OUR PROPERTY BLOG

While most tenants won’t even be contemplating moving house during lockdown, if you’re in a situation where you have no choice, virtual viewings of properties make it far more possible than you may have realised. Britain went into lockdown on March 23, and included...

You may be wondering why we’re writing about taking your own professional property photos without expensive kit (which is clearly more possible than ever these days thanks to smartphone technology) right now. After all, at the time of writing, Britain is of course in...

While many of us may be feeling initially bored or frustrated during the current lockdown, it’s actually an ideal time to make some minor improvements to your home to help increase its saleability. Spring and early summer are traditionally the busiest times for the...

You’re finally moving house and it’s time to let everyone know about it! But who exactly do you need to tell about a change of your address? Moving your residence is never going to be easy, but being well prepared with a checklist can be the key to keep your stress to...

When you have a baby, you don’t have to worry too much about the inside of your house. Eventually they will be able to crawl, but as long as there is nothing at floor level that could be dangerous to them, you don’t have to make too many changes. Once your child...

How do you know when you have found the right home? For many people, it is love at first sight. For others, they may look at ten or more properties during their search. We share our advice on how many houses you should view before making an offer… House hunting can be...

For all homeowners, it is a sure certainty that at some point you will need to carry out repairs or make improvements to your property. This could be anything from a replacement kitchen appliance, some new carpet or something major such as a new roof. Most...

Whether you are selling or letting a property, making sure it looks appealing is essential to getting it sold or let. According to Rightmove statistics, staged homes sell for 8% more than non-staged homes on average and according to Homestaging.org.uk 95% of staged...

When you are going through the process of buying or selling a property, a conveyancer will play a vital role in ensuring everything goes smoothly on the legal side. But if it’s your first time you may need a helping hand in choosing the right one. To point you in the...

Until you actually exchange contracts with the seller of a property, nothing is set in stone. It can be a stressful part of the buying process, but once completed, also the most rewarding. If you are wondering how the exchange process works, we explain everything you...

We’ve got pancake day, comedy, Queen and stargazing on the agenda for this month, have a look below and see what’s on in Eastbourne in the month of February:   Stargazing with Eastbourne Astronomical Society – Western Lawns...

February is almost here, which means Pancake Day, Valentine’s Day and hopefully an improvement on the dreary weather. Here’s what’s on in the Hastings and Bexhill area in the month of February:   Toploader – St Mary...

Now we are a few weeks into 2020 we can analyse what the economists believe about the housing market with new statistics released for late last year. 2019 was not an excellent year for house sales. According to independent home buyer Quick Move Now the fall through...

While landlords are responsible for much of the maintenance and upkeep of a rented property, tenants also have a number of responsibilities of their own. Here’s an overview of what tenants need to take into consideration when moving into and renting a property....

When you are searching the property market for a new home to buy, there are a number of phrases you will come across that may be confusing at first. The terms ‘leasehold’ and ‘freehold’ usually fall into this category and are often mixed up with each other. Below we...

When people move home, of course the property they are buying is the main priority and the old adage of 'location, location, location' is never usually far behind.   However, it's never quite as straightforward as that now. There...

In the bitter months of winter, we can all occasionally find ourselves victims of the legendary Winter Blues. During these bouts with feeling down, we could all use a pick-me-up. Here we have gathered some fun things to do inside to help beat back those blues! ...

So, as we expected at some point in 2020, the Government has laid The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.     This means that subject to the approval of the houses of...

Property: it’s life’s biggest investment. And for those who have bought property with the intention of letting it out to others, there’s no denying that things can get tricky.   With a whole host of landlord laws and...

Happy New Year! As we predicted, the end of December proved to be one of the busiest in estate agents’ living memory. The apparent end of three years of Brexit confusion, prompted by the definitive general election result intensified buyers’...

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...

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…­­­­­ ...