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

News & Views

All posts by Anita Howard

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.

Selling Tenanted Property

 

selling tenanted property

As documented in Different Ways to Sell Buy-To-Let Property,  there are A LOT of decisions to be made and a lot of laws to be considered when landlords decide they want or need to sell their rental property and a lot of it depends on factors that are usually unknown at the start of the process – such as, whether the buyer you haven’t met yet is looking for a private residence or a rental property and whether they would prefer a sale with sitting tenants or vacant possession.

If landlords selling tenanted property choose to leave tenants in situ during the sale it could cause problems showing the property but if they vacate the property too soon, it could cost them thousands in lost rent.

The best option, of course, is to leave sitting tenants in situ as long as possible but not so long that it causes problems. Timing, speed and legal advice are all crucial to getting the best results for landlords selling tenanted property.

National Residential specialise in selling tenanted (& sub-tenanted) property, often with additional complications like short leaseholds or absentee freeholders.

Continue reading Selling Tenanted Property →

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.

Ways To Sell Buy-to-let Property

As has been widely reported, UK landlords are leaving the Private Rented Sector (PRS) for many reasons. From Section 24 and dwindling profits to tenant pressure groups and legislitative interventions – landlords all over the UK have had enough.

According to government data, in Nov 2024 31% of landlords have reported planning to decrease the size of their portfolio in the next two years, including 16% who were planning to sell all their properties but selling buy-to-let property isn’t as easy or straightforward as selling owner occupied properties so we have put together a guide outlining the selling options landlords need to consider.

Evict Tenants | Wait For Tenancy to End | Sell With Tenants in Situ | The Landlord Sales Agency Way

Continue reading Ways To Sell Buy-to-let Property →

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, Managing Director of National Residential shares the secrets of his success.

David Coughlin - the secret to success is service and transparency

David Coughlin, a Cambridge University graduate, has been trading property for more than 20 years. By maximising and reinvesting capital gains, he is regarded as one of the largest property tycoons in the UK.

Press have described him as “one of the most successful businessman and entrepreneurs in the UK with an expansive property portfolio and visionary brand.”

He was instrumental in setting good business practice standards for the quick house sales industry – see https://national-residential.co.uk/quick-house-sales

His self-declared mission is to revolutionise the way property is bought and sold in the UK.

 

Continue reading David Coughlin, Managing Director of National Residential shares the secrets of his success. →

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 Association of Property Buyers (NAPB)

The National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) was founded in 2013 in response to to the growth in popularity of Quick House Sales companies.

TPO consulted with a number of reputable practitioners from the Quick House Sales industry including Dave Coughlin, Managing Director of National Residential and the Landlord Sales Agency to define a fair and reasonable business and a model of good business practice.

Quick house sales companies differ from estate agencies because they enable members of the public to sell their properties fast by buying them directly or brokering a deal with a property developer – i.e. without promoting them to the public or having to wait  for someone to make an offer. Quick house sales companies that buy property directly must have significant funds available to make an instant purchase.

Continue reading National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) →

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 Need For Regulation

“The fast sale market is split into two types: those that buy properties and those that broker sales.

We have always known the only way for the Quick House Sales industry to survive in all market conditions is to provide a service that is fair to all parties. Our valuations (which are normally about 10 – 15% below market value) have to be fair to sellers,  provide enough margin so that we are paid and be attractive to buyers.

While buyers may walk away with slightly less than if they used a high street estate agency, the speed and service we deliver is second to none. It is a much better option and returns than traditional auctions which used to be sellers’ only alternative option. 

We pride ourselves on being completely transparent in our offers, delivering what we promise and for providing a much needed option for sellers who want to sell their properties in a fast, efficient and controlled way with less sacrifice than at auction.

A minority of  companies with unscrupilous practice threatened the reputation of the sector but in 2013 the Office Of Fair Trading reported “Our study has shown this to be a dynamic and innovative sector where some businesses have modified their business models to try to offer a better service to home sellers” and set about identifying good practice and providing users with a means to identify trusted providers.

I was included in the group of  practioners they chose to work with to develop a code of good practice and a founding member of  The National Association of Property Buyers. We are fully regulated for all types of property sale.“

David Coughlin, CEO National residential / Landlord Sales Agency

 

Continue reading The Need For Regulation →

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.

Sell A Short Leasehold London Property in 3 Days

Anyone trying to sell a leasehold property will know about the drastic affect a short term left on the leasehold will have on its value and the time it will take to sell (even at a very reduced price).

National Residential Can Solve Most Property Sales Problems

If only they also knew what National Residential can do to sell a short term leasehold property for a better price and a fast sale….  If you’re wondering, you could read this article ‘Is a Short Leasehold Stopping You From Selling Your London House?‘   or you could just take a look at a recent example then phone us on 01244 757152 to find out how we did it.

 

London flat purchased in just 3 days!

Instruction on Friday and completed the next Tuesday!

In June 2017, National Residential purchased a property with a short leasehold  in London in just 3 days. The flat’s owner had the combined problems of a very short lease along with an absentee freeholder so had no way of extending their lease to sell on the open market. National Residential stepped in and we completed on the purchase in just 3 days.

Phone now on 01244 757152 to find out how National Residential can help you sell your short leasehold property in just 3 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.

Is a Short Lease Stopping You From Selling Your House or Flat?

WARNING: A PROPERTY WITH A SHORT LEASEHOLD CAN MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FUND WITH A MORTGAGE AND AN UNATTRACTIVE PROPOSITION TO CASH BUYERS BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSIVE AND COMPLICATED PROCESS TO RENEW A LEASE. THE PROBLEMS CAN DETER BUYERS AND DRIVE DOWN PROPERTY VALUE BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT

In A Nutshell

When a buyer wants (or needs) to buy a property with an extended lease, we make it easy for sellers to extend the lease so they get a better sales price for their property.

To our knowledge, no other estate agent offers this service and as a result, owners of short leasehold properties frequently struggle to sell their properties.

 

Short leaseholds are a major problem if you want to sell your house  – especially in London where the cost to extend a leasehold can be very prohibitive. Short leaseholds start to affect the selling price of the property at about 80 years. The fewer years there are left on a leasehold, the more affect it will have a property sale price.

Continue reading Is a Short Lease Stopping You From Selling Your House or Flat? →

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.

Avoid Bankruptcy Charges & Trustee Fees

BANKRUPTCY CHARGES CAN DOUBLE A DEBT.

You could lose your home and ADD bankruptcy fees and/or costs of up to £60,000 if you let trustees control repayment of your  debt*.

*A trustee charged to manage a banckruptcy and ensure all debt is repaid can charge c.£300 per hour and you could be charged a Secretary of State fee of 17.5% on the amount raised from the sale of your home to repay your bankrupt debt.

Meanwhile, your bankruptcy creditors can also claim 8% statutory interest on outstanding amounts.

  • You will  save money the sooner you can repay your debts.
  • Your house can be forcibly sold  up to three years after your bankruptcy order if there is no other way to repay your debts. 
  • You will probably get a higher price for your house if you sell it yourself and you could avoid thousands of pounds in added cost.

Continue reading Avoid Bankruptcy Charges & Trustee Fees →

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.

Repossession Orders

repossession sell house clear debtsWARNING: DO NOT LET YOUR HOUSE GET REPOSSESSED AS IT MIGHT GET SOLD AT A TRADITIONAL AUCTION FOR A LOW SALES PRICE. THE HIGHER THE SALE PRICE, THE MORE MONEY YOU WILL RECEIVE WHEN ALL YOUR DEBTS ARE PAID FROM THE SALE. IF YOUR HOUSE SELLS FOR LESS THAN THE LOANS AGAINST IT, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PAY THE REST BY SELLING OTHER ASSETS.

 

In A Nutshell

We can organise a cash advance to pay off your debts so you can sell your property using our modern auctions so that you get a better price for your home AND a cash advance so that you are able to pay move into rented accommodation on your own terms.

Note: Not all auctions are the same! See why ours are best.

 

Home repossession is the same  process as ‘mortgage possession’ – it is a process lenders go through to recover money owed to them if the terms of repayment are broken by the borrower (debtor).

When a house is sold in the repossession process, any money that exceeds the mortgage loan or any other loan secured on the property or the court costs and fees is returned to the subject of the repossession order (the person whose home is sold).

Who Can Repossess Your Home

Your home can be repossessed by your mortgage lender if you fail to make the scheduled mortgage repayments agreed in the loan agreement.

Your home can also be repossessed by a lender of other loans if you have used your house or any equity tied into your house value to secure the loan.

Continue reading Repossession Orders →

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.

Endowment Mortgage Shortfall

Endowment Mortgage Shortfall: Contact National Residential for Help

Since the 1980s and 1990s, thousands of endowment policies have failed to mature as expected, leaving homeowners struggling to make final mortgage repayments due to significant shortfalls.

If you’re facing an endowment mortgage shortfall and don’t have savings or other means to cover it, extending the term of your mortgage may be an option if you have a regular income. However, if this isn’t feasible, you may be forced to sell your property to release its equity.

Downsizing to Repay an Endowment Mortgage Shortfall
If the value of your property has increased significantly, you might be able to downsize—selling your current home, repaying the shortfall, and buying a smaller property outright.
Continue reading Endowment Mortgage Shortfall →

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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