Rightmove has a new feature - click here to see how it works - it shows you whats on the market in the postcode you put in, what has been on the market and what things have sold for.
It's not quite like property bee but very interesting all the same.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Monday, 7 December 2009
Buying a house and the vendors want you to pay for their carpets
I'm of the opinion that carpets are something that you sell with your house. They're normally really well fixed down and will be a nightmare to get up.
So why do some vendors want you to pay for them?
It may be that they want to take you for every penny possible, or that they just really like their carpets and don't want to give them away.
This might be ok if they're new and in very good condition AND will match the decoration you want.
However if they insist on you paying for them you could
(a) insist on taking photos of them and the condition they're in when you agree to pay
(b) find out what sort they are
(c) find out how much carpet for the entire house would cost
(d) check under large items of furniture for any burn holes or rips.
(e) You could also refuse to pay for them and insist that any damage done in removing them is made good.
Removing carpets takes a lot of effort and is a dirty dusty job. If they're taking them to their new house then they have to have them refitted and recut so it's not quite a bargain solution for them - especially if it means them removing carpets that have been left. Taking carpets to the tips take s alot of trips for a full house as carpet is quite bulky.
If you love the carpets and don't want to have to fully recarpet then you might have to bite the bullet but insist on checking the quality of the carpet and insist that it's all removed if they take it up - else you'll end up with a house full of ripped up carpet!
Tell them you'll let them leave the carpets and dispose of them for them if they like but only if they leave them on the floors!
Insist on deducting the cost of a carpet clean if they make you buy them too!
So why do some vendors want you to pay for them?
It may be that they want to take you for every penny possible, or that they just really like their carpets and don't want to give them away.
This might be ok if they're new and in very good condition AND will match the decoration you want.
However if they insist on you paying for them you could
(a) insist on taking photos of them and the condition they're in when you agree to pay
(b) find out what sort they are
(c) find out how much carpet for the entire house would cost
(d) check under large items of furniture for any burn holes or rips.
(e) You could also refuse to pay for them and insist that any damage done in removing them is made good.
Removing carpets takes a lot of effort and is a dirty dusty job. If they're taking them to their new house then they have to have them refitted and recut so it's not quite a bargain solution for them - especially if it means them removing carpets that have been left. Taking carpets to the tips take s alot of trips for a full house as carpet is quite bulky.
If you love the carpets and don't want to have to fully recarpet then you might have to bite the bullet but insist on checking the quality of the carpet and insist that it's all removed if they take it up - else you'll end up with a house full of ripped up carpet!
Tell them you'll let them leave the carpets and dispose of them for them if they like but only if they leave them on the floors!
Insist on deducting the cost of a carpet clean if they make you buy them too!
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Winter - a bad time to sell?
Winter is a traditional lull in the housing market.
Should you wait until Spring?
You could prepare your house for sale - and start spreading the word that you'll be putting iit up for sale in the Spring. Worth of mouth is sometimes a useful too and if you've found a buyer yourself you won't pay estate agent fees!
Should you wait until Spring?
You could prepare your house for sale - and start spreading the word that you'll be putting iit up for sale in the Spring. Worth of mouth is sometimes a useful too and if you've found a buyer yourself you won't pay estate agent fees!
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Cheering up the outside of your property on the cheap
Ideally you don't want to spend loads of money doing up the house you're moving from.
Buy plants that can be put into pots and then you can take them with you. Don't include potted outdoor plants automatically. If the buyers want them, let them offer a few quid for them
Suggested plants include confiers (Dwarf ones) and winter bedding plants. These are very cheap and you get some pretty good colours too - look at these pansys from thompson and morgan.
They're ideal for flower beds or troughs outside your front door.
Very welcoming in winter, but not perhaops suitable for a swanky city centre flat where a palm might be more suited.
Keep them watered, fed and weeded too. Neglected plants look worse than no plants.
Buy plants that can be put into pots and then you can take them with you. Don't include potted outdoor plants automatically. If the buyers want them, let them offer a few quid for them
Suggested plants include confiers (Dwarf ones) and winter bedding plants. These are very cheap and you get some pretty good colours too - look at these pansys from thompson and morgan.
They're ideal for flower beds or troughs outside your front door.
Very welcoming in winter, but not perhaops suitable for a swanky city centre flat where a palm might be more suited.
Keep them watered, fed and weeded too. Neglected plants look worse than no plants.
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
The house of my dreams
Has been reduced by £100,000.
Yup 100k. So it's still out of reach - but still my perfect dream house.
Ah well. I'll keep dreaming!
Yup 100k. So it's still out of reach - but still my perfect dream house.
Ah well. I'll keep dreaming!
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Books about selling houses
Play.com (UK) - Free Delivery - Books - Search Results: selling your house
All with free delivery
How to be Your Own Estate Agent: Learn an Estate Agent's Secrets and Save Thousands Selling Your House Yourself
Selling Houses: How to Sell Your House as Quickly as You Can for as Much Money as You Can
Anthea Masey & Andrew Winter
Buying and Selling Your House
Adam Walker
All with free delivery
How to be Your Own Estate Agent: Learn an Estate Agent's Secrets and Save Thousands Selling Your House Yourself
Selling Houses: How to Sell Your House as Quickly as You Can for as Much Money as You Can
Anthea Masey & Andrew Winter
Buying and Selling Your House
Adam Walker
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Homeswapper
Homeswapper
HomeSwapper is for social tenants (in rented property) who want a house swap (or flat swap). This is also called mutual exchange. If you live in a council house or housing association property you can swap. Join now and receive GREAT DISCOUNTS on membership - SAVE UP TO 30% when you register TODAY!
HomeSwapper is for social tenants (in rented property) who want a house swap (or flat swap). This is also called mutual exchange. If you live in a council house or housing association property you can swap. Join now and receive GREAT DISCOUNTS on membership - SAVE UP TO 30% when you register TODAY!
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Want to move?
Just seen this ad elsewhere:
Are you fed up with your home? Would you like to move, but your partner doesn’t want to?
If you’re unhappy with your current home and would like to explore the options available to you, a new TV series may be able to help.
For further info, please contact:
Matt Kirkham
Hotbed Media
Tel: 0121-248 3905
Email: development @ hotbedmedia.co.uk
Are you fed up with your home? Would you like to move, but your partner doesn’t want to?
If you’re unhappy with your current home and would like to explore the options available to you, a new TV series may be able to help.
For further info, please contact:
Matt Kirkham
Hotbed Media
Tel: 0121-248 3905
Email: development @ hotbedmedia.co.uk
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Monday, 7 July 2008
New Bathroom
Why not put a new bathroom in? Buyers like brand new bathrooms and kitchens and Wickes rangbe of bathroom suites is fantastic and they have up to 50% off
Sunday, 15 June 2008
Locate TV - find tv shows you want to watch
This will take you to locate.tv which is an amazing site that shows you when your favourite TV shows are on next.
It's brilliant.
Friday, 23 May 2008
Identify each room
If you are marketing your home as a three bedroomed property make sure it has three bedrooms - you need to show each room can holld a bed, and ideally if it's a double bedroom you need to put a double bed in it.
If your spare room is full of junk it won't hit the mark as a bedroom unless it has a bed in it. Sort out the junk!
If you use your spare room as a study then you should put a guest bed in too - some of the guest beds look nice with a few cushions as an attractive place to sit.
If your spare room is full of junk it won't hit the mark as a bedroom unless it has a bed in it. Sort out the junk!
If you use your spare room as a study then you should put a guest bed in too - some of the guest beds look nice with a few cushions as an attractive place to sit.
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Pets or pests
Lots of people don't like pets. Some people just don't like them, and some have a positive fear of them.
Remove as many traces of your pets as possible.
Get the dog out on a walk whilst people come and view.
Hide pet food dishes. Keep them in a sensible place if you have to have them out.
I've heard recently about someone viewing a house who was horrified to find pet dishes upstairs. It's not that horrific unless there are rotting bowls of cat food, but I spose if you don't like pets you'd fine them a bit repulsive!
So keep the pets out of the way!
Remove as many traces of your pets as possible.
Get the dog out on a walk whilst people come and view.
Hide pet food dishes. Keep them in a sensible place if you have to have them out.
I've heard recently about someone viewing a house who was horrified to find pet dishes upstairs. It's not that horrific unless there are rotting bowls of cat food, but I spose if you don't like pets you'd fine them a bit repulsive!
So keep the pets out of the way!
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
The bathroom
when you sort out your bathroom throw out all the empty shampoo bottles you've been hoarding. If there's dribbles left in them empty them all into one and ditch the rest.
Wash soap dishes, and all shelves and surfaces. Tidy everything away apart from any glamourous bottles of expensive stuff. Put a plant in if you've got room.
Coordinate blinds, shower curtain and towers. Have a set of brand new fluffy towels you bring out just for viewings. This makes the bathroom look very luxurious.
Get any nasty pipework boxed in and hidden. This makes the bathroom look loads better and makes it easier to clean! Less pipes to dust!
Hide away the cleaning materials once you've finished cleaning.
Keep the seat and lid down. Keep the door pulled too.
Ditch nasty carpet or lino!
Cleaning the bathroom. As well as a thourough deep clean of the bath, toilet, basin and shower clean the grout between the tiles. Make it white and sparkly however you have to! You can get grout pens or get them regrouted.
Make sure there's a mirror and that it's sparkling clean.
If you've got an aging or coloured bathroom suite you might have to think that it might have to be replaced. Be prepared to negotiate on price if you don't want to replace it yourself.
Wash soap dishes, and all shelves and surfaces. Tidy everything away apart from any glamourous bottles of expensive stuff. Put a plant in if you've got room.
Coordinate blinds, shower curtain and towers. Have a set of brand new fluffy towels you bring out just for viewings. This makes the bathroom look very luxurious.
Get any nasty pipework boxed in and hidden. This makes the bathroom look loads better and makes it easier to clean! Less pipes to dust!
Hide away the cleaning materials once you've finished cleaning.
Keep the seat and lid down. Keep the door pulled too.
Ditch nasty carpet or lino!
Cleaning the bathroom. As well as a thourough deep clean of the bath, toilet, basin and shower clean the grout between the tiles. Make it white and sparkly however you have to! You can get grout pens or get them regrouted.
Make sure there's a mirror and that it's sparkling clean.
If you've got an aging or coloured bathroom suite you might have to think that it might have to be replaced. Be prepared to negotiate on price if you don't want to replace it yourself.
Monday, 19 May 2008
Sweet smell of success
Make sure your house smells sweet.
Pet smells, food smells, stinks and stenches will put people off.
Keep your house smelling nice. Keeping it clean is essential - wash out any bins, clean the bathroom, make sure dinner isn't cooking when people view.
Introduce nice smells. Freshly squeezed oranges smell amazing, bread baking is an old one - but risky if you let it burn, flowers are a nice though lilies can be operpowering.
Pot pourri is useful but not in excess,
Pet smells, food smells, stinks and stenches will put people off.
Keep your house smelling nice. Keeping it clean is essential - wash out any bins, clean the bathroom, make sure dinner isn't cooking when people view.
Introduce nice smells. Freshly squeezed oranges smell amazing, bread baking is an old one - but risky if you let it burn, flowers are a nice though lilies can be operpowering.
Pot pourri is useful but not in excess,
Picking the right estate agent
Interview them for the job.
Do they offer you a copy of their contract of their terms and conditions?
Do any of them have an eye on the market, mentioning a quick sale price?
Ring them all up and ask them as if you were planning on buying in the area. How do they deal with you? (ok, get someone else to do it, or use a relatives address and name) - but this way you know how they deal with people. Doing this first might save you time interviewing them!
Ask them how many people they have on their books wanting houses like yours.
Chances are they all get the same customers - so you want someone who's efficient and easy to deal with.
What tie in did they all ask for? What fee? Will they negoiate?
Do they offer you a copy of their contract of their terms and conditions?
Do any of them have an eye on the market, mentioning a quick sale price?
Ring them all up and ask them as if you were planning on buying in the area. How do they deal with you? (ok, get someone else to do it, or use a relatives address and name) - but this way you know how they deal with people. Doing this first might save you time interviewing them!
Ask them how many people they have on their books wanting houses like yours.
Chances are they all get the same customers - so you want someone who's efficient and easy to deal with.
What tie in did they all ask for? What fee? Will they negoiate?
Sunday, 18 May 2008
Everything must have its place
Everything must go somewhere!
Hide the vacuum cleaner and the ironing board, but find room somewhere sensible for them! People want to know you've lots of useful storage available.
And viewers do open cupboards!
Hide the vacuum cleaner and the ironing board, but find room somewhere sensible for them! People want to know you've lots of useful storage available.
And viewers do open cupboards!
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Radiators and heating
If you've got radiators then make sure they're sparkling clean. You can touch up old ones with radiator paint.
Get together the info on your boiler. How old it is, when its serviced, how much does the service cost, what life is left in it, how good it is.
Make sure you dust round the radiators as the can become dust traps.
Get together the info on your boiler. How old it is, when its serviced, how much does the service cost, what life is left in it, how good it is.
Make sure you dust round the radiators as the can become dust traps.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Drive by viewings
People need to be drawn to your house as they drive or walk past. They need something to stand out and make them want to explore inside. They want the kerb appeal factor to be high.
Achieve good kerb appeal with
Achieve good kerb appeal with
- Fresh looking paintwork
- Roof in good order
- Garden neat and tidy
- lawn mown
- bins out of view
- house number clearly displayed
- paths clean and swept
- hedges neatly trimmed
- hanging baskets full of flowers
- empty drive way
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Questions that might get asked on viewings
Any disputes or noise issues with the neighbours?
Why are you moving?
Have you ever been burgled?
Have you ever flooded?
Has anybody ever been murdered here?
When was property last rewired.
How old boiler & ch system, is it checked regularly by BGas or registered corgi guy.
How old is roof - does it have any problems?
How long they have lived there?
If a flat, how much is service charge?
has the house suffered from any subsidence problems ?
What council tax band is it?
What did the previous owners do to the house? Is work under guarantee still?
Is there a good school near by?
Any good places for our kids to hang out--playground maybe? This might reveal it's a living hell if all the kids from miles around hang out near there
How are the neighbours? Are they nice? Do they have kids?
Is there anything really noisy nearby? (Pub, hotel, chippy, fire station, police station, motorway, industrial units)
Is the property on water meter?
What work have they had done? And when was it done, is it still under guarantee or warranty?
Why are you moving?
Have you ever been burgled?
Have you ever flooded?
Has anybody ever been murdered here?
When was property last rewired.
How old boiler & ch system, is it checked regularly by BGas or registered corgi guy.
How old is roof - does it have any problems?
How long they have lived there?
If a flat, how much is service charge?
has the house suffered from any subsidence problems ?
What council tax band is it?
What did the previous owners do to the house? Is work under guarantee still?
Is there a good school near by?
Any good places for our kids to hang out--playground maybe? This might reveal it's a living hell if all the kids from miles around hang out near there
How are the neighbours? Are they nice? Do they have kids?
Is there anything really noisy nearby? (Pub, hotel, chippy, fire station, police station, motorway, industrial units)
Is the property on water meter?
What work have they had done? And when was it done, is it still under guarantee or warranty?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)