08:
Inspiration for home decor
London has an array of colourful shops and cafes ranging from bohemian to quintessentially English, all of which can be drawn upon to awaken our creative spirit and prepare ourselves for the autumn period ahead. From Portobello’s rustic stalls to the French inspired cafes of Westbourne Grove, an abundance of creative atmospheres and spaces render themselves to inspirational ideas for your home.
There is nothing more alluring than the gentle waft of freshly baked cakes and those found in Portobello’s “Humming Bird” bakery not only provide the most pleasurable treats, but the daintiest cup cakes too and with their varying pastel shades of pink, ciel and peppermint green contrasting with the deep swirls of milk chocolate icing, they are the perfect (and lets not forget edible) decoration for your buffet cake stand. A mixture of flavours and sizes are available, including boxes of mini cup cakes which are just right for spoiling your friends when hosting a coffee morning at your West London home.
Tom’s Deli on Westbourne Grove is another little world in itself. If you are searching for ideas for your child’s bedroom this is the place to go. It is every inch the sweet shop you imagined in one of Enid Blyton’s books, perhaps one of the mysterious lands that appear at the top of the Faraway Tree. If it were a world it would be “The Land Of Sweet Things” and offers everything from candy bars and lolly pops to home baked cakes, organic coco bars and wonderful cappuccinos. An ideal bribe for naughty children, if they behave after school, it is perfectly formed with the little shop at the front and the seating area on a raised floor at the back. Vibrant colours of red, yellow and green create a Santa’s Grotto feel and I almost expected a little elf to pop out from the back and serve me. The mixture of colour and scent with old and new is a magic concoction that sends your imagination flying in childhood fantasy and high in creative spirit.
And then there is the magical antiques market. Portobello’s infamous market (named after Puerto Bello in the Caribbean after Admiral Vernon captured the town in 1739) selling all you could possibly think of. Pots, lamp shades, candelabras, scarves, diamonds, pans, picture frames, china, gloves, toys, you name it they have got it. Items bought from London and Paris, from Scotland or China this higgledy piggledy, beauteous market is a treasure chest of wonders offering those much needed extras for the home. Old rustic Egg cupboards can be used as spice cupboards, hundred year old hay baskets converted to magazine racks, a silver cauldron filled with flowers is an ideal centre piece for your fire place or dining room table.
So voila! All the materials you could ever wish for, all the artistic stimulation you could ever ask for. As a painter has his muse so do you West Londoners have Notting Hill. Enjoy.
22:
"What do I need to rent a flat?"
Once you have found your property, it is important to ensure that it stays yours. You will need to provide the following to secure the property:
Moving in monies;
- First month’s rent
- 6 week deposit
References;
- Photographic Identification
- Employer Reference – stating who your employer is, your position, your salary and your time at the company.
OR
- University Reference – stating your university, confirmation of acceptance onto your course, what your course is and how long you will be studying for.
- Previous Landlord Reference – stating you were a good tenant, what your rent was, that you paid your rent on time and you treated the property well.
- Financial Reference – if you have been based in the UK then provide a credit check, stating that your finances are in good order.
Make sure you have all of the details relating to these, to the ready and your move will be seamless and pleasurable . . . plus it is a good first impression to be organised!
For any further questions and to find your next home, contact Notting Hill Properties.
12:
Consider some 'DIY' in order to get the best price
When placing an offer, asking for a multitude of ‘works’ to be done will certainly not get you the best price. London Landlords, in general, do not jump at the chance to re-paint, re-fit, re-furnish or re-carpet their properties and so to do so they will want to see a healthy price. The best way to get around this is by placing an offer on the basis that you take the apartment ‘as-is.’ For example, if you can get a property marketing at £350 per week, for £300 per week, you will bag yourself a £2,600 saving over the course of the year. You will not get that if you ask for a selection of improvements to be made by the Landlord, in fact you would be lucky to get it for a penny under the asking price.
For more information on doing your own ‘works’ contact Notting Hill Properties. We can find you a great property and help you find some cost effective solutions to painting, carpeting, furnishing and more.
11:
People moving home in September have already started registering their details for available properties; that is TWO months in advance!!! My advice is : if you want to actually find a new place to live, you need to get something sorted NOW. Otherwise you will be left empty-handed and flat-less.
You have two options:
If you can move immediately – DO SO : view vacant flats, get a good price and move-in.
If you can not move immediately – view tenanted properties and secure something, so you move in when the current tenants move out.
Notting Hill Properties caters for all your moving needs, so get in touch to find your new flat now.
10:
Property Portals can be useful, but only when used in the right way.
Property Portals are most people’s first stop with regards to a new property search. They promise multiple agents with multiple properties. They offer a non-engaging way for you to browse some flats, check out the market and think about what, where and how you can live. For this they are great. I suggest you ‘browse’ and narrow down a list of 10 properties you like the look of, then contact the relevant agents. It is at this point you should NOT go back to using a portal . . . . and this is why:
The properties listed on a portal are usually produced from a feed between the Portal and the Agents’ websites, this means that you do not get the ‘freshest’ properties and it also means that 40%, maybe more, of the stock on the portal has gone already. Once dealing with an agent, you will get constant updates from them on currently suitable stock for you. By going back to the portal, you will see things that you like with other agents, you will call them, they will get you on a viewing, only to tell you upon arrival that flat is gone but they ‘have some similar things.’ By this point the flat you liked with your original agent will be gone!
My advice is to:
Use a portal to shortlist properties you like
Deal with these agents
View all the properties that these agents have
Take your favourite as soon as possible.
Alternatively contact Notting Hill Properties and we will deal with the WHOLE process for you.
08:
Why not fit that 2nd viewing in on your lunch break?
If you have found a property that you like, then chances are at least one other person out there likes it as well. This is the most frustrating time to lose a property; you have spent some time narrowing down your search and eventually find the place with the fewest compromises, only to lose out on it to someone acting quicker than you. We understand that you may need to view the property a second time; you may have seen it at night and want a daylight perspective. Fit the second viewing in ASAP! If this means squeezing it into your lunch break, then do it. I can guarantee that it will be worthwhile and it means that if you do want it you can get your offer in before close of business that day, rather than waiting and losing out on it the next morning.
If you are ready to get a new flat, call Notting Hill Properties.
07:
We can show you TEN properties in ONE viewing
Due to Notting Hill Properties’ experience and unique realtionships with other agents in Central London, we can show you a multitude of properties in one viewing. This way you can set aside one day for viewings, find the one you like, secure it and rest happy that evening with the knowledge that your property search is complete. Rather than dealing with upto 5 or 10 other agents, who may never call you back, or call you back but with the wrong properties! You can deal with just Notting Hill Properties. We listen to your requirements and needs, advise you on what the market can bear, limit your expectations and then arrange for a one off of viewing of 10+ properties. This way you can get your snap shot of the market, get to view the best available properties right now and have first choice on the flat you want.
If you would like to find your new home now, contact Notting Hill Properties.
05:
We are open for business 7 days a week, at hours to suit you.
Notting Hill Properties understands what it takes to find you a property. You need an agent with comprehensive local knowedge, considerable local relationships and the ability to show you properties at times that suit you. We are available to show you properties every day of the week and at any time convenient to you.
So, if you need to view a property at 8 in the morning, 9 at night, on a Sunday or at anytime in-between, then contact Notting Hill Properties.
04:
Take your flat before you get here, for a quick move-in.
If you are planning a short stay in London, then short lets are the way to go. The idea for a short let is for it to be easy and convenient. If you pick the right company, then you should be able to book the flat before you get here, allowing a seamless move-in upon arrival. Do make sure that you are using a reputable company and if you have a friend in London who can check them out, all the better.
For all your short let needs, contact Notting Hill Properties.
03:
Porperties are sprinting off of the market.
I know I keep iterating the need for urgency in the current Lettings Market, but it really is important at the moment; well that is if you actually want to find an apartment. Good value, vacant flats are being snapped up by Tenants as soon as possible, in a bid to evade gazumping and the hoardes of competition that flock to London towards the end of August and going into September. Reasonable and sensible bids are being made and deposits are going straight down upon acceptance. Paperwork is then completed within a matter of days and even hours in some cases.
A prime example of this was shown on one of my viewings yesterday; The viewing was arranged on Wednesday evening. We were to view three properties: Two studios in Pinehurst Court, Colville Gardens and one studio on St Charles Square. One studio in Pinehurst Court was already gone that morning and the St Charles Square property was gone that afternoon. Flats really are being rented that quickly.
If you are looking to move now and need some experienced advice and help with your property search, then please contact Notting Hill Properties.
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