'Location, location, lung disease': pollution ads target property market

Citizen-funded campaign to flag up illegal levels of toxic air to London buyers and renters

A citizen-funded advertising campaign against air pollution will target the property market with billboard slogans including “Location, location, lung disease” and “The neighbourhood’s gone to the docs”.

These will be accompanied by online ads and a website where homebuyers and renters in London will be able to look up levels of toxic air for the property they are considering. The campaign will launch in the capital in late May and there are plans to make it nationwide.

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Pounds shillings and…feet?

I have a dream.. that one day in this country, property will be marketed with the cost per square foot clearly indicated.  These are my arguments:

1. It’s much more common in the US and in Europe

2. It’s easier to see how much house you’re getting for your money

3. It will help stop massive over-valuing or ‘buying boards’ (the practice of over-valuing to win instructions)

4. It allows direct comparisons of properties

5. We even buy our loo rolls like this – 2p per sheet for example, so why not our houses?

I always present my clients with a Price Per Square Foot Analysis, and whilst the critics out there will argue that there’s much more to property valuing than this, it’s a very good starting point.

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: Is there a hidden reason why your house isn’t selling?

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

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Pounds shillings and…feet?

I have a dream.. that one day in this country, property will be marketed with the cost per square foot clearly indicated.  These are my arguments:

1. It’s much more common in the US and in Europe

2. It’s easier to see how much house you’re getting for your money

3. It will help stop massive over-valuing or ‘buying boards’ (the practice of over-valuing to win instructions)

4. It allows direct comparisons of properties

5. We even buy our loo rolls like this – 2p per sheet for example, so why not our houses?

I always present my clients with a Price Per Square Foot Analysis, and whilst the critics out there will argue that there’s much more to property valuing than this, it’s a very good starting point.

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: Is there a hidden reason why your house isn’t selling?

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post Pounds shillings and…feet? appeared first on Home Truths.

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Pounds shillings and…feet?

I have a dream.. that one day in this country, property will be marketed with the cost per square foot clearly indicated.  These are my arguments:

1. It’s much more common in the US and in Europe

2. It’s easier to see how much house you’re getting for your money

3. It will help stop massive over-valuing or ‘buying boards’ (the practice of over-valuing to win instructions)

4. It allows direct comparisons of properties

5. We even buy our loo rolls like this – 2p per sheet for example, so why not our houses?

I always present my clients with a Price Per Square Foot Analysis, and whilst the critics out there will argue that there’s much more to property valuing than this, it’s a very good starting point.

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: Is there a hidden reason why your house isn’t selling?

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post Pounds shillings and…feet? appeared first on Home Truths.

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Inside the church tower you can rent for £4,000 a month

It's absolutely heavenly.

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10 quick staging tips

The agent calls, a viewer will be there within the hour.  What can you do to ensure they see your house in the best possible light?  Here’s my ten top tips to make your house shine in a hurry!

1. Grab a washing basket, and go through each room removing any bits and pieces that don’t belong there: paperwork, laundry, dirty dishes, shoes – anything that’s cluttering up the space.  Pop the basket in your car, out of sight;

2. Swap the towels in the bathroom for freshly laundered ones.  Even better is to have new white fluffy towels that you keep especially for viewings;

3. Make up the master bed with laundered or new bedding.  Again, if you can keep some new bedding to throw on for viewings, it will always look at its best.  One tip is to put your usual duvet cover and pillow cases over the top of your special ones, and whip them off for viewings – ta da!

4. Open a window in each room to let some fresh air into the house – only a fraction if it’s cold!

5. Make sure the heating is on, and light any fires you have in the house.  If you don’t have time, fill the grate with church candles and light them for a cosy glow.  This also works in the summertime when it’s too hot to have a fire lit;

6. Unless it’s an extremely bright day, have your lamps lit upstairs, and a mixture of overhead and low level lights lit downstairs;

7. Create the right atmosphere with low and relaxing music, to encourage your viewers to linger over their viewing;

8. Make sure your home smells as good as it looks: spray beds with a tiny spray of perfume, pop a tumble drier sheet in the bottom of all your bins, and put a vanilla pod in the oven on a low heat for a subtle, homely scent.  If you don’t have one, try some drops of vanilla or lemon juice in a bowl of water and put that in the oven.

9. Raid your garden for some greenery and colour, and arrange in vases.  Even in winter, you can usually find some sprigs of foliage to add some life and interest to your home.

10. Finally – give yourself a mini-makeover!  Make sure your outfit is smart, your shoes are clean (never slippers!) and you are well-groomed and looking professional.  Your image should reflect that of your home – neat, well-kept and stylish.

Keep these 10 quick staging tips taped on the inside of a kitchen cupboard, so you can implement them quickly, and make sure your family is well-trained so they can leap into action when required!

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: My Top Ten Tips for Staging Your Living Room

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post 10 quick staging tips appeared first on Home Truths.

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10 quick staging tips

The agent calls, a viewer will be there within the hour.  What can you do to ensure they see your house in the best possible light?  Here’s my ten top tips to make your house shine in a hurry!

1. Grab a washing basket, and go through each room removing any bits and pieces that don’t belong there: paperwork, laundry, dirty dishes, shoes – anything that’s cluttering up the space.  Pop the basket in your car, out of sight;

2. Swap the towels in the bathroom for freshly laundered ones.  Even better is to have new white fluffy towels that you keep especially for viewings;

3. Make up the master bed with laundered or new bedding.  Again, if you can keep some new bedding to throw on for viewings, it will always look at its best.  One tip is to put your usual duvet cover and pillow cases over the top of your special ones, and whip them off for viewings – ta da!

4. Open a window in each room to let some fresh air into the house – only a fraction if it’s cold!

5. Make sure the heating is on, and light any fires you have in the house.  If you don’t have time, fill the grate with church candles and light them for a cosy glow.  This also works in the summertime when it’s too hot to have a fire lit;

6. Unless it’s an extremely bright day, have your lamps lit upstairs, and a mixture of overhead and low level lights lit downstairs;

7. Create the right atmosphere with low and relaxing music, to encourage your viewers to linger over their viewing;

8. Make sure your home smells as good as it looks: spray beds with a tiny spray of perfume, pop a tumble drier sheet in the bottom of all your bins, and put a vanilla pod in the oven on a low heat for a subtle, homely scent.  If you don’t have one, try some drops of vanilla or lemon juice in a bowl of water and put that in the oven.

9. Raid your garden for some greenery and colour, and arrange in vases.  Even in winter, you can usually find some sprigs of foliage to add some life and interest to your home.

10. Finally – give yourself a mini-makeover!  Make sure your outfit is smart, your shoes are clean (never slippers!) and you are well-groomed and looking professional.  Your image should reflect that of your home – neat, well-kept and stylish.

Keep these 10 quick staging tips taped on the inside of a kitchen cupboard, so you can implement them quickly, and make sure your family is well-trained so they can leap into action when required!

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: My Top Ten Tips for Staging Your Living Room

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post 10 quick staging tips appeared first on Home Truths.

from Home Truths http://bit.ly/2Wea1vx
via IFTTT

10 quick staging tips

The agent calls, a viewer will be there within the hour.  What can you do to ensure they see your house in the best possible light?  Here’s my ten top tips to make your house shine in a hurry!

1. Grab a washing basket, and go through each room removing any bits and pieces that don’t belong there: paperwork, laundry, dirty dishes, shoes – anything that’s cluttering up the space.  Pop the basket in your car, out of sight;

2. Swap the towels in the bathroom for freshly laundered ones.  Even better is to have new white fluffy towels that you keep especially for viewings;

3. Make up the master bed with laundered or new bedding.  Again, if you can keep some new bedding to throw on for viewings, it will always look at its best.  One tip is to put your usual duvet cover and pillow cases over the top of your special ones, and whip them off for viewings – ta da!

4. Open a window in each room to let some fresh air into the house – only a fraction if it’s cold!

5. Make sure the heating is on, and light any fires you have in the house.  If you don’t have time, fill the grate with church candles and light them for a cosy glow.  This also works in the summertime when it’s too hot to have a fire lit;

6. Unless it’s an extremely bright day, have your lamps lit upstairs, and a mixture of overhead and low level lights lit downstairs;

7. Create the right atmosphere with low and relaxing music, to encourage your viewers to linger over their viewing;

8. Make sure your home smells as good as it looks: spray beds with a tiny spray of perfume, pop a tumble drier sheet in the bottom of all your bins, and put a vanilla pod in the oven on a low heat for a subtle, homely scent.  If you don’t have one, try some drops of vanilla or lemon juice in a bowl of water and put that in the oven.

9. Raid your garden for some greenery and colour, and arrange in vases.  Even in winter, you can usually find some sprigs of foliage to add some life and interest to your home.

10. Finally – give yourself a mini-makeover!  Make sure your outfit is smart, your shoes are clean (never slippers!) and you are well-groomed and looking professional.  Your image should reflect that of your home – neat, well-kept and stylish.

Keep these 10 quick staging tips taped on the inside of a kitchen cupboard, so you can implement them quickly, and make sure your family is well-trained so they can leap into action when required!

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: My Top Ten Tips for Staging Your Living Room

What to do next: Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

The post 10 quick staging tips appeared first on Home Truths.

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Seven steps to a successful student rental Nottingham Estate Agents

Worried about renting your first student property? OnTheMarket.com agent Sugarhouse Properties recommends seven steps to make it a stress-free process For students looking to move into private rented accommodation for the first time, the experience can often seem daunting. By doing some research and preparation beforehand, you can make the process much more straightforward. If you’re […]

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Photography Tips for a Picture Perfect Home in 5 Days

Whether you’re taking the photographs yourself, or enlisting the help of a professional, you want your home to look it’s best when picture days rolls around. Because when your home is listed on Rightmove, great shots attract more buyers. Let’s put your homes best features forwards, and showcase the unique qualities of each room. That way, we can tempt more people to step inside, and take a closer look. So here’s how we do it:

Five days to go

Home styling and staging are great ways to prepare for your house photography shoot. With less than a week before you’re planning to shoot your home, it’s time to get prepared. Take a walk through each room, and take a picture.

Now nip outside to shoot the front and back garden, before finding a comfy spot to flick through the album. Try to imagine yourself as a potential buyer. What do you notice in each room? If anywhere looks a little cluttered or busy, your home is in great company, as almost all homes have that comforting lived-in look. But, sadly, not many people choose to view a lived-in looking home. Because moving into another family’s ‘lived-in’ space isn’t all that appealing.

Four days to go

Let’s take another look at the pictures with fresh eyes, and take note of anything distracting. Because great home photography showcases the home, not the things inside the home. And there’s only so much a photographer can do.

So, let’s tick off the lounge. Are the sofas positioned just right? With a little straightening and shuffling, furniture can frame a fireplace, or draw your eye to an elegant bay window. Textiles shouldn’t be the main focus, so if the curtains are clashing with the cushions, it’s worth indulging in a few new accessories. In your lunch hour, have a quick browse on a few Homeware websites. John Lewis and The Little White Company are great choices; opt for any neutral tones, and steer clear of clashing patterns. And with a few clicks, you’ll have a fresh new look for your lounge delivered to your door-step.

Three days to go

If you have children or pets, give the grandparents a call and do some sweet talking. A family visit is something for the children to look forward to, and it would be ideal timing for the upcoming shoot day too. The sounds of little pattering feet are lovely, but your photographer will thank you for keeping them out of shot.

Two days to go

Let’s look at the master bedroom shots. This room should look like a sanctuary; it needs to appear peaceful, calm and indulgent. But this is the room that often falls short. Most people like to show a little personality with their bedsheets and throws, but unfortunately, not everyone shares the same taste. Keeping bed linen plain and fresh is key. So if all your sheets are wonderfully loud and garish, you’ve just got time to order a calmer alternative. Throws and cushions should be in keeping with the decor, and complimenting curtains complete the ambiance.

One day to go

Head to the kitchen, and remove any appliances off the worktops. Having microwaves, mixers and coffee machines to hand is convenient, but they’re off-putting to potential buyers. Having chopping boards, tea towels and bins on show makes a room appear cluttered. So, with just one day until the shoot, it’s best to find them a temporary hide-away home.

The day of the photoshoot

So, the photographer is on their way, and you’ve got just enough time to grab a bag, and double-check that each room is ready ahead of their arrival. File away any paper-work on the office desk, pop the childrens’ beakers in the dishwasher, and tidy away any rogue clothes. Because a photographer may be a professional, but there’s only so much they can do. A good rule is: anything you can pick up and pop in the bag, pick up and pop in the bag.

Straighten all bed linen, and smooth over curtains, because clean lines and crisp edges make a surprising difference. And once you’ve finished checking each room, leave the door open to create a sense of space.

When the photographer arrives, don’t be afraid to work with them. Yes, they are skilled and experienced, but you know your home better than anyone. Point out all the features you love about each room, and remember the things that made you smile on your first viewing. Make sure to point out any nice fixtures in the bathroom, and encourage them to take close up shots of any original features too. Standard, wide angle shots give a sense of space, but a few snaps of artful details is memorable too. Because if the pictures of your home are memorable, potential buyers are sure to get in touch.

So it’s as easy as that! Happy selling

Sam

The post Photography Tips for a Picture Perfect Home in 5 Days appeared first on Home Truths.

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via IFTTT

Photography Tips for a Picture Perfect Home in 5 Days

Whether you’re taking the photographs yourself, or enlisting the help of a professional, you want your home to look it’s best when picture days rolls around. Because when your home is listed on Rightmove, great shots attract more buyers. Let’s put your homes best features forwards, and showcase the unique qualities of each room. That way, we can tempt more people to step inside, and take a closer look. So here’s how we do it:

Five days to go

Home styling and staging are great ways to prepare for your house photography shoot. With less than a week before you’re planning to shoot your home, it’s time to get prepared. Take a walk through each room, and take a picture.

Now nip outside to shoot the front and back garden, before finding a comfy spot to flick through the album. Try to imagine yourself as a potential buyer. What do you notice in each room? If anywhere looks a little cluttered or busy, your home is in great company, as almost all homes have that comforting lived-in look. But, sadly, not many people choose to view a lived-in looking home. Because moving into another family’s ‘lived-in’ space isn’t all that appealing.

Four days to go

Let’s take another look at the pictures with fresh eyes, and take note of anything distracting. Because great home photography showcases the home, not the things inside the home. And there’s only so much a photographer can do.

So, let’s tick off the lounge. Are the sofas positioned just right? With a little straightening and shuffling, furniture can frame a fireplace, or draw your eye to an elegant bay window. Textiles shouldn’t be the main focus, so if the curtains are clashing with the cushions, it’s worth indulging in a few new accessories. In your lunch hour, have a quick browse on a few Homeware websites. John Lewis and The Little White Company are great choices; opt for any neutral tones, and steer clear of clashing patterns. And with a few clicks, you’ll have a fresh new look for your lounge delivered to your door-step.

Three days to go

If you have children or pets, give the grandparents a call and do some sweet talking. A family visit is something for the children to look forward to, and it would be ideal timing for the upcoming shoot day too. The sounds of little pattering feet are lovely, but your photographer will thank you for keeping them out of shot.

Two days to go

Let’s look at the master bedroom shots. This room should look like a sanctuary; it needs to appear peaceful, calm and indulgent. But this is the room that often falls short. Most people like to show a little personality with their bedsheets and throws, but unfortunately, not everyone shares the same taste. Keeping bed linen plain and fresh is key. So if all your sheets are wonderfully loud and garish, you’ve just got time to order a calmer alternative. Throws and cushions should be in keeping with the decor, and complimenting curtains complete the ambiance.

One day to go

Head to the kitchen, and remove any appliances off the worktops. Having microwaves, mixers and coffee machines to hand is convenient, but they’re off-putting to potential buyers. Having chopping boards, tea towels and bins on show makes a room appear cluttered. So, with just one day until the shoot, it’s best to find them a temporary hide-away home.

The day of the photoshoot

So, the photographer is on their way, and you’ve got just enough time to grab a bag, and double-check that each room is ready ahead of their arrival. File away any paper-work on the office desk, pop the childrens’ beakers in the dishwasher, and tidy away any rogue clothes. Because a photographer may be a professional, but there’s only so much they can do. A good rule is: anything you can pick up and pop in the bag, pick up and pop in the bag.

Straighten all bed linen, and smooth over curtains, because clean lines and crisp edges make a surprising difference. And once you’ve finished checking each room, leave the door open to create a sense of space.

When the photographer arrives, don’t be afraid to work with them. Yes, they are skilled and experienced, but you know your home better than anyone. Point out all the features you love about each room, and remember the things that made you smile on your first viewing. Make sure to point out any nice fixtures in the bathroom, and encourage them to take close up shots of any original features too. Standard, wide angle shots give a sense of space, but a few snaps of artful details is memorable too. Because if the pictures of your home are memorable, potential buyers are sure to get in touch.

So it’s as easy as that! Happy selling

Sam

The post Photography Tips for a Picture Perfect Home in 5 Days appeared first on Home Truths.

from Home Truths http://bit.ly/2ZGJzNd
via IFTTT

Photography Tips for a Picture Perfect Home in 5 Days

Whether you’re taking the photographs yourself, or enlisting the help of a professional, you want your home to look it’s best when picture days rolls around. Because when your home is listed on Rightmove, great shots attract more buyers. Let’s put your homes best features forwards, and showcase the unique qualities of each room. That way, we can tempt more people to step inside, and take a closer look. So here’s how we do it:

Five days to go

Home styling and staging are great ways to prepare for your house photography shoot. With less than a week before you’re planning to shoot your home, it’s time to get prepared. Take a walk through each room, and take a picture.

Now nip outside to shoot the front and back garden, before finding a comfy spot to flick through the album. Try to imagine yourself as a potential buyer. What do you notice in each room? If anywhere looks a little cluttered or busy, your home is in great company, as almost all homes have that comforting lived-in look. But, sadly, not many people choose to view a lived-in looking home. Because moving into another family’s ‘lived-in’ space isn’t all that appealing.

Four days to go

Let’s take another look at the pictures with fresh eyes, and take note of anything distracting. Because great home photography showcases the home, not the things inside the home. And there’s only so much a photographer can do.

So, let’s tick off the lounge. Are the sofas positioned just right? With a little straightening and shuffling, furniture can frame a fireplace, or draw your eye to an elegant bay window. Textiles shouldn’t be the main focus, so if the curtains are clashing with the cushions, it’s worth indulging in a few new accessories. In your lunch hour, have a quick browse on a few Homeware websites. John Lewis and The Little White Company are great choices; opt for any neutral tones, and steer clear of clashing patterns. And with a few clicks, you’ll have a fresh new look for your lounge delivered to your door-step.

Three days to go

If you have children or pets, give the grandparents a call and do some sweet talking. A family visit is something for the children to look forward to, and it would be ideal timing for the upcoming shoot day too. The sounds of little pattering feet are lovely, but your photographer will thank you for keeping them out of shot.

Two days to go

Let’s look at the master bedroom shots. This room should look like a sanctuary; it needs to appear peaceful, calm and indulgent. But this is the room that often falls short. Most people like to show a little personality with their bedsheets and throws, but unfortunately, not everyone shares the same taste. Keeping bed linen plain and fresh is key. So if all your sheets are wonderfully loud and garish, you’ve just got time to order a calmer alternative. Throws and cushions should be in keeping with the decor, and complimenting curtains complete the ambiance.

One day to go

Head to the kitchen, and remove any appliances off the worktops. Having microwaves, mixers and coffee machines to hand is convenient, but they’re off-putting to potential buyers. Having chopping boards, tea towels and bins on show makes a room appear cluttered. So, with just one day until the shoot, it’s best to find them a temporary hide-away home.

The day of the photoshoot

So, the photographer is on their way, and you’ve got just enough time to grab a bag, and double-check that each room is ready ahead of their arrival. File away any paper-work on the office desk, pop the childrens’ beakers in the dishwasher, and tidy away any rogue clothes. Because a photographer may be a professional, but there’s only so much they can do. A good rule is: anything you can pick up and pop in the bag, pick up and pop in the bag.

Straighten all bed linen, and smooth over curtains, because clean lines and crisp edges make a surprising difference. And once you’ve finished checking each room, leave the door open to create a sense of space.

When the photographer arrives, don’t be afraid to work with them. Yes, they are skilled and experienced, but you know your home better than anyone. Point out all the features you love about each room, and remember the things that made you smile on your first viewing. Make sure to point out any nice fixtures in the bathroom, and encourage them to take close up shots of any original features too. Standard, wide angle shots give a sense of space, but a few snaps of artful details is memorable too. Because if the pictures of your home are memorable, potential buyers are sure to get in touch.

So it’s as easy as that! Happy selling

Sam

The post Photography Tips for a Picture Perfect Home in 5 Days appeared first on Home Truths.

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I'm confused about renting and changes to capital gains tax

I’m not sure whether now would be a good time to sell the house I’ve been renting out

Q I’m confused about the proposed changes in the capital gains tax system for people selling their home when it has been rented out. I’m unsure if it would be wise for me to sell my house now as my fixed-rate mortgage expires in July 2019. My initial plan was to go with a new fixed-rate mortgage for two years (starting July 2019) whilst I retrain in a new career and keep the property let out for the duration. However, I have recently read about the changes to the capital gains tax system which may mean that I could end up paying a large sum of tax when I come to sell my house. So I’m wondering if I should sell my house now to avoid this. I am not attracted to the idea of purchasing property in the area where I’ll be retraining and so if I were to sell I would not be looking to buy another property for at least two years.

I bought my current house in December 2009 for £215,000. I lived in it until April 2016 when I moved out and it has been let since. Around this time the house next door sold for £296,000. I have had a rough valuation by an estate agent who said that my property should fetch around £330,000 in the current market. Two houses very similar to mine have been sold within a week of going on the market so hopefully I should be able to sell quite quickly if I do decide to sell. My outstanding mortgage is around £87,000 and I receive £1,200 a month rent (before tax).
LM

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Can you make an offer on a house that is under offer? Nottingham Estate Agents

One of the questions most frequently asked by house-hunters is: what is the difference between ‘under offer’ and ‘sold subject to contract’? They have seen both terms applied to properties and assume, reasonably enough, that they must mean different things. In fact, and confusingly, they mean pretty much the same thing. It just depends which […]

The post Can you make an offer on a house that is under offer? appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.

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Euphorbias are winners for you and the bees

This garden favourite will grow pretty much anywhere, and is as joyous as it sounds

Rugged, drought tolerant and immune to pretty much every pest and disease out there, euphorbias have to be one of the most resilient and easy-to-grow of all flowering plants. If you have a sunny, well-drained spot on your plot, in exchange for a mere 10 minutes work a year you’ll get a dramatic statement, not to mention scented flowers that bees go crazy about. Here are five great “must have” euphorbias for any site or situation.

The lush leaves of Euphorbia mellifera are a sort of visual sorbet in the garden, with domed canopies of vibrant emerald green, each with a white stripe down the middle. In sheltered spots, they will eventually form large shrubs and even small trees, with a beautiful airy branch structure. From the plant’s centre emerges bunches of curious-looking brown flowers, powerfully honey-scented and like catnip to bees.

Continue reading...

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Euphorbias are winners for you and the bees

This garden favourite will grow pretty much anywhere, and is as joyous as it sounds

Rugged, drought tolerant and immune to pretty much every pest and disease out there, euphorbias have to be one of the most resilient and easy-to-grow of all flowering plants. If you have a sunny, well-drained spot on your plot, in exchange for a mere 10 minutes work a year you’ll get a dramatic statement, not to mention scented flowers that bees go crazy about. Here are five great “must have” euphorbias for any site or situation.

The lush leaves of Euphorbia mellifera are a sort of visual sorbet in the garden, with domed canopies of vibrant emerald green, each with a white stripe down the middle. In sheltered spots, they will eventually form large shrubs and even small trees, with a beautiful airy branch structure. From the plant’s centre emerges bunches of curious-looking brown flowers, powerfully honey-scented and like catnip to bees.

Continue reading...

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Are cleaning gurus sweeping an epidemic under the carpet?

Repetitive tasks can help with anxiety, but can we trust them to safeguard women’s mental health?

Good morning, how are you, the world is ending. Evidence: in three days, “cleanfluencer” Mrs Hinch sold more than 160,000 copies of her first book, revealing “How a spot of cleaning is the perfect way to cleanse the soul.”

Working backwards, it’s clear the end started not with a bang, but with a cupcake. Those were gentler days, malleable and doughy, when, without anybody really noticing, fairy cakes graduated from children’s party snacks to fancy ladies’ treats. They looked the same – a soft, disembodied knee of dough, painted blue and scattered with sugar beads – but fundamentally, cupcakes were a very different proposition. They were playful but naughty, camp nods to childhood from the lofty lifeguard’s chair of adulthood. They were comically feminine, like tiny iced drag queens.

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Are cleaning gurus sweeping an epidemic under the carpet?

Repetitive tasks can help with anxiety, but can we trust them to safeguard women’s mental health?

Good morning, how are you, the world is ending. Evidence: in three days, “cleanfluencer” Mrs Hinch sold more than 160,000 copies of her first book, revealing “How a spot of cleaning is the perfect way to cleanse the soul.”

Working backwards, it’s clear the end started not with a bang, but with a cupcake. Those were gentler days, malleable and doughy, when, without anybody really noticing, fairy cakes graduated from children’s party snacks to fancy ladies’ treats. They looked the same – a soft, disembodied knee of dough, painted blue and scattered with sugar beads – but fundamentally, cupcakes were a very different proposition. They were playful but naughty, camp nods to childhood from the lofty lifeguard’s chair of adulthood. They were comically feminine, like tiny iced drag queens.

Continue reading...

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Is a cheaper but longer mortgage worth it to get on the ladder?

The rapid extension of mortgage terms from 25 to 40 years means different things for different people

As the cost of buying a property continues to exceed the budgets of many homebuyers, the prospect of paying less – but for much, much longer than previous generations – has emerged.

Recent research from Santander suggests that almost half of buyers would consider taking out a mortgage for a 40-year term in order to get on the property ladder.

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Bean seeds ready to shoot | Allan Jenkins

Sowing mania starts to strike, but there is no need to panic

I am carrying around seed like a squirrel with a pouch, never knowing when I might need it. Like the start of a love affair, it’s hard to think of anything else. I’m daydreaming about rows of baby plants being born.

The three Trail of Tears beans I always have in my pocket (try explaining that to, say, Peruvian customs when they pat you down) are now almost a mixed handful. You see, I might be able to steal away, in a lunchtime window, an early morning or evening. I hear the longing call of land.

Continue reading...

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Bean seeds ready to shoot | Allan Jenkins

Sowing mania starts to strike, but there is no need to panic

I am carrying around seed like a squirrel with a pouch, never knowing when I might need it. Like the start of a love affair, it’s hard to think of anything else. I’m daydreaming about rows of baby plants being born.

The three Trail of Tears beans I always have in my pocket (try explaining that to, say, Peruvian customs when they pat you down) are now almost a mixed handful. You see, I might be able to steal away, in a lunchtime window, an early morning or evening. I hear the longing call of land.

Continue reading...

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Is it cheaper to rent or buy a home? Nottingham Estate Agents

If you can’t afford to buy, renting is cheaper. Right? Well the latest figures show that might not be the case. Here the Money Advice Service looks at whether buying a home costs less than renting Content provided by OnTheMarket.com is for information purposes only. Independent and professional advice should be taken before buying, selling, letting […]

The post Is it cheaper to rent or buy a home? appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.

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Flower power: China digs for diplomacy with world's largest gardening show

Beijing international horticultural exhibition is intended to give the nation a much-needed publicity boost

If you want to say something, the expression goes, say it with flowers. It is a concept that will take on new meaning in China this week, which on 29 April opens the doors to the world’s largest ever gardening show, a mammoth exhibition of plants, pavilions and soft power that forms part of celebrations marking the 70th birthday of the People’s Republic of China.

At the foot of the Taihang mountains in the Beijing suburb of Yanqing, an area the size of 500 football pitches has been fenced for the massive Beijing international horticultural exhibition, which dwarfs the Chelsea flower show by an eye-watering 495 hectares.

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Flower power: China digs for diplomacy with world's largest gardening show

Beijing international horticultural exhibition is intended to give the nation a much-needed publicity boost

If you want to say something, the expression goes, say it with flowers. It is a concept that will take on new meaning in China this week, which on 29 April opens the doors to the world’s largest ever gardening show, a mammoth exhibition of plants, pavilions and soft power that forms part of celebrations marking the 70th birthday of the People’s Republic of China.

At the foot of the Taihang mountains in the Beijing suburb of Yanqing, an area the size of 500 football pitches has been fenced for the massive Beijing international horticultural exhibition, which dwarfs the Chelsea flower show by an eye-watering 495 hectares.

Continue reading...

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Inside Ronnie Wood’s cottage studio

The hellraiser-turned-artist shows us round his home atelier

Approaching the electric gates to Ronnie Wood’s art studio in a Hertfordshire village, I’m convinced I’ve got the wrong address. In a location so quiet you could hear a guitar-pick drop stands an exquisite stone cottage. It’s pure Beatrix Potter – and it promises a glimpse into a very different Wood to the hellraiser everyone thinks they know.

We’ve never met, but Wood bounds out and hugs me like an old friend before offering to make me tea and honey. Yes, you heard right. I resist the urge to ask if he could throw in some brown sugar.

Continue reading...

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Inside Ronnie Wood’s cottage studio

The hellraiser-turned-artist shows us round his home atelier

Approaching the electric gates to Ronnie Wood’s art studio in a Hertfordshire village, I’m convinced I’ve got the wrong address. In a location so quiet you could hear a guitar-pick drop stands an exquisite stone cottage. It’s pure Beatrix Potter – and it promises a glimpse into a very different Wood to the hellraiser everyone thinks they know.

We’ve never met, but Wood bounds out and hugs me like an old friend before offering to make me tea and honey. Yes, you heard right. I resist the urge to ask if he could throw in some brown sugar.

Continue reading...

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DIY urban gardening hacks for small spaces

Go bold on scent and add drama with glossy-leaved plants to create a cosy urban oasis

Small gardens are often seen as having little or no scope for design. This couldn’t be further from the truth. You can squeeze a lot into a small plot: be bold, be strong, ensure a lavish backbone of evergreens with spring colour to enliven spirits after the long winter gloom – and don’t forget to incorporate scent. But remember, in small gardens, less is often more: it’s better to do one thing well rather than a lot in a muddled fashion.

Large gardens have an element of safety, deploying swathes of green lawn which is economical to install and covers large areas of ground. A small garden has to work much harder and, per sq metre, can cost more. But it’s worth it: with thought and care, your little patch can be a true extension of your home and provide a haven for you, as well as the wildlife we share our urban spaces with.

Continue reading...

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Gardening tips: plant a dwarf crab apple tree

Then pick up tips at a tulip festival on how to deter squirrels and invest in a weeder

Plant this Dwarf crab apples are brilliant trees for smaller gardens as they stay compact: right now they are festooned with pink or white blossom, a valuable early source of pollen for insects. The fruit that follows will be welcomed by the birds even if you don’t turn it into jelly.

Visit this If squirrels are destroying your tulips, take a trip to Hever Castle in Kent, where its tulip festival is in full swing this weekend. Examine its trial of 10 methods for deterring squirrels from munching bulbs, and follow a self-guided trail of 21,000 tulips around the grounds.

Continue reading...

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How to grow asparagus | Alys Fowler

Once you establish an asparagus bed, you’ll be gorging yourself silly on the stuff for 20 years or more, says our gardening expert

When I first left home, my mother would send bundles of asparagus and six carefully wrapped, freshly laid eggs in the post throughout the brief season. (Only rarely did they break. She is the queen of mail.) She had rescued two overgrown and much neglected asparagus beds when we moved and poured in so much love in the form of muck, weeding and asparagus-beetle-squishing that we all gorged ourselves silly on the stuff. For years, I willed a package to appear every April, but those beds belong to someone else now and I have my own.

There are many lessons from this, but the first is it is entirely possible to revitalise a tired patch with a mulch of good compost and some weeding. Asparagus truly likes only its own company and wants its roots in cool, deep, well-drained soil. This is best done by adding as much organic matter as you can every year in the form of mulch. Repeat this in autumn and again after harvesting in early summer.

Continue reading...

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DIY urban gardening hacks for small spaces

Go bold on scent and add drama with glossy-leaved plants to create a cosy urban oasis

Small gardens are often seen as having little or no scope for design. This couldn’t be further from the truth. You can squeeze a lot into a small plot: be bold, be strong, ensure a lavish backbone of evergreens with spring colour to enliven spirits after the long winter gloom – and don’t forget to incorporate scent. But remember, in small gardens, less is often more: it’s better to do one thing well rather than a lot in a muddled fashion.

Large gardens have an element of safety, deploying swathes of green lawn which is economical to install and covers large areas of ground. A small garden has to work much harder and, per sq metre, can cost more. But it’s worth it: with thought and care, your little patch can be a true extension of your home and provide a haven for you, as well as the wildlife we share our urban spaces with.

Continue reading...

from Property | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2UJEujg
via IFTTT

Gardening tips: plant a dwarf crab apple tree

Then pick up tips at a tulip festival on how to deter squirrels and invest in a weeder

Plant this Dwarf crab apples are brilliant trees for smaller gardens as they stay compact: right now they are festooned with pink or white blossom, a valuable early source of pollen for insects. The fruit that follows will be welcomed by the birds even if you don’t turn it into jelly.

Visit this If squirrels are destroying your tulips, take a trip to Hever Castle in Kent, where its tulip festival is in full swing this weekend. Examine its trial of 10 methods for deterring squirrels from munching bulbs, and follow a self-guided trail of 21,000 tulips around the grounds.

Continue reading...

from Property | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2ZDjn66
via IFTTT

How to grow asparagus | Alys Fowler

Once you establish an asparagus bed, you’ll be gorging yourself silly on the stuff for 20 years or more, says our gardening expert

When I first left home, my mother would send bundles of asparagus and six carefully wrapped, freshly laid eggs in the post throughout the brief season. (Only rarely did they break. She is the queen of mail.) She had rescued two overgrown and much neglected asparagus beds when we moved and poured in so much love in the form of muck, weeding and asparagus-beetle-squishing that we all gorged ourselves silly on the stuff. For years, I willed a package to appear every April, but those beds belong to someone else now and I have my own.

There are many lessons from this, but the first is it is entirely possible to revitalise a tired patch with a mulch of good compost and some weeding. Asparagus truly likes only its own company and wants its roots in cool, deep, well-drained soil. This is best done by adding as much organic matter as you can every year in the form of mulch. Repeat this in autumn and again after harvesting in early summer.

Continue reading...

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April’s quirky properties include a flat with rotating walls

It's like something out of a Bond film!

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Protect your property from severe weather Nottingham Estate Agents

According to climate experts Britain is facing the most savage winter freeze for over a decade. Direct Line for Business highlights the importance for landlords of protecting a property against harsh winter weather. Each year thousands of landlords across the country are caught out by a sudden cold snap. Winter weather, which brings freezing temperatures […]

The post Protect your property from severe weather appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.

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Let’s move to Ripon, North Yorkshire: where all seems right in the world

There’s a flawless cityscape, damn fine tearooms and even an ancient hornblower

What’s going for it? One can snigger at local customs – you know, the Ye Olde Knee-Painting Ceremony of Nuneaton, that kind of thing. But I think there’s something just fabulous about Ripon’s ancient hornblower, who blows his horn (stop sniggering at the back) at the four corners of the obelisk in the Market Square, every night at 9pm. First of all, someone still bothers to blow a horn four times every night, even when it’s throwing it down, even when there’s something good on the telly. Second, I do love a custom that takes us back to a distant past, when much of the country was ruled by Vikings and Danes. Alfred the Great is said to have given the horn to the people of Ripon to be blown for reassurance that no pesky Vikings were lurking, poised to pillage. These days the horn has its own website, YouTube videos and everything. It says much about this handsome, independent city of ancient history, modern twists, a flawless cityscape and damn fine tearooms. All seems right in the world here under the bunting on Kirkgate, which, considering all is very much not right in the world, is quite an achievement. One thing’s for sure: when the hornblower stops blowing, the end is nigh.

The case against Some might find it a bit dull. There’s local culture aplenty, but not enough to keep the cool cats among you satisfied. Where do you think this is, Halifax?

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Let’s move to Ripon, North Yorkshire: where all seems right in the world

There’s a flawless cityscape, damn fine tearooms and even an ancient hornblower

What’s going for it? One can snigger at local customs – you know, the Ye Olde Knee-Painting Ceremony of Nuneaton, that kind of thing. But I think there’s something just fabulous about Ripon’s ancient hornblower, who blows his horn (stop sniggering at the back) at the four corners of the obelisk in the Market Square, every night at 9pm. First of all, someone still bothers to blow a horn four times every night, even when it’s throwing it down, even when there’s something good on the telly. Second, I do love a custom that takes us back to a distant past, when much of the country was ruled by Vikings and Danes. Alfred the Great is said to have given the horn to the people of Ripon to be blown for reassurance that no pesky Vikings were lurking, poised to pillage. These days the horn has its own website, YouTube videos and everything. It says much about this handsome, independent city of ancient history, modern twists, a flawless cityscape and damn fine tearooms. All seems right in the world here under the bunting on Kirkgate, which, considering all is very much not right in the world, is quite an achievement. One thing’s for sure: when the hornblower stops blowing, the end is nigh.

The case against Some might find it a bit dull. There’s local culture aplenty, but not enough to keep the cool cats among you satisfied. Where do you think this is, Halifax?

Continue reading...

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The 10 best outdoor accessories – in pictures

Garden furniture has gone sleek and modernist: here’s how to shop the look

Continue reading...

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The 10 best outdoor accessories – in pictures

Garden furniture has gone sleek and modernist: here’s how to shop the look

Continue reading...

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Buying at auction: A ‘how to’ guide Nottingham Estate Agents

Buying your first property at auction may seem like a frightening prospect but by following some simple steps you can reap the rewards of this tried and tested method of sale. Whether you are looking at residential or commercial, a piece of land or something unusual, the auction process is simple but the key to making it successful is […]

The post Buying at auction: A ‘how to’ guide appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.

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Spring Clean your Garden

Gardens generally look awful at this time of year; the grass is patchy, the flower beds are covered in leaves, and your patio is covered in some slimy stuff that you’re sure wasn’t there last year.  In addition, family gardens may be scattered with unloved toys, a rusty barbecue, a whirligig showing signs of wear and the discarded Christmas tree, which you haven’t got round to taking to the tip yet.

But it’s spring time!  The buyers are back, and they are raring to view; your house is on their list, so with only a few days’ notice, what can you do to make your garden look its best once again? Follow my 10 point action plan to help your garden really sell your house:

1.  Take out anything that is letting your garden down; toys, rubbish, dead plants, washing line, dog chews; anything and everything that wouldn’t be there if your garden was in a gardening magazine!  Throw it, give it away, or hide it in your shed or garage.

2.  Clean every single plant pot, plant holder, window box, bird table, and anything that needs the winter dullness replacing with spring shine.

3.  Now get out your gardening tools, and turn your attention to the flower beds; turn them over well, getting rid of any weeds, old plants, any debris, and cover with a layer of good quality bark chippings, so you don’t have to keep doing it.

4.  Pruning is next: take your secateurs to your trees and bushes, to make sure they look neat and tidy, with no straggling ends.  If you’re not sure a shrub is adding anything to your garden, perhaps because it’s too old and looking a bit sorry for itself, maybe it’s time to send it to the garden in the sky.  Be brutal, your garden will thank you for it.

5.  Hire a power washer, and clean off your brickwork, patio slabs, paths, decking and anything else that needs a good scrub down.

6.  Re-paint and re-stain anything you think might look better with a refresh; your garden gate, fence, shed, all would look much better if given some tlc.

7.  Now is the fun part!  Go to your local garden centre or DIY store and treat your garden to lots of colour; don’t go mad with lots of different colours; try to stick to two or three key and complementary colours and buy plants for pots, bedding plants for your beds, and some nice new pots to dress your patio and paths.

8.  If there’s room, a bay tree, or shaped conifer, look very smart when placed either side of your front door, and really help to define your entrance.

9.  Look critically at your patio furniture; is it good enough to stay?  If it’s of a good quality, and can be successfully spruced up, then spend some elbow grease bringing it back to its former glory.  If on the other hand it’s broken, split or otherwise just not salvageable, get rid of it and replace it with a nice new set.  The value it will add to your garden will be many times your investment.

10. Open your parasol; is it green with mould and on a skew?  Time to replace it then.  Unless it’s blowing a gale, have it up for viewings, to help your viewers imagine themselves sitting there in our oh so fragile English summer.

And there you have it – follow these ten steps and your viewers will be wowed into an offer!

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.

The post Spring Clean your Garden appeared first on Home Truths.

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Spring Clean your Garden

Gardens generally look awful at this time of year; the grass is patchy, the flower beds are covered in leaves, and your patio is covered in some slimy stuff that you’re sure wasn’t there last year.  In addition, family gardens may be scattered with unloved toys, a rusty barbecue, a whirligig showing signs of wear and the discarded Christmas tree, which you haven’t got round to taking to the tip yet.

But it’s spring time!  The buyers are back, and they are raring to view; your house is on their list, so with only a few days’ notice, what can you do to make your garden look its best once again? Follow my 10 point action plan to help your garden really sell your house:

1.  Take out anything that is letting your garden down; toys, rubbish, dead plants, washing line, dog chews; anything and everything that wouldn’t be there if your garden was in a gardening magazine!  Throw it, give it away, or hide it in your shed or garage.

2.  Clean every single plant pot, plant holder, window box, bird table, and anything that needs the winter dullness replacing with spring shine.

3.  Now get out your gardening tools, and turn your attention to the flower beds; turn them over well, getting rid of any weeds, old plants, any debris, and cover with a layer of good quality bark chippings, so you don’t have to keep doing it.

4.  Pruning is next: take your secateurs to your trees and bushes, to make sure they look neat and tidy, with no straggling ends.  If you’re not sure a shrub is adding anything to your garden, perhaps because it’s too old and looking a bit sorry for itself, maybe it’s time to send it to the garden in the sky.  Be brutal, your garden will thank you for it.

5.  Hire a power washer, and clean off your brickwork, patio slabs, paths, decking and anything else that needs a good scrub down.

6.  Re-paint and re-stain anything you think might look better with a refresh; your garden gate, fence, shed, all would look much better if given some tlc.

7.  Now is the fun part!  Go to your local garden centre or DIY store and treat your garden to lots of colour; don’t go mad with lots of different colours; try to stick to two or three key and complementary colours and buy plants for pots, bedding plants for your beds, and some nice new pots to dress your patio and paths.

8.  If there’s room, a bay tree, or shaped conifer, look very smart when placed either side of your front door, and really help to define your entrance.

9.  Look critically at your patio furniture; is it good enough to stay?  If it’s of a good quality, and can be successfully spruced up, then spend some elbow grease bringing it back to its former glory.  If on the other hand it’s broken, split or otherwise just not salvageable, get rid of it and replace it with a nice new set.  The value it will add to your garden will be many times your investment.

10. Open your parasol; is it green with mould and on a skew?  Time to replace it then.  Unless it’s blowing a gale, have it up for viewings, to help your viewers imagine themselves sitting there in our oh so fragile English summer.

And there you have it – follow these ten steps and your viewers will be wowed into an offer!

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.

The post Spring Clean your Garden appeared first on Home Truths.

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Spring Clean your Garden

Gardens generally look awful at this time of year; the grass is patchy, the flower beds are covered in leaves, and your patio is covered in some slimy stuff that you’re sure wasn’t there last year.  In addition, family gardens may be scattered with unloved toys, a rusty barbecue, a whirligig showing signs of wear and the discarded Christmas tree, which you haven’t got round to taking to the tip yet.

But it’s spring time!  The buyers are back, and they are raring to view; your house is on their list, so with only a few days’ notice, what can you do to make your garden look its best once again? Follow my 10 point action plan to help your garden really sell your house:

1.  Take out anything that is letting your garden down; toys, rubbish, dead plants, washing line, dog chews; anything and everything that wouldn’t be there if your garden was in a gardening magazine!  Throw it, give it away, or hide it in your shed or garage.

2.  Clean every single plant pot, plant holder, window box, bird table, and anything that needs the winter dullness replacing with spring shine.

3.  Now get out your gardening tools, and turn your attention to the flower beds; turn them over well, getting rid of any weeds, old plants, any debris, and cover with a layer of good quality bark chippings, so you don’t have to keep doing it.

4.  Pruning is next: take your secateurs to your trees and bushes, to make sure they look neat and tidy, with no straggling ends.  If you’re not sure a shrub is adding anything to your garden, perhaps because it’s too old and looking a bit sorry for itself, maybe it’s time to send it to the garden in the sky.  Be brutal, your garden will thank you for it.

5.  Hire a power washer, and clean off your brickwork, patio slabs, paths, decking and anything else that needs a good scrub down.

6.  Re-paint and re-stain anything you think might look better with a refresh; your garden gate, fence, shed, all would look much better if given some tlc.

7.  Now is the fun part!  Go to your local garden centre or DIY store and treat your garden to lots of colour; don’t go mad with lots of different colours; try to stick to two or three key and complementary colours and buy plants for pots, bedding plants for your beds, and some nice new pots to dress your patio and paths.

8.  If there’s room, a bay tree, or shaped conifer, look very smart when placed either side of your front door, and really help to define your entrance.

9.  Look critically at your patio furniture; is it good enough to stay?  If it’s of a good quality, and can be successfully spruced up, then spend some elbow grease bringing it back to its former glory.  If on the other hand it’s broken, split or otherwise just not salvageable, get rid of it and replace it with a nice new set.  The value it will add to your garden will be many times your investment.

10. Open your parasol; is it green with mould and on a skew?  Time to replace it then.  Unless it’s blowing a gale, have it up for viewings, to help your viewers imagine themselves sitting there in our oh so fragile English summer.

And there you have it – follow these ten steps and your viewers will be wowed into an offer!

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.

The post Spring Clean your Garden appeared first on Home Truths.

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Blooming wonders: five of the best wisteria-clad homes

From a Grade II-listed house in Shropshire to a hunting lodge in London, here are some floral picks

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'Edible, medicinal or cultural': first Indigenous rooftop farm opens in Sydney

The Indigenous-run enterprise is more than a green space – it will provide community opportunities as well as bush foods

“Effectively what you’re looking at is a big pot.” Clarence Slockee and Christian Hampson are showing us around the Yerrabingin Indigenous rooftop farm, the 500-square-metre garden they have created on the rooftop of a Mirvac office block, smack bang in the middle of Sydney’s Eveleigh industrial park. It’s the first of its kind in Australia but they hope not the last.

The 2,000 native plants in the garden have flourished in the eight weeks since they were first planted. Warrigal greens, ruby and seaberry saltbush, river mint, finger lime, native raspberries, lilly pilly, grevillea and thyme honey-myrtle are among the 30 different types of bush foods enjoying the sunshine four storeys up.

Continue reading...

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'Edible, medicinal or cultural': first Indigenous rooftop farm opens in Sydney

The Indigenous-run enterprise is more than a green space – it will provide community opportunities as well as bush foods

“Effectively what you’re looking at is a big pot.” Clarence Slockee and Christian Hampson are showing us around the Yerrabingin Indigenous rooftop farm, the 500-square-metre garden they have created on the rooftop of a Mirvac office block, smack bang in the middle of Sydney’s Eveleigh industrial park. It’s the first of its kind in Australia but they hope not the last.

The 2,000 native plants in the garden have flourished in the eight weeks since they were first planted. Warrigal greens, ruby and seaberry saltbush, river mint, finger lime, native raspberries, lilly pilly, grevillea and thyme honey-myrtle are among the 30 different types of bush foods enjoying the sunshine four storeys up.

Continue reading...

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Feast your eyes on a mansion with two HUGE surprises

These properties don't come on the market often.

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Wakefield wasteland transformed into £1.8m sculpture garden

Hepworth Wakefield Garden, designed by Tom Stuart-Smith, to open in June near Hepworth Gallery

A patch of wasteland in a “not exactly salubrious” bit of Yorkshire is to be transformed into a sculpture garden that will be one of the few public horticultural spaces to be created in the UK in decades.

The £1.8m Hepworth Wakefield Garden is set to open in late June on a strip of vacant land by the Hepworth Gallery in the outskirts of the cathedral city.

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Wakefield wasteland transformed into £1.8m sculpture garden

Hepworth Wakefield Garden, designed by Tom Stuart-Smith, to open in June near Hepworth Gallery

A patch of wasteland in a “not exactly salubrious” bit of Yorkshire is to be transformed into a sculpture garden that will be one of the few public horticultural spaces to be created in the UK in decades.

The £1.8m Hepworth Wakefield Garden is set to open in late June on a strip of vacant land by the Hepworth Gallery in the outskirts of the cathedral city.

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from Home And Garden | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2ZB2c4U
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How to Test Your Estate Agent – Can you Handle the Results?!

I’m often asked to conduct ‘Mystery Shops’ for my agent clients, and usually, both they and I are disappointed by the results. Sloppy answering, disinterested staff, and a lack of engagement are all regular elements of these calls. What a wasted opportunity! 

“But my agent isn’t like that” I hear you protest.  Good!  I hope you’re right. Care to put your claim to the test?

Ask a friend to do this for you, in case your agent recognises your voice.  Have her call your agent and tell them that she’s looking for a house in a price range and area that would include your property.  Then award the following up to ten points for each element:

Asked for my phone number

Gave their name

Buying position ascertained

Offered to register your requirements on a mailing list

Asked any questions about your buying criteria

Engaged, interested, friendly?

Mentioned your property and commented positively

Mentioned a viewing
Took email or physical address in an efficient manner

Details requested arrived promptly

TOTAL OUT OF 100
.

How did they score?

Over 70 points – good effort! Worth persevering with this agent, perhaps give feedback on the elements where they could improve but keep it positive.

50-70 points – not quite so good.  Where did they score lowest? Are they omitting to engage callers in an interested way about your house? Or missing the fundamentals of gathering information? Perhaps sit down with your agent and discuss these points, but again, keep your feedback positive.

30 – 50 points – oh dear! Are you getting viewings? I bet you aren’t! This really isn’t a great result.  Consider seriously changing agents to a more proactive one who will engage callers and take information for follow up.

Under 30 points – time to move on! Seriously, if your agent scores this low, you’ll never sell your house! Move on to a new agent as soon as you possibly can.

If you’re wondering which agent to move to, repeat the exercise above with several of the agents in your area and see who scores the highest!

Need some help and advice with this? Let me know.

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: How to get into your buyer’s mindset 

What to do next:  Sign up to my Selling Secrets http://www.home-truths.co.uk/selling-secrets

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from Home Truths http://bit.ly/2Psm3yE
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