OUR PROPERTY BLOG
Renting a safe home: Hazards to look out for
Beyond the financial responsibilities that come with renting a new home, tenants need to ensure the property they want to live in is free from health and safety issues. There is already a lot of pressure involved with finding the right property to suit your budget and...
What responsibilities do Landlords have while renting a home?
What responsibilities do Landlords have while renting a home? Becoming a landlord is a great way to secure a long-term return on your property investment. It also brings a number of legal responsibilities and a duty of care towards the tenants who are living there –...
Leading Hastings Estate and Letting Agent announce merger of local property firm
Jeff Downton from Smart Property and Neil Newstead from Oakfield are both delighted to announce the merger of their two companies, staff and services and Smart Property Solutions will now operate under the Oakfield Estate Agents brand. The...
What’s on guide: January
With life getting busier every week and new bars, restaurants and events opening every month, staying on top can be tricky. So here’s a round up of this month’s hottest happenings in and around the local area… ...
5 NY Resolutions for selling your home in 2020
2020 is knocking on the door, and as usual at the start of a new year, it's a time to reflect on what's gone before and look forward to what will happen in the future. For many this could be buying or selling a home, a popular...
Little hacks towards a happier home life
It's amazing how a few tweaks to our daily habits can become a catalyst for meaningful, positive change. There are a few simple things you can do every day to feel happier at home… Our homes are an...
Buy the home you love
Purchasing a property is a long-term investment. On average, depending on the phase of the market and external influences, it can take around five years to see real returns on a property investment. As a result, people are staying in their home longer than they have...
ELECTION RESULT by Neil Newstead CEO & Founder Oakfield Estate Agents
FINALLY- We have a result! Whether or not it is your preferred outcome, at least the confusion suffered by the UK, and the property market in particular, is at an end. Like it or not, it looks like Brexit will now formally happen on 31st...
What’s on guide: December
With life getting busier every week and new bars, restaurants and events opening every month, staying on top can be tricky. So here’s a round up of this month’s hottest happenings in and around the local area… ...
December Market Comment
by Neil Newstead CEO & Founder Oakfield Estate Agents.
Top tips for landlords at Christmas
Christmas trees are being squashed through front doors, lights are being untangled and tenants are locking up and heading home - the festive season is well and truly upon us! But landlords, don’t get comfy with a mince pie and a brandy just yet, here are our top...
Give buyers the present they want this Christmas
The days are ticking by and as each one passes we are a step closer to jingle bells and the festive season. With tinsel on the shop shelves and Christmas adverts filling our screens, it’s a reminder to get ready before it’s upon us. ...
Why selling your home in winter could be the best decision you make
The temperature has dropped, the gloves are on, and whether we like it or not, winter is on its way. You may have considered moving home but then decided to wait until the New Year. Is this the right move? Or, could selling your...
What’s on guide: November
With life getting busier every week and new bars, restaurants and events opening every month, staying on top can be tricky. So here’s a round up of this month’s hottest happenings in and around the local area… ...
November Market Comment
by Neil Newstead CEO & Founder Oakfield Estate Agents. As the Brexit debacle continues to be drawn out, so the evenings are drawing in. Home, as a place of warmth and sanctuary, becomes particularly significant at this time of year. It...
Which type of Landlord are you?
Landlords fall broadly into two categories; investment and ‘accidental’, with a growing number of the latter. Accidental landlord This is when you have become a landlord due to life’s circumstances, rather than...
Methods of sale – which is right for you?
For those looking to sell, doing so by auction has become a tried and tested way to get the best price and sell in record time, which is why we’ve been using this method to sell homes for years, perfecting it to an art to ensure our customers always go away...
5 tips for becoming a first-time landlord
Not everyone becomes a landlord out of a deep-seated passion. For many, a change of circumstances means it is a necessity rather than a choice. Becoming a landlord is a steep learning curve; with a growing number of legislative...
October Market Comment
by Neil Newstead CEO & Founder Oakfield Estate Agents Figures released from various sources suggest that the market – in terms of house prices at least, are holding their own, despite the political uncertainty we are currently...
What’s on guide: October
With life getting busier every week and new bars, restaurants and events opening every month, staying on top can be tricky. So here’s a round up of this month’s hottest happenings in and around the local area… ...
Why stability is the key to a successful tenancy
For a tenant renting a property, the situation can make them feel insecure; there is a certain amount of security that owning a property can bring that renting just can’t. As such, bringing elements of security and stability into a...
Why buying a new home needs more than a feeling
Have you ever made those impulse buys and then, maybe a few days or weeks later, regretted it? If it’s a top or a pair of shoes then, although annoying, you can live with it, but what if it’s a property? We want to make...
September Market Comment
This year, September reveals a mixed bag on the property scene. On the one hand, nationally, the number of new property listings in the UK fell by a whopping 13.2 per cent last month*. On the other hand, the latest figures by UK Finance suggest a strong growth in...
What can you do to stop broken links in your chain?
When buying or selling a home it’s more than likely that you will be swept into a chain. A chain is basically buyers and sellers that are linked together as they are buying and selling property from each other. Decisions made by each link in the...