Author: colin_williams

Although you may have asked an appraiser to come into your house, never be frightened to ask questions. You need to make sure your house is getting valued correctly.

What have comparable houses recently sold for in the area?

If you live in a neighbourhood with similar houses that have been recently sold, ask what they’ve been sold for and the asking price of them. You don’t want the appraiser to under-price your house compared to others or over price and put people off of your property.

Even though you may have a bigger house than the one down the road that was just sold, size is but one of many factors appraisers take into account when valuing your house so don’t be surprised if it’s valued less than a smaller house down the road. Having a more modern house that needs little to no work done to it will raise the price. Keep this in mind when getting your house appraised because arguing with your appraiser won’t raise the value of your home.

Have you taken this into account?

Your appraiser will have other houses to get to in the day so will probably try to value your house as quick as they can but don’t be afraid to point things out to be taken into consideration with the value. Don’t be frightened to ask and point out as many things as you want that you feel may potentially raise the value of your property. It’s down to you! It’s not a bad idea to include the price you paid either. If the appraiser glides over the granite countertops you got last year, stop and talk about it- talk about the thousands of pounds you spent to cover your whole kitchen, you never know it could add to the value of your house!

What can make my property worth more?

This is the big question that HAS to be asked. There might be little fixes and tweaks you can make to your house to raise the value so just ask! Whether it’s a simple repaint of a new kitchen, do what you can afford to bring the value up as much as possible. Mainly the appraisal is based on square footage, number of rooms and amount of land but how modern your house is and the amount of work that is needed to be done is taken into consideration.

Depending on how much money you have to spare on redoing bits of the house, try it! Whether it’s the scratched back door or the crack in the ceiling, this would be the perfect time to fix all the things you’ve put off time and time again. Just ask you appraiser what needs to be done and use your budget accordingly. By spending a few more pounds, you might be about to get thousands more added to the value so ask away!

How long does it take to get my appraisal?

If you want to know how long it will take because you either want to move quickly then ask! You won’t be able to get it through as a priority without talking to your appraiser about it. As it usually takes anywhere from a week to a month, ask if it could get sped up so you can get everything moving quickly.

You can ask as many questions as you want to try get the most out of your appraiser. Remember you’re paying for them to be there so make the most out of it. No question is wrong if its relevant because it could increase the value of your house or not do anything. Start with these three types of questions and you should get the information you need.

You should never list your property without a bit of preparation to make a favourable impression on buyers. With these tips you maximise your chances to get the sale you want!

Make sure everything is clean and working!

By having a clean home for potential buyers to walk around, it shows that it’s a property that’s been cared for and worth buying. No one wants to buy a property that has been mistreated and dirty, they will think it’s too much work to take on. This might mean replacing a few old tiles or a repainting the bathroom, this will help it look like a property that doesn’t need much renovating. Include your belongings in this as well. Buyers want to be able to focus on the house you are selling and not the stuff you have lying around.

Keep things natural!

Leave the blinds/curtains open when people are looking around because it creates an open feeling to the rooms and shows where the natural light comes in. Including plants and flowers helps bring energy into rooms and fill empty space to draw attention away from potential flaws.

Get rid of smells!

Put a few air fresheners around the house before potential buyers come round or fix the source of a lingering smell. Bad smells are a huge turn off when buying a house. If you are a smoker, a non-smoker will be put off if your house reeks of cigarettes. Smells are simple to fix yet one of the biggest things people focus on. A good smell can make your property feel like a comfortable and liveable place to be.

It’s not all about the interior!

Although the inside of a house is the main focus, spend time on the outside too. The front of your property plays a key role as it’s the first thing seen by potential buyers arriving at your property, so make sure it looks tidy and appealing. By trimming the hedges, getting rid of the weeds, cleaning the gutters and repainting any pealing or dirty walls will make the property look a much higher quality and is far more appealing to the eye. A messy exterior will give potential buyers the impression of a messy inside.

Add some colour!

Just a couple of bright throw pillows or a bright rug will add character to your property and draw attention to smaller features you want to show off. Even though you will be moving all the furniture out once its bought, adding a little more colour can boost the appeal of your property and likelihood of a sale.

Tidy storage areas!

Potential buyers will want to look at every inch of your house so don’t chuck it all in the storage space under the stairs and hope they won’t check, because 100% of the time, that cupboard will be opened. Buyers want to see every part and feature of the house so by stuffing your clutter in the storage area, you won’t make your house look better, quite the opposite in fact.

How’s your garden?

You’ll need to make sure your garden is up to date and landscaped properly. Mowing the lawn and planting pretty plants will open up the garden and make it look more appealing at the same time. If you have a shed, potential buyer will want to have a good look about inside so don’t stuff all your old garden furniture in it with the hopes of making your garden look better.

Everyone looks for different qualities when buying a new house so don’t try to do everything. These few tips are perfect for preparing to sell your house on a budget as these tips cost little to no money at all, however, if you do have some extra cash to spend, updating the kitchen and repainting the house is a good idea as it will give the house a feeling of being well kept and with little wrong with it as buyers like to purchase a house that needs little to no work done to it.

It’s no secret that in today’s market, saving a deposit for your dream home can be a real challenge. If you want to secure a mortgage you will need to save at least a 5% deposit, but even this can be a huge sum. As daunting as the prospect of saving thousands of pounds can be, here are 6 tips to help you make the most of your deposit.

Help to Buy Schemes

There are plenty of Help to Buy schemes on offer, so make sure you look into them as there may be one which is ideal for your situation and they can make a huge difference to the total sum you need to save. One example is a Help to Buy loan where you can apply for a loan of up to 20% of the property value, if you are buying a New Build. You don’t have to be a first time buyer but you will still need to save a 5% deposit to use this scheme. Help to Buy mortgages are also a great scheme to look into. When saving your deposit, knowledge is key.

Team Up!

If you have a friend, partner of family member you would consider living with, then why not? Having two people buying a home together will instantly half the money you need to save for a deposit and make saving a much quicker process. Ensure you discuss what would happen if one of you wants to sell your share and once this is clear you can start saving.

Check Out Different Locations

There is always compromise when buying a property, normally on one of three things; Size, Location, or Budget. It might be that you can find a cheaper property in a different area which isn’t too far from your dream location. This will mean you can buy it sooner with the deposit you have already saved, or save a bit longer for a better mortgage deal.

Shared Ownership

Also known as ‘Part buy, Part rent’ this scheme will bring down the size of the deposit you will need and you are buying a share of the property and paying rent on the rest. There is often the opportunity to build up and buy the whole property so you can reach get full ownership over time. It is likely you will need to register with a housing association to offer on a shared ownership property but is definitely worthwhile with the potential savings on your deposit.

Save Effectively

Do your research! When you first start saving for your deposit, it is more than likely (and a very smart idea) that you will open up a new bank account. Every bank will claim they have the best offer for you, and there’s a lot of competition. If you are saving in a Help to Buy ISA and reach the maximum amount, or if you are just saving in a current account, get the best deal for the rest of your savings. It’s possible to get as much as 5% interest on your savings so find the most competitive rate for you, and look closely at the T & C’s.

Remember ALL Costs

Having taken steps to boost your deposit, don’t stop saving. There is a huge amount of costs involved when buying a property such as mortgage fees, Stamp Duty even down to Removal Costs and the maintenance of your new home. It is important to work out what these extra costs might be and factor them into your savings. You can never have too much money saved so give yourself time to save as much you can and make sure you are in a comfortable position before you make any offers.

Saving a deposit can be daunting, but it’s achievable if you take the right steps. So… Keep Calm and Carry On Saving.

Selling your home can be a stressful time. Often when moving out of a property, you will have an emotional connection to the house and so want the sale procedure to go as smoothly (and as quickly) as possible. But it’s not always plain sailing, sometimes you will receive offers way below the price you expect or maybe no offers at all.

Well… Put up with the tidying before viewings and the constant phone calls to and from your agent. Take your time and follow these tips to get the price your property deserves.

Choose the Right Agent

All agents you approach should treat you like royalty to get your business, but ultimately there will be some better suited to sell your property than others. Different estate agents cater to different markets, so do your research and go for an agent that sells houses like yours as if they’re going out of fashion. They will know how best to show off your property on viewings and have a list of buyers more suited for your home.

Take the Right Approach

Once you have chosen your agent, you should work together and make a strategy to achieve your goals, such as the time period you want to move in and the price you want to get. Decide what is most important to you and make this clear to your agent. This way they will know exactly what type of people they should be showing your house to and how they should approach the sale of your property.

Be Patient

Don’t rush into the sale of your house, you will be making important decisions and need time to consider. If you’re not ready to go on the market or you want to wait for a higher offer, then wait! If selling quickly is what is important to you then bear in mind that you may have to take a lower offer to stay within your desired time frame. This is why it’s best to be flexible with your time frame and be realistic about how long the sale of your home could take.

Know the Market

Before accepting or declining any offers on your home, make sure you have brushed up on the prices similar houses have sold for in your area. You should have a realistic figure in your head of what you are able to achieve and not go on market at a price which is a lot higher than the true value. It may be that you do have to drop the price if this is what viewings suggest consistently, but going onto the market too high will start the sale on an uphill battle when it should be the busiest part.

Don’t Accept if You’re Not Happy

Getting an offer on your property doesn’t mean you have to or should accept it. If you aren’t in a rush, wait for a better offer. Listen to your agent’s advice on whether you can achieve more, but also trust your instincts.

Let the Agent Do Their Job

The sale of your house is an emotional process. You will have a personal attachment to your home which you won’t be able to let go of to see the huge business transaction you are making. Your agent will have negotiated the price of hundreds of houses, so let them get you the best price. Having chosen an agent you trust, it should be easy to sit back and let them do their job.

Find the Right Buyer

It is not necessarily the highest offer which will be the best one to accept. Your agent will get to know all potential buyers and has to inform you of any offers that are put forward. They will be able to tell you which buyer appears the most committed, such as a cash buyer with no chain, so you are less likely to be stuck with a buyer who is not in a good position.

Getting the best price for your home is all about trusting your agent and working closely with them so they know what’s most important to you. Don’t panic if you don’t get offers straight away, there is always time to reconsider your price and strategy and your agent is always there to help.

Having the right solicitor for you can make a huge difference to the process of buying or selling your home. It can take time to find a solicitor you feel comfortable with and as property transactions can take a long time, they could be working for you for a while. This makes it crucial that you have a solicitor who you get along with and someone you feel you can trust.

Buying or selling a home is an emotional time and you will always hit a few bumps in the road, so take your time to find someone you can rely on and use these tips to help.

Stay Local

Choosing a solicitor who is local to your area is a great way to whittle down the list. They will be up to date with local issues and have a good insight into what problems could potentially arise. It’s also a good idea to drop into their offices and deal with issues face to face, this will be especially handy if you have an urgent request. If you are using a local Estate Agent they may have a solicitor to recommend you which you could try out.

Get recommendations

Ask people you trust which solicitor they used and how they found the experience. Friends and family or work colleagues are likely to be able to shed light on which firms are most helpful. People can often give you good advice on which solicitors to stay away from so you don’t waste time calling a solicitor with a bad reputation.

Find out Costs

Before you choose a solicitor, get written quotes that will give you an upper and a lower figure of what the cost may be. Costs can increase over time depending on what problems arise throughout the buying or selling of your home, however you need to hire a solicitor that is upfront with you about their charges. This will mean at the end of the process you won’t end up receiving a surprisingly large bill and if a solicitor is honest with you about their fees, you know you can trust them. Keep in mind that the best solicitor won’t be the cheapest.

Conveyancing Quality Scheme

Time to get technical. Using a solicitor who is CQS-accredited is key. CQS is the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Solicitors who are CQS-accredited will be authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority when it comes to conveyancing. This is an extra sign that you will get the best service and have a capable solicitor who knows what they are doing and will work to a high standard.

Listen Carefully

You can tell a lot from as little as a phone call. First impressions are everything so make sure you call around two or three solicitors and see what feel you get from each one. Even if you do go for the first person you spoke to, it is worth seeing which firms sound more helpful and can offer you the best service. You want to be treated as a valued customer as you may end up paying a healthy sum for their service.

Stay on the Case

Keep in constant contact with your solicitor, by email and phone. You may feel like you’re hounding them however it is vital that you stay in the know at all times, even if this is just reassurance from your solicitor that everything is going smoothly. By talking to your solicitor regularly you will be clued up on how the process is going and if any problems do arise you will be aware of them and can talk about the best way to solve the issues.

The most important thing to remember when choosing a solicitor is to give yourself time. There is so much to consider so do your research, get in touch with different firms and don’t feel pressured into making a decision. Finding a good solicitor is crucial when buying or selling your home.