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Wednesday 21 August 2013

How to Sell Your House Quickly Tip



So why do some houses sell faster than others? What should you do for selling a house quickly? Same house, same number of bedrooms, same size garden, same street. The difference? The house down the road is presented properly for a quick sale.
You MUST present your property in the best possible light. That means present it as you would wish to see it for the very first time. Okay, let's start at the first thing a potential buyer will see - the front of the house. Is the gate hanging of the hinges? Is the path/driveway covered in weeds? Does the front door need a lick of paint? Do the windows need cleaning? Whatever the season for fast selling home, there's always stuff to do, so get them done, first impressions count, don't put off your potential buyer before they've even got through the front door!
Next, the hallway - don't answer the door with all the kids cramming at the doorway to see who it is, or the dog barking at the door bell ringing… get rid of them! Harsh I know, but pack them off to your Mothers' or a friendly neighbour for half an hour. So that done you answer the door with a big beaming smile, looking smart/casual and smelling nice... "Hi how are you, nice to meet you, please come in". Wow now that's a welcome. I like this house!
So once in you introduce your new guests to the living room… make sure the TV is turned off, cushions plumped up, carpet hovered, toys and general stuff put away, the room freshly aired and flowers somewhere in the room. The living room, as with all rooms, should be freshly decorated and de-cluttered.
Next move on to the kitchen - the most important room in the house! 99% of the time it is a woman who decides where to buy, so without wanting to be sexist, the kitchen is usually her domain. Get it spotless! All dishes clean and put away, table set, floor clean… show her you have pride in your kitchen, show her it is important to you. Then it will shine for her. The smell of coffee or freshly baked bread or cut flowers always works a treat.
After the kitchen, take them outside to view the back garden - make sure all the toys and bikes are hidden away in the garage or shed, have the grass freshly cut and again all weeds removed, make sure the garden furniture is clean and well presented. And hide any gnomes!
Back in the house take your now excited prospective buyers upstairs, show the master bedroom first with fresh clean linen and curtains open to give as much light as possible. Do the same with the kids rooms and again hide any clutter, take down all the One Direction posters (the potential buyers may like The Wanted) and make sure the bedrooms don't have any lingering smells, or at least not bad ones!
Which leads us directly to the main bathroom - the second most important room in the house (for the female buyer) - the main bathroom should absolutely sparkle with freshness and cleanliness… and remember toilet lid down.
So, some very simple basic tips to help you for a quick house sale quicker than your neighbour. Do these and more if you can and you will soon be shaking hands with you prospective buyer! But remember, don't have the kids turn back up before they've gone!

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Give your house a country look for a quick sale


Give your home a country look for a faster sale
Homeowners looking to move out of their current house and want a quick sale to live elsewhere should not rush into putting their abode on the market and consider giving it a new look first.
There is a lot of competition in the housing sector at present and trying to sell house quickly without thinking about how it looks to prospective buyers will only hinder your chances of a fast sale.
Making minor improvements like a lick of paint and repairing any furniture to make the place look less scruffy would be a good start, while you should also get rid of any clutter that might overwhelm viewers and stop them from being able to envision themselves living in your home.
One of the most popular themes among homeowners is a country one, featuring lots of wooden furniture and accessories and a neutral but dainty decor.
Therefore, you may want to rip out any old carpets that are giving the house an unkempt appearance and swap them for solid wood floors, which come in plenty of gorgeous shades and match a rustic interior perfectly.
If you've got a lovely garden, there are lots of ways you can create an authentic and natural feel outside, through the use of a log cabin or some gorgeous plants.
According to garden buildings company Waltons in a post for Nubricks, an outside cabin will go down particularly well with potential buyers who are part of a big family, as children love having a den to play in during the summer and the space also doubles up as somewhere for the adults to relax with a glass of wine in the evening.
The organisation further recommended laying a bed of wildflowers to create a fairytale-like wonderland for kids and placing accessories like a watering can or weathered bench for artistic effect. It's the little things that add up and make a house look and feel special - and doing your best to create a good impression will ensure you sell your home can move out as soon as possible.

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Need to sell house quickly? Renovate it!

First impressions matter when it comes to houses, but a little work can make a big difference!

Eastwood Farm, a rundown farmhouse, was transformed into a stylish home modelled on a French château

Worried your house is looking shabby? Do you require a fast house sale? Well, you should be. Very few things put off buyers more quickly than a property that, however smart inside, is an eyesore from the street. Perhaps the paint is peeling, or the windows are hideous, or the roof slopes at an odd angle. Whatever the problem, the property will lack what is known in the trade as “kerb appeal”. This is the indefinable something that lures buyers in off the street and persuades them to part with their money. 
“Properties with immaculate exteriors tend to sell a property quickly,” says Giles Hannah of London estate agent VanHan. “At the moment the average property in prime central London is taking just seven weeks to sell. But if a property has an exterior that is unattractive, for whatever reason, it can take four or five times longer, particularly if there is no development potential or the property is listed.”
That may sound like simple common sense, but it is surprising how many people miss the obvious point. Home-owners are sensitive souls, quick to take offence. Calling a property ugly is a complete no-no. Even if a house has been built by cowboys, battered by hurricanes or blighted by the erection of a wind farm at the bottom of the garden, you will not find estate agents resorting to the U-word. “Characterful”, “Unprepossessing”, “In need of some attention”, or “Typical of the period” – every euphemism in the lexicon will be used instead. Nobody wants their precious home to be branded an ugly duckling.
Whatever you call them, the point about ugly ducklings, as everyone knows, is that they are prospective swans. “The uglier the property, the greater the potential to improve it,” says Michael Holmes, author of Renovating for Profit and presenter of television shows such as Don’t Move, Improve. “Even in a stagnant property market, it is quite possible to buy a property for £400,000, spend £50,000 on it and sell it for £600,000 12 months later. It is just a question of finding the right property and improving it in a systematic way, getting to the bottom of what makes the property ugly, and then addressing those issues, not wasting money on purely cosmetic improvements.”
So, to change your ugly duckling to a swan, renovate it and sell your home!

Wednesday 31 July 2013

Quick sale is a good sale for home sellers

THE longer a home stays on the market, the more heavily it is likely to be discounted, meaning a quick sale is a good sale for the vendor's wallet, research shows. 

 
A Real estate analysis firm said vendors holding out for a better price on their properties tended to end up giving greater discounts when compared with those who accepted early offers.
"One of the greatest challenges for vendors is whether to accept an initial offer on their property or whether holding out for a better price is a better strategy," said researcher Cameron Kusher.
"The trends are fairly consistent with quick sales experiencing low levels of discounting while properties that sit on the market for a longer time typically see excessive levels of discount."
Mr Kusher said that over the past five years, homes that sold in less than 30 days recorded an average vendor discount of 3.9 per cent.
Homes that sold between 30 and 60 days attracted an average discount of 5.2 per cent while homes sold after more than 120 days on the market were discounted by 10.1 per cent, he said.
"Vendors need to ask whether or not they will get a better price by keeping the property on the market, or give consideration that an initial offer may be the best one," Mr Kusher said.
"This analysis suggests that the latter is generally the better option."
Mr Kusher said a property was most likely to receive offers when newly listed for sale, making it important for vendors to set a realistic price in order to get a quick sale with a low level of discount.

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Brothers buy £450,000 house to find it filled with rubbish

A landlord who paid £450,000 for a town house found it was piled with rubbish after 40 years of hoarding.

A landlord who paid £450,000 for a town house found it was piled with rubbish after 40 years of hoarding.
The 10 rooms in the four-storey house were buried with books, children’s toys, clothes, old newspapers and discarded furniture Photo: Red Williams/Archant
Mehmet Koch, 33, bought the north London town house at an auction without viewing it.
He was confronted with 40 years worth of rubbish hoarded by an elderly couple who owned the Finsbury Park property.
Mr Koch, who bought the Islington house with his brother Abbas, said today: “I thought I was having a nightmare - I have never seen anything like this before.
“We just saw it and thought, how the hell are we going to clean this up? We were just so shocked.
“When we saw it, we just felt sorry for the people who lived here at first. I mean, how could anyone live like this in the 21st century? There was no running water, no electricity and no gas.”
The 10 rooms in the four-storey house were buried with books, children’s toys, clothes, old newspapers and discarded furniture.
The outside of the house in Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, north London (Archant)
A reclusive couple in their 70s had lived in the house since the 1960s.
Mr Koch said: “We had come to see the property from the outside but the couple who live here would not let us in so we never saw inside.
“They had just been confined to one or two rooms and the garden was a forest. We’re very worried we’re not going to make a profit now because it needs so much work.”
The Kochs’ workers began a clean-up operation by discarding the rubbish into the front garden without arranging for a truck to collect it.
Residents’ anger provoked Islington Council to serve notice on the landlords, which could see them prosecuted if the rubbish is not quickly cleaned up.
Police also had to warn passers-by to act with more respect after several began taking items from the pile.
One neighbour said: “It’s absolutely shameless. It’s stealing from a dead body. She was a lovely old woman and those are still her things.”
Firefighters first raised the alarm with social services over the size of the pensioners’ hoarding problem a year ago.
They acted after they had to go through the property to tackle a blaze.
The woman was working at a local charity shop and was a former teaching assistant at nearby Pooles Park Primary School.
As a result of the fire service alert she is now living in sheltered accommodation in the area with her husband who had become ill, according to neighbours.
Hal Davis, who owns clothes shop Guate Goat opposite the house, today told of the couple’s daily lives.
Mr Davis said: “To get out she would have to move about 15 bags and stick them on the door, step outside and then the husband came out.
“Then the dog came out and she would put all the bags back in. Then when they came back it was the same process.
“I have been watching that almost every day for seven years but just had no idea what the inside of the house looked like.
“It’s a massive revelation to the neighbourhood. This was the first I saw of how bad it was as she never used to open the windows.”
The Koch brothers, who own about 10 premises as part of Kaya Properties, are now planning to turn the house into flats if they gain planning permission.
A council spokesman said: “Islington Council’s Environmental Health Team has served notice on the owner of 54 Fonthill Road requiring them to clear the gardens and secure the property.
“Keeping our borough clean is a priority for Islington Council so we will be closely monitoring this over the coming days and will take further action if required.”

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Consumers being misled over quick house sales, OFT warns

Consumers who want to sell their houses via so-called "quick sale" companies are in danger of being misled, according to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Quick house sale providers offer to buy houses in as little as seven days, but at a discount to the full market value.
The OFT is warning that homeowners may receive much less for their property than it is worth.
"Any losses could be very high," it said.
In some cases such companies agree to buy a house, but then reduce the price at the very last minute.
"Businesses offering quick house sales may provide a useful service for homeowners who need to unlock cash in a hurry," said Cavendish Elithorn of the OFT.
"However, they are often used by consumers in vulnerable situations and therefore we are concerned about the risk of consumers being misled and losing out on large sums of money," he said.
Consumers identified as particularly at risk include those selling after a relationship breakdown, or the elderly who might need the money to pay for long-term care.

False valuations
During an investigation last year, the BBC spoke to two people who were angry at the way they had been treated by quick sale companies.
Malcolm Haywood, from Lincolnshire, wanted to sell his house quickly, and agreed to a sale price of £120,000.
But just before the deal was signed, the company involved, Gateway Homes UK, dropped the price to £80,000.
Pat Hardy, from Teesside, signed a similar deal with Tom Craven Property.
She had agreed a purchase price of £75,000, but the day before the removal men were due to arrive, they lowered the offer to £40,000.
Both companies insisted that the number of complaints amounted to less than 1% of their customers.
The OFT said practices which cause concern include unclear fee structures, reducing the price at the last minute, and wrongly claiming to be a cash buyer.
It also warned about companies making false property valuations, and tying customers into contracts which prevent them selling to other people, should alternative, and more generous offers emerge.
The OFT would now like to hear from anyone who has used a quick sale provider, whether their experience is good or bad.

OFT concerns

• unclear fee structures
• reducing the price at the last minute
• making misleading claims about a property's value
• falsely claiming to be a cash buyer
• exclusive contracts, preventing sales to other buyers

Wednesday 10 July 2013

UK’s cheapest homes to sell for just £1

THESE are Britain’s cheapest homes – set to go on sale for just a POUND.

 

The Victorian terraced houses were originally bought for as much as £70,000 EACH – but are now being offered at the rock-bottom price to DIY enthusiasts.
Each buyer will have to prove they can bring the house up to scratch using “construction skills” before they can own the property.
Homes in the Granby Triangle area in Kensington, Liverpool were part of former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott’s plan to destroy thousands of homes across the country.
Homes on sale for a pound in Liverpool
UK's cheapest ... homes for a pound
Mercury Press & Media
Under his regeneration Pathfinder scheme, around £2.2bn was blown on buying and demolishing homes – but not enough new homes were built for the displaced occupants.
Residents in the Granby area fought to save the properties and now the city council has agreed to sell them to locals who will be able to revamp them.
As part of the initial pilot scheme, 20 houses will be offered for sale to residents for £1.
Homes in Liverpool on sale for one pound
Derelict ... the homes are being sold to DIY enthusiasts to be revamped
Mercury Press & Media
Liverpool’s Deputy Mayor and Finance Chief Cllr Paul Brant said: “This allows people who may be excluded from mortgages but have construction skills to play a part in the regeneration of their communities.
“We’ve seen that the private sector model has not succeeded so far and, through this way of doing things, if there is any profit it will stay with local people.”
Jonathan Brown, spokesman for the Merseyside Civic Society, said: “We fought against Prescott’s scheme and it’s great to have won all these years later.
“Local people have been let down over and over again for decades.
“I hope this now rolls out to other areas of the city in desperate need of regeneration.”

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Wednesday 3 July 2013

Family devastated after house sale falls through at last minute and £20,000 is wiped off value... because Japanese knotweed is growing on council land behind their garden

A homeowner has had £20,000 wiped off the value of his family home - after a surveyor said it was under threat by Triffid-like weeds growing behind his back garden.
Father-of-one Ben Metcalfe, 35, had put his two-bedroom mid-terrace property on the market at £100,000 and after two years thought he had got a buyer.
But the sale fell through at the last minute after a surveyor who carried out a report on behalf of the prospective purchaser said it was only worth £80,000 because of a cluster of aggressive Japanese knotweed growing on council land in an alleyway.
Ben Metcalfe stands next to Japanese knotweed in the alleyway at the rear of his property in Edgeley, Stockport in Greater Manchester
Ben Metcalfe stands next to Japanese knotweed in the alleyway at the rear of his property in Edgeley, Stockport in Greater Manchester. A large clump of the weed can be seen directly behind him

The sale of Mr Metcalfe's house fell through at the last minute
The sale of Mr Metcalfe's house fell through at the last minute after a surveyor who carried out a report for a prospective purchaser said it was only worth £80,000 - not £100,000 - because the aggressive weed was growing on council land in an alleyway. The bamboo-like weed looms menacingly over the wall to the right

Mr Metcalfe, an NHS support worker, has been left devastated after the collapse of the sale. Pictured above with his family
Mr Metcalfe, an NHS support worker, has been left devastated after the collapse of the sale. Pictured above with his family
The expert said the weed was a threat to foundations of neighbouring properties, in Stockport, Greater Manchester, and recommended a 'migration plan' to establish where the roots were, how fast it grows and the most likely direction it would grow in.
The bamboo-like plant can grow up to 12ft tall, push through concrete and damage buildings and it costs £100 per square foot to eradicate with pesticides.
An embankment behind an alleyway next to the homes of Mr Metcalfe and neighbours is riddled with the weed, some of which has grown to around 10ft already.
Mr Metcalfe, an NHS support worker, has been left devastated after the collapse of his house sale.
An embankment behind an alleyway next to the homes of Mr Metcalfe and neighbours is riddled with the weed, some of which has grown to around 10ft already
An embankment behind an alleyway next to the homes of Mr Metcalfe and neighbours is riddled with the weed, some of which has grown to around 10ft already
An embankment behind an alleyway next to the homes of Mr Metcalfe and neighbours is riddled with the weed, some of which has grown to around 10ft already. He is unable to cut back the weed himself for fear he could be prosecuted for damaging property

He and other locals have long complained about the potential danger the weed poses to the foundations of nearby homes on his street, in the town of Edgeley.
He is unable to cut back the weed himself for fear he could be prosecuted for damaging property.
Mr Metcalfe said: 'We had fallen in love with a house and put an offer in but our sale fell through and we were left stranded.
'Japanese knotweed isn’t something people know a lot about but it can cause a lot of problems.
'We had been planning to move for two or three years so to have it fall through was frustrating.
'It is clearly a real problem when someone can’t get a mortgage because of weeds. I was told that if it didn’t get sorted out then I would have to sell at auction, or find a cash buyer, because it would be impossible to get a mortgage.

'When the survey came back, not only did it show up the knotweed as a problem, it also said that for the sale to proceed there would have to be a full "migration plan" put together to chart where the plant was and how it was travelling.
'Of course, the buyer got cold feet because it sound like such a complex problem.
'As soon as you start reading a few articles about knotweed, you realise that there are a lot of mortgage lenders that simply won’t offer a mortgage on a home that has knotweed nearby.
'We feel like we were left completely stuck in this position while we wait for the knotweed to be treated.
The cAfter contacting the local council property management company, NPS, it has agreed to treat the knotweed - for the first time in two yearsurse of Japanese knotweed
After contacting the local council property management company, NPS, it has agreed to treat the knotweed - for the first time in two years - and will give Mr Metcalfe a certificate guaranteeing it will be kept in check for five years
'The council are now working to sort the problem out and we just have to hope that we can find a buyer that is open minded.
'In a way, we were lucky that it was on council land because the situation is now getting resolved. If it was private land, I would be in a much more serious situation.'
After contacting the local council property management company, NPS, it has agreed to treat the knotweed - for the first time in two years - and will give Mr Metcalfe a certificate guaranteeing it will be kept in check for five years.
Local Labour councillor Philip Harding, who raised Mr Metcalfe’s case with Stockport Council, said: 'It has been a problem there for 10 years so I don’t know why it has taken so long to deal with properly.
'I am pleased this is going to be sorted out but it should have been done much sooner.'
Japanese knotweed, native to eastern Asia, grows rapidly and is strong enough to damage concrete.
Liberal Democrat councillor Mark Weldon, executive member for Stockport community services, said: 'We are committed to tackling this issue and have a comprehensive policy to address Japanese knotweed.
'We are aware of the residents’ concerns and contact has been made with them.
'This site was treated for Japanese knotweed a couple of years ago when it was brought to our attention.
'There has recently been some re-growth which will be revisited to treat.'

THE DEADLY INVADER... AND HOW TO TACKLE IT

The curse of Japanese knotweed
The curse of Japanese knotweed
Japanese knotweed – which has the scientific name fallopia japonica – was introduced into Britain by the Victorians in 1840.

Incredibly invasive, it can grow 4in a day from April to October and a tiny root can establish itself as a plant in  just ten days.

Apparently solid structures such as tarmac and flooring in houses are no barrier to its growth and the weed also creates a risk of flooding if leaves clog waterways.
About £1.6billion is spent a year in an attempt to remove it.
Knotweed is recognised by its shovel-shaped leaves, bamboo-like stem and white flowers produced in autumn.

If you discover the plant on your property, these are some of the steps you should take to prevent further problems:
  • Immediately create a 21ft exclusion zone around the suspect plant.
  • Do an initial spray with phosphorylate-based weed killer.
  • Do not excavate or move soil from the exclusion zone without instruction from the local authority.
  • Cutting should be done with sharp secateurs or pull it out by hand to avoid dispersal of fragments.
  • Wash feet and clean shoes when leaving the contaminated area.
  • If you cut down knot weed, you can burn it on site or bury it – 16ft deep, covered with a root-barrier membrane and with inert topsoil – with permission from the Environment Agency. Material taken from the site must be disposed of at a licensed facility.
Sell property quickly | Sell Your Home Guaranteed | Quick House Sale | Quick Home Sale
Sell your home quickly for cash.Quick sale guarantee to make an offer to purchase any property in the UK contact us today for a stress free Quick sale.
http://fast-sell-home.co.uk/