Improve Instead of Move – What Renovations Add the Most Value?

With an unpredictable property market and the stress of moving, if you’re a homeowner with some capital, why not consider improving your home rather than selling up? You can add real value to your house with some investment and clever tips and tricks. Conservatory Don’t panic – you won’t need planning permission! If the new build is no more than half of the land of the original house, there’s nothing to worry about. Although this is a costly outgoing which will require professional advice and research, your profit should outweigh your outlay when it’s time to sell up. Consider the …

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West End News Roundup

In this post we’re bringing you a little roundup of the relevant news from the area: The view from New York https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/07/realestate/house-hunting-in-scotland.html The popularity of the West End of Glasgow property market has extended across the pond. The New York Times recently cited the West End as a popular area to buy. Huh, so that’s where our new American neighbours have sprung from… Feline pal departs https://www.scotsman.com/regions/glasgow-strathclyde/popular-hyndland-station-cat-says-goodbye-to-glasgow-1-4717181 Hyndland locals will know Hermes the cat, who has become the station’s mascot. But the furry famous face announced via Twitter that his “house humans” are moving and he’s made the difficult decision …

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Hillhead: Area Profile March 2018

Hillhead; the heart of the West End, is still beating strong, and is still one of the most sought-after areas to live. This trend shows no sign of slowing given the proximity to so many amenities and attractive sandstone properties. Compounding that is the quality of state and private schools in the area, not to mention a recent £1bn Glasgow University expansion which hopes to attract more investment in the area, and additionally create two new squares and avenues from Byres Road to Kelvingrove Park. Read our full area guide here: A Guide To Renting & Buying in Glasgow’s West End: Hillhead …

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Investing in a HMO: What You Need to Know

Rent in the UK Average rent prices are still on the rise virtually everywhere in the UK. House of Commons library rental figures show that rent prices have risen by as much as 11.5% in just one year; with rent in London increasing by 27.4% since the general election in 2010. In addition to this, competition for available accommodation is fierce. In London and Glasgow each room in a HMO (house of multiple occupancy) receives about 10 applicants – demonstrating the strength of the current rental market. HMO Opportunities In light of this information, it’s easy to see why so …

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Guiding You Through The Changes to the Private Rented Sector

Recently we made you aware of the changes in legislation to the private rented sector in Scotland. This Private Residential Tenancy (PRT) coupled with the new Letting Agent Code of Practice is the most significant change in our industry since 1988. This important legislation will take some getting used to for both property owners and tenants. However, Cairn are on hand to help guide you through the maze of new regulations facing the industry. The property management world contains a lot of legal jargon to decode, especially with this significant change to property law, which affects some long-standing legalities for …

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Getting To The West End

For decades, the West End of Glasgow has been a much sought-after place to set up home. The sprawling area from Charing Cross to Partick to Hillhead and beyond comprises some of the most attractive postcodes in the city, if not the country. The beautiful green spaces of Kelvingrove and the Botanic Gardens, the iconic red brick tenements and luxurious homes with close proximity to excellent schools, trendy cafes and shops as well as the bustling city centre make it, understandably, a desirable location to put down some roots. However, getting there is easier said than done. With the intense …

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Meet The Team: Lesley

Name? Lesley Cassidy Job title? Maintenance Manager What will your job entail? Dealing with all property maintenance issues which arise. Liaising with contractors and PM’s regarding maintenance issues. Clear all outstanding maintenance issues. What did you learn in your first week? How to navigate through WINMAN (which has information such as property details, LL information, Contractor information. All properties are currently split between four databases). Work Order Spreadsheet and reconciliation with WINMAN (regarding outstanding work orders (maintenance issues). How to invoice contractors and LL’s. How to process incoming maintenance issues, record on WINMAN and issue work orders for quotes/instruct jobs. What was it about the …

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Meet The Team: Jennifer

Name? Jennifer McGonigle Job title? Investment Director What your job entails? Sourcing and selling investment opportunities for clients looking for high yields and quick flip refurbishment opportunities. How long have you worked at Cairn? 7 years. What was it about the property industry that made you want to work in it? The opportunities are always exciting in property – unlike the fashion industry – where a pair of jeans is a pair of jeans. I can take a 3-bed property and convert to 4 bed HMO, refurbish and add value to a property and flip, reconfigure property layouts. The best thing …

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Making New Habits Stick

A new year has rolled around and it’s tempting to write a list of goals as long as your arm in a bid to signal “New Year, New Me”. But what good are New Year’s resolutions if they are far by the wayside as soon as February arrives? Making lifestyle changes that will stick – in other words, good habits – is the best way to achieve your aims. Here’s some ideas how. Where to begin Why not try to build some new habits into your way of working in order to make yourself the most productive you can be? …

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Scottish house prices: January 2018 update

As we enter 2018, new figures have been released showing that Scotland’s house prices are rising despite the fact the number of sales is decreasing. The latest UK House Price Index showed that 9323 homes were sold in September 2017 – a decline of 2.5% on the same month in 2016 and 0.5% compared to August 2016. The five key local authorities for sales in Scotland show Edinburgh recording 1124 sales, Glasgow with 1067, Fife with 706, South Lanarkshire with 595 and North Lanarkshire with 451. These decreases are not specific to Scotland, however. There were annual declines in sales …

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