Should I wait to buy because Brexit might make house prices fall? https://t.co/qMux5Qx6nA Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1046644768170815488)
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Should I wait to buy because Brexit might make house prices fall?
I’m trying to buy a property in Oxfordshire but some friends say I should hold off on the deal
Q I am trying to buy a property in Oxfordshire but some of my friends have advised me to postpone any purchase because of the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. Some people believe property prices will go up while others believe that prices will fall. So I can’t decide whether it’s the right time to buy or whether I should wait. Can you tell me what to do?
RG
A No, I can’t tell you what to do and nor can I predict the type of Brexit we’ll end up with next March or how it will affect house prices. But I can shed light on what the experts think. The governor of the Bank of England. Mark Carney, has warned that if it all goes horribly wrong and we face a “disorderly” Brexit (which means a no-deal one), the economy will suffer, unemployment, consumer prices and interest rates could rise while – in a worst case scenario – house prices could fall by as much as 25% to 30%. So your friends who think that house prices will fall could have a point. On the other hand, so could your friends who think that house prices will rise – although it’s more a case of prices rising but not quite as quickly as they were predicted to pre-EU referendum. Back in February this year, experts were predicting that house prices would stop going up or, at the very least, go up by no more than 1%. They weren’t far off but according to figures recently published by the Office for National Statistics, average house prices in the UK have, in fact, increased by 3.1% in the year to July 2018 (down from 3.2% in the year to June 2018).
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2P0JGNT
via IFTTT
A guide to inheritance tax https://t.co/3avLoxoCVS #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
A guide to inheritance tax https://t.co/3avLoxoCVS #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1046630835338850304)
A guide to inheritance tax Nottingham Estate Agents
Changes to the Inheritance Tax system could have far-reaching implications for homeowners Recent post-Budget analysis may have concentrated on the U-turn over National Insurance for the self-employed, but another tax change introduced on 6 April 2017 could have far-reaching implications for homeowners. This tax change means parents and grandparents are able to leave homes worth […]
The post A guide to inheritance tax appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/2oAMxPY
via IFTTT
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Forget the pledges to act – London is still a haven for dirty Russian money | Oliver Bullough
After Salisbury, the Tories said we would get tough on rich Russians. But billionaires are still coming and sanctions are nowhere to be seen
Britain, we’re told, has a new policy on dirty Russian money. We are finally pulling the red carpet from under the feet of the rich Russians who have turned London into a private members’ club.
This new “hostile environment” was trailed in February after the security minister, Ben Wallace, watched McMafia – “We know what they are up to and we are not going to let it happen anymore,” he told the Times – in an onslaught of media announcements that has since become more intense. After the novichok attack in Salisbury, a headline in the Sun told us wealthy Russians were unwelcome. These are, an article on Bloomberg announced “the last days of Londongrad”.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2zG14SY
via IFTTT
A five-minute fix for growing tastier, healthier veg
Sprinkle Epsom salts on to your soil to enhance the health and flavour of your winter crops
I may never learn to love the dark days of winter, but the wonderful thing about horticulture is that there is always a silver lining, particularly if you are a veg grower. Even as many plants around us slide into dormancy, there is a range of winter veg that can be planted now and which will look after itself for months at a time. Not only are these arguably the easiest of all seasonal crops to grow, but with a simple five-minute trick of mine you could also make them measurably tastier and more nutritious than most of what you can buy in the shops.
Autumn-planting onion and shallot sets are in stores everywhere right now and, once planted according to packet instructions in a well-tended bed, should require almost zero intervention from you until harvest. The same deal applies to garlic and a little known fourth member of the family, the echalote grise, also called (rather confusingly) the French grey shallot. Although neither French nor a shallot, this is in my opinion the finest flavoured of all the onion family. Spring onions can, likewise, be sown now from seed for harvesting from late winter to early spring.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2NabhdO
via IFTTT
The slow pleasures and melancholy of autumn gardening
Fading light and failing growth brings its own beauty to the garden
So the autumn equinox is over, October mere hours away. I know I have been banging on about fading light now for a month, but it is no longer deniable. This morning saw the last pre-7am sunrise until we return to GMT – and then it’s only temporarily.
I don’t want to sound like a harbinger of doom and dark, though I’ll admit to some seasonal melancholy. I watch the slowing of September seed now sluggish in its growth. Plants that surged only a month or so before are struggling a little more.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2zFV7Fp
via IFTTT
A London flat’s smoke and mirrors trickery: ‘I like to seek out the unusual’
A giant glass cube gives a sci-fi twist to this London flat, partly reflecting its former resident Tom Baker, AKA the Doctor
It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the black that wraps around the walls and ceilings of Linda Allen and Darin Brown’s flat, which occupies the ground floor of a Victorian redbrick in London’s Belsize Park. Then there’s the slightly disorientating effect of a wall of mirror glass between the living room and their bedroom. Except, this shiny expanse isn’t a wall at all. Linda and Darin got rid of that and replaced it with a glass-clad cube. “We wanted it to look as if a big shiny box had dropped down from outer space,” explains Linda. “We left a gap at the top and the bottom so it appears to hover, like a separate entity.”
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2N9y8pK
via IFTTT
Forget the pledges to act – London is still a haven for dirty Russian money | Oliver Bullough https://t.co/0huI87F8xN Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Forget the pledges to act – London is still a haven for dirty Russian money | Oliver Bullough https://t.co/0huI87F8xN Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1046268446978265089)
A five-minute fix for growing tastier, healthier veg https://t.co/z85dBZoFuW Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
A five-minute fix for growing tastier, healthier veg https://t.co/z85dBZoFuW Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1046268445233491969)
The slow pleasures and melancholy of autumn gardening https://t.co/Ktfc3ZcpTy Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
The slow pleasures and melancholy of autumn gardening https://t.co/Ktfc3ZcpTy Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1046268443610288128)
A London flat’s smoke and mirrors trickery: ‘I like to seek out the unusual’ https://t.co/KMm2rC45IO Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
A London flat’s smoke and mirrors trickery: ‘I like to seek out the unusual’ https://t.co/KMm2rC45IO Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1046268441987108864)
A guide to joint ownership https://t.co/u9FCSulku8 #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
A guide to joint ownership https://t.co/u9FCSulku8 #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1046267380320661505)
A guide to joint ownership Nottingham Estate Agents
Buying with a partner or a friend? OnTheMarket.com reveals 10 top tips to consider around joint ownership Joint ownership of a property may seem quite straightforward. You and your partner buy a house together and, after that, everything is hunky-dory unless the relationship goes pear-shaped. Even then, there is no problem. You just sell the […]
The post A guide to joint ownership appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/2acM9iY
via IFTTT
A London flat’s smoke and mirrors trickery: ‘I like to seek out the unusual’
A giant glass cube gives a sci-fi twist to this London flat, partly reflecting its former resident Tom Baker, AKA the Doctor
It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the black that wraps around the walls and ceilings of Linda Allen and Darin Brown’s flat, which occupies the ground floor of a Victorian redbrick in London’s Belsize Park. Then there’s the slightly disorientating effect of a wall of mirror glass between the living room and their bedroom. Except, this shiny expanse isn’t a wall at all. Linda and Darin got rid of that and replaced it with a glass-clad cube. “We wanted it to look as if a big shiny box had dropped down from outer space,” explains Linda. “We left a gap at the top and the bottom so it appears to hover, like a separate entity.”
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2N9y8pK
via IFTTT
A five-minute fix for growing tastier, healthier veg
Sprinkle Epsom salts on to your soil to enhance the health and flavour of your winter crops
I may never learn to love the dark days of winter, but the wonderful thing about horticulture is that there is always a silver lining, particularly if you are a veg grower. Even as many plants around us slide into dormancy, there is a range of winter veg that can be planted now and which will look after itself for months at a time. Not only are these arguably the easiest of all seasonal crops to grow, but with a simple five-minute trick of mine you could also make them measurably tastier and more nutritious than most of what you can buy in the shops.
Autumn-planting onion and shallot sets are in stores everywhere right now and, once planted according to packet instructions in a well-tended bed, should require almost zero intervention from you until harvest. The same deal applies to garlic and a little known fourth member of the family, the echalote grise, also called (rather confusingly) the French grey shallot. Although neither French nor a shallot, this is in my opinion the finest flavoured of all the onion family. Spring onions can, likewise, be sown now from seed for harvesting from late winter to early spring.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2NabhdO
via IFTTT
The slow pleasures and melancholy of autumn gardening
Fading light and failing growth brings its own beauty to the garden
So the autumn equinox is over, October mere hours away. I know I have been banging on about fading light now for a month, but it is no longer deniable. This morning saw the last pre-7am sunrise until we return to GMT – and then it’s only temporarily.
I don’t want to sound like a harbinger of doom and dark, though I’ll admit to some seasonal melancholy. I watch the slowing of September seed now sluggish in its growth. Plants that surged only a month or so before are struggling a little more.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2zFV7Fp
via IFTTT
May acts to tackle housing crisis by imposing levy on foreign buyers
Prime minister will attempt to take control of domestic policy agenda at Tory conference by proposing extra stamp duty
Foreign buyers of properties in the UK will have to pay a new levy, in a renewed attempt by Theresa May to tackle the housing crisis.
With concern growing among senior Tories that the party has allowed Brexit to drown out a compelling domestic agenda, plans unveiled on Saturday night will see foreign buyers pay extra stamp duty to fund a drive to tackle rough sleeping.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Ip09sE
via IFTTT
May acts to tackle housing crisis by imposing levy on foreign buyers https://t.co/TWUPf4kLxV Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
May acts to tackle housing crisis by imposing levy on foreign buyers https://t.co/TWUPf4kLxV Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1046153937471123456)
Ode to autumn: a Victorian garden is returned to its handsome roots https://t.co/RS86OGL346 Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Ode to autumn: a Victorian garden is returned to its handsome roots https://t.co/RS86OGL346 Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045980111626018816)
Ode to autumn: a Victorian garden is returned to its handsome roots
How the naturalistic gardens at Gravetye Manor were restored with a vibrant nod to their past
The gardener William Robinson, Gravetye Manor’s most notable owner, once wrote that if you arranged hardy, handsome plants “with some judgment at first... the owner might go away for 10 years; and find it more beautiful than ever on his return”. Current head gardener Tom Coward might disagree; he has been in the job nearly a decade and is only now starting to see the garden restored to its former glory.
Coward arrived from Great Dixter house and gardens in 2010, when Gravetye’s current owners took over, and discovered there was a lot to do. The historic house and garden, in West Hoathly, Sussex, had fallen into disrepair: “Seedlings were appearing in the borders, and the kitchen garden had such a weed problem, it was a case of having to dig it up and start again,” says Coward, who trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and RHS garden Wisley. But despite its problems, the garden “was clearly beautiful”, he says.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Qk1eos
via IFTTT
Ode to autumn: a Victorian garden is returned to its handsome roots
How the naturalistic gardens at Gravetye Manor were restored with a vibrant nod to their past
The gardener William Robinson, Gravetye Manor’s most notable owner, once wrote that if you arranged hardy, handsome plants “with some judgment at first... the owner might go away for 10 years; and find it more beautiful than ever on his return”. Current head gardener Tom Coward might disagree; he has been in the job nearly a decade and is only now starting to see the garden restored to its former glory.
Coward arrived from Great Dixter house and gardens in 2010, when Gravetye’s current owners took over, and discovered there was a lot to do. The historic house and garden, in West Hoathly, Sussex, had fallen into disrepair: “Seedlings were appearing in the borders, and the kitchen garden had such a weed problem, it was a case of having to dig it up and start again,” says Coward, who trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and RHS garden Wisley. But despite its problems, the garden “was clearly beautiful”, he says.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Qk1eos
via IFTTT
Where to move for… warmth https://t.co/ipCCK0m8se Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Where to move for… warmth https://t.co/ipCCK0m8se Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045936054182846464)
Where to move for… warmth
It’s in Kent, it’s had the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK, and it’s Faversham
I miss summer. Don’t get me wrong; I love a conker. Nothing more exciting than mists and mellow fruitfulness. And I know, I know, climate change, wildfires, drought… But, ah, just remember that heat. Normally I wouldn’t need an excuse to move to Faversham.
Never been? Medieval streets, haunted abbey, Shepherd Neame HQ, hidden gem, etc. Also location of the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK, 38.5C in 2003; and the highest recorded during last summer’s heatwaves, 35.3C. To be the hottest place in the UK once I can understand, but twice? Fishy. Is there a giant volcano sitting underneath Boots on Preston Street?
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2y2tW5Q
via IFTTT
Where to move for… warmth
It’s in Kent, it’s had the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK, and it’s Faversham
I miss summer. Don’t get me wrong; I love a conker. Nothing more exciting than mists and mellow fruitfulness. And I know, I know, climate change, wildfires, drought… But, ah, just remember that heat. Normally I wouldn’t need an excuse to move to Faversham.
Never been? Medieval streets, haunted abbey, Shepherd Neame HQ, hidden gem, etc. Also location of the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK, 38.5C in 2003; and the highest recorded during last summer’s heatwaves, 35.3C. To be the hottest place in the UK once I can understand, but twice? Fishy. Is there a giant volcano sitting underneath Boots on Preston Street?
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2y2tW5Q
via IFTTT
Friday, September 28, 2018
‘Raising the state pension age has meant hardship for many women’
Alison Peters, 63, on how she is making ends meet until she can claim her pension at 66
I live alone and, at 63, had expected to be drawing a state pension by now. As it is, I have to wait another three years, and am getting by on the minimum wage earned from my part-time job as a charity administration assistant. Last year that amounted to £2,500.
Raising the state pension age has meant real hardship for many women my age, particularly for those on their own. It is difficult to reconcile this with the frequent media reports that the over-60s are using up money and resources that younger people feel they are more entitled to. Women of my age didn’t get paid maternity leave and often gave up work to be full-time parents and/or carers of the elderly. Many of us have not been able to save for a private pension, and workplace pensions were not routinely offered as they are now.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2zEU5cR
via IFTTT
Rented properties face clampdown – but tiny flats escape ban
New rules launch next week, just as thousands of students move in to shared homes
A tougher licensing regime for private rented homes comes into force on Monday, along with a new minimum size for bedrooms – just days after it emerged that 35 people had been found living in one London semi.
The government measures are designed to crack down on bad practices and generally make life better for renters. They come as thousands of second-year university students begin renting their first place with a group of friends.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2OkTKEl
via IFTTT
‘Raising the state pension age has meant hardship for many women’ https://t.co/s20U9dExoH Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
‘Raising the state pension age has meant hardship for many women’ https://t.co/s20U9dExoH Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045919673743814656)
Rented properties face clampdown – but tiny flats escape ban https://t.co/08bkflEGi2 Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Rented properties face clampdown – but tiny flats escape ban https://t.co/08bkflEGi2 Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045919670707134464)
A guide to a greener home https://t.co/cih9UVApQs #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
A guide to a greener home https://t.co/cih9UVApQs #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045904051496529921)
A guide to a greener home Nottingham Estate Agents
Andrew Crowther, Assistant Resources and Energy Manager at Strutt & Parker, looks at ways to make a home greener. Here are five top tips to help homeowners to follow the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle 1. Water butts British summers tend to swing from pouring rain to hose pipes bans. One of the […]
The post A guide to a greener home appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/1GjgnL8
via IFTTT
Let’s move to Grange-over-Sands and Cartmel: ‘Ooh, Alan Bennett’
An exotic destination for middle-aged elopers
What’s going for it? Grange-over-Sands is the kind of spot namechecked in Victoria Wood sketches, Alan Bennett scripts or classic Coronation Street as the epitome of posh, the exotic destination for middle-aged elopers, with its hedonistic cocktail of hushed hotels, vigorous (but not overly so) rambling and restaurants with starched napkins and potted shrimps on the menu. It’s still a most pleasant place, if a little forgotten about. Whether you find it charmingly nostalgic or deadly dull depends on your penchant for secondhand bookshops, purveyors of hearing aids, chocolate boutiques and benches for gawping out across the squelchy plains of Morecambe Bay. It’s my kind of place, though one fears for its future. Today’s midlife elopers are more likely to opt for Cartmel, next door: nostalgic in its own, hipper way, with its cute, Instagrammable priory, boutique hotels, delicious food shops and A-list restaurants. Plus the prospect of a slice of the village’s infamous sticky toffee pudding. Better than (middle-aged) sex. So I’m told.
The case against Tucked rather out of the way of the 21st century. That, of course, being the point. Quiet. Gentle pleasures.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2xMBGJF
via IFTTT
Let’s move to Grange-over-Sands and Cartmel: ‘Ooh, Alan Bennett’ https://t.co/7KMPBMKFWT Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Let’s move to Grange-over-Sands and Cartmel: ‘Ooh, Alan Bennett’ https://t.co/7KMPBMKFWT Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045702128709373952)
Let’s move to Grange-over-Sands and Cartmel: ‘Ooh, Alan Bennett’
An exotic destination for middle-aged elopers
What’s going for it? Grange-over-Sands is the kind of spot namechecked in Victoria Wood sketches, Alan Bennett scripts or classic Coronation Street as the epitome of posh, the exotic destination for middle-aged elopers, with its hedonistic cocktail of hushed hotels, vigorous (but not overly so) rambling and restaurants with starched napkins and potted shrimps on the menu. It’s still a most pleasant place, if a little forgotten about. Whether you find it charmingly nostalgic or deadly dull depends on your penchant for secondhand bookshops, purveyors of hearing aids, chocolate boutiques and benches for gawping out across the squelchy plains of Morecambe Bay. It’s my kind of place, though one fears for its future. Today’s midlife elopers are more likely to opt for Cartmel, next door: nostalgic in its own, hipper way, with its cute, Instagrammable priory, boutique hotels, delicious food shops and A-list restaurants. Plus the prospect of a slice of the village’s infamous sticky toffee pudding. Better than (middle-aged) sex. So I’m told.
The case against Tucked rather out of the way of the 21st century. That, of course, being the point. Quiet. Gentle pleasures.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2xMBGJF
via IFTTT
‘Butterflies’ Parking and other Don’ts
What kind of car do you have? Is your driveway garnished by a gleaming Mercedes or understated Audi? Perhaps you figured your estate agent’s car was more appealing to show off your home, so he left his BMW on show for the photographs. Or maybe your muddy Mini was already parked and no one suggested you move it.
Over the years, I’ve seen property photographs with skips, broken down cars and driveways with weeds so high it’s impossible to park a car. I’ve also seen ‘Butterflies’-type parking (remember Butterflies, with the four car shuffle?) where removing a car is more difficult than the Krypton Factor.
On the other hand, I’ve come across very modest dwellings with a Ferrari or Lamborghini parked outside. I once knew an agent in Cheshire who always insisted on having his silver Mercedes C-Class in every front shot. His window display looked like an Autotrader feature. Having a fully-branded agent car plonked on the driveway is also quite common in the agency’s quest for brand awareness.
So what should adorn your driveway for your main image? The answer is very simple: nothing. Any car you park will lead a buyer to make an assumption, or draw a conclusion, and that may not be a positive one. The agent’s car will do you no favours either; if you are lucky enough for the sun to shine when the front photograph is taken, and the result is a lovely image of your home, the agent’s car is only going to spoil the shot. It also means you can’t use it if you decide to move agents.
Keep your driveway empty, clean, free of weeds and looking smart, and your front shot will look the better for it.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
What to read next: In the bleak midwinter; staging your home for a winter sale
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post ‘Butterflies’ Parking and other Don’ts appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OX3Kkf
via IFTTT
‘Butterflies’ Parking and other Don’ts
What kind of car do you have? Is your driveway garnished by a gleaming Mercedes or understated Audi? Perhaps you figured your estate agent’s car was more appealing to show off your home, so he left his BMW on show for the photographs. Or maybe your muddy Mini was already parked and no one suggested you move it.
Over the years, I’ve seen property photographs with skips, broken down cars and driveways with weeds so high it’s impossible to park a car. I’ve also seen ‘Butterflies’-type parking (remember Butterflies, with the four car shuffle?) where removing a car is more difficult than the Krypton Factor.
On the other hand, I’ve come across very modest dwellings with a Ferrari or Lamborghini parked outside. I once knew an agent in Cheshire who always insisted on having his silver Mercedes C-Class in every front shot. His window display looked like an Autotrader feature. Having a fully-branded agent car plonked on the driveway is also quite common in the agency’s quest for brand awareness.
So what should adorn your driveway for your main image? The answer is very simple: nothing. Any car you park will lead a buyer to make an assumption, or draw a conclusion, and that may not be a positive one. The agent’s car will do you no favours either; if you are lucky enough for the sun to shine when the front photograph is taken, and the result is a lovely image of your home, the agent’s car is only going to spoil the shot. It also means you can’t use it if you decide to move agents.
Keep your driveway empty, clean, free of weeds and looking smart, and your front shot will look the better for it.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
What to read next: In the bleak midwinter; staging your home for a winter sale
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post ‘Butterflies’ Parking and other Don’ts appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OX3Kkf
via IFTTT
‘Butterflies’ Parking and other Don’ts
What kind of car do you have? Is your driveway garnished by a gleaming Mercedes or understated Audi? Perhaps you figured your estate agent’s car was more appealing to show off your home, so he left his BMW on show for the photographs. Or maybe your muddy Mini was already parked and no one suggested you move it.
Over the years, I’ve seen property photographs with skips, broken down cars and driveways with weeds so high it’s impossible to park a car. I’ve also seen ‘Butterflies’-type parking (remember Butterflies, with the four car shuffle?) where removing a car is more difficult than the Krypton Factor.
On the other hand, I’ve come across very modest dwellings with a Ferrari or Lamborghini parked outside. I once knew an agent in Cheshire who always insisted on having his silver Mercedes C-Class in every front shot. His window display looked like an Autotrader feature. Having a fully-branded agent car plonked on the driveway is also quite common in the agency’s quest for brand awareness.
So what should adorn your driveway for your main image? The answer is very simple: nothing. Any car you park will lead a buyer to make an assumption, or draw a conclusion, and that may not be a positive one. The agent’s car will do you no favours either; if you are lucky enough for the sun to shine when the front photograph is taken, and the result is a lovely image of your home, the agent’s car is only going to spoil the shot. It also means you can’t use it if you decide to move agents.
Keep your driveway empty, clean, free of weeds and looking smart, and your front shot will look the better for it.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
What to read next: In the bleak midwinter; staging your home for a winter sale
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post ‘Butterflies’ Parking and other Don’ts appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OX3Kkf
via IFTTT
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Homes for sale near parks – in pictures https://t.co/wehW2PcqVq Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Homes for sale near parks – in pictures https://t.co/wehW2PcqVq Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045556032599183360)
Homes for sale near parks – in pictures
Take a stroll through these five properties, from London to Shropshire
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2xYJ1F8
via IFTTT
Moving to a new area? Top tips to help ease moving house https://t.co/MqA9Di31Td #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Moving to a new area? Top tips to help ease moving house https://t.co/MqA9Di31Td #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045540446871719936)
Moving to a new area? Top tips to help ease moving house Nottingham Estate Agents
Are you thinking about moving across the country to start again in a new area? Or even to start a new job? The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) provides five top tips to ensure moving house runs smoothly. Visit the new area It can take six to eight months to feel at home in a new town, […]
The post Moving to a new area? Top tips to help ease moving house appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/1Pand92
via IFTTT
Eggshell and copper tape do not protect veg from slugs and snails
Gardeners using methods like these to protect against gastropods are wasting their time, study shows
Environmentally friendly gardeners who attempt to deter slugs and snails from devouring their vegetables with eggshells or copper tape are wasting their time, according to a study by the Royal Horticultural Society.
Gastropods inflicted the same damage to lettuces protected with five natural methods – eggshells, copper tape, horticultural grit, pine bark mulch and wool pellets – as they did to lettuces left untreated.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Oogofb
via IFTTT
Eggshell and copper tape do not protect veg from slugs and snails https://t.co/SB300zTrlL Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Eggshell and copper tape do not protect veg from slugs and snails https://t.co/SB300zTrlL Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045392432521793537)
Eggshell and copper tape do not protect veg from slugs and snails
Gardeners using methods like these to protect against gastropods are wasting their time, study shows
Environmentally friendly gardeners who attempt to deter slugs and snails from devouring their vegetables with eggshells or copper tape are wasting their time, according to a study by the Royal Horticultural Society.
Gastropods inflicted the same damage to lettuces protected with five natural methods – eggshells, copper tape, horticultural grit, pine bark mulch and wool pellets – as they did to lettuces left untreated.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Oogofb
via IFTTT
This month’s most inspirational dream properties https://t.co/amhdu9ODi9 #estate agents Nottingham
This month’s most inspirational dream properties https://t.co/amhdu9ODi9 #estate agents Nottingham (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045334633527889922)
This month’s most inspirational dream properties
We round-up six of the most amazing homes listed on Rightmove this month.
from Property blog https://ift.tt/2xKt9H6
via IFTTT
from Property blog https://ift.tt/2xKt9H6
via IFTTT
How has the Brexit vote affected the UK economy? September verdict
Each month we look at key indicators to see what effect the Brexit process has on growth, prosperity and trade
•Growing disconnect between economic and political reality
•Experts debate the data
from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2zzZDFo
via IFTTT
How has the Brexit vote affected the UK economy? September verdict https://t.co/tDS01JRdNa Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
How has the Brexit vote affected the UK economy? September verdict https://t.co/tDS01JRdNa Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045282960126152705)
Three simple things you can do today to get more viewings
I spoke to a lady recently who hadn’t had a viewing in six months; another gentleman seller called me who had been trying to sell his house for three years, and in all that time had only had three viewings. If you’re in that boat, you have my sincere sympathies. It’s even harder if a friend or neighbour is getting a viewing a week. So what can you do today that would help you get more viewings?
1. Review your marketing – look at your photography, description, online advert and brochure, and make a list of improvements you could make to them. Ask your estate agent about getting the house re-photographed, and whether they would cover the charge of a professional photographer. Write the description from scratch, including ‘owners’ quotes’, interesting historical anecdotes, and any other human interest element you think might intrigue a buyer.
2. Call your agent – my experience has shown that the more often you talk to your agent, the more likely your house is going to be in the forefront of their mind if a prospective buyer calls. How often have you phoned your agent to ask them why you haven’t had a viewing in a while, only to be told a day or two later that someone wants to view?
3. Take a break – taking your house off the market for a little while may seem counter-intuitive, but sometimes it’s all you need to increase the interest in your house when you re-launch. It’s also a good idea if you are going to revamp your marketing materials, as your home will have extra impact when you go back to the market. As a general rule of thumb, I would suggest a month off the market for every six months you’ve been for sale. Upon your re-launch, an email alert will hit all the inboxes of buyers who have registered with Rightmove and the other portals, and this alone could help encourage viewings.
By taking action, not only will you give yourself the best possible chance to increase interest in your property, you will you feel reassured that you are taking control of your own house sale.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
What to read next: Let Buyers See Your Front Door
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Three simple things you can do today to get more viewings appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2xUmmdn
via IFTTT
Three simple things you can do today to get more viewings
I spoke to a lady recently who hadn’t had a viewing in six months; another gentleman seller called me who had been trying to sell his house for three years, and in all that time had only had three viewings. If you’re in that boat, you have my sincere sympathies. It’s even harder if a friend or neighbour is getting a viewing a week. So what can you do today that would help you get more viewings?
1. Review your marketing – look at your photography, description, online advert and brochure, and make a list of improvements you could make to them. Ask your estate agent about getting the house re-photographed, and whether they would cover the charge of a professional photographer. Write the description from scratch, including ‘owners’ quotes’, interesting historical anecdotes, and any other human interest element you think might intrigue a buyer.
2. Call your agent – my experience has shown that the more often you talk to your agent, the more likely your house is going to be in the forefront of their mind if a prospective buyer calls. How often have you phoned your agent to ask them why you haven’t had a viewing in a while, only to be told a day or two later that someone wants to view?
3. Take a break – taking your house off the market for a little while may seem counter-intuitive, but sometimes it’s all you need to increase the interest in your house when you re-launch. It’s also a good idea if you are going to revamp your marketing materials, as your home will have extra impact when you go back to the market. As a general rule of thumb, I would suggest a month off the market for every six months you’ve been for sale. Upon your re-launch, an email alert will hit all the inboxes of buyers who have registered with Rightmove and the other portals, and this alone could help encourage viewings.
By taking action, not only will you give yourself the best possible chance to increase interest in your property, you will you feel reassured that you are taking control of your own house sale.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
What to read next: Let Buyers See Your Front Door
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Three simple things you can do today to get more viewings appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2xUmmdn
via IFTTT
Three simple things you can do today to get more viewings
I spoke to a lady recently who hadn’t had a viewing in six months; another gentleman seller called me who had been trying to sell his house for three years, and in all that time had only had three viewings. If you’re in that boat, you have my sincere sympathies. It’s even harder if a friend or neighbour is getting a viewing a week. So what can you do today that would help you get more viewings?
1. Review your marketing – look at your photography, description, online advert and brochure, and make a list of improvements you could make to them. Ask your estate agent about getting the house re-photographed, and whether they would cover the charge of a professional photographer. Write the description from scratch, including ‘owners’ quotes’, interesting historical anecdotes, and any other human interest element you think might intrigue a buyer.
2. Call your agent – my experience has shown that the more often you talk to your agent, the more likely your house is going to be in the forefront of their mind if a prospective buyer calls. How often have you phoned your agent to ask them why you haven’t had a viewing in a while, only to be told a day or two later that someone wants to view?
3. Take a break – taking your house off the market for a little while may seem counter-intuitive, but sometimes it’s all you need to increase the interest in your house when you re-launch. It’s also a good idea if you are going to revamp your marketing materials, as your home will have extra impact when you go back to the market. As a general rule of thumb, I would suggest a month off the market for every six months you’ve been for sale. Upon your re-launch, an email alert will hit all the inboxes of buyers who have registered with Rightmove and the other portals, and this alone could help encourage viewings.
By taking action, not only will you give yourself the best possible chance to increase interest in your property, you will you feel reassured that you are taking control of your own house sale.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
What to read next: Let Buyers See Your Front Door
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Three simple things you can do today to get more viewings appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2xUmmdn
via IFTTT
Ten Top Tips for First Time Buyers Nottingham Estate Agents
Buying your first property can seem a confusing process. But following a simple 10 step checklist will help the process to run more smoothly. Rachael Bewick is a Residential Property Solicitor at Osbornes Law. 1. Ask the estate agent key questions about the vendor: – Why are they selling? – Are they buying somewhere else? If so, […]
The post Ten Top Tips for First Time Buyers appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/2OQh6yI
via IFTTT
Ten Top Tips for First Time Buyers https://t.co/QWqhLNO7XF #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Ten Top Tips for First Time Buyers https://t.co/QWqhLNO7XF #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045225841008037888)
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
First-time buyers: average salary requirement rises 18% in UK cities https://t.co/3fSw5Cfvch Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
First-time buyers: average salary requirement rises 18% in UK cities https://t.co/3fSw5Cfvch Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045181051956580353)
First-time buyers: average salary requirement rises 18% in UK cities
Young adults face distant prospect of getting on housing ladder, research suggests
The average salary required by a first-time buyer to purchase a home in the UK’s biggest cities has risen by 18% in the past three years, above the rate of earnings growth – making it harder for young people to get on the housing ladder.
Related: London house prices post first annual fall since 2009
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2NM4wDZ
via IFTTT
Have you seen our guide? – Choosing your estate agent https://t.co/LrJbpzF4GT #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Have you seen our guide? – Choosing your estate agent https://t.co/LrJbpzF4GT #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1045176948933242881)
Have you seen our guide? – Choosing your estate agent Nottingham Estate Agents
Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions most people make, and choosing the right estate agent is key. It makes sense to start thinking about the suitability of an estate agent early on. To help make the process easier, OnTheMarket.com has created an extensive guide called “10 tips to choosing your estate agent.” […]
The post Have you seen our guide? – Choosing your estate agent appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/2Oj6ScU
via IFTTT
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Rental hot spots that won’t break the bank https://t.co/spJLxz8I5I #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Rental hot spots that won’t break the bank https://t.co/spJLxz8I5I #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1044816370070953985)
Rental hot spots that won’t break the bank Nottingham Estate Agents
Is home ownership going out of fashion? As house prices continue to rise, we find the cheapest neighbourhoods to rent your next home. When you’re renting, location is everything. Just as when you’re buying, there are parts of the country where you can get a lot more property for your money. And the four regions […]
The post Rental hot spots that won’t break the bank appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/2Ig0bDd
via IFTTT
The modern kitchen: with the help of electricity – archive, 26 September 1922
26 September 1922: Kitchens revolutionised by electrical appliances and labour-saving devices
The modern kitchen differs in almost every respect from the average kitchen of thirty years ago. Conditions of work have necessitated radical changes to equipment. In a present-day kitchen there is no room for anything that is not of practical everyday use. Elaborate copper moulds and fancy dishes and crocks have given place to the plainest designs in earthenware and fireproof china. White wood furniture is no longer regarded as a necessary evil and a sign of respectability. The kitchen table is covered with linoleum or oil-baize; cupboards and dressers are stained and wax-polished to render them dustproof, and open shelves and spaces are discouraged since they make unnecessary work. In every point modern devices must require only a reasonable amount of time and attention to keep them in good condition. The cooking stoves in use to-day are a tremendous advance on the old-fashioned coal-eating ranges. Modern ranges are planned and equipped so that the fuel is used with the utmost efficiency and the heat can be perfectly controlled. Gas and electric stoves are universally popular both for the ease with which they can be used and for the efficiency with which they perform their work.
Related: Would you live in a house without a kitchen? You might have to
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Q7zAuy
via IFTTT
The modern kitchen: with the help of electricity – archive, 26 September 1922 https://t.co/PuUaq5ye7n Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
The modern kitchen: with the help of electricity – archive, 26 September 1922 https://t.co/PuUaq5ye7n Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1044808841773416448)
How to ensure your home is ready to sell this autumn https://t.co/NGg9Tq6EQ1 #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxCrNc
How to ensure your home is ready to sell this autumn https://t.co/NGg9Tq6EQ1 #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxCrNc (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1044577350271172616)
How to ensure your home is ready to sell this autumn Nottingham Estate Agents
Historically autumn is a busy time for the market. Make sure your home is ready for viewings with top tips from estate agent Aberdein Considine. Autumn is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for sales because most people have got their summer holiday out of the way and children have returned to […]
The post How to ensure your home is ready to sell this autumn appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/2klIVnu
via IFTTT
Just Pinned to Estate Agents Nottingham: Rightmove Estate Agents Nottinghamshire https://t.co/jo5n9QfI57
Just Pinned to Estate Agents Nottingham: Rightmove Estate Agents Nottinghamshire https://t.co/jo5n9QfI57 (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1044574761471418368)
Rightmove Estate Agents Nottinghamshire https://t.co/vEORpM2iyI via @YouTube
Rightmove Estate Agents Nottinghamshire https://t.co/vEORpM2iyI via @YouTube (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1044570689473253377)
Be nice to your estate agent (and they might just sell your house)
It’s difficult for both you and your agent when the market is slow; they don’t have anything to tell you, so not only will they stop calling, they may even start avoiding your calls too. Meanwhile, you’re left feeling frustrated and powerless, wondering what on earth you can do when no one wants to view your home.
Communication between you and your agent at this tricky time becomes all the more important. Without communication, there can be no trust, and without trust, there is no worthwhile relationship. But when you’re in a locked loop of your agent not calling because there’s no interest, yet you need to know what you can do to improve the situation, it’s easy to become despondent.
Here are my top five communication tips when you’re trying to sell your home, to ensure the relationship doesn’t degenerate irretrievably:
1. Pre-empt any issues by agreeing a communication schedule before you launch your home to the market. This is over and above any calls to arrange viewings, or to give feedback afterwards; this plan outlines your expectations and so your agent has some chance of meeting them. For example, you could ask for a fortnightly call on a Friday, regardless of whether there had been any viewings in between. In this call you could ask them about market conditions and trends, recent sales, viewings on other comparable properties, and updates on any of your recent viewers. With a plan agreed in advance, there are clear expectations and if these are not met, you can refer your agent back to their original agreement.
2. Keep your communication positive – if your agent feels that they are being told off, or held to account, for a lack of interest in your property, they will be increasingly reluctant to pick up the phone to you. If however, your tone is encouraging, friendly and supportive, they will look forward to speaking to you, and they will be only too happy to have a chat to you, even if there is nothing concrete to report.
3. If you’re in town, near your agent’s office, pop in. Take them cakes, or flowers out of your garden for the office. If they offer to make you a cup of tea, even better. Take the time to really get to know the staff in the office, and you and your house will be at the forefront of their mind when they next receive a suitable enquiry. Agents are just like me and you; they have favourite clients, so make sure you’re one of them.
4. Ask for advice: lots of vendors do this, but then they either don’t listen to any suggestions, or else they argue with it. If you genuinely listen and show that you value any input that might improve the level of interest in your property, you will find your agent much more confident about discussing the issues with you.
5. Share your plans with them: if your agent knows how important your move is, perhaps to be closer to a special relative, to give yourself more financial security, or to realise your long-held dream of living in the country, they will be able to genuinely identify with your aspirations. By taking them into your confidence, you are showing that you trust them, and the resulting enhanced relationship will allow them to do the best possible job of selling your home for you.
Don’t forget, your agent is just a person, like you or me. They like people who are nice to them and bring them cupcakes!
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
Do you follow us on Facebook? Join us today for great daily posts.
What to read next: 10 Quick Staging Tips for Summer
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Be nice to your estate agent (and they might just sell your house) appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OQ60K7
via IFTTT
Be nice to your estate agent (and they might just sell your house)
It’s difficult for both you and your agent when the market is slow; they don’t have anything to tell you, so not only will they stop calling, they may even start avoiding your calls too. Meanwhile, you’re left feeling frustrated and powerless, wondering what on earth you can do when no one wants to view your home.
Communication between you and your agent at this tricky time becomes all the more important. Without communication, there can be no trust, and without trust, there is no worthwhile relationship. But when you’re in a locked loop of your agent not calling because there’s no interest, yet you need to know what you can do to improve the situation, it’s easy to become despondent.
Here are my top five communication tips when you’re trying to sell your home, to ensure the relationship doesn’t degenerate irretrievably:
1. Pre-empt any issues by agreeing a communication schedule before you launch your home to the market. This is over and above any calls to arrange viewings, or to give feedback afterwards; this plan outlines your expectations and so your agent has some chance of meeting them. For example, you could ask for a fortnightly call on a Friday, regardless of whether there had been any viewings in between. In this call you could ask them about market conditions and trends, recent sales, viewings on other comparable properties, and updates on any of your recent viewers. With a plan agreed in advance, there are clear expectations and if these are not met, you can refer your agent back to their original agreement.
2. Keep your communication positive – if your agent feels that they are being told off, or held to account, for a lack of interest in your property, they will be increasingly reluctant to pick up the phone to you. If however, your tone is encouraging, friendly and supportive, they will look forward to speaking to you, and they will be only too happy to have a chat to you, even if there is nothing concrete to report.
3. If you’re in town, near your agent’s office, pop in. Take them cakes, or flowers out of your garden for the office. If they offer to make you a cup of tea, even better. Take the time to really get to know the staff in the office, and you and your house will be at the forefront of their mind when they next receive a suitable enquiry. Agents are just like me and you; they have favourite clients, so make sure you’re one of them.
4. Ask for advice: lots of vendors do this, but then they either don’t listen to any suggestions, or else they argue with it. If you genuinely listen and show that you value any input that might improve the level of interest in your property, you will find your agent much more confident about discussing the issues with you.
5. Share your plans with them: if your agent knows how important your move is, perhaps to be closer to a special relative, to give yourself more financial security, or to realise your long-held dream of living in the country, they will be able to genuinely identify with your aspirations. By taking them into your confidence, you are showing that you trust them, and the resulting enhanced relationship will allow them to do the best possible job of selling your home for you.
Don’t forget, your agent is just a person, like you or me. They like people who are nice to them and bring them cupcakes!
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
Do you follow us on Facebook? Join us today for great daily posts.
What to read next: 10 Quick Staging Tips for Summer
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Be nice to your estate agent (and they might just sell your house) appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OQ60K7
via IFTTT
Be nice to your estate agent (and they might just sell your house)
It’s difficult for both you and your agent when the market is slow; they don’t have anything to tell you, so not only will they stop calling, they may even start avoiding your calls too. Meanwhile, you’re left feeling frustrated and powerless, wondering what on earth you can do when no one wants to view your home.
Communication between you and your agent at this tricky time becomes all the more important. Without communication, there can be no trust, and without trust, there is no worthwhile relationship. But when you’re in a locked loop of your agent not calling because there’s no interest, yet you need to know what you can do to improve the situation, it’s easy to become despondent.
Here are my top five communication tips when you’re trying to sell your home, to ensure the relationship doesn’t degenerate irretrievably:
1. Pre-empt any issues by agreeing a communication schedule before you launch your home to the market. This is over and above any calls to arrange viewings, or to give feedback afterwards; this plan outlines your expectations and so your agent has some chance of meeting them. For example, you could ask for a fortnightly call on a Friday, regardless of whether there had been any viewings in between. In this call you could ask them about market conditions and trends, recent sales, viewings on other comparable properties, and updates on any of your recent viewers. With a plan agreed in advance, there are clear expectations and if these are not met, you can refer your agent back to their original agreement.
2. Keep your communication positive – if your agent feels that they are being told off, or held to account, for a lack of interest in your property, they will be increasingly reluctant to pick up the phone to you. If however, your tone is encouraging, friendly and supportive, they will look forward to speaking to you, and they will be only too happy to have a chat to you, even if there is nothing concrete to report.
3. If you’re in town, near your agent’s office, pop in. Take them cakes, or flowers out of your garden for the office. If they offer to make you a cup of tea, even better. Take the time to really get to know the staff in the office, and you and your house will be at the forefront of their mind when they next receive a suitable enquiry. Agents are just like me and you; they have favourite clients, so make sure you’re one of them.
4. Ask for advice: lots of vendors do this, but then they either don’t listen to any suggestions, or else they argue with it. If you genuinely listen and show that you value any input that might improve the level of interest in your property, you will find your agent much more confident about discussing the issues with you.
5. Share your plans with them: if your agent knows how important your move is, perhaps to be closer to a special relative, to give yourself more financial security, or to realise your long-held dream of living in the country, they will be able to genuinely identify with your aspirations. By taking them into your confidence, you are showing that you trust them, and the resulting enhanced relationship will allow them to do the best possible job of selling your home for you.
Don’t forget, your agent is just a person, like you or me. They like people who are nice to them and bring them cupcakes!
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
Do you follow us on Facebook? Join us today for great daily posts.
What to read next: 10 Quick Staging Tips for Summer
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Be nice to your estate agent (and they might just sell your house) appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OQ60K7
via IFTTT
Monday, September 24, 2018
Can my ex-partner get a mortgage deal so she can stay in our house? https://t.co/YFatPGzOhQ Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Can my ex-partner get a mortgage deal so she can stay in our house? https://t.co/YFatPGzOhQ Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1044174674903662592)
Can my ex-partner get a mortgage deal so she can stay in our house?
She doesn’t have funds to buy me out and couldn’t afford to pay the whole mortgage
Q My partner and I bought a house together as tenants in common with a four-year fixed-rate mortgage. The house was £370,000 and the deposit was £150,000 which I had inherited on my dad’s death, and which we agreed would be ringfenced as mine. My partner and I split up less than two years later, and I left and currently live with my brother. My ex-partner would like to stay in the house but cannot afford to buy me out. I am willing to negotiate but have no idea what is possible. Would she be able to remortgage releasing some – but not necessarily all – of my deposit? An added complication is that we will both be on smaller salaries from this year, and although our mortgage that we currently split 50:50 is perfectly affordable, for her to pay the total, or more than the current total, would not be feasible. Would the lender consider dropping to an interest-free mortgage when the current fixed-rate term expires next January? Are there any other options we could consider (other than sale)?
SP
A I think you asked your penultimate question more in hope than in expectation as I’m sure that deep down you know that the answer is no, your lender will not “consider dropping to an interest-free mortgage when the current fixed-rate term expires”. The most any lender will do to give its mortgage customers a break is to grant a payment holiday where you are let off paying your mortgage for a couple of months or so because you find yourself in financial difficulty. But it’s not interest free as any interest not paid is added to the mortgage loan which makes taking a payment holiday expensive. Taking a payment holiday also wouldn’t help solve your problem.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2PZmSy4
via IFTTT
Why your pet might be stopping you sell! (Maybe they like it there)
If you have a dog or cat, or any other pet, they are probably a very important member of your family. (My lovely collie, Georgie, kind of rules our house…. ) However, even though it’s sometimes difficult for pet lovers to imagine, there is in fact a large proportion of the population that just doesn’t like animals in the house. In fact, if they see any evidence of pets at all in the photos, they just won’t even book a viewing!
So what do you do with Rover and Moggy (or Georgie) when you have a viewing arranged?
You need to make sure you don’t alienate your viewers and put them off your home from the moment they step through the door, so get rid of all traces of your pets if you can. If your agent accompanies viewers, then take the dog out for a walk; if you conduct the viewings yourself, and the weather allows it, let your dog have a sleep in the car, or leave it with a neighbour.
Also, don’t forget to hide all pet paraphernalia: litter trays, pet food, dog beds, cat toys, etc. Close the cat flap, and ask a friend to look after the budgie and the tortoise.. and the snake…..
But you protest “I want to sell my home to a pet lover just like me!” I hear you, and even sympathise, but we’re talking about selling your home here for the most money possible! Don’t limit your market, instead if you appeal to everyone, you have the best possible chance of a successful sale. If you only want to sell to someone who has rabbits, rats and an iguana, you may be waiting a while….
Give your buyers the chance to fall in love with your house and your beloved pets will soon have a new home to move to.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
Do you follow us on Facebook? Join us today for great daily posts.
What to read next: Are You in the Right Mindset to Sell Your Home?
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Why your pet might be stopping you sell! (Maybe they like it there) appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OMaCAR
via IFTTT
Why your pet might be stopping you sell! (Maybe they like it there)
If you have a dog or cat, or any other pet, they are probably a very important member of your family. (My lovely collie, Georgie, kind of rules our house…. ) However, even though it’s sometimes difficult for pet lovers to imagine, there is in fact a large proportion of the population that just doesn’t like animals in the house. In fact, if they see any evidence of pets at all in the photos, they just won’t even book a viewing!
So what do you do with Rover and Moggy (or Georgie) when you have a viewing arranged?
You need to make sure you don’t alienate your viewers and put them off your home from the moment they step through the door, so get rid of all traces of your pets if you can. If your agent accompanies viewers, then take the dog out for a walk; if you conduct the viewings yourself, and the weather allows it, let your dog have a sleep in the car, or leave it with a neighbour.
Also, don’t forget to hide all pet paraphernalia: litter trays, pet food, dog beds, cat toys, etc. Close the cat flap, and ask a friend to look after the budgie and the tortoise.. and the snake…..
But you protest “I want to sell my home to a pet lover just like me!” I hear you, and even sympathise, but we’re talking about selling your home here for the most money possible! Don’t limit your market, instead if you appeal to everyone, you have the best possible chance of a successful sale. If you only want to sell to someone who has rabbits, rats and an iguana, you may be waiting a while….
Give your buyers the chance to fall in love with your house and your beloved pets will soon have a new home to move to.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
Do you follow us on Facebook? Join us today for great daily posts.
What to read next: Are You in the Right Mindset to Sell Your Home?
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Why your pet might be stopping you sell! (Maybe they like it there) appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OMaCAR
via IFTTT
Why your pet might be stopping you sell! (Maybe they like it there)
If you have a dog or cat, or any other pet, they are probably a very important member of your family. (My lovely collie, Georgie, kind of rules our house…. ) However, even though it’s sometimes difficult for pet lovers to imagine, there is in fact a large proportion of the population that just doesn’t like animals in the house. In fact, if they see any evidence of pets at all in the photos, they just won’t even book a viewing!
So what do you do with Rover and Moggy (or Georgie) when you have a viewing arranged?
You need to make sure you don’t alienate your viewers and put them off your home from the moment they step through the door, so get rid of all traces of your pets if you can. If your agent accompanies viewers, then take the dog out for a walk; if you conduct the viewings yourself, and the weather allows it, let your dog have a sleep in the car, or leave it with a neighbour.
Also, don’t forget to hide all pet paraphernalia: litter trays, pet food, dog beds, cat toys, etc. Close the cat flap, and ask a friend to look after the budgie and the tortoise.. and the snake…..
But you protest “I want to sell my home to a pet lover just like me!” I hear you, and even sympathise, but we’re talking about selling your home here for the most money possible! Don’t limit your market, instead if you appeal to everyone, you have the best possible chance of a successful sale. If you only want to sell to someone who has rabbits, rats and an iguana, you may be waiting a while….
Give your buyers the chance to fall in love with your house and your beloved pets will soon have a new home to move to.
If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch
Do you follow us on Facebook? Join us today for great daily posts.
What to read next: Are You in the Right Mindset to Sell Your Home?
What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets
The post Why your pet might be stopping you sell! (Maybe they like it there) appeared first on Home Truths.
from Home Truths https://ift.tt/2OMaCAR
via IFTTT
Sunday, September 23, 2018
How to add space and value to your home https://t.co/w0pZXVdVeU #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
How to add space and value to your home https://t.co/w0pZXVdVeU #conveymove #estateagentsnottingham https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1044091619299987456)
How to add space and value to your home Nottingham Estate Agents
Selling your home quickly and for the right amount doesn’t need to be a daunting prospect. It’s all about giving your property the edge over others. OnTheMarket.com looks at effective ways of breathing life into your home Major conversion projects, such as excavating basements or building conservatories, take time and money but they can yield […]
The post How to add space and value to your home appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.
from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/1I7YsNX
via IFTTT
Council housing: how Hackney has raised the game https://t.co/NrvkIafekO Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM
Council housing: how Hackney has raised the game https://t.co/NrvkIafekO Solicitors & Estate Agents In One Just £899 + vat .. https://t.co/GmjoJxU3bM (via Twitter http://twitter.com/conveyandmove/status/1043760452919087104)
Council housing: how Hackney has raised the game
Not everyone will be fans, but by cross-subsidising, talking to residents and valuing good design, the east London borough is investing in some of the best council housing ever built
from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2PYZIYr
via IFTTT
In the 1990s, in a special kind of civic carnival, council-owned tower blocks were garlanded with the banners of demolition contractors. Explosives were set. Crowds would then gather at a hopefully safe distance. There was anticipation, as before a firework display, until – kerplunk! – the former homes of hundreds descended like stumpy ballerinas into spreading skirts of dust. As the received wisdom was that tower blocks were a Bad Thing, there was little inhibition about celebrating their destruction.
Times change. The finishing touches are currently being applied to two blocks, 20 and 16 storeys high, commissioned by the London borough of Hackney, which was once an enthusiastic detonator of its own high-rise housing stock. There is a twist: the new towers contain flats for private sale, at prices from £600,000 to £2.95m, in order to fund the rebuilding of lower blocks of homes for council tenants. The building type considered intolerable for the latter now attracts premium prices for private buyers.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2PYZIYr
via IFTTT
Saturday, September 22, 2018
The wicker men: ‘People are fed up with plastic and industrial products’
The revival of rattan furniture celebrates the handmade, and has become a way of life for Benoît Rauzy and Anthony Watson
It was while house-hunting in the Provençal village of Vallabrègues that Benoît Rauzy and Anthony Watson first stumbled upon a perfectly preserved 18th-century hôtel particulier. “It was like a bridge to the past,” says Rauzy of the property, close to Avignon, that they’ve since restored and now call home. “You opened the door and fell into another time.” Though built in 1730, the house had previously been in the ownership of just two families. More exceptional still, among the original murals, fireplaces and paintings were clues to the village’s past – half-made baskets, rattan chairs and furniture sketches – all vestiges of its previous incarnation as a wicker workshop.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2zoZ8hr
via IFTTT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)