So you have decided to sell! Maybe you are upsizing, downsizing or selling as end of chain.  Whatever your reason for the move, one thing is certain.  You will want to know you have sold having achieved the best possible price for what is most likely one of your biggest assets.

You will have taken time to select a good professional estate agent. And now the exciting bit!  Preparing the brochure and seeing your home through the eyes of a professional photographer.  After all it is the images of your home that will attract (or not) potential buyers to request a viewing and walk through your door.

So what can you do to help?

Inside:

•Give your property a thorough spring clean. Check for cobwebs, clean the windows and wash down paintwork if necessary.
•Tidy up!
•Clear the clutter from your kitchen worktops to make them appear bigger and more spacious. Hide the washing up liquid, brush, bowl and cloth, tidy away the tea towels and hand towels and make sure the fruit bowl is full of freshly bought and inviting fruits of the season. Leave the kettle, toaster and microwave, but do those other gadgets need to be taking up valuable space?
•Remove the dog bowl and bed.
•Buy a vase of fresh flowers or a nice pot plant, both of which can brighten up a dull or dark corner.
•Make sure all your light bulbs are working! It might seem simple but this will also help on viewings, particularly on dull days.
•Bedrooms will benefit from freshly laundered and ironed bedding and double beds need matching bedside lamps on both sides. (Dunelm Mill, B&Q etc all sell affordable lighting). Add some scatter cushions or a matching throw and recreate the boutique hotel feel. Buyers need to feel ‘at home’. Declutter and depersonalise. Move yesterday’s trousers from the back of the chair!
•Bathrooms should be squeaky clean. Regrouting make the tiles look fresh and clean, remove lime scale from taps, sinks and toilets. Have a fresh, brand new set of towels to use for the photos and viewings. Keep these in the airing cupboard until you need them so they can freshen up the bathroom at a moment’s notice when the agent rings with a buyer wanting to view that day. Oh, and please hide the toilet brush, cleaning products and spare toilet rolls, and close toilet lids for viewings.
•Are you aware of small maintenance jobs that you just haven’t got around to dealing with? Your buyers will notice them too and will discount an offer to allow them to do the work using a professional. It may be cheaper for you to fix these little items and create the very best impression.

Outside:

•Keep the grass cut in summer and leaves swept in winter.
•Add an extra bag of gravel to spruce up the drive, or weed the block paving.
•Hide wheelie bins if possible or move away from the front door.
•Could you add a pretty planter either side of the front door or hanging baskets? Entice your buyers in.
•Add some seasonal colour to the beds and borders to make it more photogenic. Local garden centres have plenty of ideas and will offer free advice.
•Could you liven up a dull wall by planting a climbing rose or clematis?
•Tidy children’s toys – swings, slides and trampolines may need to stay but the paddling pool, toy wheelbarrow and scooter would be better in the shed or garage.
•Trim hedges and prune shrubs where overgrown.
•Don’t forget to check the edge of your garden where it meets the highway path or road – weeding will help to create a great first impression.
•Repair any damaged fences or walls.

For further advice on ensuring that the outside of your house is looking its very best read our earlier blog Five top tips for improving first impressions of the outside of your home.

If you are just at the stage of thinking about a move and would like further advice on what you can do to maximise the value of your property – and get a free up-to-date valuation – call your local branch of Perry Bishop and Chambers.

 

 

 

 

Unlike the old adage ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’, when it comes to selling your home first impressions really do count. If the exterior of your home is well maintained and well presented, potential buyers will assume – whether true or not – that the inside of your home is of a high standard too. Indeed, many serious buyers will take a ‘drive by’ to check out your location and neighbourhood before agreeing to view the inside, so how you present the outside of your home is crucial for maximising interest.

Here are our top five tips for achieving the very best first impression:

1. Make sure your front door is clean and, if appropriate, freshly painted or varnished.  Make your door the stand out feature to welcome visitors and buyers in.

2. Windows and sills should be regularly cleaned to remove any dust or cobwebs, and don’t forget to wipe down fascias, soffits and downpipes where necessary.

3. Gardens should be kept tidy and grass cut regularly.  We all love the smell of freshly mown grass particularly as we come into spring and summer.  Why not add some colour – important at any time of the year.  Pop to your local garden centre or market and pick up pansies, flowering bulbs or polyanthas.

4. Hanging baskets can be made at any time of the year and can look welcoming outside the front of your home or individual tubs with small trees or colourful bulbs and flowering plants can tempt buyers in.

5. Finally, the driveway.  Make sure it is swept and tidy.  Hide the bins where you can and when you know you have a viewing, ensure you have left a space on the drive for your potential buyers to park.  Your estate agent should park slightly away from the property and be there in plenty of time to direct viewers onto the drive.

Contemplating using an online only estate agent for the sale of your largest asset? Find out what happened to a couple we helped in Faringdon who were initially tempted to go down this route . . .

Mr & Mrs G were planning for their future and had decided to downsize to pay off their mortgage and release capital from their home.  This is a move they had thought carefully about over a couple of years, and with their only child now a teenager, decided that 2017 was the time to try.

Thinking they could save some money, they decided to instruct a prominent on-line only estate agent, prompted by their prominent televised advertisements.

They met with the agent who agreed a price, took some credible photographs and placed the property on line to attract buyers.  Then they waited.  A handful of buyers came through the door, but there were long periods of inactivity and their ‘local property expert’, whilst sounding professional and encouraging, could only promise that one of their viewers was still ‘watching’ their property.  There were no offers, and no second viewings.

 

Mr & Mrs G were becoming frustrated whilst they watched properties that were suitable for them to buy, come to the market and sell, and they were in no position to make an offer.  They felt trapped, as their fee to the on-line only agent would become due if they terminated their contract, and they likened the payment of that fee to watching money being flushed down the drain – they had nothing to show for their expenditure – all £900 of it.

So why hadn’t their beautifully presented home sold?  It was located in a popular non-estate and sought-after area of their town and offered the flexibility of being a house, or bungalow, depending on the next owner’s needs.  The kitchen and bathrooms were modern and attractive, the windows and central heating all up to date, and the garden kept tidy.

 

 

 

 

The problem was that their agent did not have a database of buyers to work with.  They had placed the property on the internet – their ‘shop window’ – and were waiting for the buyer to find them, rather than proactively searching for that right person or couple to fit the property.

You see many buyers start their search thinking they know what property they want to buy, but not actually stopping to consider their essential needs.  There are hundreds and thousands of properties to search through online, and it is too easy to miss the ones that actually could be the best fit.

 

How did we make a difference?  With a local database of 1600 buyers centred around the same town, we were able to match by price and style, but more importantly than that, we knew which buyers to call.  You see we take an ‘applicant story’ from each and every buyer we register.  We understand what their most important needs are and are then well placed to help match them to the most suitable properties.

We called Mr & Mrs B, an elderly couple in their late eighties, who needed to move into the town.  Mr was ready to give up his car and they wanted access to buses, shops and medical facilities without having to drive.  They had seen but dismissed Mr & Mrs G’s property, as in their view the garden was too big.  Our trained Customer Managers persuaded them they would do well to revisit the property, and allowed sufficient time to help talk through all of their objections.  And what did it boil down to?  Hiring a gardener!

Both couples are now happily settled into their new homes.

Mr and Mrs G were thrilled with the service they received from Perry Bishop and Chambers Faringdon. Here’s their Google review, which clearly spells out the benefits of selling your home using an experienced full service estate agent:

“After straying from our usual safety net & making a brave decision to try an on-line estate agent to sell our property, we very quickly realised that there was a distinct lack of communication from our allocated agent & the viewings dried up quite quickly. Feeling aggrieved that no progress was being made & our ‘one-off’ payment period was coming to an end, we were convinced that very little effort was being made by the agent, as he was guaranteed his fee. Sale or no sale!

Thankfully, Perry Bishop came to our rescue & gave us some confidence that the market was moving & convinced us that they could sell our property, which had already been on the market for 5 months. We have used Perry Bishop in the past with great results, so didn’t hesitate to change agents. Sarah Benson & her team performed their magic & sold our house within a few months. The administrative support was there every step of the way. It was lovely to have some confidence back & a local agency we could pop into. We bought our new house through them too, so we had double the support.

There is nothing like the personal touch & would recommend Perry Bishop to anyone thinking of putting their house on the market.”

Stroud has so much going for it, including a wealth of great housing stock – from Cotswold stone cottages and stylish apartments in converted mills to large detached Victorian homes, ideal for growing families.

Allison-Jane Smith or AJ as she likes to be known – the branch manager of Perry Bishop and Chambers’ new Stroud office – is very well placed to know what makes Stroud such a great place. She’s taken time out from her busy schedule to highlight half a dozen of the best reasons to shout out about Stroud.

Stroud Farmers’ Market

The jewel in the crown of some excellent local shopping. The multi-award winning Stroud Farmers’ Market, in Cornhill Market Place, takes place every Saturday. It is well-known as one of the biggest and most popular farmers’ markets in the UK.

Discover too the delights at the Shambles outdoor market, on Fridays and Saturdays.

Plus, there’s a wealth of Independent shops, cafes and restaurants to choose from.

Music and arts

From buskers on the High Street to local and national acts performing in and around Stroud – take your pick. Stroud Fringe, the highlight of Stroud’s cultural calendar, is a free music and arts festival that takes over Stroud every August Bank Holiday.

Going Green

Stroud council is the greenest council in UK, putting recycling and sustainability at the heart of their decision-making.

Great for families

There’s a good choice of primary and secondary schools and colleges – both state and private. And there’s plenty to do outside of school with Stroud Leisure Centre, Museum in the Park and the Vue cinema complex.

Outdoor fun

Great for people who love the big outdoors, with beautiful Cotswold villages and sensational views on our doorstep. Visit Slad Valley, where writer Laurie Lee grew up, enjoy an ice-cream on Rodborough Common or take a stroll around pretty Painswick, Queen of the Cotswolds.

Houses and homes

Benefit from a great choice of property – there’s something to suit everyone’s budget, including brand new apartments with Help to Buy options for first time-buyers, generous Victorian and Edwardian family homes and stunning Cotswold stone properties dotted around the Five Valleys, offering land and stabling.

Perry Bishop and Chambers’ new Stroud branch opened on 1st September, complementing their existing countywide branches – with established offices in Nailsworth, Tetbury, Cirencester and Cheltenham.

If you’re looking to move into this vibrant market town, call in to the office to see if AJ and her team can help you find your dream home.
“I look forward to discussing any of your property needs. Just pop into our new Stroud office on the London Road”, says AJ. “If you are already living in Stroud and are looking to upsize, downsize or move on to pastures new, I’m happy to provide a free valuation and, should you choose to sell with Perry Bishop, promise to deliver a service second to none – ensuring your property stands out from the crowd and achieves the best possible price.”

You’ve been bombarded by their ads on TV, but are there any real advantages of putting your largest asset in the hands of an online only agent provider? Recent research conducted by GetAgent concludes that in the long run you won’t necessarily save any money by appointing an online agent. It also highlights patchy service levels and poor sales progression by going down the online only route.

Before you decide, we summarise a few key considerations before reaching your decision as to whether you go down the online only route or appoint a local High Street agent.

1.  Fees

Online only agents charge you a fee up front.  On the surface this looks like a good deal and will surely save you money.  Or will it?  What incentive does the online only agent have to give you the best advice?  How well do they know the local market?  Many are covering a huge geographical area and will not know your local town or village the way you and your local high street agent will.

A traditional high street agent will not charge you for what they do until you exchange contracts with a buyer.  No sale, no fee.  It is in their interest to give you the best advice for your circumstances and this approach is far more likely to get you moved to suit your timescales and budget.  The agent will work hard to earn their fee – if they don’t they risk all the marketing costs for no return and very few businesses can survive like this!

2.  Local Knowledge

Your High Street agent will most likely be living locally and will know their local buyers who may only move for the ‘right property’.  They will have a list of buyers who may not be actively searching, but would immediately spring into action when the perfect home comes to the market.  They will have local knowledge and should be able to provide comparable evidence to support their advice on marketing price.

3. Accessibility

Online only agents often have to cover many miles and will be home based.  Buying and selling property can be a time consuming and sometimes stressful process.  At times like this it can be reassuring to visit and sit down with your agent and talk things through.  They will take care of every stage of the selling process for you.  Would you really want to deal with this yourself?

4.  Finding your next home

Many high street agents have clients who are not ready for their property to be fully marketed but have instead opted for a discreet approach.  By working with a local agent they will want you to be one of the first to know about these homes.  Perhaps this method of ‘Low Key’ marketing will suit you and your circumstances.

If you live in Gloucestershire or The Vale of the White Horse and are considering appointing a High Street estate agent, call your local branch of Perry Bishop and Chambers – named Best Estate Agent in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire by allAgents.co.uk, the tripadvisor for the property industry.

One of our optional marketing services – Open days – can be a very effective way of marketing certain properties. Several viewings conducted in one concentrated period, rather than at ad-hoc times, can create a buzz around your property and sometimes leads to offers over the asking price. Let us look at two recent case studies, where holding an Open Day proved helpful and lucrative for the vendors:

1.  The Project

We were recently instructed to market a three-storey period home for the executors of the deceased owner.  The property was in a poor state of repair and needed completely refurbishing.  There were holes in the roof, the kitchen consisted of a sink and cooker and we marked unsafe stair treads to avoid any mishaps!  On the plus side, the property had a generous garden with space to park and the new owners would be able to walk to shops and facilities.

This type of property will attract builders looking for their next project, but it also attracts families who see the opportunity to create their ‘forever home’ and to add their personality during the restoration.  Depending on who is in the market at the time, this type of property can be hard to put a value on and an Open Day allowed the ‘market’ to decide.

After 43 viewings we received 6 offers and a sale was agreed significantly higher than the asking price.

2.  The Elderly Client

Around the same time we were asked to help in the move of a 93 year old lady who had lived in the family home for 52 years.  She had found a brand new retirement apartment, which was located half a mile from her daughter.  Having taken some time to decide the time was right to move, she did not want to risk losing her new home.  This lady’s family were also concerned about how she may cope with viewings spread over different days.

We agreed a marketing strategy with the client.  The property was priced realistically, Home Staging photography was added to the details  we carried out two weeks of extensive marketing leading up to an Open Day where buyers were given a timed appointment to meet with us at the property.  Our client was treated to a day out by the family and disruption was kept to an enjoyable minimum!

After fifteen viewings and nine offers a sale was agreed and our happy client secured her retirement home.

“Tessa valued my Mother’s house on 14th February. She organised an Open day for 4th March and by 6th March we had 6 firm offers. Tessa’s calm, gentle manner with my 93 year old Mother was very reassuring and from the outset we had great confidence in her. We just knew that she would do a brilliant job and she did. The sale has gone through far quicker than we could have hoped for and we are thankful to Perry Bishop for that.”

Open days are also particularly good news for sellers with young families who find it difficult to keep their homes presented immaculately at all times. They allow people to showcase their home with minimal disturbance to family life. Clients with a busy lifestyle also benefit from this technique.

 

Our Open House service, combined with home staging photography, ensure homes sold with Perry Bishop and Chambers are seen in the best possible light, reach as wide an audience as possible and achieve the best price.

To find out more contact your local Perry Bishop and Chambers.

 

We live in a very visual world and most of us make quick decisions when buying online, based on the quality of the images we are viewing.

Property buyers are no different.  Having entered a search in their favourite property portal, they are then presented with a long list of matching properties.  It is unlikely that they will have the time or enthusiasm to click through to every listing and therefore the quality of images is crucial.  So how can you ensure that your home stands out from the crowd and that buyers are encouraged to book a viewing?

1.  Quantity

A good image creates a lasting impression and can create desirability.  In fact, if a single image does not entice you to view the property, then it should not be used.  Less is more!  Show your buyers half a dozen really good, emotional images of your home and they will want to book a viewing to see the rest.  Some agents are displaying as many as twenty or thirty images, often several of the same room.  Give your buyer this many to view on line and they will not need to visit your home in person.  This is a lost opportunity and could cost you a buyer.

2.  Quality

All our valuers are trained photographers and will think about the best angles, lighting and composition.  However, sometimes more professional lighting would help to bring those dark corners to life.   For as little as £100 plus vat Perry Bishop and Chambers can arrange for a professional photographer to visit your home and ensure you have the best exposure.

3. Home Staging Photography

Many of our clients are now choosing Home Staging photography.  A professional home stylist and photographer will visit your home and create a portfolio of beautiful images, both inside and out, that are more commonly associated with lifestyle magazine shoots. These photographs have proven highly successful in turning around a sale more quickly, minimising the number of viewings required and delivering the best possible price for your home.  You can be assured that this style of photography really will make your home stand out from the crowd. This is a service that Perry Bishop and Chambers offers. Learn more about what it comprises from the team that delivers it.

For more information please contact your nearest branch of Perry Bishop and Chambers.