1 in 3 homeowners consider relocating abroad

One in three British holiday homeowners would relocate to their holiday home abroad, mainly to escape the weather in the UK, according to a survey by HomeAway.co.uk. Top reasons for wanting to relocate were better weather, better quality/more relaxing pace of life, lower cost of living and the chance to enjoy a more active lifestyle. Asked if they would buy a property in the UK, 75% of respondents said they don’t plan to as mortgages are too difficult to obtain and prices are too high. One in five also said that taxes and other costs are too high. Nearly 10% believed that other destinations offer far better value and return on investment.

Daniel’s Amazing Bones wins Small Cool 2012
We mentioned Apartment Therapy’s Small Cool competition last month on this blog and the results are now in for the eighth annual awards. It was won by Daniel’s 614 square foot home in Brooklyn (pictured). Accordint to the judges: “One lesson to take away from Daniel’s small scale home is to always keep an open mind so you can see the possibilities instead of just the drawbacks. A very awkward, angled, long entrance hallway is no one’s idea of a design plus, but seeing it instead as a rich source of wall space for much-needed storage cabinets and an optimum place to display an ever growing art collection is absolutely the right “small, cool” mindset.

Key considerations for springtime house sellers

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has four tips for seeling your property during the spring and summer:
* Be flexible with viewings – house hunters may want to view the property by day and night to see how natural light falls around each room at different times. Given that there is much more daylight during the summer, be flexible and consider offering night-time viewings to prospective buyers.
* Turn up the heat – For some house-hunters the chill of winter may have been all too present in previous properties which suffered from bad insulation. With Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) now mandatory, emphasise any additional insulation or energy-saving measures you’ve had installed such as double glazed windows, attic and cavity wall insulation, or an energy-efficient boiler.
* Don’t wait for a rainy day – you never know when a heavy rain shower may expose the weaknesses of your guttering or expose any regular leaks. Savvy house hunters will take a closer look anyway, but don’t be let down by a bad weather spell during the unpredictable British summer. Make sure you get those odd-jobs sorted before you start viewings.
* Think about multi-purpose spaces – decking, patios and summer houses can look great in the sunshine, but if you’ve got useful winter spaces such as a porch for dirty boots then make sure you bring them to the attention of cautious house-hunters, as they could make all the difference.

Fall in house price reductions
The number of properties for sale in Britain that have been reduced in price since coming onto the market has fallen over the last three months, according to Zoopla.co.uk. The average asking price discount has also fallen, despite the changes to stamp duty land tax (SDLT) in March. One third of properties for sale have been reduced in price since first coming onto the market, down from 37% in February while the average discount on the original asking price has fallen by more than £500 over the same period. Average asking price reductions now stand at £19,012 (7.5%).

OpenRent launches
OpenRent is a new London-based startup offering a £20 service to landlords including advertising their property, running reference and background checks on potential tenants, and taking care of legal issues like tenancy deposits and contracts. OpenRent is focusing on using the latest technology such as digital signing, instant payments and online notifications. There are also services for tenants and features such as landlord feedbac from previous tenants as well as the ability to search for properties based on their commute time via public transport.

Useful web sites for more information

• Independent Property Search Engine
• Independent House & Home section

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