diff --git a/src/app/api/properties/route.ts b/src/app/api/properties/route.ts
index 68c5fb7..c0fd513 100644
--- a/src/app/api/properties/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/properties/route.ts
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
     filters
   );
   return NextResponse.json(properties);
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/app/globals.css b/src/app/globals.css
index c00cf15..c42a622 100644
--- a/src/app/globals.css
+++ b/src/app/globals.css
@@ -222,3 +222,8 @@
     display: none !important;
   }
 }
+
+@keyframes loading {
+  0% { transform: translateX(-100%); }
+  100% { transform: translateX(300%); }
+}
diff --git a/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/PropertyFilters.tsx b/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/PropertyFilters.tsx
index f06106e..00cd41a 100644
--- a/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/PropertyFilters.tsx
+++ b/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/PropertyFilters.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ export default function PropertyFilters({
   ----------------------------------------- */
   useEffect(() => {
     if (currentEpc && expectedEpc) {
-      // expected must be BETTER than current
       if (epcIndex(expectedEpc) >= epcIndex(currentEpc)) {
         setExpectedEpc("");
       }
@@ -69,83 +68,118 @@ export default function PropertyFilters({
     });
   }
 
+  function handleKeyDown(e: React.KeyboardEvent) {
+    if (e.key === "Enter") {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      apply();
+    }
+  }
+
   return (
-    <div className="flex gap-4 bg-gray-50 p-4 rounded-lg items-end">
-      {/* Address */}
-      <input
-        className="border rounded px-3 py-2"
-        placeholder="Address contains…"
-        value={address}
-        onChange={(e) => setAddress(e.target.value)}
-      />
-
-      {/* Postcode */}
-      <input
-        className="border rounded px-3 py-2"
-        placeholder="Postcode"
-        value={postcode}
-        onChange={(e) => setPostcode(e.target.value)}
-      />
-
-      {/* Current EPC */}
-      <select
-        className="border rounded px-3 py-2"
-        value={currentEpc}
-        onChange={(e) =>
-          setCurrentEpc(e.target.value as any)
-        }
+    <div className="border-b bg-white">
+      <div
+        className="grid grid-cols-12 gap-4 p-4"
+        onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
       >
-        <option value="">Current EPC is…</option>
-        {["C", "D", "E", "F", "G"].map((epc) => (
-          <option
-            key={epc}
-            value={epc}
-            disabled={
-              expectedEpc &&
-              epcIndex(epc) <= epcIndex(expectedEpc)
-            }
+        {/* Address */}
+        <div className="col-span-4">
+          <label className="block text-xs font-medium text-gray-600 mb-1">
+            Address
+          </label>
+          <input
+            className="w-full rounded-md border border-gray-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm
+                       focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-black/10"
+            placeholder="Contains…"
+            value={address}
+            onChange={(e) => setAddress(e.target.value)}
+          />
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Postcode */}
+        <div className="col-span-2">
+          <label className="block text-xs font-medium text-gray-600 mb-1">
+            Postcode
+          </label>
+          <input
+            className="w-full rounded-md border border-gray-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm
+                       focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-black/10"
+            placeholder="e.g. E17"
+            value={postcode}
+            onChange={(e) => setPostcode(e.target.value)}
+          />
+        </div>
+
+        {/* Current EPC */}
+        <div className="col-span-2">
+          <label className="block text-xs font-medium text-gray-600 mb-1">
+            Current EPC
+          </label>
+          <select
+            className="w-full rounded-md border border-gray-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm
+                       bg-white focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-black/10"
+            value={currentEpc}
+            onChange={(e) => setCurrentEpc(e.target.value as any)}
           >
-            {epc} or below
-          </option>
-        ))}
-      </select>
+            <option value="">Any</option>
+            {["C", "D", "E", "F", "G"].map((epc) => (
+              <option
+                key={epc}
+                value={epc}
+                disabled={
+                  expectedEpc &&
+                  epcIndex(epc) <= epcIndex(expectedEpc)
+                }
+              >
+                {epc} or below
+              </option>
+            ))}
+          </select>
+        </div>
 
-      {/* Expected EPC */}
-      <select
-        className="border rounded px-3 py-2"
-        value={expectedEpc}
-        onChange={(e) =>
-          setExpectedEpc(e.target.value as any)
-        }
-      >
-        <option value="">Expected EPC at least…</option>
-        {["A", "B", "C", "D"].map((epc) => (
-          <option
-            key={epc}
-            value={epc}
-            disabled={
-              currentEpc &&
-              epcIndex(epc) >= epcIndex(currentEpc)
-            }
+        {/* Expected EPC */}
+        <div className="col-span-2">
+          <label className="block text-xs font-medium text-gray-600 mb-1">
+            Expected EPC
+          </label>
+          <select
+            className="w-full rounded-md border border-gray-300 px-3 py-2 text-sm
+                       bg-white focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-black/10"
+            value={expectedEpc}
+            onChange={(e) => setExpectedEpc(e.target.value as any)}
           >
-            {epc} or above
-          </option>
-        ))}
-      </select>
+            <option value="">Any</option>
+            {["A", "B", "C", "D"].map((epc) => (
+              <option
+                key={epc}
+                value={epc}
+                disabled={
+                  currentEpc &&
+                  epcIndex(epc) >= epcIndex(currentEpc)
+                }
+              >
+                {epc} or above
+              </option>
+            ))}
+          </select>
+        </div>
 
-      <button
-        onClick={apply}
-        className="bg-black text-white px-4 py-2 rounded"
-      >
-        Apply
-      </button>
-
-      <button
-        onClick={clear}
-        className="text-gray-500 px-2"
-      >
-        Clear
-      </button>
+        {/* Actions */}
+        <div className="col-span-2 flex items-end gap-2">
+          <button
+            onClick={apply}
+            className="h-10 w-full rounded-md bg-black text-sm font-medium text-white
+                       hover:bg-black/90 transition"
+          >
+            Apply
+          </button>
+          <button
+            onClick={clear}
+            className="h-10 px-3 text-sm text-gray-500 hover:text-gray-700"
+          >
+            Clear
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/PropertyTable.tsx b/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/PropertyTable.tsx
index 885c214..1bc88c0 100644
--- a/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/PropertyTable.tsx
+++ b/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/PropertyTable.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { useState } from "react";
+import { useState, useMemo } from "react";
 import { useProperties } from "./useProperties";
 import DataTable from "./dataTable";
 import PropertyFilters, {
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@ import PropertyFilters, {
 import { PropertyFilter } from "@/app/utils/propertyFilters";
 import { HomeIcon } from "@heroicons/react/24/outline";
 import { columns } from "@/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/propertyTableColumns";
-import { useMemo } from "react";
+import clsx from "clsx";
 
+/* ----------------------------------------
+   Filter parsing
+----------------------------------------- */
 export function parsePropertyFilters(
   filters: PropertyFilterValues
 ): PropertyFilter[] {
@@ -47,26 +50,35 @@ export function parsePropertyFilters(
       value: filters.expected_epc_at_least,
     });
   }
-  console.log(parsed)
+
   return parsed;
 }
 
-
+/* ----------------------------------------
+   Empty portfolio state
+----------------------------------------- */
 function EmptyPropertyState() {
   return (
-    <div className="flex justify-center h-1/2">
-      <div className="bg-white rounded-lg w-full">
-        <p className="text-center text-gray-400 pt-6">
-          Hover over &quot;New Property&quot; to start adding properties to your
-          Portfolio
-          <HomeIcon className="h-20 w-20 mx-auto mt-4 text-gray-200" />
+    <div className="flex justify-center py-16">
+      <div className="text-center text-gray-400">
+        <HomeIcon className="h-16 w-16 mx-auto mb-4 text-gray-200" />
+        <p>
+          Hover over <strong>“New Property”</strong> to start adding properties
+          to your portfolio.
         </p>
       </div>
     </div>
   );
 }
 
-export default function PropertyTable({ portfolioId }: { portfolioId: string }) {
+/* ----------------------------------------
+   Main table
+----------------------------------------- */
+export default function PropertyTable({
+  portfolioId,
+}: {
+  portfolioId: string;
+}) {
   const [filters, setFilters] = useState<PropertyFilterValues>({
     address: "",
     postcode: "",
@@ -79,31 +91,74 @@ export default function PropertyTable({ portfolioId }: { portfolioId: string })
     [filters]
   );
 
-  const { data = [], isLoading, isFetching, isError } = useProperties({
+  const hasActiveFilters = parsedFilters.length > 0;
+
+  const {
+    data = [],
+    isLoading,
+    isFetching,
+    isError,
+  } = useProperties({
     portfolioId,
-    filters: parsedFilters, 
+    filters: parsedFilters,
   });
 
   return (
     <div className="flex justify-center">
       <div className="grid grid-cols-11 w-full max-w-8xl">
-        <div className="col-span-11 bg-white">
+        <div className="col-span-11 bg-white rounded-md border">
+
+          {/* Filters */}
           <PropertyFilters onApply={setFilters} />
 
+          {/* Loading bar (HubSpot-style) */}
+          {isFetching && (
+            <div className="h-1 w-full bg-gray-100 overflow-hidden">
+              <div className="h-full w-1/3 bg-black animate-[loading_1.2s_infinite]" />
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+
+          {/* Filter info */}
+          {hasActiveFilters && !isFetching && (
+            <div className="px-4 py-2 text-xs text-gray-500 border-b">
+              Filters applied ({parsedFilters.length})
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          {/* Content */}
           {isLoading ? (
-            <div className="p-6 text-gray-400">Loading properties…</div>
-          ) : isError || data.length === 0 ? (
+            <div className="p-6 text-gray-400">
+              Loading properties…
+            </div>
+          ) : isError ? (
+            <div className="p-6 text-red-500">
+              Failed to load properties.
+            </div>
+          ) : data.length === 0 && hasActiveFilters ? (
+            <div className="p-10 text-center text-gray-500">
+              <p>No properties match your filters.</p>
+              <button
+                onClick={() =>
+                  setFilters({
+                    address: "",
+                    postcode: "",
+                    current_epc_at_most: "",
+                    expected_epc_at_least: "",
+                  })
+                }
+                className="mt-3 text-sm text-black underline"
+              >
+                Clear filters
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          ) : data.length === 0 ? (
             <EmptyPropertyState />
           ) : (
-            <>
-              {isFetching && (
-                <div className="text-sm text-gray-400 px-4">Updating…</div>
-              )}
-              <DataTable data={data} columns={columns} />
-            </>
+            <DataTable data={data} columns={columns} />
           )}
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
   );
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/useProperties.ts b/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/useProperties.ts
index 38e3ae6..3a56cd5 100644
--- a/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/useProperties.ts
+++ b/src/app/portfolio/[slug]/components/useProperties.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ export function useProperties({ portfolioId, filters }: Params) {
       if (!res.ok) throw new Error("Failed to fetch properties");
       return res.json();
     },
+    staleTime: 1000 * 60 * 5,        // 5 minutes
+    cacheTime: 1000 * 60 * 30,       // 30 minutes
+
+    refetchOnMount: false,
+    refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
+    refetchOnReconnect: false,
     keepPreviousData: true,
   });
 }