Blogs of author

Leading land broker Aston Mead Land & Planning says a change to the rules on affordable housing for smaller sites would have a devastating effect on the very business the Government is trying to support.

As the law stands, developments of 10 homes or fewer are excluded from the requirement to provide or contribute to affordable housing provision. But London mayor Sadiq Khan’s new draft London plan encourages boroughs also to contribute to affordable housing delivery for smaller sites when setting out their plans for development.

Aston Mead Land & Planning Director Adam Hesse said: “This move

One of Derbyshire’s landmark historic houses with a secret door and passageway is set to be the star of SDL Auction Graham Penny’s February auction.

The Homestead in Spondon village is understood to be the oldest of only three houses with Grade I-listed status in Derby.

An extra exciting attraction is a secret door concealed behind the left-hand fireplace alcove in the morning sitting room on the ground floor, opening into a passageway with private access to the basement wine cellarage.

The property, which is offered freehold with vacant possession upon completion, has a *guide price of £590

It's important that you view a property before you bid for it at auction. There are so many things to consider and often the most important questions are forgotten. Ensure you ask the relevant questions by taking our handy viewing checklist with you on your viewing.

If you're a buyer, you’ll probably encounter other potential buyers when looking around, which might make you feel pressured. Try not to let it affect your decision; it’s still important to inspect the property fully and not to be influenced by other parties when deciding how much the property is worth or whether it's right for you

The head of one of the UK’s leading auction networks has welcomed new housing secretary Sajid Javid’s pledge to deliver more sites for housebuilding.

Rory Daly, chief executive officer of SDL Auctions, said he was pleased the Minister was focusing on all land in public ownership but urged him to put particular focus on the thousands of smaller plots of land currently sitting in local authority ownership.

“Over the past 15 years, we have sold many such sites for local authorities such as Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Sandwell through our auctions and many of these sites now have owner-occupiers

As the team at SDL Auctions Graham Penny takes final instructions from vendors looking to sell properties in the first Leicester auction of 2018 on Thursday 8 February, it is a good time to reflect on 2017.

SDL Auctions Graham Penny held six auctions in Leicester last year, with competitive bidding and busy auction rooms resulting in more than £15m worth of property sold, with many outstanding results recorded.

And now the team is looking to collate more lots for each of the six Leicester auctions this year, and is keen to hear from potential vendors who want to achieve good prices in a fixed

As the team at SDL Auctions Graham Penny takes final instructions from vendors looking to sell properties in the first Nottingham auction of 2018 on Wednesday 31 January, it is a good time to reflect on 2017.

SDL Auctions Graham Penny held seven auctions in Nottingham last year, with competitive bidding and busy auction rooms resulting in more than £19m worth of property sold, with many outstanding results recorded.

And now the team is looking to collate more lots for each of the seven Nottingham auctions this year, and is keen to hear from potential vendors who want to achieve good prices in

Selling property at one of our future auctions will be cost effective, simple, fast and stress free.

If you feel that this method of sale might be right for you, why not get the ball rolling and get in touch for a FREE PROPERTY VALUATION via our ENQUIRY FORM (click on the link to be directed to a short form for you to complete and submit so that one of our auction team can call you back).

If you’re looking for a speedy sale and certainty that a buyer won’t bail on you then auctions are a good way to go. Once the hammer falls the buyer has to put down a 10% deposit, then they have 28 days to

f you're moving house, the first thing to do is finalise your moving date, and then you can start ticking things off your checklist. Use our guide below so you don't forget anything:

Four weeks before you move house:
Book a removals company as soon as possible. This will guarantee you get the date and the company you want. Keep in mind that weekend moves are likely to be more expensive.
Check your home contents insurance policy to see what cover you have regarding moving home. Your removal company may provide this if you are not covered.
Arrange for parking of the removal van outside your

SDL Auctions, one of the UK’s largest auction networks, has announced a record-breaking number of 40 dates for its 2018 auction calendar.

The increase in dates – up from 37 in 2017 – follows a successful year when the company expanded into Manchester and the North West, as well as increasing activity in its established areas of Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and Cheshire and North Wales.

Rory Daly, chief executive and auctioneer at SDL Auctions, said: “The last 12 months have seen us break various records, including holding the biggest ever Birmingham auction and setting a record for

Auction finance is a great way for property developers to secure a below-market-value property, often from a motivated seller. It could even be suitable for first-time developers too, if you've got the right expectations from the beginning.

Putting up your hand and bidding on a property worth hundreds of thousands of pounds is a daunting prospect, even for experienced auction-goers. If you make the winning bid, you'll usually have to pay a non-refundable deposit on the day, and you'll have 28 days to pay the balance.

That means that the timeframe for auctions is much shorter than the