Property Market Updates & Eat Out To Help Out!

Property Market Updates & Eat Out To Help Out!


We start this month's newsletter by sharing the new government green homes grant scheme. Homeowners can receive support to pay for home improvements to make their homes more energy efficient. We also give you an overview on the changes to the stamp duty payment thresholds. 

Next we offer five suggestions to refresh your outdoor space as well as how to keep your BBQ clean all summer long. To end our newsletter we feature our top pick of restaurants in Nottingham that are participating in the government Eat Out To Help Out Scheme. 
We hope you enjoy this months edition!


What Is The Green Energy Grant And How To Claim It

 
As part of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s summer statement, green energy grants up to a possible £10,000 will be available from September in order to pay for green home improvements such as a new boiler, loft insulation or double glazing.

For the majority of homeowners, grants of up to £5,000 will be available but for those from low income households, this amount doubles in order for the cost of energy-efficient home improvements to be fully covered.

The Chancellor confirmed: "From September, homeowners and landlords will be able to apply for vouchers to make their homes more energy efficient and create local jobs.

"The grants will cover at least two thirds of the cost, up to £5,000 per household.

"And for low income households, we’ll go even further with vouchers covering the full cost - up to £10,000."

Measures such as loft, wall and floor insulation, double glazing, lighting, energy-efficient doors, boilers and heat pumps will all be included under the scheme, with Rishi Sunak predicting a saving a £300 per year for households who make the most of the grants.

The grant will be available from September via a Government website, yet to be launched, which will also detail an approved list of suppliers.



Five Ways To Refresh Your Outdoor Space

 
Outdoor space has rarely been so prized as it is now, with searches for properties with gardens and patios now much higher than prior to the lockdown period. We have put together five simple and inexpensive ways that you can perk up your outdoor space, no matter how much (or indeed how little) you may have available.
  1. Create Specific Areas

An effective way to transform your outdoor space is to create specific areas within your available area. Creating a seating area with screens, a bedding area with planters and adding hanging baskets further down your garden will create real depth as well as encouraging the use of these spaces. If you have less space available, think about using furniture which can be also be used as storage as well as items which can be folded away or stacked.

  1. Lighting

Investing in lighting for your outdoor area will not only make it more attractive when the evenings set in, it will also encourage you to embrace the outdoors even when it is a little darker. Solar lighting is an affordable, effective and fuss-free way to add some ambience to your garden, patio, balcony or outdoor space – solar nets are particularly effective as the lights can be weaved through a trellis or on a fence.

  1. Pots and Planters

If your outdoor space is a small patio or balcony area then using pots and planters is a great way to add some fresh flowers and foliage, making your space much more inviting. If your property is rented, then pots and planters are also really useful as you can take them with you when you move to a new property and you do not need to dig up a garden which could cause potential disputes. If you have more space available, add some hanging baskets to create different levels of interest across your garden.

  1. Accessories

Although investing in soft furnishings and accessories can be a more pricey way to refresh your outdoor space, because the items are intended for outdoor use they tend to last longer and so can be a worthwhile investment. Bright pops of colour can be added to any size of space with cushions, beanbags, throws and adding candles to table areas will take your outdoor space to the next level.

  1. Planting

Very few things will bring the outdoors to life as much as fresh plants and flowers – over the span of summer they also work out to being fairly inexpensive. Lavender is a particularly good option due to its hard-wearing nature and the gentle scent that is emitted. You can also purchase bedding packs of plants from most supermarkets and DIY stores, making them easy to find and inexpensive.



How To Keep Your BBQ Clean All Summer Long

 
With the sun finally making an appearance, BBQs will be the order of the day for plenty of us, especially after the lockdown period where a lot of time was spent indoors. However, if your BBQ hasn’t been used since last summer or you forgot to clean it after filling up on delightful treats the last time that you used it then giving it a good clean will be required. Here are a few tips to make the task as simple and effective as possible.
 
Keep It Hot
The best time to clean your BBQ is when it is hot, as the heat itself will help to burn away a lot of stubborn food remnants. It goes without saying that you must be as careful as possible when cleaning your hot BBQ, but ensure that you are wearing gloves as a minimum precaution. With the BBQ hot, you can scrape away any grime that is present and once completed and the coals are cooled slightly, you can soak old newspaper in water and cover the grill with this – effectively steaming the BBQ clean.
 
Elbow Grease
There’s no substitute for elbow grease! Giving the BBQ a scrub using hard bristled brushed and scourers will help to get everything clean once more. Once you have given everything a thorough scrub, use dishwater and a cloth to remove any residue left over.
 
Polishing The Exterior
Now that you have cleaned the grill and the interior is looking as good as new, it is time to tackle the exterior. Use warm, soapy water to clean the exterior of your BBQ and once dry you can buff with a dry cloth in order to achieve a better finish. To protect your BBQ from the elements, a top tip is to lightly coat it with mineral or baby oil as this will help to shield it from mother nature.
 
Keeping It Clean
The next time you use your BBQ, to make the cleaning process easier, then coat your grill with sunflower oil as it will prevent food from sticking and the grill from going rust. 



Stamp Duty Holiday - What Has Changed?

 

In one of the biggest changes to the property market for some time, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has introduced a stamp duty holiday which is now in place and runs up until 31st March 2021. This £4bn stimulus to the property market has been launched with a single purpose – to stimulate the market and encourage potential buyers onto the property ladder. 

 

"The average stamp duty bill will fall by £4,500 and nearly nine out of 10 people buying a main home this year will pay no stamp duty at all," said Sunak in his summer statement. 

 

For first-time buyers and existing homeowners, stamp duty rates are now as follows; 

 

Property or lease premium or transfer value

SDLT rate

Up to £500,000

Zero

next £425,000 (the portion from £500,001 to £925,000)

5%

next £575,000 (the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million)

10%

remaining amount (the portion above £1.5 million)

12%

 

For those who are buying a second home, or increasing their portfolio, stamp duty rates are now as follows;

 

Property or lease premium or transfer value

SDLT rate

Up to £500,000

3%

next £425,000 (the portion from £500,001 to £925,000)

8%

next £575,000 (the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million)

13%

remaining amount (the portion above £1.5 million)

15%

 

The stamp duty holiday has been analysed by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, which estimates that the change could encourage 216,000 home moves. 

 

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Stamp duty is a terrible tax and this measure will help get Britain moving again, potentially unlocking hundreds of thousands of new moves. 

 

“The tax gums up the housing market and locks down homeowners, at a time when many more people are ready to move. We estimate this tax cut could have an impressive effect on the housing market this year." 

 

"The scale of these benefits show that the chancellor would be crazy to stop there. Raising the threshold further, or preferably just abolishing the tax completely, would build in huge benefits for homebuyers, productivity and the economy as a whole.”



Delilah Fine Foods

This traditional delicatessen, combined with a tapas style food offering, provides an opportunity to taste, buy and sell thousands of fine foodstuffs, and to demonstrate how these products can be used to create great dishes.

Click here to read Delilah Fine Foods.



Annie's Burger Shack

Born and raised in Rhode Island USA, Annie grew up where the first diners and burgers in America began. You will find Annie’s Burger Shack in the historic Lace Market area of Nottingham.

Click here to read Annie's Burger Shack.



The Pudding Pantry

The Pudding Pantry brings together 3 friends with an insatiable desire to provide the kind of food and coffee that will keep you coming back.

Click here to read The Pudding Pantry.