9 Crown Row, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 0TH
Liam McDonnell
Lettings Valuer
Liam attended school locally in Ascot and began his career in estate agency aged 18 in the Bracknell area. He has gone on to gain experience within the Maidenhead, Reading and Wokingham markets too. Building relationships is what Liam enjoys the most in his role, which gives him the opportunity to meet and help all kinds of people. Away from work, Liam enjoys playing football throughout the week and for a local Bracknell team on a Sunday (some say the next Sunday League Pirlo).
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…
The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.
Top of my bucket list is…
To travel around America and Australia.
On Sunday mornings, you can usually find me…
On a football pitch in all weathers – potentially a little jaded from the night before.
My guilty pleasures are…
Watching Super Sunday and the F1 whilst devouring a takeaway. Highly recommended.
The thing I like best about my job…
Helping and advising landlords on how to make the process of letting their property as stress-free as possible, and assuring tenants throughout the process so that it becomes an enjoyable and exciting experience.
The person I’d most like to go for a drink with is…
Sir Alex Ferguson.
29 Dec 2020
2020 is the year the property world’s most famous mantra – location, location, location – was replaced with a new motto: space, space, space.
In the past, if tenants couldn’t afford a spacious property in a great location, they tended to opt for location and compromise on space. It was better, most people thought, to have a shorter commute and less living space.
Well, Covid-19 put paid to that. Living and working through a pandemic means that many tenants now prioritise space – indoor and outdoor – over proximity to public transport and the office.
According to Rightmove, two-bedroom houses have replaced studio flats as the most in-demand property type, as renters look for a spare room or office to work from home. Meanwhile, Savills reports that 96% of letting agents are getting more enquiries for properties with gardens.
But the race for space wasn’t the only property trend of 2020. Here are a few others:
Pet-friendly properties – We all went gaga for puppies and kittens during lockdown, resulting in increased demand for rental properties that allow tenants to keep pets. If you’re a landlord who previously had a firm no pets policy, it may be worth reconsidering if the tenant ticks all the boxes. It’s a great way to build loyalty with a five-star tenant.
Storage is a winner – Many millennials don’t own a car, but take their pastimes – cycling, paddle boarding, electric scooting – very seriously. Having a separate space such as a shed or lock-up where they can keep their kit is highly desirable.
Green theme – Many tenants are impressed if a property has double glazing, insulation, or photovoltaics. Not only do they welcome these features from an environmental perspective, cash-conscious renters like the lower energy bills that come with them.
Fast internet connection – With more and more people working from home, good broadband is a must, especially if more than one professional lives in the property. During lockdown, some renters had to have a WiFi rota with their flatmates because the connection was so poor only one person could be online at a time. In the modern world, access to a cracking internet connection is vital.
Marketing advice
If your Bracknell area property has some or all of these desirable features, make sure you shout about them in your marketing. And even though we’ve highlighted how vital space is, that doesn’t mean that location is irrelevant – just don’t solely view it in relation to workplace connectivity.
Use your marketing to paint a picture of the lifestyle that a tenant in your property could lead. Farmers markets, allotments, cycle paths, parks, and nature reserves are all big winners.
If you’d like more advice on how to market your rental property in 2021, please get in touch with our award-winning lettings team at Duncan Yeardley.
Copyright 2020 Duncan Yeardley
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