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We can certainly see the impact the Stamp Duty holiday extension is having on the property market, as we have been kept very busy this week. Even so, selling your home isn’t as easy as placing a For Sale sign outside. At Deakin-White we focus on every element of the sale, so your experience is one that results in the best possible sales price whilst taking away the stress associated with moving home. But to achieve that best possible price, you need to put in the work. One thing we are seeing quite often is homeowners who don’t truly understand how to prepare their home for sale. Professional home stagers have a wealth of advice, but we have compiled the top five tips they swear by before listing your home.
Decluttering
You may have heard us speak about this before, but we can’t tell you how important it is. What buyer wants to view a disorganised home? Failing to do this simple task is something we see often; we know it can seem daunting, but by taking a room at a time you will soon have it in hand. Make sure that you keep surfaces clear of clutter – that means your kitchen worktops, bathroom vanity units and windowsills. Just because you have a surface, doesn’t mean it needs to be filled with things.
Remember to clear out cupboards, garages and other storage areas. If a buyer sees that there isn’t enough room for your belongings, they may feel that storage will be lacking for them too. Decluttering isn’t just about organising, it also opens up spaces and makes them feel more spacious, which is always a plus point for potential buyers.
Refreshing Décor
Every buyer will want to put their own stamp on the home they buy, but that doesn’t mean they will want to fully redecorate the minute they get their keys. It is natural for a home’s décor to become tired over time and it’s amazing the transformation a quick coat of paint can achieve. Yes, neutral tones are generally preferred but that doesn’t mean that this is always true. You may have used bold and elegant shades throughout your house that create a striking and stylish interior. There is no doubt that this may grab the attention of buyers with similar tastes, but just bear in mind it may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
That being said, if you have a more dated décor scheme or one which only its owner could love, then failing to make a few changes can turn buyers off. Grabbing a buyer’s attention as quickly as possible is essential, so it’s important to do everything you can to stop them quickly moving onto the next property and leaving yours behind.
Don’t Neglect The Small Stuff
You may have some little niggles in your home which you haven’t got round to addressing; it could be changing the light bulb in the entrance hall, or tightening that loose handle on the bathroom door. You would be surprised the negative effect that neglecting to take care of the small stuff can have on a buyer’s impression of your property. They may start to wonder what else is broken in your home – are there problems they can’t see? Don’t leave them with any doubt, get those jobs done so that buyers can see the care and attention you have given the property whilst living there.
Staging Your Home
Staging a home is an art. It doesn’t mean stripping a room bear and leaving a stark, clinical look, but you also don’t want it to look like life has just exploded in each room. You want a careful balance of cleanliness and order, with those careful touches that make it feel like a home. Remember to take away personal photos, as these remind a buyer that this is your property, when they should be thinking about how they might live there. Staging is all about those finishing touches, a vase of fresh flowers placed on the dining table; a small tray ready for a cream tea in the garden; a throw and a book carefully placed on the bedroom chair…
Home magazines are the perfect inspiration, or you could look at photographs from show homes – these professionals know how to create a lifestyle that buyers will want to buy into.
Now it’s Time to List
Yes, all this work should be undertaken before you invite an estate agent in to value your home, why? Because how your home is presented could affect your home’s valuation. This is again where many sellers go wrong, but if you have this all done before your home is listed, your marketing photographs and videos will show your home at its best and grab the attention of all those eager and ready-to-move buyers.
If you are unsure how to prepare your home for sale, please contact a member of our team and we would be happy to give you our honest advice on what will have the biggest impact for your home.
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Memories of Picture House Luton
Residents of Luton have watched the development of the Picture House Apartments with great interest – and with some trepidation, with some voicing concerns that the much-loved historical frontage would be lost or knocked down to make way for modern homes. Now that the development is underway, locals with a lasting fondness for the art deco landmark will be thrilled to see not only that the popular, eye catching frontage remains a landmark of the town, but the homes within have maintained an artful reflection of the ‘roaring thirties’ era in which the building was initially erected, and showcase a glamorous finish which embodies some of the former lives the building housed.
Initially built as a cinema, the building has also housed a busy Bingo hall and, later, a series of popular nightclubs which those who grew up in Luton will no doubt have visited many times. The location of many first dates, budding romances, celebrations with family and friends, big wins and cosy movie nights, what now a beautiful housing has shaped the personal history of many Luton residents.
The Odeon and Ritz cinema and theatre spaces within were once even the location for Beatles gigs, historical events which had queues curling 100’s deep around the streets, eager to see the already very popular band perform.
As the nightclub scene quietened, we saw the doors close one last time on Chicago’s, Liquid and Envy bars, the ownership trading hands as various businesses tried their hand – and the building stood unused as plans were made to transform it into residential homes.
Those homes – sympathetically designed with art deco features and a high-end finish – are now ready for buyers to buy off-plan, and live in their own little piece of local history. The apartments are stunning, and there’s a certain thrill which comes from living within such a fondly loved landmark on the Luton scene; a much loved building which embodies such a fine example of 1930s architecture, beautifully preserved and re-imagined as starter homes, family homes and a base for young professionals to begin their adventures on the property ladder.
The area around Gordon Street, in the heart of Luton, has been undergoing a rejuvenation for some time, with tired store fronts being replaced with vibrant new boutiques, restaurants and bars, bringing life and community back into the centre of Luton for locals and visitors to enjoy. This vibrancy is a fine reminder of the bustle the area will have had in the early days of the iconic art-deco building, with the tall, elegant windows looking out on an active and exciting part of town. This vibrancy is key to the development, which was careful to maintain the original charm of the building, to enhance the beauty of this popular part of Luton, and the homes within are sure to be snapped up and popular both with those who grew up in the area, and long wished for a lasting investment into the building, to protect it from demolition, and those who are looking for affordable homes in commuting distance to London – a train journey of less than 30 minutes.
When such well-loved buildings are developed people reminisce about the history of the area – and many happy memories have shaped the design; the homes within mean that the beautiful building can continue to form a part of local history, and house the stories of love, life and family for many more years to come.
Register Your Interest Today: www.picturehouseluton.com
Exclusively being sold by Deakin-White
Call our dedicated sales team on 01582 292 061
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The government has made a number of announcements recently, including a new law which is expected to come into effect in September. This will enable you as a homeowner to add two storeys to your property, and you won’t even need planning permission first. This means if you have been looking to extend your home, it may give you an alternative option. But can raising your roof raise the value of your home?
The detail
Currently, the changes will only apply to those who own a detached property, but if that’s you, you will be able to increase your living space upwards by two storeys up to the maximum height of 18 metres. Speaking about this Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “It will mean that families can provide much-needed additional space for children or elderly relatives as their household grows.”
Going up
Although you may not be eligible to take advantage of this new law, you could still have the potential to extend upwards via a loft conversion. Loft conversions are known to be one of the most popular UK home improvements and, if done correctly, have the potential to add value to your home; they can also add extra space which you as a family may be in need of. But adding value may not be the deciding factor for you. You may have already boarded your loft and have been using it for storage – over lockdown, you may have started to use it as an actual space, such as an office or even a bedroom, but is it legal?
Permission
It’s worth taking professional advice from an architect or builder before you start, but most loft conversations will not require planning permission, as they tend to fall under permitted development. Permitted development is a set of conditions your proposed conversion needs to satisfy, such as the amount of additional space you are creating, the height and roof materials used. It’s also worth seriously considering the look of the loft, and keeping it in line with the architectural design of your home, as something disjointed could make your property less appealing should you wish to sell.
Consider
As we have stated, any works on your loft conversion will need to comply with building regulations; this is to ensure that all works have been done properly and your loft is structurally sound, fire safe and reasonably insulated. To comply as a ‘sellable room’ the doors used will need to be fire-resistant and you will also need mains-powered smoke alarms. Have your floor and beams been strengthened? This will raise the floor level and so reduce the ceiling height – can you actually stand up?
Other things to consider are to ensure that the space has been insulated sufficiently to keep the noise between rooms to a minimum. Stairs are always a huge consideration, as this could mean losing or reducing the size of a bedroom; will access to this new room be via a bedroom? Retractable ladders are not enough, as the new staircase has to provide an escape route in case of a fire. It may work for you as a family, but what impact could this have when selling your home? At Deakin-White we are always happy to give you advice on the probable saleability of your home following planned works.
Green deal
Have you thought about the government’s ‘green investment’ package, the “2 million scheme” launched by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak? Designed to help homeowners make their properties more energy efficient, from September, you can apply for a grant to cover energy-saving projects. Covering up to two-thirds of the cost, the grant will cover loft insulation amongst many other efficiency upgrades.
Costs and value
To give you a guide, for a ‘room-in-the-roof’ single space loft conversion, costs start at around £15,000, roughly – depending on your plans, the costs increase from there. Many people seeking to fully utilise this space opt for an additional bedroom and bathroom, making this extra space into a glorious master suite. Other homes are on the smaller side, and a single use option is the best choice – though that’s not to say that with some clever storage you can’t make it into a multiuse space.
What value could it add? At Deakin-White we don’t like giving values as there are many considerations to take into account that are unique to your property. This is why we always prefer to view your property and your plans so we can give you an estimate, which will be revised once the works have been completed. Nationwide, however, have undertaken some research which estimated that the value of a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house could increase in value by 20% through the addition of an extra bedroom and bathroom.
Improve or move
If recent weeks have shown you that some extra space is much needed, then you are probably pondering whether you should move or improve. Extending your home can provide you with the ideal solution, but again the costs and even your home’s structure may be giving you doubts. Before you make a decision, why not have a look at what’s available on the market at the moment? It may even give you a few ideas for your property.
Whether you decide to stay or go, Team Deakin-White are always here to offer advice and support to help you make the right decision for you and your family.
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Sorting fact from fiction when selling your home
Every home sale is different, and it is understandable that through whispers, chats over the fence, and listening into conversations whilst having a coffee, misunderstandings can occur. In normal times, we would often hear some amazingly creative stories whilst going about our business, so now that the Stamp Duty holiday has been extended and we’re busy helping homeowners to get their property on the market, we thought now would be a great time to sort out the fact and the fiction, once and for all.
Spring is a fantastic time to sell your home
The property market always has peaks and troughs, but the springtime always sees a rise in people looking to sell their home. This year is obviously very different, but the signs are still that we are in for a busy spring.
The chancellor’s Budget announcement that the Stamp Duty holiday will be extended, followed by a reduction, along with the new Mortgage Guarantee, will no doubt give confidence to those who may have been reluctant to consider a move. Add to this the successful vaccine roll out, the children going back to school and the roadmap to recovery, we think that there will be a burst of activity in the spring market.
Buyers decide quickly
If you have bought a home before then you will know that this is no old wives tale, you kind of have an inkling very early on if a home is doing it for you. We see it first-hand all the time: the excited buyers filled with anticipation, then the door opens and the house is not what they expected, disappointment takes hold and you see that initial zest start to fizzle away.
Then you open another door; they may be a little apprehensive this time, but within seconds you see their whole demeanour change. They have it, that feeling that is often hard to describe, but simply says to them, ‘home’. Not everyone is easy to read, some people like to challenge us and keep us guessing, but behind that non-emotive exterior they still know if the property is for them or not.
Studies have found that buyers make a decision within 15 minutes or less. It’s amazing that in that time we make the decision on one of the biggest assets we’ll purchase in our lives.
People will see past it!
Whether that’s clutter, an unkempt garden, overbearing furniture, a tired décor or some dodgy DIY, when it comes to selling your home, no one will see past it. Buyers are looking for a home where they can see themselves living and each little sign of neglect is a barrier that you’re making a buyer leap over. This is why it’s important to do all you can to present your home for sale, taking time to declutter and get each room organised. Tick off all those jobs you may have been leaving for another day and give your home a fresh lick of paint, neutral shades are always preferred.
Don’t put all your effort into the inside of your property, though, also think about the exterior. Summer will be here in the blink of an eye and, after the year we’ve had, buyers want to see themselves enjoying the garden, entertaining with their friends and family and making the most of some sort of normality.
All estate agents are the same
We have to disagree here. We may offer the same service but our delivery and quirks are always different, just like no two supermarkets or cars are the same. But to put this to the test, when you’re ready to get moving, please give our team a call and we can show you how we will sell your home.
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When things are uncertain, it’s understandable that making huge life decisions such as moving home could be far from the front of your mind. Yet as more and more of us are vaccinated, noises from the government lead us to believe schools could be set to return soon, and our crappy winter weather starts to ease, you could be thinking why wait any longer? The question mark hanging over the Stamp Duty holiday extension could be resolved within the coming weeks, which may go in your favour, but regardless of the outcome, if you want to ensure you get the highest possible price and not just an acceptable price for yourhome, there are things that all savvy sellers do to get a house ready for a spring sale.
What are these things savvy sellers know?
There is nothing revolutionary, in fact most of it is common sense, but when you are swept up in the stresses and excitement of buying and selling at the same time, it’s not as easy to see things as they are. At Deakin-White we work hard to negotiate the highest possible price for homes we sell but we know we can always get that little bit more when there is a savvy seller on board.
Strictly do décor
Your Saturday nights may once have involved dancing the night away with friends and family, but this weekend, grab your partner – i.e. a paint brush – and chasse across your room refreshing the colour as you go. This new weekend phenomenon – Strictly do décor – has hit homes up and down the country, as savvy sellers are taking advantage of lockdown and swapping the sequins for overalls to ensure their home is buyer-ready. Gone is the vibrant décor that only an owner can love, and in with more neutral, toned-down palette which, although it may not be to the savvy seller’s taste, ensures that their home will do its job and walk away with not a Len Goodman 7, but a very elegantly dressed, Shirley Ballas 10.
Blankety BLANK
‘A buyer is walking around a house, they enter a room and instantly knew that it is was a BLANK’. Sorry, there is no cheque book and pen if you get this answer right, but if you can’t tell what the purpose of a room is, how can any potential buyers? This lockdown has meant that every inch of our homes has had to transform into multipurpose areas – dining rooms are now gyms, and kitchens are doubling up as classrooms – but buyers are not looking for confusion, they want clarity. Home offices, as we know, are going to be an essential in any home after this pandemic, with many businesses already informing staff that they are changing how they operate for good. So if you have a room that lacks a clear identity, create one so that no buyer leaves your home thinking about the BLANK.
Top Kerb
Your driveway may look like the Top Gear studio, but does it make your home look its best, really? One thing people often forget about is a home’s kerb appeal. Now, it doesn’t matter if your house opens onto the street or you’re lucky enough to be set back away from the road, every house can rev up its exterior to create a Ferrari from a Fiat. You want anyone passing your home to want to take a second look because, as we all know, first impressions count.
DIY SOS
Are you handy with a hammer, or sloppy with a screwdriver? When it comes to getting those odd jobs done ready for your home to go on the market, every savvy seller knows that if you’re not up to the task, get the professionals in. Nothing screams DIY SOS than some worse for wear repairs. You know the drill – if you see one thing faulty you become hawk eyed, looking to find the next flaw and the next… until you’re convinced that this perfectly sound house is actually a house of horrors. So don’t play the ‘it will do’ game, because you will only lose out when it comes to actual offers. Get the repairs done professionally and ‘Play Your Cards Right’ so we can negotiate ‘Higher, Higher’.
Become a savvy seller and you will be the one winning this spring selling season. For more advice on how to maximise the potential of your home, contact our team.
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Every town across the country, is an insight into how the area has evolved over time. Every street, whether filled with period properties or contemporary homes, tells a story. You may be the first owner of your property, or one of many who have made your house a home. Driven by our needs as humans, architecture reflects the spirit of the time in terms of the comforts, lifestyle and mod cons of the day. Each style brings its own joy, and should you dream of settling in a gorgeous Georgian home, being a custodian of a Tudor gem, or love the ease that your brand new home provides, we want to celebrate the architectural beauty of where you live.
When you think of the origins of architecture you may be thinking of the Romans, but think also about Stonehenge, and the Ancient Egyptians’ incredible engineering capabilities. No matter what the era, the purpose of architecture is to improve our lives. Some designs have proven timeless and are still in demand today, but as we welcome new generations we also see an abundance of innovative ideas for the spaces we call home.
Tudor homes
Designed with function in mind, Tudor homes exude character and are filled with fascinating details; they are also some of our oldest surviving houses. With their distinctive timber frames and black and white decoration, owning a Tudor home comes with great responsibility, as you’re also taking care of a little piece of our history. If owning such a property makes your heart flutter, make sure that you understand what you’ll be taking on, as the building may be listed and maintenance is likely to be expensive due to the need for specialists who understand the materials used and your home’s heritage.
Georgian homes
Often voted the most popular architectural design, it’s easy to understand the allure of gorgeous Georgian homes. Their design, with symmetrical facades, was driven by the desire of the new middle classes for innovation. The proportions are wonderful – you have the high ceilings and beautiful large windows that flood each room with natural daylight. Hopefully many of these glorious features have remained and not been ripped out by later generations. Should you have your eye on a Georgian property, we don’t blame you – they make lovely family homes, but as with all period properties, take the cost of maintenance into consideration.
Victorian homes
The Industrial Revolution led to a boom in house building across the UK, as homes needed to be provided for those moving to towns and cities for work. It is therefore no surprise that a large proportion of period properties tend to be Victorian terraces. Homes of character all come with their quirks, which is why if you want perfectly straight walls and have an urge to rip out features to install modern conveniences, then we beg you to walk away. Buyers who are attracted to Victorian homes see past their imperfections, can you?
Edwardian homes
Edwardian homes remain extremely desirable; they make fantastic homes as they are the ideal combination of old and new. This era saw the rise of vernacular architecture, and the maintenance costs of Edwardian homes are less than for other period homes due to the quality of materials used in their design. They tend to be taller and deeper, with gardens front and back – they considered that every façade should be equal in design and detail.
Art Deco homes
The 1930s may have been a boom time for house building in Britain, but sadly very few Art Deco-style homes were designed, which means they are hard to come by. You can instantly recognise Art Deco due to its bold geometry, structured style and rich colours. Glamorous, captivating and nostalgic, they tend to have flat roofs and curved windows that are wonderful for letting the light in. If this era grabs your attention, then you’d better be quick to make your move as they are highly sought-after.
1930s semis
One of the most common architectural styles in the UK is the 1930s semi, which is because they are typically spacious with their curvy distinctive bay windows. New transport links after the war helped to create suburbs where these homes tended to be built. As well as having large rooms, they also had better sized gardens, which you can often still find when such a home comes to the market. They tend to be easy to maintain, provided–as with all properties – they have been looked after over the years.
Today
Just like the past, today there are a wealth of designs and styles being built all the time. From the popular housing developments, to self-built homes of all shapes and sizes, to those that have been specifically designed with the environment in mind, our homes continue to meet our ever-changing lifestyles and needs, with open-plan spaces becoming an increasingly dominant feature, as well as those multi-fuel stoves.
How you live as a family will determine which is the best home design for you, and at Deakin-White we can’t wait to show you the best we have to offer from every era. Don’t judge a house by its era, because every generation has put their stamp on the bricks and mortar that have provided them a safe place to live. How will you leave your mark?
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There are rumblings in the press that the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, will extend the Stamp Duty holiday deadline until the end of June. This is fantastic news for all those people who are in the process of completing and have been worried if it will happen in time. The Stamp Duty holiday certainly fired up the property market last year across the UK, and we saw many people moving as a result. Regardless of whether these rumblings become reality or not, we still believe that now is a great time to sell your home.
Are there buyers?
Even during a lockdown, the desire to move never fades, and that is proven when you take a look at February’s House Price Index from Rightmove. The index shows that visits to the property website are up 45% on last year, with those eager house-hunters increasing the number of enquiries by 18%. At Deakin-White we have really felt this buyer increase; it seems that the prospect of a restriction-free (ish) summer has got people looking to the future, and for many this includes a new home.
What can they buy?
As fantastic as this surge of buyers is, there is a problem: demand is outstripped by supply, there are just not enough houses on the market for them to buy. Rightmove figures also show that seller numbers are down by 21% from last year. In a sellers’ market such as this, it means that any home on the market will receive lots of attention, especially if it is priced correctly and marketed properly.
Where is the supply?
One of the reasons suggested for the lack of available properties is that people have resisted the urge to place their home on the market due to the pressures of home schooling. If you, like us, are trying to keep your sanity whilst googling ‘how to…’ to help your child with their schoolwork, you are not alone. Whoever said moving home is one of the most stressful things you can do in life, hasn’t experienced a lockdown with home schooling alongside home working – thank goodness it comes to an end on 8th March.
It is completely understandable that the idea of throwing a move into the mix has been one stress too many for lots of people. When the little ones are back in school we believe that the number of homes coming on to the market will start to increase and, as such, start to meet that demand from buyers. But remember, the more houses there are for sale, the more competition there is to catch potential buyers’ attention.
What do they need?
Today’s buyers know exactly what they want. This last year has given everyone a different perspective on personal needs, and this might now include space to work from home. Only this week, HSBC have announced that they are letting go of almost half of their global office footprint in favour of a “very different style of working post-Covid”. They are not the only corporate name to be making this move, and it is believed that the post-Covid working environment will be very different to what it was just over 12 months ago.
This huge change in the global working culture means that now more than ever before, a space to work is essential, whether that’s from home or an office hub. We have seen over the past year many home offices being built in gardens and in converted garages. It is therefore worth thinking about presenting an ‘office space’ in your property when you decide to place your home on the market.
A fresh start
There is no doubt that the idea of a post-Covid fresh start is extremely alluring, the idea that when June arrives, you will be able to enjoy your freedom in a wonderful new home. We know that many of you have invested in your properties over the last year – the queues at the DIY stores and the difficulty of finding certain shades of paint and materials was testament to this. All your hard work and creativity may give you some good news when we come to value your property.
Why now?
Why wouldn’t you want to sell your home when there is an abundance of buyers and a lack of properties available? We can start to do the work now so that when the schools are back and things are a little calmer, we can have your home marketed as quickly as possible. If you’re thinking of moving, now is a great time to sell your home.
Give our team a call today.
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Perfectly placed residential apartments, close to the open and unspoiled Bedfordshire Countryside, a thriving food and drink scene, excellent schooling, unbeatable leisure opportunities and perhaps one of the most accessible locations in England – there’s a reason why all eyes are on Picture House Luton.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST
Property buyers in Luton have been watching the development of the Picture House apartments with interest, transforming the much-loved historic Art Deco 1930s cinema into modern, sleek homes – and Deakin-White are proud to be the exclusive property agents for the sale of these much-anticipated one- and two-bedroom apartments.
The Picture House, a popular architectural landmark of Luton since the roaring 1930’s, has been carefully and meticulously restored. Based on Gordon Street – a quiet location, with excellent parking for residents and just two minutes from the bustling heart of the town with restaurants, bars, boutiques and shops – and all within the commuter belt to London for City workers.
Ideal for small families, first time buyers, young professionals, buy-to-let landlords and investment buyers, the development is an extremely high standard, sympathetic to the historical features of the iconic building. This is a fantastic chance to buy high-end homes which benefit from easy access to London, close to Luton’s centre, just a short journey from the beautiful countryside of rural Bedfordshire.
Residents of Luton have long loved the iconic cinema building and will be thrilled to see that this historic art deco landmark, a beautiful building, of great architectural merit, has been so carefully preserved, transformed sympathetically into luxury residential apartments. Every apartment has been finished to the highest specification and an attention to detail that sets them apart as beautiful executive apartments.
All sales of the Picture House apartments are exclusive to Deakin-White, experts in property sales, and well known locally for supporting buyers in their journey to home ownership. These apartments are highly anticipated, and likely to be snatched up by a market keen to invest in beautiful, high-end homes in one of Luton’s best loved historical buildings. To find out more about the homes and the property visit their website www.picturehouseluton.com where you can explore show home features and find out more details about the available apartments, and register your interest in a viewing or purchase online, or by calling our dedicated sales team on 01582 292 061 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Listings are also live on the Deakin-White website where you will find images of Picture House, detailing the fixtures and fittings included in the apartments, and you can again register your interest for a viewing or exclusively purchase off plan with the Deakin-White team https://www.dwrealestate.co.uk/for-sale-bedfordshire/property/10720386-gordon-street-luton
For more details, call our offices and speak with one of the Deakin-White team – established locally with properties across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, we have a wide range of properties both rurally and centrally, and comfortably in the London commuter belt for professionals.
Register Your Interest today: www.picturehouseluton.com
Exclusively being sold by Deakin-White
Call our dedicated sales team on 01582 292 061
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Do you remember the excitement you felt when buying your first home? The moment it caught your eye, the viewing when you fell in love, and the joy as your offer was accepted… We are sure your first home has brought you much happiness over the years, but has the Chancellor’s announcement of temporary changes to stamp duty got you thinking? Maybe lockdown has uncovered some frustrations in your home which you hadn’t noticed before, or a desire for more or less space has got you searching for a new abode. You have bought a home before, but selling a property is a whole new kettle of fish, which is why our team at Deakin-White has put together some essential advice for first-time sellers.
What’s your motivation?
Homes have a sneaky way of tugging on our heartstrings, they can draw you in with those features that you first fell in love with, and it can be hard to let go. But if you’re making the decision to move, it’s good to focus on your reason why. If you’re looking to take advantage of the temporary stamp duty changes, you know that you have only a few months to get moving. When you focus on the benefits of what you’re looking for in a new home, it’s easier to walk away from your old one. You will need to make decisions along the way to benefit your sale, and if you’re all loved up, it makes those decisions that much harder.
Reality check
You will probably have undertaken some work on your property over the years, you may even have extended or put in a new kitchen or bathroom. As such, you might have some ideas about your home is now worth, but are you right? It’s the current property market that determines the value of your home right now, so it’s worth doing some research to see if NOW is the right time to sell your property.
By using tools on the property portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla you can see those houses sold recently, and the sales price they achieved. Please bear in mind that this is only a guide, as there are many factors that are taken into account when valuing a property including the condition and presentation of the home.
Do the numbers add up?
A desire to move is only the first step, as you need your finances to work too. The world in which you bought your first home is very different to the one we are currently living in. Yes, the raising of the stamp duty threshold may give you some breathing space, but there are many other things that you need to consider. What is the situation with your mortgage? Are you able to transfer, or would you be required to pay penalties? You also need to budget for the other costs, such as legal fees – remember, these will be higher as you will have a purchase and a sale this time, as well as other expenses including your Energy Performance Certificate and moving costs.
Get your home ready
Before you start calling estate agents to value your property, you have some work to do. If you’ve already been having a nosey online to see what properties could potentially be your future home, you’ll know that some instantly grab your attention and others… Well, you swiped that quick you can’t even remember what they looked like.
You now need to look at your property through the eyes of potential buyers. By taking a step back you can make the changes that will transform it from being your home, into a home for sale. Buyers want to walk in and be able to see themselves living there – this can be difficult if it’s still screaming of you. A clean, organised, de-personalised and elegantly styled home will always win with buyers who want to be able to just walk into a property and make it their own.
Get your home on the market
Your home is your biggest asset and yet many sellers don’t take the time to really research who they should entrust with selling it. Invite a number of estate agents to offer you a valuation on your property, and don’t be afraid to ‘interview’ them for the job. At Deakin-White we always welcome the opportunity to show you our worth and explain why we are the best agency to sell your property.
When valuing your home, we have a strategy in mind to ensure you achieve the best possible sales price. But this is just the start; you need to feel confident that the estate agent you choose will be proactive throughout the sales process, so you know what’s happening when and can prevent any delays. Read your contract carefully, what are you being tied into? Have you asked for recommendations from family and friends? How have they made past clients feel – check their reviews. You need to choose the right agency for you and your home.
Prevent delays
Do you remember when you were buying your property? There may have been times you were itching to know what was going on, frustrated that it was taking too long, and if time was dragging maybe a doubt or two could have popped into your mind. Delays are dangerous for property transactions, which is why making sure you have things in place ready for when they’re needed can be a huge help.
Where is all paperwork for your property? Can you quickly lay your hand on Gas Safety Certificates, documents related to any building works, and even your deeds? Don’t wait to be asked, put them to one side as soon as you can, and you’ll be helping your sale to move swiftly and smoothly.
Think before you accept
An offer is more than the figure being offered, it’s also tied up with the situation of the buyers, so before you get excited and accept in haste, ask questions. At Deakin-White we will negotiate on your behalf and will always get a clear picture for you of the situation of each buyer. Are they a first-time buyer like you were? The joys have having someone with no chain should never be overlooked, but can you match your timescale for moving?
Choosing a solicitor/conveyancer
Just as you took time to research which estate agent you should use, the same must apply to choosing a solicitor/conveyancer to manage the legal side of your sale and purchase. You want one that can act swiftly, will keep you informed at every step to stop frustrations creeping in, and will fight your corner to ensure that everything is in place. Ensure that you get a quote for their services so you know what costs are involved in advance – cheaper isn’t always better.
Decisions
Every decision you make when selling your home will impact on your experience, and we want to ensure you have a great one. At Deakin-White we are always here to offer advice, so if you’re thinking of selling, why not come and chat to a member of our team?
