Urban Union Archives - Page 7 of 13 - Urban Union Ltd

 

2021 – The year of working from home!

Last year was challenging for most of us, but with the vaccine rollout in full force, we could soon start to get back some much-needed normality. One of the changes that many of us have experienced is home working – either full or part time – and it appears that many people will continue to work from home especially as we have all adapted to this way of working. Zoom meetings have replaced in-person meetings and people are able to work longer hours when not having to travel to and from work. Many companies have now embraced the benefits to both themselves and their employees in allowing staff members to work from home either full or part time.

As a result of this change in lifestyle, demand for homes with an extra bedroom are in high demand and many people are looking for ways to create a home office within their home. Recent reports stated that having a home office shed in your garden can boost the value of your home by as much as £12,000.

A place to work

It’s important to set up a quiet dedicated area otherwise you could find it’s a difficult balance trying to cut off from your personal life when in the home.

Think carefully about an area to set aside for home working. Some people work well with the radio or television on and some need complete quiet. If you have space restrictions then look at the space you do have – could you clear an area on your dining table, use a dressing or console table, clear out the under stairs area or even transform your shed? Anywhere could be a possibility as long as it makes you feel comfortable and the space is functional.

Furniture and office equipment

Make sure that you pay attention to a good office chair that is both comfortable and comfortable. You’ll be spending hours sitting on it and you need to take care of your posture to avoid any problems in the future. Look also at where you position your printer, computer screen and anything else you may need. If you have a laptop, consider getting a monitor so that you are looking ahead rather than downwards to avoid putting pressure on your neck and spine. This may help you to calculate the correct height of your desk and chair: https://www.blitzresults.com/gb/ergonomic/. Make sure you also have all the office equipment you need along with suitable storage so that the area can be left clean and tidy.

Give your area some personality

One of the best things about working from home is that you can personalize the space without any restrictions! Use your favourite photographs and pictures, add colourful plants, or go crazy on cushions and colours – there is no office policy other than yours.

Lighting

It’s essential that your space is well-lit to avoid straining your eyes if you are doing anything off-line. Use a good quality lamp and if you have natural light try and maximise this.

Keep it tidy

Tidy work area, tidy mind! Make sure you clear away any cables using the DIY solutions available and make sure all paperwork is tidy and use paper trays to organise your documents. There are also some very small and compact filing cabinets available.

Setting up a home office doesn’t need to be daunting or expensive especially as it could be temporary.

Edinburgh and Glasgow Among Best Cities to Raise a Family

When you’re raising a family it’s important to choose a place to live that can facilitate all aspects of family life. From finance and healthcare to childcare and schooling, the city in which we live can have a huge impact on the quality of our life and that of our children.

A new study from CIA Landlord looked at the best cities to raise a family by analysing aspects that are important to parents. These included the cost of property or rent, childcare and household bills. It also looked at the number of local schools, crime levels, local attractions, pollution index, the general cost of bills and general quality of life. The cities were ranked based on these metrics to determine which city was the best location for raising a family.

Globally Helskinki ranked top as the healthiest place to raise a family, with low rents and a high happiness score. In terms of raising a family and place in which to relocate, Reykjavik ranked top as the best global city.

Here in the UK, top of the ranking was Belfast – using the metrics of quality of life, crime rate index, number of outdoor activities, number of local schools, cost of monthly childcare and cost of monthly rent. In the top ten four of the cities were here in Scotland including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen. In fact, if the levels of crime are a main concern for you as a family, Edinburgh ranked third as the safest place to raise a family.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh ranked as the sixth best place for families to live in the UK with 476 local attractions, 141 local schools and the cost of renting a three-bedroom apartment standing at £1,517.68. The cost of childcare in Edinburgh averaged at £812.50 and the cost of Monthly bills is £143.85.

Glasgow

Glasgow ranked eighth in the top 10 UK cities with 402 local attractions, rent of a three-bedroom apartment £1,142.05, 187 local schools, childcare costs of £675.04 per month, and monthly bills at £113.30.

If you’re considering a new home to raise a family in Glasgow or Edinburgh, take a look at our current developments including Pennywell Living in Edinburgh, Pollokshaws Living in the southside of Glasgow and Laurieston Living in Glasgow city centre.

 

Finalist at the Scottish Property Awards 2021 – Laurieston Living

We are delighted to announce that we are a finalist for ‘Regeneration Project of the Year’ for our Laurieston Living development in Glasgow at this year’s Scottish Property Awards.

Now in its 8th year, the Scottish Property Awards aims to recognise the best new commercial and public buildings in Scotland. It is an independent awards programme which recognises and rewards achievement in real estate development. An independent panel of experts are drawn from across the property sector, bringing together an unrivalled level of market knowledge and industry experience.

This national competition received entries from over 50 businesses dedicated to positive change and property development in Scotland.

There are 15 categories in total, all of which showcase newly developed buildings for public and commercial use. Despite the global pandemic there has been a strong level of business in the construction industry over the last 12 months and the entries featured hospitals, schools, offices, community centres and regeneration sites, including those developed by Urban Union. Over the last year there have been many achievements in Scottish real estate – all of which have shown resilience and commitment in the face of the national pandemic, and these awards intend to highlight them.

The Digital Awards Broadcast takes place on Thursday 25th March at 6.30pm and these live awards will be staged and presented from Glasgow, hosted by Des Clarke, with appearances via live video links from sponsors and winners as they are announced throughout the night.

Urban Union specialises in the successful delivery of large-scale regeneration projects. Part of Robertson Group, the company has a proven and award-winning pedigree in creating new communities across Scotland.

We are currently delivering three developments – Pennywell Living in Edinburgh, Laurieston Living and Pollokshaws Living in Glasgow.

At the heart of our approach is an unrivalled commitment to creating communities, not simply building new homes. This is achieved by working in close partnership with local authorities, housing associations, community groups and residents.

We are also dedicated to ensuring opportunities for people living in the areas in which it operates, supporting targeted recruitment and providing training opportunities.

Make your house a home The right amount of style, comfort and convenience within a vibrant community can create a truly inspirational home. One of the great benefits of buying a newly built home is that you have a blank canvas on which to make your mark. There’s no bett read more

  Muirton Living Sells Out With Last Home Purchased We are delighted to announce that our award-winning Perth development, Muirton Living, has sold-out. Launched in 2016, Muirton Living – a 101 home, mixed tenure community in Perth – sold-out after its final proper read more

 

The Scottish Budget

The Scottish Budget has been delivered by Kate Forbes MSP and included some important announcements. The proposals, to be implemented from April 2021, will need a parliamentary majority to back them in the coming weeks. She described the measures as potentially the “most important in the history of devolution”.

Here are some of the key points:

Housing and property

Here at Urban Union, we welcome the news that first-time buyer relief for LBTT will remain in place for the next financial year – this increases the nil rate band to £175K for first time buyers.

The temporary increase in the zero rate Land and Buildings Transaction Tax band will end on April 1st. From July the threshold for paying the Scottish version of stamp duty rose from £145,000 to £250,000. It will go revert back to £145,000 from April 1st 2021.

There will also be a new £55m programme to support town centres and community-led regeneration projects.

Jobs

Job creation was at the forefront of the measures announced, with a new Green Workforce Academy, a £100m Green Jobs Fund, £7m towards making Scotland a hub for digital business and £115 additional funding for the Young Person’s Guarantee.

Public sector workers earning up to £25,000 can receive at least a 3% pay increase via a £750 cash underpin, while there is a 1% rise for those earning above that amount, capped at £800 above £80,000. In addition, £98.2m has been allocated to improve Scotland’s digital infrastructure and deliver access to high quality broadband and mobile coverage. 

Health

Health received record funding of over £16bn. This is an increase of 5.3% on the 2020 – 2021 financial year, along with £869m towards tackling coronavirus, including funding for the vaccination and test and trace programmes.

£1.9bn has been allocated to primary health care to help deliver more services in the community with a further £550m earmarked to build new Elective Care Centres and the Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre in Aberdeen.

Local government

Local authorities are being given £90m in order to freeze council tax and £259m one-off funding. The Scottish Government will also increase a scheme which compensates councils for the loss of income from sales, fees and charges due to the pandemic from £90m to £200m in 2020-21.

Child welfare

An allocation of £711.6m for affordable housing and £68m for the first full year of the Scottish Child Payment aims to tackle child poverty.

More than £3.1bn in resource and capital investment has been allocated for education and skills, and £567m to provide 1,140 hours of early learning and childcare.

Police

The Scottish Police Authority has been allocated £1.3bn, including a £60m increase in Police Scotland’s revenue budget.

Transport

£1.6bn for rail and bus services and £100.5m for active travel to consolidate changes to healthy, green travel options seen during the pandemic.

Business

There will be a three-month extension to the pandemic business rates holiday – officially called the “100 per cent non-domestic rates relief” for properties in the retail, hospitality, leisure and aviation sectors. This is worth £185 million and would be paid for by cash handed back by big retailers who did not require the support.

Save Money When Buying or Selling a Home

If you’re considering moving home, whether it’s your first home, you’re looking for more space for a growing family or downsizing, it can be a stressful process. Along with feeling that the whole thing could be daunting, there are lots of potential costs that you will need to save for. However, not all of these are necessary.

Here are some ways you can save money whilst navigating the property ladder:

Buy a fixed price home

When looking for a property that is listed for ‘offers over’ it will either go to a closing date in which case you’ll need to submit your highest and final offer, or you could submit an offer in the hope that it will be accepted. However, this offer will need to be good enough for vendor to accept it and take the property off the market. Either way this will need to be done via a solicitor who will charge for their services.  An alternative is to buy a fixed price home – so once you’ve decided you want to buy it and paid a reservation fee, it’s yours!

Consider the energy efficiency

When moving home, it’s a good idea to choose a home with lower running costs. A newer home will have lower utilities bills than an older property.

Selling your home

If you are selling your property, it’s worth negotiating hard on commission and comparing agents. On average, high street agents charge around 1.5%, but will often reduce this to around 1% or even lower if you ask. Just make sure you are using the right agent who has a proven track record.

Remortgaging

If you are selling a home and looking to buy, you may be able to port your current mortgage. However, given the historic rates we have seen over the past couple of years, you could find that by remortgaging you save on your monthly repayments. Talk to a mortgage broker for advice on the best course of action – they will be able to look at the whole of the market including deals you won’t find on the high street.

Engaging a solicitor

It’s important to choose your solicitor wisely, whether buying or selling. When selling a home, your solicitor should be able to save time by carrying out prep work before a buyer is even found. This can really speed things along when a buyer makes an offer. An efficient solicitor can save weeks on the conveyancing process.

DIY removals

Removals firms can be expensive so try and do as much of the moving yourself to cut down on these costs. If you don’t have many belongings you could find that hiring a van is the most economical way to move, otherwise make sure you speak to several firms to get the best price and pack wisely to keep the number of boxes to a minimum.  It’s also important to book the removals service as soon as you can in order to get the best price – and moving mid-week can often be cheaper. Finally, make sure you aren’t taking any belongings that you aren’t going to keep – so have a big sort out before you move home as this will also cut down on time and money.

Choose new

By buying a new home, you will be saving money on the cost of any home improvements. With an existing property you may need to spend money on upgrading the kitchen or bathrooms, which could prove to be costly. Buying new means that you move in – and that’s it!

Help to Buy

Are you eligible for the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme or the First Home Fund? This means that you will only need a 5% deposit!

Take a look at our current developments.

 

Strengthening Our Team With Six New Appointments

We are delighted to announce that we have welcomed six new members of staff to our growing Glasgow based team. Strengthening our site management capability, Colin Page joins us from Ogilvie to become Site Manager of Urban Union’s Laurieston Living development and brings with him 25 years of experience.

He is joined at the development by Ian Whitelaw who has taken on the role of Assistant Site Manager. Together they will be managing and monitoring works carried out at Laurieston to ensure construction is delivered effectively and efficiently.

Carrying out a similar role at Urban Union’s newest development, Pollokshaws Living, Andrew Bell has taken on the role of Site Manager. He brings with him 10 years of experience to the Urban Union team.

James McGuinness will be supporting Andrew as Assistant Site Manager at the Pollokshaws development, bringing nearly 40 years of industry experience.

Graham Cathie has taken on the role of Timber Frame Manager after seven years at Robertson Timber Engineering.  He is currently working with the development teams at Laurieston and Pollokshaws to manage our in-house timber frame delivery from design to construction.

At Urban Union’s head office, Alanna Caldwell has joined the finance team as Assistant Accountant.  She is assisting Nicola Links following her promotion to Management Accountant.

Neil McKay, Managing Director of Urban Union, said: “We’re pleased to end 2020 on a high by welcoming so many new faces to the Urban Union team. Each and every one brings with them a variety of skills and experience to their roles, making them fantastic additions to an already strong and cohesive team.”

At the heart of Urban Union’s approach is an unrivalled commitment to creating communities, not simply building new homes. This is achieved by working in close partnership with local authorities, housing associations, community groups and residents.

At Urban Union, we are dedicated to ensuring opportunities for people living in the areas in which it operates, supporting targeted recruitment, training and supply chain opportunities.

Take a look at our developments.

 

Over the last year we have placed more importance on technology to keep in touch with our loved ones as we haven’t been able to see them face-to-face. There are several social apps that enable us to keep in touch with loved ones without having to see them in person. Using social apps is a great way to stay connected with friends and family. Where we previously went for dinner or drinks over the festive period, we are now meeting up online instead, no matter where you live.

Here are some of the best social apps to use this Christmas:

WhatsApp video

WhatsApp not only enables you to speak to your friends, it’s now also possible to see them anywhere at any time. All you need to do is download the app from your smartphone’s app store, sync your phone number and click on the symbol of the video recorder in the top right hand corner for video calling. You can even download WhatsApp Desktop for your computer to make it easier to use as you won’t need to hold the phone.

Facebook messenger

If you can’t get to grips with WhatsApp you can keep in contact with friends and family using Facebook Messenger. Like WhatsApp, you can video call friends and family either one-on-one or as part of a larger group.

Netflix

Netflix have launched an extension designed to help you stay in contact with friends and family so you can share your screen with friends and watch movies at the same time! You can even chat while you watch.

Here’s how to install:

  1. Find Netflix Party on the Chrome Web Store and click “Add to Chrome” to finish installing Netflix Party.
  2. Go to Netflix’s and choose a movie or show to start playing.
  3. Click on the red “NP” icon located next to the address bar. Then click “Start Party” to share the party URL to invite friends.
  4. If you’re joining a watch party click on the party URL, which will redirect to Netflix’s website. Then click on the “NP” button next to the address bar, and you should automatically join.

Skype

Why not chat or video call on Skype? You can do this via your smartphone, smart TV or laptop. Simply set up a time with loved ones and why not even make it a dinner date? You could all eat at the same time whilst chatting.

Xbox Live and Playstation Plus

Xbox live and Playstation Plus makes it easy to stay in touch with friends and family while sharing your love for gaming. Simply pick up a headset, connect online and chat with your friends whilst you play a game together! There are hundreds to choose from, just go to the Microsoft or Nintendo store.

Houseparty and Zoom

Houseparty and Zoom are similar to Skype but you can chat to up to eight people at a time.  You can arrange a dinner party, date night, movie night, quiz night or even a cook off! Simply download the app on your laptop or phone and set up a meeting then send invites to friends you want to take part. You can upgrade the subscription from free to paid so that you can have more functionality such as break off chats and longer meeting times.

Instagram

Instagram Live can be a great way to keep in contact with friends and family – you could have a dance party, host tutorials, watch music performances and more.

Strava

Strava allows you to record your exercise and keep in touch with fitness groups – share your progress with others to stay motivated.

FaceTime

A classic and one of the easiest ways to stay in touch! You hold video chats via your phone or laptop and see how your family are getting on during the lockdown.

 

 

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.