Monday, 7 September 2009
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Directions by Google maps
This is a test page to see whether the new gadget from Google Maps will be a useful addition to the turtlehomes.co.uk website.
Property Guides
Online Estate and Letting Agent turtlehomes.co.uk have now completed a series of comprehensive property guides. These printable versions will provide a valuable resource to purchasers, vendors and landlords.
Guide to buying a home
Guide to selling your home
Guide to renting your home
If you are looking to save thousands of pounds in estate agency fees then why not contact virtual estate agent turtlehomes.co.uk
Low Fee Try Me!
Monday, 20 July 2009
Price Rise in house prices and sellers boosts hopes of resurgence in property market
Written by Gráinne Gilmore, Economics Correspondent for The Times
Property prices in England and Wales rose by nearly £1,500 this month while the number of sellers jumped by a fifth, boosting hopes that the housing market may be over the worst.
The average home is being put on the market with a price tag of £227,864, up from £226,436 in June, figures from Rightmove, the property website, show. This is the fifth rise in the past six months, prompting Rightmove to say that the market has already bottomed out.
Miles Shipside, commercial director of Rightmove, said: “There were some fire-sale prices last winter, when a few brave buyers correctly called the bottom of the market. In most parts of the country, prices have consistently improved during spring.”
House prices plummeted by more than 20 per cent in the 18 months after the market peaked in autumn 2007, but many of the leading house-price surveys have registered rises in recent months.
The latest promising figures come only a week after new figures showed that the number of estate agents expecting house prices to increase in the coming months outnumbered those predicting further falls for the first time since May 2007.
As the rapid fall in house prices eased, activity in the market picked up as more bargain-hunters — confident that prices did not have much further to fall — joined the fray. In a further sign of the resurgence of the market, these bargain-hunters are now putting their own houses on the market, with Rightmove recording a 20 per cent increase in the number of houses for sale on its website.
“The increased confidence and activity is tempting more sellers to test the market as they seek to take advantage of the smaller price difference to trade up to a better home,” Mr Shipside said.
Estate agents recently sounded concerns that if there was a flood of new properties coming on to the market, prices could start to fall again as the competition between buyers eased.
Fears over unemployment, which recorded a record rise in figures in the three months to May, is also likely to hamper any full-scale recovery.
Rightmove said that it foresaw the market remaining stable for the rest of the year, with asking prices — which have already risen by 7 per cent so far this year — remaining flat as a lack of mortgage lending delays the recovery.
However, it said that if more lenders loosened their lending criteria, prices could rise by a further 5 per cent this year, taking the total annual gain to 12 per cent.
Rightmove also conceded that there could be a “double dip”, with asking prices falling by a further 10 per cent unemployment continuing to rise and the number of repossessed properties coming onto the market surging.
Recent figures showing trades in contracts based on future house prices suggested that investors believe house prices are set to fall further in the next 12 months, albeit at a slower pace. A gauge of future house prices, compiled by Tradition, the broker, showed that prices would fall by a further £1,932.
Rightmove pointed out that further falls in house prices could present a silver lining for buyers. “This would give a further window of opportunity for bargain-hunters who missed out on the best buys last winter,” Rightmove’s house price report said.
Asking prices for homes in East Anglia rose by the most in July, registering a 6.1 per cent rise to £207,166. Asking prices in the North West, East Midlands and the South East all fell, dropping by 3.8 per cent, 3.5 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively.
Owners of semi-detached properties increased their prices the most, with the average asking price rising 1.8 per cent to £193,298. Prices of flats and apartments rose least, up only 0.6 per cent to an average of £182,800.
Sell your property now with online estate agent turtlehomes.co.uk
Property prices in England and Wales rose by nearly £1,500 this month while the number of sellers jumped by a fifth, boosting hopes that the housing market may be over the worst.
The average home is being put on the market with a price tag of £227,864, up from £226,436 in June, figures from Rightmove, the property website, show. This is the fifth rise in the past six months, prompting Rightmove to say that the market has already bottomed out.
Miles Shipside, commercial director of Rightmove, said: “There were some fire-sale prices last winter, when a few brave buyers correctly called the bottom of the market. In most parts of the country, prices have consistently improved during spring.”
House prices plummeted by more than 20 per cent in the 18 months after the market peaked in autumn 2007, but many of the leading house-price surveys have registered rises in recent months.
The latest promising figures come only a week after new figures showed that the number of estate agents expecting house prices to increase in the coming months outnumbered those predicting further falls for the first time since May 2007.
As the rapid fall in house prices eased, activity in the market picked up as more bargain-hunters — confident that prices did not have much further to fall — joined the fray. In a further sign of the resurgence of the market, these bargain-hunters are now putting their own houses on the market, with Rightmove recording a 20 per cent increase in the number of houses for sale on its website.
“The increased confidence and activity is tempting more sellers to test the market as they seek to take advantage of the smaller price difference to trade up to a better home,” Mr Shipside said.
Estate agents recently sounded concerns that if there was a flood of new properties coming on to the market, prices could start to fall again as the competition between buyers eased.
Fears over unemployment, which recorded a record rise in figures in the three months to May, is also likely to hamper any full-scale recovery.
Rightmove said that it foresaw the market remaining stable for the rest of the year, with asking prices — which have already risen by 7 per cent so far this year — remaining flat as a lack of mortgage lending delays the recovery.
However, it said that if more lenders loosened their lending criteria, prices could rise by a further 5 per cent this year, taking the total annual gain to 12 per cent.
Rightmove also conceded that there could be a “double dip”, with asking prices falling by a further 10 per cent unemployment continuing to rise and the number of repossessed properties coming onto the market surging.
Recent figures showing trades in contracts based on future house prices suggested that investors believe house prices are set to fall further in the next 12 months, albeit at a slower pace. A gauge of future house prices, compiled by Tradition, the broker, showed that prices would fall by a further £1,932.
Rightmove pointed out that further falls in house prices could present a silver lining for buyers. “This would give a further window of opportunity for bargain-hunters who missed out on the best buys last winter,” Rightmove’s house price report said.
Asking prices for homes in East Anglia rose by the most in July, registering a 6.1 per cent rise to £207,166. Asking prices in the North West, East Midlands and the South East all fell, dropping by 3.8 per cent, 3.5 per cent and 0.3 per cent, respectively.
Owners of semi-detached properties increased their prices the most, with the average asking price rising 1.8 per cent to £193,298. Prices of flats and apartments rose least, up only 0.6 per cent to an average of £182,800.
Sell your property now with online estate agent turtlehomes.co.uk
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Half Price Offer!
turtlehomes.co.uk are committed to expanding our portfolio of available properties across the UK!
For a limited period we are offering half price fees for the first property instruction in each town or city.
To see whether you qualify look at the area dropdown menus on our "Property Search". If your property is NOT listed then this offer applies to you!
If we have not previously marketed a property in you area then we will sell yours for just:
£99+VAT marketing fee and £199+VAT on completion
Friday, 3 July 2009
Landlords Insurances
The UK has seen a massive increase in the number of property investors in recent years. As one of them, it's crucial that you do everything you can to properly protect your investment, whoever your tenants are.
Whether you're simply letting out a second home or have several properties ready for your retirement nest egg, you need insurance that's totally tailored to your needs.
That's where turtlehomes recommend Homelet. They are a specialist provider of insurance to landlords and have unparalleled expertise in the buy-to-let market. Over the years they have gained a hard-one reputation for understanding what landlords do to minimise risks and maximise investment potential.
For more details about policies or to get an instant quote please click on the Homelet logo below.
Comprehensive Buildings Insurance
Homelet believe that their Comprehensive Buildings Insurance is the best you can get. Not only does it protect you against all the things you'd expect, but it's also there to help with a lot more besides.
Loss of rent and re-letting costs
Should something really serious happen to your property, such as a flood or fire, it could have a serious effect on your rental income. Not only will tenants have to move into temporary accommodation, but the damage could also take months to repair. As well as the cost of the repairs this policy will also cover you for the loss of rent and re-letting costs, up to 30% of the amount you're insured for.
Protecting you, your tenants and your employees
Your policy comes with owner's liability of £5m and employer's liability of £10m. That means should one of your tenants or your employees be injured at your property as a result of negligence, then your insurance will cover you.
90-day no-restriction cover when your property's empty
Some insurers give you just a few days cover when your property becomes empty. Homelet don't think that's fair, which is why their cover carries on protecting you for up to 90 days in between tenancies without restrictions.
Change of tenants
Some insurers don't like it when your tenants change, say from being a professional couple to students or DSS. Homelet don't mind who your tenants are, they promise your cover will stay the same as long as you have a written Assured Shorthold Tenancy in place.
The rebuilding of your property following loss or damage
Covers you against fire, escape of water, falling trees, theft, subsidence and a lot more. It covers against malicious persons (excludes damage by the tenant unless you choose to extend the policy to cover this and accidental damage - see below).
Don't miss out on these extras!
We can also provide add-ons for extra peace of mind:
Accidental Damage: Accidents will happen. When they do, they might cost a lot more than a month's rent. This also covers you if the property is damaged accidentally or maliciously by the tenant.
Nil Excess: Adding the Nil Excess option means you won't have to pay a penny when you make a claim.
Don't forget, your insurance premiums are tax deductible. To get an instant quote or find out more about this policy please click on the Homelet logo below.
Low Cost Buildings Insurance
If you're on a tight budget or don't feel you need all the protection of our Comprehensive insurance, Homelet offer a highly effective Low Cost Buildings Insurance policy.
Loss of rent and re-letting costs
Should something really serious happen to your property, such as a flood or fire, it could have a serious effect on your rental income. Not only will tenants have to move into temporary accommodation, but the damage could also take months to repair. As well as the cost of repairs, this policy will cover you for the loss of rent and re-letting, up to 20% of the amount you're insured for.
Protecting you, your tenants and your employees
Your policy comes with owner's liability of £5m and employer's liability of £5m. That means should one of your tenants or your employees be injured at your property as a result of your negligence, then your insurance will cover you.
The rebuilding of your property following loss or damage
Covers you against fire, escape of water, falling trees, theft, subsidence and more.
When your property is unoccupied in-between tenancies our Low Cost policy covers you without any restriction for seven days. If longer periods are required please consider the Comprehensive policy above.
Don't forget, your insurance premiums are tax deductible. To get an instant quote or to find our more about this policy please click on the Homelet logo below.
Contents Insurance for Furnished or Unfurnished Properties
If you're letting an unfurnished property, you need to know that contents like curtains, carpets and kitchen appliances are insured. And if your property's furnished, there's a whole lot more to cover!
Contents Insurance for Furnished Properties
Homelets Landlords Contents policy is also suitable if your have an unfurnished property but want to insure items such as carpets and curtains for more than £5000.
Contents Insurance for Unfurnished Properties
Homelets Limited Contents policy insures items such as kitchen white goods, carpets, curtains, interior sun blinds and light fittings for up to £5000.
Both Furnished and Unfurnished insurances give you:
New-for-old-cover
You get new-for0old replacement cover on all your insured contents.
Loss of rent and re-letting costs
Should something really serious happen to your property, such as a flood or fire, it could have a serious effect on your rental income. Not only will tenants have to move into temporary accommodation, but the damage could also take months to repair. As well as the cost of repairs this policy will cover you for the loss of rent and re-letting, up to 30% of the amount you're insured for.
Protecting you, your tenants and your employees
Your policy comes with owner's liability of £5m and employer's liability of £10m. That means should one of your tenants or employees be injured at your property by any of your contents (electric shock from a faulty oven, say), then your insurance will cover you.
90-day no restriction cover when your property's empty
Some insurers give you just a few days cover when your property becomes vacant. Homelet don't believe this is fair which why their cover carries on protecting you for up to 90 days in between tenancies without restriction.
Don't miss out on these extras!
We can also provide add-ons for extra peace of mind:
Accidental Damage: Accidents will happen. When they do, they might cost a lot more than a month's rent. This also covers you if the property is damaged accidentally or maliciously by the tenant.
Nil Excess: Adding the Nil Excess option means you won't have to pay a penny when you make a claim.
Don't forget, your insurance premiums are tax deductible. To get an instant quote or find out more about this policy please click on the Homelet logo below.
Emergency Assistance Service
If there's an emergency at one of your properties, it could take you up to 48 hours to sort it out. With us, it takes you no time at all - because Homelet manage it all for you.
The Emergency Assistance Service policy covers the cost of calling out an approved, reputable contractor, labour, and parts and materials up to £500 per incident (inc VAT).
This means you'll never be disturbed at inconvenient times. The tenant can arrange for help simply by calling the Homelet 24/7 Emergency Assistance helpline. Homelet can do the rest, arranging for an approved contractor to deal with the issue within four hours of it being reported.
Emergencies covered include:
door and window security
plumbing
lost keys
cooking systems
roofing, down piping and guttering
electricity supply
Portfolio Insurance
Looking after several properties can be a handful, so let Homelet help you out. With the Portfolio insurance, all your properties can be covered by one simple policy.
Save up to 45%
With Portfolio Insurance you could save almost half the cost of your buildings insurance compared to individual policy premiums.
Add or remove properties
You'll probably want to buy or sell properties for you, which is why just a simple call to Homelet means all your properties will be covered.
One quote, one policy, one renewal date.
Don't forget, your insurance premiums are tax deductible. To get an instant quote or find out more about this policy please click on the Homelet logo below.
Whether you're simply letting out a second home or have several properties ready for your retirement nest egg, you need insurance that's totally tailored to your needs.
That's where turtlehomes recommend Homelet. They are a specialist provider of insurance to landlords and have unparalleled expertise in the buy-to-let market. Over the years they have gained a hard-one reputation for understanding what landlords do to minimise risks and maximise investment potential.
For more details about policies or to get an instant quote please click on the Homelet logo below.
Comprehensive Buildings Insurance
Homelet believe that their Comprehensive Buildings Insurance is the best you can get. Not only does it protect you against all the things you'd expect, but it's also there to help with a lot more besides.
Loss of rent and re-letting costs
Should something really serious happen to your property, such as a flood or fire, it could have a serious effect on your rental income. Not only will tenants have to move into temporary accommodation, but the damage could also take months to repair. As well as the cost of the repairs this policy will also cover you for the loss of rent and re-letting costs, up to 30% of the amount you're insured for.
Protecting you, your tenants and your employees
Your policy comes with owner's liability of £5m and employer's liability of £10m. That means should one of your tenants or your employees be injured at your property as a result of negligence, then your insurance will cover you.
90-day no-restriction cover when your property's empty
Some insurers give you just a few days cover when your property becomes empty. Homelet don't think that's fair, which is why their cover carries on protecting you for up to 90 days in between tenancies without restrictions.
Change of tenants
Some insurers don't like it when your tenants change, say from being a professional couple to students or DSS. Homelet don't mind who your tenants are, they promise your cover will stay the same as long as you have a written Assured Shorthold Tenancy in place.
The rebuilding of your property following loss or damage
Covers you against fire, escape of water, falling trees, theft, subsidence and a lot more. It covers against malicious persons (excludes damage by the tenant unless you choose to extend the policy to cover this and accidental damage - see below).
Don't miss out on these extras!
We can also provide add-ons for extra peace of mind:
Accidental Damage: Accidents will happen. When they do, they might cost a lot more than a month's rent. This also covers you if the property is damaged accidentally or maliciously by the tenant.
Nil Excess: Adding the Nil Excess option means you won't have to pay a penny when you make a claim.
Don't forget, your insurance premiums are tax deductible. To get an instant quote or find out more about this policy please click on the Homelet logo below.
Low Cost Buildings Insurance
If you're on a tight budget or don't feel you need all the protection of our Comprehensive insurance, Homelet offer a highly effective Low Cost Buildings Insurance policy.
Loss of rent and re-letting costs
Should something really serious happen to your property, such as a flood or fire, it could have a serious effect on your rental income. Not only will tenants have to move into temporary accommodation, but the damage could also take months to repair. As well as the cost of repairs, this policy will cover you for the loss of rent and re-letting, up to 20% of the amount you're insured for.
Protecting you, your tenants and your employees
Your policy comes with owner's liability of £5m and employer's liability of £5m. That means should one of your tenants or your employees be injured at your property as a result of your negligence, then your insurance will cover you.
The rebuilding of your property following loss or damage
Covers you against fire, escape of water, falling trees, theft, subsidence and more.
When your property is unoccupied in-between tenancies our Low Cost policy covers you without any restriction for seven days. If longer periods are required please consider the Comprehensive policy above.
Don't forget, your insurance premiums are tax deductible. To get an instant quote or to find our more about this policy please click on the Homelet logo below.
Contents Insurance for Furnished or Unfurnished Properties
If you're letting an unfurnished property, you need to know that contents like curtains, carpets and kitchen appliances are insured. And if your property's furnished, there's a whole lot more to cover!
Contents Insurance for Furnished Properties
Homelets Landlords Contents policy is also suitable if your have an unfurnished property but want to insure items such as carpets and curtains for more than £5000.
Contents Insurance for Unfurnished Properties
Homelets Limited Contents policy insures items such as kitchen white goods, carpets, curtains, interior sun blinds and light fittings for up to £5000.
Both Furnished and Unfurnished insurances give you:
New-for-old-cover
You get new-for0old replacement cover on all your insured contents.
Loss of rent and re-letting costs
Should something really serious happen to your property, such as a flood or fire, it could have a serious effect on your rental income. Not only will tenants have to move into temporary accommodation, but the damage could also take months to repair. As well as the cost of repairs this policy will cover you for the loss of rent and re-letting, up to 30% of the amount you're insured for.
Protecting you, your tenants and your employees
Your policy comes with owner's liability of £5m and employer's liability of £10m. That means should one of your tenants or employees be injured at your property by any of your contents (electric shock from a faulty oven, say), then your insurance will cover you.
90-day no restriction cover when your property's empty
Some insurers give you just a few days cover when your property becomes vacant. Homelet don't believe this is fair which why their cover carries on protecting you for up to 90 days in between tenancies without restriction.
Don't miss out on these extras!
We can also provide add-ons for extra peace of mind:
Accidental Damage: Accidents will happen. When they do, they might cost a lot more than a month's rent. This also covers you if the property is damaged accidentally or maliciously by the tenant.
Nil Excess: Adding the Nil Excess option means you won't have to pay a penny when you make a claim.
Don't forget, your insurance premiums are tax deductible. To get an instant quote or find out more about this policy please click on the Homelet logo below.
Emergency Assistance Service
If there's an emergency at one of your properties, it could take you up to 48 hours to sort it out. With us, it takes you no time at all - because Homelet manage it all for you.
The Emergency Assistance Service policy covers the cost of calling out an approved, reputable contractor, labour, and parts and materials up to £500 per incident (inc VAT).
This means you'll never be disturbed at inconvenient times. The tenant can arrange for help simply by calling the Homelet 24/7 Emergency Assistance helpline. Homelet can do the rest, arranging for an approved contractor to deal with the issue within four hours of it being reported.
Emergencies covered include:
door and window security
plumbing
lost keys
cooking systems
roofing, down piping and guttering
electricity supply
Portfolio Insurance
Looking after several properties can be a handful, so let Homelet help you out. With the Portfolio insurance, all your properties can be covered by one simple policy.
Save up to 45%
With Portfolio Insurance you could save almost half the cost of your buildings insurance compared to individual policy premiums.
Add or remove properties
You'll probably want to buy or sell properties for you, which is why just a simple call to Homelet means all your properties will be covered.
One quote, one policy, one renewal date.
Don't forget, your insurance premiums are tax deductible. To get an instant quote or find out more about this policy please click on the Homelet logo below.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
House prices recovering as buyers return according to the RICS
Estate Agents have given the strongest indication yet that the housing slump is over, reporting that the number of people looking to buy a home is at the highest level in a decade.
Myra Butterworth, Personal Finance Correspondent in the Telegraph has written a good article analysing data compiled by the RICS Housing Market May 2009 survey.
turtlehomes believe that this is an excellent market for many buyers and sellers to be testing their options. If you would like a price guide for your property anywhere in the UK please contact turtlehomes.co.uk
Friday, 5 June 2009
Julie Wellings, Sales Manager of turtlehomes.co.uk
Julie has joined turtlehomes.co.uk with over 20 years of selling experience!Starting in the travel industry, she quickly progressed from a Travel Consultant to a manager for Lunn Polly branches across the Midlands.
Julie then followed her love for property by securing a negotiators role for Michael Tuck Estate Agents in Worcester; it wasn't long before she also started valuing property in Warndon Villages.
Prior to being headhunted by turtlehomes.co.uk, Julie worked for Taylors Countrywide Estate Agents as a senior negotiator in Worcestershire. It was apparent that her selling manner and experience would be a huge asset for turtlehomes.co.uk in ensuring the best possible service for vendors and landlords.
As a sales manager, Julie is responsible for dealing with the hundreds of buyer and tenant enquiries that turtlehomes.co.uk generate each week for an online marketing network attracting 80 million buyer searches each month.
Outside of work Julie is true to her Black Country routes by supporting West Bromwich Albion football club, she also states that her favourite celebrety is Vernon Kay.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Most House Sales in April 2009 for 18 months
Estate agents sold more houses in April than in any month since October, 2007, new figures from the National Association of Estate Agents reveal.
The average estate agent sold ten properties in April, up from eight in March and a low point of five in August 2008.
Chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents, Peter Bolton King, said: "What we are beginning to see now are consistent positive indicators that have held firm or improved since the beginning of the year.
"Six months ago people were talking about how British people's attitude to owning property had changed in the recession.
“The NAEA always said that this was nonsense, and that demand for property remained strong, but confidence in the market had gone.
"These figures show that this confidence is returning."
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Turtle Homes Selling Guide
Selling a house can be one of life’s more stressful events, especially if you are also buying a home and you want to sell your property fast. It may be the first time you’ve ever tried to sell your house or flat, or maybe it’s been years since you last decided to sell your home.
What ever your circumstances, turtlehomes.co.uk’s selling guide will quickly get you up to speed on what to expect, on the latest regulations and on how to maximise the chances of selling your home fast and for the best possible price.
Click here!
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Fancy a Project? A unique opportunity to own a prominent grade II listed property set within sizable grounds.
Offering potential for future development subject to planning permission and building regulation approval, and having planning permission for the conversion of the coach house to a three bedroom dwelling.
The accommodation comprises three reception rooms, large cellar, eight bedrooms, two proposed bathrooms, proposed en-suite shower room and driveway parking for several cars.
Having undergone works, however in need of further renovation.
Currently on the market for £950,000
Click here for more details
Letting agents set for regulation
New guidelines are being brought in aimed at protecting tenants and homeowners who use letting agencies.
The Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla) is introducing a licensing scheme for its UK members and a code of practice for letting agents.
This would hopefully stop the rentals market being seen as "the black sheep of the property market", Arla said.
Separately, the Times said ministers were planning a registration scheme for private landlords in England and Wales.
The newspaper reported that anyone letting a residential property would have to pay about £50 to register with a national body, under plans aimed at cracking down on unscrupulous landlords.
Landlords who did not keep their property in good condition could be struck off and have their licence revoked if property was not kept in good condition.
 |  Lettings agencies are going out of business and owing their landlord clients thousands of pounds, or even tens of thousands of pounds, in rent  Peter Bolton-King Chief executive, Arla |
The paper said the reforms would be outlined in a Green Paper within 10 days.
Any government action would follow an independent review into the private rented sector headed by Julie Rugg of the University of York - but a spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government would not confirm details of their response.
Private landlords in Scotland are already required to register. However, last week, the charity Shelter Scotland said that rogue landlords were continuing to operate there three years after the scheme was introduced.
Protection
Arla's licensing move has been welcomed by housing charity Shelter and a similar scheme for estate agents is in the offing.
Members of Arla's licensed agents' scheme will have to:
- Hold a professional qualification relating to lettings
- Take part in continuing professional development
- Have professional indemnity insurance.
- Have plans in place to protect any money they are holding for clients
- Have an annual independent audit carried out on clients' funds.
Under the scheme, if an Arla licensed agent went out of business, any money it owed to clients would be protected.
"Lettings agencies are going out of business and owing their landlord clients thousands of pounds, or even tens of thousands of pounds, in rent," said Peter Bolton-King, Arla's chief executive.
"So this offers protection to landlords in the worst-case scenario."
Deposits paid by tenants were already supposed to be protected under a government deposit protection scheme - though Mr Bolton-King said that this did not always happen.
'Gold standard'
"For too long the rental sector has been seen as the black sheep of the property market, with a lack of regulation and a requirement for redress to protect the consumer when the agent's failings are to the financial detriment of that consumer," said Ruth Lilley, head of membership and professional development at Arla.
She added the Arla scheme would "create the gold standard for letting agents in the UK, offering consumers best-practice service and advice - as well as a commitment to the protection of their money".
It has 3,500 member offices across the UK from large multi-branch companies to smaller, single office practices.
The National Association of Estate Agents plans to introduce its own licensing scheme later this year.
Referring to the lettings scheme, Adam Sampson, chief executive of Shelter, said "industry-led best practice" was a "positive step in the right direction".
"All consumers should have the right to expect a professional letting service and have access to redress when problems arise," he said.
However, he added that the government should act to introduce statutory licensing for all letting agents.
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Guide to Buying a Home
You have decided to buy a home - but what next? The maze of legal work, negotiations, dealing with surveyors and solicitors, finding a good mortgage deal and worrying about your deal falling through, on top of actually hunting down the home of your dreams, is enough to make anyone's hair stand on end.Buying a house is one of the biggest financial decisions that you will make in your life. It is a lengthy and complicated business, which while exciting is often fraught with stress and worry. But luckily there is a lot of good advice around helping you to make your home-buying experience as easy and problem-free as possible.
After finding a home you like, which can take anything from a few days to many months, the process from having your offer accepted to completion of the sale takes about 12 weeks. This is about twice as long as in many other countries - home-buying in Britain is a notoriously drawn-out business.
It is important to have a good understanding of the process as it will help you to avoid some of the most common hazards of home-buying. Turtlehomes.co.uk has prepared an introduction to the home-buying process to help you to understand how it all works, how to plan it and what to watch out for. After reading this you should have a better idea of what to expect and how to set out to buy a home feeling prepared and ready to go!
Gloucester Housing Market Should Be The First To Recover
I read a very insightful article yesterday from a blogger that writes knowlegeably about the Gloucester Housing Market:
"The Gloucester property market is very depressed at the moment, the town, like towns across Britain has been left looking run-down by the closure of businesses, making many of the people as depressed as the property market.
Gloucester is not alone, the paragraph above could be about any number of towns the length and breadth of the UK. The other common trend shared by Gloucester and all (or certainly most) of the other towns is that it will not always be like this; things will recover, run-down will become thriving and the depression will gradually lift. Where Gloucester is unique however, is in how it will recover:
In all the other towns, the gradual recovery of the economy will bring improvements to the town; businesses will fill vacant shops, warehouses and office space, which will in turn make the place look less run down. At the same time the housing market will slowly pick up. All together the general outlook is for a gradual process with a long-run up to any house price growth.
But in Gloucester, there is the massive urban regeneration project. As we speak, work is in progress to not only make Gloucester look less run down, but to make it look beautiful. The project is a beneficiary of massive investment, which is being put back into the local area in buying materials and providing employment.
Therefore when the economic recovery begins, Gloucester will be well in front of the other towns up and down the country, and the housing market should receive an almost instant boost because of the regeneration."
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Property Portals Rise Again
Back in 1996 there were just over 4 million internet users in the UK. Of these, only around 700,000 were searching for property, according to analysis of data from BMRB and comScore by the FindaPropetry.com research team.
Over the next eight years the internet grew but the percentage of people searching for property remained remarkably stable at around 18 per cent.
But then in 2004 it all changed. The internet population didn't rise massively – from 22,016,000 in 2003 to 23,620,000 in 2004 (+7.2 per cent) - but the percentage of people initiating a property search climbed to 27 per cent (from 18 per cent in 2003).
What changed in 2004? Two things. The housing market started to soar, and that undoubtedly drew more people to property portals, and broadband also took off in 2004.
The percentage of all internet users searching for property rose to an all time high of 31 per cent in 2006, moderated slightly in 2007 (29 per cent) and then slipped significantly to 19 per cent in 2008, as the credit crunch began to bite.
Interestingly, there's been a pick up in the percentage of property searchers since then – in the first quarter of 2009, 26% of the active internet population (which now stands at over 32 million adults) visited a property website.
Andrew Smith, FindaProperty.com's Head of Research says: "Consumers are attracted to property portals for a number of reasons; convenience, the range of properties on offer in one place and the ability to compile detailed information before contacting estate agents.
"Multiple photos, floor plans and mapping are all functionality that we now take for granted however it wasn’t until the mass take-up of broadband that property portals were able to enhance the online property search experience.
"The Internet is now the first point of call for property searchers and it’s encouraging to see consumers beginning to return to the property portals in 2009."
turtlehomes.co.uk list our properties on over 30 of the top Property Portals to ensure that your property has the maximum exposure.
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Conveyancing from £349+VAT
Whether you are moving house or want to find a better mortgage deal, you need to appoint a conveyancer to look after your legal interests and ensure everything progresses to completion without a hitch.
Our promise to you
We want to provide complete 'peace of mind'. Turtle Homes are now able to offer you a service that no other solicitors would dare to offer... A 'MONEY BACK GUARANTEE' for the solicitor’s legal fees. Our conveyancers have created, transparent and trackable standards that they promise to adhere to.
Our core value is centred on providing the highest level of customer service and client satisfaction. The conveyancing world is rapidly becoming more volume focused, with little emphasis placed on individual client care. RG Solicitors, value each instruction, and treat our clients as individuals, not as 'file numbers'. We are confident that once you experience our Conveyancing services, you will never look elsewhere for a solicitor when you move house!
Contact Turtle Homes now to find out more about Conveyancing from just £349+VAT
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Turtle Homes embraces Twitter
turtlehomes.co.uk have today announced that they will be listing all new instructions on Twitter.
If you have a Tritter account you will now be able to see what turtlehomes.co.uk are doing. We will keep you updated with new instrcutions and price changes. If you don't have a twitter account please click here to join
The New York Times calls Twitter "one of the fastest-growing phenomena on the Internet." TIME Magazine says, "Twitter is on its way to becoming the next killer app," and Newsweek noted that "Suddenly, it seems as though all the world's a-twitter."
Friday, 27 March 2009
First Instruction in Somerset
We delighted to be instructed upon our first property for rent in SOMERSET:
3 Black Dog Cottage, Standerwick, Nr Frome, Somerset is available for 1100pcm
A period cottage with many original features and good size accomodation. The property comprises entrance hall, living room, dining room, downstairs cloakroom, kitchen/breakfast room with range cooker. On the first floor there are four double bedrooms, family bathroom, ensuite to to master bedroom. Outside the property there are mature gardens with a paddock, driveway and parking. Gas central heating. *Pets allowed*.
If you would to find out more information about this property please contact Turtle Homes on 0845 073 6633 or visit our website at www.turtlehomes.co.uk
We are looking to instruct property online across the UK if you would like to find out how you can save thousands of pounds by selling your home for a fraction of the usual cost and with no minimum contract tie ins please contact Turtle Homes.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Introduction to Turtle Homes Video Episode 1 of 8
Coming Soon....................................Episode 2:
What is the difference between using Turtle Homes and a traditional High Street estate agent?
How do turtlehomes.co.uk mantain our low level of fee?
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Introducing turtlehomes.co.uk
Online banking, shopping delivered to your door, holidays booked with the click of a button! From ebay to Amazon, the power of the internet has evolved the way in which we buy & sell. With 84% of active home movers starting their search for property online the internet is a must have tool for any successful modern estate agency. The internet has now become the main driver of viewings leads for estate agents. Portals and websites such as findaproperty, rightmove and primelocation have become essential in the ever growing battle for market coverage.
How does this affect me you may ask?
Introducing turtlehomes.co.uk A fresh and revolutionary approach to selling your home ONLINE. turtlehomes.co.uk are an ONLINE estate agency with a twist, fusing traditional agency methods with new and innovative technology their aim is to provide you with a quality service at the fraction of the cost of your local high street agent. For Just £500 + Vat fixed marketing fee & £650 + Vat on completion turtlehomes.co.uk will provide you with
• FREE Home Information Pack,
• colour photos, floor plans, local press advertising,
• a distinctive ‘for sale’ board,
• extensive internet coverage across at least 28 websites,
• daily mailouts of your property to extensive mailing lists,
• valuation & home visit if required,
• unique vendor login allowing you to track your progress, Sales progression through to completion from your account manager,
• Viewings arranged, monitored & feedback acquired,
• No contract tie in period,
• No multi agency fee’s
• a personal & friendly service!
“Our team have spent many years working for high street estate agents we have seen the internet evolve and improve the way in which agents work. We have had to adapt, buyers require information (24/7) here & now, vendors needing that selling edge over competitors. With turtlehomes.co.uk we believe we have the right mix of latest technology and traditional customer service all provided at a low cost fee”.
So how do turtlehomes.co.uk provide all this and still charge a low fixed fee I hear you ask….! Simple, as they are an ONLINE estate agent they don’t have expensive overheads such as rents and rates. By using the latest technology and computer software they have successfully streamlined their systems to ensure that all of their time is spent on the important stuff - selling your home.
We are no ordinary online estate agency; by providing the services of a high street agent and dramatically lowering overheads we can provide this new and modern service with the saving passed directly to you the homeowner.
Where did the name turtlehomes.co.uk come from?
Well with the service and fee being so unique to the local market we thought it necessary to give the company a like minded name! The best way of selling houses in this or any market is to be noticed and stand out, a company name that customers & purchasers will easily remember!
Whether you are buying or selling click online or call turtlehomes.co.uk on 0845 073 6633 to see just how much you could save!
How does this affect me you may ask?
Introducing turtlehomes.co.uk A fresh and revolutionary approach to selling your home ONLINE. turtlehomes.co.uk are an ONLINE estate agency with a twist, fusing traditional agency methods with new and innovative technology their aim is to provide you with a quality service at the fraction of the cost of your local high street agent. For Just £500 + Vat fixed marketing fee & £650 + Vat on completion turtlehomes.co.uk will provide you with
• FREE Home Information Pack,
• colour photos, floor plans, local press advertising,
• a distinctive ‘for sale’ board,
• extensive internet coverage across at least 28 websites,
• daily mailouts of your property to extensive mailing lists,
• valuation & home visit if required,
• unique vendor login allowing you to track your progress, Sales progression through to completion from your account manager,
• Viewings arranged, monitored & feedback acquired,
• No contract tie in period,
• No multi agency fee’s
• a personal & friendly service!
“Our team have spent many years working for high street estate agents we have seen the internet evolve and improve the way in which agents work. We have had to adapt, buyers require information (24/7) here & now, vendors needing that selling edge over competitors. With turtlehomes.co.uk we believe we have the right mix of latest technology and traditional customer service all provided at a low cost fee”.
So how do turtlehomes.co.uk provide all this and still charge a low fixed fee I hear you ask….! Simple, as they are an ONLINE estate agent they don’t have expensive overheads such as rents and rates. By using the latest technology and computer software they have successfully streamlined their systems to ensure that all of their time is spent on the important stuff - selling your home.
We are no ordinary online estate agency; by providing the services of a high street agent and dramatically lowering overheads we can provide this new and modern service with the saving passed directly to you the homeowner.
Where did the name turtlehomes.co.uk come from?
Well with the service and fee being so unique to the local market we thought it necessary to give the company a like minded name! The best way of selling houses in this or any market is to be noticed and stand out, a company name that customers & purchasers will easily remember!
Whether you are buying or selling click online or call turtlehomes.co.uk on 0845 073 6633 to see just how much you could save!
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Property sales may pick up in the next few months
Property sales may pick up in the next few months, according to a survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics).
It says lower house prices have prompted renewed interest from potential buyers, especially those who already own a house or flat.
However first time-buyers are still largely locked out of the market.
Despite this recent rise in new buyer enquiries, Rics warns that the market will remain relatively subdued.
It says lower house prices have prompted renewed interest from potential buyers, especially those who already own a house or flat.
However first time-buyers are still largely locked out of the market.
Despite this recent rise in new buyer enquiries, Rics warns that the market will remain relatively subdued.
"Our suspicion is that this improvement in activity levels is likely to be sustained over the coming months; mortgage approvals could climb above 35,000 [per month] on the back of the higher level of buyer interest," said Simon Rubinsohn, Rics chief economist.
"However, this would still be well down on the high for the cycle as well as being significantly below the long run average," he warned.
"By no means could this relatively small pick-up in transactions be seen as representing a move back to a more orderly housing market."
Lower prices
Rics has seen new buyer enquiries rise in the last three of its regular monthly housing market surveys.
It regards these findings as a good indicator of near term tends among house buyers, pointing to a pick up in sales, which slumped by more than half last year.
And this prompted it to ask its members what type of buyer has been sniffing around, and what sort of home they are interested in.
It found that 71% of surveyors thought that low prices were the main factor attracting interest.
Prices have dropped by about 20% since their peak in the summer of 2007, according to surveys by the Halifax and the Nationwide.
About three quarters of surveyors also thought that existing owner occupiers were showing some interest, while just a quarter reported that first-time buyers were looking around.
And existing houses, rather than flats or newly but properties, were the overwhelming focus of the interest being shown by these potential buyers.
"Interest from owner occupiers is likely to persist over the comings months as those with large deposits look to capitalise on the drop in house prices," said Mr Rubinsohn,
"However, a sharply deteriorating employment picture may eat away at this improvement in sentiment pushing potential buyers back to the sidelines."
To find out more about the property market please contact turtlehomes.co.uk on 0845 073 6633
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Online Estate Agent
Turtlehomes.co.uk – Low Fee Online Estate Agents, Sell Your Home Online– call us on 0845 073 6633
Experience a new way to sell you home with online estate agent turtlehomes.co.uk. You can save £1000’s by selling your home with virtual estate agent turtlehomes.co.uk with no minimum contract tie ins.
http://www.bedandbreakfasts.co.uk
Experience a new way to sell you home with online estate agent turtlehomes.co.uk. You can save £1000’s by selling your home with virtual estate agent turtlehomes.co.uk with no minimum contract tie ins.
http://www.bedandbreakfasts.co.uk
Friday, 6 February 2009
Property Portal Wars!
Rightmove on top as portal wars continue to hot up
Friday 6th February 2009
Rightmove has come out easily on top of the four major paid-for property portals, according to the latest statistics from independent analysts Hitwise and Comscore.
Both sets of figures for December show Rightmove achieving market share of between 59% and 77%, looking at a variety of criteria, including number of visits and time spent on the portals.
The other ‘top four’ portals, Propertyfinder, FindaProperty and Primelocation, split the remaining market share as they vie for second place.
Hannes Buhrmann, head of consumer websites at Rightmove, said: “We obviously spend a lot of time and money tracking and understanding home-mover behaviour. Familiarity with a website and ease of use appears to one of the main factors behind getting users to visit several times a month, stay on longer and visit more pages of property.
“Rightmove has been the largest property website for over eight years and now accounts for one in five of all visits to property websites.
“It has a massive and loyal user base that competitor sites are finding very hard to shift, in spite of increasing the number of properties on their sites by giving their service away for free.”
However, the portals war is hotting up: on Wednesday, Countrywide, the UK’s largest chain, announced that it had done a deal with Digital – publishers of Primelocation and FindaProperty – to list all its properties.
This week, Rightmove also published the first in a series of results in a huge consumer survey. It found that only 9.2% of vendors thought this would be a good time to sell, and that seven out of ten consumers expect house prices to fall further. Two-thirds believe that it is now a buyers’ market but a number do not understand the current mortgage market, with one in six willing to borrow over four times salary.
The extraordinary survey elicited responses from over 28,000 people during a two-week period in January, with the only incentive being a chance to win one of 20 £25 M & S vouchers. Another sign of the times?
Friday 6th February 2009
Rightmove has come out easily on top of the four major paid-for property portals, according to the latest statistics from independent analysts Hitwise and Comscore.
Both sets of figures for December show Rightmove achieving market share of between 59% and 77%, looking at a variety of criteria, including number of visits and time spent on the portals.
The other ‘top four’ portals, Propertyfinder, FindaProperty and Primelocation, split the remaining market share as they vie for second place.
Hannes Buhrmann, head of consumer websites at Rightmove, said: “We obviously spend a lot of time and money tracking and understanding home-mover behaviour. Familiarity with a website and ease of use appears to one of the main factors behind getting users to visit several times a month, stay on longer and visit more pages of property.
“Rightmove has been the largest property website for over eight years and now accounts for one in five of all visits to property websites.
“It has a massive and loyal user base that competitor sites are finding very hard to shift, in spite of increasing the number of properties on their sites by giving their service away for free.”
However, the portals war is hotting up: on Wednesday, Countrywide, the UK’s largest chain, announced that it had done a deal with Digital – publishers of Primelocation and FindaProperty – to list all its properties.
This week, Rightmove also published the first in a series of results in a huge consumer survey. It found that only 9.2% of vendors thought this would be a good time to sell, and that seven out of ten consumers expect house prices to fall further. Two-thirds believe that it is now a buyers’ market but a number do not understand the current mortgage market, with one in six willing to borrow over four times salary.
The extraordinary survey elicited responses from over 28,000 people during a two-week period in January, with the only incentive being a chance to win one of 20 £25 M & S vouchers. Another sign of the times?
Thursday, 5 February 2009
House Prices Rise in January 2009
The price of UK homes rose by 1.9% in January, compared to December, according to the Halifax.
turtlehomes.co.uk website preview
Here is a sneak preview of the home page of Gloucestershires online Estate Agent turtlehomes.co.uk
We are expecting turtlehomes.co.uk to be online in the next few weeks so watch this space!
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Distinctive turtlehomes.co.uk For Sale Board
Here is a sneak preview of the For Sale board for Gloucestershire Online Estate Agent turtlehomes.co.uk
Look out for these distinctive boards throughout Gloucestershire. It's official; Online Estate turtlehomes.co.uk will be launched in February 2009.
STANDARD PACKAGE: We will market your property online for just £500 One-Off-Fee plus VAT + £650 Commission plus VAT
DEFERRED PACKAGE: We will market your property online for just £650 One-Off-Fee plus VAT + £650 Commission plus VAT
Both packages include:
- FREE Home Information Pack
- FREE Valuation if Required
- FREE Photographs and Floorplans
- FREE Distinctive For Sale Board
- FREE Upload to Extensive Network of Property Websites including: Rightmove, Find a Property, Property Finder, Primelocation, Fish 4 Homes, Property Index, Think Property and many more.
SAVE THOUSAND OF POUNDS WITH GLOUCESTERSHIRE ONLINE ESTATE AGENT turtlehomes.co.uk
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Gloucestershires Online Agent
Online Estate Agent turtlehomes.co.uk will shortly be launching a revolutionary online Estate Agency Service for homeowners in Gloucestershire. A marketing campaign based on the slogan "low fee try me" is expected to hit Gloucestershire during February 2009.
turtlehomes.co.uk will be offering for a marketing fee of just £500+VAT an incredible array of services including: a FREE Home Information Pack, FREE online or home visit valuation, FREE photographs and floorplans, FREE for sale board, FREE sales progression to completion, FREE upload to an extensive network of property websites such as: rightmove, propertyfinder, findaproperty, primelocation, propertyindex, thinkproperty, fish4homes and many more. There will also be a commission of £650+VAT due upon legal completion.
turtlehomes.co.uk will be offering for a marketing fee of just £500+VAT an incredible array of services including: a FREE Home Information Pack, FREE online or home visit valuation, FREE photographs and floorplans, FREE for sale board, FREE sales progression to completion, FREE upload to an extensive network of property websites such as: rightmove, propertyfinder, findaproperty, primelocation, propertyindex, thinkproperty, fish4homes and many more. There will also be a commission of £650+VAT due upon legal completion.
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