News
by KerryOAK | Apr 4, 2025 | Seller, Tenant, Block Management, News, Buyer
Moving house, while exciting, can trigger significant stress and anxiety. The process of packing up your life and settling into a new home is often overwhelming, leaving many people feeling stressed and anxious. In fact, moving is such a common source of stress that...
by KerryOAK | Mar 24, 2025 | News, Seller
When you’re selling your home, choosing the right estate agent can make a huge difference. The agent you work with will play a major role in your selling experience, from pricing your property to negotiating offers. However, before you sign any contract, it’s...
by KerryOAK | Mar 21, 2025 | News, Landlord
As a landlord, you may have considered managing your rental property yourself to avoid the cost of property management fees. On the surface, self-management can seem like an ideal way to save money and maintain direct control over your investment. However, before you...
by KerryOAK | Mar 13, 2025 | News, Seller, Landlord, Block Management
When it comes to property investment, one of the most important factors in ensuring long-term returns is maintaining or even increasing property value. While individual property owners can focus on maintaining their own units, the communal areas and overall upkeep of...
by KerryOAK | Mar 7, 2025 | Seller, News, Buyer
As the days grow longer and the weather starts to warm up, the property market enters one of its busiest and most exciting seasons. Spring is widely regarded as the best time to sell, with an increase in buyer demand, improved property presentation opportunities, and...
by KerryOAK | Feb 27, 2025 | News, Buyer, Landlord
As a landlord, it’s essential to understand the tax implications of renting out property. Whether you’re a first-time landlord or an experienced investor, taxes can be complex and affect your overall profitability. Understanding what you need to pay, how to save on...
by KerryOAK | Feb 14, 2025 | News, Buyer, Block Management
As a leaseholder, one of your key financial responsibilities is paying the service charge. This charge contributes to the maintenance, repair, and management of the building and communal areas that you share with other leaseholders. Understanding what’s included in...
by KerryOAK | Feb 11, 2025 | Landlord, Block Management, News, Buyer, Seller
You’ve decided to move and you know you need a mortgage. Sounds simple. But is it? Is your credit score going to stop you from moving to the house of your dreams? Do you even know what your credit score is and why it’s important? In this article, we take a look at...
by KerryOAK | Feb 5, 2025 | News, Landlord
Being a landlord isn’t just about collecting rent it’s about maximising the potential of your property portfolio. Whether you’re just starting or already managing multiple properties, there are key strategies to boost profitability, reduce risks, and ensure your...
by KerryOAK | Jan 29, 2025 | News, Buyer, Seller, Landlord, Block Management
The UK government has announced an ambitious plan to overhaul the planning system in a bid to address the housing crisis and meet the growing demand for affordable homes. With a target to build 1.5 million new homes over the next several years, this initiative is set...
by KerryOAK | Jan 27, 2025 | Block Management, News
Emergencies can strike at any time, and ensuring the safety of everyone, especially those with specific needs, is a critical aspect of disaster preparedness. The Government Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a vital initiative designed to help...
by KerryOAK | Jan 20, 2025 | News, Landlord, Tenant
The Renters Rights Bill has been a topic of much debate, signalling significant changes for the private rental sector. If you’re a tenant or a landlord, it’s crucial to understand how these reforms could impact you. Here’s a breakdown of what the proposed changes...
by KerryOAK | Jan 14, 2025 | News, Seller, Landlord, Tenant
As the colder weather is now upon us and energy costs are higher than ever before, it’s never been more important to know how to keep your home warm this winter. Whether you own your property or whether you’re renting, finding ways to reduce your costs couldn’t be...
by KerryOAK | Jan 7, 2025 | News, Buyer, Seller
Happy New Year. We hope you enjoyed the recent break and are entering 2025 feeling refreshed and energised. And if you’re contemplating selling, buying, letting out or renting a new home in the next 12 months, we hope you’re facing the task with renewed vigour....
by KerryOAK | Dec 30, 2024 | News, Buyer, Seller, Landlord, Tenant, Block Management
Oakfield Estate Agents Appointed by Developers Purple Pepper Partnership to Let and Manage Station Plaza Development in Hastings with 103 units. Oakfield Estate Agents is excited to announce its recent appointment by developers Purple Pepper Partnership Limited as the...
by KerryOAK | Dec 30, 2024 | News, Landlord, Block Management
The government has taken a significant step forward by setting out new targets to address the issue of unsafe buildings in England through its Remediation Acceleration Plan, which was published at the beginning of this month. This plan is a direct response to the...
by KerryOAK | Dec 23, 2024 | Landlord, News, Seller
If you haven’t rented out your home before, then it can be difficult to know where to start. From ensuring the property adheres to the electrical safety regulations set for landlords to finding the right tenant to getting a handle on the tax implications, the vast...
by KerryOAK | Dec 16, 2024 | News, Buyer, Seller, Landlord, Tenant, Block Management
At Oakfield we understand that the holiday season is often filled with joy, laughter, and meaningful traditions. However, it can also bring along its fair share of stress and busyness. This year, why not embrace an approach that enhances your experience and helps you...
by KerryOAK | Dec 13, 2024 | News, Block Management
The government has pledged to overhaul the leasehold system by the end of this Parliament, giving leaseholders more rights and greater control over their properties while ultimately bringing what it calls the ‘feudal’ system as it stands currently to an end....
by KerryOAK | Dec 4, 2024 | Seller, News, Buyer
When you put your property on the market, you put your trust in us – the experts you have chosen. We have the details, we know your expectations, and our aim is to get you moving as soon as possible. Sometimes, different agents will come to other prices and of...
by KerryOAK | Nov 25, 2024 | News, Buyer, Seller
If you’re already cosily ensconced in your new home this December, congratulations – we hope you’ll be very happy there. But if you’re still considering selling a property, you may think that Christmas is best used for research, reflection about what you want to do,...
by KerryOAK | Nov 21, 2024 | News, Seller, Landlord, Block Management
The government has announced plans to consult on its new Decent Homes Standard, stressing that it will launch this “as soon as possible”. Ultimately, the new standard will apply across both privately rented properties and social housing. What’s the background? In a...
by KerryOAK | Nov 13, 2024 | Landlord, Tenant, News
Inventories might seem like just another checklist when it comes to renting, but they are in fact essential for both landlords and tenants. An inventory is a detailed record of the condition and contents of a rental property at the start of a tenancy. It’s not...
by KerryOAK | Nov 6, 2024 | News, Buyer, Seller, Landlord, Block Management
Now that the dust is settling from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget last week, Labour’s first for 14 years, it seems a good time to assess its implications for the UK’s housing market, and how it might affect you if you’re looking to buy or sell a home. So what are...
by KerryOAK | Oct 31, 2024 | News, Buyer, Landlord
You’ll probably know this already if you are a landlord, but if you don’t yet, you should get to know it – because rental yield is important! But, what is rental yield and what do you, as a landlord you need to know about it? Put simply, rental yield is a way to...
by KerryOAK | Oct 23, 2024 | Seller, News, Buyer
Finding the house of your dreams is exciting and your next step is to secure the property as soon as possible. But buying a new home can be a complex process, particularly when it comes to understanding the conveyancing procedure. Here at Oakfield we always endeavour...
by KerryOAK | Oct 15, 2024 | News, Landlord, Tenant
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has vowed to pass the Renters’ Rights Bill ‘as soon as possible’ – as the legislation has now returned to Parliament for its second reading. The bill, which has been welcomed by organisations such as the housing charity Shelter, was...
by KerryOAK | Oct 9, 2024 | News, Buyer, Seller
In the ever-changing landscape of the East Sussex property market, thinking about how to increase the value of your home has never been more important. As a homeowner, you may have entertained the idea of selling your current property in the future. With this in mind,...
by KerryOAK | Oct 3, 2024 | Seller, Landlord, Block Management, News
Last month, the six-year Grenfell Inquiry, led by retired judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick, released its final, 1,700-page report into the 2017 fire at the west London tower block which cost 72 lives. (Victims’ aged ranged from six to 84.) Cladding had already been...
by KerryOAK | Sep 26, 2024 | News, Seller
The schools have been back for weeks, Strictly has returned to our TV screens on Saturdays, and the nights are drawing in. So autumn is definitely here. And whether you love the crisp air and rich colours, or shudder at the darker evenings, it’s a better time of year...
by KerryOAK | Sep 16, 2024 | News, Seller
When you first signed up with your estate agent, you no doubt did so because you were confident they could sell your home. But perhaps now, following multiple viewings and maybe even an offer or two, things have started to look rather different. Is your asking price...
by KerryOAK | Sep 10, 2024 | News, Block Management
What is the TPI? The Property Institute (TPI) is a not-for-profit, member-led organisation which resulted from a merger of The Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) and the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM), with the two organisations...
by KerryOAK | Sep 5, 2024 | News, Landlord
There are a whole host of things every landlord should know, yet many opt to set up their rental property as quickly as possible, disregarding this essential knowledge. So, when questions start getting asked about unpaid rent payments, legal responsibilities, and...
by KerryOAK | Aug 27, 2024 | Buyer, Seller, News
At the start of August, the Bank of England cut interest rates from 5.25% to 5%, the first rate reduction for four and a half years and Halifax, Britain’s biggest mortgage lender since March 2024, predicts that the rate dip, alongside any potential further reductions...
by KerryOAK | Aug 20, 2024 | News, Tenant
Knowing how to decorate your rental property can be very difficult to gauge. After all, each landlord has their own rules on what you can and can’t do, and you’re never quite sure whether a new paint job will make them jump with joy or tear up your tenancy...
by KerryOAK | Aug 12, 2024 | News, Block Management
At Oakfield Estate Agents, we’re pretty well known in our neck of the woods, where we’ve had a base since 1996. With a presence across the area and offices in Bexhill, Hastings, Eastbourne, Uckfield, Lewes and Heathfield, we enjoy a solid reputation thanks to our...
by KerryOAK | Aug 2, 2024 | News, Buyer, Seller, Landlord, Tenant
At Oakfield we work closely with Connect Mortgage Services who are a proactive, local broker who have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to what is happening in the world of mortgages and they will be providing us with regular updates to share with our...
by KerryOAK | Jul 30, 2024 | News, Buyer
As a first-time buyer looking at properties for sale in you’ve reached an exciting milestone, however, it can also be a daunting and complex process. One of the critical stages in this journey is viewing places to potentially call home. Yet many first-time...
by KerryOAK | Jul 22, 2024 | News, Seller
Activity in the UK’s housing market has been on the rise in recent months, with more homes coming on to the market plus a growing number of completed transactions. Here, we summarise the various steps you’ll need to go through as you plot your next move. Get a...
by KerryOAK | Jul 11, 2024 | News, Buyer, Seller, Landlord, Tenant
Last week’s general election provided plenty of jaw-dropping moments throughout the small hours and beyond. But now that the dust has settled following Labour’s widely expected landslide, and as hundreds of freshly minted MPs take up their seats in the House of...
by KerryOAK | Jul 1, 2024 | Landlord, Block Management, News, Seller
When the Leasehold and Reform Act (LFRA) 2024 received Royal assent towards the end of May, it marked a milestone. It was the last Bill to be passed in the current parliament, as part of the final flurry of business or ‘wash up’ ahead of the general election – and not...
by KerryOAK | Jun 22, 2024 | News, Landlord
You may already know us as a leading East Sussex estate agent which has had a presence in our part of the world since the mid-1990s. You might also understand that we’re experts in sales, lettings and block management, with offices across Lewes, Heathfield, Uckfield,...
by KerryOAK | Jun 11, 2024 | News, Buyer, Seller, Landlord
It may have taken some by surprise but, following, the calling of the general election towards the end of last month, most of us are resigned to weeks of intense political coverage, and, love it or loathe it, to the fact that we’re going to the polls on July 4. If...
by KerryOAK | May 30, 2024 | News
It is hard to believe that its barely 2 months since Oakfield acquired Rowland Gorringe, however what has been achieved during this time is quite something. Each of the new branches, located in Lewes, Heathfield and Uckfield have undergone renovations and a full...
by KerryOAK | May 30, 2024 | News, Seller
Anyone reading the papers earlier this spring might have been forgiven for thinking the UK property market was not in the best of shapes. After all, some mortgage rates had been rising, mainly due to predictions that the Bank of England would make fewer interest rate...
by KerryOAK | May 21, 2024 | News, Block Management
You don’t need us to tell you that a service charge is a fee the leaseholder pays to their landlord once or twice a year for the services the latter is obliged to supply under the terms of the lease. And, depending on the expenses the landlord incurs themselves, the...
by KerryOAK | May 1, 2024 | News, Landlord
As of last year, nearly a fifth of UK homes were privately rented, with just over two-thirds (67%) of landlords reporting a rise in tenant demand during the second quarter of 2023, according to comparison website Uswitch, which also reported that the average price of...
by KerryOAK | Apr 18, 2024 | News, Block Management
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the UK’s financial regulatory body, operating across the country independently of the government. It recently confirmed it would be pushing ahead with proposed reforms to leasehold buildings insurance. There weren’t really any...
by KerryOAK | Apr 5, 2024 | News
Oakfield Estate Agents is delighted to announce it has acquired independent local operator Rowland Gorringe. And, with immediate effect, it will be taking over the company’s offices in Lewes, Uckfield and Heathfield. All three locations are in East Sussex, where...
by KerryOAK | Mar 19, 2024 | News, Seller
According to at least one well-known industry online portal, buyer interest is on the march once again this spring. And we may only be two or three months into 2024, but house sales are already up on the same period in 2023, having risen by 0.4% last month. That now...