Author: manny

New homes in England to have electric car chargers by law

 

The Bank of Mum and Dad – How to help your child buy a home

Homebuyers are increasingly turning to the Bank of Mum and Dad for help. Here’s how you can help your children get on the ladder, and everything you need to know about gifted deposits, tax implications and Bank of Mum and Dad mortgage options.

Analysis by property group Savills shows that gifts and loans from the Bank of Mum & Dad (BOMAD) will hit a new high in 2021

 

How can I help my child buy a home? 

There are several ways parents can help their children buy their first home:

• A financial gift
• A loan
• Putting your savings in a linked account
• Acting as a guarantor on a mortgage
• Getting a joint mortgage

 

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Bank of Mum and Dad?

Gifting money to help your child buy a house can be wonderfully generous, but it can throw up some problems. Here’s the pros and cons of using the Bank of Mum and Dad.

Pros of using Bank of Mum and Dad

• A tax-free gift. Provided the parents live for seven years after the gift the money will be tax-free. It also helps parents reduce the size of their estate, which can reduce a future inheritance tax bill.
• Lower monthly repayments. The Bank of Mum and Dad can help people put down a bigger deposit on their first home. This means they can borrow less and possibly get a lower interest-rate, which means lower monthly repayments.
• A better home. By helping boost the deposit the Bank of Mum and Dad could help their child buy a better property. Whether it is a slightly bigger home, or in a better area this could mean your child doesn’t need to move again in a couple of year. This could save them thousands in the cost of buying and selling property.
• Better mortgage choices. A bigger deposit can open up the mortgage market with more deals to choose from.

Cons of using bank of Mum and Dad

• Reduced mortgage options if loaning rather than gifting. Loans from the Bank of Mum and Dad can have repercussions on your mortgage. Some lenders won’t accept lent deposits as it means someone else has an interest in the property.
• Additional information required by lenders. Mortgage lenders, estate agents and solicitors can all request to see proof of funds. Parents can have to show evidence of where the money they are gifting has come from. This can mean presenting numerous bank statements and certified ID.
• Relationship breakdowns. These days most people buy a home with a friend or partner. In the event of that relationship breaking down you could find your child’s ex waltzing away with half your money. Prevent this by getting a deed of trust drawn up.
• Family friction. If the Bank of Mum and Dad lends to one child in a family it can cause friction with other children which overshadows their relationship forever more.
• Smaller savings. Gifting money to your children could leave you struggling in the future. Before you open up your own branch of the Bank of Mum and Dad assess your finances and work out how you can afford to help.

Stamp duty holiday extension: how to make the most of it?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced the stamp duty holiday will be extended for a further three months until the end of June. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, we have the information you’re looking for.

The extension of the holiday means nine out of 10 people buying a property will not have to pay stamp duty, saving them an average of £4,500 each and a maximum of £15,000 for those purchasing a home costing £500,000.

 

Why has the stamp duty holiday been extended?

The Chancellor announced the stamp duty holiday in July 2020 to help kickstart the housing market in England and Northern Ireland.

The tax break triggered a mini home-buying boom. The spike in housing transactions led to a congested sales pipeline and the home buying process taking longer than the average time.

It is estimated that around 70,000 people who agreed sales in 2020 were in danger of missing the 31 March deadline. A petition calling for the stamp duty holiday to be extended received more than 100,000 signatures, triggering a debate to be held in Parliament in February.

 

What happens when the stamp duty holiday ends?

Once the stamp duty holiday ends on 30 June, there will be an interim period until 30 September when the tax-free threshold will fall to £250,000. The move means that nearly half of housing sales in England will be free of stamp duty. Last year, some 46% of all home sales were for properties of up to £250,000.

 

When do you pay stamp duty?

You must pay stamp duty within 14 days of completing your property purchase. Your solicitor or conveyancer will usually file this return and transfer the money on your behalf.

Government support is also available

During the second lockdown, the government extended its offer of mortgage payment holidays. Borrowers who need help paying their mortgages can still request a holiday of up to six months until 31 March 2021.

Meanwhile, the government’s Help to Buy scheme offers an equity loan to buyers with a 5% deposit. The initiative will close on 31 March and be replaced with a new version, which will only be available to first-time buyers.

Our Guaranteed Rent service means your rent is paid on time, every single month ✓

Guaranteed Rent can be a life-saver for landlords. One of the biggest problems of being a landlord is that it’s virtually impossible to find a tenant that is guaranteed to always pay rent on time every month.

Do you have a property in Coventry, Leamington Spa or Warwickshire?

 

Our enhanced Guaranteed Rent service offers you:

✓ Guarantee Rent paid on time, every single month

✓ Rent Guarantee protection (up to £2500 per month)

✓ Access to free specialist advice on late rents

✓ Hassle free claims handled on your behalf

✓ Free rental advice from a professional

✓ Monthly account statements

✓ Deposit protected via DPS

✓ Comprehensive full tenant referencing

 

Offering peace of mind for busy landlords

 

From our experience, a small percentage of landlords don’t opt for Guaranted Rent, and it’s usually because of the following reasons:

✓ Because the tenant’s they’ve chose don’t meet their requirements e.g. If you haven’t conducted efficient tenant referencing and credit checks

✓ They don’t want to pay extra for this service

✓ They don’t know much or anything about the policy

✓ They’re willing to take a chance with their tenant

✓ They have good tenants

 

Say goodbye to void periods and contact our team today

With more and more Brits wanting to move to Spain, here are a few things you may want to know

 

Moving to Spain can be an exciting thought but there are numerous things you should be prepared for. Spain continues to be one of the most attractive European destinations for British families and retirees.

According to government figures, 69% of British citizens living in the EU live in Spain (37%).

Home ownership is 78% in Spain, higher than in the UK and well above the average across the EU. A large proportion of Spanish property is owned by foreign investors and this includes British expats, drawn by low interest rates in the coastal regions.

 

 

There are many positives about moving to Spain, including:

1. Competitively priced villa’s and apartments

2. The warm Mediterranean climate

3. Relaxation and slower pace of life

4. Lower cost of living compared with most of the UK

5. Eating out is cheaper

 

 

Renting property

For those relocating to Spain from the UK and looking to rent, the rental market is very similar. Rental agreements in Spain don’t legally have to be put into writing but it is always advisable to do so.

Short term contracts (contrato de arrendamiento de temporada ), which can run up to a year, generally have less legal protections than longer-term contracts (arriendo de vivienda).

A three bedroomed studio apartment in the capital of Madrid will cost you in the region of €1578 (£1378) in the city centre.

A similar-sized apartment in the heart of Barcelona will set you back around £1495 (£1306) with prices declining the further outside of the city centre you venture.

 

Searches for gardens on the rise for those wanting to buy and rent

 

We are seeing a huge trend in both the sales and rental sector with more and more people wanting an outdoors space they can enjoy. When putting your property on the market we advise to cut your lawn, trim those hedges and prune those flowers so we can show off your garden for both marketing photos and videos.

Pictures of the kitchen had previously been considered key to attracting the attention of browsers however this has now been followed with a rise in people specifically asking about garden spaces.

Lockdown has definitely changed the priorities of buyers and renters, many of whom have been working from home, research by property portal Rightmove suggests.

 

 

What are the top 5 search priorities?

The below statistics have been sourced from Rightmove showing what people now want in their next property.

1. Access to a garden

2. A bigger home

3. Access to a garage

4. A better home workspace

5. A property closer to nearby parks

 

 

At present, interest in property is high in some areas. Lockdown break-ups, job losses and urgent relocations are thought to have led to a surge in the rental sector.