Lockdown Makeovers
Whilst many refurbishment and development projects have slowed down or come to a complete halt during the last couple of months of lockdown, some property investors have maximised on having more free time and made the most of the rare opportunity to complete projects within their own homes. Here are a few examples of some rather inspired designs.
Victorian-inspired library
Colleen, of Pendant Financial Services and property investor
“My house was built in the late 1860s so I wanted to design something that was in keeping with the Victorian period, but with a modern twist. The wallpaper, curtains, rugs and chairs are the classic design “The Strawberry Thief” by William Morris. I painted the custom-made shelving and cupboards two-tone for a more modern look, using Dulux Lost Lake and Golden Beet. The lamp is a Tiffany-style shade and the piano is a family heirloom. The books range from the mid-1800s and I am very fussy about what order they go in!”
WC glamour
Shalona Beaumont, nurse, cake maker and property investor
“I am quirky and wild at heart. The wallpaper is from the Decorating Centre Online and I hung it myself, my friend made bespoke panelling (before Lockdown) to fit the room correctly and tie in with the theme. I painted the waterproof MDF panels with Zinsser AllCoat tinted to Black Blue by Farrow and Ball, also made up by Decorating Centre Online. The tiles are from CDT with a dark grey grout. The mirror belonged to my late Nan and the picture of the old pear soap was my late mum’s. The whole room was decorated around these two pieces. I am now in two-minds about creating a fake-plant ceiling to make it really individual!”
Home-schooling playtime heaven
Chris Garvey of CG Joinery & Building and property investor
“I’ve been wanting to transform the garden for the kids for the last two years but, being so busy completing projects for my clients, I’ve never had the time. I’m so thankful for the time the pandemic has given me. While my projects are on hold, I’ve been able to create something that my kids absolutely love and they spend most of their time playing with. It’s allowed the kids to let their imagination run wild – the castle has been a fortnite tower, princess castle, dungeon and climbing frame. Seeing them so happy whilst being outdoors has made me the happiest dad in the world! My kids are my world and building this for them has been the most satisfying and enjoyable project I’ve ever done.”
Mindset Matters
The majority of people who are successful in property, business and life in general speak of the importance of mindset. And in the current climate, perhaps more than ever there’s a need to maintain a positive frame of mind as much as possible.
We asked the members of The Property Thing network group in Darlington to share their hints, tips and general nuggets on how they look after their mental health and keep on pushing forward. If you would like to join this great group you can find them on Facebook.
Mel Firth
“Make sure your ‘Why’ is massive… If you’re lacking motivation and discipline during the pandemic, then it’s probably because your ‘Why’ just ain’t big enough.”
Alan Hopkinson
“I have seven golden rules: meditation, blocking out time into 1-hour slots, goal setting, exercise, key performance indicators, reading (and I’m including listening to podcasts here) and, obviously, curry :)”
Rachel Tasker
“Follow Mel Robbin’s 5 Second Rule… No-one else is going to sort your sh*t out, so get up and sort it yourself!”
Paul Reade
“Focus on yourself first: exercise, meditation, journaling. Then LIGHTS-bulb moment. CAMERA-focused target. ACTION – to get results. Also, have fun along the way, the journey is more important than the result! Everyone’s rainbows and goals are different so no comparing!”
Sarah Burgess
“I remind myself that bad times don’t last. The rollercoaster of property and being an entrepreneur has ups and downs but it helps to step back, see the bigger picture and put things into perspective.”
Daniel Salvato
“What works for me is being super positive and talking. Don’t get involved with negative people. Don’t ignore emails and phone calls; if they build up they can cause stress. I complete all tasks, no matter how hard, straightaway. Spend time with family. I try to be in bed by 11pm and stay off my phone. Pamper yourself – you’ll feel better. Help others: when I do this I feel brilliant, stress is reduced and I sleep better!”
Anthony Boyce
“I meditate for ten minutes every day, but the sun helps too!”
Jonathan Reynolds
“Stay around positive people as much as possible – those people who want you to succeed and want the best for you. Do regular exercise and talk to others.”
Andy Binns
“Meditate to calm the mind. Limit negative thoughts – your subconscious mind will soak it all in. Walk in nature; get fresh air and sun – it’s a great stress detox. Avoid processed foods and sugar – they will cloud the mind. Breathe from the diaphragm to lower blood pressure, heart rate and the stress hormone cortisol. Take a cold shower to increase circulation, reduce brain fog and send shock waves of the happy hormone endorphins to the brain. Get a good night’s sleep to reduce cortisol and to help with concentration. Be grateful for what you have right now. Help others and be kind; it will give you a great boost.”
Jeremy Smith
“Those who rest on their laurels find themselves sitting on a thorn bush”
Paul Tinker
“Fear cannot exist in the present, it can only exist if you look at the future (‘what if…’) or the past (‘remember when…’). Being present will remove fear: focus on the moment and nothing else when you feel it. If the thing you think you fear becomes a reality then it’s in the present for you to deal with. Because it’s present – there’s no fear.”
Paul Million
“I compartmentalise my time. I use my own version of The Pomodoro Technique to ‘Keep the main thing the main thing.’ When you achieve a task it gives you a shot of dopamine (chuffedness) and energises you. Inch by inch life’s a cinch. I recite my goals daily. I meditate with Joe Dispenza techniques. I create lots of notes, it feels great to sit and organise them. It’s then TIME to take action”
Johnson frees-up town centre planning restrictions for ‘change of use’
Developers will be able to change more High Street offices, large retail units and other town centre commercial premises into apartments with less hassle in future.
That’s because, in many instances, a planning application won’t be needed, Boris Johnson assured today.
In his ‘build, build, build’ speech the Prime Minister also insisted developers will no longer need the green light from Planners to demolish and rebuild vacant and disused property. This is provided the end result is residential housing.
And there was also good planning news for property owners intent on building second and third floor extensions: their application will be fast-tracked.
Easing of planning rules to help with housing crisis
The effective ‘tearing up’ of many existing government and local authority Planning rules is in a bid to boost the economy post-coronavirus and, at the same time, house more people. All the new Planning regulations are due to come into force in September.
Boost to infrastructure and ‘connectivity’
Johnson also pledged £5bn for a series of infrastructure projects and create jobs. He said this meant more schools, hospitals, roads and railways.
Self-billing his planning reforms the “most radical ” since the Second World War, he insisted they will help both UK companies and the government to build “faster, greener and better.”
He added: “I fully accept that there are going to be economic aftershocks, but there are also big opportunities now to take this country forward, to make investments, to make big changes.”
Critics are speculating that the money for the infrastructure projects will be funded via an increase in tax.
Meanwhile Chancellor Rishi Sunak will give more detail on the first phase of the UK economy recovery plans next week.
Tenants demand bike storage
Forget super-fast broadband and space for an office, bike storage is the latest ‘must-have’ for rental properties post-lockdown.
This is according to data from executives at leading online rental app Movebubble. They report a huge shift in searches for flats with bike storage – or at least space where cycles can be stored – compared to three months ago. They also note a 193 per cent increase in demand for properties with a garden or any kind of outdoor space.
Meanwhile, property portal RightMove say 40,000 properties deals have been concluded since lockdown restrictions were lifted in England during the third week in May.
Aidan Rushby, CEO of Movebubble, said that the desire to travel safely and avoid public transport had led to lots of renters requesting “additional space in the form of bike storage” – regardless of whether they had a bike at present. This chimed with a recent Mintel survey which showed we were becoming a nation of cyclists even pre-lockdown, with e-bike sales rising by 40 per cent last year.
This potential change in behaviour lockdown has brought about also means more individuals becoming comfortable walk-through viewing videos, say Movebubble.
New tenancy electrical safety checks add to Landlord burden
New legislation for landlords to carry out electrical safety checks is due to come into force on July 1.
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 means landlords will have to provide an EICR report for all new tenancies. A copy of the report should then be passed on to tenants within 28 days of their moving in. After that the electrical installations will have to be professionally tested at least every five years.
The law will be extended to existing tenancies from April 1, 2021.
Right now, tenancy demand is at a premium. Goodlord reported an increase of 122 per cent on June 2 compared to the same day last year, meaning many landlords will already have their hands full dealing with paperwork.
Tom Harrington, Managing Director of property services assessment provider PropCert warned landlords and estate agents should make sure they have access to electricians in time.
He added: “If electricians are unable to meet demand and checks are not carried out, this backlog could lead to tenancies being delayed or falling through, which would be highly counter-productive as the market continues to recover from the effects of Covid-19.” Failure to comply with the regulations could result in a financial penalty of a maximum of £30,000.