Uk Property Auctions » Auction News

We’ve launched our first national TV advertising campaign

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 03:20:10 +0000

Finding that special one can sometimes be a bit tricky. Some are a bit cheap, some a bit scruffy, some too flash and some inadequately sized. Maybe you’re looking for one that’ll gain a few pounds, perhaps you want to know what they’re worth or maybe you like to keep an eye on the older [...]

From http://blogs.propertyfinder.com/outthere

Property performance in university cities

admin — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:20:06 +0000

With A-Level results out this week and the same week the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) proclaimed “The Golden age of home ownership comes to an end”, we’ve looked into change in property values in the top 20 University locations over the last 12 months. We recently released our Rent v Buy index which reveals [...]

From http://blogs.propertyfinder.com/outthere

Cheryl Cole decides to sell Hurtmore House

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:20:13 +0000

They’re all at it….celebrities selling their homes that is…first Katie Price, now Cheryl Cole, who will be next? Back in February we wrote about how the nation’s sweet heart and Girls Aloud singer, Cheryl Cole, who was voted the nations second favourite celebrity neighbour in the annual Zoopla.co.uk Celebrity Neighbour Survey, had lost a whopping [...]

From http://blogs.propertyfinder.com/outthere

Check out Katie Price’s (8-bed) particulars on Zoopla.co.uk

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:20:11 +0000

Celebrity glamour model Katie Price, formerly known as Jordan, has lived her life through the tabloids. There is very little we don’t know about the best-selling author (really) or that can’t be found out via Google! So, we are somewhat surprised that the sale of her 10,000 sq ft, 8-bedroomed, former care home in Woldingham, [...]

From http://blogs.propertyfinder.com/outthere

Zoopla.co.uk gives you the bigger picture – view here

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:20:09 +0000

We’re constantly listening to your feedback, making changes, adding tools and creating even better functionality where we feel it will create a better experience. Ultimately we’re here to help you make the best possible property related decisions and our latest addition is part of that journey. When it comes to pictures of property, the old [...]

From http://blogs.propertyfinder.com/outthere

Back to basics with beach huts

admin — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 04:20:14 +0000

After reading a recent story on the BBC News website which asked “Are beach huts the new penthouses?” we got a little curious and used our clever keyword search tool to find “beach hut” properties for sale on Zoopla.co.uk. Beach huts regularly make the headlines due to their quirkiness but predominantly because of the prices [...]

From http://blogs.propertyfinder.com/outthere

Zoopla’s top 50 areas for asking price reductions

admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:20:18 +0000

Almost one-third (32%) of property for sale in Britain today, has had their asking price reduced at least once since they were first listed on the market. Our latest research reveals an average price drop of 6.1% for all homes that have been discounted and a total of £1.5 billion that has been slashed off the asking [...]

From http://blogs.propertyfinder.com/outthere

Pets Win Evictions

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:20:02 +0000

I don’t have a pet at the moment. Don’t get me wrong – I love animals, which is why I avoid them. I once bought a goldfish, and it lasted two hours (do you think I should have put some water in the bowl?) And so for me, renting is the best excuse not to have a pet (FYI – I’d love to own one of those miniature horses.)

Others are less considerate. People who live in flats exhibit a disturbing tendency to own creatures known as ‘house cats.’ To me this seems cruel: cats should be out stalking mice and fighting urban foxes, not sitting on a sofa eating custard creams and watching Loose Women.

The main problem however is that many landlords don’t allow pets of any kind which (here we go again) is different to the attitude of our wiser cousins on the continent, who allow tenants to their rented property like a home, part of which is owning a pet. I can understand that a rambling, shambling shared house with revolving doors and many occupants, each with a dog, would be un-manageable, but even in family homes, pets are forbidden.

But still people answer the call of the wild by buying a Chihuahua. In a shared student house, one, determined fellow tenant acquired an ‘illegal’ cat (pets were banned.) It had a habit of strolling in, bold as you like whenever the landlord came to visit, obliging us all to act outraged while claiming it belonged to a neighbour.

This worked well, until another housemate bought some zebra finches. It was like the circle of life: the devious cat managed to open the cage door, and devoured the little birds. Thing is we were all simultaneously horrified and grateful – those birdies made a vile squeaking noise, or else they squawked with fear.

The alternative, I suppose, is one of those nasty little dogs that live in a handbag and look like a furry pencil case, or more worryingly perhaps, resemble one of those humorous posing pouches I’ve been told about. But what is the ideal pet for a tenant? Gerbils? They are neurotic and they smell. Tortoises are banned as pets, and anyway – what’s the point – it’s like a matchbox toy with no wheels on, and they are dreadful at small-talk.

What harm can pets do – if looked after properly, they don’t make a mess (most animals are cleaner than many first year students, and I’ve been one) and if they scratch (puppies use doors as chewy toys) then the tenant can buy another door, or repair it.

Mostly I think it’s unfair to imprison animals in a flat – they all need space to roam, and dogs need a park to gad about in. Other than that, lizards and snakes should be banned due to being creepy, and because they eat rats. A friend once viewed a flat where the potential co-tenant introduced her to their pet tarantula. The ensuing screams curled milk in the next town.

From http://rentergirl.blogspot.com/

I’m Afraid For You.

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:20:02 +0000

I’ve written previously about the device I use which shows the keywords used to find this blog. Apart from the usual queries involving rubber gloves (still strikingly popular) recently, I’ve noticed a disturbing development.

There’s been a notably increased amount of phrases such as: “I’m afraid of my landlord.” Or “…my landlord comes round unannounced.” Worst of all was “My landlord threatens me.” Along with “Is my landlord entitled to go through my underwear drawer.”

No.
He isn’t.
Complain.
Loudly.

This might sound crassly obvious – but it’s horrible to live in fear. For most tenants, the next few years will be lived under a palpable sense of nervousness, as we ponder the perennial question: whatever will become of us? With increasing reliance on private rented housing, the regulation of agents and landlords has been ruled out, and – judging from some of the comments/keywords/comments I’ve seen, the other measures supposed to protect us simply do not work.

People are scared. Large scale private investors are looking to do what those individual buy-to-let investors did: build loads of news homes, and then decide who lives in them. Occupants (i.e. tenants) are not now, and never will be consulted about their needs, or even what they’d like from a home. And landlords…ah landlords…

They argue on a loop claiming to endure restrictions so tight they can barely breathe, let alone their sacred right to evict renters randomly at will and throw their belongings out on the street…(Oh, I’m being bad I know, but it’s a right they cling to.)

It is a paradox – most tenants like the freedom of renting a house: not feeling so tied down, living a life of short term contracts matched by short term living arrangements. But the downside is a life of insecurity: wilfully encouraged by landlords and letting agents, who delight in undermining any hard-won semblance of security.

But this philosophy is pernicious. It seeps and infects your life: tenants never know when they will have to move and are treated like mould in the bathroom – tolerated briefly and then eradicated.

And now we are scared. Some of us are terrified. Landlords are flexing their muscles, and in certain distressing cases – are behaving badly. Judging by the recent onslaught of questions about personal safety reaching me, it’s only a matter of time before something really bad happens.

So please: if you land here because you are being threatened and/or intimidated – please use more the helpful sites on the blogroll to the right of the page, especially the wonderful Shelter.

And remember this: you have rights. You are not vermin. You are a human being, paying rent to live in a building which is a home (not the physical embodiment of another person’s luxurious retirement bungalow dream) and you should not live in fear. Remember this when you are being terrorised: slipping away and not making a fuss is tempting, but if we don’t fight back, it’s going to get worse, and worse.

From http://rentergirl.blogspot.com/

New sort and listing history tools now on Zoopla

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:20:09 +0000

We have just rolled out two great new features on Zoopla.co.uk. They’re designed to make your search for property for sale or to rent even easier and provide you with up to date information on the property market. Ultimately, they exist to help you make the best possible property related decisions. Sort by: ‘Most Reduced’ [...]

From http://blogs.propertyfinder.com/outthere