Author Archives: Sam

Houses are composed of bricks and mortar, and are described in square feet and pound signs. Homes are full of future dreams and hopes, of family Christmases, and special birthdays; of engagement proposals, football failures and trophies, niggling arguments and comforting hugs. They are made up of your life.

When the time comes that your home no longer fits your life, and you need to move on, it’s rarely without a backward glance and a nostalgic twinge. That moment when you close the front door, and hand over the keys can be a bit of a wrench, even when your stay there has been relatively short.

You see, we put a lot of ourselves into a home. It is a bit like a mirror, reflecting back our personality and style; our philosophy and our approach to life.

Each home becomes a chapter then, of ourselves and of the lives we lead. I have moved 37 times – really! I have had, in essence, 37 chapters. I think of my life in terms of the house I was living in at the time. The house I call home now, is a very sweet, stone built cottage, surrounded by green fields and with views over stunning fells. It sounds idyllic – to me at least. Not everyone would love it. And it wouldn’t suit every life chapter, but it suits mine.

If you’ve completed your chapter in the home you live in, and it’s time to move on, consider this – it’s now time to hand your house over to someone new, so that they can start their life chapter in your home, just as you once did, and as you are about to do, someplace new.

A home has to really fit us. It has to feel like somewhere we want to come back to after a hard day’s work, and somewhere that we can celebrate life’s little victories.

If a home doesn’t fit, no amount of clever marketing, glossy photographs and eager estate agent will convince us to buy it.

But if you walk in and it feels like you’ve come home, you’ll buy it. And the asking price is then almost immaterial. If it is at all in your reach, you’ll make it work; you’ll find a way. Because you’re home.

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.

Just seconds into a first meeting we form an impression of people based on their appearance and how they’re dressed, and it’s much the same with the first sight of a front garden.

If you’re selling your house the prospective buyer will quickly form an opinion of what the inside of the house is like, based on the appearance of the front garden and entrance to the house.

Try to imagine what the house looks like to a first-time visitor, take a photo from the entrance and see what this reveals. These simple steps will help to create a smart, stylish exterior:

• Clear any old leaves and debris, sweep paths, clean windows

• Move any dustbins or recycling boxes out of sight

• Remove any flower pots with dead or unattractive plants

• Replace collections of numerous small plant pots with few larger ones

• Use plant pots of similar material, type and colour

• If there is any grass, cut it and trim the edges

• Cut hedges

• Fill containers with single colour (much smarter than mixed colours) bedding- plants for a quick fix. Match the flower colour to the paintwork of the house, or choose a contrasting colour.

• Use light eg white or pale yellow flowers, to bounce some light into shady areas.

• Invest in some smart lollipop-shaped topiary shrubs to place either side of the entrance, and as long as you remember to tell your buyer that they’re not included in the sale, you can take them with you.

Then just sit back and wait for the compliments!

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.

Are you downsizing?

If you’re at that time of your life when you’re currently rattling around in a house that’s too big for you, that is consuming more time, effort and money than you want to give it, you may have decided it’s time to move on to the next chapter in your life. Perhaps you have your heart set on a cottage in the hills, a coastal retreat or just being closer to the family.

Your home may well be your most valuable asset, and when you’re hoping to make a new life for yourselves, and at the same time make sure you have a nest egg to fall back on, it’s vital you realise your home’s financial potential. Here are some of my suggestions to make sure that you leave your lovely home with enough money to make your move worthwhile:

Tell your estate agent – make sure they know how important your sale price is, and that achieving as close as possible to this is your primary goal; more important in fact, than selling quickly.

Allow negotiation room – make sure you pitch your asking price with enough of a differential between it, and the price you hope eventually to achieve. Try to resist the temptation of ‘testing’ the market at a higher price for a short time, as this strategy rarely works. Instead, do your research and set your price, then stick to it. Remember too that current asking price to sale ratios are at around 95% at best.

Stage your home – if you’ve lived in your home for more than 15 years, unless you’ve updated it regularly, chances are its interior may not be as up to date as today’s buyers expect. Whilst commissioning the services of a professional home stager may cost you a few hundred pounds, this will almost certainly prove to be a very worthwhile investment, and avoid buyers making low offers on the basis that your house is too dated for them.

Have confidence in your asking price – if you don’t, how do you expect your buyer and your estate agent to?! Be firm with your estate agent if he tries to persuade you to drop the price, and be equally firm – but fair – with your buyers when they make an offer.

Make sure you implement these four steps, and you’ll be embarking on your exciting new chapter with some pennies in your pocket to enjoy 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.

When your buyer is searching for their new home, there are several steps they will take. By knowing a little more about what’s going on in their mind, you may be able to influence their behaviour, and persuade them to at least view your house:

Step 1: they choose their portal

There are around 30 major property portals in the UK, but only four of them are truly worth being listed on. The majority of home searchers will sooner or later, find themselves searching on one of these four:

Rightmove: the biggest and in my opinion, the best. Great for properties in rural England.

FindaProperty: a bit clunky, but it’s where most of the good rental properties are listed.

Primelocation: some London agents and buyers prefer this over Rightmove

Zoopla: the new kids on the block; just merged with the two above, so the jury is still out as to whether they will continue in their current state

If your property is listed on these four portals, you can be sure that it will be found online. (Read my post on portals for more information and comment.)

Step 2: they filter

All four of the portals allow searchers to filter their results by:

Area: can be searched by postcode, town or region. Rightmove also has a ‘Draw a Search’ feature where a searcher can specify a chosen area by drawing it on a map.

Price: all but FindaProperty have price search parameters, which are worth getting to grips with before deciding on your asking price (see my post on Clever Pricing). Most buyers will set their upper price limit around £50,000 above their actual limit, to see what is available above their budget, and to allow for negotiation, so if they can only afford £700,000, they will search up to £750,000.

Bedrooms: in essence, an indicator of size; buyers will usually only select the minimum number. Make sure your property is listed correctly in this section, as it will make a significant difference to the number of searches you show up in.

Property Type: generally this is limited to houses, flats or bungalows, and as only one can be selected, the majority of buyers leave this section blank to include all. Worth noting too that Primelocation and Zoopla also allow a keyword search, so check which ones your agent has allocated for your property.

Step 3: they browse

Once a buyer has a list of properties, they will simply scroll through the results.

FindaProperty default number of properties on a page is 20, though this can be altered. Rightmove, Primelocation and Zoopla are all set at 10 properties per page. These results can be ordered by newest and price, though the standard default is highest price first.

During their browsing, they are looking at four main elements: image, price, area and keywords, usually in that order.

Image: is it striking and attractive? Only the most flattering of photos will get a second look. Research shows that each of these thumbnails receives no more than a second of attention, so your picture really needs to ‘snag’ a buyer’s glance before they move on to the next one.

Price: a quick glance at the price will allow a buyer to ascertain whether the image matches the price. It’s a split second judgment in which they will decide “is it worth that?” Another reason for making sure your main photograph is as appealing as possible.

Area: again, a quick glance ensures the property isn’t in an undesirable location. Obviously, any search area will include highlights and lowlights, so a buyer is keeping an eye on location during their search.

Keywords: they may be looking for specific words such as ‘contemporary’, ‘land’ or ‘annexe’ so if a feature is an integral part of the value of your home, this is where you need to convey that information.

Step 4: they click

If the four elements above all receive a mental ‘tick’, a buyer will click on the property. What they do next depends on the portal and its design, but generally it will involve scrolling through all the images first. It’s important therefore, to have the right number of photographs showcasing your house, and that they are all attractive and flattering. As a general rule of thumb, less than 10 images is too few (unless it is a flat or very small house) and more than 20 will leave a buyer feeling they have seen the whole house. (See my post ‘How many photos is too many?)

Next, they will read the first part of the introduction, and click on a floorplan if there is one. A well-drawn floorplan can be a real asset to your property advert, as it will attract only the buyers who feel your house is appropriate to their needs, so reducing timewasting viewings.

Agents who include reams of written description on this page are really doing themselves a disservice, as the brochure link, if there is one, can often get lost in all the wording. Rightmove, for some reason, post the link to a pdf brochure below the written description, so some buyers won’t find this at all.

Not all agents use pdf brochure links, but I think they are vital in the quest to present a property in the most attractive format possible, without being limited by the portals’ page style. It’s the place to get creative, and make sure your home really jumps off the page to a buyer. If they have downloaded your details, it’s a really good indication of their increased interest.

Step 5: they take action

Frustratingly for a seller, most searches on property portals end at this point. It may be that the browser was just, well, browsing, (think of it as window shopping), or they might not be ready to take the next step, which is booking a viewing. Perhaps they have not yet sold their own property, secured a mortgage or persuaded a partner. Whatever it is, we know statistically your property has to show up in around 300 searches a day to be in with a chance of getting viewings. This figure varies by region, time of year and market buoyancy, but as a general rule of thumb it is a good indication there are enough buyers around at your price level.

If they are ready to take the next step, a buyer will contact the agent, by phone or email, to ask questions and book a viewing. It’s worth checking out these two forms of contact to ensure that your agent is actively responding to these requests, and in a timely and efficient manner. Try clicking on the ‘request details’ button on all four portals using different email addresses, and keep a note of what happens next. Ask a friend to call the agent whilst you listen, to see how they respond to a buyer enquiry. If necessary, give constructive feedback to your agent, and if they don’t respond positively, consider a change of agent. After all, a buyer who has followed all of the steps above and who is still keen enough to want to view your home, deserves to be treated like the very valued buyer they may well become. Don’t lose them at this point!

Remember the post AIDA? Attention – interest – desire – action. It’s no good having the first three if you can’t convert a browser into a viewer, and then in to a buyer. Try it for yourself: get familiar with the property portals; make them your friend. Only by understanding how they work will you get into your buyer’s mind, and see what they are searching for.

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.

Gone are the days of twin bathroom sinks and cuddler sofas, it seems we’ve entered an era of ‘his’ and ‘hers’ sofas, man caves and hobby rooms where men and women very much want their own space in the home.

A recent study of house hunters found that while male house hunters are dreaming of cinema rooms and wine cellars, female house hunters are far more likely to be attracted to a property that houses an AGA and a kitchen island. Other ‘extras’ that currently prove popular with potential buyers include ‘man caves’ and dressing rooms, but which of these features can add most value to your property?

Danny Luke, Managing Director of Quick Move Now – the UK’s largest independent home buyer, explains: “We’re definitely seeing more of a male/female divide in the home at the moment; both sexes are determined to assert themselves with different areas of the property and are attracted to very different features when looking for a home to share together.

“It seems women may win the battle of the sexes when it comes to which features add most value to the home, with an improved kitchen being the single most valuable improvement you can make to a property. The key is to create an aspirational space that appeals to both men and women in order to maximise the benefit of your improvements. Although it was women who spoke about the kitchen in the study, the kitchen is a space occupied by both men and women, and it’s an area that is important to both genders, so shouldn’t be written off as a ‘female space’.

“Dressing rooms have been popular, especially in newer properties, for a number of years, and they continue to be an extra draw, especially to female buyers, but their popularity pales next to the latest must have; a man cave.

“Creating an extra space in your home, whether that’s through a small extension, a garage/loft conversion, or the addition of a garden room, will undoubtedly add value to your property. Potential buyers can choose how they would like to use the space in order to fit in with their personal lifestyle, but a man cave can add a great talking point and a real feeling of ‘fun’ to a property. Whether you choose to use it as a cinema room, a music room or just an extra relaxing space, a man (or woman!) cave communicates that there’s enough space in your property for areas of indulgence, which is definitely a highly attractive quality in any home.

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.

To brighten up your grey Saturday morning, here are some silly estate agent jokes

Windows

Why have estate agents stopped looking out of the window in the morning? Because otherwise they’d have nothing to do in the afternoon

Flowers

An estate agent thoughtfully sent his customary bunch of flowers to a purchaser who has just moved in. Unfortunately, they arrived with a card saying ‘Rest in Peace’.
Furious, the recipient phoned the florist, who replied: “I’m really sorry for the mistake, Madam. But just think – there’s a funeral taking place today with some flowers on the coffin where the message reads: “We wish you happiness in your new home”.

Beat the competition

An estate agent broker was dismayed when a brand new real estate office much like his own opened up next door and erected a huge sign which read ‘BEST ESTATE AGENTS.’

He was horrified when another competitor opened up on his right, and announced its arrival with an even larger sign, reading ‘LOWEST COMMISSIONS.’

The estate agent panicked, until he got an idea. He put the biggest sign of all over his own office. It read: ‘MAIN ENTRANCE’

Porsche

An estate agent parks his brand new Porsche in front of the office to show it off to his colleagues. As he’s getting out of the car, a truck comes speeding along too close to the kerb and takes off the door before speeding off.

More than a little distraught, the estate agent grabs his mobile and calls the police. Five minutes later, the police arrive. Before the policeman has a chance to ask any questions, the estate agent starts screaming hysterically:

“My Porsche, my beautiful silver Porsche is ruined, it’ll simply never
be the same again!”

After the estate agent finally finishes his rant, the policeman shakes his head in disgust: “I can’t believe how materialistic you estate agents are,”

“You lot are so focused on your possessions that you don’t notice anything else in your life.”

“How can you say such a thing at a time like this?”, snaps the estate agent.

The policeman replies, “Didn’t you realise that your right arm was torn off when the truck hit you.” The estate agent looks down in absolute horror……….

“Oh my God!” he screams – “Where’s my Rolex?!”

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.

There’s nothing worse than viewing a cold home at this time of year. Unloved living rooms, draughty corners and freezing bathrooms all mean that we just can’t wait to get out of there. Not a good way to see the best in a house!

Buyers need to feel warm and welcomed. Comfort is about temperature and safety, and visual delight is just a bonus. Walking into a well-heated hallway, with a welcoming lamp and a smiling host will make anyone feel “at home” – and that’s exactly what we as sellers need our buyers to feel!

It’s not always easy, especially if you’re living in a house that’s too big, and perhaps therefore only using part of it; or maybe it’s empty, as you’ve had to move out. Certainly empty houses are often very difficult to sell, and statistics show that they can achieve up to 30% less than furnished homes.

So – what can we do to make sure that our property feels like a home? Here’s 7 steps to take to make your buyers want to move in:

Heat – keep it warm and cosy throughout your house. The hallway is the most important area to keep at a welcoming temperature, but it’s also vital to keep bedrooms – even unused ones – well heated.

Fires – if you have a real fire, light it! There’s nothing more welcoming than a lovely roaring log fire on a cold evening. Your buyers will love it, and in turn, fall in love with your house.

Refreshments – if you’re going to be present, serve hot drinks and cookies or cakes; if you’re not there, leave out a really nice tea tray for your agent to serve them with. You would do it for a special guest, so treat your buyers to the same!

Light – add atmosphere by making sure you light all the lamps you have in the house, and overhead ones wherever you need to – provided it’s not too harsh a light. I’m usually in favour of lamps in the bedrooms and living rooms, and overhead lights in all the other rooms.

Soft furnishings – make sure your home has plenty of soft, textured materials. Velvet cushions, fluffy rugs and luxurious throws all help to add an overall feeling of luxury and warmth. In the bathrooms, add texture with big towels and modern rugs – make sure these are newly bought for viewings though – threadbare mats or worn out towels won’t do!

Colour – take a cue from your view and make sure your home reflects the lovely seasonal colours right now. Golds, reds, purples and burnt oranges are very cosy and flatter most homes. Pick some accent colours and buy accessories that you can take with you, and which don’t overwhelm your existing décor.

Remember the keywords here – warm and welcome – and your winter viewers could move in by spring!

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.

This is a question we get asked all the time at HomeTruths. The answer is, it depends on your home! Some types of buyers will only view homes in the summer time; others search regardless of the time of year. Here’s my exclusive guide to the buying calendar:

Young couples and singles: first time buyers often begin their first home search very early in the year. Perhaps they have spent one Christmas too many at home with their relatives, and realised it’s time to move out! Their search often starts in earnest in January and February, and in fact their purchases at the lower end of the market – apartments and terraced homes – then supports the second and third time buyer market – semi-detached and detached homes. This then in turn supports the larger properties, and so the cycle goes on. One thing to remember about young couples and singles, is that they tend to look at lots of different properties, and as they are not in a hurry, their search can go on for months, and even years! So be patient with them, and let them take their time to make up their minds.

Families: family buyers tend to buy at three distinct times of year: autumn, spring and early summer. Recognise the significance of these times? They are term times! Buyers with children don’t usually like to house hunt during the holidays. Firstly, because they have better things to do, perhaps going on holiday, and secondly, it’s a whole lot more stressful viewing a home when you have a bored and whiny child to contend with! Mums and Dads tend to wait until the children are in school, so they can view the house in peace. In addition, summer time is a time for playing outside and enjoying the garden, so ‘upsizers’ won’t feel as squeezed for space in the warmer months, and consequently their move may not feel as urgent. House hunters looking in September and October are usually fewer in number, but tend to be keener to make an early decision, so they can move in and start enjoying the house for Christmas.

Downsizers: Older couples and singles usually prefer to look at homes over the warmer months, so bungalows and retirement homes will often languish on the market over the winter months. Older people don’t want to venture out looking at homes in the rain and snow, and nor do they want to move house in the winter time. For them, summer is the ideal time to sell, and to buy, and this type of buyer tends to look at fewer properties, and make their minds up more quickly. It’s not uncommon for an older buyer to buy the first home they view, whereas a younger buyer will often view 20 or more homes before they put in an offer.

Know your buyer, and plan your house sale accordingly. Keep smaller homes on the market for longer, but take your bungalow off the market for the winter months. The less time your home is on the market, the closer to your asking price you are statistically likely to get, so plan your marketing periods carefully.

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.

A quick guide to pre-sale surveys

Alongside title issues, surveys result in more property sales falling through than any other factor.

Particularly for more expensive properties, sensible buyers will almost certainly seek the advice of a chartered surveyor and the inevitable conclusion if your property is harbouring some worrying structural secrets, is the buyer pulling out or bargaining for a cheaper deal.

The solution is to get in there first – instruct your own surveyor to become your personal property advisor and get ahead of the problem.

Here’s two good reasons why:

Every day, sales fall through because a surveyor acting for the purchaser spots a defect and the purchaser is scared off. The easiest way to stop this happening? Know what the surveyor will find before he finds it.

Forewarned is forearmed and knowing your home’s detractions, as well as its selling points, will allow you to apply decoration in the right areas, get costings for repair works and even have them carried out if it’s a particular concern.

Our chartered surveyor over in Bristol – Paul Keegan MRICS DipBS MBA MCMI – often does this sort of thing:

“I’ve been around property for decades. I know what types of defects scare buyers and I can help you resolve those problems as quickly and efficiently as possible. That means we can make them disappear before a buyer pulls out and holds up your chain or tries to drive down your price.”

Chartered Surveyors who are part of the RICS valuer registration scheme are considered to be the foremost experts in the subject of property valuation available to the paying public. Naturally, anyone looking to sell their property will ask an estate agent (or several) to give them an idea of what to ask for it, but a valuer will give you an accurate assessment of what it is actually worth – ie. what it will change hands for.

Practically speaking, this means that you might put the property on the market for the price indicated by the estate agent, but have the true value in mind when a potential buyer tries to haggle you down. If they offer below the value, you’d be well advised to hold out for more.

Our expert valuer over in Stoke – Dave Roberts MRICS RegVal – elaborates:

“Without knowing the real value of your property, you can be convinced by what seems to be a good offer, but is actually a real undervaluation of your asset. I often work with clients to avoid this, as well as helping them maximise the value of their home by making sensible investments.”

So if you’re selling your property, budgeting for a short pre-sale survey is advisable. The result can be benefits to saleability and your negotiating strength, whilst having a surveyor working as your very own value consultant can help you maximise the sale price by putting money where it can really be effective.

About the author:

The Right Surveyors are a group of surveying practices based all over England and Wales. We focus on providing a customer service driven, professional surveying service to all sorts of private, commercial and public sector clients in need of surveys and valuations.

You can find out more on the Right Surveyors website here.

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.