Guides & Articles

...pick up a few hints and tips on making your sale and purchase run smoothly.

Get the best deal on your house insurance

8 simple things you can do to help you sell by making the most of your home

Get the best deal on your mortgage

This may save you thousands of pounds in wasted mortgage payments, many of us often make false savings by not having time to shop around when it comes to a mortgage. Not all mortgages are the same so why not get the best value for you as there are simply loads of great deals on the market. The lender market has become sophisticated and it can be a nightmare to search out the best deal. We always recommend that you do your research or to get advice from Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) before you embark on taking a mortgage as they will work for you to find you a mortgage which could save you thousends of pounds over the life of the mortgage. You can contact the body for IFA's (Independent Financial Advisor's).

Get the best deal on your house insurance

There are loads of deals to be had on insurance policies, we recommend you talk to your Independent financial advisor who can advice you as your insurance must comply with your lenders requirements.

Seller's Guide - Hints for selling your house

10 things which may lower the value of your home when you sell

By all means still do all the basics to assist potential buyers in appreciating your home such as brewing a pot of coffee, tidying away clutter to make your home tidy and spacious-looking when potential buyers come round to view. But these might be lost if you do not consider some of the other basic tips which if not may risk you losing by potential buyers knocking money off your home. You don't have to go through a Changing Rooms-style transformation to make your property more enticing to prospective buyers but here are a few tips to help increase the value of your home and help sell it.
Although you may not have time to deal with all of the potential risks listed if you can manage one or two these will help resist some of the price reduction the buyer will have in mind when he makes an offer.

1) Dirty light switches - this may give the buyer the idea that the wiring might be bad and could cost you into the thousands
2) Living room overcrowded with furniture - what may be cosy to you will almost certainly appear overcrowded to a potential buyer who prefers space and this may cost you into the thousands
3) Retro style bright carpets with swirly patterns - may not matched your buyers taste and may cost you into the thousands
4) Badly-built extension or porch - these can detract to the value by the buyer mentally working out how much it will cost to remedy the situation. Potential costs could run into thousands
5) Carpets in the kitchen or bathroom - can suggest that you have a damp problem and may cost you into the thousands
6) Clashing colours - your potential buyers may be looking for a reduction and can start off at a potential £500 upwards depending on the number of rooms.
7) Lime scale in the bath or around the shower - this is just off putting and raises concerns for hidden surprises and may reduce the value in the region of ��500
8) Gloomy lighting - low wattage bulbs gives a depressed feel to your home with a potential reduction of upto £500
9) UPV plastic double glazing windows in an old or period property - Whilst keeping you warmer the removal of the traditional sash windows can knockthe value of the property down by thousands of pounds
10) Dead pot plants - water them, hide them or throw them out. Dead pots show you as uncaring and they may think this applies to your home. Potential costs a few hundred to a few thousand as a general reduction on your home.

Buyer's Guide - Hints for buying your house

Check out the neighbourhood
Make sure you visit your prospective home during the day and evening to assess how busy it may be an d to assess the varying levels of noise and through traffic. Are there local shops and good public transport facilities within easy walking distance if this is important to you. What about off street parking. How difficult is it to park if you don't have a garage.

Don't be afraid to ask the sellers lots of questions:
This is a big investment for you and you want to be sure that you have the information you need to buy. If the seller is reluctant to answer your questions think why not. Have they something to hide. Ask them. Find out why they are moving. If they want a quick sale, you may even be able to negotiate a discount. It takes the average buyer only 20 minutes to decide whether or not they like a property. But having fallen in love with the place, there are plenty of practical considerations to be mades. Bear in mind that while you may be able to spot obvious structural problems yourself, it is still advisable to have a survey carried out before.

General conditions
Take someone with you when you view a property - in any event always have the best professional survey you can afford on the property. This is a big investment for you. Are any of the rooms with unusual shapes which may make it difficult to fit your own furniture in and the type of kitchen appliances you want? What about power points. Are they enough. Don't be put off by the decor. Bad taste on wallpapers and paint colours can be easily be rectified and relatively cheaply.

Make sure you are not paying too much
Do some research into the prices being asked - and paid - for similar properties in the area? Check with estate agents and look in the local paper. See if the buyer is looking for a quick sale and ask if they are prepared to accept a discount

Sell or Buy at the right time
Because of the economic realities of supply and demand - the worst times for sellers (and the best time for Buyers) is November and December and July and August when many people are on holiday

8 simple things you can do to help you sell by making the most of your home

Simple tips:

1) If you're taking photos of your home to give to the estate agent, make sure they show your home from the best angle. If you can, it's always best to take the photograph on a sunny or clear day.
2) Give as much information as you can to the estate agent about your local amenities - transport, schools, shops, etc. - so potential buyers can get as full a picture of the area as possible.
3) When people come round to view, make sure your place is tidy (tidy bedroom floor don't leave last night's washing-up in the sink)
4) And remember its never too late to fix things and be aware the buyer will have shopping list of items which will assist in he or she making a reduced offer on your home.
5) Create a pleasant atmosphere in your home. Vases of newly-cut flowers can give a fresh feel.
6) In the summer open windows, and in the winter turn up the heating to make the place cosy.
7) Don't hover behind viewers. Let them inspect things at their own pace.
8) Answer questions openly and honestly. If the buyer believes you will be a friendly and co-operative person to do business with, they are more likely to put in an offer at your asking price as they will be prepared to more easily accept that you not hiding something.

More time consuming tips but no less effective:
When selling your home be aware of 10 common problems that put buyers off your property. The Woolwich has identified 10 things that put potential buyers off paying the asking price which it estimates cost homeowners £3 billion a year:

1) Smoking: The Woolwich found that 28% of buyers were put off by nicotine-stained walls, ceilings and doors and the smell of stale smoke. They estimate this could cut £16,000 off the asking price unless some DIY is done to remedy the damage.
2) Pets: Unfortunately for pet lovers 20% of buyers say that animal smells and fur on furniture is a turn-off.
3) Stone cladding: 11% of people do not like this.
4) Dirty fridge or oven Even though you might be taking these with you, still first appearances count as some 10% of potential buyers would be put off by unclean appliances.
5) 1970s-style Artex ceiling or ceiling tiles: Whist the 'retro' may be making a come back in fashion unfortunately for those with artex some 7% of people said it would put them off.
6) Avocado bathroom suite: Again, these were all the fashion but fashion changes and a neutral white is always the safest bet as some 5% of people don't like their bathroom the wrong shade of green.
7) 70s-style carpets: Again retro in the home puts off potential buyers as some 4% have highlighted them as a blight on a home.
8) Garden gnome/ugly garden features: Any garden features which whilst you consider good taste may not appeal to all. indeed some 3% are put off by things such as a garden gnome, ornaments and other things which detract from the view.
9) Dated/unstylish fireplace: Another potential problem, with some 3% saying it would put them off.
10) Chintz decor: Some 2% of people who nominated floral pattern wallpaper have nominated this as one of their pet hates.

Please note

That articles on this website do not constitute regulated financial advice. The articles are intended to provide general information only. We urge you to consult an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) before making any important decisions about your finances. Please contact us if you require the name of an independent financial advisor as we have lists of such. Further figures in the articles within this page are intended for general guidance only and should not be relied upon and in any event are current at the date of writing