Should You Post Your Rental Property Details Online?

Online advertising provides easy access to anyone, anywhere and at any time and this is true for people looking for the best rental properties too. Regardless of whether people are looking for short-term or long-term rentals, chances are that they do not have the time required to look for what they need. In the current busy lifestyle, people are looking for ways that can make the works faster and in an efficient manner. Records say that nowadays more and more people are relying on the internet for finding any information they need and this is applicable to searching for rental properties too. This is why, it is recommended by professional realtors that people having properties and are looking for the right tenants can post the details about their houses on websites providing the facility to post rental property classified ad.

As these websites provide the opportunity to even post the photos, homeowners can be benefited. As the people looking for a house will look at the photos online, they will visit to see the house only when they are impressed by the pictures. This reduces the hassles involved in visiting each and every house and the owners can be benefited as they can show their houses physically only to those, who are impressed with the photos and are showing real interest towards hiring the house. Not only photos, the owners can provide whatever details they wish to post. Like for instance, if they have completely furnished their property, they can provide the details, so that they can expect higher rent.

In addition, most of the websites offering the facility to post rental property classified ad, provide this service free of cost. Once the appropriate local portal is found and listed, the homeowners will begin to get a lot of inquiries as this means of marketing can easily reach the intended audience.

The current trend shows that people searching for rental properties through newspapers is reducing and more and more people are depending on the internet. Also, they will not have to pay any addition cost like purchasing newspaper as they already have an internet connection. This is beneficial for property owners as well as they need not have to pay for posting their ads like in the case of newspapers and magazines. Also, home rental classified ads online will also reach international audience apart from local people.

When the home rental classified ads reaches international audience, people looking for rental houses in another country just because of their job transfer can also be benefited.

How Are Property Inspections Done?

The importance of property inspections is now greatly considered by both a landlord and a tenant. It is to their advantage that the unit is checked before and after occupying it to know the present physical condition of it and to determine what needs to be done.

The landlord or property manager would primarily want a record of the condition of the property for reference later on while the tenant would essentially appreciate the assurance of taking on a unit that is in good condition.

It is important to establish exactly what the state of the property is and identify problem areas if there are any. An inspection is a highly technical undertaking. At times, trouble spots are not easily detected by the naked eye. Also, there are matters that need expert skill and knowledge to be handled.

Professional property inspectors have the training and experience to spot red flags and intentionally seek out potential problems. When it comes to property inspections, landlords are aware that an official report provides the credibility required. It will hold up in any legal proceeding and will provide solid support for pertinent issues that may arise in the future.

There are many aspects involved in property inspections. Most homes comprise different elements and each one bears looking into so that you could be certain that everything is in working order or in suitable condition. The scope of an inspection normally covers the importance ones such as doors and windows, heating and cooling systems, plumbing, walls, floors, electrical systems and pests. In many cases, dealings are dissolved when crucial findings involve the presence of termites, the need for a plumbing overhaul, and the discovery of a faulty wiring system.

These are serious issues that no tenant would want to take on. Landlords would be well-advised to resolve them first before they offer to lease their property out. Meanwhile, cracks, holes, and other minor problems can be dealt with prior to tenant occupancy. At times, some tenants would still be willing to move in with the understanding that they wouldn't be blamed and billed for those problems upon their exit. This can be their assurance.

And so, property inspections are really very important. Property inspections are not only recommended before and after occupancy. It serves both the landlord and the tenant well to get a unit inspected regularly. It gives the owner peace of mind as to the treatment of his property as well as a heads-up in case something needs to be repaired.

What Is The UK's New Help To Buy Scheme?

The UK's Help to Buy scheme may assist you in purchasing a property worth up to £600,000 - be it a new build or a pre-owned home - with a deposit of as little as 5% of the property's purchase price. The scheme will be of benefit to you if you believe you can afford mortgage repayments, but cannot raise the large deposit associated with traditional mortgages.

How does the Help to Buy scheme work?

The scheme takes two forms: one part, the "equity loan" part, enables you to take out an interest-free loan from the government; the other, the "guarantee part", enables the government to act as a guarantor for some of your debt.

The "equity loan" part of the scheme was introduced in April 2013. This part of the scheme may help you to purchase a new-build property. You will need to raise a deposit of 5% of the value of the property you wish to purchase, but you can borrow a further 20% interest-free for the first five years, if you need to do so. You must repay the loan, which is provided by the government, with the proceeds from the sale of your property. You will be free to repay the loan earlier, but only if you pay off your mortgage at the same time. After five years, your loan will attract a fee of 1.75%, which will increase yearly by Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation plus 1%.

The "guarantee part" of the scheme was introduced in October 2013. This part of the scheme may help you to purchase a new or existing property with a deposit of between 5% and 20%. The government will provide your chosen lender with a guarantee for up to 15% of your loan, allowing the lender to offer you a mortgage, regardless of the small size of your deposit.

Is the scheme available throughout the UK?

The Help to Buy scheme operates in England only however similar schemes are available in Wales and Scotland.

Will the scheme help me?

The scheme will be able to help you whether you have not previously owned a home or are an existing homeowner. However, you will not be able to take advantage of the scheme if you wish to buy a property to rent out to others.

Will the scheme help me to acquire a mortgage?

If the only thing standing in your way of acquiring a mortgage is a lack of a large deposit, the scheme should be able to help you. If, however, you have a poor credit history, are unemployed or have recently chosen to become self-employed, the scheme may not help you to acquire a mortgage.

What rate will I have to pay on my mortgage?

Under the Help to Buy scheme, lenders are free to set their own mortgage rates. Mortgages offered through the scheme should, in theory, cost less than the 95% mortgages available on the market. This is because the government will act as a guarantor for some of your debt. That said it is important to realise that, in order to participate in the scheme, lenders must pay the government a fee so this may not always be the case.

What will happen if I fall behind on my mortgage repayments?

Unfortunately, the Help to Buy will not help you if you fall behind on your mortgage repayments. The guarantee is for the lender only and this means that if the lender is unable to recover your debt from the sale of the property, the government will help to make up the shortfall.

What Is the Code for Sustainable Homes?

The code for sustainable homes is a piece of legislation that came into force in 2007 in England and adopted in Wales and Northern Ireland in 2008. It does not apply in Scotland. The code provides a framework for the environmental assessment of homes. Some of the assessment criteria used concern the environmental impact and carbon emissions of new homes, hence they look at construction methods, building materials and insulation characteristics. Another area of the code, however, looks at health and well-being and concerns features that add long term value and benefit to the people who live in those homes. A major part of the carbon footprint of any home is created during its construction phase. It is only sensible, therefore, to build homes that people will want to live in for longer, in order that we need to build fewer houses in the longer term.

Assessing new developments

Every housing developer now needs to appoint a service provider in order to assess any new development and award the buildings a code rating. Qualified assessors will assess the design and award an interim certificate prior to the construction phase and will then calculate a final score and award the appropriate code level upon completion. Each home is assessed according to nine criteria, of which four are mandatory. These are dwelling emission rate, environmental impact of materials, indoor water use and lifetime homes. Points are also awarded for adherence to the other categories, which are weighted according to perceived importance. Totting up the points results in a total score and award of the relevant code level.

Creating quieter homes

The code for sustainable homes also encourages developers to create homes with better sound insulation qualities than are required by current building regulations. By doing this the developers can obtain extra credits by upgrading the specification for separating floors and walls. A maximum score can be achieved by ensuring these separating floors and walls exceed the standard sound insulation performance levels by 8dB. As yet there are no specifications that are certified to deliver this performance, therefore this must be confirmed by pre-completion tests. Solutions to achieve such sound insulation improvements are already being offered, resulting in much quieter homes for residents. Unwelcome noise can be a nuisance to many residents and can greatly impact their quality of life. It is refreshing, therefore, to see regulations that encourage better sound insulation and quieter, more comfortable homes.