January is a time of clarity, after shaking off the tinsel and pine needles, it’s the time to return to everyday life with intentions of improving it – which is why plans for moving often come into fruition at this time of year.

If you have some reservations about putting your house on the market so soon after Christmas, here are some reasons not to worry and why in fact, January could be the perfect time to sell…

New Year, new home

Buyers on the market at this time of year have a completely different mindset than usual. January can feel like a page turned for many people, with plans for a new life right in the margins. You’re less likely to run into time wasters and tyre kickers in the New Year. People looking for a home at this time are serious about their plans, and if your home happens to match their criteria; you’re in luck.

Boast your home’s best features

Smart buyers will look for a home in the winter. Not only to avoid the summer frenzy, but also because cold weather is far more revealing, and homes can potentially look their worst in the winter. However, this is a great window of opportunity for sellers. Your agent will be able to showcase the comforts of your home with staging so that your bright, warm and welcoming house contrasts against the dark and cold. A cosy refuge from the cold that holds up nicely in the Winter is bound to look even better when the weather cheers up, and this prospect is certain to draw in buyers. 

On the move

In the wake of the holiday season, January is known for being the busiest time of year when it comes to employee redistribution and staff changes. With many people working from home, a change of job may be the push needed for a change of working environment; instead of moving offices, people will be moving to new homes with better office space. 

Now is also the perfect time for first-time-buyers to take their first step onto the property ladder. After spending Christmas indoors with family or in a small apartment, a change in environment could be just the thing they need. 

Less competition

The winter months are a great time to put your house up for sale, particularly in January when the seasonal lull is still wearing off and fewer properties are on the market. You won’t need to fight for buyers’ attention, and the imbalance of supply and demand could be great news for sellers, as buyers know their options are fewer. It’s also easier to make your home stand out from a (smaller) crowd of homes on the market, and if yours has something special to offer, it won’t stay on the market for very long. 

The green element

EPC ratings are becoming increasingly important, and the cold weather will allow you to show off your home’s energy efficiency. Buyers are becoming more conscious about energy bills and individual environmental impact at the moment, and a cosy property with an impressive EPC rating has never been more attractive to buyers than right now. 

Ready to get your home on the market? Speak to our team of experts today to get started.

Selling your home requires a good amount of patience and persistence, and the process is never as straightforward as it might seem. On average, 34% of transactions fall through before exchange, and this is why some homes take longer to sell than expected.

If you’re thinking about ways to jumpstart the moving process, we’ve put together some top tips to help you achieve that smooth sale…

Complete your forms

At the outset of the sale, your solicitor will send over a property information form and a fitting contents form which will need to be completed and returned. These documents form part of the contract paperwork that is sent to your buyer’s solicitor, so the sooner you complete these forms, the sooner the solicitor will have a full pack of information to work through and raise any enquiries they might have.

Alterations

In the property information form, you will be asked whether you have carried out any alterations to your property. If the answer is yes, return the form with copies of the relevant planning permissions, building regulation completion certificates and electrical and gas installation certificates attached. This will narrow down the amount of enquires that need to be raised by your buyer’s solicitor – and therefore will speed up the process.

Guarantees

The property information form will also ask if there are any existing guarantees for the property. If so, make sure to give them to your solicitor with your completed forms. For example, if the property is less than 10 years old, there should be a new home warranty and if you have had damp treatment carried out on the home, there should be a damp-proofing guarantee.

Any time spent getting the necessary paperwork prior to your sale or even as soon as the property is listed will pay off immensely in time saved once the lawyers are involved.

Survey

It’s highly advisable to have a survey carried out, and if you decide to, it is your responsibility to instruct the surveyor rather than your solicitor. It’s important to note that the surveyor may not be able to visit the property immediately, so it’s better to book the survey sooner rather than later. Once your survey has been conducted, the surveyor can prepare a report which may take a few days. As soon as you have received the report, you should forward a copy to your solicitor immediately as they may have to raise further enquiries with your seller, depending on the findings.

Mortgage

If you are purchasing with the aid of a mortgage, it is essential that you provide your lender with the documents that they have requested as soon as possible. This can range from ID documents to evidence of income, and they will not be able to issue a mortgage offer until these requirements have been met. 

Money

Upon exchange you will need to hand over the agreed deposit to your solicitor, so make sure the right amount of money is readily available and in the right account as you may be asked to transfer it to your solicitor at short notice.

Completion Date 

The buyer and seller should have agreed on how soon completion will take place after the exchange. This is something to start considering early on in the transaction as the exchange cannot go forward until a completion date has been agreed upon by both parties. Let your estate agent and solicitor know of any dates that need to be ruled out and any preferences you might have for timing. This will eliminate the need to negotiate on dates in the final stages when everyone is eager to get moving.

Are you thinking of selling your home? Get started on your property journey today by arranging an up-to-date valuation.

Interior design is more than just dressing up a property to look nice, it’s all about making your house feel like home. Throughout 2022, we saw hundreds of iconic interior design trends filtering from celebrity quarters into our homes across the UK – from classic throwbacks to hypermodern and minimalist – we can look back on these trends to see what’s being left behind, and what we’ll be seeing a lot more of in the months to come.

Hideaway home offices and private spaces

From many of our learned behaviours since the pandemic, isolation and working from home are the two that have become integral to the way our homes look and function. Hideaway offices that are completely separate to the rest of the house offer a healthier work-life balance – a far cry from working at the kitchen table back in 2020.

Luxury monochromatic

For a sleek, minimalist aesthetic, monochromatic patterns and palettes will be an ongoing trend stretching far beyond 2023. This style is simply made for bathrooms and kitchens, offering a clean and modern look.

Arches

Arched doorways and windows have become big news in extensions and renovations, with gentle curves softening out the clean-cut edges that have proliferated for so long. Moving away from sharp corners and straight lines, softness has become very contemporary in recent years, with home designs seeing relaxed, stripped-back styles replacing the bold and edgy.

Wavy wood

Soft and curved wood is the modern interpretation of the humblest of materials, implementing a stylish, smooth spin on one of nature’s roughest textures. From curvy coffee tables to smooth seating areas, nature-inspired homes can swap out rustic textures for something sleeker and more refined with these materials.

Vintage furniture

Fast furniture might be on the way out, as the lack of longevity for these highly accessible pieces creates catastrophic waste. Those decorating their homes into 2023 come from a planet-conscious generation, and vintage furniture is the way to keep the cost down and find beautiful, high-quality furnishings without having to overspend.

Lavender

Lavender is making a lot of noise in the interior design scene, and for good reason. The balanced, soothing tones make it a versatile colour for decorating – whether it’s used as an accent or as a statement. The sweetness of the pink and coolness of the blue make for a happy medium that can be implemented into all areas of the home for a stunning pop of colour that doesn’t steal away the whole show.

Statement stone

From classic marble countertops to romantic rose quartz coasters, stone finishes are the perfect statement. These natural materials with their glossy surfaces and muted hues will be making a welcomed comeback into 2023.

Bringing back the 70’s

The 1970’s influence we’ve seen on fashion runways lately has clearly translated into the interior world, and it’s no surprise that the earth tones, biophilic design and low-slung furniture of this era will be coming back into our homes imminently – albeit with a modern twist. 

Wondering how much your home is worth? Find out by arranging a free valuation.

How to add value to your home  

Adding value to your home is straightforward. Making money often involves spending money when it comes to investments, and your home is no different! Whether you are looking for a quick flip or a total revamp, it’s important to make the right choices.    

Below, we discuss the best ways to add real value to your home... 

A few ground rules 

Do not overspend! Make sure your changes are impactful and necessary. If a refurbishment adds to the quality of your living space, then do it, just don’t get carried away. 

Be resourceful, shop around conduct plenty of research. Don’t just sign on the dotted line in a branded store, consider independent tradespeople to carry out the work, they may do a better job for less.   

Kitchen or bathroom?  

If the kitchen is in good shape but the bathroom is crying out to be replaced, then you may get more for your money by choosing a bathroom renovation.  

It could be that you need to do both the kitchen and the bathroom, arguably the two most impactful, important and costly rooms in the house.  

A new bathroom can add up to 5% to the value of your house while a new kitchen can add up to 15%, do the maths and see what you can reasonably spend. Then, enjoy the quality of new tiles, colours, materials, and cabinets with a new space-altering layout.   

Loft conversions  

Loft conversion can add between 10 – 20% to the value of your home, but be warned this is not an easy task. Firstly, check if you can convert your loft, beam heights are critical here, so you will need to get a reputable builder to give a good appraisal. There is lots of red tape involved in creating a new bedroom, office or bathroom in your loft. The good news is that this is often much cheaper than adding an extension to your property.  

Garden and outdoor living spaces 

A nice garden with outdoor living space is almost like adding another room to your house. Be careful, a few shrubs and trees with maybe some decking and already you have spent thousands. Perhaps not as guaranteed to add the same levels of added value to your home as other areas but still worth doing and will complement the entire living experience of your home. Bifold doors removing the traditional boundaries between an indoor and outdoor living will enhance this further.  

Energy efficiency  

A new heating system is not a massive investment and will save money on energy bills and easily add more than the cost of replacing the system, while not putting potential buyers off with the prospect of replacing the boiler.  

Solar panels are becoming increasingly popular. It’s an attractive proposition, particularly in today’s climate; to be self-sufficient when it comes to producing electricity. In some cases, you may even be able to supply the local electricity board and get paid!  Lower your carbon footprint or consider running your car to gain more savings. 

The little things you can do 

Sand and paint internal and external doors and skirting. 

Check out your floorboards, in older houses often these can be sanded and varnished and will look beautiful on completion.  

If you can’t afford to replace tiles and cabinets, consider painting them.  

Improve or replace lighting and light fittings. 

Sort any damp problems. 

Replace carpets or old laminate.  

 Bad bathroom grouting often brings the value of a home down far more than the relatively low cost of getting it sorted.  

Check the guttering.  

Replace windows and doors.  

Paint and decorate the internal walls and remember, if you are selling soon, use safe, neutral colours. 

It’s all good 

Whatever you decide to do, all these measures, and any you think of on the way, will add value to your home in more ways than one!    

Just finished your home refurbishment, wondering what it’s now worth? Get a valuation or browse our properties for your next move.