Sales

The nights are drawing in, summer flowers have faded and the temperature is dropping but instead of putting your garden to bed, now is a great time to reconsider how you use your outdoor area.

Our homes are where we are free to express ourselves, live how we please and, perhaps, let a slovenly nature take over. That’s perfectly fine when the occupant has no plans to move but it’s a different matter when it comes to selling.

Bridging loans have long been viewed as specialist products used by niche borrowers and those in distress but the finance sector has noted a new trend. The image of bridging loans has undergone somewhat of a rebrand and their appeal has become more mainstream.

For many home movers, a garden is a must have and new research has revealed just how important this feature is. A survey by Home Sale Pack found 90% of prospective purchasers considered outside space important when looking for a new home. 

The saying ‘good things come to those who wait’ is partly true for those selling a property. While many aspects of a successful sale are in the hands of third parties, the waiting part is something sellers have some control over.

According to the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, 53% of UK adults own a pet, therefore a large proportion of sellers will have a cat, dog or other domestic animal. While we are a nation of animal lovers, not everyone wants a furry encounter when they’re searching for a new home.

When filling in the Property Information Form (TA6), sellers need to be open and honest about a number of aspects. One of those is neighbourly disputes and things that may prove to be contentious in the future. This can be a grey area, so we’ve provided the answers to the most commonly asked neighbourly dispute questions.

While decluttering and lick of paint may add some value to your home before you sell (they’ll definitely add appeal), the best returns are on more practical improvements – ones that need careful planning, time and money.

What kind of outdoor person are you? Lush lawns and well-tended flower beds? Do you prefer to focus on fun, with a trampoline and hot tub? Or are you all about the atmosphere, with festoon lights and firepits?

Based on three different data sets, the average age for a first-time buyer in the UK is 34 – a figure that has been rising over the last decade, whichever analysis you look at.

Bedrooms that never get used? Too much time spent cleaning and fixing? Yearning to be mortgage free? It may be time to weigh up the pros and cons of downsizing to a smaller property.

You may have joined Instagram to document your life. Some of you may have opened an account on behalf of your pet but have you thought about an Instagram account purely for your property?