Happy Holidays from Piccolo!

Welcome to the December edition of our monthly newsletter. As 2023 comes to a close, it's hard to believe how quickly the year has passed and how much we’ve covered in our newsletters this year!

Let's kick things off with the Renters Reform Bill, a game-changer in the tenant-landlord landscape. The legislation is still being ‘tweaked’, but we are planning to hold a Landlord Q&A in the new year where?we’ll look at the nitty-gritty details and highlight the key provisions that may affect both tenants and landlords. As always, the Piccolo team have kept abreast of legal updates?– watch this space for more updates on the Bill and our Q&A.

In Piccolo team news, this month is a special milestone for us – a whole year in our new office! We'd also like to give a big welcome to Maia Gilmour, our latest team member working alongside Pennie in sales. Lou is also preparing to start her training for her big Croatia charity hike next September –?click here to support this amazing cause?as she seeks to raise?￡2,500 for?Salisbury Hospice.

So, grab a cup of your favourite brew, settle in, and enjoy the read as we wrap up the year with a roundup of the latest in the Salisbury & Wilton housing market. And however you choose to celebrate at the end of the year, we hope you have a joyful (and restful!) holiday season and a Happy New Year!?

Brought to you by the?Piccolo?team ??

Selling in winter: how to play to the season's strengths to move home in spring

If you want to move home in spring, winter is the time to get it live on the market, but does anyone actually buy at this time of year? Well, yes, they do.

It’s true that activity levels are lower, mainly down to people waiting till spring to put their homes up for sale, but that gives winter sellers a number of unsung advantages.

• Fewer homes on the market means more eyes on yours from the year’s biggest online audience, with daily visits to Rightmove reaching 25 million over the holidays.
• Only the most motivated buyers brave the elements to come out on viewings, which means interest tends to be serious with very few window shoppers.
• You can use the mood and magic of the frosty months to create an atmosphere of seasonal warmth that’s impossible to resist.

So, if you’re planning ahead to move home in spring, this blog has all you need to set the winter stage and secure a sale.

Read our latest?sales blog.

Lettings winter prep: our landlord and tenant checklist for warm and safe rentals

The weather has turned, and winter is on the way, bringing with it a chilling collection of potential problems at your rental property. In many ways, rental homes are more at risk when they’re occupied in winter because the daily lives and concerns of tenants can sometimes be at odds with the interests of landlords.

So, this blog is all about getting that balance right, with measures like:

• Keeping condensation, mould and damp at bay.
• Maintaining smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Combining cost savings on bills with conscious property care.
• Reducing the risks of water damage and ice.
• Planning ahead in case your tenants go on holiday.

To ensure our landlords don’t get caught out by the cold, we check these things at all the homes we manage as part of our scheduled mid-tenancy inspections.

However, if you’re looking after things yourself, share this blog with your tenants so you can work together for a warm and safe winter all around.

Read our latest?lettings blog.

FOR SALE????Smallbrook Farmhouse

We've got a charming thatched cottage in the New Forest for sale!

Smallbrook Farmhouse is a rustic three-bedroom Grade II Listed cottage which dates from the mid-1600s.?The property?is bursting at the seams with original character! There are 3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a traditional farmhouse-style kitchen, and 2 good-sized reception rooms (one with a large inglenook fireplace.) In addition, a wood-framed garden room connects to a large art studio. This building was originally used as a barn and still retains the floor-level feeding troughs along one wall.?Set on 0.37 acres, the garden is a haven for wildlife.

While the cottage currently offers simple accommodation, Smallbrook is a blank canvas for someone eager to refurbish and create a truly one-of-a-kind and magical home!

View our properties for sale.

Call us on?01722 580059?or email [email protected] and choose the wise approach to sales, lettings and property management.