Property spring clean checklist

With Spring arriving, homeowners across the UK will be preparing for the annual spring clean, especially those looking to put their home on the market in what is often the busiest time of year.

With this in mind, the latest research by eMoov has highlighted which jobs to tackle first based on the importance placed by prospective buyers when making a good first impression. eMoov surveyed UK homeowners and asked them to rank six property features based on their importance on making a good first impression when viewing a house as a buyer.

1. Interior Rooms, Walls and Ceilings

Despite the exterior being the first thing a buyer will see, for those dusting off their work clothes and getting their house shipshape for a sale, the interior was ranked the most important area of the house and should be the first place they start.

Jobs such as making sure the house is de-cluttered, filling any holes in the walls, stripping or repainting the walls and having a general good deep clean took president over any other aspect of a property, when it comes to prioritising ahead of the influx of potential buyers.

2. Exterior Walls and Roof

Once the inside is looking up to scratch, the exterior of the house was ranked the second most important when building a good first impression amongst those viewing.

Making sure the roof doesn’t have any leaks, the walls are showing no cracks and a touch of grouting should be a sellers next top priority one the spring clean checklist.

3. The Front Door and Porch

The front door and porch are the gateway to your home and often the first thing a potential buyer will see up close, touch or walk through. Making sure that there are no old shoes or bikes cluttering up the porch, stripping any peeling paint and giving the door a fresh lick of paint as well as making sure it doesn’t stick, are the next jobs on the list when it comes to selling your properties potential to those coming to view.

4. Windows and Window sills

Although only a small feature, the windows and window sills were ranked the fourth most important feature when selling a house. The quality and appearance of windows can play a big role in showcasing your home so making sure there are no cracks, they have all been well cleaned and that the window sills have had any peeling paint removed and a fresh coat applied can be a large influence in how buyers view your property.

5. The Garden

The garden can often lay untouched throughout the winter months and so making sure it is back to its full potential is the fifth most important factor for buyers. As with the interior of your house, remove all clutter and rubbish and mow the lawn and trim the hedges to showcase the full size of your outdoor area. Repair any loose or broken fence panels or pathing stones and give them a good clean to remove any stubborn winter muck.

6. The Driveway and Garage

The driveway and garage were voted the least most important factor for potential buyers. These can be big, time-consuming jobs and so leaving these till last can help better manage your time when getting your house in order.

These external features are more of a bonus rather than a necessity and many buyers will view them with varying degrees of importance. Knowing they have the space for a car or additional storage is more important than the state of those areas, as they will no doubt be making changes themselves anyway.

Russell Quirk, commented: “This research goes to show that first impressions do count, but where housing is concerned the initial judgement of the exterior comes second to the internal appearance of a property.

Where buyers are concerned, it would seem they prefer to be underwhelmed by the outside of a property and pleasantly surprised by the inside rooms rather than visa versa.

It makes sense as when we look to move house the internal rooms are the places we will actually be spending our time. You are immediately sat within them and so if they aren’t up to scratch, it can be a put-off. But if there are aspects of the exterior you aren’t necessarily keen on then not only can these always be changed, but you have a bit more breathing room in terms of settling in and unpacking before tackling them.

A buyer will always view through their own personal lens and there will be plenty of things they will change, but providing them with a solid, clean, neutral foundation can go a long way in securing a sale.

It is interesting to see that the small details, such as the front door, the windows and window sills, rank much higher than larger areas such as the garden and driveway. Again it is these little touches that can stand out to a buyer and make all the difference to your sale.

My wife has been on at me for a few weeks now to get our kitchen ready along with a few other jobs, so it is getting to that time of year when these things come to the forefront and buyer activity in the market also starts to heighten. Hopefully, this checklist will help the UK’s sellers prioritise appropriately when deciding which area to tackle first and aid them in making a sale.”

source http://blog.evolutionproperties.co.uk/2017/03/05/property-spring-clean-checklist/

What can I do to stop the condensation and black mould around my windows?

I have lots of condensation around my windows and black mould has started to appear. 

What steps do I need to take? (MS)

Condensation occurs when warm moist air meets a cold surface, which means it often occurs around windows

MailOnline's property expert Myra Butterworth replies: Some properties suffer from condensation, with walls, ceilings and even floors damp and discoloured, often with mould growing on the surfaces.

We outline some of the steps that you can take to help ensure your home environment is as healthy - and as damp-free - as possible.

James Harrington, of chartered building surveyors Congreve Horner, explains: In simple terms, condensation occurs when warm moist air meets a cold surface. The risk of this happening depends on how moist the air is and how cold the surfaces of your rooms are.

Mould growth caused by condensation is a warning that your heating, insulation or ventilation may need improving

It is mostly an issue in winter when buildings become cold and windows are opened less, with moist air unable to escape.

Condensation occurs for short periods in bathrooms and kitchens because of the steamy atmosphere and quite frequently for long periods in unheated bedrooms, also sometimes in cupboards or corners of rooms where ventilation and movement of air are restricted.

It is important:

• To prevent moist air spreading to other rooms from kitchens and bathrooms or from where clothes may be put to dry

• To provide some ventilation to all rooms so that moist air can escape

• To keep your property reasonably warm

How to reduce moisture to avoid condensation in the home 

Good ventilation of kitchens when washing or drying clothes or cooking is essential. If there is an extractor fan, use it when cooking or washing clothes, and particularly whenever the windows show any sign of misting. Leave the fan on until the misting has cleared.

If there is not an extractor fan, open the windows but keep the door closed as much as possible to prevent the moisture spreading to other rooms.

After bathing, keep the bathroom window open and shut the door for long enough to dry off the room.

A lot of ventilation occurs in old houses through fireplace flues and draughty windows. But it doesn't occur in modern flats and houses unless a window or ventilator is open for a reasonable time each day and for all the time a room is in use.

Too much ventilation in cold weather is uncomfortable and wastes heat, and so all that is needed is a slight opened window or ventilator. About a 10mm opening will usually be sufficient.

Avoid the use of portable paraffin or flue less gas heaters if possible as each litre of oil used produces the equivalent of about a litre of liquid water in the form of water vapour. If these heaters are used, make sure the rooms they are in are well ventilated.

If you already have black mould, it needs to be cleaned with bleach and anti-fungicide solution

If condensation occurs in a room with a gas, oil or solid fuel heating appliance with a flue the heating appliances need to be checked as the condensation may have appeared due to the appliance flue becoming blocked.

Do not use unventilated airing cupboards for drying clothes. And if washing is put out to dry inside, open a window or turn on the extractor fan enough to ventilate the room. Do not leave the door open as this will allow moist air to spread to other rooms.

Try to make sure all rooms are at least partially heated to ensure that surfaces are reasonably warm.

Houses and flats left unoccupied and unheated during the day get cold, and so whenever possible, it is best to keep the heating on - even if at a low level. Even in a well-insulated house and with reasonable ventilation it is likely to be necessary during cold weather to maintain all rooms at not less than 15 degrees centigrade to reduce the risk of condensation.

Any sign of mould growth is an indication of the presence of moisture and if caused by condensation provides a warning that heating, insulation or ventilation – or all three – may require improvement.

If you do have black mould already, this needs to be cleaned with bleach or an anti-fungicide solution. And if the window reveals are redecorated you may consider mixing in some anti-fungicide solution in with the paint before it is applied to the walls to prevent future mould growth.

 

source http://blog.evolutionproperties.co.uk/2017/03/05/what-can-i-do-to-stop-the-condensation-and-black-mould-around-my-windows/

Buyer surge sees 11 house hunters per property

According to the latest data from the National Association of Estate Agents, the number of properties available to buy in January was the lowest since July last year.

However, despite the low level of supply, the number of prospective buyers increased, with 425 registered per member branch in January - a 10% rise from December 2016 when estate agents registered 386 on average.

The number of properties available to buy on estate agents’ books in January was 38. This is a decrease from December when 41 properties were available and the lowest recorded since July 2016

The increase in house hunters and decrease in properties means there is an average of 11 buyers chasing each property.

Sales to FTBs and sales agreed

In January, three in ten (30 per cent) sales were made to FTBs, a slight decrease from December when 32 per cent of sales were made to the group. The number of sales agreed per branch increased from six in December to eight last month – returning to the same level seen in November.

What properties sold for

More than one in every 20 properties (seven per cent) sold for more than the original asking price in January – the highest amount since April 2016 when nine per cent sold for more than asking price.

Mark Hayward, Chief Executive, NAEA Propertymark said: “January saw a surge in buyers looking to kick off the New Year with a new home – but competition is rife with an average of 11 buyers chasing each property. The increase in the number of properties selling for more than asking price in January could be a result of heightened interest and the fact there is simply not enough housing to meet demand. When the Government issued their Housing White Paper at the start of February we stated how important it was for the industry to put forward robust solutions to really make a difference and it’s vital that building more affordable housing is at the very top of their agenda.”

source http://blog.evolutionproperties.co.uk/2017/03/05/buyer-surge-sees-11-house-hunters-per-property/

FTBs fill the gap as BTL demand cools

The latest data from Mortgage Advice Bureau has found that as demand slows in the buy-to-let sector there has been a rise in first time buyers buying their first homes.

According to MAB it is too early to tell if this will be an ongoing trend, the price of the average property purchased by first-time buyers fell in January by 2.7%, suggesting there is less competition for the same sort of property with buy-to-let investors.

At the same time, average purchase price of buy-to-let properties purchased has fallen by 12.7% year on year, potentially indicating that there is less demand by this particular sector and suggesting that investors are turning their attention to cheaper priced property areas.

Figures released in February from the CML report an increase in first-time buyer activity in 2016 of 8% year on year, and a decrease in the volume of buy-to-let lending by 20% year on year.

Brian Murphy, Head of Lending for Mortgage Advice Bureau commented: “This is the first full month of data for 2017 and as such, provides us with an opportunity to review market activity where all lenders regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority have had to operate under the new buy-to-let underwriting regime.

During 2016 there was a mixed picture in terms of adoption of the more stringent lending criteria for investors, with some lenders adopting the new practices only weeks before the new requirements were implemented, whereas others had introduced the changes some months earlier. As a consequence this allowed buy-to-let investors an amount of ‘wiggle room’ for several months to shop around and find slightly more flexible terms when arranging their lending. With lenders now operating on a more stringent basis when underwriting buy-to-let borrowers, this is levelling the playing field between buyers who are borrowing to fund the purchase of their first home and investors who are borrowing to fund investment.

The recent data available from the CML shows us that first-time buyer numbers are now the highest since 2007, which given the cooling in buy-to-let activity over the last few months as a result of the SDLT changes in 2016, impending tax changes and the new rules around lending, perhaps isn’t a coincidence.

What’s also interesting to note is that the average first-time buyer LTV has increased slightly, which could perhaps be a reflection on the fact that lenders are being slightly more flexible and accommodating in terms of assessing affordability, given current levels of continuing ultra low interest rates. With some lenders introducing 95% LTV rates in January to ‘pick up the baton’ from the Help To Buy mortgage guarantee scheme which ended in December, this may be another contributing factor to the increase in activity from this sector.

It’s too early to tell if these initial observations will translate into an ongoing trend in 2017, but any increase in first-time buyer activity is a welcome sign as this, historically, has had a positive ripple effect across the rest of the market."

source http://blog.evolutionproperties.co.uk/2017/03/05/ftbs-fill-the-gap-as-btl-demand-cools/

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source http://blog.evolutionproperties.co.uk/2017/03/03/test/

What are you doing on Friday 3rd March??

I know that we all get bombarded by requests for charity events and each and everyone deserves our time and gifts but having known Kate for many years, we are always happy to support here with each fundraising event she hosts. The challenges she faces in organising these are mind blowing. If your free after dropping the kids off at school, or even at a loose end, don't sit at home drinking coffee watching morning TV, come along, have a coffee, have a laugh and make new friends!

Go on, you know you want to!!!

https://www.facebook.com/events/939815152821990/

source http://blog.evolutionproperties.co.uk/2017/03/01/what-are-you-doing-on-friday-3rd-march/

Would you live here?

We thought this would amuse a few of you so decided to share it. Just click the link and see what everyone is chuckling about!

Cock Lane

source http://blog.evolutionproperties.co.uk/2017/03/01/would-you-live-here/