Setting the Stage

Staging is not a requirement to sell your estate, but it is recommended. Before doing anything, first you need to identify your target market, and consider getting help from a professional.

Estate sales require a lot of paper work. One must make sure that the title, taxes, mortgages, billing, and all safety codes are taken care of before putting the property up for sale. Also identifying possible prospects is a must to set the selling price, and effectively land a buyer. This entails determining what type of neighborhood you are living in: is it young (single active people) or mature (families)? Determining if it’s hip or conservative will help you on how to stage your home.

An estate agent from Finlaybrewer.co.uk has the expertise on paper work, and the estate market. Hiring one is a no brainer, especially when you’re having trouble identifying your target market.

Staging

A handsome looking house sells fast. That means you have to set aside a budget for renovations and repairs.

Welcome buyers with a warm appeal not from your exteriors alone, but include the living room, kitchen, and the master bedroom. You can transform these spaces by making simple repairs like patching up holes on the wall, replacing wall paint/paper, fixing drawer doors just to name a few. Turning your bathroom into spa, does not require much spending. Simply replacing the old-stained mirror with a new one would work. You can take things further by replacing the towel bars, tissue holder, waste basket, and trays as an ensemble. As an option, add soft white towels, toiletries, soaps, and scented candles as a complement to that smooth finish.

Decor and furniture need to be carefully selected around the house. Paintings should complement the theme you’ve chosen for the room. Avoid being specific with art as not to turn off buyers from a room. Room size and furniture quantity should be proportional. This is important to ease prospects in, instead of repelling them from an overfilled room.

Here are just a few staging suggestions that make a quick sale. When going through the process, it’s you who make the ultimate decisions. Careful planning and proper execution is required for a successful staging. So, take your time and make sure to cover all bases for a successful property sale.

Getting the Perfect Flat Mate

Independence gives you a chance to mature, and become responsible. Living alone lets you discover something new about yourself daily, which is truly exciting. Your time is not shared with anyone, which allows you to do anything you want. Such liberties include: leaving the TV on 24/7, walking around the flat naked, party all you want, and many more. Freedom!

Alone in the Universe

However, the downside is you are alone. And the burden of paying for the rent, council taxes, electric, water, gas, insurance, phone line, repairs, and food to name a few fall on you. These factors make independence a nightmare.

You probably already guess what you need. Yes! You need a flat-mate.

How to Get One?

Posting about a spare room you have on Finlaybrewer.co.uk guarantees instant inquiries from people seeking lettings. Easy! And if you want a more personal approach, narrow down your target area by posting a few flyers on notice boards in your neighborhood.

Attract the Right Mate

It’s a good thing to be prim and proper when you’re living with someone. Holding back on a few quirks ensures that your new flat-mate won’t get alienated.

 Then again it you’re flat, you want to be as comfy as possible. Getting a perfect flat-mate is a must! Quite a conundrum, but the solution is simple. Just be honest.

On your letting post, write down your likes, and dislikes. Describe yourself truthfully (surely you’re not a monster).

When entertaining prospects, tell them all financial obligations you expect from them. Ask about food allergies/preference, habits, profession, and groups their part of. Then make sure to return the favor by allowing them to ask questions about you/flat as well.

These suggestions might just help you to find a flat-mate you can live with now. And perhaps with ample time make a friendship that last a lifetime.

Keys to Searching for the Right Flat

Flat searches require a lot of work. Identifying your needs versus your wants is a good way to start.

Space

Everybody wants to live in a thousand square foot apartment. That’s furnished with posh couches, tables, beds, cabinets, and many more. That would be the life, but reality bites. One must make a purchase in accordance to his needs. When you’re single you can make limited space cozy. However, if you have a family more square footage is required.

 

The Neighborhood

Each district has its own unique appeal that complicates your decision making on which flat to choose. Keep it simple by again reflecting on your needs. Being single (in a way) only requires you to live near your work, gym, and places to hang out. Families require more facilities to be nearby, such as the market, schools, church, park, bank, hospital, commute, and yes the list is endless. Considering these factors brings you closer to your flat.

Keep Asking

The letting agent is not required to tell you everything, but is bound to tell the truth. Clever questions get you the best deal. Questions like what’s the minimum price, what’s included, council tax, and the average on utility bills works to your advantage. So don’t hold back!

 

Negotiations

The right apartment for you also attracts others. Making an offer on the spot may not be effective. A smart maneuver is to compromise on negotiating on rent, removal of furniture (if flat is furnished), and pets if any. Doing these is difficult (not required), but puts you on top.

These factors require you to get the right letting agent, which agrees with compromise. Good thing Finlay Brewer has enough experience on property lettings, which gives them the ability to recognize a good deal when they see one.

Responsibilities in Letting Properties

The Landlord

Letting property comes with a lot of responsibility. An owner should make sure that all utilities such as water, electric, and gas follow safety standards.

Repairs for these are also shouldered by the landlord including the roof, chimney, walls guttering and drains. Security deposits do not go to a private bank account, but should be deposited onto a government approved deposit protection scheme. Rent ask should follow regulation, and collections are the responsibility of the landlord.

Privacy should also be respected. Owners are not entitled to come as they please. They have the responsibility to notify tenants for visits. Even with repairs, they have to make sure that tenants can live in the house without interference.

 

The Tenant

The law has strict estate guidelines for landlords to follow, which means tenants get to live in a comfy space.

This entails having the right to know who the owner is, and see the emergency performance certificate on the property.

 Excessively high charges are allowed to be challenged. And if there’s a tenancy agreement; it should comply with the law.

Posh privileges also bind the tenant with a few responsibilities. One must take good care of the property; compensate for repairs when the tenant causes damage. Paying the rent on time is very important to avoid disputes. And subletting the property depends on the contract or if the landlord would allow it; if you require it, going through the proper channels is a must.

Property Manager

People move in and out of residences all the time. And every time this happens tenants and landlords don’t really have a blast. Issues like rent, and security deposits can get complicated. Avoiding it is possible through the help of a third party. A property management firm such as Finlay Brewer serves as a guardian for both parties when it comes to collections, insurance, and many more. So, getting a third party involved is simply a no-brainer.

Some Tips on Staging Your Home for the Market

When it comes to presenting your home in the market, being well organized in your presentation is one of the traits that attract potential buyers. When the house is free of clutter, clean and displayed well, you are not only giving good impression of yourself: you’re also providing a vision for the buyers to move in to a loving home. The real estate agents of Finlay Brewer have a few suggestions on how to present your house and viewings.

Organized State of Mind

If you’re still living in the house that you already put on the market, only accept viewings that have been scheduled with your agent and the buyers. You’ll need time to put away toys, clothes, ornaments and other appliances that you have in your house, and sudden viewings rarely afford you that kind of time. Remove personal things lying around the house like your purse, computer, shoes and other appliances. Remember that you are selling your property, not your possessions. Draw attention to the bare features of your home.

Best Time of Day

For house visits or photo shoots, the best time to have clients and photographers over is on a clear sunny day. Natural lighting coming through windows and open spaces add a positive feel to a room and makes a house look cleaner. Check the weather forecasts to see what the predicted conditions for a particular date will be.

Make Minor Repairs

Present a house like it’s a newly built house. Patch up torn or dirty wallpaper; replace faulty bulbs; fix water pipes; and change cabinets, drawers and door hinges. Consider repainting some walls as well, especially if the colors of old rooms are too bold like purple, pink or orange. Remember to take those costs into account when you price your house for sale, though.

Primp the house that you put on the market and turn it into something that you would want to live in. Have a buyer’s perspective when scrutinizing every corner to make everything perfect. It could be hard for a first-time seller, but staging a house will be easier when you have the help of Finlay Brewer real estate agents.

Run a Spot Check on Your Potential Home

Buying a home is certainly a far cry from picking out a new pair of shoes or a piece of furniture. The decision can take years because apart from the financial aspect, it is also based on emotions. It involves a choice in lifestyle that will perhaps last for several years. It includes considerations on the breadwinners’ jobs, the children’s schools, your freedom to customise, and your commitment to the new neighbourhood. While these reasons are subjective, there are also general points to check before purchasing a new home.

Safety tops the list

A peaceful and secure neighbourhood is the most basic requirement in deciding where to live. Allot an hour to search local government sites, newspaper websites, and blogs to read about the pressing issues in the community and learn about the ongoing or future developments in the area. A more meticulous approach is to visit the local police station or also research on crime reports in the area. It doesn’t hurt to be this cautious, especially if you have little children. It is only right to prioritise the safety and security of your family.

Check for Local Amenities

After safety comes accessibility and convenience. Find out where the nearest facilities are. Make sure it is not that far from the most important facilities such as the hospital, market, fire and police stations, or schools. It is now easier to find out about this with Google Maps; with it, you can explore the entire neighbourhood and even look at a street view of it so you can have a glimpse of what’s nearby. The goal is to live in a community where it’s easier and more convenient.

Test Drive

Be familiar with the traffic pattern by testing your commute. Visit the home at different times of the day and take special consideration during the rush hour. It will give you an idea of the activities and the peacefulness of the area. Remember that transportation also has a big effect on how satisfied you will be with the property.

The toughest part would be talking and negotiating with the sellers. After several home inspections, you would want to have a thorough discussion about other details such as the renovations and home improvements done through the years. You will need a support system with a wide range of experience in the field. If you’re interested in a property at Shepherds Bush Road, consider giving agents like those from Finlay Brewer a call. Their real estate agents will assist you in finding a home that will suit all your needs. With such experts at your side, running a spot check definitely won’t be that tough.

Property Management: Learning the Basics

There’s more to being a landlord than just earning money off your properties. Apart from collecting rent, your responsibility as a landlord is to handle repair and maintenance of the property as well as advertising your property to potential tenants. Sound like hard work? It certainly is, but there is a better way to manage your property.

What is Property Management?

Propertymanagement is defined by Investopedia as the “administration of residential, commercial and/or industrial real estate”.  Property management usually involves managing of properties owned by another party or entity. Managed properties can either be a residential, commercial or industrial.

What does a Property Management company do?

Property management companies are responsible for all aspects of managing one’s property from advertising to tenant placement. They also handle rent collection, property maintenance and repairs, tenant complaints, and even evictions. The goal of the property managers is to increase the property value while generating income.

When should you hire a Property Manager?

Although there are several advantages of hiring property managers, it is an investment that should not be taken lightly. There are several factors you need to consider before you dive into it. One factor is the number of properties you manage/lease. Imagine managing more than properties on your own compared to having a group of property managers handling them. This means that you can earn from all of your properties all at the same time. Other factors to consider include your proximity to the properties, time availability and experience in managing properties.

How to choose a Property Management company

Hiring a property manager requires due diligence and research. You can check online for different companies available in your area. You can also ask your friends and family for any recommendations. Regardless of what your method for finding one, make sure that you choose a company with enough experience in the field and the right credentials. Be sure to check their website, if available, and contact them directly to know more about their services.