5 Home Improvements to increase the value of your property

24 April 2018

National Home Improvement Month: Give your Home a FaceliftIf don’t spend the time making a few home improvements then this could affect the price of your home. Every home has a “ceiling price”, which is the most you can expect to sell it for based on similar properties in the area.

Not everyone if able to fully refurbish their home but there are still things you can do to increase your home’s value and “saleability”.

1. Decorate

One of the quickest, easiest and often cheapest ways to improve your home is to give all the rooms a fresh coat of paint, which will brighten them up, make them look bigger and will cover any imperfections.

Prep the walls by filling and sanding any cracks, then paint with light, neutral colours; don’t forget to paint the skirting boards and ceilings too.

2. Upgrade the kitchen

The kitchen is often described as “the heart of the home” so it’s important to make sure it’s as appealing and functional as possible.

You may not be able to afford a full re-fit but you could simply paint the cupboard doors with furniture paint and add new handles. You might also consider putting new linoleum or tiling down and replacing the sink and taps if they’re more than 10 years old (or if there are any leaks).

3. Upgrade the bathroom

You can do a lot to improve your bathroom without replacing the suite, such as painting over unfashionably patterned tiles, replacing the shower curtain with a frosted glass screen or installing a heated towel rail.

But if your bathroom suite is dated, it’s best to replace it – a basic white suite doesn’t have to be expensive. It might be tempting to swap the bath for a walk-in shower but remember that families with young children will need a bath, so they might be less likely to buy your home if you don’t have one.

4. Increase storage space

Some homes (especially older ones) lack enough storage for the modern family, so think about ways to convert any unused space into useful storage for household essentials.

You could create a cupboard underneath the stairs or box in a bay window with an ottoman (which also makes an attractive window seat). Budget and time-permitting, you may be able to convert an attic or cellar to provide extra rooms.

5. Improve your garden

The outside of your house is the first and last thing people see when they visit, so consider the impression this will make.

With Spring now in full force, maybe it’s time to mow your lawn, weed flower beds and paths, replace any cracked paving slabs and repair any damaged fence panels. If you can afford to, install outdoor lighting to improve security and add a patio area to the back garden with decking and a table and chairs.

Thinking of selling your home?

If you’re looking to sell your home (or have another property for sale), please contact Lawler & Co Estate Agents for expert advice.

With Spring time approaching, you may be interested in finding out how much your property is worth.

Spring is a great time to sell your property, with the dark winter months becoming a distant memory, and active buyers eagerly awaiting new properties to enter the market!

We can give you an instant valuation by using the following link:

http://www.smartval.co.uk/lawlerco/get-valuation

This is the question that we are asked all the time, and one which is very valid.

There is no doubt that deciding to move is a big decision and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s a decision that is going to play a big part in your life for a number of weeks, even months.

So you’ve decided to move…..now what?

Some may say the wisest way to buy and sell a property is to find a house you love, and then take the necessary steps to get your property on the market. There’s sound reasoning to it as well. Quite often, people may have concerns about being made homeless due to not being able to find anything in time.

Plus, never mind “in time”, what if you can’t find anything you like at all? And then there’s the fact that even if you do find something you like, it won’t be a problem because houses on your street always sell really fast…..

However, ask any estate agent and they will recommend the opposite. Believe it or not, this isn’t because we’re looking out for our own best interests, it’s because we deal with literally thousands of buyers and sellers annually and we know which method is going to most likely going to result in a positive outcome for you.

Let’s go through the concerns raised to us, and give our advice:

“What if you find a buyer for mine but I can’t find anywhere in time?”:

If you found the property of your dreams, would you be prepared to wait for a few weeks for the vendor to find somewhere for themselves? The answer is most likely a “yes”, and it wouldn’t be any different if someone wanted to buy yours.

A few weeks is nothing compared to the years of happiness to follow that are going to be spent living in that property.

Yes, it’s certainly in your favour if you have other options such as moving into rented for a few weeks, moving in with family or some sort of alternative accommodation but it is by no means essential.

The bottom line is that if a buyer really wants your property, they’ll wait.

“What if I simply can’t find anything that I like?”

We hear this on a daily basis and believe it or not, 70-80% of our customers who put their house on the market all have the same concerns, and that’s a lot of customers.

However, the amount of properties that fall through due to the seller not being able to find a property that they like is an absolutely miniscule percentage, if any at all. All of these vendors find a property – it just works out that way.

Also, I would always advise going to view properties that don’t tick all the boxes from the first impression, but they could potentially be suitable.

“Houses on my street always sell really fast?”:

If only I had a pound for every time I heard this….

However, this is what we tend to find happens with most sellers who choose to try and find somewhere before they market their own property.

First, you’ll find somewhere that you like. Now the market is already very active with plenty of buyers in a good position. Some vendors simply won’t allow viewings to take place with buyers who don’t have their property on the market. Straight away you’re at a disadvantage because you might not be able to even view the property.

Alternatively, if you do get a viewing and the property is everything you though it would be, you might want to put forward an offer – which might be acceptable to the vendor. However, very few vendors are going to take their property off the market and wait for you to sell yours – would you be prepared to do that if a potential buyer came to you in a similar situation?

Then there’s the added fact that if you like the property, there is a high probability that somebody else does too – and that somebody else is likely to be in a better position than you. Even if they don’t offer as high as you did, the fact that they’re potentially in a position to proceed adds a lot of weight to the offer.

So the likelihood is, you lose out on you dream property because somebody in a better position came along and snapped it up. This happens all the time and the only way to avoid it is to get on the market!

If you’ve decided that you’re going to move, it simply doesn’t make sense not to get your property on the market – for a variety of reasons:

1) The cost to actually put your property on the market is minimal. You only pay our commission if we sell your property. So you’re not going to be out of pocket.

2) Even if you haven’t found somewhere, you’re not going to be forced into taking an offer that you don’t want to accept. As an estate agent, we act in our vendor’s best interests and as long as you make your agent aware of your situation at the beginning, they will work with you to make sure you don’t lose out.

3) Just by having your property on the market will give you much better negotiation power and it means you can be actively generating interest on your own property whilst searching for your ideal home.

Finally, and this is an important point to consider, if everybody who told us they wanted to wait until they’ve found somewhere before they put their property on the market, actually put their property on the market, there would be a lot more properties on the market!

It sounds obvious but think about it. There might be somebody out there right now looking for your property, and the only way they’re going to know about it is by having it on the market. If you apply that to all of the above who say the same thing, there are so many sales and chains being missed out on. It kick starts the chain for everything else to happen – because without a buyer, you’re not going anywhere!

So, here’s my final words of advice. If you’ve made the decision that you want to move, firstly, find out about your finances and get a rough idea of what your budget would be. Then, get your property on the market and get out there viewing properties. If you do it this way, there’s a high probability that everything will work in your favour. There’s no written rule, it just happens this way.

However, if you wait to find somewhere first, you may find yourself missing out on being able to secure your dream home.

Our advice is always make yourself the best possible buyer, especially when you are looking in a popular area where properties sell fast.

We have had a cracking start to 2018 already, with an amazing four sales agreed already this month in the Marple branch!

After only opening in September 2017, our Poynton branch has been flying and are now a firm competitor in the Poynton market. With our exceptional customer focused approach, and expert staff it really shows that our approach is what people want in an Estate agent.

We are busy registering a whole host of new buyers looking for properties in our keys areas of Marple, Hazel Grove and Poynton, and our cross selling between the three branches is resulting in increased sales.

We are looking forward to another fantastic year!

It’s the start of a brand new year, and with Christmas behind us, we can start to look forward to new plans in 2018!

We love January. The fresh new year gives us all a boost to get things done which we may have been putting off for a while. This includes the big decision of selling or buying a home.

With January being an increasingly busy month for us, we are finding that our buyers are motivated to get sales agreed in January so that they can be moving into the new homes in time for the Spring. Year on year, we have had strong results in January and February, despite the weather being gloomy and miserable!

So, if you are thinking of buying or selling, take advantage of our healthy ‘January Sales’ figures and call our offices today

Marple – 0161 914 7620

Hazel Grove – 0161 300 7144

Poynton – 01625 448 001

We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from all of us at Lawler & Co!

The girls in the Marple office are enjoying Christmas jumper day today 🙂

We would like to thank you for all your support during 2017, it has been another fantastic year for us!

Our Christmas opening hours are as follows:

Christmas Day – CLOSED

Boxing Day – CLOSED

Wednesday 27th December – CLOSED

Thursday 28th December – 10am – 4pm

Friday 29th December – 10am – 4pm

Saturday 30th December – 10am – 4pm

Most of us woke us to a beautiful covering of snow this morning, this is the view from the Ridge in Marple!

As gorgeous as this view is, the cold weather can have an effect on our homes, so we have put together some handy tips to keep you home toasty and warm and well looked after

1. Check your boiler and heating system

If you haven’t done so already this year, get your boiler checked and/or serviced by a Gas Safe registered plumber. There’s nothing worse than being left without hot water or heating in the bleak mid winter!

2. Secure roof tiles

Check for any cracked, missing or loose tiles and replace them. If a roof is in disrepair, strong winds and the weight of snow can wreak havoc on your roof.

Look for cracks and loose render around chimney pots and at the roof join. High winds and heavy rain can damage chimneys even further so make sure they’re properly stable before the worst of the weather kicks in.

4. Keep the central heating on

Set the central heating to a minimum of 14 degrees Celsius throughout the winter. This helps prevent frozen pipes and frost damage

5. Prepare your windows

Take a look at your window frames, filling any cracks and putting on a coat of paint if needed. Extreme temperatures and wet weather can cause untreated wood to expand and rot, so treating windowsills helps to prevent this.

6. Keep your pipes warm

Apply lagging to any pipes and water tanks in exposed areas such as lofts, garages and utility rooms to prevent pipes freezing and bursting in the cold weather. The last thing you want is to be left without a water supply!

7. Clear your gutters

As the autumn leaves fall, gutters and drains can get clogged with loose foliage. Once the block becomes too much, water will start to collect in your gutter and eventually start leaking into your roof. Clear your gutters to void this fateful scenario.

Christmas is already in sight and it might be tempting to assume the market will slow down and that it might be best to wait until the New Year before selling.

However, year on year we see an increase in the number of buyers registering with us to find their new home during November and December. Also, over Christmas we always see a huge spike of buyer activity, as people who are anticipating a move in the New Year start to spend their “time out” browsing for properties. They inevitably fall in love with one of our beautifully presented instructions sooner than expected, so our viewing figures over Christmas aren’t bad either!

We certainly recommend that you avoid falling into the trap of waiting until the Spring to sell. The sheer volume of properties flooding on to the market at the same time in March and April can create an imbalance of supply over demand and prices can actually weaken. Serious buyers are still very active over Christmas, when their time off work allows them to view more properties.

It is now less than 6 weeks until the big day, so if you are thinking of selling in the New Year or even waiting until the Spring, why not bring it forward a few weeks and take advantage of this surprisingly buoyant time of year. You will then be in a strong position to take advantage of increase in supply early next year, taking your pick of the properties available safe in the knowledge that you secured yourself a buyer when the competition was at it lowest.

Call your local office today for your free valuation :

Marple – 0161 914 7620

Poynton – 01625 448 001

Hazel Grove – 0161 300 7144

With our new office in Poynton now open, our new office in Hazel Grove and our revamped office in Marple, it is good to see our property listings growing fast all over Stockport!

If you are living in the Stockport area and are looking at selling your property, please call one of our AWARD WINNING teams today to arrange a FREE valuation.

Marple – 0161 914 7620

Hazel Grove – 0161 300 7144

Poynton – 01625 448 001

As Autumn is here, we are often busy returning to some sort of normality after a summer of fun and freedom and moving house might seem like the farthest thing from your mind right now.

But did you know that Autumn is actually a popular time of year for selling property? Many people resolve to change something in their lives as the new school year begins, and for some, thoughts turn to a new home. Indeed, customers often come into our offices saying that they ‘want to complete before Christmas’ – having a move done and dusted before the end of the year is a common goal.

So, if you’re looking to sell, how do you tap into this captive market? People tend to see summer as the time when a home looks its best – you have the benefit of brighter and longer-lasting natural light, gardens tend to be in bloom, and the winter clutter of boots, big coats and blankets has been packed away. But in Autumn, you can make the most of a cosier look which can actually make it easier for potential buyers to feel at home when they enter your property.

1. Clean that carpet!

Over the summer, more debris can make its way inside the home than usual – kids, adults and pets are in and out more frequently during the warmer months, dragging mud, leaves and sand with them, amongst other things. One of the quickest and easiest ways to get your home looking and smelling fresh again is to have a professional carpet clean.

2. Shine like a star

The nights may be drawing in, but you need to make sure that the sun is shining inside as much as possible so you can present your home in its best light! Open blinds and curtains fully, hang some extra mirrors to reflect brightness and consider investing in some stronger lightbulbs or extra lamps for those gloomier days when everything just looks grey.

3. Be savvy about viewing times

On the brightness theme, it’s a good idea to ensure that your property is accessible for viewings during the lighter hours of the day. Some vendors insist on being at home for viewing appointments, but this can hinder your chances of selling if you don’t get home from work until it’s dark. So, trust your estate agent with the keys and you just might achieve a faster sale.

4. Ensure your property smells fresh…

As the days get cooler, it’s easy to shut the windows in September, only for them to remain closed until April or May! The result? Stuffy properties that may also suffer from condensation-related damp smells. Throw open those windows, even if it’s just for a few minutes each morning and afternoon. This will help to clear moisture and bad smells, making your home more inviting to purchasers.

5. …But keep it toasty!

On a related note, don’t keep those windows open for too long, either! There is no greater property turn-off than a home that feels chilly and uninviting. Encourage your viewers to stay by heating your home for a short period each morning and evening – put the boiler on a timer if you’re out or are likely to forget. Remember, the aim is to think ‘cosy’!

6. Bring the outside in

This time you want to bring in the feel of the autumn season. Don’t spend a fortune; try a russet-coloured throw or some gold candles – or even just a pretty bowl of seasonal fruits (perhaps with a few colourful leaves mixed in). It’s amazing how much people react instinctively to seasonality – and the warmness of the autumnal colour palette can really help to sell your place.

7. Cut the clutter

As the kids go back to school and people return from summer holidays, it’s easy for communal areas like kitchens and hallways to become filled with junk – everyone is busy and there just seems to be more ‘stuff’ around at this time of year. Instead, donate unneeded items to charity or put them in storage – and resist the temptation to chuck everything outside as your buyers will need to be attracted by the exterior areas of the property, too!

Whatever you do when it comes to selling your home, the most important thing is to make it a place people want to come back to. So, remember to think light, bright and comfy as you prepare your place for sale this autumn.

Don’t wait until next year to sell your property, we have buyers waiting. Call our offices today for a free no obligation valuation or click here – Book Valuation

Marple – 0161 914 7620

Hazel Grove – 0161 300 7144

Poynton – 01625 448 001