Hammersmith Lettings:

Hammersmith Has Highest Estate Agents Charges

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Estate agents are often secretive about what they charge sellers, it has been alleged, whilst there is great variation in the levels of fees that they charge.

A new survey found that only one agent in London – Winkworth – disclosed its fees on its website. About 20% of London agents refused to disclose their fees over the phone or via email.

The survey, by new estate agent comparison website ipostcode, looked at 250 agents’ fees across London and found that it is not necessarily in the most expensive postcodes where agents charge the highest fees.

Some of the highest average commissions are charged in the SE1 (Bermondsey), NW11 (Golders Green) and W6 (Hammersmith) postcodes, although agents in some lower priced areas – E8 (Dalston), N8 (Crouch End) and SE28 (Thamesmead) – offer some of the lowest commission rates.

The majority of the London estate agencies surveyed quoted 1.5% commission, but 15% of agents quoted 1%. The highest commission level quoted was 2.5%.

There were several postcode areas including Islington (N1) and Clerkenwell (EC1) where commission levels spanned the range from 1%-2.5%, which means that on a property priced at the London average of £342,749 (according to latest Land Registry figures), the seller could be paying anything from £4,113 to £10,282 including VAT to sell the same home.

Estate agents’ reputation for being guarded about their fees was borne out by the survey, with one in five of agents refusing to say what their fees were, either on the phone or via email. Only one agency, Winkworth, which has 43 London offices, displayed fees online.

One in four agents said that their fees are negotiable based on either a realistic valuation of the property or depending on the price range of the property. Many agents in the survey stressed that an agency should not be chosen simply on their commission rates but on service, track record and marketing.

The survey also found that estate agent fees in London at an average of 1.7% are more or less in line with the national average of 1.8% – contrary to the perception that London estate agent fees are the highest in the country.

Estate Agent Today

Hammersmith Leasehold Commercial Property for Sale

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:26:00 +0000

Commercial Leasehold Property for Sale, Hammersmith

Hammersmith
Tasso Road
Hammersmith
Greater London
W6

GIA: 1367 sq/ft*

£ 28,000
Leasehold

Tasso Road is a quiet, residential address moments from Queens Club, offering quick access to the shops, bars and restaurants of Fulham Broadway and West Kensington, with local shops close by on Fulham Palace Road.

The closest station is Barons Court (District and Piccadilly Line) and Kensington Olympia (Overground) while the A4/M4 provides the motorist with a rapid route out of London towards Heathrow Airport and the West.

Ground - 24sqm (excluding stair to basement)
First - 103sqm

W6 Leasehold Property for Sale

Building & Construction News: Get Britain Building...

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:18:00 +0000

Fulham Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent: Building & Construction News: Get Britain Building...: Housing minister Grant Shapps has estimated that the government's £420 million Get Britain Building Fund will create as many as 16,000 new p...

London's Private Residential Landlords Seek Support

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:05:00 +0000

One of the country’s leading bodies representing landlords in the private rented sector has today called on Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone to do more to stimulate the supply of private rented housing across London.

As Labour’s candidate for Mayor of London today called for a system of effective rent controls, the RLA Chairman, Alan Ward responded:

“Ken Livingstone’s call for rent controls is an old idea which never worked in the past - until 1988 rent controls resulted in a shortage of supply and poorer conditions for tenants. Hardly a remedy for 2012. There is no doubt that rents in the capital remain far higher than anywhere else in the country but the answer lies in improved supply.

“With many, particularly young, people relying on the sector to provide housing to meet their needs, the RLA is calling on both Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone to support efforts to reform the taxation system to stimulate growth in the sector.

“Standards in the sector are best upheld when tenants have genuine choices about their housing options. Until we see a boost in supply, those choices simply do not exist.”

Commenting on Mayor Boris Johnson’s plans for a pan-London accreditation scheme for landlords, Alan Ward continued:

“With over 10,000 landlords in London already members of the London boroughs’ accreditation scheme, it would seem a waste of time and money re-inventing the wheel in this way.

“The Mayor should focus on supporting and encouraging existing accreditation schemes, freeing his office up better to target the minority of landlords who bring the sector into disrepute.

“This should be matched by a programme of serious tenant education, providing tenants with all the information needed to better hold their landlords to account for the service they provide. It beggars belief that some people spend more time assessing the state of a car they wish to by then the homes they seek to rent.”

London Property Prices Stable

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:46:00 +0000

Against an uncertain economic and financial backdrop the housing market has – over the last three years - adapted to a low turnover, finance constrained environment.House prices have fallen consecutively for the last 16 months, but on a year-on-year basis are down just 2.3%.

Demand has fallen for the last four months in a row but there has been no significant acceleration in price falls. This is at odds with consumer confidence which has - over the same period - fallen considerably.Low turnover and increasing realism on pricing among sellers looking to move before Christmas, are supporting the headline indicators of housing market activity.

2011 looks set to register the lowest level of housing turnover for 40 years - a trend which Hometrack expects to continue into 2012.New property listings failed to grow over the last quarter. In November listings fell by 0.8%.

Demand fell by -2.2% and is likely to continue to fall in the run up to Christmas. With the supply/demand balance in negative territory Hometrack expects to see an acceleration in price falls in the months ahead.

The average time on the market rose slightly to 9.9 weeks while the proportion of the asking price achieved remained relatively unchanged at 92.5%.

Across the country falls were registered in 32% of postcodes. The greatest pressure is in the South West, East Midlands, Wales and North West where prices fell by over 0.3% over November.

In London prices remain unchanged for the second month in a row but looking head it is unlikely that London will escape the impact of the continued turmoil in the financial markets. When prices start to fall in the capital so the scale of headline price falls will start to accelerate.

London again emerged as the only UK region to maintain its house prices, edging up 0.3% month-on-month as investors look to shore up their assets by purchasing London properties as investments. London, cautioned estate agent Lucy Pendleton, talking to the Daily Telegraph, is not immune from macroeconomic insecurity and the upward trajectory in property prices may not last:

"With this latest house price data, Londoners have had a major reality check. The capital is not immune to the collapse in business and consumer confidence - and the unravelling of the eurozone.

Council of Mortgage Lenders Call for Extension to ...

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:22:00 +0000

Fulham Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent: Council of Mortgage Lenders Call for Extension to ...: The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) is jumping to support first time property buyers and calling on the government to extend the existing...

UK Property Prices and Rent 5 Year Outlook

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:26:00 +0000

UK house prices are set to fall for another 11% in the next 5 years, according to property experts.

British broker firms believe that house prices in the UK will fall by more than 10% in the next 5 years back to the level seen a decade ago.

In the opinion of property experts, those are not only difficulties accessing mortgage finance and weak economic growth that will keep house prices down. Increased cost of living, especially in big cities like London will also negatively affect house prices growth.

According to brokers' estimates, house prices will fall to 170,000 in 2016, down from 184,000 in 2007.

Meanwhile, rent rates are expected to rise dramatically as many Brits will be unable to buy a property of their own.

London Free WiFi

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:47:00 +0000

Nokia has set up 26 hotspots to support the service and these are largely concentrated around West End shopping areas. Victoria, Marylebone and Westminster will also get access points. The firm said people would not need to register or sign in to use the wi-fi.

From today until the end of 2011, the public will be able to use the high-speed service in certain parts of the city courtesy of the phone firm.If the two-month trial is deemed a success, the Finnish company plans to turn it into a fully fledged free wi-fi service early in 2012.

The initiative is one of many that will eventually see London dotted with hotspots offering free net browsing.

Free wi-fi is widely already widely available in London but it tends to be via solitary access points in shops and hotels. In addition some ISPs, such as BT, give their subscribers free wi-fi via their own-brand wireless services.

The fragmented nature of existing services has led the Greater London Council to encourage boroughs to set up free wi-fi along the busiest streets. Projects for wi-fi in Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea as well as Hammersmith & Fulham and other regions are believed to be in the closing stages of negotiation.

There are also ongoing talks to put wi-fi on London tube stations so passengers can browse the web while they wait for a train.

There is also a plan to provide free wi-fi in and around London for the 2012 Olympics to help visitors and tourists find their way around and to make it easier for the sights and sounds of the games to be shared.

BBC NEWS

Tube train safety checks change sparks union row

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:12:00 +0000

A row has broken out over planned changes to safety checks of "key fail-safe equipment" on the Tube network, reports the BBC.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said reducing the frequency of tripcock testing would be "dicing with death".

The tripcock automatically prevents trains passing red signals.

London Underground (LU) said it was considering what the right level of maintenance was for the new fleet of trains which have inbuilt technology to warn of problems with the tripcock.

A full fleet of new trains will be in operation on the District, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines by 2016.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) claims the checks will be reduced to the equivalent of an average running period of 60 days.

Right to Buy and Build Now Pay Later

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:21:00 +0000

Fulham Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent: Right to Buy and Build Now Pay Later: David Cameron is to revive the ‘right to buy’ housing policy – as he ruled out a spending boost to revive Britain’s struggling economy. Cou...

Rightmove House Price Index Key Points September 2011

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:55:00 +0000

Key points

Act now to move before Christmas

New sellers’ average asking prices up by 0.7% on the month, but 3.0% down over the summer period

Two deadlines should focus the minds of frustrated sellers:
- Christmas is 98 days away but average time on the market is 94 days, so buyers and sellers need to get serious now if they are to tie up a deal before the festive season;

- first-time buyer stamp duty relief is due to finish on 25th March 2012.

Market recovery appears as far away as ever three years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, as key metrics are little changed:

- new sellers again at 23,000 per week as lack of confidence and inability to move remains;

- prices up by 2.5% in three years, compared with 16.4% in the previous three year period;

- unsold stock per estate agency branch still stuck in the high 70s.

While new planning proposals may boost housing market activity in the longer term, initiatives supporting mortgage lending such as FirstBuy are the more immediate requirement.

Rightmove

Buy to Let Landlords Are Choosing to Invest in Family Sized Homes

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:53:00 +0000

Family-sized homes are gaining in popularity with landlords, as the UK’s private rental sector enters its latest phase.

Research from buy-to-let mortgage specialist, Paragon, suggest that landlords looking to expand their portfolios this autumn are more likely to be considering semi-detached and detached properties for investment.

Forty-one per cent of landlords with a purchase in mind are likely to be looking for semis (up from 28% back in the Spring) while 22% are aiming for a detached property (up from 9% earlier this year).

Currently nearly half of landlords have families as tenants, making them the fourth-largest tenant type.

With strains on the social housing sector, mortgage lending in the doldrums and continuing economic difficulties, more families are sure to be visiting lettings agents and hopefully landlords will be able to react quickly to the changing demographic as rent rises look set to continue for the remainder of 2011.

Home Move

Hammersmith Tenants Plans to Take Over Council Estates

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:56:00 +0000

Tenants living in property to rent in London's Hammersmith and Fulham area have set out plans to take over two council estates earmarked for demolition.

Both estates, which contain 750 council houses, have been included in proposals for a redevelopment of Earls Court, which could provide thousands of new homes in the area, but people renting properties in the council-run sites wish to take ownership of the estates.

They are being supported by London assembly member Jenny Jones, who will be raising the matter with London mayor Boris Johnson.

She said that demolishing the estates would be a waste of money, given that the area has received £15 million of investment in the last ten years, in addition to the tenants' wishes.

Ms Jones also argued that the deconstruction work would have a significant carbon impact.

The local authority has written to the government in an attempt to quash the takeover proposal on the grounds that the Earls Court project has wider benefits for the area.

London Property to Rent

RICS UK Residential Lettings Survey April 2011

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:38:00 +0000

Battersea Flats & Houses For Sale & Rent: RICS UK Residential Lettings Survey April 2011: "Increased tenant demand and low levels of rental property coming onto the market pushed rents higher in the three months to April, says the ..."

London Property Investment News; London Property Hot Spots

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:30:00 +0000

London Property Investment Hot Spots - Best Buy To Let Investments

Paramount Investments advise professional and first time property investors buying, selling, renting, letting or investing in potential freehold, investment property opportunities in Central and North West London.

Paramount Investments offer disused, dilapidated, derelict, un-modernised or neglected commercial properties such as pubs, clubs, restaurants, hotels, car showrooms, petrol stations, factories, pubs, banks, churches, hospitals, post offices and other former Government, NHS and public utility land and buildings for sale as renovation investments or for new build development subject to receiving local authority planning permission and change of use being granted.

For the latest London property investment opportunities such as licensed, industrial, leisure, office, retail, residential, healthcare and student freehold properties, property suitable for redevelopment, change of use, planning applications, brownfield sites click on the links below;

Shops, offices & commercial property investments for sale in London

Freeholds & ground rents for sale in London

HMOs, hostels & care homes for sale in London

Freehold pubs, restaurants & hotels for sale in London

Flats, houses & buy to let residential properties for sale in London

Derelict & run down properties for sale suitable for refurbishment in London

Properties & building land for sale with planning permission in London

Properties & development sites requiring planning permission for sale in London

Tenancy Deposit Protection Schemes Guide

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:48:00 +0000

The three tenancy deposit protection schemes have worked jointly to produce a new ‘Guide to Tenancy Deposits, Disputes and Damages’, reports the RLA.

This is the first time the schemes have worked together to publish educational information which is aimed at landlords, agents and tenants alike.

Since 2007, some 47,000 disputes have been settled by the schemes’ alternative dispute resolution processes.

The pooling of information on these disputes and their eventual outcomes has allowed the schemes to identify common issues and to work together to publish collective guidelines.

The guide covers topics such as the collation of evidence and what an adjudicator looks for when considering a dispute, and outlines the principles on which scheme adjudicators make decisions so that the process is consistent and transparent for letting agent, landlord and tenant alike.

First Time Property Buyers News: A third of people 'will never become a first time buyer'

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Tue, 24 May 2011 11:02:00 +0000

Around a third (31 per cent) of Britons believe they will never become first time property buyers, according to research.

A survey from moneysupermarket.com found one in three do not intend ever to get their feet on the property ladder, while those who do think they will not be able to afford a house until they are in their late thirties.

Paul Holmes, chief executive of Firstrung, said he is not surprised by the findings.
"The pessimism is based on current house prices, [which] are absurd. They are still significantly overpriced when we look at what the average earnings are in this country."

If the average price of a home was no more than £100,000, more people would want to become first time buyers because the figure is "achievable".

"This thing that we are all educated from a very early age to want and desire - homeownership and to be free of the landlord - it is hardly surprising that people see that as out of reach," Mr Holmes added.

First Time Property Buyers News

High Speed Rail Link Receives Council Support

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 21 May 2011 12:27:00 +0000

Hammersmith and Fulham Council are right behind the push to bring high speed rail to the borough, reacting to the overwhelmingly positive reaction from local people to the proposal from the Department for Transport (DfT).

“We’re doing all we can to ensure Old Oak gets the High Speed Rail station so that much needed investment can be brought into this neglected corner of the borough,” said Cllr Mark Loveday, H&F Council Cabinet Member for Strategy.

This includes a series of roadshows at which you can find out more about the benefits of High Speed Rail and what it could mean for Hammersmith and Fulham. Come along and find out more at:

Shepherds Bush Green, Tuesday 24 May, 11am-2pm
Lyric Square in Hammersmith, Wednesday 25 May, 11am-2pm
Jerdan Place in Fulham, Thursday 26 May, 11am-2pm.

Estimates of the impact of the station put the likely number of jobs created in west London at around 20,000, with capacity for 10,000 new homes and significant opportunities for new businesses.

Tenancy Deposit Schemes are For Landlord and Tenant Benefit

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Initiatives such as the Tenancy Deposit Scheme protect both landlords and renters from confusion over inventories, LettingFocus.com has stated.

David Lawrenson, buy to let and private rented sector expert at the site, commented that such schemes were originally brought in because some tenants were not getting their deposits back.

While there were "undoubtedly" some "rogue landlords" who unfairly held on to deposits, there were also "rogue tenants" who left properties messy, which added to costs for the landlord.However, these problems can be negated with an inventory taken at the beginning and the end of a lease.

"A proper inventory matters to both parties because a landlord can only make a deduction if the tenant causes damage to a property or its contents or its state and condition - between the beginning and the end of the tenancy - and which is beyond normal fair wear and tear," Mr Lawrenson added.

His comments come after the Council of Mortgage Lenders revealed buy to let funding totalled £2.9 billion in the first three months of 2011.

Landlord and Tenant News

London Property to Rent: Tenant demand 'is strong this year'

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:39:00 +0000

Landlords who own property to rent in London or in other cities in the UK are likely to be experiencing a rise in tenant demand.

According to research by Paragon, half (49 per cent) of landlords saw growing levels of demand for rented property in the first three months of the year, compared with five per cent who claimed to witness falling numbers.

In positive news for the private rented sector, some 52 per cent of landlords said they expect to see demand continue to rise.

Nigel Terrington, chief executive of the Paragon Group, commented: "Landlords are experiencing high levels of tenant demand, and this is expected to rise due to a number of factors, including social housing reforms, lifestyle choices, low numbers of first time buyers and wider demographic changes."

Meanwhile, the report also found that buy to let funding availability remains low, with 64 per cent of landlords saying UK mortgage offers for this type of loan are limited.

London Property to Rent

Empty Lets and The 2011 Census; Landlords Responsibilty

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:21:00 +0000

Have you got an empty let? Then don’t forget … you need to fill in the census form for that property on Sunday 27th March. This is a legal requirement.

The property owner needs to fill in the form - either the paper version or online - for any unoccupied rented property. The sections that need to be completed are;
H1 (tick the last box in the list)
H4 (tick the last box in the list)
H7 to H11

Do you own a holiday property?

If it has been unoccupied for more than six months - you should not complete the census form

If it has been occupied at any time in the last six months but was not occupied on March 27th you should complete sections H1 to H11, optionally leaving H2, 3 and 6 blank.

If it was occupied on March 27th - you should complete H1, H4, H7 to H11 and then the names of the occupants in the “Visitors” section on the back page 32.

Don’t forget to sign and date the form on the front.

RLA

Hammersmith Local Services Information

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:43:00 +0000

When moving into an area there are a number of local services you need to know about. Below you can access local authority information and services; we have chosen the most frequently asked information. Just put in your postcode and find out information on;

Bin Collection, Council Tax, Parking Permits, Recycling centres,Electoral roll registration, School and Term Dates and your local councillor for your new area.Just put in your new Postcode and choose your option.

London Property News

London Commercial Property News: EC postcode 'is most popular for London offices'

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:45:00 +0000

Those looking for office space in London may find that the most popular commercial properties have an EC postcode.

According to research from officebroker.com, offices for sale, rent & lease in this central London area accounted for more than a third (34 per cent) of total office take-up in the capital between 2008 and 2010.

Commercial property in London with an EC postcode includes the Gherkin, Tower 42 and the Lloyds Building.

The research also revealed that average price per workstation has recovered since the worst of the financial crisis, standing at £513 per workstation at the close of 2010.

This is still some way short of the £605 recorded at the beginning of 2008 but a significant increase from the £466 per workstation witnessed in 2009.

Meanwhile, the CB Richard Ellis UK Monthly Index for February revealed offices in central London drove growth to 16.9 per cent compared to the same time last year.

London Commercial Property News

London First Time Buyers Bide their Time

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:02:00 +0000

The current economic conditions means it is probably better for first time property buyers to rent rather than purchase, according to Ducalian.

Timothy Lambert, head of consulting at the company, noted that it is a "very uncertain time" for those trying to get on the property ladder.

"I would advise people new to property to be very cautious at this moment in time," he said.

"Make sure you are totally aware of what debt you are taking on. A two-year fixed-rate mortgage may look good now, but when this product comes to an end in two years' time the rate is likely to be much higher."

Mr Lambert pointed out that the monthly payment will not decrease any time soon, so first time buyers should ensure they can "easily afford" their mortgage repayments.

His comments come after research from Moneyfacts.co.uk revealed that the number of UK mortgage offers made available to applicants with small deposits has started to increase.

First Time Property Buyers News

London Councils Report on Cost Cutting Measures

noreply@blogger.com (London Estate Agents) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:18:00 +0000

Three flagship councils have published landmark proposals for combined services in a move to protect the frontline by cutting overhead and management costs in half according to a Westminster Council Press release.

The report, by the Chief Executives of Hammersmith & Fulham Council (H&F), the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (RBKC) and Westminster City Council (WCC) say that combining back office and management costs could save £35 million a year.

Council leaders say that combining services is the best way to protect frontline services and jobs in the future while improving service delivery in many areas.

A ‘Sovereignty Guarantee’ has been signed by the three councils to safeguard local autonomy, responsiveness and identity. Each of the councils will retain their own councillors and decision making processes. Services key to local areas, such as housing management, licensing and planning will be not be combined.

The proposals, which will be discussed at the councils’ respective cabinets over the next 12 days, starting with H&F’s Cabinet on Wednesday 16th February, recommend:

Reducing chief executive posts from three to two
Combining children’s and education services with a single director
Combined adult social care with a single director in charge of commissioning services.
Discussions are underway with Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust about working closely with GPs in providing integrated community health and adult social care services across the three areas.
Combined corporate overheads, including IT and HR.
Combined facilities management and dangerous structures services.
Other combined environmental services, initially across two boroughs in some cases, including leisure, highways, transport and parking correspondence.

The three cabinets are recommended to look at moving towards a single management team for the environment family of services in the future.