Latest news with #EstateAgent
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
London renter shocked at estate agent's 'tricks' to secure property
A London renter received an email from an estate agent that included "tips and tricks" for securing a property, including suggesting offering to pay more rent. Harriet Howe, 29, had just viewed a flat when she received the email, which advised prospective tenants to take extreme steps to secure a rental. She and her flatmate were looking to move into a two-bedroom property, relocating from their previous place in Wandsworth for a change of area. Among the suggestions were tactics like offering above the asking price, which is now a common practice among London renters. The estate agent sent over some renting tips. (Image: SWNS) But the list also included more drastic measures such as offering up to 12 months' rent in advance and even encouraging tenants to suggest rent increases themselves. Harriet, an event planner in Wandsworth, London, said: "I wasn't necessarily surprised by the individual suggestions but to see them all written down together was quite the pill to swallow. "The stuff about renters suggesting an annual increase in rent or offering six to 12 months of rent upfront really got to me." Originally from Bath, Harriet has been renting in London for eight years so she's no stranger to the stress the market can cause. But she says things have become even more difficult recently. Harriet said: "It has really been ramping up the past couple of years. "Especially considering most people renting in London are living pay check to pay check and they will not be able to offer such things." Recommended Reading Revealed: The 10 London postcodes where rent is still less than £900 These are the cheapest areas to rent in London listed as prices continue to soar Full list of all the London boroughs named happiest places to live revealed After three months of flat hunting, Harriet and her friend eventually managed to find a new place. She said: "We did end up having to put in an offer above the asking price. "I love London and I love living here but it is incredibly expensive. "It's very tough and I think everyone is just waiting and hoping this Renter's Reform Bill proposed by the government will come into play quickly and make some real change."
Irish Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Have you ever been offered a split deal in order to qualify for Help to Buy?
One of the largest estate agents in Ireland has launched an internal investigation after a home buyer was offered a 'split' sale for a new build home in order for it to qualify for the Help to Buy scheme, Niamh Towey reports today. We'd like to hear about your experiences trying to buy a home. Have you ever been offered a split deal in order to qualify for Help to Buy? The Help to Buy (HTB) scheme is administered by Revenue , and provides a refund on income tax of up to €30,000 to first-time buyers on new-build properties up to a value of €500,000. The tax refund that the buyer qualifies for is paid directly to the contractor, who must be approved by Revenue. READ MORE What other arrangements or offers have you come across while house-hunting? Tell us using the form below. [ Locked out of Help to Buy despite State clawing back the relief Opens in new window ] In this case the home buyer was asked by the estate agent for €25,000 for flooring to bypass the Help to Buy scheme cap. We'd like to hear of readers' experiences of buying property and any encounters with those offering similar unofficial deals. Did you end up going ahead with the purchase? You can let us know what you think using the form below. Please limit your submissions to 400 words or less. Please include a phone number for verification purposes only. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, please indicate this in your submission – we will keep your name and contact details confidential. We will curate a selection of submissions for an article, but please note we may not publish every submission we receive.
Irish Times
24-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Live car-free at end-terrace redbrick close to Grangegorman Luas for €595,000
Address : Saint Mary's, 1 Orchard Terrace, Grangegorman Upper, Dublin 7 Price : €595,000 Agent : Clare Connolly Estate Agent View this property on Just a five-minute walk from the Grangegorman green-line Luas stop on the northside of Dublin city is a row of redbrick homes on Orchard Terrace dating from the early 1900s. Sitting at the end of the row, just off North Circular Road, is number 1, now on the market seeking €595,000 through Clare Connolly Estate Agent. The owner bought the two-bedroom 80sq m (861sq ft) property in 2006 as he had been renting in nearby Stoneybatter and loved the area. The house has been rented out for the past few years following the owner's move abroad. The property has a small front yard surrounded by shrubs and stone steps up to the front door. You enter the house into a hallway with high ceilings, off which is a small livingroom to the front with an original cast-iron fireplace with decorative tiles at its centre. You look out to the road and the houses across the way through double-glazed sash-style windows, which the owner added throughout the house. Entrance hall Downstairs livingroom Diningroom Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Main bedroom used as a sittingroom Back garden There's a diningroom farther down the hall with a cast-iron fireplace painted white, and glazed doors opening out to the garden. A small kitchen sits to the rear, which would benefit from a cosmetic update. The owner said he would have considered extending the kitchen out to the side and opening it up to the diningroom – subject to planning permission – to create an open-plan space. READ MORE To the rear of the house is a small side patio and raised loose stone area, with rear access, where the owner would park his car when he was travelling. Upstairs, the bathroom, colour-drenched in teal, is on the return. A double bedroom sits to the rear of the ground floor with a white-painted cast-iron fireplace. A large double bedroom sits to the front, which is set up as a light-filled sittingroom. There is also a spacious attic overhead with an attic ladder, offering storage space and potential for conversion, subject to planning permission. The property has a Ber of E so a new owner should look into insulation methods that may improve the home's efficiency. There is on-street parking to the front of the property, but you could easily ditch the car if you lived at this address. As well as having the Luas stop just down the road, TU Dublin campus at Grangegorman is just a five-minute walk away, and for shops, cafes and restaurants, Phibsborough is 10 minutes away, while it takes about 15 minutes to walk to Stoneybatter. It's also within a 30-minute walk of Dublin city centre.
