The Oliver James Blog

Why Self-Managing Your Rental Could Be a Costly Mistake Not since 2008, when Katy Perry stormed the music charts and Gavin and Stacey ruled the small screen, have interest rates been as high as they are today. As a result, many...

A First-Time Buyer’s Guide If you’re thinking about buying your first home, congratulations! You’re about to experience a huge life moment and finally have somewhere to call your own. The first-time buyer journey is...

Choosing a Letting Agent: What Landlords Need to Know How can you spot a top letting agent from a master of mediocrity? Read on to find out. Landlords use letting agents for all sorts of reasons. Some need help navigating red tape...

Tenants’ Guide to a Safe and Relaxing Summer At last summer is here, so what are your plans? Have you booked an exciting getaway in an exotic location? Or is the aim to kick back and relax on home turf? Whatever you’ve lined...

How an Estate Agent Could Help You Sell Your Home If you’re selling a property, you’ve got a big decision to make. Which estate agent do you pick? Should you go with an independent local agency or choose a big-name brand?...

Should You Renovate Your Property Before Going to Market? Before selling your home, you might be thinking about ways to add value or unlock potential so buyers can get a feel for what it would be like to live there themselves. But...

Best Ways to Contact Your Landlord Problems in the home are a nuisance. Like when you’ve got a leaky tap and the drip drip drip drives you to distraction, or when your fridge packs up and food goes to waste. When things go...

Is Self-Building Really Worth It? Come on, we’ve all done it. Switched onto a property programme and fallen into the daydream of building our very own house. A walk-in wardrobe, a home cinema, a room just for shoes… sounds...

Keep It Formal – Why You Should Maintain a Professional Relationship with Tenants As a landlord, it’s important to build a good relationship with tenants. You want them to feel comfortable in their new home and to care for it,...

Buying a Probate Property: What Buyers Need to Know Picture this: After a long and exhausting property search you finally find the home that’s just right for you. But then the estate agent mentions that it’s a ‘probate...