The first step in preparing to sell your home is speaking to estate agents about its current value and how you can maximise your sale price. Whether or not you already have a favourite agent in mind – and if you do, we hope it’s us! – the process of getting your home valued has several steps, including: Every stage will give you clues about how an agent operates and the one that’s right for you, so let’s explore how getting your home valued works and what to look for in the agents you meet. BOOKING YOUR VALUATION Whether you prefer to book your valuation by phone, in person or…

What would you think if we said you could attract wealthier buyers, sell your home faster, and achieve a higher price without a major investment? There’s an art to staging rooms professionally, but the payoff is huge for getting it right. Your home can rise above the crowd as a standout listing, creating enough excitement for buyers to pay a premium. So for this week’s blog, we’re sharing our styling techniques along with tips from interior designers and professional photographers to get a picture-perfect look, including expert advice on:  The good news is that you can often use items you already own to make every room in your home look…

September often brings a flood of property to the market, but you can get ahead of the game by preparing to sell in August. Being ready to go when September starts means your photos can be taken earlier, boosting your home with some extra summer pep from the sunnier weather. After the school year starts, estate agents’ diaries fill up with valuations and photoshoots, which can mean a longer wait to go live. So instead of launching in a crowd, give yourself a jump-start by: We’ve got expert tips on all of that right here in our handy guide, so without further ado or delay, let’s dive right in! INVITE…

Summer holidays are always too short for children, but for adults, they seem to go on forever. Perhaps you’ve already been away, or you’ve used up all your ideas for keeping the kids occupied, and you’re facing another month of finding things for the family to do without losing your marbles. With so many days to fill, the summer holidays are a brilliant opportunity for children to develop their interests, but it takes some doing to keep making things happen with a plan for all weathers. For parents, the summer can be a constant conundrum around how you can: Now THAT is one tall order! So we’ve put together some…

When the property market takes an uncertain turn, it can throw your moving plans into doubt. Remember the post-Brexit wobble? And when Covid struck? Both looked catastrophic for sellers, but prices surged in the boom that followed with a massive shortage of property from such high demand. Now, higher interest rates and inflation are causing many buyers to press pause and keep renting as they wait to see how things pan out. While most people don’t move for financial reasons – factors like family, work and lifestyle are the ones that run the show – it’s money that makes every move possible. So is selling your home a good or…

Price is everything when selling your home. It doesn’t matter where you live, what you live in or what condition it’s in – if the price is wrong, you’ll be out of pocket or stuck where you are.  Accurate valuations are fundamental to a successful move, but they’re not an exact science. You might even have noticed similar homes selling for wildly different prices on the same street. A bit like a recipe, an accurate valuation requires a delicate balance of ingredients for the perfect result, including: When just one of those doesn’t work out, disappointment and doubt can sour relations with your agent if your move looks at risk.…

The sun’s out, the sky’s blue, summer’s here, so it’s time to view! World-class poetry aside, with the sun shining bright and nature in bloom, the conditions are perfect for selling your home when it looks its best. Capturing the essence of summer is a surefire way to win the hearts of buyers, and with forecasts for a long stretch of hot and balmy days in 2023, you can elevate every viewing with our expert tips on: Whether your home is hitting the market for the first time or you want to refresh your marketing for a new summer push, everything you need for the brightest season for selling is…

Not every part of your home is created equal, and some have a quantifiably higher value than others.  At the same time, there are those unique and saleable qualities that are less easy to put a figure on, but nonetheless play a vital role in securing a buyer. Different spaces require a different approach, so we’ve divided this blog into expert tips for: So let’s take a look at what buyers are looking for in each of these areas. When we’re done, you’ll be able to identify the most valuable and saleable parts of your home so you can stay ahead of the market whenever you come to sell. LOVEABLE…

It seemed so exciting when your home first went on the market. You were full of anticipation around people coming to view, and your agent sounded convincing when they said they had buyers waiting. But that was months ago, and your home is still for sale. Perhaps the relationship with your agent has soured, or maybe you still feel loyal, but at the back of your mind you’re wondering how long to wait before switching to someone else. When people have changed to us from another estate agent, the main reasons they felt they needed a fresh start were: If any of these ring true for you, the good news…

How do you feel about adding thousands to your home without making a single improvement? One of the magic words in property is ‘potential’, and getting planning permission to increase the amount of accommodation is a great way to add more value and widen your audience. Among the many possibilities and things to consider are: So this week’s blog is all about turning potential into pounds and using planning permission to boost your home’s value, without ever picking up a paintbrush. GETTING PERMISSION However you plan to increase the size of your home, you’ll need either or both planning permission and building regulations approval from your local authority. This means…

You’ve picked your estate agent, you’re chuffed with your photos and description, and your home is priced to precision. Now all that’s left is your viewings – what can go wrong? Well, quite a lot! There are plenty of pitfalls to avoid when your viewers arrive, and some of the most common include As your estate agent, it’s our job to strip away the potential for negative comments about your home, leaving only positive vibes that buyers can’t resist. So this week’s blog has all you need to avoid the biggest viewing mistakes before anyone comes to visit. THE WRONG WELCOME  Although you know your home better than anyone else,…

Pushing your home’s value to its full potential can make your next move bigger and better. That could mean more space, a larger garden, or a swisher location than you thought was possible. But where do you start? Well, we talk to buyers looking for a home in Stourbridge and nearby every day. And from their reactions on viewings, we’ve pulled together the qualities and features they love most to help you make upgrades that count, including: So whether you’re selling soon or adding value for the future, let’s take a look at the most popular improvements to bowl over buyers and sell your home for more. START WITH THE…

Moving home with your family is a momentous time, especially when it involves changing schools. And although it can be challenging for everyone, it can also be an exciting new chapter. Nonetheless, whether it’s switching from primary to secondary, not liking a current school, or changing location for work or more space, there’s plenty to think about, including: Managing all of that is no mean feat! Selling and buying a property usually takes between 4 and 6 months, which makes spring the time to get your home on the market for a move in the summer holidays before the new school year. So let’s explore how you can coordinate selling…

Spring has been the most popular season to buy and sell a home for as long as we can remember, and with good reason. Plans are often hatched around the beginning of the year, and as the weather warms up and nature bursts into bloom, those plans swing into action. Perhaps you want to move your family in time for the new school year to minimise disruption to your children. Or maybe you just love the idea of being in your next home by summer.  Whether it’s more space, a bigger garden, somewhere with room for an office or even downsizing, spring inspires many a move, with sellers and buyers…

Of all the reasons for moving home, downsizing can be the most overwhelming. It doesn’t matter if your home has become unmanageable or even if you know that moving to a smaller space will improve your life: just thinking about it can be incredibly daunting. A lot comes down to the fear of leaving memories behind and giving away treasured possessions that have been part of your life for a long time. If you’ve lived somewhere for decades, raised a family there or have wonderful neighbours, saying goodbye might feel like a wrench. At the same time, downsizing can open up new friendships and interests, produce substantial savings in running…

Not every home sells for its full potential value, and that’s often because the finest features are either hidden or under-presented. But you can add many thousands to your sale price simply by showing off what’s already there. Even though furniture and styling play their part, buyers are ultimately paying for the fabric of your home, and that’s how estate agents, mortgage lenders and surveyors will appraise the value of your property. So it makes sound financial sense to make the most of what you’ve got by highlighting all the existing character and space. When you get it right, it’s a surefire way to wow your buyers, from stunning photography…

How do you feel about the property market right now? It’s peak prediction season in the press, with daily claims from experts that house prices are about to fall off a cliff, stagnate or even slowly rise. We know that most of these predictions will be wrong, but which ones? The first thing to remember is that asking prices and sale prices are not the same thing. If a home is 10% overpriced and then reduced by 10%, that isn’t a fall in sale prices. And if asking prices increase, like Rightmove says they have this month, it doesn’t mean sale prices have risen as well. So what is actually…

What are your big plans this year? Fitness, wealth, travel, something else? Change is always in the air when January arrives. We’re entering 2023 on the back of quite a ride. Lockdowns, Brexit, empty shelves, four prime ministers, working from home, strikes, inflation, and geopolitical turmoil – it’s all been very real.   With so much external upheaval, it’s no wonder that interior design is seeking to satisfy a desire to feel more in control, something we can all achieve at home with a strong sense of personal style. As well as giving your rooms a fresh new look, new decor trends can help you add thousands to your home…

Survived the work Christmas party – tick. Aced the Christmas shopping – tick. Overindulged at Christmas dinner – tick. Now you’ve successfully completed every yuletide tradition, what are your plans for the rest of the year? If the scrum of the sales and drizzly days aren’t tempting you outside, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the time between Christmas and New Year indoors. Whether you want to make more space, restyle your rooms, catch up on culture or simply shut off, our blog this week is packed with ideas for fabulous festive fun without ever leaving the house. CLEAR THE CLUTTER After all the excitement of Christmas Day, now…