So, what exactly is Gazundering and when can it happen?

Gazundering is the term to describe when a property buyer retracts their original accepted offer and then puts in a lower offer. The term is quite broad ranging and whilst sometimes this is part of a genuine renegotiation, it is sometimes used as a tactic to prey on desperate people and is done just before exchange of contracts.

If Gazumping is legal, I guess this is too?

Correct, this is completely legal but can be done immorally. Before we get to the immoral part, let’s cover when gazundering is simply just a renegotiation due to new evidence coming to light.

A Survey Finds a Problem

This can be the most common reason for someone trying to retract their original offer in exchange for a lower offer. Technically this is gazundering, however, we feel that this may be justified on the buyers’ part and not done with ill intent to the seller.

For example, if the survey discovers a defect that isn’t reasonably obvious that will cost a lot of money to remediate, it is understandable that they would try and negotiate to reflect that unexpected cost. Of course, if you are buying a property that clearly needs work, it is unjustified to use the survey to try and renegotiate on something that was obvious when you made the original offer as that would have been reflected in the price.

A Kink In The Chain

Another reason why people may try and renegotiate is if there is a problem in the chain. We have been involved in circumstances before when another party in the chain has lost their original buyer and whilst a new buyer has been found, the second party has not offered as much as the first buyer.

This then puts them in a tricky position and whilst some will accept it and move on, others will try and renegotiate with their onward purchase which can then have a knock on effect up the chain.

If the chain is advanced it preys on the desperation of the other parties in the chain and whilst it may not be with malicious intent, should you reduce your agreed sale price because someone else in the chain has a problem? We cannot answer that directly as there may be a whole host of circumstances to consider. What we can advise is that if you do find yourself in this position, speak it through with your Agent in depth as they should know more about the chain and have a bigger picture.

Right, so what about the immoral buyers out there?

There are buyers out there, who for no justified reason, retract their offer at the very last minute (just before exchange of contracts) and put in a lower offer. This is done at the last minute because they are preying on your desperation and, especially if you are in a chain, will know that you can’t afford to allow the whole chain to collapse.

There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of tactic, and we are pleased to say that we haven’t ever had the unpleasant experience of this in our sales. It is quite rare for a regular member of the public to use this tactic, however, there are companies out there that use this tactic with regularity, and those are the companies that promise to buy your house for cash or offer quick solutions.

We should point out that this does not happen all the time, some of those companies may be genuine and we can’t tar them all with the same brush.  That being said, we have personally known of that happening (a drop of £20,000 in an offer for no justified reason on a bungalow worth £120,000, which is a huge proportional drop) and we have also seen another local agent who has had the same experience and we would think most agents have had some similar incidents.

How do I protect myself against that behaviour?

We understand that some people need a quick sale solution and that it might seem like an offer too good to be true. We always suggest getting advice from an Estate Agent on your property before going to one of those ‘we buy homes’ companies, after all, it is always worth getting advice from multiple sources and most agents will be able to sell your home quickly if the price is right.

If you need a quick sale and would like more advice, please do not hesitate to contact us.

James, Meteor Homes

So, what exactly is Gamzumping?

Gazumping is a term for when someone offers a higher amount for a property, after an offer has already been accepted from another party. It all seems a bit unfair doesn’t it!

It’s illegal to gazump people though, isn’t it?

Even though people may think this is illegal, it isn’t illegal at all.

Have you ever seen the words ‘subject to contract’ after the word ‘sold’ on a board or online? These words are really important and refer to the sale contracts that are drawn up by solicitors to complete the transaction.

A house sale is only legally binding when these contracts have ‘exchanged’ and this happens at the end of the process which means that it is legal for someone to offer higher than you, even if you are close to exchange. This leaves you vulnerable to losing thousands of pounds, incurred from mortgage arrangement costs, surveys and legal fees.

Should the Estate Agent try and stop this?

Whilst there are the occasional Estate Agents out there that act in an unscrupulous manner, most are completely against this type of behaviour. Even though agents are acting for the seller (after all, they are our fee payer), we also have a duty of care to the buyers and don’t want to see anyone go through the stress and heartbreak of this situation.

We should point out though, if someone does make a higher offer whilst a sale is progressing, as an agent, we are legally bound to submit all offers to the vendor in writing.

How can I stop it happening to me?

Whilst you cannot definitively stop it happening, there are several things that you can do to lessen the likelihood of it happening.

We mentioned the importance of building a rapport in our ‘doing your own viewings’ blog and this is certainly the case here. If you have started to build up a rapport with the seller and shown them your enthusiasm for their property, this will certainly make it harder for them to accept a higher offer. Some people do become emotionally involved in the sale of their house so try and tap into that. Of course, on the flip side, there are sellers that see it as a business transaction.

Ok, what else can I do?

Make swift progress and communicate with the agent. Nothing makes a seller more jittery than having a buyer that is slow in making progress and has a lack of urgency. If your offer is accepted, get in touch with your mortgage advisor immediately to get the ball rolling with the full mortgage application. Advise your solicitor of your accepted offer too. Most importantly, communicate this with the Estate Agent so that they can update the seller. Showing urgency will definitely hold you in good stead with most sellers.

Home Buyer Protection Insurance

Another thing that you can consider, is taking out insurance. This can ensure that if you are gazumped, you can get some, if not all, of your incurred costs back. Of course, this will not help with all the stress and heartbreak you will feel but at least you will not be entirely out of pocket.

So what happens if someone else offers higher?

If you are unlucky enough to find yourself in this position you do have a couple of options. Don’t be afraid to sell yourself (and your position). After all, if you are quite well progressed, it certainly works in your favour as the seller may not want to go back to square one.

If this doesn’t work then you should be given the opportunity to increase your offer, remember, the agent legally must submit your offer. Before you do this though, really consider how much you want the property and how much you can afford to offer, don’t financially stretch yourself.

If you do increase your offer, again, use your position to your advantage. If you have built up a rapport with the seller and are quite progressed, they may well accept your increased offer, even though it is lower than the other party, just because it is easier for them to do so.

Word of warning for sellers

If you do end up in a position where you have accepted an offer and a new party offers higher, really consider it before just going for the higher amount. Firstly, just because they have offered more, doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get more, for example, a mortgage company may well decide that your house isn’t worth the additional money offered.

Also, we think that if someone is willing to gazump, they will be equally willing to gazunder! Not sure what gazundering is, all will be explained in our next blog.

If you are still unsure about this or any aspect of the house sale/purchase process, please feel free to contact us.

James

Meteor Homes

Let’s start with what to look for

Now this seems obvious, but it can often be overlooked; think about what you want from the property AND the location. You don’t want to be in a situation where you have been blinded by the property but when you move in, you realise that the area is unsafe with high crime rates. Always look at the wider location of the property you are viewing to make sure you will feel safe and that it suits your needs.

For families this may mean that you want a desirable park or school nearby, for a first time buyer you may want to be within walking distance to pubs, bars and restaurants, for elderly buyers you may want similar properties occupied by mainly retired residents or streets that are well lit with amenities close by.

As well as doing online checks, we suggest driving around the nearby streets at different times of the day (morning rush, school kick out times, late rush hour, evening) to see what is happening.

When it comes to the property itself, make sure it suits your needs. Are the bedrooms big enough for you? Are the living spaces and kitchen facilities sufficient for your needs? Can you picture how you would use the space on offer?

Questions to ask

Now, some questions you may want to ask will depend on your buying position but there are always a few questions that any buyer should ask.

• How long have the owners lived in the property and why are they selling? There are all manner of reasons why people choose to move and most of the time it is a change in circumstances, however, look out for anything which could cause a red flag.
• What is the area like? It is important to get a really good feel for the area and who better to ask than someone who lives there, although, as mentioned above, we suggest you carry out your own due diligence too.
• What are the neighbours like? Again, you are looking for red flags here. It is important to remember that if they have had any disputes with their neighbours, they are legally obliged to tell you.
• What work has the current owner carried out to the property and if they have the relevant certificates? There is nothing worse than viewing a property that seems to be finished to a high standard, only to find out when you move in that thing have been done on the cheap and you will need to rip it up and start again. Not all changes will need planning consent but most will need building control sign off so ask them if all works have been signed off. It is worth noting that your solicitor will also check for building control certificates when they request the searches at the legal stage.
• How long has the property been on the market? In the current market where properties are selling quite quickly, it does raise questions if a property has been on the market for a long time. It could be as simple as the agent overvalued it but there could be more issues which lead on to the next questions.
• Have there been any offers? This could lead to a series of further questions, for example, if there has been offers, why haven’t they been accepted. If there have been accepted offers, why did they fall through? Is there an underlying problem with the property? Most of the time there is a simple answer to all of these questions but you want to know as much as possible before submitting your offer.
• What broadband is available? Most towns will now have access to high speed broadband but rural locations may still be experiencing low 3-6mb speeds. If you are working from home or have a family where multiple users are online, this may be a difficult point to overcome.
• What is the mobile phone reception like? Given that many people are now deciding to do away with landlines, it is important that you have good mobile signal in your house. Don’t be fooled in to thinking that this is just a rural problem either, there are several parts of Grimsby where signal is appalling. Just have a look at your phone when you are viewing each property.
• Is there a chain? You should always ask the position of the sellers, if there is a chain and what flexibility they have. Every buyer and seller’s situation is different and sometimes the position of the buyers and sellers can be more important the amount being offered.
• What is the EPC score? OK, there is more to it than just the score, what you really want to know is if the boiler is efficient? Is there any insulation in the loft or walls? What improvement can be made to make the energy performance better? EPC’s have been overlooked for years now but as energy prices are increasing at a frightening pace, this could well be the most important thing that you consider in your next home.

We hope this has been helpful but if you have any further questions about this topic, or anything property related, feel free to contact us for more advice.

James, Meteor Homes

So, let’s begin with the first questions that you should be asking before the viewer even gets to your door. You should be asking your agent, who is viewing and what position are they in? (A good agent will have already found this out and let you know.) Are they a first-time buyer, an investor, in rented accommodation or do they need to sell? Do they require a mortgage and if so have they got a decision in principle, or are they cash buyers?

This is important because a buyer who is going to live in your property (owner/occupier) is much more likely to view your property on a personal level whereas an investor will be viewing on a business level.

Now that you are prepared for who to expect, you can think about how you may want the viewing to go with owner/occupiers.

Start with an ice breaker

We often try and gauge how receptive the viewer is going to be, you will know within the first few minutes.

We would suggest inviting them in and trying to make small talk, find an easy ice breaker like the weather, after all being British means that the weather will always be a talking point, try:

You have picked a perfect day for viewing, it really shows the garden is a sun trap, or, it’s a bit miserable out there today isn’t it, come in and warm up.

Find common ground

Gently probe them with a few questions as you show them around the first couple of rooms.

Ask them how their viewings have gone so far? If there have been any standout houses they have seen (the fact that they are still viewing probably means they haven’t but it is a good talking point)? What is the most important feature they are looking for?

The key is to do this in a way that makes them feel comfortable, not like an interrogation, but this will also help you to gauge how their search has gone so far. This gives you a good chance to find some common ground and you can share similar experiences that you have had. It might be they mention negative features of other properties they have viewed that you can turn in to a positive about your property.

Point out your selling features

At this point you will know how receptive the viewer is going to be. If they don’t want to converse, don’t push it, some people just aren’t that way inclined. However, if the viewer is receptive then start to change your approach a little.

Hopefully you will have been able to gently probe to find out what the viewer is looking for and use this to your advantage. Rather than ask more questions, simply point out the main selling points of your property and if they mentioned what is most important to them, make sure you capitalise on that.

As an example, a big kitchen diner is a huge selling point for a family so maybe say something like:

We have had so many great family gatherings in this kitchen/family room, it is such a wonderful entertaining space 

Some houses have large bedrooms, so say that in a way that is relatable, such as:

All the bedrooms are double bedrooms which has been great with having teenagers growing up in the house

Doing this will compound the positive selling points that have been mentioned in the property marketing.

Don’t forget, it is a two way street

It is really important to remember that the conversation you strike up will be a two-way conversation and the viewers will often ask you numerous questions to gauge whether your property is right for them.

They will often ask questions relating to the boiler (is it a combi boiler, when was it installed, has it been serviced?), the electrics (has the property been rewired?) and the damp course (has the property had a damp course?).

Always answer honestly, if you don’t know, that is fine.

They may also ask about your reason for selling and if you have another property to move on to. Again, be honest but if your reasons are quite personal, you do not need to disclose anything you don’t want to.

Sometimes viewers will ask questions relating to their position, for example someone with children may ask about local schools etc. Think about the type of things that your target buyer may want to know.

Building a trusting Rapport could help negotiations

Each and every person that views your property has the potential to be the buyer. By asking and answering questions, being friendly and warm to the viewers, you are building up a trusting rapport which could be key to selling your property.

If the viewers see you as warm, friendly and amenable, it may make negotiations easier for your agent, leading to a higher sale figure. It also may make them more flexible way down the line when it comes to agreeing dates (which can be difficult in a larger chain).

Every agent will have heard a vendor say ‘I wouldn’t accept their offer if they offered the asking price’ or a viewer say ‘the property was perfect but I wouldn’t do business with a person like that’. So, building a trusting relationship is a vital part of the viewing process.

What if you get an offer at the viewing?

In an extremely hot market where buyers are worried about losing the property of their dreams, it is not uncommon for them to make an offer at the viewing.

We always recommend to our vendors that, in these circumstances, they should advise the viewer that they have been told by us not to accept anything at the viewing, and ask the viewer to contact our office as soon as possible.

This ensures that we can act in your best interest, and it does eliminate any embarrassment or awkwardness on both sides.

Another reason why we suggest this is that we always dig deeper into their position once they make an offer, to make sure what they have told us is correct. Unfortunately, there are always a handful of people out there that are deliberately deceitful, and will say anything to secure your property and, when we look in to it, may not be in the position they claim.

When this happens, it leads to those negative situations like those mentioned above.

We hope that this was helpful to you but if you want to discuss anything further, please feel free to get in touch.

James, Meteor Homes

So, your house is going on the market, and you are thinking about who will do the viewings. There are valid arguments for whether you carry out the viewings yourself, after all it is your property and no-one knows it better than you, or whether your agent carries out the viewings for you.

Most of the time, the answer to this question will come down to whether you:

1. Have the time and/or,
2. Feel comfortable showing people round your house.

As we mentioned above, no-one knows your property in the same way that you do, because you live there. If you are confident and comfortable in showing people around your property, and you are amenable to daytime and evening viewing requests, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t do them yourself. This way you are on hand to immediately answer any questions that the viewer may have (and believe us, some people have lots of questions).

If you choose to go down this route, we have a handy blog coming very soon which gives you tips and pointers to getting the best results. If you think that it is best left to the agent, then carry on reading as the difference in agent viewings may well surprise you.

So, you are letting your agent do the viewings for you

This can be a good option but the question you want to be asking your agent is, who is doing the viewing for you?

You see, different agents have different structures. Some agents have valuers, photographers, negotiators, admin and viewing staff, each carrying out their own designated roles. Whereas other agents, such as ourselves, are structured differently so that our valuers also are responsible for the marketing, negotiations and also the viewings.

So, what is the main difference between the two structures? The answer is consistency. If the person carrying out the viewing has never met you, spoken to you about your property, found out the selling points or agreed the best way to market the property, then how can they really sell it?

We have heard several horror stories about viewing representatives not being able to answer basic questions, not showing the positives or benefits of the property, rushing the viewer round and, in the end, doing more damage than good.

Therefore, we feel that the valuer should also carry out the viewings. By the time that viewings have been arranged on your home, the valuer will have met you, discussed your reasons for selling, discussed your property in depth, asked the relevant questions that a buyer would ask, agreed on a plan for how to market your property and carried out the first part of that plan.

All of this means that when it comes to viewings, the valuer will use all that knowledge and understanding of your property to sell it to the viewer and get you the best possible result.

So, if you are asking your agent to carry out your viewings, don’t forget to ask who is doing them.

We hope this guide is helpful to you but if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

James, Meteor Homes

Over the past couple of weeks, the news about energy price hikes has been inescapable. Now more than ever we all need to be more efficient with our electric, gas, water and oil. So, here are some easy energy saving tips that we can all use to help reduce our future energy bills.

(The figures are based on an average household and savings could be more or less depending on how many people are in your household)

1 – Be smart with water

Buying a more efficient shower head can cost as little as £25 but can save a massive £96 a year on water alone (plus the additional savings on electric/gas). Click Here for more info.

A survey showed that 30% of Brits admitted to leaving the tap on while brushing their teeth and 19% leave it running while washing the dishes. To put this in perspective, doing the washing up in a bowl can save the average household around £25 a year.

Likewise, only fill your kettle with minimum water required to make your drink.

Wash at 30 degrees and ideally with a full load, unless your machine has the “quick wash” or “half load” option.

Don’t forget – these figures are for saving water only, the additional gas and electrical savings make this a great way to reduce your bills. If you have ever watched your smart meter when the kettle boils, you will know how much energy this will also save! A kettle uses up to 3,000 watts, which makes it the most expensive household appliance to run. Drying washing on the line, if weather allows, will save money on electric as this is another expensive appliance to run.

2 – Laptop over desktop computer

If you are working from home (which is quite likely nowadays), choose a laptop over a desktop computer if you can. A laptop uses 20-50 watts compared to a desktop which uses 80-150 watts. By switching to a laptop, you could save over £25 a year.

3 – Cooking efficiency

Try to not open cooker door too much whilst cooking as it loses heat quickly. Also, try not to overfill cooking pans with water. It is best to use a stackable steamer if possible to reduce the amount of cooking rings in use.

4 – Be efficient with heating and lighting

Turning off lights when you’re not in a room can save you around £14 a year on your annual energy bills.

Turning your thermostat dial down by 1°C can save you around £80 a year. If there are rooms in the house which are unused, turn the radiator thermostats down low (although not off entirely as this could cause other problems within the fabric of the building).

5 – Avoid standby

OK, we have all heard of this before! We all heavily rely on our electrical devices, but when they are not in use, make sure you turn them off properly – you could save an average of £30 a year by turning things off at the wall.

6 – Teenagers!!

If you are parent to a teenager (yes we are and it is painfully wasteful and expensive!), try to make sure they turn off their lights, TV, straighteners and any other appliances when they are not being used, it could save you a small fortune.

Remember these are only small changes but they will reward you with noticeable money saving results, and help the environment too.

To find out more about how much energy your household appliances use, click here.

Here are 6 tips to help you stay positive and keep the stress at bay during the buying and selling process.

1. Stay Organised
2. Take Notes
3. Seek help from your team of professionals
4. Keep your usual routines
5. Look for the Humour
6. Stay Positive.

Stay Organised

Now is the time to sort through important documents to find the ones you will require for the current property and those for the new property too.

It is best to keep all of your ‘house’ papers in the same place, a folder of any sorts would be great, or a lidded box would be ideal too.

With more and more communication coming via email, we also suggest setting up a folder within your inbox specifically for all your purchase and sale emails. This way if you need to refer back to one, it will be easier to find.

Take Notes

Keep your notes together. There is nothing worse than having little scraps of paper all over the place and not being able to find where you put it, on top of the chaos of the move. So why not invest in a small notebook that you can carry with you.

This is especially important to make notes on the properties you have viewed as a buyer, or equally, to note all of the upcoming viewings you have as a seller.

Seek help from your team of professionals

This one will depend on who you have instructed to work on your behalf. There are plenty of ‘budget professionals’ that do a basic job but don’t give much advice or service.

If you have instructed a ‘good professional’, don’t ever be afraid of asking for help and advice, after all, that is what you are paying them for. This includes your Estate Agent, Mortgage Advisor and Solicitor. Their job is to make this whole process easier so never be afraid to ask for help, if they can’t assist you, they should have enough experience to point you in the right direction!

Don’t forget to keep your usual routines

Don’t forget that you still need your rest, healthy foods, exercise and time to relax. This goes for you and all of your household members. It is really important to not let the process dominate your life and this is not a good time to get sick, so take care of yourself.

Look for the Humour

It’s not what happens, its how you deal with it that can matters. This was shown by a story we were heard when a vendors’ husband had accidentally packed up all of her shoes, every last pair, and sent them to storage.

At the time, she was in another part of the house in her bare feet and hadn’t realised what her husband had done. Come the next morning as she was getting ready to leave for work (in the winter) she realised what had happened. This could have ruined her whole day but she saw the funny side and at least she had socks. Remember “Don’t sweat the small stuff”.

Stay Positive

Sometimes this will be easier said than done. But don’t forget, moving is an adventure, try not to get bogged down with the smaller stuff and think of the bigger picture. Try to remember how good you will feel when you have made that move and focus on your future.

Always look for the good in each situation.

If you would like any further advice, just give us a call on 01472 514060 and ask for James or Dawn.

Improve the kerb appeal.

So let’s start with kerb appeal! Nine times out of 10, the first thing people will see when they view a property (either in a photo or in person) is the front garden and elevation.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a large detached house with a front big garden and sprawling driveway or a terraced house with little to no front garden. Good presentation can immediately attract a potential buyer, whilst badly presented property could mean that potential viewers won’t even call to book a viewing.

So, where to start? Well, the first rule is:

Avoid Bin Day!!

Seeing the neighbours bins lined up down the street on your photo isn’t a great start.

Here are a few more basics to consider:

• Ensure the entrance to your property is viewer welcoming
• The front door and windows should be cleaned (and re-painted if necessary)
• Paths and driveway cleared and swept
• Mow the lawn & trim shrubs and bushes
• Gutters cleared
• Fences painted or wall repaired if necessary
• If your front elevation has a painted finish, give it a fresh coat
• It is nice to have flowers planted, if not in beds, scatter a few pots around for colour

And here are some examples of ‘how to’ and ‘how not to’ do it:

Create Garden Envy

OK, so you don’t need to have a garden designed by a landscape gardener (although, obviously that would be great), you just need to think about how to best present it.

Since the first lockdown, outside space has proven to be more important to buyers and can be a deal breaker. Therefore, no matter how big or small your outside space is, show it at its best and create an environment that buyers can envisage themselves relaxing after a hard day of work.

Here are the basics:

• Mow the lawn and define the edges
• Trims bushes & hedges and prune trees
• Plant colourful borders or add potted plants
• Paint or fix any fences
• Define sunny areas with seating (even set a couple of glasses and a bottle of wine out)
• Add solar lights
• For balconies, add colourful planted pots, a little bistro table and chairs and paint the railings if necessary

And a couple more examples of ‘how to’ and ‘how not to’

Thank you for reading, we hope these tips are useful and remember, we are here to help in any way we can with the sale of your property. We also welcome suggestions for future written and video blogs.

As we are now well in to 2021, we can see that the market has continued to thrive and prices have increased. Since the beginning of the year, new listings have slowed and sales have increased, which has been a driving factor in the surge in price increases.

So with all of this in mind, there are a few things that you should probably consider when you are buying in 2021

Less bang for your buck!

With the surge in prices in the past 18 months, the effect of the furlough scheme and job security, you may find that you really need to re-assess your affordability.

Prices have increase by 9.4%* in the past year. We have noticed that a rise in detached houses that would have been on the market a couple of years ago at around £250,000 are now at an asking price around £280,000 – £290,000. This means that the house that you had your eye on a couple of years ago is no longer viable in 2021, so it is very important to consider your budget.

*Official Rightmove data from March 2020 – March 2021 in the Yorkshire & Humber region

You also need to take different factors into account; what could happen if your hours were unexpectedly reduced, or you lost your job completely? How has the furlough scheme affected your affordability? Also, if your place of employment moved locations, or if you worked from home permanently? All would need to be considered when planning your budget.

Living (and working) Space

Living accommodation has always been important in a property search but it has become a main deciding factor, not just for the normal living arrangements, but since Covid-19 many people have been forced to work from home on kitchen tables and in spare bedrooms.

This means that you could be searching for a property where there is a space to work from comfortably.

• Ideally a study or maybe a spare bedroom would be preferable.
• Would a space under the stairs be an acceptable alternative? (although, it would probably better to have a window to look out of and some natural light, don’t underestimate the effect these can have on your mental health)
• Is there room for a cabin/summerhouse outside?
• Can you convert a garage or outbuilding?

The Great Outdoors

As we were spending weeks and months confined to our houses, we all realised the importance of outdoor space.

Space or the lack of it can be a new consideration especially since the pandemic as those spending extra time inside their flats or apartments made them realise the importance for some personal outside space.  Likewise, those that had space that was not fully utilised may feel that they want to look for something more suitable for their needs.

So, take into consideration if you would be happy with a large garden, a little garden or a courtyard garden. Also consider the orientation of the garden. It may be that you are now working from home and want morning sun in your garden to improve your work life. On the flip side, if you are working at the business premises during the day, you may well want the afternoon/evening sun in your garden so you can relax after a hard day with a glass of gin.

Location, location, location

No, we are not talking about the show with Kirsty and Phil. Location has always been an important factor in any home move. Consider where your home will be in relation to transport links, local amenities and distance to relatives and friends.

Due to the pandemic the job market is not so stable, would you be able to find a new job close to your new home?

As we mentioned above, outdoor space is important so see what you will have on your new doorstep. Is there a local park? Areas to walk with friends or your dog? Look for things that suit your lifestyle.

A helping hand

Whilst the market has soared, there have been several things that have helped buyers across the market.

Stamp Duty Holiday

Whilst the full Stamp Duty holiday has ended (30^th June 2021) it is still available for properties from £125,001 to £250,000 up until 30^th September 2021. After this point it will go back up to 2% of the difference between £125,000 and the sale price.

5% Deposits

Lower deposits have become available to a wider range of buyers, not just first-time buyers, who are purchasing a property up to £600,000 using the Government’s new 5% deposit home loan guarantee scheme.

It is helping more people become homeowners, however with any financial products always seek independent advice to ensure it is the best option for you. Click here to visit our recommended mortgage advisors website, Lincolnshire Financial Services.

Lifetime ISAs

Available for first time buyers only who are over 18 and under 40. With a lifetime ISA, you can put up to £4000 a year into the ISA and get a 25% bonus, up to a maximum of £1,000 per year is payable by the government.

If you are a couple this can be for each person too, so increasing the money payable to you and helping you even more to buy the home of your dreams.

As with the above, you need to ensure you speak to an advisor to ensure you qualify but you can find a link here for more information. We will be covering this subject in more detail in a future video blog.

Whatever property you end up buying, we wish you all the best for your new home. If we can be of assistance in selling your current home, you can call us to arrange a a time for us to provide you with free advice and valuation.

The study by Zoopla looked at all kinds of facts and figures but the one that stood out to us was that just over half of all British homeowners (52%) live in a house that doesn’t meet their needs.

We find this quite staggering really and would really like to know, if this is you, what isn’t working for you?

• The kitchen isn’t big enough to accommodate your dreams of becoming an amateur baker
• You need an extra bathroom because your daughter is now a teenager
• Your family is outgrowing the available space, or
• Your family has flown the nest and now you have too much space
• Now that you are working from home more, you really need a home office space (the dining room table just doesn’t cut it any more)

So why are people staying in properties that are unsuitable for their requirements? Naturally there are a whole host of reasons, maybe you fall in to one of these categories:

• Personal or health reasons
• Affordability
• You are so busy that they don’t stop to think about it
• You are happy in your home, even though it isn’t quite right
• You aren’t sure if you can move an don’t want to waste anyone’s time

You are never wasting our time.

We had a client recently that had a real whirlwind sale. They openly admitted that they had been thinking about moving for a couple of years but didn’t think that they would be able to move. Their hand was eventually forced when a property they loved became available, so they spoke to their mortgage advisor and had us round for a valuation and discovered that they could comfortably move.

This made us realise that there must be plenty of people out there that probably want to move but don’t know if they can but are too worried about asking for advice, just in case they can’t proceed and don’t want to waste anyone’s time.

I almost find it sad that as an industry, with so many corporate companies being target driven and pressure selling that the public are worried about calling us and wasting our time (or worried about us trying to pressure them to sell).

As an estate agent, we are here to provide you a service and one of those services is to provide you with a valuation of your most valuable asset. We (and our mortgage broker friends too) are also here to provide you with advice and assist you with your onward purchase if we can.

So, don’t sit there and put off getting your house valued because you are worried you cannot move. The worst case scenario is that you cannot move, but between us and the mortgage broker, we may well be able to give you advice on how to get yourself in a position to move in the very near future.

Of course, you may well be pleasantly surprised to find out that you are in a position to move and can start looking for your dream home.

Don’t be stuck in a house that isn’t working for you, call us, our valuations and advice are always free.