Posts with tag: Halloween

Tenant survey reveals the creepiest rental interior trends in the UK

Published On: October 29, 2021 at 9:21 am

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Categories: Lettings News,Tenant News

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Just in time for Halloween, 2,284 UK tenants were surveyed to find out what items of furniture they would find the scariest when looking to rent a property.

Manor Interiors, provider of build-to-rent furnishing solutions, found the clear winner was inflatable furniture and waterbeds. Also ranking highly were wicker furniture and tile countertops.

What would be the scariest item of furniture to find in a rental property?

AnswerRespondents
Inflatable/water bed54%
Wicker furniture10%
Tile kitchen countertops10%
Fast furniture (cheap imitations)8%
Jacuzzi Bath6%
Bean bag chairs5%
Futon3%
Leather sofa or arm chair1%
Platform bed1%
Breakfast bar stools1%

The same tenants were then asked which interior design trends they found the scariest when it comes to looking for a rental property. Carpeted bathrooms received the most votes, with ceiling mirrors also giving them the creeps.

What are the scariest interior design trends to find in a rental property?

AnswerRespondents
Carpeted bathrooms18%
Ceiling mirrors17%
Matching wallpaper and carpets10%
Textured ceilings or walls10%
Fake flowers or fruit9%
Empty picture frames8%
Lace8%
Inspirational wall art – Live, Laugh, Love7%
Bright coloured interiors7%
Floral5%

Farhan Malik, CEO of Manor Interiors, comments: “While tenants might not have a say in how a rental property is presented, it can certainly impact their likelihood to rent it and as our research shows, there are plenty of outdated interior design trends that could scare them away.

“This is an important consideration for landlords and it really highlights the significance of presenting a property that appeals to the modern-day tenant. While initial factors such as size, location and cost will always drive their initial search, design, style and appearance are becoming increasingly influential.

“The best bet is to keep to a clean, neutral style and avoid any blasts from the past such as carpeted bathrooms and textured walls or ceilings. In doing so, you’re going to best present your property while also leaving a little room for a tenant to put their own personal stamp in terms of their preferred style.”

Spooky reasons for rejecting a house revealed by first direct, this Halloween

Published On: October 31, 2019 at 10:02 am

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Categories: Property News

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Just in time for Halloween, another report on spooky issues likely to frighten off potential house buyers has been released!

Creepy neighbours, residents who have died, rumours of haunting, and unlucky house numbers are just some of the spooky reasons for rejecting a house, according to research from first direct.

Nearly half of all house buyers claimed creepy neighbours would convince them to pass on a property, while one in five admitted that a death in the house would send shivers down their spine.

One fifth would be deterred by rumours of ghostly goings-on and nearly one in ten find unlucky street names or numbers a definite turn-off…

These results come from a survey of 2,000 people looking into the darkest deal-breakers when it comes to buying a house.

Inappropriate street names, ‘bad energy’ and relationship breakups also made the list of the top terrors when looking for a new home.

Top spooky reasons for rejecting a housePercentage
Creepy neighbours43%
Someone died21%
Rumours of haunting20%
Unlucky street name or number8%
Rude/funny street name8%

The results of the survey also revealed:

  • 28% of 21– 34-year-olds refuse to consider a house that someone has died in, making them the most superstitious age group.
  • First-time buyers were also more bothered about the above issue (25%) than second-steppers (14%).
  • Around one in twenty first-time buyers also wouldn’t buy a house owned by a couple that got divorced…
  • Looking at location, those in Bristol are the least likely to be put off by creepy neighbours (35%) and a resilient 86% wouldn’t be phased by a property in which someone had died.

Joe Gordon, Head of first direct, said: “It would appear that as house buyers we are pretty easily spooked by anything out of the ordinary, especially if we’re buying for the first time. But it’s amazing how much this drops the longer we’re on the housing ladder.

“One thing is for sure. We all know the value of having really good neighbours, but if yours are a bit closer to the Addams family than the Brady Bunch, you might find they’re responsible for putting the morgue in mortgage when it’s time for you to start looking for a new home!”

Happy Halloween!

Would a murder or paranormal activity put you off purchasing a property?

Published On: October 28, 2019 at 11:19 am

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New research has revealed the most common turnoffs for Brits looking for a property to purchase.

This research from regulated property buyer Good Move shows that over half (58%) of those involved with its survey would be put off purchasing a property if there had previously been a murder at the property. 44% would reject a house if there had been reports of paranormal activity.

However, more practical issues seem to be higher up on their list of concerns, such as a shared garden (73%), signs of damp (75%) or cracks (73%) and having a short leasehold remaining (76%).

The biggest red flag for those looking to buy is noisy neighbours, with a huge 85% of people saying this would put them off purchasing a property.

The top 10 issues putting house buyers off purchasing a property:

  1. Noisy neighbours (85%)
  2. Short leasehold remaining (76%)
  3. Signs of damp (75%)
  4. A shared garden (73%)  
  5. Signs of cracks on the walls (73%)
  6. Front Door opening onto a main road (70%)
  7. No parking (69%)
  8. No garden (66%)
  9. Smelly (63%)
  10. Busy or high-speed roads nearby (62%)  

Over 40% of UK house buyers may have admitted that they would not be put off by the fact that a murder took place onsite, but this would cause them to expect a discount of almost a third (32%) of its market value.

The research also highlighted that buyers would expect a 30% reduction if there had been reports of paranormal activity…

The top five features that buyers would expect the biggest discounts for are: 

  1. Existing tenants (34%)
  2. Murder (32%)
  3. Paranormal Activity (30%)
  4. Pets left behind in the property (26%)
  5. Being next door to a cemetery (25%)

Ross Counsell, director at Good Move, said: “Although everyone has a different idea of the perfect home, it’s clear from our survey that certain things will put off most people. 

“On the bright side, some of these put-offs are easy to address, so if you are looking to sell your house, make sure you sort out small things like cracks and damp. 

“These little actions can make a huge difference and help you to make your house more attractive to buyers.”

Will the Chancellor have some Pre-Halloween Treats for Landlords in Budget?

Published On: October 26, 2018 at 9:28 am

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Categories: Landlord News

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There are various tricks that Chancellor Philip Hammond could have for housing in Monday’s Autumn Budget, but will he have some pre-Halloween treats for landlords?

Hammond is set to deliver his Autumn Budget this coming Monday (29th October 2018) – a whole month earlier than usual – with many experts expecting to hear of public spending announcements in relation to Brexit, the roll-out of Universal Credit, and Theresa May’s pledge to end austerity.

Will the Chancellor have some Pre-Halloween Treats for Landlords in Budget?

Will the Chancellor have some Pre-Halloween Treats for Landlords in Budget?

Mike Jakeman, the Senior Economist Advisor at consultancy PwC, says: “This Budget is going to be a very interesting one to watch, because there is so much uncertainty around the UK economy at the moment.”

As far as the property market is concerned, Michelle Niziol, the CEO of Michelle Niziol Bespoke Property Solutions, believes that there will be some “pre-Halloween treats” next week.

She claims: “The Chancellor has a tough task ahead with this month’s Brexit Budget, and pleasing everyone will be harder than in recent years.

“While it is difficult at this point in time to predict exactly what the Budget will contain, there could be some pre-Halloween treats for the housing market. What is clear is that the decisions made by the Government will be the result of a lack of affordable homes and new housing stock for our growing population to live in.”

Buy-to-let landlords have come under attack from the Government in recent years, in a bid to free up housing stock for first time buyers. However, it has been rumoured that the Budget could include tax breaks for landlords who sell their properties to long-term, sitting tenants.

Niziol believes: “The introduction of the new buy-to-let tax relief would benefit both the landlord and tenant, and enable more first time buyers to purchase their first home.

“Our message to landlords is to hold off selling your property. Renting is becoming less of a dirty word in British culture, purely because of the freedoms that renting allows.”

She continues: “The marked increase in the quality of rental accommodation by private landlords, and the likes of new build to rent developments, highlights that the property industry is committed to making tenancy an enjoyable option.

“In the long-term, the shift towards rental culture is only expected to gain strength, placing landlords and property investors in the perfect position to supply what the market desperately needs.”

Niziol concludes: “I look forward to hearing the Chancellor’s plan to make housing, at all levels, more attainable for our citizens.”

We are all hoping for some pre-Halloween treats, not tricks, from Hammond on Monday – stay tuned for the announcements next week.

The UK’s Top 10 Spookiest House Price Drops of the Year

Published On: October 31, 2017 at 9:01 am

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It has been a particularly spooky year for some UK property owners, with Brexit and a snap General Election bringing an uncertain market. Some property owners have seen the price of their homes drop in line with a lack of buyer demand.

In light of Halloween and all the ghastly things that come along with it, hybrid estate agent eMoov.co.uk has compiled a list of the top ten areas of the UK that have suffered the scariest house price drops of the past year…

The UK's Top 10 Spookiest House Price Drops of the Year

The UK’s Top 10 Spookiest House Price Drops of the Year

  1. Aberdeenshire: -5.69% 

Topping the list is Scotland’s Aberdeenshire, which suffered the frightening price drop of 5.69%. Although property values in Scotland remain lower than the UK’s average, this part of northern Scotland has been hit hardest over the last year, with a typical house price of £188,876 – largely dye to the continued economic slump from a decline in the oil industry.

  1. City of London: -5.59%

Prices in the capital have taken a spine-chilling turn over the last 12 months – not because of ghosts or zombies – but instead because of the inflated price of property. The City of London has endured a decrease of 5.59%, although prices still average £800,802.

  1. Hartlepool: -5.35%

Durham’s Hartlepool follows closely behind, with a drop of 5.35%, taking the average property value to £100,957.

  1. City of Aberdeen: -4.81%

Keeping up with the wider area, the largest city in the region has seen a spooky dip in house prices, down by 4.81% over the year to an average of £167,903.

  1. Halton: -4.62%

Heading back to England, Cheshire’s Halton has suffered a haunting fall in average values of 4.62%, taking prices to £127,003.

  1. Middlesbrough: -3.21%

North Yorkshire’s Middlesbrough experienced a decline of 3.21% in average house prices over the year, bringing the typical value down to £108,904.

  1. Rhondda Cynon Taf: -3.14%

Wales’ darkest price decline was 3.14% in the south, dropping the average house price to an almost supernatural £101,675.

  1. Carlisle: -2.98%

In Cumbria, the average property value in Carlisle has trickled down by 2.98%, leaving it at £129,425.

9 & 10. City of Westminster & Hyndburn: -2.46%

Another contender in the capital, prime central London’s City of Westminster experienced a grim drop of 2.46% to a devilish average of £962,510. Lancashire’s Hyndburn accompanies it, where property values also fell by a gruesome 2.46% to an average of £93,628.

Russell Quirk, the Founder and CEO of eMoov, comments: “Although the current state of the UK market may appear scary, the haunting uncertainty that came with the snap election and the referendum has begun to slowly vanish, so we should start to see positive price growth creep across the majority of the UK before next Halloween.”

A Nightmare on Elm Street for UK Homeowners

Published On: October 31, 2016 at 11:49 am

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According to a new study by online estate agent HouseSimple.com, living on Elm Street certainly seems to be a nightmare for UK homeowners!

The research, conducted ahead of Halloween, found that 57% of the 79 Elm Streets in the UK have experienced no property sales since last year. What’s more, when the agent delved a little deeper

A Nightmare on Elm Street for UK Homeowners

A Nightmare on Elm Street for UK Homeowners

into the figures, it unearthed a chilling fact…

Over the past decade, there have been 666 property sales on the UK’s Elm Streets – eek! If that doesn’t make homeowners want to move house, we don’t know what would.

HouseSimple analysed the number of property sales on all Elm Streets in the UK over the last 12 months, five years and ten years. And it certainty seems that these homeowners are having a real nightmare of selling their properties!

One in ten Elm Streets seem to have been hit with the curse of sharing the same name as the 1984 slasher movie, as there have been no registered sales in ten years on Elm Streets in Manchester, Rossendale, Belfast, Glasgow, Ellesmere Port, Coatbridge, Birkenhead and London.

In addition, the average house price on Elm Streets across the UK, at £180,114, is almost a fifth (18%) lower than the UK average of £218,964. Are buyers spooked by the infamous name? Recent research uncovers the spookiest reasons that buyers have turned down a property: /spookiest-reasons-given-not-buying-home/

The CEO of HouseSimple.com, Alex Gosling, says: “It sounds like a horror movie sequel, but for hundreds of homeowners, the curse of Elm Street could actually be a grim reality. No sales since last Halloween on more than half of the 79 Elm Streets we found suggests there’s more going on than subsidence to scare buyers away. And we nearly leapt out of our skins when we discovered the number of sales on the UK’s Elm Streets in the past decade was the devil’s number – it’s enough to send a shiver down the spine.

“Fortunately, not everyone is spooked by Halloween, and with Elm Street prices below the UK average, I’m sure there are plenty of buyers who would snap up the chance to live on such an infamously-named street… they just wouldn’t want Mr. F Krueger living next door.”

Keep up to date with our spooky property stories this Halloween at: https://uk.pinterest.com/landlordnews/halloween-2016/