Vivastreet blog

Once you have found a property that meets your requirements, it is important to inspect the following:

• Time – Take your time looking round the property
• Ask Questions – Don’t be afraid to ask direct and blunt questions about the property
• Photos – Take pictures of the property so that you can look over them later with fresh eyes.
• Measuring up – Take a tape measure with you to calculate the size of each room, or get a rough idea of floor space in a room with furniture by looking at the ceiling size.
• Bills – Find out what is the cost of Council Tax and the average costs of other utility bills such as electricity, gas and water.
• Damp – Is there a smell of damp or any other sign such as the walls feeling damp, wallpaper peeling, paint bubbling, watermarks or mould.
• Power – Make sure there enough power points - how old do they look?
• Internet & Phone – Ask if the property has a phone and internet connection and where are the connection points.
• Electrics, plumbing and heating – Ask the agent or the owner to confirm that the boiler, electrics and plumbing in the property are all in decent working condition, and to see copies of guarantees and service certificates. Have there been any problems with the boiler; when was it last serviced by a Gas Safe engineer?
• Planning permission – Ask if permission has been granted in principle for an extension or other home improvement. Can you put up pictures or redecorate?
• Exterior – Don’t forget to examine pipes, drainage and the condition of the roof.
• Insurance – Check if there have been any recent claims on the property’s buildings insurance – including flooding – and ask for details.
• Neighbours – What are the neighbours like – are they noisy

The new year is a good time to consider relocating

With the new year comes an opportunity for fresh starts and new beginnings, and in our previous post we showed you lots of ways you can dust off those cobwebs and kick start a brand new you.

However some of us may be considering a bigger life change than simply losing a few pounds or getting a new hairstyle. Maybe you’re thinking about a complete change of scene, and upping sticks and moving homes. Well, the new year is the perfect time to think about relocating as more people put their homes on the market once the chaos of Christmas is out of the way.

Here at VivaStreet we have a wealth of properties for sale and for rent, from tiny pied-a-terres and studios to this luxury five-bedroom house. Perhaps you have had enough of city life and have always dreamt of living near the sea. We’re happy to report that you could go and make that dream a reality with this lovely 1930’s property in Devon, complete with panoramic sea views. Or for those who prefer a more tranquil water location, then take a look at this gorgeous house which has its own canalside private mooring. Heaven!

For the more ambitious, we also have a section specially dedicated to land for sale for those looking to build their own home. If you are in the fortunate position of having a sum of spare cash you’re looking to invest wisely, you could do much worse than considering purchasing land. Take a look at our investment land section where you will see an array of different types of land for sale from building plots on the Scottish borders to cheap land in Bulgaria.

Which leads us smoothly on to the option of relocating abroad. Our overseas property selection is extensive, with properties for sale in Europe and beyond. We list a huge number of homes on the market, from farmhouses in Italy and France, to ski chalets in Austria and villas in Cyprus. This farmhouse in Brittany kills two birds with one stone, as it comes complete with an established cattery business – ideal for those wishing to relocate asap!

So what are you waiting for? You may be saying au revoir to cold Blighty before you know it!

Property tenants choose ‘temping’ over renting

We’re witnessing a new trend within the property market which is impacting on landlords and tenants alike.

The so-called weekday renters, or ‘tempers,’ are those for whom the daily commute to work has become a bit too much of a drag. Perhaps the journey is a little too long or expensive, public transport is too unpredictable, or even long working hours are making the journey home at the end of the day almost pointless. Whatever the reason, property owners across the country are seeing a surge in demand from professionals looking to rent a room from Monday to Friday. Landlords are cottoning on to the idea, and have started to make available weekday rooms for those looking for a place to crash after a long day in the office.

As people choose to hang on to their jobs, at least until the recession is thoroughly behind us, property ‘temping’ is becoming a great option for those who, faced with a significant daily commute, want to spend a little less time staring out of the train window. It’s worth bearing in mind that flatshares have come a long way from the outdated notion of having to pay over the odds for a thin-walled dingy bedsit, and in fact they are increasingly becoming the smart choice for professionals. Luckily here at VivaStreet we have a number of flatshares to suit every budget and location.

As well, why not explore whether your budget stretches to renting a property on a more full-time basis, in case long working hours on a Friday (or even after work drinking!) make the idea of sleeping over close to work a little more appealing, and a lot less tiring.

And finally, for those for whom even a weekly or fortnightly commute is still too much, then don’t forget we have a huge amount of properties for sale if you’re considering upping sticks completely.  It’s clear that whatever your budget, location or working situation, VivaStreet has a range of options to suit your needs, so there’s no need to put up with an exhausting daily commute any longer!

From BBC News it has emerged that rental fraudsters have been stealing thousands of pounds from people searching to rent a flat on classified websites like Vivastreet.

In most cases students and flat hunters are asked to transfer money either to themselves or a friend, then send a copy of the receipt to prove they have enough funds to cover the rent.

Armed with the receipt, criminals then fake the intended recipient’s ID and take the cash from outlets across the country. Because the money transfer industry is not regulated in the same way as credit card companies are, the victims are unable to claim any money back.

Money transfer companies insist their security procedures are adequate and that they are working with police to stop the fraudsters. The scams are run by organised, persuasive criminals who lull their victims into a false sense of security.

Always remember to follow our online safety rules:
1. Never transfer money before you actually see the apartment.
2. Never send money using payment services Western Union, MoneyGram
3. Use conventional and regulated methods of payment
4. Only pay when a contract has been signed

For more information on how to deal with scammers please click here.

Stunning holiday villa in Barbados

Believe it or not it’s just over five weeks until Christmas – that means five weeks to buy presents, stock up on food and five weeks before your house in invaded by screaming kids!!

For many, Christmas has become one long stress. It should be a time to relax with the family, recharge the batteries and slob in front of the tv watching the Wizard of Oz. That’s going to be pretty hard to do with a house full of testosterone fueled teenagers, demanding that you play them at Super Mario Bros on the Wii… and then taking great pleasure in kicking your butt!

Enough is enough. You’ve worked hard this year and you deserve some time off. Here’s an idea – how about cancelling Christmas this year and heading off for some much needed winter sun and more importantly, peace and quiet.

Sounds like a good idea? Well there’s no time to waste. Tell everyone you’ve got a crisis at work and you’re going to have to spend the whole of Christmas tied to your desk, saving the company from going to the wall. Then go to our holiday rentals abroad section and book an apartment in the Seychelles for Christmas. You won’t regret it and I’m sure the family will understand! And if they don’t – just buy them some very nice presents, after all the difference between anger and happiness is a 32 inch flat screen HD television!

Currently we have 360 holiday apartments in Spain, 468 rental apartments in Italy and if you would rather stay closer to home, we have 1282 holiday rentals in the UK.

And how about treating yourself and the wife? After all you deserve it…. This stunning three bedroom holiday villa in Barbados comes with its own private pool and is only 150 yards from the beach. Very nice!