If you are due to move out of your rented accommodation, you may want to take a glance over your tenancy contract as most will state that the property requires a professional clean.

Many tenants are getting caught out when the go to move out of their rented home and the landlord deducts a huge chunk of money off of the renting deposit for cleaning costs. Paying for the service yourself may save you a bit of money and will enable you to get your full deposit back, that is of course if everything else is intact.

A professional clean should include a deep cleaning of all carpets, wiping of all surfaces including windowsills, light switches and skirting boards to name a few. It should also include a thorough bathroom and kitchen clean too. Always check the property after it has been cleaned to make sure it is of a good standard and keep the receipt as proof.

Most people decide to sell their homes when they feel it no longer suits them, while others rent them out. There are a number of factors that you need to consider to sell or rent your home.

These factors include:

– Your financial situation.

– Your future housing plans.

– The market for rental homes.

– The current home prices.

– Taxes involved.

It is better to rent the house out if you are moving away temporarily and not selling it and buying another one in the future. On the other hand, if for instance, you are transferred to a different place and you know that you won’t come back, then selling it may be the better option.

Consider your mortgage and other expenses. You can use money from the rent to pay for your mortgages and to foot other bills. After clearing your mortgage, you can then sell it.

You also need to analyse the market and see if the price of home is going to rise in the next 5 yrs. If you are certain that your home will fetch a better price in the near future, you can rent it first, until housing prices are better for selling.

If you are currently renting a property and are looking to move out, you may want to check if your current landlord has requested for a professional clean as part of the renting contract.

Many Landlords have a professional cleaning clause within the rental contract, and if you choose not to follow this requirement, you will find a large deduction from your rental bond refund. Although it will cost you to hire a professional cleaning service, you will meet all of the end of tenancy contract requirements, resulting in a full deposit refund (as long as there is not permanent damage to the property).

When seeking a new rental property, read through the contract thoroughly. If there is a professional cleaning clause, make sure the property is professionally clean when you move in. Take photographic evidence of all damage to the property and send them directly to the landlord on day of entry along with a detailed inventory.

When moving to a new home, there are many frustrations a person or family can experience during the move. Moving is a very hectic time and it is easy for one to get caught up and make a few errors. Such common mistakes include shipping a box to the wrong address, improperly packing a fragile item resulting in a damaged item, or even completely forgetting something and leaving it behind. These occurrences can greatly inconvenience a family and add unwanted stress to the situation. If you follow these steps, you can save you and your family a stressful integration.

Before you can begin to pack you must first secure yourself a lot of boxes. After you have enough boxes for your items, you should still keep extra around just in case any boxes break. You can get boxes for free from grocery and department stores, or you can purchase them from whatever moving company you happen to be using. You will also need strong tape and bubble wrap/packaging to securely cushion fragile items. You can also purchase these from the moving company.

Now that you can begin packing, label or number each box. Record everything that goes into each box. Making a checklist will help you keep track of all your stuff during the move. Also if you ever need an item you won’t have to tear through each box to find it, just look for it on your list and go through the corresponding box. For further identification, you can colour coordinate each room in your new house. For example, you can mark each box going to the kitchen with a blue marker or sticker.

Another packing tip is to pack clothes, sheets, towels, etc. into luggage and duffel bags. This will save a lot of box space and everyone will be able to carry whatever they would want handy. Children can even pack items into school bags.

Buying a property is a great investment in life and is not always so easy to accomplish. However, if you are in the fortunate position where you can purchase a second property, renting is a fantastic way to maintain a steady monthly income.
Becoming a landlord comes with its own pros and cons, you have an easy way to bring in a monthly income, should your tenants be reliable, but there are negatives to this role.
You must be contactable to your tenants and fix jobs that make the property unsafe to live in, this could at times be costly, it is recommended that you get a landlord insurance with bricks and water coverage as a minimum. This will give you the insurance support that you may need, it is better to have this before you end up spending all your earnings on fixing a leak in the roof.
Find the right property and go for it, it is a great way to see your money grow.

Old properties carry history and character than some of the newer builds lack. Deciding on selling up and purchasing a run-down property with great potential is not an easy task.

The advantage is that you have the ability to get creative, design each room to suit your needs. Such as keeping a property with an open plan style or changing it by separating the rooms completely. Whatever you opt for, you must consider the issues of buying an old home.

Damp can affect the property and alter the structure of the house if it has gotten too deep, it may result in demolishing the property and starting from scratch.

Other issues can be sticking to time frames and budget for the up doing of the property. Weather can hinder your deadlines; as heavy rainfall can put a standstill on the builder’s projects.

It is a great adventure to take on, just be prepared for the challenges that come with it.

It’s a big step to move out of mum and dad’s house and an even bigger step to buy a house, that’s why many people choose to rent first. By renting on a budget you’re able to save money for a mortgage and live in a home you can call your own, even if it’s just for a year or two. That said, some people choose to rent their whole life and while we wouldn’t recommend this, it goes to show buying is not for everyone. When you rent on a budget, you will have to make some sacrifices. That could be location, space, number of bedrooms or even not having a garden, and you have to remember you’re not likely to find your dream house, so pick something comfortable and appropriate for your needs. That’s all you need to think about when you’re renting for the first time on a budget.