Page 30 - February 2022
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     EXPERT ADVICE                                                                                                                                    INTERIORS INSIDER


                                                                                                          Dressed for







                                                                                                        Planning on selling this year? Read these top tips first,
                                                                                                         to make sure your home stands out from the crowd.


                                                                                            I f about  making  a                                  this, but it makes
                                                                                                       thinking
                                                                                                 you’re
                                                                                                                                                  moving
                                                                                                                                                           so
                                                                                                                                                               much
                                                                                              move to a new home,
        The Scottish Rental Market Update: Q4 2021                                          chances are, you’re also                              easier! To declutter
                                                                                                                                                  effectively,
                                                                                                                                                                  at
                                                                                                                                                            look
                                                                                            thinking about selling                                items in batches, such
            The latest Citylets data is in, and Nicky Lloyd, Head of ESPC Lettings,         your current property.                                as papers (like receipts,
                  takes us through the stats for the final quarter of 2021.                 But with so many people                               bills or old greetings
                                                                                            on the move (property                                 cards),  books  and
                                                                                            sales volumes were up                                 clothes. Being practical
           he latest report from Citylets presents   According to the Citylets report, rental rates in
           a frenzied picture of the Scottish rental   Edinburgh grew by 9.8% year-on-year, to create   by over 40% in 2021),                     but ruthless means
                                                                                                                                                  you’ll soon minimise
                                                                                            it’s more important than
       Tmarket for the final quarter of 2021, with   a new average all-time high of £1191 per month.   ever to ensure that your                   your clutter.”
       stock levels at record lows (just 32% of the   Four-bedroom properties saw the biggest annual
       levels seen in Q4 2018), time to let dramatically   growth of 17.8%, taking their new average to   home  is  ‘dressed for
       declining, and competition and prices rising.  £2142. Edinburgh’s time to let dropped to 11 days   success’.                               Repair and replace
                                            on average – 22 days faster than 2020 – while one-                                                    Before  the  Home
       The Scottish average rent rose 5.9% to   bedroom properties let the fastest at an average   The need for your                              Report is ordered, make
       £869pcm, while the average time to let   of just 10 days, with 59% letting within a week.  home to stand out                               a list of any necessary
       dropped to 17 days, down 11 days on the same                                         from the competition                                  repairs. There  might
       time in 2020.                        Combining Citylets and ESPC data, we can reveal   is compounded by                                    be some bigger jobs,
                                            that two-bedroom properties in EH4 produced     the presence of virtual tours, which allow   but small tweaks can help your home look
       Demand was high for properties of all sizes   the best rental yield at 7.1% on average, closely   prospective buyers to analyse your home   its  best.  Fix  creaky  floorboards  and  hire  a
                                                                                            (and potentially dismiss it from their shortlist)
                                                                                                                                 carpet cleaner, and think about the walls -
       across Scotland, but in particular, for one-  followed by three-bedroom properties in EH11,   without stepping foot in the door. To entice   fill any holes from picture hooks and touch
       bedroom  flats.  Across  the  country,  46%  of   with an average yield of 6.7%.     buyers, your home needs to look its most   up paintwork scuffs for a pristine finish.
       one-bed properties were let within a week, and                                       desirable from every angle, so you can show
       their average time to let was the lowest at just   Outside of the Capital, West Lothian saw more   it off in all its glory, whether online, in the
       16 days. There was also huge demand for larger   modest growth over Q4 2021, with a seemingly   photographs or in person.  “The  kitchen  is  one  of  the  main  rooms
       family homes, with three-bedroom properties   more manageable level of demand. The average                                buyers  will  look  forward  to  viewing,  so  if
       reporting the highest year-on-year rental   rental rate was up 2.6% year-on-year, to £769,                                yours is looking a little tired, consider a
       growth of 7.3%, and all property types letting in   while the average time to let dropped by three   Declutter            revamp,” says Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, co-
       under 20 days.                       days to 13 days on average, with one-bed        Decluttering is an essential part of the pre-  CEO at Dowsing & Reynolds. “Repainting
                                            properties letting in 11 days.                  sale process. “It’s the most impactful way to   the units and replacing the door handles
                                                                                            create a sellable home and it’s amazing how it   will instantly give the space a fresh look and
                                                                                            changes an environment,” says Amy Stansfield,   will be attractive for buyers searching for
       ESPC Lettings is an Edinburgh letting agent. We can help with marketing your rental property and finding the right tenants.   content  creator  at  Wallsauce.com.  “Not  only   somewhere they can move straight into.”
       Contact the team on 0131 253 2847 or landlord@espc.com.
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