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.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
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.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
