Cluttons offer advice on selling your property. ‘Listen to your agent about pricing – there have been enough recent transactions for market experts to have a clear understanding of what price is achievable for your property. There is a fine line between what price will generate interest and what won’t, it’s all about footfall, price your property too high and you will not generate the necessary viewings to sell your property.’

‘Look forward to your onward purchase – this is an opportune market for upgrading and your priority should be to focus on your onward purchase, establish what it is going to cost you and then price your current property accordingly. Hopefully, this will mean you can market your property competitively which will speed up the chain.’

‘Treat every viewing as a second viewing – in this market you can’t afford to be complacent, ensure you have done everything to present your property in the best light possible e.g. replace or clean the carpets, touch up the paint work, re-grout the tiling, jet spray the patio. It’s these superficial improvements which can make the difference between selling your property right now and not.’

‘Outside space – lockdown has placed even more importance on outside space, so if you have a garden or roof terrace get a gardener/landscaper in and make a real feature of it. A well landscaped garden, which has been cleverly designed to feel like an extension of your home, can add 10 per cent to a property price in London and in some areas more.’

‘Get your property on the market ASAP and consider renting – if you are thinking of selling then you should do so rather than later since Cluttons predict that going into 2021 there is going to be more supply and sadly, from some, an increased urgency to sell, which is going to have a detrimental effect on capital values. If you are fortunate enough to secure a buyer at a price you are happy with, but have not found somewhere to buy yourself, then consider renting to keep the chain in place.’

‘Have all paperwork ready – instruct a good conveyancing solicitor, it’s often worth taking a referral from your agent. Ask the solicitor to prepare the contract and if there is a managing agent make sure they have the Seller’s Leasehold Information Pack ready, so everything is in place when you find a buyer.’ Food for thought.

The Transparent Fridge

I’m always getting an ear bashing for staring into the fridge several times an evening, looking for something unhealthy to eat. Maybe I’d get less flak if I had the fridge recently created by S home. It has a transparent door so you don’t need to open it, and let the cold out, to see what’s inside. Makes you wonder why nobody thought of it before.

I’m sure you don’t want to go into fridge manufacture, but it raises an interesting question – what other products would benefit from some transparency treatment? I own watches with display backs and I’ve had cars with transparent engine covers. So what else would people like to see working, or alternatively, what else would they like to be able to see the contents of without opening a lid, cover or door? Is there anything in the market or markets you know about?

Today’s National Day

CELEBRATING BONFIRE NIGHT!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

www.streetwisenews.com/903  

Of all the reasons I hear for people not following through with a business idea, a lack of funds comes right at the top of the list. There are always options though. Here are a few to consider:

Get a business partner with funds to invest. There are plenty of people out there with money but no ideas for investing it.

1. Investigate government initiatives. The government offer numerous financial incentives to entrepreneurs. There could very easily be something in your area, sector or situation.


2. Try Crowdfunding. Very easy to try out online and there have been some major success stories. Yours could be next.


3. Charge Up front. Insist on your customers paying in advance for your product or service. Not always possible, but it will depend on the market.


4. Keep your job. Working part time on your idea while retaining your job is tough, but it can provide funds for that difficult start up period.


5. Strike a deal with suppliers. If you can get your suppliers to give credit, it will help get over the initial cash-flow problem. They will only do this if they expect you to become a significant customer though.


6. Get a loan. Family is probably the best place to start with this.

It’s Been A Good Month For…

Tim Cook – The Apple boss has upped his net worth to $1bn. Although Cook did not found Apple, since 2011 he has helped grow the tech company to a market capitalisation of over $2trn.

MacKenzie Scott – Philanthropist, author, and ex-wife of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott became the wealthiest woman in the world last month. Her net worth rose to $68bn after she received a quarter of Bezos’s Amazon shares as part of their divorce settlement in 2019. Back then, they were worth a mere $35bn.

Diamonds Lovers – Petra Diamonds has unearthed five big high-quality blue diamonds from a South African mine that yielded two Crown Jewel sparklers a century ago. Finds of such top-notch blue diamonds are too rare for even statisticians to value.

IT’S BEEN A BAD MONTH FOR …

Art Forgers – Spanish police seized four fake Modigliani paintings that an auction house was trying to sell for £8m. The fakes disappeared 52 years ago, but resurfaced recently and were passed off as originals. Modigliani is deemed by experts to be among the most forged artists.

Wetherspoons – Brexit-loving pub brand Wetherspoons is ruing the government’s rules, with the Rule of Six and orders to close at ten pm hammering the cut prize boozer. Even before the new measures came into effect, sales were down a hefty 22.5 per cent on last year. Wetherspoons is likely to continue to underperform until the pandemic truly ends.

Novak Djokovic – The tennis player’s meltdown at the US Open — where he was disqualified and handed two fines after thwacking a ball at a line judge — cost him $17,500, plus technically a loss of $250,000 if he had won the game and advanced. Djokovic won’t be rueing his temper too much though, his career earnings top $143m, and he was the highest-paid athlete on Forbes 2020 rich list.

Yusaku Maezawa – The Japanese billionaire lost £32m attempting to day trade stocks. He later admitted that he hadn’t sufficiently familiarised himself with day trading.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL JOB ACTION DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

www.streetwisenews.com/dvdset 

Global investors are showing greater interest in alternative proteins, such as plant-based substitutes and lab-grown meat, as the climate impact of agriculture and food production comes under the spotlight.

Environmental experts have started to highlight the impact of agriculture, especially the intensive livestock sector, on rising greenhouse gas emissions as well as land and water use and deforestation. The world’s food system, including agriculture and land use, accounted for 25 to 30 per cent of emissions from 2007 to 2016.

The good news is that new food technologies are emerging and becoming profitable. These disruptive technologies are starting to have an impact on the world and on portfolios, from meaty meat-free burgers to sustainable livestock management and organic growing.

The successful flotation of plant-based meat substitute group Beyond Meat earlier this year has also highlighted investment opportunities in alternative proteins as a way for food companies to be part of the solution. Plant-based proteins, including meat and dairy, are also seeing high demand from consumers, partly for health but also because many environmental specialists believe a change in diets can mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Analysts forecast that alternative proteins are not just a fad.

Aquaculture, precision farming, and food-testing technologies are all areas to watch. Urban circular farms are sprouting up everywhere. The fresh-produce outputs of these industrial farms are expensive, but the technology used to produce them is hugely efficient, and valuable. Food flavouring — products mimicking the taste of harmful foodstuffs — is booming. Sustainable packaging is also touted as a growth sector. 

Various exchange traded funds invest in these areas, but angel investing in potentially lucrative start-ups in the sector could also mean big profits.

While investors have long included global agribusinesses or food manufacturers in their portfolios, their interest in the mucky business of farming is increasingly focused on assets that advance two critical global goals: increasing food security and tackling climate change. Last year, for example, the agri-food technology sector — whose innovations often contribute to more efficient and sustainable forms of food production — attracted almost $20bn in venture capital.

Venture capitalists and private equity firms see an opportunity to take a stake in enterprises that are not only increasing food security or tackling climate change but may also become highly profitable — benefitting from green government schemes. Investing in small and medium enterprises, not just big global companies, could mean big bucks in the long term.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL FRANKENSTEIN FRIDAY DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

www.streetwisenews.com/dvdset 

Gold has been a shining star in a dazzling year for the exchange traded product industry. Record inflows into gold exchange traded funds propelled the price of the precious metal to an all-time high last month in a rally fuelled by concerns about the huge cost of emergency responses to the pandemic. What started as a flight to safety has evolved into the means by which investors are trying to salve their wounds with respect to potential future inflation.

Investors have spent $49.1bn buying gold ETFs so far this year, pushing the value of holdings in these vehicles to $239bn. There has been a 26 per cent rise in the gold price so far this year, as investors jump on the bandwagon in anticipation of further gains. Advocates of gold remind sceptical investors that it outperforms fiat currencies over time.

Warren Buffett always mocked those who invested in gold, calling it a way of going long on fear. This year, however, Buffett joined investors including the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, by buying into the latest gold rush, which helped push prices to a record high this summer.

The pandemic has convinced investors that gold belongs in their portfolios as a hedge against frothy equity markets, rock bottom interest rates, and a fall in economic output. Some large investors want gold as protection against possible deflation caused by an economic slowdown or a converse rise in inflation as governments pump money into the system.

With the extremely messy-looking upcoming US presidential election and no current end in sight for the pandemic, Mr Buffett’s change of mind on gold may not be a bad bet in a world gone mad. Covid cases are on the rise, governments are starting to panic, and economies are facing down the barrel of second lockdowns. All in all, it signals a perfect storm for gold: there is just too much uncertainty in the world to ignore its benefits.   

Gold is always useful as a diversifier for your portfolio. It’s unusual in being an asset that goes up, or at least holds its value when bad things happen (and, if you hadn’t noticed, bad things are happening and more bad things are sharpening their claws just over the horizon), whilst most other assets go down. 

Early last month, a team at Bridgewater (the world’s biggest hedge fund group) put out a short and very bullish report on gold. They point out that we’re in a world where politicians and central bankers are under pressure to print and spend money. When this has happened in the past, gold has enjoyed massive rallies that dwarf its recent run.

Gold’s lack of yield (it pays no income) is less of a problem when financial assets are offering so little. You can’t complain about gold paying 0 per cent when a significant proportion of global bonds actually charge you to own them. It’s clear that there’s a desire to hedge against financial chaos and/or potential runaway inflation out there. And history shows that gold is one of the few assets that does an acceptable job of hedging against those things. At the moment, gold is shining like never before.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL CAT DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

www.streetwisenews.com/dvdset 

If you want to avoid paying stamp duty on your next property purchase you need to get a move on: there has been a surge in people keen to move. Between 8 July and 8 August, the number of people registering to buy across the country was up by 38 percent on the same period last year, boosted by the stamp duty holiday.

Properties are going under offer faster than ever. Currently, one in seven homes are under offer within a week of listing. But things slow down after that. A conveyancing log-jam after lockdown means that even if a sale is agreed quickly, a transaction could take six months to complete, especially if it is in a chain.

People thinking of coming to market need to do so in by early December if they want to have a chance of completing within time to beat the stamp duty deadline. Stamp duty is currently suspended on properties worth up to £500,000, saving buyers as much as £15,000. However, the tax will be reinstated on 31 March 2021.

The stamp duty holiday has accelerated the moves of buyers who were looking for larger properties with gardens and space for home offices. But the surge is expected to subside as unemployment rises with the end of the furlough scheme and lenders wind down their forbearance policies this autumn.

With the housing market rising quickly post-lockdown wise buyers may opt not to rush to embrace the stamp-duty holiday. Racing simply to save 1 per cent to 3 per cent on the cost of your next home at a time when house prices are ludicrously high and are up 2 per cent on last month and 3.7 per cent on last year is futile.

Money Statistics

£5.25 was the average discount received by diners from the government Eat Out to Help Out scheme. In the first three weeks of the month-long scheme in August, 64 million discounted meals were served at 84,000 outlets, at a cost to taxpayers of £336m.

$56.14 is how much an American wearing a face mask for a day saves the US in lost GDP by helping obviate the need for more costly lockdown measures. Not bad for something you can buy for about 50 cents.

£7,000 is what it would cost to buy an original 2007 edition of the Star Wars Lego Millennium Falcon, which was available on Amazon this summer. Lego sets — especially Star Wars Lego sets — can become favourites of specialist collectors.

£260,000 is how much a pair of Mahatma Gandhi’s sunglasses sold for at auction last month.

£368,000 is what a sheep has been sold for in Scotland. It is a record sale, beating the previous sheep-record of £230,000 set in 2009. Bidding started at £10,000 for the Double Diamond, a six-month old Texel ram.

$1.1bn is the annual estimated value of seabird droppings worldwide. The unassuming lime can be used as fertiliser and to provide nutrients to coral reefs, to boost fish numbers.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

www.streetwisenews.com/dvdset 

Here are some totally legitimate tactics that can save you some tax. They are often purpose-made loopholes based on encouraging growth in sectors of the economy, so you can rest safe in the knowledge that you are helping your country too.

Buy An Electric Car

Small businesses that buy electric cars with CO2 emissions of less than 50g per kilometre have, since April 2018, been able to claim a capital allowance worth 100 per cent against the purchase — so the entire cost of the car can be deducted from company profits. Also, the cars can be used for personal journeys free of tax from April this year and incur a benefit-in-kind charge of 1 per cent the following year and 2 per cent the year after.

Max Out Your Allowances

Commonly available tax exemptions mean a couple can achieve a fairly sizeable income without paying tax. For example, the personal income tax allowance is £12,500, which, for two, makes £25,000. The annual CGT exemption for a couple is £24,000, the dividend allowance is £4,000 and savings allowances are £2,000 — although the last of these goes down to £500 for higher-rate taxpayers and is zero for those paying the additional rate. Put together, these make a joint potential tax saving of £55,000. Add the basic-rate bands for each spouse to this, which is two times £37,500, and they could have a combined income well over £130,000 before they start paying higher-rate tax.

Buy Wine And Classic Cars

Both wine and classic cars attract special tax status as “wasting assets” with a predictable life of less than 50 years. This makes them exempt from capital gains tax (CGT) on any profits. However, HMRC’s definition of a wasting asset is getting tougher. The taxman’s latest manual said the exemption would clearly apply to cheap table wine, which may turn to vinegar within a relatively short period, but it might not apply to fine wines, because some can stay drinkable for far longer than 50 years, and also, sadly, does not apply to port and other fortified wines.

Classic cars are wasting assets only if they are being used as private vehicles, as their value will depreciate as mileage increases. Over 10 years, fine wines have risen in value by 142 per cent — more than jewellery (100 per cent) and watches (63 per cent), and dwarfing the FTSE 100’s 36.2 per cent return. Classic cars — defined by HMRC as any vehicle more than 15 years old and worth more than £15,000 — grew by 334 per cent over the same period. Investors can also turn to furniture, paintings and antiques, known as chattels, which attract extra CGT exemption of £6,000 on top of the standard £12,000.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL SPEAK YOUR MIND DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

www.streetwisenews.com/89p

A few weeks ago I was wandering through a shopping centre, when my attention was grabbed by the price tag on a mobile phone. It was over £20,000.  I have no idea who pays such a large amount for a soon to be obsolete item (people who haven’t worked very hard for the money, I’d imagine), but it does show there’s a market for an upgraded version of just about anything.

Atlanta Watercloset realised this when they launched their business, which aims to provide ‘exceptionally clean’ portable restrooms (toilets) for outdoor events.  If you’ve been to such an event, you’ll know that the competition provide the bare basics, but little more.  Atlanta Watecloset offer toilets with fresh water sinks, interior lighting, mirrors, coat-hooks, shelves and branded loo roll. The environment around the restrooms can be specially prepared with privacy shields, flowers and pathway lighting. The service is particularly popular at weddings, where nothing can be allowed to spoil the special day.

Whatever the product, some people will always be attracted to an upgrade – a premium offering over and above what’s provided by the standard product. If you find yourself competing fiercely with everyone else in your market, now could be a good time to look at whether there’s a market for an enhanced version of what you do at a premium price.

Second Hand Profits

Thanks to the likes of eBay, buying second hand or used goods has never been as popular (or easy), as it is today.  A lot of mainstream retailers are catching on to this now. You’ve been able to buy used books on Amazon for a long time now, but even primarily off-line businesses are getting in on the act.  My favourite retailer, Ikea, have now set up a system to facilitate customers disposing of their second-hand furniture.

At first glance this seems counter-intuitive, but there is a logic to it.  Having the option to buy used (and cheaper) second hand furniture will draw more people to the company website, as well as improving customer goodwill.  And of course, sometimes a customer needs to dispose of an old piece of furniture before they’re able to buy a new one.

Is there someway you could facilitate your customers disposing of the products they no longer need or want, and if there is, would it help or hinder your business?  It’s a question worth asking.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL GREASY FOODS DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

www.streetwisenews.com/89p

Reduced Research

One of the most common mistakes made by landlords new to the industry is lack of research. This includes lack of research about the local rental market, the facts, figures and finances involved, the laws and legislations associated with letting a property, deposit rules or the tax implications of being a landlord. Always fully understand the commitment you’re about to make and your key responsibilities before you invest.

Property Power!

Additionally, some new landlords don’t understand the power of investing in the right type of property. The wrong property in the wrong location can lead to periods of void and reduced capital growth. Be aware of the rental demand in your chosen area, plus understand the sales market too so you can maximise your profit when exiting your investment.

Cutting Corners

Reluctance to spend any money on the property, failing to present the property to its full potential, substandard workmanship or installing inferior fixtures, fittings or appliances are also common mistakes which can lead to reduced rental return or periods of void. Plus, if you don’t show care about the condition of the property, it is likely that the tenant won’t either. Ensure you understand your obligations before you commit and always remember that cutting corners is often a quick way to cut profit potential.

Viewings – Be Careful

There are mistakes that can be made during the viewings process. Being too pushy, being late or making promises you can’t possibly keep will have a negative effect on your relationship with the potential tenant before it even begins. Viewings are an opportunity to showcase your skills as a landlord and the tenant will want to see that you are efficient, effective and fair before they commit to you and your property.

Insufficient Information Box Stories

Failing to find out about your potential tenant’s financial status and their prior rental history can be a mistake with far-reaching implications. Bad tenants can lead to late payments, non-payments, disputes and lengthy eviction processes. Always carry out the necessary tenant credit checks, plus obtain references from their employers and previous landlord if they have rented before.

Behind Closed Doors

Never leave your tenants to their own devices for the duration of the tenancy. While it’s important to respect their privacy it’s also essential to protect your property. Regular inspections at a pre-arranged time to suit both parties are vital in order for you to assess the condition of the property and ensure that the tenant is living within the rules of the tenancy agreement. Without these vital visits it will be impossible for you to know what’s going on behind closed doors (including ongoing damage or subletting) and you may get a nasty surprise when you re-enter the property once the tenancy ends.

Misjudging Maintenance

Never leave minor repairs or maintenance to escalate. It can lead to withheld rental payments, an unhappy tenant and an unhappy working relationship, plus it’s surprising how quickly a small maintenance issue can become a big problem if left unresolved. Commonly ignored issues which can escalate at speed include blocked guttering or drains, missing roof tiles, the appearance of mould growth or leaking plumbing. Not only will unresolved maintenance affect your relationship with the tenant, it will also have negative implications for your property’s infrastructure and of course your wallet.

Business Blunder

Understand your target tenant and always remember that letting a property and being a landlord is a business venture. It’s surprising how many new landlords fail to realise this and invest in properties with their own tastes or needs in mind. Keeping a property neutral and basic will mean items and decor are easy to replace or repair if they get damaged, plus presenting a property in this way will also allow a tenant to imagine themselves living there. Remember too that your relationship with the tenant should be a professional one. Becoming over-friendly can lead to difficulties if issues arise or dispute management is needed.

Where’s The Exit?

Before investing you should ideally know why you’re buying the property, how long you’re going to keep it and how you’re going to execute its exit. Whether you’re looking for a high short-term monthly rental return or long-term capital growth, it’s useful to plan and prepare appropriately at the beginning of your investment journey.

What To Do: To find your nearest Belvoir office, visit their website at

https://www.belvoir.co.uk/

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL CLEAN SLATE DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

www.streetwisenews.com/89p

I go out running from time to time and I hate it. I doubt there is anything that would make it anything other than a chore, but an Austrian team behind app, Runtatstic are giving it a go. They have created Story Running, a series of exercise length short stories designed to help joggers keep going.

In each of the current titles, the runner is the main character in the story. In one, for example, the runner is escaping from Alcatraz. Each audiobook was created with professional actors and sound technicians and includes music timed to motivate runners. The stories begin slowly before becoming more exciting at the peak of the run.

More and more people are attempting to exercise these days, but we all know it isn’t easy to get motivated and stay focussed. It seems that people are prepared to spend money on personal trainers and other aids to help motivate them. It’s worth giving thought to what you could do to help exercisers to overcome the natural desire to give up.

I just noticed these stories are 40 minutes long. I’d be showered, changed and sat down with a cup of tea before I got to hear the end of them!

Box Stories

People love stories. They’re keen to display their green credentials. Here’s an idea that combines these two facts.

Ebay have designed a strong re-usable box with space on the side for each successive user to write in some information about their role in the boxes life and to send a message to the next user. The boxes history can also be tracked via a virtual online community. Needless to say, once the boxes life is over, it is fully recyclable.

Ebay has printed 1000,000 boxes like this. Aside from the environmental Brownie Points they get for doing this, they get additional exposure and consumer involvement with the brand through the story element of the process.

Is there some way you could build a story element into your product, brand or packaging? Imagine a car rental company for example. Wouldn’t it be interesting to be able to see who had hired your car before and what they’d used it for? There have to be hundreds of applications of this story idea in different businesses and sectors.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

 “Is This The Fastest Way To a Luxury Retirement?”

Dear Streewise Customer,

Did you know that by doubling your money, you’re only 16 steps from turning £100 into more than £1,600,000 – (THAT’S ONE MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS!)…

This powerful wealth strategy is THE fastest way to a luxury retirement. What’s more, it’s now available in one full package for the very first time.

Let me introduce you to one of my most trusted insider sources. To meet him visit:

 www.streetwisenews.com/onemillion

It took me a while to arrange this invitation, so I hope you’re going to take advantage of it. Don’t waste this chance, you’ve just been referred to someone who can change your life.

Kind Regards 

John Harrison-Streetwise Publications

PS This comes with a full cast iron money back guarantee. Take a look today with no risk what so ever.

So you’ve created a new product, but now you face a problem – how do you go about selling it? Getting a product into retail stores is far from easy, and can be risky if the product doesn’t take off. Marketing direct to consumers is another approach which has its advantages, but writing effective sales copy isn’t something that everyone can do. One alternative is to sell via a catalogue.

Catalogue owners need new products to sell and are therefore open to approaches from inventors. It’s easy to find catalogues that are a fit with your product, and the owners won’t care that you are a small operation or even a one product company. They will usually create an advertisement for your product and bear all the cost and risk of the promotion. All you need do as the product owner is sit back and wait for the orders to come in.

The downside is that you can expect some pretty tight profit margins, but it may be a price worth paying for the simplicity and risk free nature of this kind of deal.

Selling Magazine Pages

This isn’t a new opportunity, but it’s so easy for anyone to start up that it’s worth revisiting. Here’s what you do.

Buy up a stack of old magazines – the older the better – and go through them to find interesting pages. Typically these will be advertisements from a bygone era. Carefully scan them and then offer for sale via eBay. As an additional service, you could offer to mount and frame the pages. If you do a search on eBay, you’ll see what sort of things are on offer and what sells.

An additional source of revenue could be to directly approach the companies who placed the ad’s originally – assuming they’re still around. They may be interesting in securing copies of their old advertisements for their archive or for display purposes.

You probably won’t get rich doing this, but it’s an interesting part-time project to have a go at during the dark winter nights.

Today’s National Day

NATIONAL CLEAN SLATE DAY!

PUBLISHERS NOTICE

 “Is This The Fastest Way To a Luxury Retirement?”

Dear Streewise Customer,

Did you know that by doubling your money, you’re only 16 steps from turning £100 into more than £1,600,000 – (THAT’S ONE MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS!)…

This powerful wealth strategy is THE fastest way to a luxury retirement. What’s more, it’s now available in one full package for the very first time.

Let me introduce you to one of my most trusted insider sources. To meet him visit:

 www.streetwisenews.com/onemillion

It took me a while to arrange this invitation, so I hope you’re going to take advantage of it. Don’t waste this chance, you’ve just been referred to someone who can change your life.

Kind Regards 

John Harrison-Streetwise Publications

PS This comes with a full cast iron money back guarantee. Take a look today with no risk what so ever.