Our most handsome member of staff is 7 today!!

Happy Birthday BRANSTON our office mascot!!

Steak for dinner tonight…….!

Some interesting points highlighted in the latest edition of the Great Yarmouth Mercury by James Shipp of Lovewell Blake.

http://www.lovewell-blake.co.uk/shares/GY-Mercury-060516.pdf

With the recent changes we have had in the legislation involved with purchasing additional property we have delved a little deeper to try and offer the best advice possible to our customers.

These changes and the effects have been in a firm presence amongst news reports, social media and many discussions up and down the country. It has been widely assumed by many that due to the increase in the Stamp Duty that investors and potential investors may seek alternative methods to invest their hard earned savings. However, this may not always be the case…

An article that highlights the possible ways on avoiding overspending on Stamp Duty and whether it would be advantageous to certain individual’s has recently been published in the Telegraph .

During the article it explores the possibility of forming a Limited Company to avoid the Stamp Duty Tax  and whether the repercussions would be beneficial or not depending on your circumstances. This is something which has not been given much attention to and we felt it may reassure and advise people who are unsure at how the changes would effect them.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/buy-to-let/12150052/Buy-to-let-How-to-set-up-as-a-company-to-save-tax-and-when-its-worth-it.html

It’s a good thing I like animals…..

It’s an interesting job being an estate agent. You never know quite what each day is going to bring.

Take people’s pets for example.

I was once taking tea with a delightful elderly lady called Hermione in her period cottage when I felt a tug at my sleeve – fortunately Hermione’s pet billy goat was quite gentle and wasn’t trying to pull my arm off.

At another property a Vietnamese pot bellied pig wandered in and out of the kitchen just like a large dog.

I’m not sold on reptiles so the pets in a house near Bungay really tested my resolve. In what looked like a dried out aquarium was a very hairy tarantula.  When the lady of the house rubbed it’s back with the end of her finger it positively purred.  There was worse to come in a cage in the son’s bedroom – or rather not in the cage.  The wire netting front had been forced open.  The escapee was found curled up in a bottom drawer – a 5ft python!

On another occasion the very large chameleon lizard perched on the curtain pelmet watched me with a baleful gaze which was a little un-nerving to say the least.

I’ve never been actually bitten by a dog – but I have had a few encounters.  I’m sure the German shepherd puppy wasn’t trying to harm me – but his sharp milk teeth made a real mess of my brand new trousers.

Over the years I’ve worked out that if you avoid direct eye contact with a large dog look the other way and put your hand out it will have a sniff and then end up licking you.  Please don’t try this though because you never know….

Leaving my brief case open is apparently an open invitation for cats to sit in it. I like cats so it’s not a problem – apart from the occasion when one moggy decided to use my case as a loo.

In a former life I worked at the cattle market in Kings Lynn. Lots of things happened there – but that’s for another day.

I was reading the papers at the weekend during a quiet moment – which in my house is a very rare moment indeed these days… 2 children under 4 running me around.. and this Article seemed to sum up the Positive sentiment which the election result has produced for the Housing Market.  Whilst a ‘Mansion Tax’ would not really have affected buyers in this part of the world, it was going to have a significant affect in London and the Home Counties and this would have had an effect on Norfolk as any movement in the market down south eventually ripples its way up here.  Norfolk and the east coast in particular remain so popular with commuters wanting to escape the hustle and bustle, holiday home buyers and retirees – a strong London and Home Counties market is good for us!

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/money/article4434933.ece

I was flicking through the papers recently when I noticed this interesting article about the rise of the ‘GRANLORD’. The significant reforms to the way Pensions work means that  these can be drawn down in a lump sum and used for purchases such as an investment property.  Please see the link to the article below.

Link to article