Pollokshaws Living Archives - Page 7 of 10 - Urban Union Ltd

Category: Pollokshaws Living

 

Moving Home During Tier 4 Restrictions

As several areas of Scotland enter into Tier 4 restrictions on November 20th, the highest level, it has been made clear that all aspects of house moves are permitted to continue, provided they are carried out safely. Here at Urban Union this means that we can still take property renovations and hand over keys to new owners. In addition, you can move from one tier to another for the purpose of moving home.

Help to Buy Schemes

At present the applications for the First Home Fund are on hold, but the Scottish Government has confirmed that they plan to reopen applications in the new year for purchases to be completed in the 2021/2022 financial year. Help to Buy (Scotland) is still running and you can purchase an Urban Union property using this scheme.

Moving home

House moves can go ahead as long as they are done safely but if any member of either household has symptoms of COVID-19 or has been asked to self-isolate by track and trace, the move must be delayed for at least two weeks. Two or more households are able to combine for the purposes of moving for example for a house or flat share but once you have formed the new household you must comply with guidance on the current restrictions in terms of meeting up with other households.

Property viewings

Property viewings must be done virtually at the first instance and only in person when you are seriously considering making an offer.  Urban Union properties, for example the two remaining apartments at Muirton, are unoccupied this makes the process simpler with just a clean required between viewings required. If you wish to visit our sales cabin or view a property this must be done by appointment only and only if you have no symptoms or have not been asked to self isolate.

Property valuations

If you are considering selling your existing home, you are permitted to have an estate agent in your home to provide a valuation and also to take video footage or photographs and measure for the floorplan. All parties should adhere to government guidance on hand washing, social distancing and respiratory hygiene. You may also wish to consider wearing a face covering. Surveyors are now permitted to go to properties for the purpose of completing a Home Report. This remains the case following the new tier approach implemented on 2nd November, provided it can be done safely. Surveyors are also permitted to enter your property in order to produce the Home Report.

Solicitors and estate agents

Solicitors, mortgage brokers and lenders are all open during all tiers but with visits from the public only available by appointment only.

LBTT

Land and Building Transaction Tax (the equivalent of Stamp Duty) has been raied from £145,000 to £250,000 until 31st March 2021. This means that residential property transactions where the purchase price is under £250,000, and to which the Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) does not apply, will attract no LBTT.

Lending

You are still able to apply for a mortgage but you may want to talk about your options with a mortgage broker to find out what deals are available and how much deposit you will require to secure a mortgage.

Selling a property

If you have a property to sell, you must ensure that when a potential buyer views your home they only visit with one other member of their household and open viewings are not permitted. Between viewings you must clean surfaces and door handles and, if possible, open windows. Make sure that social distancing is carried out by all parties and that the agent carries out the viewing.

If you are interested in buying a new home, talk to us at Urban Union.

 

What is a green mortgage?

By choosing an energy efficient home you’ll not only reduce your monthly utility costs and be more appealing to potential buyers, but you could also secure a better rate on your mortgage by applying for a ‘green’ mortgage.

These are relatively new products and are becoming increasingly popular with lenders including high-street banks. For example, Barclays has a Green Home Mortgage range that enables those purchasing a new-build property with an energy efficiency rating of A or B to get a lower mortgage rate. In addition, Nationwide has a green mortgage range with preferential rates to those buying a new-build property that has an A-rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

A green mortgage could be a great option when looking for the lowest mortgage rate especially if you have a smaller deposit. Although this type of mortgage restricts the type of house a buyer can purchase with this type of mortgage often only available on new-builds that have an energy efficiency rating of B or above.

If you are looking to purchase a property with just a 10% deposit or less you may still struggle to obtain lending, even if it’s a green mortgage, in today’s climate. If you are considering a green mortgage, it’s important to talk to a mortgage broker who can assess if this is the right product for you.

Green mortgages look to grow in popularity over the coming years as consumers and the Government become increasingly aware of the negative impact energy consumption is having on the environment and the importance of reducing emissions. There could well be even more products such as this available to reward those who are living greener, more eco-friendly lifestyles.

Improving your efficiency rating

If you want to live in a highly energy efficient home the advice is to buy new. These are built to high standards, are well insulated and have energy efficient appliances and heaty systems. At present, all homes that are built, sold or rented must now have an EPC, which gives the property an energy efficiency rating from A or 100, which is the most efficient, to G or 0 which is the least efficient.

Having an energy efficient home can help sell the property, as well as cutting down on your utility bills. There are a number of ways that homeowners can improve the energy efficiency of their home including:

  • Installing a new boiler,
  • Insulating lofts and cavity walls,
  • Fitting double or triple glazing,
  • Installing solar panels,
  • Hanging thick curtains and buying stick-on insulation for doors.

For more information about EPC visit the Government website.

Safely enjoy the great outdoors no matter what local restrictions are in place!

Here in Scotland we are still restricted by the current tier system with the central belt largely in tier 3. With the nights drawing in and restrictions in place preventing entertainment venues from opening, we will be spending more time indoors. However, it’s important for our mental and physical health to get outside and experience the beauty of nature.

While undertaking social distancing, there are still some things you can do. Here are some suggestions:

Parks and playgrounds

Unlike the lockdown from March, children’s playgrounds are currently still open. Wrap up warm and take your little one’s for some fresh air and to enjoy playground equipment, just remember to take wipes and hand sanitiser when using public play items.

National Trust for Scotland

Take a look what’s currently open in your area – many places are back up and running with cafes still operating. Pre-booking may be required. Find out what’s open.

Local walking and cycling routes

You may have discovered some walking or cycling routes during the lockdown from March, but if not, there are sure to be plenty of country or city walks and routes you can enjoy and you can meet up with another household so you can socialise whilst exercising. Just make sure you wrap up warm!

Garden centres

These are still open and are a great way to get out and discover plants for the garden, bird or squirrel feeders to watch the wildlife and even pick up your Christmas decorations, lights and trees.

Enjoy your terrace, balcony or private/shared garden

Regardless of the weather you can still get out and enjoy your outside space. Depending on where you live, you can spot some beautiful birds at this time of year including Kestrels, Owls, Woodpeckers and more. You can enjoy your garden with your support bubble and household. You could even invest in an outdoor pizza oven, wind-proof gazebo, fairy lighting and patio heater to enable you to make the most of your outside space with friends from your support bubble or your family.

Feed the birds and squirrels

During the winter birds are in need of food – and a great way to enjoy your garden is to take care of the birds with a bird table, bird feeder, bird bath and even nesting materials. When the temperature drops to below freezing it’s important to keep a bird bath topped with fresh water so that they aren’t dehydrated. Also consider feeding squirrels at this time of year.

Bring the outside inside

Want to stay inside? How about bringing the outside in by celebrating nature’s chorus with birdsong. You can get some soundtracks of birds from the internet or even through Alexa or Google Play! Alternatively how about tuning into Autumnwatch or one of the many wildlife programmes available through streaming providers.

Take a look at our current developments. 

 

Urban Union Wins Two Awards at The Scottish Home Awards 2020

We are thrilled to have been recognised at the Scottish Home Awards 2020 with two award wins.

Following last year’s success with the award for Affording Housing Development of the Year (Private Sale) for Muirton Living in Perth, we have been awarded both the Community Contribution Award and the Affording Housing Development of the Year (Private Sale) for Laurieston Living at our highly successful Gorbals site in Glasgow.

Over 100 housebuilders, housing associations and support businesses from across Scotland were entered into the awards.

Winning the Community Contribution award is particularly poignant for us here at Urban Union as our focus isn’t just on building homes but also creating vibrant communities. Community can have a profoundly positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of citizens at a time when the quality of our living spaces and the value of our communities has never been in sharper focus.

Embedded in our developments is the ongoing involvement of the local community. Our aim is to build a long-term relationship with the community and to enhance our offering by promoting healthy lifestyles and community interaction through attractive streets, public spaces and gardens.

For example, we support the Citizen’s Theatre, local school children helping to plant trees at the Pennywell Nature Garden, celebrating local heroes with our Living Legends arts project at LauriestonLiving, running apprenticeship programmes, fostering links to local schools and colleges, to name but a few.

This ties in nicely with our win for the Affordable Housing Development of the Year award for Laurieston Living, as it is here that we partnered with local arts organisation WAVEparticle to create a five-year arts strategy for the area with the ambition of connecting it to the rich history of Laurieston, its people and the aspirations of the community. This idea was sparked from engagement with the local community which forms the cornerstone of our approach to development.

Laurieston Living was our first development and it continues to go from strength to strength with multiple phases already delivered. In fact, we recently handed over our 1,000th property in Scotland to our buyers at this development who were delighted with their new home. The development supports community aspirations and brings the physical improvements, housing and facilities to stimulate social and economic growth.

The key to our success at Laurieston – and in fact all of our developments – are the partnerships we have forged including residents, New Gorbals Housing Association and Glasgow City Council.

We look forward to seeing what the year ahead brings, with all of its challenges!

Neil McKay, Managing Director

Negative interest rates

It has been reported this week that The Bank of England has written to UK banks asking them to prepare for zero or negative interest rates

What does this mean?

Negative interest rates mean that the Bank of England would charge banks money instead of paying them interest on the money they deposit. If the base rate went from the current 0.1% to -0.1% it means that instead of earning interest of 0.1% they would be charged 0.1% by the Bank of England.

It could impact consumers as high street banks base the interest they pay on savings accounts and charge on certain mortgages on the base rate set by the Bank of England.

By charging banks to deposit money it encourages them to lend money to businesses and consumers, rather than hold it in reserve – making it cheaper and easier for businesses to borrow money, which in turn boosts the economy and supports employment.

Consumers

From mortgage rates, savings, pensions and insurance this development could change the way that you manage your money. The thought of interest rates going into negative figures has been discussed by economists for the last few months but last week the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) consisting of high ranking members revealed that it was looking at implementing a bank rate below 0.0%. It currently sits at a record low 0.1%.

Mortgages

In the short-term, homeowners who are on a variable or tracker rate mortgage could see their rate fall slightly but many tracker mortgages have a clause that prevents the interest falling below a certain level. If you’re on a fixed mortgage rate you won’t see any change but if your mortgage deal is nearing the end you may find some competitive deals. Therefore if you’re considering remortgaging ahead of your fixed-rate ending, it could be worthwhile but watch out for any Early Repayment Charges. Talk to a mortgage advisor to find out the best course of action.

Property market

The property market has been booming since lockdown as pent up demand combined with a re-evaluation of priorities has resulted in a flurry of activity. Lower mortgage rates will further rekindle the property market which, in turn, could drive property prices up. As a rule, low borrowing results in more activity in the housing market. Given that higher income jobs haven’t been as much affected as those in professions at the lower end of the earnings scale, expensive properties may increase in price. Property under £300,000 could see a small increase in demand and more stable prices.

Finances

This isn’t good news for savers as they will earn lower or no interest on the money they have in savings accounts. However, it is unlikely that you will have to pay to keep your savings in an account. Those with cash in savings may choose to put their money into fixed-term savings accounts whilst ohers may choose to withdraw their cash which could prompt a rise in spending. In addition borrowing could be very cheap. For those wanting to put their cash somewhere else, they will look for safe, high yield options with a steady return and financial advisors could recommend stocks and shares as an alternative.

Pensions

A low rate environment in terms of the amount which pensions pay out – the annuity rate – has fallen. A representative pension today pays around 4.9 % for every pound in the pension pot, compared with almost 8% back in 2007. A negative rate environment could make this fall further.

With interest rates low – and looking to go even lower, now is a great time to consider securing a mortgage. Talk to us to find out about reserving a new home in one of our regenerated communities.

 

Securing a mortgage when self employed

Applying for a self-employed mortgage can be daunting – but as long as you’re well prepared, hopefully you will manage to secure the right mortgage for your circumstances. It’s important to make sure your application is as bulletproof as can be, have your forms and deposit ready to go. Here are some expert tips on what to consider when applying for a mortgage if you’re self-employed:

Preparation is key

Requesting the required forms you need to prove your earnings can take several weeks so make sure you do this as soon as you know you want to purchase a property. Acquiring a mortgage when self-employed can be a little more complicated, so it’s worth taking the time to make sure everything is in order so that your application is complete. You will also need to prove the source of your deposit so if this is a gift from a family member it will need to be declared. Talk to a financial advisor or independent mortgage advisor to find out exactly what you need to get the ball rolling. It’s also worth getting advice when you’re considering a property purchase so that you can start to manage your accounts and any outstanding credit to your advantage.

Check your credit score

As soon as you decide to buy a property, check your credit score. This is what lenders use to determine if you are a reliable applicant for credit. To ensure your credit score is high, make sure you’re on the electoral roll, you haven’t applied for too much credit in the space of year (it’s advisable not to apply for more than three), your credit cards aren’t at their limit, you haven’t missed any payments and you avoid making the minimum payments. If you have a low credit score, talk to a mortgage advisor as it may be worth holding off until you can improve your score. There are mortgages available for those with a poor credit rating, but they can be very costly so it’s better to wait and build up your score.

Gather the documents you need

If your income goes up and down each month and changes from year to year, you will need to gather as much evidence of your overall income as you can. Lenders will look at your average profits and you may need to provide some evidence that you expect the upcoming year’s income to be on a par with previous years. You could gather evidence from employers, existing contracts and proof of new clients. Alternatively you will need to show that you have savings aside from your deposit to meet your repayments should you lose work.

Employ an accountant

A qualified accountant can prepare the accounts you need, and this is usually the preferred option from lenders. In fact, some lenders won’t even consider the accounts unless they have been signed off by a certified accountant. You may need up to three years of accounts and you will need to break down profits, expenses, dividends etc.

Get the right advice

By using an independent mortgage advisor, you can get the right advice on which mortgage you will be eligible for, as well as their requirements. A mortgage advisor can search the whole of the market and often have access to lenders that provide specialist mortgages.

If you are considering an Urban Union property, talk to us today and we can advise you on availability and costs.

 

The Scottish Home Awards 2020

We are thrilled to have been named finalists in no less than three categories for this year’s Scottish Home Awards! 

Founded in 2007 the event is run for the benefit of the housebuilding community, with the objective of helping housebuilders and housing associations sell, rent or promote their properties more effectively.

Following entries from 109 housebuilders, housing associations and support businesses from across Scotland we are delighted to have reached the final in the following categories: 

  • Community Contribution award.
  • Affordable Housing Development of the Year (Private Sale) for Laurieston Living.
  • Housing Regeneration Project of the Year for Laurieston Living.

Due to the current limitation on gatherings, the 2020 Scottish Home Awards will be hosted as a virtual event on Thursday 29 October and will include dedicated networking zones, live hosts, entertainment, and video messages which can be watched from the comfort of your own home.

The national awards celebration for housing in Scotland will be hosted as a virtual event this year as plans are now being finalised for a broadcast quality, live digital experience which celebrates the best in new build housing.

Celebrating the best in new build housing, The Scottish Home Awards reported a record-high volume of entries in this year’s competition and working with sponsors, Ross & Liddell, finalists had been announced in 19 categories earlier this year.

Kirsten Speirs, Director of KDMedia, which operates the programme, commented;

“We’re excited to be adding digital events to our Scottish Home Awards programme.  Working with our suppliers and advisers, we have trialled many products over recent weeks and we are feeling very inspired that we can deliver something special for our guests who regularly attend the dinner.

“Digital events are different and will offer an entirely new experience for finalists, winners and sponsors.  The results gained from networking can be much more effective and we can enhance the profile of our sponsors in a new way which can also deliver real results for businesses.   We’re very much looking forward to getting started and continuing this new dimension to the awards in the years ahead.”

Discover more. 

Supporting our young workforce At Urban Union we understand the importance of not only providing affordable housing, but the career opportunities that are created in building homes and communities. As one example, we run apprenticeship programmes whereby we periodically read more

 

Scotland should focus on building communities, not just homes

At Urban Union we specialise in not only delivering outstanding new homes, but regenerating communities. With four developments ongoing in Scotland – Laurieston Living and Pollokshaws Living in Glasgow, Pennywell Living in Edinburgh and Muirton Living in Perth, our ambitious projects aim to deliver homes where they are most needed. Established in 2011 with the aim of working in Glasgow, similar regeneration opportunities followed, and we now deliver housing in key regeneration areas across Scotland.

Community engagement is at the heart of our developments. We aim to build a long term relationship with the  community to ensure the homes we provide are to the wider benefit of the people living where we work. As well as focusing on well-connected sites, building communities enhances our offering by promoting healthy lifestyles and community interaction through attractive streets, public spaces and gardens.

An ongoing commitment to creating high quality, crafted architecture embedded and connected to the wider community is also fundamental to our approach. Too often you will find inconsistent architectural styles, especially in areas where multiple developers have built individual housing more reflective of their brand than existing buildings. This can be prohibitive to a sense of place.

At Urban Union we provide a mix of terraces, townhouses, and apartments in a coherent style, with a variety of house types suitable to first-time buyers and families alike. In addition to one and two-bedroom apartments, our developments include two, three, four and five-bedroom terraced homes and townhouses for growing families looking to put down roots. Our desire is for everyone to be able to enjoy a modern and stylish home at an affordable price.

We have a strong track record in delivering critical regeneration projects to support the demand for high quality, affordable homes and provide an opportunity for people to join the property ladder in key locations. New sustainable mixed tenure communities are facilitated through the provision of new housing, community facilities, green space and, where appropriate, commercial units. Our developments combine superior architecture, urban design and spacious, flexible accommodation.

To date, we have successfully delivered more than a 1,000 homes across our developments and are putting that award-winning experience to good use as we support ongoing regeneration.

Embedded in our developments is the ongoing involvement of the local community. For example supporting the Citizen’s Theatre, local school children helping to plant trees at the Pennywell Nature Garden, celebrating local heroes with our Living Legends arts project at Laurieston, running apprenticeship programmes, fostering links to local schools and colleges, to name but a few.

At our Laurieston Living development in Glasgow, we have partnered with local arts organisation WAVEparticle to create a five-year arts strategy for the area with the ambition of connecting it to the rich history of Laurieston, its people and the aspirations of the community. This idea was sparked from engagement with the local community which forms the cornerstone of our approach to development. As our projects have matured and new phases come to fruition, we have gone back to the community time and again to ensure they are fully on board with plans and help shape the regeneration.

Investing more in this coherent and sustainable approach to regeneration with local communities at the core, will not only help address Scotland’s housing shortfall and support its post-pandemic economic recovery but will have a profoundly positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of its citizens at a time when the quality of our living spaces and the value of our communities has never been in sharper focus.

 

Understanding the importance of social housing

Scottish Housing Day is now in its fifth year and Urban Union are thrilled to celebrate housing in Scotland, particularly with this year’s focus on the value of social housing.

Access to secure, safe, warm and affordable housing is vital to the wellbeing of everyone in our society. With the current Covid19 pandemic, we have been made acutely aware of the importance of social housing.

Although unlike previous years, we are unable to get together face to face for Scottish Housing Day, we will be coming together virtually.

Not only is there an impressive online line-up of speakers including the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, Kevin Stewart MSP, taking place today, here at Urban Union we will be sharing via social media our views on the importance of social housing. Posts include how we are delivering outstanding new housing, building communities and supporting everyone’s right to a safe, secure and affordable place to call home.