The Value of The For Sale
Sellers Blog

The Value of For Sale

When considering the value of a property prior to putting it on the market, many vendors understandably look at the asking price of other properties currently on the market locally, and draw pricing conclusions based on this research.

Whilst this is not an unreasonable way of determining value, there are some traps for which to

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September 2020 Market Comment
Sellers Blog

September 2020 Market Comment

We’re not surprised that house prices, according to the Halifax, rose 1.6% last month That’s nearly 20% per annum when annualised (but don’t do that)! The combination of at least three months of pent-up demand, coupled with stalling supply as people hunkered down during lockdown made such an increase inevitable, especially when compounded by the

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NAEA Propertymark
Sellers Blog

NAEA

It seems amazing to us that almost anyone can open up an estate agency and commence trading without any training, qualifications, proof of minimum standards, or certificate of competency.

The sale of your property is far too important to entrust to just anybody. Those who claim to work on your behalf may simply be out

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Sellers Blog

Affordability

House prices may have risen beyond expectation in recent years but, interestingly, affordability is at a new high too! These factors might seem diametrically opposed, yet the opposite is actually true. Could this be why demand has remained strong throughout the Brexit-related political and economic uncertainties (thankfully now at an end)?

Affordability, or the relationship

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Sellers Blog

Buy First? or Sell?

For homeowners wishing to sell their property and buy another, it’s the classic dilemma; which do you do first – buy or sell?

Typically, people initially investigate the market to find out what they can buy for their money. Inevitably, during this research they fall in love with the “ideal” property. As they have yet

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Landlords Blog

August 2020 Market Comment

As soon as the Brexit decision was “concluded” late last year, we were hit by the pandemic. Four years of uncertainty was condensed into a bottle neck of demand, which was then frustrated by three months of lockdown – and longer hair! But three months of hair growth does not require three haircuts – yet

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The "V" Word
Sellers Blog

The V Word

Estate agents’ market valuations are usually free, and because of this, it is very tempting for prospective sellers to invite a number of agents to comment and then select the agent that suggests the highest likely sale price for the property.

However, we advise caution on this issue. Some agency “valuers” are paid bonus on

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Friday Move
Sellers Blog

Friday Move?

Friday is overwhelmingly the most popular day of the week to move house as it provides new homeowners with a long weekend of moving “fun” – unpacking boxes, hanging pictures and all the DIY that tends to accompany a move.

Due to this preference, it is therefore quite likely that other buyers and sellers in

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might sell
Sellers Blog

Might Sell, Might Not

It is interesting to note that some sellers are not as committed to moving as they might be, and are prepared to remain on the market until what they regard as an acceptable offer comes along.

Likewise, some buyers, whilst generally remaining committed to a purchase, do not exhibit a great deal of urgency, and

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Covenant
Sellers Blog

Covenants

A covenant is a term you might hear when discussing a property during the conveyancing process. Covenants are a form of legal obligation that is binding on the owner of a property and passes from owner to owner whenever the property is sold. They form part of the deeds of a property and are recorded

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July 2020 Market Comment
Sellers Blog

July 2020 Market Comment

Finally, after the pent-up frustrations of lockdown, we have some very good news to report:

Firstly, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has announced a substantial boost for the housing market with the raising of the SDLT (Stamp Duty) threshold from £125,000 to £500,000. This really is quite incredible and will save buyers up

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floorplan
Sellers Blog

Floorplans

Our research has shown that buyers overwhelmingly prefer floorplans on property details in addition to the usual description and written dimensions. There are several good reasons behind this preference, which is why we always feature floorplans on our particulars:

Firstly, where several properties are competing for a buyer’s attention, a floorplan always makes an immediate

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Independence Day
Sellers Blog

Independence Day

On 4th July each year Americans go to town on celebrating their national pride on Independence Day.

And well they might, as independence is a wonderful thing. As independent estate/letting agents, we experience daily what it is to be free of the constraints of corporate governance, number crunching, management reports and toeing the party

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Getting Personal
Sellers Blog

Getting Personal Through Technology

The opportunities opened up by technology in estate agency have been enormous, yet many local agents simply use their website as a glorified shop window. Like any agency window, the properties displayed need to be regularly updated and presented in a way that inspires buyers to take things further.

But a good estate agency website

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Peace of Mind
Sellers Blog

Peace of Mind

It is perhaps quite worrying that anyone can start trading as an estate agent, without any qualifications whatsoever. This makes it all the more important that you choose an agency that puts a high value on training.

Better-trained staff gain an intimate understanding of what the customer is going through and are able to help

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June Market Comment
Sellers Blog

June 2020 – Market Comment

It might be tempting to believe that the pandemic has been destructive and all-consuming on all fronts, especially in relation to the property market, which virtually ground to a halt a few weeks ago.

But we British are a resilient lot! Our compliant “keep calm and carry on” mentality has meant that we have/continue to

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Will the Internet Replace Estate Agents?
Sellers Blog

Will the Internet Replace Estate Agents?

There can be nothing better suited to the internet than property, and hits to property websites far outnumber those of any other industry. The ability to be able to search in the comfort of your own home, usually without having to provide any personal details, is certainly attractive and has transformed the way the public

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Chain Chasing
Sellers Blog

What Agents Do – 8 Chains

The adage that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link could not be more aptly demonstrated than in respect of property transactions in the UK.

Whilst a lot of agents focus on finding a buyer, which is obviously important, it is the quality of that buyer and their situation that will determine

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What Agents Do - 7 Negotiate
Sellers Blog

What Agents Do – 7 Negotiate

Good negotiation is a skill that adds real value to the service you receive from your estate agent. After all it can be the make or break of a sale.

Many agents focus on “getting the maximum price” for their client, the property vendor. So do we. However, we also recognize that the vendor’s main

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Sellers Blog

May 2020 – Market Comment

The housing market has been an obvious casualty of the Coronavirus lockdown. Yet the desire to move is strong, once the decision has been made. Indeed, as soon as the government announced that people could once again move house, Rightmove buyer enquiries doubled within 24 hours. They were even 4% higher than the same day

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