How To Keep My Home Secure

How To Keep My Home Secure

Keeping your home secure is important and will give you the peace of mind you need.

So, we've devised FIVE important factors that you need to consider to ensure your home has up-to-date, effective security:

LOCKS

It sounds like a pretty obvious suggestion, however, when it comes to securing your home with locks, you need to cover all grounds.

Your front door and back door lock, i'd hope, is a lock you all have. Although, mortice locks can be much more effective as they add extra protection to your doors however, you must ensure the door is thick enough to accept the strength of the lock. 

Your safest bet is to speak to a professional locksmith.

You should also question whether you have locks on all your windows. Having keys to lock your windows is much safer than windows that lock into the frame when turning the handle. 

BURGLAR ALARMS

House alarms are significantly important to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of burglary. The right alarm for you will depend on a number of factors including; your neighbourhood, your budget, the price of your home etc.

You'll also need to decide whether you would prefer a wireless or wired burglar alarm. 

Having house alarms regularly checked is very important - professionals will be able to determine whether the alarm is fully functional and detect any false activity.

CCTV

More and more people in the UK are installing CCTV in their homes; particularly on the front drive. 

CCTV may be necessary for those of a higher class as large homes are often targeted due to their value and contents. You may also want CCTV if you've been previously burgled for peace of mind, or, if you live in a lower class neighbourhood with a high crime rate.

SAFES

A domestic safe could be a good idea to give your valuables extra security. Typically speaking, safes are used to store cash or valuable objects such as jewellery. The idea of a domestic safe being that it is designed not to be seen - if you're going to have a safe in your home, hide it well, otherwise it could be the first thing to be burgled. 

HOUSE KEYS

Firstly, don't leave your keys inside your house - they'd be a prime target for burglars. 

Secondly, don't leave them under your typical mat or flower pot - this is an obvious place for burglars to look! 

Keeping your house keys on you at all times is important and in the unfortunate event of you loosing them, you may want to change your locks if you're anxious. 

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We hope you enjoyed our blog! 

Any questions? Don't hesitate to contact us:

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0121 655 5188

How Linked-In Can Help You

How Linked-In Can Help You 

Linked-in is the largest professional social network with millions of users connecting worldwide. Members can publish either personal information about their careers including skills, qualifications etc., or post a company page reflecting their business. 

Linked-in is a great way to build either your own personal success or your businesses - through connecting with other members and building your own profile. 

Linked-in can help you or your business in a number of ways:

• Establish a strong, professional profile outlining the aims and objectives of your business or your own personal achievements 
• Re-connect with old colleagues or classmates through searches 
• Connect with other businesses/colleagues in your field
• Expand knowledge on other businesses in your industry or area
• Share your own information and knowledge through posts
•  Search for jobs/career opportunities 
• Businesses can recruit through Linked-in
• Build brand awareness
• Promote new offers / deals 
• Give/receive endorsements to build your profile
• Both send and receive recommendations from colleagues

We are also on Linked-in and are ready to connect! Follow us through the link provided below, and we will follow you back.

www.linkedin.com/company/glocal-residential

glocal-property.com

@GlocalR

0121 655 5188

Are you making a good investment?

If you are looking to buy-to-let, among many other factors, there are two main figures you should take into account. They are year purchase and yield. 

Yield is calculated as follow:

(The annual rent of the property ÷ by the property value) x 100 

The yield comes as a percentage. This tells you the return you are going to make on the property. The higher the yield number is, the better then investment looks to be. 

Year purchases is calculated as follows:

(Property Value ÷ Annual rent of the property) x 100 

Year purchase identifies how many years it will take for you to make a return on the cost of the property. For example, if your year purchase is 4.2 it will take you 4.2 years to make the money back on your investment through the payment of rent. This means that the lower the number is, the better the investment is predicted to be. 

However, although these figures are a great way to get you started in deciding whether it will be a good investment, there are several other factors you need to think about.

- Is the property in a good location?
- Will the property be let quickly?
- Is the home nice inside
- Does the property need a lot of work doing to it
- Do you have enough money to put up with the investment in the meantime
- Can you decide trustworthy tenants that pay on time

All of these can be helped with a trusty letting agent such as ourselves! If you are looking to buy to let, get in touch with us and will we help you decide if that is the right investment for you. 

Thank you for reading

Glocal Residential 

@GlocalR

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Architecture of Birmingham

There is a large variety of different architecture in and around Birmingham. Birmingham has been an established city for some time now, however many of the buildings are a product of the 18th, 19th and 20th century with minimal building surviving from early history.

By JimmyGuano at English Wikipedia,

Medieval Architecture

The only complete surviving building in Birmingham is the The Old Crown pub located in Digbeth. It was built in the 15th century. Originally built as the hall of the Guide of St John, Deritend. It is a grade II listed building and still retains its black and white timber frame. 

Georgian and Regency architecture 

Due to the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham began to expand during the 18th century. The growing population led to more people attending church, and with that the St. Phillips cathedral was established. This was designed by Thomas Archer in 1715. 

Victorian architecture

The financial springs brought from the industrial revolution provided Victorian Birmingham the funds it needed to develop the cities buildings. The use of neoclassical architecture was carried into this time period. The most well known Victorian building in Birmingham is the Birmingham Town Hall. Designed by Joseph Hansom and Edward Welch in 1834. Charles Edge was commissioned to repair the weakness to the design of the building in 1835 and was also commissioned for the extension of the building in 1837 and then again in 1850.

The Gothic revival 

Gothic architecture had been used for picturesque decor in England throughout the 17th & 18th centuries. This continued through the 19th century with a Birmingham example being Metchley Abby in Harbourne.

One of the most influential figure of the Gothic Revival in both Birmingham and worldwide was Augustus Pugin. Pugin came to Birmingham to design the Gothic detailing for Charles Barry's rebuilding of King Edward's School in 1833. This was the first building in Birmingham to demonstrate the scholar use of Gothic. 

High Victorian architecture

The beginning of High Victorian architecture in Birmingham took place in 1855 with the completion of 12 Ampton Road, Edgbaston designed by John Henry Chamberlain. 

The use of red brick and terracotta started during this period. Birmingham lacked in natural stone and terracotta was a good substitute. A good example of this being used is the red brick and terracotta Victorian Law courts on corporation street which was designed by Sir Aston Webb and Ingress Bell. 

Edwardian and inter-war 

The use of red brick enlightened the path to colour glazed terracotta. An example is the Trocadero in Temple Street which was created in 1902 and also the Piccadilly arcade, completed in 1909 as a cinema on New Street.

Art-Deco architecture became popular in the design of cinemas, however it was not so common in other building types.

Post-World War II architecture

Due to the industrial importance in Birmingham led to the World War 2 bombings causing a lot of destruction to the buildings. The Public Works Department of Birmingham City Council established a city engineer to help reconstruct housing and public facilities. Thus meaning Sir Herbert Mazzini (the city engineer and surveyor) became very influential. 

Demand for offices had soared with businesses wanting large office blocks compared to previous small office buildings. High rise office blocks were created in basic shapes like cuboids. The 'Big Top' was created in the late 1950s and became Birmingham's biggest office building and the first shopping centre.

John Madin and Brutalism

John Madin and his architecture made an impact on the city from the 1960s through to the late 1970s. Birmingham Central Library is one of his best known buildings. Another being the inverted concrete ziggarat in the brutalist style. Prince Charles described the library as a "place for burning books, rather than keeping them". 

Contemporary and modern architecture 

Regenernateion through Broad Street and Brindley Place began in early 1990s bringing a whole new period of construction. It included offices and other mixed use buildings designed by separate architects including the National Sea Life Centre. 

A building from Birmingham that is largely recognized is the bubbly Bullring from the Selfridges store. This building was on of the first to use the 'blobitecture' style. A lot of the modern architecture around the United Kingdom is found in Birmingham. 

Another high-rise buildings to be constructed is the Ian Simpson;s Holloway Circus Tower opening in January 2006. When made, it was the second tallest building in Birmingham with a height of 400 ft. This building is used as a hotel and also includes apartments which you can book viewings here. 

The series of architecture shows how the types of buildings have changed immensely over time and the different styles and materials that have been introduced and used. Glocal Residential thank you for reading! And we would love to know which your favourite part of architecture is in Birmingham. Is it the new library, the custard factory, the grand central? Let us know!

How To Get A Capsule Wardrobe

What is a 'Capsule Wardrobe'?

A capsule wardrobe is a selection of versatile items of clothing which you love that can be styled with each other.  A capsule wardrobe normally consists of 37 items of clothing. This technique allows you to have a few selected items which you love and not to have a cluttered wardrobe!

Benefits of a Capsule Wardrobe:

- You dedicate more time and money to the things in life that really matter (not clothes).
- You can make some money or donate to charity from the clothes you do not need.
- It allows you to identify your true style 

How to decide what to keep and what to chuck:

- A good technique which I have seen is to turn all of your hangers forward in your wardrobe. Then every time you wear an item of clothing, turn the hanger around. Then after some time, you will see the items of clothing that you actually wear and the ones which you are clearly not into anymore!
- Chuck anything that doesn't fit and doesn't make you feel good about yourself! 
- Get rid of the clothes with holes, fading or shrunk in the wash... let go.
- Worn out shoes, they may be your favourite, but it's time for them to disappear. 
- Monochrome colours are easy to match with one another!

Some great staple pieces:

- Black/blue denim jeans
- White T shirt
- A skirt that makes you feel good and comfortable
- Trainers that you love - converse or vans are a good choice
- A denim jacket
- A smart blazer (for special occasions) 
- Ballet shoes
- Plaid shirt
- A pretty dress
- Cardigan
- Sweater/jumper

Aiming to have a capsule wardrobe is an excellent money saving and room saving technique! It will make you feel more a peace as your room will be much more clear thus so will your mind. 

Good luck! Need any more advice on de-cluttering your home, do not hesitate to contacts us. Our contact email is info@glocal-residential.co.uk and you can also message us on twitter! @GlocalR 

Thankyou for reading! From Glocal Residential!

What Problems Do Landlords Face?

Being a landlord is a very rewarding job, however, like all other jobs, there are some issues you will face along the way. Here are some problems you may face on your journey to be a landlord.

#1 Starting up Capital

- Yes, being a landlord will bring you in a lot of profits, but you also need that start up money. In order to buy property for your tenants to live in, you need to ensure that you have the money to start you up. Many landlord overlook the actual cost of this and believe they only have to pay the price of the property, but they are yet to realise the amount of money that will go into remodeling the property as needs be. 

When buying your first property to let out, make sure you are aware of all the work that needs to be done to that property and that you also have the funds to fix them up and make sure that it is suitable for the tenants.

#2 Collecting the rent

- There is a risk that your tenants are not all going to be perfect. You need to have in mind that you are going to have tenants that pay correctly and on time, and that you are also going to have tenants that are not very good and making their payments. You need to make sure that you have the strength in your personality to put a firm word in and make sure you get your rent money. 

Also, you need to make sure that you have a strong mind that is able to consider the eviction process if they are not able to pay the money. There are some people with a personality too forgiving that they will let the tenants walk all over them. You need to ensure you will not have that mentality as you need to make your money.

#3 Problem tenants

- Not paying rent is your first problem that will come to mind, however there are more qualities that contribute to being a problem tenant. These sorts of people are one of the biggest issues you will face as a landlord.

If you have done your research, or know anybody who is a landlord, you may have heard the 'horror stories' of the way that some of the tenants are. 

Project X style parties being thrown their, drug abuse, animals leaving terrible messes, floorboards ripped up, toilets broken, spray painted walls. There is so much at risk when having tenants as you do not truly know what they are capable of. Make sure to try your best to judge the types of characters you are allowing to live in your properties.

#4 Not able to let

- You may have purchased a property you think is very much desirable, but will it be taken? A problem that you may face, is being unable to get tenants to want to live in your property. This can be a big issue you can face as you will be paying bills, whilst not making any money. A great way to over come this is to use a good letting agent for that area. These will help market your property at a cost, but they can also offer other great facilities to help you along the way.

#5 Staying Organised 

- With being a landlord, you will have to deal with a lot of paperwork. This will mean that you will need to keep yourself organised. If you are not very good with organisation, that can become a problem for you, especially with the more houses you acquire. It is a good idea that you have a section dedicated in your house for your landlord role where you can store all of you paperwork. 

Need any help with your landlord issues? We are a leading letting agent in Birmingham City Centre with expert agents who are always happy to help! Don't hesitate to get in touch!

email: info@glocal-residential.co.uk

twitter: @glocalr

facebook: @glocalr

number: 0121 655 5188

5 Reasons Why Birmingham Is Great

5 Reasons Why Birmingham Is Great

FESTIVALS

Birmingham is not only great for commercial or business purposes but also for leisure and social activity. Birmingham holds multiple festivals attracting ten's of thousands of people every year.

St Patrick's Day Parade, held every March in Birmingham, is the biggest St Patrick's Parade in the world - excluding Dublin's (obviously). Thousands attend filling the streets of Digbeth to take part in the festivities including the street float's, individual events held by pubs/bars and the rides. 

Birmingham's other record-breaking festivals including Birmingham Pride - the UK's largest two-day LGBT festival. It also hosts a number of other more low-key music festivals, such as Supersonic festival, and even food festivals.

(St Patrick's Day, Birmingham)

ARCHITECTURE

Birmingham boasts a selection of amazing and iconic architecture. The recently built Library of Birmingham in Centenary Square is a superb example of the fantastic infrastructure in Birmingham.

Other landmarks in Birmingham demonstrating iconic architecture, include: The Bullring, The Cube and Grand Central.

(Library of Birmingham)

SHOPPING 

If you're in need of a shopping trip - look no further, Birmingham is the place for you. Birmingham has dozens of shopping districts in it's city centre, however it's most popular is the famous Bullring. 

The Bullring is home to over 100 stores and eateries and is the perfect place to let your credit card loose.

Other great places to shop include the Mailbox, Grand Central, Great Western Arcade, Corporation Street and more.

(The Bullring Shopping Centre)

MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS

I'm sure your aware, it takes a lot to become a Michelin Star restaurant and there definitely not somewhere you'd eat every day. However, Birmingham boasts FIVE Michelin Star's which is one of the highest amounts in a UK city. These include: Carters; Adam's; Turner's; Simpson's and Purnell's. 

(Dish at Purnell's Michelin Star Restaurant)

INVESTMENTS

Birmingham City Centre has been named the best place to invest in in the UK for two-years running. It has been named above the likes of other profitable cities including Milan, Paris and even London. 

Over the past few years, there have been a number of large-scale projects taking place in Birmingham introducing new, fantastic buildings, jobs and services. The re-development of New Street train station introducing the Grand Central shopping centre above, is a prime example of a fantastic, recent investment. Other major schemes planned for Birmingham include the HS2 and Curzon Street regeneration which will bring far more jobs and capital to Birmingham's city.

(Computer generated image of Birmingham Curzon Street HS2 Station)

We hope you enjoyed our blog: 5 Reasons Why Birmingham Is Great.

If you have any question's, don't hesitate to contact us!

Twitter: @GlocalR

Facebook: Glocal Residential 

Phone: 0121 655 5188