Showing posts with label Holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiday. Show all posts

Friday, December 20, 2013

Guide to Choosing your UK Holiday Let Location

A terrace of brick and flint cottages - geogra...
A terrace of brick and flint cottages - geograph.org.uk - 969366 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So, you are thinking about investing in a holiday let property?

Are you also a bit unsure about top locations and holiday home mortgages etc.?

Well, here are a few helpful top tips about that perennial subject of location, location, location:

  • established holiday resorts and destinations are always a relatively safe bet in terms of location. On the downside though, bargain opportunities might be rather thin on the ground simply because everyone knows it is a great area to buy holiday let property in. So, if your budget is tight, try to think outside the box a little in terms of less well-known holiday destinations;
  • there is something romantic about the coast for many people and that means properties in coastal locations might always be a relatively good bet;
  • however, remember that the coast won’t appear particularly romantic if your property happens to overlook a major industrial complex in the distance. Whatever the nature of a holiday property, people typically want it to have reasonable outlooks in all directions. That doesn’t necessarily mean stunning views, as cute village rooftops might be fine - but industrial chimneys and cranes are never likely to be;
  • tiny and quaint properties may be visually attractive but they might be seen by many families as being totally impractical. Be cautious about such investments unless you happen to be targeting the market for romantic weekend breaks for couples;
  • surprisingly, significant numbers of people don’t have a car or do not like using it on holiday. You may keep your options open with properties that are accessible via reasonable public transport services;
  • by the same logic, it might be sensible to find somewhere that is at least within realistic driving distances of shops and facilities;
  • think about access and parking. Town centre flats in major tourist locations may be fine but if parking locally is virtually impossible or very expensive then you are going to put off a significant number of your potential customers;
  • although some people may wish to shut themselves away for the entire duration of their holiday, most will welcome the chance to get out and about in the evenings where possible. Therefore, holiday home lets that are within walking distances of pubs and restaurants may be particularly attractive;
  • much as a holiday in the wilderness might appeal in theory, many people after the first day or so will be climbing the walls looking for some sort of entertainment. So, locations that have easy access to things such as fishing, cycling, swimming, sports and so on, will be more attractive than those that do not;
  • investigate potential noise pollution in the area carefully before buying. You won’t want to discover after you have purchased that there is a local railway line only a few hundred yards away which is a hive of activity with gravel wagons going up and down at 4am;
  • remember that very isolated locations a long way away from major urban centres of population may be difficult for people to reach on long weekend type breaks, as they won’t want to spend the bulk of that time travelling. This might be a major component of your target marketing outside of July and August - so be cautious about excluding yourself from it by virtue of where your property is located. 

A few basic tips but they might help you avoid you doing the equivalent of painting yourself into a corner with your holiday let property!



Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Stressing about Paying for Christmas Presents? 4 Quick Fixes for Financing Christmas

Christmas presents may bring joy on Christmas morning, but buying them can also cause a huge financial headache for those who go into the holiday season unprepared. This Christmas, instead of waiting until the last minute to figure out how you will afford all the gifts you need to buy, try one of these four quick strategies for financing your Christmas spending. 

Set Aside a Little Money from Every Paycheck


If you set aside a small amount from every paycheck, when you are ready to do your Christmas shopping, you will already have the money you need set aside. To figure out how much money you need to save each week, figure out how much money you want to spend and divide by the number of weeks you have left until your shopping needs to be done. 

Earn Some Extra Cash


If your finances are so tight that there is no extra to be put aside, another option is earning extra cash for Christmas. You can do this by picking up extra shifts at work, selling unwanted belongings you have lying around your house or donating plasma. You can sell homemade crafts or offer tutoring lessons. You are only limited by your creativity and motivation. 

Get a Small Loan

Christmas gifts.
Christmas gifts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If, despite your best planning, you find yourself in the last few days before Christmas with more gifts to buy and not enough money to cover them, you may consider getting a small, short-term loan to cover your last minute Christmas shopping. A payday loan from places like Power Finance in Dallas may be just what you need to fund the best Christmas your family has ever had. 




Agree to Spend Less


If the reason that you are short on Christmas funds is because your family always spends extravagantly, make a pact with each other that this year you will limit spending to a more reasonable amount. You may want to place a limit on the number of presents you will buy or the amount you will spend on each person. You may agree to do a white elephant or secret Santa gift exchange instead of buying gifts for everyone.

The best way to fund your Christmas is to prepare in advance. Whether you choose to set money aside, earn extra cash, spend less or take out a short term loan, make your family’s Christmas the best one yet by making sure you have the funds to pay for it.



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