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There was a time when buying a property felt quite straightforward, but what the last few years have demonstrated is that things are certainly a bit more tricky. The housing market today is a very different animal with challenges at every stage, from finding a home to securing a decent mortgage to surviving the sales process with all its up and downs. To succeed in such a market requires a particular mindset; therefore, if you are looking for a property, we have put together a list of high effective habits used by today’s homebuyers.
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Your new property has been found, the plan is in motion, and within a matter of weeks you will be moving home. It is a time that strains your emotions, and at some point you may feel frustrated and stressed. It is a huge upheaval for you and your family, and it can also take a big toll on the canine members of your family too! According to figures released this year by the PDSA, an estimated 10.2 million of us own a dog, with the Kennel Club stating that dog ownership soared by eight per cent in 2021. With this is mind, at Deakin-White we want to make the process of moving less stressful for every member of your household, and that includes your little dog too.
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There is no doubt that we are in a time of uncertainty and there’s a lot of concern about what the future may bring. A September survey by Property Rescue, conducted by Perspectus Global, revealed that of 1,000 UK-based homeowners questioned 65% are worried and anxious about rising inflation and interest rates. Therefore, if you’re planning to sell your home this year, you want to ensure it sells quickly and doesn’t sit languishing on the market for months on end. With this in mind, our team at Deakin-White have put together some hot tips to increase the selling power of your home.
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We have had a wet few days, so you may be sick of the sight of water. The restorative benefits of nature has been wildly spoken about, even your local GP has the option to prescribe spending time in the outdoors to support patient well-being. This is nothing new: the Victorians used to take the sea air as a treatment for melancholy, and for centuries, the French spent time in natural springs to treat ailments. Spending time near green spaces is commonly known to be beneficial for your mental health; now, new studies highlight that living near water could be the secret to happiness.
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Who can believe we are already in November? These autumn days are filled with luscious colours: reds, oranges and yellows dominate our countryside, yet the season itself can really influence how we are feeling. This is because the lack of sunlight reduces our production of serotonin, which is the hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep. Design can have a positive affect on mental health; at Deakin-White we have put together some ideas on how your home can improve your well-being.
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There has been a notable change in temperature over the last week or so; dare we say we even contemplated putting the heating on? It is the time of year where the nights are getting longer and the days colder, and when it comes to selling your property you want buyers to see the warmth your home exudes. In Norway, freezing winters are welcomed. Koselig is not directly translatable into English, but is often simplified as a ‘feeling of cosiness’; it’s a sense of intimacy, happiness and being content. What buyer wouldn’t start to see a Koselig house as a home? Could it be the key to selling this autumn?
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The festive season is here, and as such, many of us will be welcoming family and friends for parties with stays for the day and even overnight. From cousins to grannies, in-laws to old friends and new, you may find at times that you all feel on top of each other. Every year you probably tell yourself you are going to be more organised than previous years, so maybe this is the year that you actually win. As much as you can’t wait to have everyone under the same roof, there are bound to be times where things become a little stressful, and this is where a bit of planning can help to ease that guest stress this festive season.
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Key information for how to Apply for Planning Permission:
- The average cost of a planning application is £2,000
- Architects and planning consultants can give you a better chance of success
- Any revisions you make will lead to more costs
Understanding planning permission is a crucial part of any building project. But getting to grips with all the required documentation and how much it’s going to cost can be a finicky process.
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know to make a successful planning permission application and get your project off the ground.
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Every buyer has a wishlist of what they want from their new home, and understanding buyers is important if you are looking to sell your home in the future. As the autumn nights draw in, your mind is no doubt focused on your interior rather than your exterior, but there is one feature that is dominating property listings, thus showing the demand from buyers. Post-pandemic is all about garden offices, and we can completely understand why.
Attracting buyers
The pandemic caused working patterns to change for many, and, even now, working from home, even just a couple of days a week, is more common than ever before. Therefore, optimising our home to create a separation between work and life is essential, which is why garden offices have grown in popularity. According to Rightmove, the proportion of property listings that mention a garden office is now 11 times higher than a decade ago: that’s a whopping 1046% increase.
This is not your average garden shed: these are spaces fully equipped with electricity and Wi-Fi, and many have fires, air conditioning and eco features. They are architecturally beautiful and sympathetically coexist with their gardens rather than competing against them for attention.
Rightmove's Tim Bannister said: 'Agents and developers have their finger on the pulse when it comes to the home features that will attract suitable buyers.
'Where dining rooms and fitted wardrobes may not be as important to some potential buyers compared with ten years ago, other features, like an outdoor office space, have soared as working patterns have changed, and the findings indicate a move towards greener features too.
'With outside space coming at such a premium, it may be that homeowners are ensuring what they build outside can be used in a number of different ways.
'For example, summer houses and orangeries are likely to have fewer or smaller windows than conservatories, and so can more suitably double up as home offices during the week and entertaining spaces at the weekend.'
Are they worth it?
It is no wonder that homeworkers are craving for a more practical and sustainable solution after years of working from spare bedrooms, kitchen tables and sofas. As the prospect of working from home remains, they seek a long-term rather than a temporary solution to aid a more productive and welcoming atmosphere.
Almost 1 million homeworkers have splashed out on a shed or garden office since COVID lockdowns started, according to research by Direct Line’s home insurance arm. Their survey also questioned estate agents on the benefits of a dedicated home office, which revealed that three quarters of them stated that they now add ‘considerably to the desirability and value of a property with properties for sale with a home office commanding a premium of £17,500’.
Is there a real need?
A recent TUC survey discovered that more than 38% of people in 2022 in the UK now work from home at least one day a week. In fact, ‘up to one fifth more people – or 241,000 individuals – are working in a garden office room or spare bedroom than they were 10 years ago.’ With figures like this it is no wonder that more buyers are attracted to a property that can provide them with a dedicated workspace as well as a relaxing home.
The benefits
Working from home can be isolating; you no longer have the chats whilst making a coffee in the office, those moments of physical interaction with colleagues. And even if you love the solitude, where you work has an enormous impact on your well-being, which is another reason why a garden office is so important.
Creating real separation between work and home life helps us to relax and also to focus: you are away from distractions and surrounded by nature and the seasons. Having a space in your garden truly brings the outside in, flooded with natural light which can give your mood a boost and also aid your productivity. No matter if it is a rainy day, just being in a green space has a whole other feeling; it is a calmer environment which can only help any stresses you may feel during your working day.
One of many
A garden office is just one of many features rising in popularity this year, according to Rightmove, such as bifold doors, underfloor heating and an open-plan layout. If you are considering making changes to your home and not sure what will add value and attract potential buyers, please come and have a chat to our sales team on.
We know exactly what is on buyers’ wish lists in your area.
