Welcome to the RM Surveyors Blog! I hope you find it helpful and an enjoyable read - I’ll be publishing more content every month, so please check back for new articles soon!
Bit of a personal share from me this week on the blog…
My wife Kath, daughter Jemima and I are all celebrating the life of our golden retriever Ella, who died naturally at home a few days ago. At 14 years old, Ella was a loving and much-loved member of our family who particularly enjoyed companionship, good food and lots of play
Read MoreWith its leafy streets, attractive period properties, thriving arts scene and family-friendly community ethos, I think Forest Hill represents suburban south London at its finest.
The much-loved Horniman Museum is undoubtedly the cherry on the Forest Hill cake, and a friend and I were lucky enough to visit this year’s neighbouring Sydenham Artists Trail which is running from 11–19 th September – so catch it if you can!
In my latest area guide, you’ll discover why this arty part of London is so popular with creatives and may just be the capital’s next hip destination. You’ll even meet a local business owner who loves the area so much she has a Forest Hill tattoo!
Read MoreEver struggled to make sense of a survey or valuation report? Grappling with too much jargon in your property purchase? Then I’ve got good news: life is about to get a lot simpler!
From this September, all chartered surveyors and valuers like myself will be required to use the new and improved RICS Home Survey Standard reports. These new-look reports are designed to be much easier for clients to understand, with software that now enables surveyors to include marked-up photos of a property.
Read MoreSince 30th June marked the last day of the main stamp duty holiday in England, I thought it’d be helpful to summarise the changes and share them here for my clients and property industry colleagues.
Read MoreWith exceptional transport links, desirable properties and an abundance of places to shop, drink and dine, Clapham Junction has become hugely popular with young professionals and families looking for a vibrant community and short commute into town. The area has even been dubbed ‘Nappy Valley’ by the author Will Self for its numerous baby clothes shops and family-friendly café culture…
Read on for my guide to this buzzy pocket of London just south of the river – which is actually in the heart of Battersea rather than Clapham, as its train station sign proudly proclaims – and discover the many gifts “The Junction” has to offer.
Read MoreThe last 18 months have been challenging for us all.
And in these times of change, I think it’s so important – especially as small business owners – to learn from each other’s experience and share what works.
I recently gave a short presentation to my BNI networking group with 5 top tips that have helped my small business not only survive but thrive during the pandemic, and I wanted to share them here in case you find them useful too.
These 5 tips are easy to apply, highly practical and suitable for any industry: I’d love to know what you think – and if you have any tips of your own, please comment below and let’s start a thread of support for small businesses!
Read MoreViewing a property to purchase can be exciting, stressful and overwhelming… all at the same time. It can be difficult to know if we’ve checked everything out properly and asked all the right questions. To help make the process simpler and ensure you don’t miss any crucial details, I’ve put together a new property viewing checklist. It’s free, covers all the important topics, and is suitable for all types of property buyers, though it may be most helpful for first-timers. I’d love to know how you get on with it, so do let me know – and feel free to share it with any potential buyers in your own networks! #RealEstate #PropertyChecklist #Surveys #Valuations #LondonProperty
Read MoreI recently carried out a residential property survey which has been turned into a case study blog by real estate training organisation Property Elite.
After inspecting a four-bed semi-detached house on three floors which had several ongoing issues, I provided a Condition Rating for six specific defects for Property Elite.
In the case study, there are two photographs for each set of defects; a before and an after (with the defects highlighted). My comments on the defects are then discussed after each photograph.
Read MoreIn recent years, Crystal Palace has become known as the jewel in south London’s crown – and I don’t think it’s hard to see why! Centred round a 3-sided high street known locally as the triangle, the area has a huge park, a warm community vibe, and is packed with independent shops, bars, cafés and restaurants.
Check out my latest area guide on Crystal Palace to discover why this sought-after part of south London is popular with cyclists, dinosaurs and ancient Egyptian sphynxes alike...
Disclaimer: I can’t promise that this guide won’t make you hungry as I tell you about all the delicious eateries available locally. It’s probably best to have a cup of tea and a biscuit
Read MoreThere’s a phrase I like: “where attention goes, energy flows.”
This rings true in both my professional life – for attention to detail really is key in surveying – and in my personal life as I balance the roles of husband, father and friend.
Since 10–16 th May is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, in my latest blog I share ways I bring attention and awareness to my own mental health and offer some top tips for staying balanced through times of challenge and change.
I’ve also listed some charities you can reach out to in case you’re struggling: I hope this blog brings some light to the topic of mental health and lets people know they needn’t suffer in silence.
#MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Read MoreFor this month’s area guide, I’m in sunny Streatham. Join me for a stroll down the UK’s longest high street to discover a vibrant and eclectic town centre which is currently home to over 400 businesses – despite the busy A23 road that runs through it!
Read MoreA new economy and property market update from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) says activity is expected to recover quickly as lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Taking a forward look at the real estate and construction industries, the report says that although some long-term impacts due to the pandemic are inevitable, the residential sector is likely to show resilience aided by support measures recently announced in the Budget.
Read More“Fifteen years as an estate agent has given me a good robust awareness of people in their homes and the investment and development worlds as well. With home purchases, it’s always relational – big transitions like a new baby, kids moving away, marriage, divorce or death, they drive that change. I’m sensitive to that, and relating to people when there are traumatic drivers around those home moving decisions is what I like about this job.”
Read MoreA big part of West Norwood’s appeal is the area’s great transport links, making it popular with young professionals who still want access to the bright lights and opportunities of central London but are looking for more space, better value and a community feel.
Read MoreDelighted to have been featured in the latest edition of Property Week, where I talk about discovering a new career later in life and balancing home and family with the demands of running my own property business.
As well as tips and recommendations for people starting out in the property industry, I discuss the importance of bringing our authentic selves to work and how unconventional pathways are available if you’re willing to work hard, be creative and put yourself out there.
Read the full interview here:
#PropertyWeek #RealEstate #CharteredSurveyor
Read MoreWe’ve made it to the end of the year and I’m signing off for 2020 with a deep sense of gratitude.
Despite everything that’s happened during this strange and tumultuous time, I’ve been surrounded by some incredible people who’ve continued to help, encourage and inspire me.
In my final blog of the year, I wanted to thank a few people in particular for their support in 2020.
Wishing you all happy and peaceful holidays and I look forward to seeing you in 2021!
#gratitude #happyholidays
I’ve got a confession to make: without human interaction and all the interesting people I get to meet through my work as a surveyor, my job would be much less meaningful.
Checking properties for hidden problems like damp would be pretty dry - excuse the pun - if I didn’t get to know the people I’m here to serve: real human beings who want to invest time and energy into a property, or turn a house into a home.
In my latest blog, I go beyond the bricks and mortar to explain why I put humans at the heart of the survey process.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments.
#homebuyers #surveys #realestate
Against the backdrop of the global pandemic – and all the stress and uncertainty that’s come with it - I’ve been reflecting on the importance of networks in our personal and professional lives.
From the BNI networking group I’m part of, to the large network of trusted tradespeople I’m connected to through my surveying and valuation work, networks can become an extended family of resources to lean into and draw upon during times of struggle and change.
In my latest blog, I share some thoughts on what networking means to me.
#networking #connections #BNI
2020 has been a year like no other. With so much unexpected change, disruption and ongoing uncertainty, many of us are being forced to look inside ourselves and deeply reflect on our lives, both at home and at work. Big and important questions are bubbling up to the surface such as “where am I going?” and “what truly matters to me and why?”
Read MoreAround eight years ago my daughter Jemima decided that she did not want her trampoline and gave it to her nieces. This made a space in the garden that we decided to use for some raised vegetable beds. Since then a steady amount of effort has gone into harvesting each Summer several baskets of yummy, juicy fruit and vegetables. This process includes naturally managing attacks from insects, birds, pets and the uncertain British weather. This year we have had to grow the vegetables from seed as it was not possible to get seedling plants due to lockdown. Thankfully, I have the support of my wife, Kathy, and our gardener & friend Mike to manage the weeding, watering, planting, pruning and picking.
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