions

Are All Property Auctions The Same?

ABSOLUTELY NOT – also, worthy of note: not all bidders are the same either – our auctions recognise that.

 
The method we use to sell property is often referred to as a ‘Modern‘ Property Auction’ (also known as conditional auctions). It is different to many other types of auction (offline and online) because of what happens when the bidding ends. In a Modern Property Auction when bidding ends the winning bidder pays a non refundable deposit to secure the property but the crucial difference is the winning bidders are given time to secure lending.

Because our auctions are open to private buyers with mortgage funding (not just cash buyers who are often developers looking to buy a property at rock bottom prices so they can make a profit when reselling), our properties typically sell for 10 – 15% more than similar properties sold at auction houses.

Our fees are lower too, (see next section)!

Similar to the ‘sealed bids’ process, in our auctions a winning bid is the BEST offer the seller chooses to accept which is usually but not always the highest bid. Like traditional auctions, all bids are legally binding and the bidding process is transparent so all bidders are kept informed of other bids throughout the process.

Continue reading Property Auctions →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Stop An Agreed Property Sale Collapsing

The problem: Broken House Chains

With over 17 years of specialising in selling property quickly, we do of course know the pitfalls that can derail any house sale – i.e. issues that cause chains to break resulting in everyone involved wasting time and money.

We also know that in 2024 the average percentage of agreed sales that fall through is currently stands at almost 30% 

 

Of course, any experienced estate agent also knows this but unlike most, we at National Residential do not accept that it is an ‘acceptable risk’  and/or unavoidable.

That is why we have tailored our sales process to minimise risk and maximise success. Our stats speak for them selves – due to our rigorous buyer approval procedures 95% of our agreed sales complete.

Continue reading Stop An Agreed Property Sale Collapsing →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Section 24 – HMRC UK Tax Changes

Section 24 Means Buy To Let Landlords Can No Longer Offset 100% of Mortgage Interest Against Rental Income.

Section 24 - Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs logo Section 24 is a HMRC taxation change affecting what costs can be deducted from rental income to calculate ‘Net Profit’ – i.e. the figure counted as income and the figure that you will pay taxed against.

As tax relief drops and tax bills rise, in some cases* the annual sum of mortgage repayments and taxes will be more than rental income minus costs. Some landlords will need to sell at least part of their portfolio to avoid making SIGNIFICANT annual losses.

Chris Cooper of Axe The Tenant Tax said,
“A perfect storm is brewing in the rental market, landlords will either have to raise rents or sell because of the tax rises. Landlords are sleepwalking into disaster”.

According to Landlord Referencing UK, circa. 1.4 million landlords are unaware of the drastic effect it is going to have on their rental income and their tenancies over the next 4 years while RightMove research indicates 24% of landlords are already planning to sell at least one or more properties from their current portfolio in response to the new regulations and tax changes.

* See below for examples.

Continue reading Section 24 – HMRC UK Tax Changes →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

Case Studies of Section 24 Buy To Let Tax Changes

Buy To Let Section 24 Finance Expenses, Tax Changes

NB. All figures are intended as a guide only. The calculations have not been confirmed by the HMRC however they are based on the formula given on the HRMC guidance – please see HMRC Case Studies re Section 24 Tax Changes

Anyone considering selling their property based on these figures should seek confirmation from their accountants. National Residential cannot be held accountable for any inaccuracies in the information given.

All case studies are based on before 2017 (i.e. before the tax changes come in force) or after 2021 (i.e. after the gradual changes have been phased in).

The 4 phases are:

  1. 17/18: 75% of finance costs deductible from rental income, 25% basic rate tax reduction for finance costs.
  2. 18/19: 50% of finance costs deductible from rental income, 50% basic rate tax reduction for finance costs.
  3. 19/20: 25% of finance costs deductible from rental income, 75% basic rate tax reduction for finance costs.
  4. 20/21: 0% of finance costs deductible from rental income, 100% basic rate tax reduction for finance costs.

As summarised on Section 24 – HMRC UK Tax Changes, the biggest affect to tax bills will be to people whose income is taken into the higher tax brackets however people whose tax remains the same could find that they lose some benefits as the amount classed as income will change.

As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the finance costs are, the bigger the effect of Section 24.
Continue reading Case Studies of Section 24 Buy To Let Tax Changes →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.

London Property Market

How Long Does it Take To Sell London Property?

On average, London property takes longer to sell than any other area of the UK.

According to RightMove’s October House Price Index, top London property takes an average of 86 days to sell and the average for all London property types is 65 days.

 

National Residential sell all types of London property from 1 bedroom flats to 5 bedroom semi-detached housing. Our top property (with a sale price of £780,000) took only 29 days to sell – that is over 50 days below the average for the same type of property.

 

During the year Nov 2016 to Oct 2017, the average selling time National Residential took to sell all types of London property was just 26 days compared to the average time other estate agents take of 61 days.

 

Continue reading London Property Market →

Alternatively, phone us on 0800 6123694 or 01244 341066 any time 24/7, or use our callback form and we will phone you back to discuss your needs and our solutions.
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