The Property Problem Solver

The Property Problem Solver I help people struggling to sell their house offering solutions others can't ⬇️call to find out more

...And most of those will be between the ages of 18 and 34.This data comes from research by the FCA.I suppose it's hardl...
24/03/2023

...And most of those will be between the ages of 18 and 34.

This data comes from research by the FCA.

I suppose it's hardly surprising bearing in mind the average cost of a house compared to the average wage.

When stretched to this degree, it only takes something as simple as interest rate hike to throw many into financial distress.

It's no joke.

If you're struggling, there's help available. My first suggestion is to speak to your lender. The FCA have released final guidance on how lenders can help their customers.

Also consider these:

Citizens Advice - see link in my bio
Legal Aid - see link in my bio
National Debt Line: 0898 898 4000
Step Change Debt Charity: 0800 138 1111
Money Advice Service: 0800 138 7777
Debt Advice Foundation: 0800 043 4050

When I help people figure out the problem and then solution to getting their house sold, they don't always like what the...
21/02/2023

When I help people figure out the problem and then solution to getting their house sold, they don't always like what they hear.

If it’s the home they’ve lived in for many years, I choose my words carefully when I need to tell them to perhaps give it a good clean…

…or that room full of Tasmanian devil soft toys... may put people off (did you see that in the news?)

But the hardest problem I find to communicate - is that they want to put it up for too much money.

Maybe they’ve invested a load of money in extending it, improving it, and doing it up that they believe they should be getting more out of the sale than potential buyers are willing to pay.

Or perhaps they’re in negative equity (they owe more than the house is worth) – leaving them stuck where they are.

In these cases, there’s generally two opposing wants and needs – money and time.

If they’re adamant they want/need a certain amount of money, they may need to wait until the market catches up with their expectation - which could take years.

However, if moving quickly is more important, the asking price may need to be reviewed.

So, when selling their house in the traditional way, a compromise to either time or money is needed.

But is there a way to have your steak and eat it? (Sorry, I love steak more than cake)

In short… maybe!

But there’ll need to be alternative compromises. This is why it’s very hard to give a defined answer for this…

It all depends on your personal situation, wants, and needs.

I’m happy to have a chat about it though.

In a free 20-minute consultation, we may be able to figure out your challenges, find solutions and get you moved on.

I remember when my other half and I decided to move in with each other... …It’s a nervous yet exciting time.At the time,...
14/02/2023

I remember when my other half and I decided to move in with each other...

…It’s a nervous yet exciting time.

At the time, I owned the house I lived in, but we wanted to live in a different location.

So, I had to decide what to do with my house.

Should I sell it or rent it out?

(Or just let it sit there for a while - just in case things don’t work out?)

If you’re in a similar scenario, I suppose the answer to this question really depends on several things:

- Are you looking to buy a home for you and your partner?
- And if so, do you need to sell for the deposit?
- Or are you looking to rent – at least initially?
- Do you really want to be a landlord?

I’m sure there are many other questions you need to ask yourself before making a decision.

It can be a difficult thing to sus-out for sure.

If you’re not sure which way to turn, get in touch for a consultation so we can figure out your options.

And I can almost guarantee there will be more options than you realise.

For example, selling through an estate agent or renting out through a letting agent are just the tip of the iceberg.

There are many other little-known options, even if you’re in arrears or in negative equity.

Just shout if you want to find out more.

Sometimes we have to step up and be there for our parents.But what are the options for our house during this time?Well, ...
13/02/2023

Sometimes we have to step up and be there for our parents.

But what are the options for our house during this time?

Well, this depends on a few things, for example...

Do you intend on moving back in at some point?

Are you happy with someone else living there in your absence?

Are you up for being a landlord?

So, here are your 4 main options:

- Let it sit there until you want to move back in
- Sell it
- Let a friend or relative stay there
- Rent it out

You may be happy to let it sit there for a while. This the easiest solution, but you’ll be paying for an empty house.

If you want to sell, the obvious solution is to engage an estate agent.

Or, if an estate agent can’t help for any reason, you can work with someone to manage the whole process for you relieving the stress, allowing you to concentrate on caring for your parent.

(There are even options for those in negative equity or arrears.)

You may have a friend or relative that’s looking for a place to stay. You can agree a timescale and a rent if you’re looking to charge. It may be that they just cover the bills.

Finally, you can rent it out. There are a few options here:

Through a letting agent – they’ll take photos, list on Rightmove etc. find the tenants, manage them, and oversee the maintenance – all for an initial upfront fee and an ongoing monthly charge.

Self-manage – you find the tenants and manage them. This is lower cost in terms of money but higher cost in terms of time.

The final option is one that’s not as well-known but eliminates having to deal with both tenants and letting agents...
..that is getting a management company to manage your house and take all responsibility as if you no longer own the home (but you still do of course).

If there’s a mortgage on the property, the payments will be made directly to the lender.

Any maintenance would be dealt with.

All bills paid for.

Gas and electrical safety tests done.

Tenants found and managed.

There’s minimal contact allowing you to deal with more pressing matters.

There’s a lot to think about, so if you’re not sure which way to turn, get in touch for a consultation so we can figure out your options.

If you’re putting your house on the market – time to get your ducks in a row.Here are some quick and easy tips to maximi...
06/02/2023

If you’re putting your house on the market – time to get your ducks in a row.

Here are some quick and easy tips to maximise the interest…

✨ Clean – get that hoover and duster out and get to work.

📦 Declutter – having stuff laying around will distract and put off potential buyers.

☀️ Let the light in – open those curtains, it’s amazing the difference it'll make.

📷 Pro photos – don’t be tempted to save a few quid by taking your own photos. Trust me.

👃 Smells – do not underestimate the power of the nostrils. You could have the perfect house but if there’s an off-putting wiff, you’ll lose the sale. (Wanna take it to the next level – bake some bread 😉)

There you have it, simple yet effective tips that you can implement. All too often some or even all these things are overlooked when I do viewings.

In fact, property investors actively look for these things as they know they won’t get as much interest, and they can knock the price down.

Can you implement these?

January’s a tough month - like a financial smack in the chops.After being paid early and our plastic friend taking a bet...
01/02/2023

January’s a tough month - like a financial smack in the chops.

After being paid early and our plastic friend taking a bettering over Xmas...
..payday couldn’t come soon enough.

Is it me though - we finally get paid, and it goes in one and out the other – and we’re right back to struggling again…

Roll on next month!

I’ve been there, lived that – living payday to payday.

Frankly, it’s horrible and stressful as f* .

So, what can we do to break out of this cycle?

Well first off, are you paying interest on any credit cards?

I never pay any interest, and here’s how:

I find the best interest free credit cards for balance transfers and use this card – or cards – to clear the balance of other cards that are charging me interest - there will be balance transfer fees to do this.

I then rinse and repeat until the balance is paid off.

IMPORTANT – do not use your card to buy anything else. Pretend like it’s not even there - otherwise, you’ll go backwards.

Next... Budget, budget, budget…

To get to grips with your finances, you need to get a full picture of where it’s going.

If you don’t measure it, it don’t get fixed!

There are plenty of apps that can help with this, or there’s good ole’ Excel – my favourite.

Looking at the last 3-6 months, list out all your expenses such as mortgage/rent, gas, electric, water, council tax, groceries etc. etc.

Now compare your outgoings with your incomings. If you’re in the minus, you need to figure out where to recover this.

Some of the items will be non-negotiable, but others will be.

Groceries for example – could you live on beans on toast rather than steak for a while?

Are there any subscriptions you could cancel – any magazines that you never really read anyway?

I decided to cancel my Sky and got an Amazon Fire stick. I already had Amazon Prime, so I signed up to Netflix and now have plenty of TV for a fraction of the cost.

Ultimately, it comes down to how much you must recover and what you - and those living with you - are willing to sacrifice.

I’d be happy eating nothing but stews, but I’d be staring down the divorce barrel if that’s all I served up.

(FYI, I cook she cleans – it works for us.)

Anyway, if you are struggling to cover your outgoings, I feel your pain… it’s tough!

There’s plenty of help and guidance such as these:

Citizens Advice - see link in my bio
Legal Aid - see link in my bio
National Debt Line: 0898 898 4000
Step Change Debt Charity: 0800 138 1111
Money Advice Service: 0800 138 7777
Debt Advice Foundation: 0800 043 4050

Address

4 Maldon Road
Chelmsford
CM34FH

Telephone

+447840794603

Website

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