“As soon as I saw the photo, I knew it was the one!”  Such is the power of photography, and as a potential buyer’s first introduction to your home, it can make or break a sale. Given how influential photos are, it’s surprising how many property listings have wonky, blurred or dark images – worse than many selfies! In fact, poor photography regularly crops up whenever I meet someone who’s having trouble selling. When it comes to showing your home at its absolute best, professional photos are nothing less than essential to stand out from the crowd and capture the imagination of serious viewers. Nonetheless, even with a specialist photographer…

If you thought you’d missed the boat for a family move this year, the good news is you’ve still got time. With the speed of the current market, you can sell your home and be in your new one by the end of the school holidays. The Times recently reported that the average conveyancing time in the UK is now 59 days. Given that property is selling faster than ever – often within a week or even days after hitting the market – it’s perfectly possible to move within 2-3 months from the date your home goes up for sale. But there’s no time to waste, and this week’s blog…

With the end of April comes the end of frosts, so now’s the perfect time to lay the groundwork of a beautiful spring and summer garden. Being in a natural green space is always delightful and hugely positive for our well-being, while gardening itself has proved a healthy and joyous activity. On top of all that, gardens have become a bigger selling point than ever. Post lockdown, outside space remains a high priority for buyers, so it really pays to make the most of whatever you have, from a bijou balcony to rolling lawns. The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert or wait for months…

As the spring 2022 property market begins, Nationwide Building Society has reported a 14% year-on-year price increase for March, up again from the 12% already reported in February. Spring is famously the busiest season for buying and selling, and not just because our thoughts turn to spending more time outside in summer. Now is when families start planning their move for the next school year, an immovable and non-negotiable deadline that brings more homes to the market. Zoopla has already seen a slight increase in the number of properties for sale, up 3.5% in the four weeks to 20th March. That’s a welcome relief for buyers who’ve been waiting in…

Have you ever known the costs of utility bills to be such a massive conversation? As well as being a hot topic at home and at work, the news is full of stories about soaring energy prices, future supply questions and the environmental impact of gas, coal and oil. With fossil fuels all finite resources, the Government is also on the case with a target for the UK to be carbon neutral by 2050. Traditional homes are our pride and joy, but they’re as leaky as they are beautiful. The UK has the least energy-efficient housing in Europe, with the average Victorian property having an EPC rating of E. Compare that…

Of all the different things buyers ask for when looking for a home (from the style, to the location, to the price), two things transcend everything: light and space. Both are precious commodities, and not just when it comes to property in Stourbridge and nearby. Natural light is good for all of us and fuels a positive mood, while space and comfort provide a sense of permanence and peace. As winter begins to fade, the opportunity is here to fling open the curtains once more and capture the extra daylight of the new season. Spring brings budding flowers, blossoming trees and welcome sunshine, all of which affect the appearance of…

Nobody knows your home better than you, but does that make you the best person to show buyers around? There’s a whole lot more that goes into viewings than simply taking people from room to room – what happens before and afterwards can have a dramatic effect on the offers you get and how quickly you sell. Aside from the obvious savings to your time, using an agent who accompanies every potential buyer has multiple benefits. So this week’s blog includes all you need to know about how we bring the right people to your home, and how you can be sure that your viewings are in good hands. TEST…

Sellers aren’t selling; buyers can’t buy; nobody can move. The property market is stuck! People have been achieving extraordinary prices for their homes, with the Government’s official figures showing a national increase in property values around 20% between January 2020 and December 2021. With life-changing sums just waiting to be had, you’d think homeowners would be jumping at the chance to sell. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Consultancy firm TwentyCi says there were just 350,980 properties for sale across the entire UK at the beginning of 2022, the lowest figure since the company began gathering data in 2008. Even with turbo-charged demand and the possibility of selling for more…

Would it surprise you to learn that homeowners in the UK move on average just once every 23 years? That might sound unbelievable given our national obsession with property, but keeping up to date with the value of our homes doesn’t mean we’re forever moving on. Some people are selling a property for the first time, but even relatively seasoned sellers who move every 5-10 years can forget some details. Is it any wonder, then, that almost every homeowner I meet has so many questions?  I deal with people selling their home in Stourbridge or nearby every day, and knowing what to expect goes a long way towards a seamless…

If you took a break from selling last year and you’re ready to try again, or if your home is still for sale and you’d like to refresh your marketing, this week’s blog is for you. We’ve all said at some point that a change is as good as a rest, and whether it’s switching careers or changing a routine, doing things differently is the route to new results. And when it comes to selling your home, nothing could be more true. Changing the appearance of your property doesn’t have to be costly or disruptive. There are many ways of creating a new look with surprisingly little effort, often by…

Are you planning to move next year? If you are, you’ll probably be thinking about getting ready for viewings and how to help buyers fall in love with your home. Getting the highest possible price in the shortest period of time is mostly a matter of setting the scene, and the festive break provides the perfect moment to step back for a fresh look at where you live. Buyers get several introductions to your home. Some will see your online advert; others might call from your for-sale sign. Later on, there are those first few moments when they step inside and how your rooms look and feel on viewings. So…

What are your plans this Christmas? For some, it’s the chance to head off for a blast of winter sun, but the festive season is also a wonderful time to be at home because there’s so much going on. Local businesses and venues pull out all the stops in creating magical events and experiences, filling our neighbourhoods with Christmas cheer and the air with tempting aromas. Even staying indoors is unlike any other time, with gatherings of friends and family eating their way towards the new year and looking forward to what it may bring. And with some extra time on your hands, the holidays are the perfect opportunity to…

December is a month like no other. There are Christmas lights and festive cheer everywhere you go, and everyone’s thoughts start turning to the new year and new beginnings. If you’re selling your home, the Boxing Day Bounce brings the year’s largest audience to the property portals, with 2020 seeing Rightmove’s biggest ever Christmas audience, up a whopping 54% on 2019. As well as these regular annual happenings, 2021’s shortage of supply means many buyers are still actively looking for their next home. And with talk of interest rates rising early in 2022, there’s a real motivation to settle on somewhere soon to lock in a current mortgage deal. All…

It’s the middle of November, and your thoughts are probably turning to putting your feet up for Christmas. But with the new year just six weeks off, it’s also natural and exciting to look forward to new beginnings, so what better time to start thinking about your decor for 2022? To help you make a start, and to ensure the homes of Stourbridge and nearby look and feel the part, I’ve been scouring the media for the latest trends and comments from home decoration experts. From putting it all together, it’s clear that 2022’s watchword is evolution rather than revolution. So many of us sunk our energies into improving our…

One of the biggest concerns for anyone looking to sell their home is being unable to find one to buy. Although the issue is getting a lot of press right now, it’s always been at the front of people’s minds when considering a move. If you’ve been thinking of selling your home, the idea that you won’t have somewhere to go could mean you’ve put your moving plans on ice. And if you’ve already found a buyer, but you’re having little or no luck finding a place to buy, you might be wondering if your move will fall apart. The good news is that all is very far from lost!…

Have you ever wondered why some homes get multiple offers, while others struggle to get even one? It’s rarely down to chance. There’s no such thing as an unsellable home, and every property in every price range has the capacity to generate high levels of interest. Marketing is certainly a factor, but getting the highest possible price comes down to the partnership between you and your estate agent. The advice you’re given around price and presentation, whether you take or leave that advice, and then how your agent performs are the three pillars on which a successful sale depends. Whether your agent is online or on the high street, what…

Autumn gets a bad rap as a season for selling your home. It’s always pushed back behind the blossom of spring, the sunshine of summer, and the festive magic of winter. But Autumn is what you might call the hidden gem of seasons to sell. There’s still plenty of activity from buyers, the leaves are turning into a bold and beautiful display of colour, and there are no stressful deadlines like Christmas and school years to meet. Instead, Autumn can be the most relaxed season for starting and planning a move. Even with homes selling quickly, the average timescale for moving home remains around 4-5 months, which gives you all…

Some questions in life are unavoidable. Aside from whether the chicken or the egg came first, at some point along the line you’ll begin to wonder if your home can evolve with you, or if it’s time to say goodbye and find somewhere new. Moving is a big step and an exciting time, but whether you’re running out of space, looking to downsize or considering a change of location, there’s more to selling your home than just a property transaction. Memories, attachments and neighbours are often difficult to leave behind, and it can become a challenge to separate emotion from logic. Many local homeowners face exactly the same dilemmas as…

If you’ve been dreaming of selling up and moving by Christmas, the good news is that you still have time. Celebrating Christmas and New Year in a new home with those you love the most, then hitting the January sales for a bounty of bargains, is a wonderful way to say goodbye to 2021 and welcome in 2022. It’s also a date that many buyers are still keen to meet at this time of year. As of today, September 6th, there are 109 days until Christmas Day, which gives you a timeframe of just over 15 weeks. Although that’s faster than the national average, it’s by no means unheard of,…

Despite the strongest market in a decade with property selling faster than ever, there are still homes in Stourbridge and nearby that have not sold. If you’ve been on the market for some time, you could be wondering why on earth you don’t have a buyer when demand is so high. With a backdrop of record-breaking prices, selling speeds and low supply, it’s far easier for an agent to make a sale than to fail, so why is your home not under offer? Whatever stage you’re at, the good news is that however long you’ve been on the market, there’s always a path to finding a buyer. It’s simply a…