Goliath Property Matters: Recent Episodes

Goliath Sourcing Academy

A Goliath Sourcing Academy weekly commentary on property news that matters to you.

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Here are the links to the articles we covered for this week:

  1. Landlords welcome ‘balanced’ re-start of evictions as tenants talk of betrayal

  2. 80% of landlords we polled want the option to reject DSS tenants

  3. A rent freeze is quite simply ‘another type of rent control’

  4. EXCLUSIVE: Report warns banning Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will harm those it seeks to help

  5. How to Add Value to Your Home: 20 Value Boosting Tips

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OUR TAKE ON PROPERTY NEWS THAT MATTERS TO YOU

  1. Is The Sales Boom In Danger of Being Is Being Scuppered By Slow Conveyancing?

  2. Rents Stable ‘As The Market Starts To Settle Into A More Predictable Pattern’

  3. Lettings Agency Takes Down Facebook Video After Strong Backlash Over Rent Rise ‘Boast’

  4. Fancy A Change, Living Room Ideas To Spruce Things Up

Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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OUR TAKE ON PROPERTY NEWS THAT MATTERS TO YOU

  1. Scottish Tenant Loan Scheme should be offered in the rest of the UK

  2. The 'new normal' means more tenants want 'variety, options and security'

  3. Lockdown pushes number of first-time buyers to seven-year low

  4. Homes selling within a week of being listed jump by 125% to highest in ten years

  5. Top Tips: How to make your home more valuable and sell faster

Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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OUR TAKE ON PROPERTY NEWS THAT MATTERS TO YOU.

  1. EVICTIONS LATEST: Ministers give concessions to landlords as they publish details of notice period extension

  2. ‘This time it’s different:’ Zoopla predicts recession won’t cause ‘major decline’ in house prices

  3. Take advantage of high LTV rates before a likely ‘winter of discontent’, warns mortgage broker

  4. Could the stamp duty holiday turn into CGT 'tax trap' for investors?

  5. How to Stay Motivated When You Are Working From Home

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Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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OUR TAKE ON PROPERTY NEWS THAT MATTERS TO YOU

Here are the article references for this episode:

  1. BTL landlords ‘cannot be expected to foot the bill for government failure’

  2. Green controversy! Minister backs plans to get rid of private gardens for new builds

  3. Property sales down by a quarter compared with last year – HMRC

  4. Long, ‘bumpy’ road to recovery predicted for UK property market

  5. Garage conversion ideas: 20 great ways to enhance your space

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Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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Our take on property news that matters to you.

  1. Landlord ‘tax dodging’ is widespread claims think tank

https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/landlord-tax-dodging-is-widespread-claims-think-tank/

  1. Market appears to be in a ‘sustainable recovery’ – Anthony Codling

https://propertyindustryeye.com/market-appears-to-be-in-a-sustainable-recovery-anthony-codling/

  1. Rental deposit ‘top up’ launched as landlords struggle with five-week cap

https://thenegotiator.co.uk/rental-deposit-top-up-launched-as-landlords-struggle-with-five-week-cap/

  1. Landlords checks of EU tenants after Brexit: Government forced to reveal more details

https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/landlords-checks-of-eu-tenants-after-brexit-government-forced-to-reveal-more-details/

  1. 21 Tips for Building the Perfect Home Office

https://www.ecwid.com/blog/16-tips-for-building-the-perfect-home-office.html

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  1. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoliathSourcingAcademy/

  1. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

https://goliathsourcingacademy.com/property-podcast/

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Our take on property matters that matter to you

  1. Sales contract ‘Covid clauses’ become more widespread

https://thenegotiator.co.uk/sales-contract-covid-clauses-set-to-become-more-widespread/

  1. Positive signs for growth as landlords’ confidence improves

https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/information/positive-signs-for-growth-as-landlords-confidence-improves/

  1. Complaints rise at the Property Redress Scheme

https://propertyindustryeye.com/complaints-rise-at-the-property-redress-scheme/

  1. Landlords ARE being penalised by lenders for taking mortgage holidays

https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/landlords-are-being-penalised-by-lenders-for-taking-mortgage-holidays/

  1. Top tips to make your rental property more appealing

https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2020/7/top-tips-to-make-your-rental-property-more-appealing

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Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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GOLIATH PROPERTY MATTERS Our take on property news that matters to you

  1. NRLA website goes live as NLA and RLA disappear

It’s been a long time coming (announcement was made last August) but the day has finally come when the NLA and RLA become one. There have been mixed opinions regarding the merger as previously there was often healthy debate between the two associations regarding certain matters which will no longer happen. Is the merger good or bad for the private rental sector? Only time will tell.

  1. New platform allows landlords to promote their properties free of charge

I’ve seen a few websites / services come and go over my time in property which aimed to improve the process between Landlord and Tenant. Sites like this are like other review sites which need constant monitoring to avoid false reviews, unfair feedback etc. Unfortunately, what often happens, is the ongoing management of the site becomes prohibitive due to the costs involved and they fade away. Hopefully, this one might last the distance as it’s certainly something that will benefit the industry.

  1. 45,000 viewings of an open house video on Facebook

A couple of weeks ago we reported on the popularity of online auctions and the unprecedented levels of interest and people registering to bid. We also shared our opinion that, whilst the numbers look great, the reality is that only a small % of those were serious parties, with the rest simply looking out of interest. Similar opinion here...yes 40,000 views on a FB video is great but if only 4 of those views are from actual buyers it doesn’t really mean very much!

  1. Good news - new tenancies bounce back to pre-pandemic levels

More positive news for Buy to Let investors with tenant demand and average rents on the up, almost back to pre-Lockdown highs. The signs also remain positive that these increases will continue for the foreseeable future as purchasing property becomes more difficult and quality rental stock in desirable areas becomes increasingly difficult to find.

  1. Budget kitchen ideas – spend less without compromising on style

I know first-hand how expensive kitchens can get, especially when you want all the bells and whistles!! However, this article has some fantastic ideas for improving your existing kitchen without having to go through the process of replacing it completely. With money potentially being a little tighter now, and kitchen replacement moving further down the list of things to spend money on, these ideas should help spruce things up for that new kitchen feel without the eye watering costs!

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Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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  1. Unexpected mini-boom gathers momentum

Not so great news for us investors unfortunately. It’s most certainly a seller’s market out there now! Certainly not a market for finding bargains…yet!

The Stamp Duty holiday and better mortgage products for first time buyers are having their effect on the market but I stand by my predictions; lending confidence will diminish, surveyors will become more cautious in their valuations and bargains will start to come to market in around 9 to 12 months’ time.

  1. The end of discriminatory ‘No DSS’ clauses in rental contracts?

The subject of discrimination of tenants in receipt of benefits has been around for a long long time. Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to benefits tenants, usually because of the inappropriate stereotype attached to them.

In my experience, the better landlords have always considered benefits tenants on a case by case basis. The reality is you can do as many checks as are available, but some tenants just slip through the net and this applies to non-benefits tenants as much as those in receipt of them!

A welcome change to the rules in my opinion.

  1. Asking rents reach record highs as rental markets surge after lockdown

Positive news for those considering traditional buy to let investments. Tenant demand increasing, rents increasing and a Stamp Duty holiday until March next year. Interesting to also see holiday let landlords going back to more secure, longer term tenancies following Covid-19!

Of course, it’s important to remember that you need to buy in the right area and choose the right tenant type in order not to buy yourself a liability!!

  1. Agents slammed for failing to protect staff and clients in virus crisis

I’m sure there will be a lot of industries where these concerns are prevalent. We all know/heard about Leicester and it’s ‘local lockdown’ and reported issues around workplaces which were not observing the health & safety guidelines around social distancing or workplace sanitation. Employers in all industries have an obligation to their staff and customers to ensure they are safe while carrying out the duties/responsibilities required of their role.

Within Agency the busy market will only serve to make things more challenging as they try to balance the high demand with their obligations to adhere to government guidelines and keep everyone safe at all times.

  1. Genius Hacks to Make Camping with Kids Fun & Stress-Free

Some really great tips here, especially for those who are regular campers. Not sure they’ll all apply to our first family trip (which will almost certainly be at a campsite near a Premier Inn)!

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Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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  1. How will the stamp duty changes affect landlords?

BTL has taken its fair share of flack recently due to changes in legislation, increased regulations and removal of tax benefits but that doesn’t mean tenant demand has reduced. Actually, demand continues to increase!

Hopefully the saving should see an increase in new landlords to replace those who have exited the market over the past couple of years!

  1. Buy-to-let mortgage market showing signs of recovery

We continue the positive news for the ‘good old’ BTL market as products available now steadily increasing towards pre-lockdown numbers. Team that with the reduced number of low deposit products for residential buyers and the SDLT saving, it could be a great time to be looking for those property bargains!

  1. Green Homes Grant announced to improve energy efficiency

The drive towards our 2050 carbon neutral target continues with Rishi’s (Sunak) new Green Homes Grant. Slightly disappointing for those landlords who may have invested substantial amounts of money to ensure they met last April’s EPC minimum rating of E target for all domestic rentals! Although now they may be able to get that much needed new boiler installed!

  1. Sales agreed returns to positive territory as the RICS records a market rebound

Further evidence to suggest a short time bubble before the reality of the situation sets in. I have been speaking with a number of Agents recently who are feeding back that whilst sales are being agreed, fall throughs are also become more prevalent. Surveyors are surveying ‘cautiously’ and lenders are starting to tighten up their criteria. Current signs seem to be positive but the long-term prognosis isn’t so good!

  1. 26 Fun Summer Activities & Ideas to Keep Your Kids Busy on a Budget

Being married to a teacher fortunately comes with its advantages and one of those is the creativity and imagination for keeping the kids occupied without the urge to just sit them in front of a screen. We’ve managed to tick quite a few of this list during lockdown and with summer holidays just around the corner, I’m sure we’ll be ticking a few more off over the next couple of months!

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Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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GOLIATH PROPERTY MATTERS #19

Our take on property news that matters to you

  1. New platform allows BTL landlords to market property directly online

https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2020/7/new-platform-allows-btl-landlords-to-market-property-directly-on-zoopla-and-rightmove

  1. Upfront cost of renting rises despite deposit cap

https://propertyindustryeye.com/upfront-cost-of-renting-rises-despite-deposit-cap/

  1. New rent arrears guidance issued by leading housing organisations

https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2020/7/new-rent-arrears-guidance-issued-by-leading-housing-organisations

  1. Is Rishi Sunak raising the stamp duty threshold? When will Chancellor's proposals to temporarily increase lower tax rate start?

https://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/rishi-sunak-stamp-duty-threshold-a139161.html

  1. 10 Best Staycations By The Sea

https://www.coastmagazine.co.uk/content/10-best-staycations-sea

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Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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GOLIATH PROPERTY MATTERS

Our take on property news that matters to you

  1. Lobby your MP about evictions ban, urges new campaign

https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/news/lobby-your-mp-about-evictions-ban-urges-new-campaign/

  1. Coronavirus: Over 70% of letting agents do not feel it is ‘safe to return to work’

https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2020/6/coronavirus-over-70-of-letting-agents-do-not-feel-it-is-safe-to-return-to-work

  1. Buyer demand increases but agents warn more sales have collapsed since lockdown

https://propertyindustryeye.com/buyer-demand-increases-but-agents-warn-more-sales-have-collapsed-since-lockdown/

  1. Sale prices soar as 3,000 eager bidders compete in record-breaking online auction

https://propertyindustryeye.com/sale-prices-soar-as-3000-eager-bidders-compete-in-record-breaking-online-auction/

  1. Here Are the 10 Interior Design Trends That Will Rule 2020

https://www.dwell.com/article/interior-design-trends-2020-6416f6c9

============================ Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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1. Newspapers savage investment 'guru' after he tells followers to use Covid loans to buy property

I've seen this 'news' item popping up everywhere recently (even in The Times) so, whilst I'm not one for controversy, I felt I had to share my opinion with you.

There are parts of Paul's video that make sense and other parts that are totally unethical and atrocious in their suggestion.

2. Court ruling will be 'a huge relief to private and social landlords'

I've worked in the property industry for over 15 years now, but it still amazes me how regulations are made and then changed when common sense prevails! The fact that it was even possible a tenant could remain in a property indefinitely, if the landlord failed to provide a gas safety certificate on move in, is crazy!

3. 15% of tenants are in rent arrears but a third are trying to clear their debt

Positive news for Landlords but not surprising really. Most tenants throughout my experience have been good. Even those that have fallen on hard times usually make the effort to pay their debts and it's looking no different following lockdown.

4. Why are more DIY landlords looking to use agents on full management?

The system is certainly more protective of tenants now than it's ever been (rightly or wrongly) which means the experience of quality lettings and management agent is more important than ever. But be warned, choose the wrong agent and you could suffer!

5. 9 best garden games that the whole family can enjoy

I'm sure a lot of you reading this will have children (of all ages) and lockdown 'creativity' has no doubt reached its limit but these games will hopefully re-ignite it!

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Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.

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GOLIATH PROPERTY MATTERS - Our take on property news that matters to you

1. £78,100 – average landlord property capital gain revealed

Averages are always a little skew-whiff when it comes to property as values vary massively depending on location. What is poignant however is the importance of choosing your location well as you’re likely to benefit most from the increased value when you sell, rather than the rental income during ownership.

2. Five questions to ask to help you stay safe on a viewing

I have already seen social distancing rules being broken at property viewings. It’s a tough one to police but I think we all need to ensure we’re taking the extra steps suggested in this article to ensure we all stay as safe as possible when it comes to property viewings. Do as much of the research as you can before physically viewing, and you should minimise the risk.

3. Early signs show English property market bouncing back

Unfortunately the early signs following ‘lockdown’ aren’t great for investors with property prices up nearly 2% and vendors achieving nearly 98% (on average) of the asking price. It would appear there has been a mad rush of vendors wanting to capitalise on this mini revival of the market. However, I stand by my predictions! This ‘flurry’ will end and once the real economic impact of lockdown is felt we will see a price drop.

4. Rebound in demand from tenants, while rental valuations hit a record high

Summer has always been a busy time for the lettings market. The build up usually starts in March and starts to peak August/September before quietening down again towards Christmas. This year however, the usual build up from March hasn’t been allowed to happen so demand has been building which is fantastic for landlords looking for tenants. Team this traditional demand with the added demand for properties with gardens and people moving out of big city centres and we have a very buoyant lettings market.

5. Woman Can't Sell Her House As The Decor Is 'Too Crazy'

When it comes to getting the maximum value for your property you need to appeal to the mass market which means either, ‘neutralising’ your property so buyers have a blank canvas, or accepting that you’re going to need to accept a lower price to allow the buyers to do a full refurbishment on the property. My suspicion is the Agent has not managed the vendors expectation here and has given them hope of achieving actual market value which is highly unlikely (unless they’re prepared to wait for the ‘one’ to come and buy it)!

Here are 4 ways we can help you on your property investing journey:

  1. Become an InsidersCircle member and learn how to source more property deals.

  2. Take the FREE #GoliathKickStart mini course.

  3. Join our free property deal sourcers Facebook group community.

  4. Listen to the only dedicated property deal sourcing podcast in the UK.