Saturday, December 19, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Feeling like Tom Cruise in every film he has ever done.
So he was a cocktail maker and a pretty good cocktail maker too, til he had a crisis of confidence and couldn't make cocktails any more... Then he meets a good looking woman who talks him into being a better cocktail maker.
So he was a fighter pilot, and a pretty good fighter pilot too til he had a crisis of confidence......
If you haven't seen Rich Hall on Live at the Apollo you should look him up on youtube or the BBC. This sketch about Tom Cruise is really funny.
I'm a man in lettings, and a pretty good man in lettings too but I'm having a crisis of confidence. I went out last week for our office Christmas dinner with the folks from Redmayne Bentley downstairs and the chap from the office next door. We went to Kitsons which is ok but I came home feeling like I needed a sandwich or something. The head of RB commented on how good I look in a suit (my dear wife thinks so too...) and how she thought I would get more business if I wore a suit every day.
If you have ever met me in real life you will know that I don't wear a suit every day. I used to when I worked in the corporate place but I chose not to when I started BlueDoor. I like the freedom of a short sleeved shirt in summer and a wool v-neck jumper in winter paired with fine wool trousers but I have also been known to do business in jeans.
Maybe I would get more business if I wore a suit? Could it be true? I don't know.
Since starting BlueDoor I have never failed to get an instruction from a prospective landlord. When I did the corporate thing one or two did get away despite the suit wearing so I'm not sure the theory holds water.
My co-director says it is more about me than the suits and more about the prices than the ties or the cuff links.
Mmmmm what to do? What do you think? Don't suggest that I need a good looking woman - if I look for another one I'll get in trouble!
So he was a fighter pilot, and a pretty good fighter pilot too til he had a crisis of confidence......
If you haven't seen Rich Hall on Live at the Apollo you should look him up on youtube or the BBC. This sketch about Tom Cruise is really funny.
I'm a man in lettings, and a pretty good man in lettings too but I'm having a crisis of confidence. I went out last week for our office Christmas dinner with the folks from Redmayne Bentley downstairs and the chap from the office next door. We went to Kitsons which is ok but I came home feeling like I needed a sandwich or something. The head of RB commented on how good I look in a suit (my dear wife thinks so too...) and how she thought I would get more business if I wore a suit every day.
If you have ever met me in real life you will know that I don't wear a suit every day. I used to when I worked in the corporate place but I chose not to when I started BlueDoor. I like the freedom of a short sleeved shirt in summer and a wool v-neck jumper in winter paired with fine wool trousers but I have also been known to do business in jeans.
Maybe I would get more business if I wore a suit? Could it be true? I don't know.
Since starting BlueDoor I have never failed to get an instruction from a prospective landlord. When I did the corporate thing one or two did get away despite the suit wearing so I'm not sure the theory holds water.
My co-director says it is more about me than the suits and more about the prices than the ties or the cuff links.
Mmmmm what to do? What do you think? Don't suggest that I need a good looking woman - if I look for another one I'll get in trouble!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
This article was brought to you by Rentman the premium rent management software.
Letting agents 'will be busy up to Christmas'
Published: 09-Dec-2009
This article was brought to you by Rentman the premium rent management software.
Letting agents and landlords are likely to have high levels of tenant activity in the run-up to Christmas, with 65 per cent of tenants looking for new accommodation hoping to move in before the end of the year.
The sustained high demand is a contrast to the typically quiet periods experienced by landlords and letting agents at this time of year.
But with tenants currently cautious about purchasing their own home and rents expected to increase next year, December is expected to be a busy time for those in the residential lettings sector.
Phil Calderbank, director at Lettingsearch.co.uk, the company which carried out the survey, said: "All signs are pointing to high levels of market activity right up until Christmas itself, which is great source of seasonal cheer for lettings professionals, allowing them to cut down on void periods."
Last week, Rics predicted that rents will rise next year due to a drop in the number of rental properties coming on to the market in the third quarter of 2009.
Easy marketing with letting agent softwareADNFCR-1064-ID-19502796-ADNFCR
Published: 09-Dec-2009
This article was brought to you by Rentman the premium rent management software.
Letting agents and landlords are likely to have high levels of tenant activity in the run-up to Christmas, with 65 per cent of tenants looking for new accommodation hoping to move in before the end of the year.
The sustained high demand is a contrast to the typically quiet periods experienced by landlords and letting agents at this time of year.
But with tenants currently cautious about purchasing their own home and rents expected to increase next year, December is expected to be a busy time for those in the residential lettings sector.
Phil Calderbank, director at Lettingsearch.co.uk, the company which carried out the survey, said: "All signs are pointing to high levels of market activity right up until Christmas itself, which is great source of seasonal cheer for lettings professionals, allowing them to cut down on void periods."
Last week, Rics predicted that rents will rise next year due to a drop in the number of rental properties coming on to the market in the third quarter of 2009.
Easy marketing with letting agent softwareADNFCR-1064-ID-19502796-ADNFCR
Monday, December 07, 2009
From Estate Agent Today!
Lenders back off with a new 'six month rule'
Monday 7th December 2009
Estate Agent Today would be interested in hearing from agents experiencing problems with selling properties that have been owned by the seller for six months or less.
Mark Savill, of Novahomes in Chard, Somerset, is one agent who reports a sale unexpectedly failing at the last minute.
The borrower had received the mortgage offer, signed the mortgage deed and given the solicitor the deposit. At the eleventh hour, the lender refused to advance the funds as the owner had only owned the house since October.
“The property in question was bought as a repossession to do up and sell on,” he said. The property had been refurbished when it was so nearly sold.
“The lender in this case was RBS. The Halifax now has the same policy. One problem – it does not appear anywhere in their lending criteria that the seller must have owned the property for a minimum of six months otherwise it will not be suitable as security.”
As the agent in this case points out, this restriction has implications for buyers, sellers and – ironically – lenders themselves.
Buyers will find themselves out of pocket on having made abortive mortgage arrangements if the rug is so suddenly pulled at the last minute, whilst sellers will have a property that cannot be sold for six months unless they find a cash buyer – who might pay less.
Lenders could also find themselves getting less for repos as soon as potential developers realise that their holding costs will be higher.
The agent says: “The real scandal is that this is not policy that is being disclosed to anyone up-front in lending criteria.”
Estate Agent Today is aware of a crackdown by some lenders to buy-to-let purchasers at auction where the property has been owned six months or less, and there was a practice note issued to lawyers last spring, in the context of mortgage fraud, which suggested they should ask sellers selling up in less than six months why they were doing so.
In this particular case, the explanation was straightforward.
Savill says the sellers are simply experienced property renovators. The would-be purchasers of this typical first-time buyer property wanted to live in it. It is hard to see where the lenders could have perceived any risk in a beautifully done-up property (we’ve seen the pictures) going for just under £125,000.
Meanwhile, the property concerned is lingering on Novahomes books, and presumably stands little to no chance of being sold until next March.
Thoughts, anyone?
Monday 7th December 2009
Estate Agent Today would be interested in hearing from agents experiencing problems with selling properties that have been owned by the seller for six months or less.
Mark Savill, of Novahomes in Chard, Somerset, is one agent who reports a sale unexpectedly failing at the last minute.
The borrower had received the mortgage offer, signed the mortgage deed and given the solicitor the deposit. At the eleventh hour, the lender refused to advance the funds as the owner had only owned the house since October.
“The property in question was bought as a repossession to do up and sell on,” he said. The property had been refurbished when it was so nearly sold.
“The lender in this case was RBS. The Halifax now has the same policy. One problem – it does not appear anywhere in their lending criteria that the seller must have owned the property for a minimum of six months otherwise it will not be suitable as security.”
As the agent in this case points out, this restriction has implications for buyers, sellers and – ironically – lenders themselves.
Buyers will find themselves out of pocket on having made abortive mortgage arrangements if the rug is so suddenly pulled at the last minute, whilst sellers will have a property that cannot be sold for six months unless they find a cash buyer – who might pay less.
Lenders could also find themselves getting less for repos as soon as potential developers realise that their holding costs will be higher.
The agent says: “The real scandal is that this is not policy that is being disclosed to anyone up-front in lending criteria.”
Estate Agent Today is aware of a crackdown by some lenders to buy-to-let purchasers at auction where the property has been owned six months or less, and there was a practice note issued to lawyers last spring, in the context of mortgage fraud, which suggested they should ask sellers selling up in less than six months why they were doing so.
In this particular case, the explanation was straightforward.
Savill says the sellers are simply experienced property renovators. The would-be purchasers of this typical first-time buyer property wanted to live in it. It is hard to see where the lenders could have perceived any risk in a beautifully done-up property (we’ve seen the pictures) going for just under £125,000.
Meanwhile, the property concerned is lingering on Novahomes books, and presumably stands little to no chance of being sold until next March.
Thoughts, anyone?
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Oxford Mail Link for the story....
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/4750043.Estate_agents_raided_over_missing_rent_and_deposits/?ref=mr
Oxford Mail Report
Two letting agents' offices and two homes have been raided in a probe into complaints about missing rent and deposit payments, the Oxford Mail has reported today.
The report says police and trading standards officers carried out raids at Charles Lawson (Lettings) Ltd, in Cowley Road, Oxford, and a house in nearby Bartlemas Road at 7.45 yesterday morning.
It adds that the offices of James C Penny estate and letting agents, in Walton Street, Jericho, and a flat were targeted shortly after 9am.
The Oxford Mail says the operation followed a six-month investigation into about 50 complaints by tenants and landlords concerning missing rents and deposits.
A 40-year-old man was said to be in custody last night, arrested under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulation 2008.
Ian Marriott, group manager of trading standards, said: “We had reasonable grounds to suspect offences had been committed under these regulations. Trading Standards have received a significant number of complaints which varied in nature.
“But mostly we’ve had complaints about the failure to return deposits and failure to pass on rents that have been taken.
“There have also been complaints about a general failure to communicate.
“For us this has been quite a big operation.
“It’s really unusual for us to be dealing with high street premises such as these.”
Bags and boxes filled with papers and files were yesterday removed from the house in Bartlemas Road and loaded into a trading standards van.
Paperwork was also seized from the Charles Lawson (Lettings) Ltd office a short distance away in Cowley Road, which has been closed for a month, and the James C Penny estate agents, in Walton Street.
It was trading when officials carried out their operation.
James C Penny has no connection with Penny & Sinclair estate agents, in Banbury Road, Oxford, which is managed by James Penny.
This item read :: 1446 times
The report says police and trading standards officers carried out raids at Charles Lawson (Lettings) Ltd, in Cowley Road, Oxford, and a house in nearby Bartlemas Road at 7.45 yesterday morning.
It adds that the offices of James C Penny estate and letting agents, in Walton Street, Jericho, and a flat were targeted shortly after 9am.
The Oxford Mail says the operation followed a six-month investigation into about 50 complaints by tenants and landlords concerning missing rents and deposits.
A 40-year-old man was said to be in custody last night, arrested under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulation 2008.
Ian Marriott, group manager of trading standards, said: “We had reasonable grounds to suspect offences had been committed under these regulations. Trading Standards have received a significant number of complaints which varied in nature.
“But mostly we’ve had complaints about the failure to return deposits and failure to pass on rents that have been taken.
“There have also been complaints about a general failure to communicate.
“For us this has been quite a big operation.
“It’s really unusual for us to be dealing with high street premises such as these.”
Bags and boxes filled with papers and files were yesterday removed from the house in Bartlemas Road and loaded into a trading standards van.
Paperwork was also seized from the Charles Lawson (Lettings) Ltd office a short distance away in Cowley Road, which has been closed for a month, and the James C Penny estate agents, in Walton Street.
It was trading when officials carried out their operation.
James C Penny has no connection with Penny & Sinclair estate agents, in Banbury Road, Oxford, which is managed by James Penny.
This item read :: 1446 times
Monday, November 16, 2009
High income tenants falling into arrears
High income tenants falling into arrears
RESIDENTIAL landlords who rent out more expensive flats and homes to tenants with higher incomes are facing growing arrears, according to Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection service.
While it is easy to assume that lower income tenants are more likely to fall into arrears, the reality is that individuals with higher incomes are feeling the full force of the recession and as such are falling behind on rent payments, says Landlord Assist.
Its managing director, Graham Kinnear, said: “Many landlords take the view that one property at £1,000 per month requires less management and repair than two at £550 per month.
“However, this is not necessarily the case and the situation appears to be changing, as higher earning tenants are bearing the brunt of the economic slowdown.”
To prevent arrears, Landlord Assist is appealing to landlords to get all their tenants referenced before handing over the keys.
Stephen Parry, of Landlord Assist, said: “In the current economic climate, vetting your tenants will go a long way to ensuring that you are likely to receive rent payments.
“We are always staggered that landlords can hand over keys to their properties after one meeting – it really is a false economy.”
source: The Shuttle
RESIDENTIAL landlords who rent out more expensive flats and homes to tenants with higher incomes are facing growing arrears, according to Landlord Assist, the nationwide tenant eviction and rent collection service.
While it is easy to assume that lower income tenants are more likely to fall into arrears, the reality is that individuals with higher incomes are feeling the full force of the recession and as such are falling behind on rent payments, says Landlord Assist.
Its managing director, Graham Kinnear, said: “Many landlords take the view that one property at £1,000 per month requires less management and repair than two at £550 per month.
“However, this is not necessarily the case and the situation appears to be changing, as higher earning tenants are bearing the brunt of the economic slowdown.”
To prevent arrears, Landlord Assist is appealing to landlords to get all their tenants referenced before handing over the keys.
Stephen Parry, of Landlord Assist, said: “In the current economic climate, vetting your tenants will go a long way to ensuring that you are likely to receive rent payments.
“We are always staggered that landlords can hand over keys to their properties after one meeting – it really is a false economy.”
source: The Shuttle
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Number of property millionaires hit hard by downturn
Source: http://www.zoopla.co.uk
The number of million pound properties in the UK has shrunk by 35% over the past two years, despite the recent upturn in property values, according to Zoopla.co.uk, the UK's leading house price resource. The sharp decline in house prices stemming from the credit crunch has hurt the ranks of property millionaires in the UK where, at the height of the market in late 2007, 1 in 97 properties was valued at over £1 million but today that figure stands at just 1 in 1500.
* UK's property millionaires down 35% since market peak in Nov 2007
* 57% of all UK homes worth over £1 million located in London
* North East hardest hit, losing 83% of property millionaires in past 2 years
Despite the decline in house prices, certain parts of the country remain awash with property millionaires, notably London and the South East, where four fifths (81%) of all million pound homes can be found. The capital is home to 57% of all property millionaires, with the largest share residing in Kensington (W8) where 48% of all properties are worth over £1 million. Outside the capital, Virginia Water in Surrey leads the property millionaire stakes, with 28% of homes in the area worth more than a million pounds, compared to a national average of just 0.88%.
Property millionaires in the North East have been hit the hardest over the past two years, with an 83% reduction in the number of those who can now claim to be property millionaires. Wales has also been hard hit, losing 56% of its property millionaires over the same period.
Alex Chesterman, CEO of Zoopla.co.uk, said: "The housing market downturn has taken its toll on the exclusive 'property millionaires club', reducing the number of those who can claim membership from 283,168 in November 2007 to only 183,630 today. London remains the property millionaire capital of Britain, whilst other parts of the country have seen their property millionaire ranks decimated over the past two years, with many of the former million pound pads sitting close to the threshold."
The number of million pound properties in the UK has shrunk by 35% over the past two years, despite the recent upturn in property values, according to Zoopla.co.uk, the UK's leading house price resource. The sharp decline in house prices stemming from the credit crunch has hurt the ranks of property millionaires in the UK where, at the height of the market in late 2007, 1 in 97 properties was valued at over £1 million but today that figure stands at just 1 in 1500.
* UK's property millionaires down 35% since market peak in Nov 2007
* 57% of all UK homes worth over £1 million located in London
* North East hardest hit, losing 83% of property millionaires in past 2 years
Despite the decline in house prices, certain parts of the country remain awash with property millionaires, notably London and the South East, where four fifths (81%) of all million pound homes can be found. The capital is home to 57% of all property millionaires, with the largest share residing in Kensington (W8) where 48% of all properties are worth over £1 million. Outside the capital, Virginia Water in Surrey leads the property millionaire stakes, with 28% of homes in the area worth more than a million pounds, compared to a national average of just 0.88%.
Property millionaires in the North East have been hit the hardest over the past two years, with an 83% reduction in the number of those who can now claim to be property millionaires. Wales has also been hard hit, losing 56% of its property millionaires over the same period.
Alex Chesterman, CEO of Zoopla.co.uk, said: "The housing market downturn has taken its toll on the exclusive 'property millionaires club', reducing the number of those who can claim membership from 283,168 in November 2007 to only 183,630 today. London remains the property millionaire capital of Britain, whilst other parts of the country have seen their property millionaire ranks decimated over the past two years, with many of the former million pound pads sitting close to the threshold."
Monday, November 09, 2009
What shall we do today Brain?
The same thing we do everyday, Pinky. Try to take over the world.
Ever since the embryonic BlueDoor was first put into the cupboard next to the photocopier, Pinky and the Brain's plan for the day ahead has been our plan too.
Why not?
Is there something that you want to do but the more you think about it, the more reasons you come up with *not* to do it?
Try saying 'Why not?' a bit more often and see where it leads you.
Ever since the embryonic BlueDoor was first put into the cupboard next to the photocopier, Pinky and the Brain's plan for the day ahead has been our plan too.
Why not?
Is there something that you want to do but the more you think about it, the more reasons you come up with *not* to do it?
Try saying 'Why not?' a bit more often and see where it leads you.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
And a bit more on arrears
The best excuse yet for late rent payments was uttered over the phone to me last week.
Coutts don't do internet banking so I haven't been able to pay you.
Really!?! I know quite a bit about Coutts and they not only have internet banking but they also provide account holders with a personal banker who is available 24 hours a day to do your personal banking bidding. Perhaps this tenant's private banker was asleep for 2 weeks?
Oh well, perhaps the standards at Coutts are slipping....
Coutts don't do internet banking so I haven't been able to pay you.
Really!?! I know quite a bit about Coutts and they not only have internet banking but they also provide account holders with a personal banker who is available 24 hours a day to do your personal banking bidding. Perhaps this tenant's private banker was asleep for 2 weeks?
Oh well, perhaps the standards at Coutts are slipping....
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Green shoots aren't stopping rental arrears
Green shoots aren't stopping rental arrears
Source: http://www.landlords.org.uk
For landlords, life may seem as if it's finally getting easier; interest rates are down, and according to a recent RICS survey rents are on the up. But it's not all green shoots; some tenants are still facing financial pressures, which are leading to increased rental arrears.
Research conducted by the National Landlords Association (NLA), the UK's leading representative body for private-residential landlords, reveals nearly three quarters of landlords have experienced rental arrears. Worryingly, 43% of these occurred in the last 12 months.
NLA Rent Guarantee Insurance offers a way for landlords to minimise the risk from loss of rent. Should problems arise during the tenancy, the cover also provides legal expenses and a dedicated 24-hour advisory service. Available to all residential property landlords, NLA Rent Guarantee Insurance offers much needed piece of mind.
David Salusbury, Chairman, NLA, commenting on the launch of NLA Rent Guarantee Insurance said: "Landlords may not realise they can protect themselves against rental arrears, but our research clearly shows there is a need to safeguard your rental income. Unfortunately we aren't out the woods with the economy just yet, and thanks to redundancy and unemployment some tenants are struggling to pay their rent."
"While it is wise to take out insurance, landlords should not forget the importance of also taking full references and making checks at the outset of a tenancy. Keep in touch with your tenants too. If they feel they can come to you if they are facing difficulties, you may be able to come to an arrangement before rental arrears become more serious."
Source: http://www.landlords.org.uk
For landlords, life may seem as if it's finally getting easier; interest rates are down, and according to a recent RICS survey rents are on the up. But it's not all green shoots; some tenants are still facing financial pressures, which are leading to increased rental arrears.
Research conducted by the National Landlords Association (NLA), the UK's leading representative body for private-residential landlords, reveals nearly three quarters of landlords have experienced rental arrears. Worryingly, 43% of these occurred in the last 12 months.
NLA Rent Guarantee Insurance offers a way for landlords to minimise the risk from loss of rent. Should problems arise during the tenancy, the cover also provides legal expenses and a dedicated 24-hour advisory service. Available to all residential property landlords, NLA Rent Guarantee Insurance offers much needed piece of mind.
David Salusbury, Chairman, NLA, commenting on the launch of NLA Rent Guarantee Insurance said: "Landlords may not realise they can protect themselves against rental arrears, but our research clearly shows there is a need to safeguard your rental income. Unfortunately we aren't out the woods with the economy just yet, and thanks to redundancy and unemployment some tenants are struggling to pay their rent."
"While it is wise to take out insurance, landlords should not forget the importance of also taking full references and making checks at the outset of a tenancy. Keep in touch with your tenants too. If they feel they can come to you if they are facing difficulties, you may be able to come to an arrangement before rental arrears become more serious."
Friday, July 17, 2009
Moon Landing
It is a quite well kept secret that I am not happy with heights. My dear wife was unaware of my fear until we went to Warwick Castle and climbed up to the very top of the tallest tower there. She said 'Hey Greg look down there - you can see the river'. I nearly keeled over there an then and my secret was out. Fortunately I have other attributes which mean she can overlook this weakness and still love me!
One of our landlords, H, also knows that I don't like heights as I have refused to go up ladders in his property renovations and new builds a couple of times. Today must have been special though because this morning he gave me some top tips for ladder climbing then forced me up a ladder to look at what will be the penthouse in his new development.
The doorway you can see on the right is on the first floor and I went all the way up to that bit of wood near the velux windows. Aargh! H and the electrician A, man-handled me a bit to get me off the top of the ladder and I stood on that bit of wood for a while to chat and admire the view then came back down again.
Here's another view of the roof
H had to get me a cup of tea when I was back on safe ground and I am still not convinced that I am cured of my fear but this maybe Step One of a Ten Step programme.......
One of our landlords, H, also knows that I don't like heights as I have refused to go up ladders in his property renovations and new builds a couple of times. Today must have been special though because this morning he gave me some top tips for ladder climbing then forced me up a ladder to look at what will be the penthouse in his new development.
The doorway you can see on the right is on the first floor and I went all the way up to that bit of wood near the velux windows. Aargh! H and the electrician A, man-handled me a bit to get me off the top of the ladder and I stood on that bit of wood for a while to chat and admire the view then came back down again.
Here's another view of the roof
H had to get me a cup of tea when I was back on safe ground and I am still not convinced that I am cured of my fear but this maybe Step One of a Ten Step programme.......
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Triumph Rocket III
I found this tonight and just had to share it with you. It was this very same process that produced BlueDoor all those years ago!! The embryonic BlueDoor was also kept in a cupboard next to the photocopier and no-one ever believed it would one day be a fully grown BlueDoor with its very own knobs
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Happy tenant
Dear Greg
Thank you for organising the washing machine, which is working fine - and probably makes my neighbours happier as it is so much quieter! I hadn't realised how noisy the other one had become.
Unbelievably, I am approaching the end of my second year here. I would very much like to stay - is that going to be possible?
Of course it is, and we won't charge you for renewing
Of course it is, and we won't charge you for renewing
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Hello Summer!
We have a little box for a message on our statements and most batches go out with a little something to cheer you up. Last week we sent out a bundle of statements all with the jolly message 'Summer is here at last. Enjoy the sunshine!'
Oops. Did you hear the thunder this afternoon? Or see the cats and dogs raining down?
Bluedoor has absolutely no weather forecasting skills whatsoever and we apologise for raising anyone's hopes!
What is new with you? We are all ok meeting new people and trying to spread the Blueness.
Oops. Did you hear the thunder this afternoon? Or see the cats and dogs raining down?
Bluedoor has absolutely no weather forecasting skills whatsoever and we apologise for raising anyone's hopes!
What is new with you? We are all ok meeting new people and trying to spread the Blueness.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Still here
Crikey! You miss a call or two, people forget about the joy of emailing instead of calling and all of a sudden folks are wondering if we are still in business!
We are alive and kicking and very, very busy. You may have seen that our listings on rightmove and bluedoorlettings.com are numerous and splendiferous at the moment and this has led to lots and lots of viewings on lots of lovely properties. When I have been on the phone I've had a few tricky conversations with landlords this week about hitting the 'sweet spot' regarding rents. Thankfully (for them) those landlords seem to have come round to my way of thinking.
Humourous advert + ouchy rent = a good laugh but no interest.
Humorous advert + sweet rent = instant response from interested parties, very often within hours.
Would you believe that we had 61,715 summary views on rightmove in the last 28 days? The blog data is very much smaller and I am so ashamed that I am not going to post how may (few) hits we've had this month at all.
We have also been struggling with taking Bluedoor's back office into the world of terminal servers and remote desktops necessitating new printers and some rethinking. This is mainly all good but as a result of all this hocus pocus our statements will be printed in black and white from here on in which is a bit of a sad moment for us as blue is our thing. Perhaps blue paper is the way forward?
There aren't enough hours in the day to run the business and think about paper colour....
We are alive and kicking and very, very busy. You may have seen that our listings on rightmove and bluedoorlettings.com are numerous and splendiferous at the moment and this has led to lots and lots of viewings on lots of lovely properties. When I have been on the phone I've had a few tricky conversations with landlords this week about hitting the 'sweet spot' regarding rents. Thankfully (for them) those landlords seem to have come round to my way of thinking.
Humourous advert + ouchy rent = a good laugh but no interest.
Humorous advert + sweet rent = instant response from interested parties, very often within hours.
Would you believe that we had 61,715 summary views on rightmove in the last 28 days? The blog data is very much smaller and I am so ashamed that I am not going to post how may (few) hits we've had this month at all.
We have also been struggling with taking Bluedoor's back office into the world of terminal servers and remote desktops necessitating new printers and some rethinking. This is mainly all good but as a result of all this hocus pocus our statements will be printed in black and white from here on in which is a bit of a sad moment for us as blue is our thing. Perhaps blue paper is the way forward?
There aren't enough hours in the day to run the business and think about paper colour....
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Where is the board shepherd when you need him?
Here is another lonely lost board. Keeping very poor company too.
This one is lost near Rivy Field on the path that runs from the crossing by the junction of Audlett Drive and Thames View all the way to the Nature Reserve. If you are a driver and not a walker you wouldn't even know that this path exists. It is a mostly leafy and green alternative to walking along Audlett Drive or Radley Road which is much more pleasant than breathing in traffic fumes.
Most towns have their paths which can make getting about on foot easier than driving and Abingdon is no exception. It took me years to understand how Peachcroft was connected to Radley Road or Appleford Drive and I still can't quite believe that it can be so much quicker to walk from A to B than drive despite Mrs Simpson's assurances.
On a different note, this week's tenant Problem of the Week is mildew. Not Toxic Mold as found on US websites but just ordinary mouldy mildew caused by having the heating on too high, taking long hot showers, drying clothes indoors and not opening the windows enough. We have dehumidifiers out in 3 flats at the moment and have been giving tenants information on ventilation and wiping off mildew with a solution of white vinegar on a cloth.
Modern folk like to be hot and expect to be able to wear t-shirts and shorts indoors even in winter. To do that comfortably you need to have your heating on at about 25 degrees which will play havoc with the cold spots in your house and moisture levels in the air.
I'm not that old as you know but I am an avid wearer of lambswool jumpers in winter and very happy to keep one on indoors and keep the heating low. My dear wife is also a fan of wool and our younger two are big fans of layering but our older kids are hard as nails and only wear a coat when its snowing. I feel cold just looking at them.
My tips to prevent mildew are: keep a window open a crack during the day to keep air circulating, think about how to keep your body warm and not the air around you, fit curtains over your doors and windows to keep heat in, open the bathroom window after having a shower to let the moisture escape and lastly, turn the heating down and invest in some jumpers!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Flat fees - a disincentive for what?
This week two customers who I spoke to at the start of January have come back to me to say they don't want to instruct anyone else so can I come and take some pictures of their properties and get them advertised.
Great news as I was beginning to think they had forgotten about me! When I worked for a corporate company we had to chase up new landlord leads on a daily basis if a couple of days had gone by and we hadn't heard from them. I hated doing that and tried to avoid it if I could. Now, as you can imagine I don't do it at all. If they want bluedoor they will come to bluedoor, it is as simple as that.
It seems that the other agents who these two landlords invited into their homes proceeded to hound them on a daily basis offering them all kinds of inducements to instruct them which as you can imagine is pretty annoying - and off-putting. Our deal is our deal and everything I say when meeting a landlord for the first time is the same as what I say a week later. No deals, no discounts and no guilt trips!
Anyhow obviously our honesty, transparency, integrity and consistency have won out yet again and several folks are now sitting in their offices disappointed. Take note of the above my friends.
This latest landlord asked me a strange thing when he called me to instruct me though. He was wondering what incentive we have for increasing the rent on his property if we stand to gain nothing from any increase as we don't charge a percentage. Good question!
I hope that over time he will see that the honesty that I show upfront is also the honesty which drives our business. Our first adverts had the text 'Helping Landlords get more of their rent' You might have seen on in the Post Office in Abingdon or in the Property Weekly. That is what we still do. We do the best for our landlords and charge a flat fee for doing it. Simple and unusual but still true.
Great news as I was beginning to think they had forgotten about me! When I worked for a corporate company we had to chase up new landlord leads on a daily basis if a couple of days had gone by and we hadn't heard from them. I hated doing that and tried to avoid it if I could. Now, as you can imagine I don't do it at all. If they want bluedoor they will come to bluedoor, it is as simple as that.
It seems that the other agents who these two landlords invited into their homes proceeded to hound them on a daily basis offering them all kinds of inducements to instruct them which as you can imagine is pretty annoying - and off-putting. Our deal is our deal and everything I say when meeting a landlord for the first time is the same as what I say a week later. No deals, no discounts and no guilt trips!
Anyhow obviously our honesty, transparency, integrity and consistency have won out yet again and several folks are now sitting in their offices disappointed. Take note of the above my friends.
This latest landlord asked me a strange thing when he called me to instruct me though. He was wondering what incentive we have for increasing the rent on his property if we stand to gain nothing from any increase as we don't charge a percentage. Good question!
I hope that over time he will see that the honesty that I show upfront is also the honesty which drives our business. Our first adverts had the text 'Helping Landlords get more of their rent' You might have seen on in the Post Office in Abingdon or in the Property Weekly. That is what we still do. We do the best for our landlords and charge a flat fee for doing it. Simple and unusual but still true.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Topical Tip of the month
It is freezing some nights isn't it? If you are cold, your pipes are too and if you drink the water from the bathroom tap in the middle of the night you might freeze your teeth! Brrrr.
Here are some tips from Direct Line insurers
Here are some tips from Direct Line insurers
• Insulate your pipes with preformed insulation, and replace the washers on any dripping taps - if the taps freeze, the pipe will get blocked.
• Know where your water valves are, and learn how to shut them off in case a pipe does burst.
• In very cold weather the heating will need to be on low, or set to come on a couple of times a day, especially if you're going away.
• Open the loft trapdoor on cold days to let heat in.
Click here to read more about protecting your home from leaks caused by burst pipes.
We Simpsons are about as frugal as you can be in lots of ways but we don't scrimp on keeping the house warm enough to keep the water flowing through the pipes. We don't have it like the Bahamas though! We use an oil filled radiator in our living room, freeze in the kitchen and get under the feather duvet at night but we keep the heating switched to constant and the thermostat on about 12-15 most of the time A few nights this month we have heard it click and the heating come on inthe small hours but this is a GOOD thing.
Keeping the chill off the house while you are at work means that it warms up more quickly when you get home. Your central heating switching on and switching off is good for the boiler and keeps it all from seizing up through lack of use.
If the bills worry you then save money elsewhere by taking a packed lunch to work, leaving your car at home when you can and asking your Mum or Gran for some tips on cooking from scratch to save on all those take aways!
Water going places it shouldn't can lead to scenes like this:
Thames Water had a broken pipe under the ground in front of this flat. The grass and weeds there grew like...grass and weeds but the flat was also curiously damp despite there being no leaks from anything inside and the shower pressure was very low. After investigating all possible causes we ended up calling Thames Water to check the pressure on the water main.
They found a crack and got some men out to fix it the same day. Thanks to our dehumidifiers the flat is now nice and dry and the problem is solved. Who'd have thought one call could make diggers appear so quickly! If only everything could be fixed so swiftly and without a bill to the landlord!
Friday, January 09, 2009
Onward and Upward
Tonight I've been on Rightmove adding some new instructions and I thought I'd have a look at those folks who I consider to be our competitors and see what they are offering to let this month. This is not a list of all the agents locally just some who I spy on to see what they are up to!
And secondly, probably the highest stairwell I've seen for some time. I don't envy the decorators who painted this! There are stairs there I promise, I just couldn't get the window and the stairs in at once without getting dizzy.
The results just in, hot off the screen are as follows:
Hodsons Abingdon 7 properties Go Robin and Joe!
Hodsons Didcot 14 properties Go Trudles! (she is good you know!)
Andrews Abingdon 8 properties Go Andrew!
Buckell and Ballard Abingdon 12 properties Go James!
Allen and Harris 13 properties Off to a good start....!
Lansbrough Lettings 11 properties Go Hadrian!
Chancellors 11 properties Go team!
Abingdon Lettings Centre 17 properties Go Dougie!
BlueDoor has 20 properties and none are advertised with any other agents unlike some of those above. I could pretend that I don't know what we are doing that other people aren't but I can't be that modest! We are the only people who will answer the phone on a Sunday and take on a property there and then if that is what the landlord wants. We are the only flat fee agents in the county and no amount of maths can disguise the fact that even 10% of your rent is often a lot more than our fee of £65 per month for full management. Oh and we'll give you £50 if you recommend a landlord to us and we let their property for them.
We have not been trading for quite three years yet and we already have a big share of the local and Oxfordshire market because we are unusual. Big corporate companies with lots of office space, staff, overheads and cars are becoming difficult to justify in this market. Slim businesses, smart use of time and frankly crappy looking cars are obviously the way to go!
How many offices have you walked past this week and seen people at their desks surfing the internet or making cups of tea? If you are a landlord you are paying for that to happen and if I were you I'd be wondering if my money was being well spent.
We had the pleasure of taking over the management of a property in Didcot this week and when I popped in to collect the keys from the old agents I was faced with a ghost of my corporate past that I thought was well and truly buried. I only asked how it was going just as you would if you bumped ito a friend in the street and I got a most bizarre response: 'I completed so many lets last month my conversion rate is 1 in 5 which must mean that my applicant matching is really good'. Gosh. Is that a good thing?
We don't use that kind of speak here. We advertise with lots of pictures, do viewings and let properties. We don't have a white board with targets, yields, conversion rates and completions which needs to be monitored and updated daily or someone gets it in the neck. I used to work in a place with one of those though and my colleagues were always irked that my numbers were regularly bigger than theirs in every column.
Smug, me? No, just quite good at this job!
Oh well that's my ramblings for today. Let me find a picture or two for you now.
First, these are our favourite locksmiths who we like because they share our view of how to get business done.
And secondly, probably the highest stairwell I've seen for some time. I don't envy the decorators who painted this! There are stairs there I promise, I just couldn't get the window and the stairs in at once without getting dizzy.
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