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There was a day when a slight shift in the bank base rate or change in stamp duty could have a profound effect on property market sentiment. Yet the Bank of England’s continuing consensus to maintain interest rates at their lowest rate ever recorded is possibly the strongest signal to date that the British property market is actually driven increasingly by factors other than such things. The general economy, employment targets and global issues have now largely replaced house prices as a driving force in the interest rate balancing act.
Until recently, most of us ignored the fundamentals...
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It seems amazing to us that almost anyone can open up an estate agency and commence trading without any training, qualifications, proof of minimum standards, or certificate of competency.
The sale of your property is far too important to entrust to just anybody. Those who claim to work on your behalf may simply be out to claim the commission from a lacklustre sale which might have happened without their involvement, where there is no accountability, commitment or care. Their objective might only be to secure a sale at any price, as long as they can claim a commission. One has to ask...
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In the current market it is more important than ever to ensure that your property is a highly saleable proposition, rather than one that makes another house look good by comparison.
Of course, there are several basics that should be in place. The price needs to be as attractive as the décor, and you should aim to be flexible on things like fixtures, viewing times and completion dates. You need to be with a pro-active estate agency – not just one who simply lists your house and then waits for the market to deliver a buyer to your door.
But there are other things that you can do, which have a...
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Houses, cottages, flats, apartments, maisonettes, studios, detached, semi, terraced – these are terms we as estate agents hear every day of our lives. They are the lifeblood of our business, but the common theme is they all represent the concept of “home”.
We are privileged to be a nation of homeowners. Property is right up there with the weather when it comes to conversation fodder, especially this year! We can’t get enough of it, along with the perceived personal security offered by bricks and mortar that has long been a creator of wealth.
Either way, we are all the lucky ones! Because...
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An Englishman’s home may be his castle – but it is usually a woman who chooses it!
94% of estate agents polled in a recent survey confirmed that, in most house-hunting couples or families, it is the woman who has the last word in choosing which home they buy.
Two of the most important factors that attract women in a home are a modern kitchen, and a his-and-hers en-suite bathroom, with 91% of agents questioned saying that a good kitchen is the single feature most likely to clinch a sale. 95% say it is the woman, rather than the man, who is more inclined to want a his-and-hers en-suite bathroom...
