February 13, 2019 - Fleet, Hartley Wintney, Odiham McCarthy Holden Estate Agents

Hoping to sell your home? 11 Value-slashing pitfalls to avoid

February 14, 2019February 13, 2019 by admin

Ahead of the spring selling season, an industry expert outlines some common 'blunders' that could put off potential buyers. By Vicky Shaw.

With the spring house-selling season around the corner, many home owners eyeing a move in 2019 may already be sprucing up their properties to get them ready for market.

But while moving can be an exciting time, estate agents warn that it’s easy to make blunders while trying to sell, which could potentially knock value off your property – and some of these may be quite surprising.

Mark Bentley, president of NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents) Propertymark, cautions: “Sometimes the improvements and changes you have made might make the property less attractive to buyers. So before you start marketing your home, it’s worth taking stock and making any necessary alterations, to give you the best chance of securing your asking price.”

For those in two minds about making changes, he suggests: “You can ask friends or family for their honest opinions, or your estate agents can help advise on any small changes you may want to make before placing your home on the market.”

Of course, the extent to which something would add or take away value from a home can vary, depending on factors such as individual circumstances and local market conditions.

With that in mind, here are some of the key factors that NAEA Propertymark members have experienced as having a negative impact on a property’s value…

1. Over-personalisation

People’s homes suit their personalities. But if you like your decor big and bold, it may be worth toning it down a bit – unless you can find a buyer who has similar taste. Typically, modestly-decorated homes are most desirable, as home owners can easily see how they could make it their home.

2. Property condition

Tell-tale indications of damp, cracks on walls, a poor roof condition, an old boiler, and single-glazed windows can all impact on the value of a property – and interest from buyers.

3. Bad presentation

Show off your home at its best. Everything should be clean, clutter tidied away, and any outstanding DIY jobs should be finished. If a home smells fresh and clean, it has a much greater chance of selling quickly.

4. Swimming pools

They may be great fun in the summer, but swimming pools in the UK can put some potential buyers off – although others may be wowed. As well as the issue of maintenance, pools take up space, and some buyers may see them as a hassle.

If a property has an outside swimming pool that is run down, owners might want to consider filling it in. But if it’s great condition, then selling the home in the summer could show the pool off at its best.

5. Not having the right paperwork

If you have had work carried out while living in the property, such as extensions or conversions, make sure you obtained appropriate planning permission and building regulations, and have access to these documents. If you haven’t got the right documents, you may have to pay for them retrospectively before agreeing a sale.

6. Darkened rooms

If you’ve planted lots of bushes and trees close to the windows, your home may appear gloomy to buyers. Frosted glass windows or netted curtains can also sometimes have the same effect.

7. Japanese knotweed

If you think you can see any in your garden, call a professional to excavate is as soon as possible.

8. Clutter

Clean each room from top to bottom, paying special attention to ‘high-impact’ rooms, such as the kitchen and bathroom. Things like too much furniture, children’s toys and unused gym equipment can make your property feel smaller.

9. Dated fixtures and fittings

Kitchens are often the focus for buyers, so it’s important they don’t look too outdated. Painting kitchens and replacing cupboard handles and old taps can be a cost-effective way of getting kitchens up-to-date.

10. Over-improving

As well as not doing enough, you can do too much. For example, putting fake grass in the garden may have benefited your sporty family but it may not appeal to buyers who love the smell of a freshly-cut lawn. Keep improvements simple.

11. Not being energy-efficient

A home’s energy performance has become increasingly important, so if your home needs an energy efficiency boost, consider steps to make it happen, such as installing double glazing.

To discover more about the local market and how your home could thrive with the assistance of McCarthy Holden, contact your local branch:
Estate Agents Fleet, Estate Agents Hartley Wintney, Estate Agents Odiham.

7 simple steps for creating a stylish – and productive work space at home

February 14, 2019February 13, 2019 by admin

A work station that suits your taste and needs will surely help bolster motivation and focus. Time to show who's boss, says Gabrielle Fagan.

Working from home can be the ultimate dream ticket – no more commuting or having to dress formally, or worry about office politics – and even better, you get to escape all that dreary corporate decor.

“Cutting down on wasteful travelling time, enabling you to spend more time with the family, is just some of the many benefits to home-working, and it can be particularly beneficial from a health and wellbeing perspective,” enthuses Susan White, marketing director at blinds and curtains specialists, Hillarys.

If you’re set to join the millions who work from home, look on it as the perfect chance to tailor a space to suit your taste and needs.

We’ve done the homework for you and devised seven simple but stylish steps, so you can make light work of creating the perfect home office…

1. Make it personal

At home, you’re the boss, and you can truly indulge your taste and have the freedom to express your personality in the decoration of your ‘office’.

In an open-plan space, zone an area with a stunning wall mural, or cork tile an expanse of wall so you can pin up inspiring photos or to-do lists.

Alternatively, paint a wall with black chalkboard paint, to transform it into a wipeable surface for scribbling ideas, plans, or simply expressing yourself. (Rust-Oleum Black Magnetic Matt Chalkboard Paint, £14 for 750ml, B&Q, is ideal for the job.)

TIP: If you fancy it, don’t be afraid to incorporate pattern and colour into your office scheme. Research has found that both can actually help keep you creative and stimulated at work. For a perfect balance, keep energetic colours in your periphery, while sticking to a more subdued look for the desk.

2. Pretty up with pink

If you’re after a softer scheme, reduce the risk of workplace stress by choosing a calming colour for a work area. Pink is reputedly a positive colour, inspiring warm, comforting feelings and imparting a sense that everything will be all right – and who doesn’t like the sound of that?

3: Kill the clutter

Keeping a tidy office is crucial to staying on top of things. Organising and filing loose papers means you’ll spend less time searching for them – coping with clutter is a big time-waster.

Filing cabinets, desks with compartments, and accessible floating shelves for file boxes are a good investment. Don’t let a notice board be all to-do lists and bills though, or you won’t ever want to look at it.

TIP: Keep everyday essentials close to hand, so there’ll be less temptation to get up and wander. If you know you’ll need frequent caffeine top-ups, you could even keep a little coffee-maker or kettle near the desk, and a mini-fridge stocked with cold drinks.

4. Carve out a creative corner

“Not everyone has an entire room, or even an entire wall, to dedicate to an office. But that doesn’t mean you can’t carve out a space somewhere in your home, be it a landing, bedroom or corner of a living room, to let your creative juices flow,” says White.

“Whatever you use your home office for – computer work, home and life admin, or crafts and projects – an effective work area demands plenty of light. Equally, you don’t want glare on your screen, so choose your window dressings wisely.

“Shutters and Venetian blinds have adjustable louvres and slats, so you can control the amount of light and are also great for privacy and security,” adds White. “If you’re easily distracted, opt for a sheer roller blind. It’ll still let in plenty of light, but you can pull it down to block out distractions from the outside world when you need to focus.”

TIP: Set clear ground rules for your work space, such as asking family to knock before coming into your office, or respecting quiet time between certain hours. Make this easy, and visual, for young children by using a traffic light system (a green circle on the door means ‘come in’; yellow means ‘ask first’, and red means ‘do not disturb’).

5. Dress the desk

One of the best things about working from home is not being in a stuffy, boring office. So why re-create that at home?

Instead, include pleasing decorative elements, such as a vase full of flowers and colourful storage pots, so you can enjoy the comforts of home all through the working hours.

TIP: Setting priorities is important in an office, and even more so when working from home, as doing so will help you stay on track and not get overwhelmed. Without a boss hovering or work-mates to bounce ideas off, it’s up to you to put your to-do list in order. Use technology to help, with mobile reminders and alerts.

6. Show who’s boss

A shade of dark green, paired with black furniture and office accessories, gives decor a strong visual impact and, crucially, creates a business-like look for an office. This is especially important if clients are going to visit and you want to convey a professional image.

TIP: Never skimp on expense when buying an office chair. After all, you may spend hours sitting on it, and it’s vital that it’s comfortable and fully adjustable so you avoid muscle strain and back pain.

7. Black is back

Sleek, black furniture spells executive style, never dates, and you’ll win compliments for your chic taste.

TIP: A properly lit space is crucial to maintaining your mood, productivity and health. Bad lighting can strain eyes, especially if you’re staring at a bright screen in the dark. Layer light, so you can have clear overhead light if necessary, a decorative table lamp with a warm glow when you’re thinking rather than focusing, and always have an adjustable desk lamp so that paperwork is properly illuminated.

10 of the most popular flooring options – which should you use in your home?

February 14, 2019February 13, 2019 by admin

The unsung heroes of every room, Luke Rix-Standing runs through the key pros and cons of some of the most popular flooring materials.

They may not be the latest 3D-printed armchair or voice-activated speaker system, but your floors are, quite literally, the foundation of your home.

A classic blend of fashion and function, a floor must tie a room together while fulfilling a range of – very important – practical requirements too. While aesthetics are a key consideration, in general, flooring should be relatively unobtrusive. It’s the defensive midfielder of home decor: If you don’t notice it, it’s probably doing a good job.

Here’s a look at 10 of the most common options – what they’re good at, and what they’re not…

1. Wood

Summarising wood flooring is like summarising a clothing fabric – there’s a lot of different forms it could take. Oft-neglected softwood floors can work wonders in low-footfall areas, but as the name suggests, they can struggle with the rough and tumble of a busy family home. Most modern wood floors are hardwood – highly coveted surfaces that can also add serious value to a property.

Relatively pricey, prone to scratching and potentially sensitive to moisture, hardwood flooring is nevertheless popular in living areas for its elegant appearance and underfoot warmth. For a tougher, cheaper alternative, try laminate – fibreboard printed with a high-res image of a wooden finish, which these days can look practically as good as the real thing.

2. Tile

For such a popular flooring choice, tile has a long list of drawbacks: It’s relatively difficult to repair if it cracks or gets damaged; the grouting easily accumulates dirt; sock wearers risk slipping; it gets extremely cold in wintertime – and it’s not even that cheap.

But a tough, durable surface makes tile pet-friendly, and most flooring shops offer a near-infinite array of colours and patterns – from Victorian florals to abstract collage – so in terms of aesthetic appeal and style, the possibilities really are endless and tiles can look truly striking. The bathroom surface of choice for generations of homeowners, being easy to clean, tiling also brushes up nicely in the kitchen and pantry.

3. Carpet

A go-to for rooms with soft furnishings, carpet can be both chic and cosy has refreshingly clear pros and cons. The good: It’s warm, insulating, generally cheaper than wood or tile, and can be fashioned into almost any design. The bad: Stains easily, struggles with moisture, traps dust and pet hair, and needs to be replaced when worn down. And while we’re at it, the ‘ugly’: The infamously tasteless carpets at Las Vegas casinos.

Do – bedroom and sitting room. Don’t – bathroom and kitchen.

4. Cork

Cork floors aren’t as common a sight as they perhaps once were – but, honestly, we’re not sure why. Soft to the touch, naturally insulating against sound and temperature, relatively cheap and eco-friendly, the reddish-brown patterns tally particularly well with hardwood furniture. The drawbacks? Fades in direct sunlight, prone to water damage, and may distort under table legs and other pressure points.

5. Vinyl

The IKEA wardrobe of home flooring, this low-cost option is all the rage among practical homeowners with middling budgets. Approachable prices partner with a performance level that reliably returns more than you paid for.

Vinyl looks pretty good (there are lots more design options available now), insulates well, repels water and soaks up high footfall nicely – but it can be prone to fading in sunlight and is easily dented by sharp objects. Vinyl lacks the elegance of hardwood and the comfort of cork or carpet, but it’s a functional surface that will serve you well with some tender loving care.

6. Concrete

Strange though it may seem, this staple of the multi-storey car park is also a creditable option for your front room or kitchen floor. Virtually indestructible, concrete adds a modern, almost post-industrial vibe to the home, and partners well with underfloor heating. But the sturdiness comes at the expense of comfort – it’s really hard – and even well-finished surfaces can look a little bleak. At least you’ll have plenty of excuses to go rug shopping.

7. Rubber

A little left turn, we’ll admit – but this unconventional pick is sure to raise eyebrows, if just from the slight bounce it elicits when stepped on. A highly durable choice, with superb sound insulation.

However, rubber can also be more on the expensive side, and difficult to clean. It’s commonly used for it’s shock-absorbing qualities – think spaces with a high risk of heavy objects being dropped, such as gyms. Rubber is a horse for a course: Perfect for a music room or home gym, and possibly a bold choice for style junkies elsewhere in the house.

8. Stone

Given that most of the world’s rocks have looked after themselves just fine for centuries, it should come as no surprise that a stone floor is supremely hard-wearing and low-maintenance. Literally hewn from the ground, stone tiles are eco-friendly and ideal for high footfall areas like hallways.

On the flip-side, imperfections may result in a surface that’s uneven – literally and stylistically – while a high-ish price tag puts off some buyers. Stone tiles can also be foot-freezingly cold in winter, and for God’s sake don’t drop any plates.

9. Marble

If your domestic vision involves grand banisters, neo-classical columns and high-end toga parties, then marble is a go-to (we jest – it’s an all-round stunning material). But there are cons too… It can chip, costs the earth, and can be dangerously slippy under slippers or socks. Long a linchpin of luxury, a marble floor could well add serious value to a home, but comes with severe cold feet syndrome, and weeks of bruising every time you bump your knee.

10. Bamboo

A relative newcomer to the flooring scene, bamboo has found a growing niche with eco-conscious householders looking to go au naturel. The world’s fastest growing plant (technically a species of oversized grass), bamboo is attractively textured, goes well with modern interiors, and is highly sustainable. Bamboo can be fairly expensive though and will need a little more TLC than some of the hardier materials. Lots of appeal, but be sure to do your research before you buy.

Hoping to sell your home? 11 Value-slashing pitfalls to avoid

Ahead of the spring selling season, an industry expert outlines some common 'blunders' that could put off potential buyers. By Vicky Shaw.

7 simple steps for creating a stylish – and productive work space at home

A work station that suits your taste and needs will surely help bolster motivation and focus. Time to show who's boss, says Gabrielle Fagan.

10 of the most popular flooring options – which should you use in your home?

The unsung heroes of every room, Luke Rix-Standing runs through the key pros and cons of some of the most popular flooring materials.

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Ahead of the spring selling season, an industry expert outlines some common 'blunders' that could put off potential buyers. By Vicky Shaw.

A work station that suits your taste and needs will surely help bolster motivation and focus. Time to show who's boss, says Gabrielle Fagan.

The unsung heroes of every room, Luke Rix-Standing runs through the key pros and cons of some of the most popular flooring materials.

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