Reside is OnTheMarket (.com)

OnTheMarket

The launch of OnTheMarket.com on January 26th heralded an important day for the property industry; it saw the arrival of the first genuine rival to the two established property portals, Rightmove and Zoopla.

OnTheMarket.com provides the consumer with a cleaner and fresher browsing experience, free from the advertisements, promoted properties and unnecessary information which burden other websites. It is designed to automatically adjust to all manner of screens, so whether you’re browsing on a smartphone, tablet or a PC, you will always be given the most optimised version of OnTheMarket.com. iPhone and iPad users can now also download the OnTheMarket app, which has a similarly user friendly interface.

Here at Reside, we are delighted and excited to announce that all of our properties are now displayed on OnTheMarket.com, as well as across Rightmove and our own website. We have already started to receive leads through OnTheMarket.com and feel that it is on the way to quickly establishing itself as an essential tool for property hunters.

Despite only being a few weeks old, you may already be familiar with OnTheMarket.com; a major advertising campaign has started across a variety of national television channels, as well as on the pages of the UK’s major daily newspapers.

Click here to view all of our properties on OnTheMarket.com, and to have a look around their new website. We think you’ll be seeing a lot more of it for years to come.

Jane Austen’s Bath Home Restored With Sense & Sensibility

She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!

Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice

In 1801, George Austen retired as rector of Steventon in Hampshire and relocated to Bath. The couple had married there nearly forty years previously and had family in the area. In tow were their two unmarried daughters, Cassandra Elizabeth and Jane; being an affluent and fashionable city, the Austens may have also been hoping to find a couple of single men in possession of good fortunes for their daughters.

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The search for a suitable property was long and arduous – Westgate Buildings was ‘in the lower part of the town’, Laura Place was ‘above our price’ and of Axford’s Buildings Jane wrote, ‘we all unite in particular dislike of that part of the town’. Eventually the family found a townhouse on Sydney Place which suited their requirements. For a family used to the natural landscapes of rural Hampshire, it offered views of the surrounding countryside and was positioned opposite Sydney Gardens, with its labyrinth of which Jane was particularly fond.

Some two hundred or so years later, Sydney Place still retains the period charm and splendour that would have been present in the Austen family home, as well as many original features such as fireplaces and cornices. In the ground floor room which would once have served as George Austen’s study, recent building work uncovered a cast iron safe set into the wall which would have certainly housed family documents and perhaps even the odd early Austen manuscript.

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Every floor of the house from the ground floor up has now been tastefully refurbished to include modern comforts whilst acknowledging its Georgian heritage. The ground floor, once a stately dining room and study, now forms an elegant one bedroom apartment with access to a private garden. The first floor, originally a magnificent drawing room spanning the entire width of the building, now also houses a handsome one bedroom apartment with tall sash windows which overlook the Holburne Museum and still provide glimpses of the open countryside which once would have been so apparent. The second floor would have consisted of the Austens’ bedrooms, whilst the top floor housed the servants’ sleeping quarters; both levels now comprise generously sized apartments.

All of the apartments have been beautifully furnished by Bath Boutique Stays and include artwork and literature about Jane Austen herself. If you would like to experience the Austen’s house for yourself, you can arrange a stay with Bath Boutique Stays. More information about this can be found by clicking the Bath Boutique Stays logo below.

Bath Boutique StaysFor further information about Jane Austen and her time in Bath, we heartily recommend the Austenonly blog which contains a stunning wealth of information. If you have stayed at Jane Austen’s Bath home, or are interested in her life in the city, please do get in touch with us either on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

Landlords & Tenants Endorse Bath’s Modern Makeovers

An increasing number of contemporary new developments are being surreptitiously smuggled into Bath’s renowned Georgian architecture. Whilst a staggering 14% of buildings in Bath have listed status, well above the national average of 6%, developers have pinpointed certain areas of the city as ripe for a contemporary makeover – something that has gone down very well with both tenants and investors.

The latest addition to the city has seen Red Earth Developments rejuvenate twenty four studio, one and two bedroom apartments with allocated parking in the Lansdown area of Bath. Whilst these apartments do not reflect the traditional period splendour that one has come to expect from property in Bath, their modern and practical finishes have proved popular with tenants, especially with young professionals. At the time of writing, Reside has let six of these apartments for investment landlords, taking an average of just nine days to find each new tenant.

Reside has let apartments in several of Bath’s most recent developments such as Norfolk Court and Ladymead House, and a distinct pattern has emerged. For all the stunning architecture, high ceilings and period features that exist in Bath, there are a wealth of house hunters who are happy to eschew Georgian splendour. Some tenants, it seems, prefer contemporary comforts over classical cornices. Despite the differences between these two developments – one is a Bath Stone-clad new build with a stylish metallic upper tier, the other a Georgian building formerly used as sheltered accommodation for the elderly – they both boast stunning contemporary interiors with integrated appliances under warranty, granite work surfaces and wiring for satellite television and high-speed broadband. All of these factors make moving such an easy transition for new tenants, who have to act quickly to secure such a property. Our most recent Ladymead House apartment was bagged by a tenant before we could even begin to market it.

These new developments have also proved to be a popular way into the market for first time investors. Typically consisting of practical, stylish and high spec apartments, they are targeted towards the more affordable end of the investment property ladder, and come with long warranties which would provide any landlord, no matter how experienced, with peace of mind. At The Coachworks on London Road, Bath’s newest development, as little as £99,000 buys an investor an exclusive and modern apartment with instant access to the city centre. Based on our previous experiences with similar developments, such an apartment would come with strong tenant appeal and would be likely to let very quickly.

Bath is a city renowned worldwide for its stunning Georgian architecture, something for which many tenants specifically move to the city. For investors and certain tenants, however, contemporary and practical properties are becoming increasingly appealing.

If you are a landlord and wish to speak to us concerning your property, new or old, please do not hesitate to contact us.

1 In 4 Landlords Earn A Living From Rental Property

It seems that there has never been a better time to be a private landlord: tenant demand is up and predicted to rise even further; rents are increasing and yields are at their highest since the Landlords Panel research study began in 2006.

It is unsurprising therefore that more than one in four landlords are now making a living from letting their properties, according to recent research by BDRC Continental.

The research also found that a further 52% use rental properties to supplement their income, with 74% of those planning to use rental income to help fund their retirement.

Landlords stated that the opportunity to achieve a better return on property than investing in the stock market was a major factor in entering the buy-to-let market, along with the chance to make rental income their main source of income in the future.

It seems that optimism is in the air with 68% of landlords rating their capital gains and rental prospects as good or very good, compared with 60% in the third quarter of last year. This was found to be at the highest level since 2007.

John Heron, managing director of Paragon Mortgages, said: “Tenant demand for rental property remains strong, and with the mainstay of investment coming from private landlords, it is important for lenders to develop products that can underpin sustainable growth.”

Many of the landlords surveyed said they were looking to expand their portfolios, which is good news for buy-to-let mortgage providers and brokers. However it raises another issue when you consider that 63% agree ‘strongly’ that the buy-to-let market would benefit from greater competition. The industry cannot afford to have its key customers believing there’s too little competition in the market.

The research sounded a warning note for brokers and intermediaries: 21% of all landlords agree ‘strongly’ that they will approach a lender directly the next time they need funding.  And meanwhile some lenders are moving in the direction of providing a more holistic service to landlords – e.g. educating them on legal obligations, marketing and how to become more profitable.

With tenant demand almost certainly set to increase into 2014, it seems inevitable that even more landlords will be able to make a living from their rental properties in the future. If you are a landlord or are thinking about investing in rental property in Bath, we would be more than happy to discuss any questions you have about this topic either in person or via Facebook or Twitter.

First time landlords invest as tenant demand increases

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A recent study by major buy-to-let lender, Paragon Mortgages, found an increase in borrowing by first-time landlords as compared to the same time period last year.

Similarly, the percentage of business coming from landlords looking to grow their rental portfolios also increased.

John Heron, director of Paragon, said: “It would seem that an investment in property is increasingly attractive against a background of low returns on cash and volatility in global markets.”

“With perceptions shifting in terms of the improved availability of buy-to-let finance too, the lending industry is in a good place to support the ambitions of both new and experienced landlords.”

Also of interest to new landlords are the increases in average monthly rental costs in England and Wales – up by 3.5% in the 12 months to May 2013, according to LSL Property Services’ buy-to-let index.

David Newnes, director of LSL Property Services, said: “With wage growth so weak compared to inflation and house price growth, it looks like deposits will become less affordable – which will keep demand for rented accommodation high.”

He added that “private renting will become a more and more vital aspect of the economy.”

In line with these findings, we at Reside are seeing local demand for properties increasing significantly. July 2013 was our busiest month ever in terms of properties let, which were up 44% compared to July 2012 and 116% compared to July 2011. New properties added to our website also rose by 33% in July 2013 compared with last year.

Given also that rent arrears and voids are in decline, according to the National Landlords Association, this suggests that now is an excellent time for new landlords to consider investing in rental properties.

You spin me right round…

We’re always looking for new ways to show our landlords’ properties, and better ways to help our tenants decide which properties suit them. So when we came across BubblePix, producers of a brand new technology that creates 360° photographic images, we saw an exciting opportunity.

The BubblePod creates 360° images that will give our prospective tenants an honest view of property interiors – before they decide to visit.

We’re proud to announce we’ve made a small investment in BubblePix and that inventor Tom Lawton has agreed that Reside will be pioneering this exciting technology.

There are two elements to the technology: the BubblePod and the BubblePix App.

The BubblePod is a clockwork turntable that grips your smartphone and smoothly, silently rotates it by 360º.

Meanwhile the BubblePix App on your phone captures the 360º image. Users can shoot and share images in less than a minute.

Reside has agreed to act as a test bed for the early production versions. This means we’ll be one of the first letting agencies to use these images to present our properties.

Once they go into production, this will create a fantastic tool for letting agents everywhere.

To find out more about the BubblePod, click here.

South West rents continue to rise as demand outstrips supply

As the sales market becomes increasingly subdued, the cost of renting a home in the South West has continued to rise as many would-be buyers find themselves unable to take their first steps on the property ladder.

The latest survey carried out by the Royal Institution of Charterer Surveyors states that the cost of renting a residential property in the South West has risen by 2.6% in the last twelve months. The RICS survey goes on to explain that this rise in rents is underpinned by a fall in good quality new properties coming on to the market.

This is a trend that is supported by recent research by Rightmove, whose ‘Little Blue Book’ of property trends states that in the last twelve months alone, search activity for rental property on Rightmove rose by 40% while available stock to rent fell by 3%.

Evidence of the South West’s strong rental market is borne out by a new report published by Endsleigh in which the specialist letting agents’ insurer placed Bath as the fifth priciest town or city for tenants in the UK. According to Endsleigh, the average cost of renting a property in the city is £963 per month – more than £257 above the national average. The report goes on to show the average monthly rent across the UK rose for the third year running in 2011 to £706 – compared with £688 in 2010 and £663 in 2009.

RICS, Rightmove and Endsleigh all indicate that current property trends seem set to continue for the foreseeable future, making this a particularly profitable time for landlords to be letting and investing in property in the South West.

Dinder House, Somerset

Reside is delighted to present this historically renowned property for rental. Dinder House is a truly remarkable nine bedroom Georgian country house set in 23 acres of stunning landscaped and walled gardens. This wonderfully restored Grade II Listed property is arranged over four floors and tastefully combines a wealth of exceptional period features with contemporary style and comforts. Located in the peaceful and picturesque village of Dinder, just 2 miles east of Wells and 2 and a half miles west of Shepton Mallet, the property also enjoys convenient access to Bath, the M5 motorway and several highly regarded independent schools.

A lengthy private driveway winds through stunningly landscaped gardens with water features and a small, natural waterfall. The River Sheppy runs through the grounds and is traversed by an impressive bridge which predates the house. A picturesque walled garden lies in front of the house and has a greenhouse and a carefully cultivated kitchen garden. A striking church, originally Norman but rebuilt in the 14th Century, lies adjacent to the front lawn.

The house is entered on the ground floor into an elegant, semi-circular entrance hallway. This room, as with many others, subtly promotes the property’s period features; in this instance, it is the original pulley system which operated the dumb waiter from the lower ground floor that is deftly integrated into the natural fabric of the room. A bright and spacious open plan kitchen / dining room, formerly the ballroom, lies adjacent to the entrance hallway and has high ceilings, intricate cornicing and tall sash windows with a dual aspect of the extensive gardens. The kitchen has a substantial marble kitchen island, stainless steel integral appliances and a large pantry. Adjacent to the kitchen is a handsome living room with beautiful hand-painted wallpaper and a deep bay lined with tall sash windows which overlook the landscaped gardens and allow the room to be flooded with natural light. The ground floor also has a smart and stylish study, a cosy snug, a bright and spacious family room and two cloakrooms, one of which has twin basins and hand-blocked wallpaper.

The lower ground floor still has many of the house’s original features and provides a wonderful insight into ‘downstairs’ life in a Georgian household. The original stone flooring remains, as do Georgian ovens, pantries, sinks and water-pumps. The lower ground floor can be used as a separate self-contained apartment, and has a sizeable living room with an Aga, plus several additional multi-purpose rooms.

An impressive cantilever staircase leads from the ground floor to the first floor, where the elegant master suite comprises a large double bedroom, a luxuriously furnished bathroom with a clawfoot bath, twin basins and separate walk-in shower, and a sizeable dressing room. The bedroom has handsome wooden flooring, ornate hand-painted wallpaper and tall sash windows set into a deep bay which overlooks the rear garden. There are four further good sized double bedrooms on the first floor, all of which have elegant wooden flooring, tall sash windows and high ceilings. This floor is completed by a stunning shower room with a marble-lined walk-in shower and a family bathroom with a freestanding roll-top bath and feature fireplace.

The second floor can be used as a separate self-contained apartment and has a bright open plan living space at its heart. This room has attractive exposed beams, a feature fireplace and enjoys access to a small balcony from which views of the grounds can be enjoyed. A fitted kitchenette with a belfast sink and a utility room lie just off of the central living space. A further four sizeable double bedrooms can be found on the second floor, all of which have been finished to the highest standard.

To view our full album of photos for Dinder House, please click here.

 

Will changes to EPC law be delayed yet again?

Back in January, we blogged about the ongoing saga concerning changes to EPC law in England. Letting and estate agents are required by law to commission an Energy Performance Certificate prior to marketing a property, but current legislation regarding how much of the report must then be shared with clients is very lax. The EPC gives an indication of how energy efficient a property is, and what can be done to improve its rating and decrease fuel costs.

Since early 2011 the government has been promising to tighten up EPC laws, but the proposed changes have been consistently delayed and pushed back. With the latest deadline of April 6th coming up shortly, it remains to be seen whether or not they will be postponed yet again.

The warning signs look ominous; last week, agents were due to be issued with guidance on the upcoming changes by the Communities and Local Government department. This did not happen. However, Estate Agent Today reports that a government insider has indicated that the changes will ‘definitely go ahead on April 6‘, despite the fact that the redesigned EPC has not yet been approved.

It is widely believed that, after April 6th, letting and estate agents will be required to attach the entire first page of the new-look EPC to all property particulars, although no guidance has yet been issued about online marketing.

While many believe that this marks an important step towards encouraging tenants and homeowners to increase the energy efficiency of their home, others see the EPC as something that is ignored by the vast majority of people moving into a new home. A recent report in The Guardian suggests that ‘nearly four-fifths of people (79%) who had received an EPC when buying or renting a new home had not acted on any of its recommendations to make it more energy-efficient and thereby save money’. The government will be hoping that the redesigned EPC, with a front page that clearly and simply details recommendations for improving the property’s energy efficiency, will have an impact on the amount of people who then act on the recommendations.

At Reside, we have always made the entire EPC available to landlords and tenants and we will continue to do so after April 6th. Examples of our EPCs can be found on the property pages of our website.