With the housing market busier than it’s been in a very long time, this might be the right time to take advantage of the momentum and put your own home on the market.
There are record numbers of homebuyers looking right now, so you’ll want to make sure you give yourself the best chance of attracting them, and getting the best price possible for your property.
Read on to see Rightmove’s top tips to make your sale as successful, quick, and hassle-free as possible.
Choose the right estate agent If you haven’t had your property valued yet, get that booked in as soon as possible. We recommend you get at least two agents around to value your home, and choosing the right for you is super important.
Here’s a list to help you know what to look for:
In other words, going with an agent who charges slightly less commission but ends up taking much longer to sell your property, and achieving a lower price, may be false economics.
Working with an agent who provides a great service, is responsive, proactive, and an expert in your local area, will make a huge difference to the whole experience, and is most likely to get your house on the market quicker.

Get the price right Don’t automatically be swayed by the agent promising the highest price for your home. It’s tempting, but if you end up over-pricing the property it will only prolong the process, and you’ll have to reduce the price further down the line anyway. A recent study we carried out found that you were twice as likely to sell your home if it sold based on the first listed asking price.Instead, ask the agent to provide evidence to support why they recommend that asking price. And again, look at their recent history in the area.Have all documents ready Your estate agent and solicitor will ask for various bits of paperwork throughout the selling process, so if you can gather together all the relevant documents ahead of time, you should avoid delays further down the line.Some of the paperwork to consider rounding up include:Get your home ready You’ll want to spend some time de-cluttering and making your home look as presentable and attractive as possible, so that as soon as you’ve instructed your agent they can get straight to work.The quality of the photos that appear on Rightmove play a big part in determining the level of interest the property will get. Low quality photos of cluttered and messy rooms put some people off, whilst high-resolution images of bright, tidy, well-presented homes are attention magnets.An important note on photography – today’s technology can produce extremely high-resolution images, videos, and virtual tours, which is great. But be mindful that you don’t reveal more of your home than you should. Private documents, medical papers, financial information, or anything that reveals personal information about you should be kept out of view.Here are some ideas to make your home look amazing when it’s on display:Darker rooms generally look smaller than lighter ones, and this can be a big turn off for potential buyers. So we’d suggest making sure that blinds are open, and curtains are apart, to flood your home with light.The front garden is the first thing that a potential buyer will see, so make sure that you give them a reason to smile straight away.Similarly, the back garden can be a deal clincher, and an impressive outdoor space could set your home apart from the rest. Here are some suggestions for things to tick off your list:These two rooms are the most expensive for a buyer to upgrade. However, if you’ve made an effort to clean and declutter them, you’ll be giving potential buyers another reason to be positive about your home. Making this room mould-free is a must
Making the bathroom mould free is a must. Store toiletries away where possible, clean shower doors and keep the toilet seat down
In the kitchen keep worktops tidy withutensils organised and food in cupboards. Put washing up away, clean the windows and tidy away any indication of pets being in the house, as your prospective buyer may not be a pet lover
Article taken in part from www.rightmove.co.uk
Important Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.

Moving home can be an expensive business. But it might actually save you money in the long run if you make smart choices. You could make substantial savings by moving home now thanks to the stamp duty holiday and favourable mortgage rates. But there are other reasons it could make financial sense, too. A lifestyle change as a result of moving home, such as cutting back on those daily flat whites and midweek Nando’s, could also give you a savings boost.
Find a home with an office The shift in working culture created by the coronavirus pandemic has meant that 86% of us are working at home. And what many buyers are looking for in a home has consequently changed, with a home office now high up on the buying agenda.
If you anticipate working remotely more often – or permanently – in the future, then buying a property with an office could cut your commuting costs significantly.
After all, the average commuter spends £37,399 over their working lifetime, according to YouGov and Lloyd’s “How Britain Lives” survey.
You could also use it as an opportunity to reduce the money you spend nipping out for coffee or lunch. Brits aged between 30 and 60 spend an average of just over £20 a week eating out at cafes and restaurants (not including alcohol) according to the Office for National Statistics. That works out at just over a grand each year.
Take advantage of the stamp duty holiday You could save thousands of pounds if you buy a home before 31 March 2021 thanks to the stamp duty holiday announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in July.
The new rules mean that nearly nine out of 10 transactions will no longer be subject to stamp duty, with the average bill falling by £4,500.
Embrace the outdoors Even the most committed gym bunny would be hard-pressed to choose a treadmill over running through rolling fields.
If you move home to an area with access to the great outdoors, you could save yourself the average £40 a month it costs for gym membership and get some fresh air to boot.It’s impossible to put a price on cleaner air, a fitter body and better life balance, but living close to nature could certainly save you money in the long term.Re-evaluate childcare If you move to a different area with children, you may need to arrange new childcare – which could lead to further savings.Nursery fees are typically cheaper outside big cities. A full-time day nursery place is about £210 a week for a child aged under two years old, but in London, the average cost rises to £280, according to Babycentre.If you buy a bigger house with a spare bedroom, then hiring an au pair might suddenly be an option. With two or more children, this can often be cheaper than combined nursery fees each month.And if you move closer to grandparents or other relatives then a bit of free babysitting might also be on the cards.Lock in cheap interest rates You could take advantage of low mortgage rates and secure a new, more competitive deal.The Bank of England reduced the base rate (the bank’s set interest rate for lending to other banks) to a record low of 0.1% in response to coronavirus. And the average interest rate for two-year and five-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to a record low in May.It could be very affordable in terms of monthly repayments, especially if you have a longer mortgage term.Downsize Downsizing could unlock capital from bricks and mortar and enable you to scale down your mortgage repayments, become mortgage-free or minimise costs to free up cash.For movers such as retirees, empty nesters, small families or singletons, moving to a home that has fewer bedrooms or reception rooms might also provide a better life balance.Get better value for money Moving to a bigger home in a less expensive area could give you better value per square metre for your property.
Households in London were most likely to spend more than 30% of their combined income on housing and those in the North East were the least likely to, according to the latest English Housing Survey.
A clever geographical switch (perhaps one that brings you closer to relatives or friends?) might give you more bang for your buck and save you money long term.
Snap up the best utility deals Your new house might be bigger, but you may actually pay less on your rates.
Use a home move to compare suppliers to make sure you get the best available deal on your gas and electricity, water, internet provision and insurance.
London and Manchester are the most expensive cities to insure your home, according to Urban Jungle, while Edinburgh or Cardiff are the cheapest on average.
It’s also worth finding out how much council tax is likely to set you back before you buy.
Doing a bit of homework on your home move could really pay off in the long run.

Article taken in part from www.zoopla.co.uk and written by Matilda BattersbyImportant Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.The information and data in this article was correct at the time of publishing and every attempt is made to ensure its accuracy. However, it may now be out of date or superseded. Zoopla Ltd and its group companies make no representation or warranty of any kind regarding the content of this article and accept no responsibility or liability for any decisions made by the reader based on the information and/or data shown here.

There are a huge number of sales being agreed at the moment, which means that it’s likely to take a bit longer from having your offer accepted to picking up the keys. To try and help, Rightmove spoke to Peter Ambrose, who heads up the conveyancing firm The Partnership, for his expert advice on helping your sale or purchase go smoothly and quickly.
Whilst some challenges, such as mortgage applications and local searches taking longer than usual, are out of your hands, Peter says there are still a number of things you can do to help speed up the process.
Here are his top tips:
1. Ask the right questions when choosing a solicitor
You may choose a solicitor that has been recommended to you by a friend, you may choose one your agent suggests, or you might do your own research.
It’s up to you who you decide to go with, but you should first call them and ask to speak to the solicitor who would be looking after your case. You could ask the following the questions:
When you receive a number of documents to fill out it can be quite daunting, and you may be tempted to wait until the weekend to go through them all. It’s so important that you read them thoroughly and question anything you don’t understand, but if it’s at all possible you should try and set aside time within a couple of days of receiving them to read them and respond to your solicitor.
2. Write down your questions before calling
If you need to call your solicitor about something urgent, try to write down all the questions you have before you pick up the phone. It’s better to make one phone call to go through everything rather than calling five times when different questions come up.3. Be patientIt can be stressful if you have to move by a certain date, but it’s important your solicitor lets you know at least some rough timings for something you’re waiting for so you aren’t disappointed if you chase. For example, if you have paid for local searches, ask how long roughly they’re finding it takes to get these, and wait until then before asking for an update.4. Be flexibleDepending on your circumstance, you may not have the option to be flexible. But if you can, it can help a sale go through more quickly. You may ideally want a couple of weeks between exchange and completion to have time to pack everything up, but if the buyer asks for one week, consider if you think you would be able to compromise on this.At Bailey & Co we would also add that you should ensure you should look into whether your selling agent offers a dedicated sales professional to help you during the conveyancing process. Our customers and clients have felt the service we offer has been invaluable and has truly helped to support them when navigating the process.We hope this all helps your move go a little more smoothly and quickly. If you’re completely new to the process, check out Rightmove’s buying or selling guides to find out what you should expect at every step of the way.Article taken in part from www.rightmove.co.ukImportant Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.

The housing market boom looks set to continue for some months yet as mortgage approvals for home purchases hit their highest level for 13 years. The latest Money & Credit report from the Bank of England shows approvals are now 10 times the level seen during lockdown, and at their highest since September 2007.
Approvals for home purchase hit 91,500 in September, prompting optimistic comments from agents and other industry figures.
Tomer Aboody, director of MT Finance, says it’s directly because of high volumes of mortgage approvals that property prices are on the rise too. He says:
“The feeling and concern is that buyers are feeding into an artificially strong market, which has been driven by historically low mortgage rates and a rush to complete transactions before the end of the stamp duty holiday in March”
Although there is much comment on the industry’s desire to see an extended stamp duty holiday, there are other ways to keep demand buoyant according to John Philips, national operations director at Just Mortgages and Spicerhaart who says: “To keep the market cooking, now is the time for lenders to loosen their criteria, particularly for higher loan to value mortgages to allow first-time buyers to access the market. We are still seeing thousands of eligible borrowers being turned away as, despite stable income and proof they can pay credit reliably, they don’t have the 15 per cent deposit required to purchase their own home”
The Bank of England figures come on top of data from Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax; between July and September it processed its highest number of home loans since 2008 as new mortgage lending increased by £3.5 billion.
Article taken in part from estateagenttoday.co.uk
Important Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.

Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, confirmed the news that the housing market will remain open on Saturday evening after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the lockdown until 2nd December.
Please consult us for advice on viewing properties and attending our office for appointments safely. If you need more information or assistance please don’t hesitate to give the Bailey & Co. Team a call – we would be delighted to hear from you.

Important Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.

Rightmove’s latest house price index shows the highest number of sales agreed in a month for over a decade. It’s 20 per cent above the previous high, and with a record total value of over £37 billion. There’s also been the highest number of properties coming to market in a month since March 2008.
On top of that, there’s an unseasonal record high for new seller asking prices in seven regions, but London drags down the national average to a 0.2 per cent fall due to its own more typical two per cent seasonal monthly drop.
Sales agreed are up across all sectors of the market. They’re up 29 per cent in the first-time buyer sector, 38 per cent in the second stepper sector and 59 per cent for larger, top of the ladder homes.
Rightmove says momentum is still building, with the latest weekly figure for the number of sales agreed having shot up by 60 per cent compared to the same week a year ago.
Supply is soaring too. There are 44 per cent more properties coming to market compared to the same period a year ago, though there are considerable regional variations.
Miles Shipside, Rightmove’s commercial director, says: “Not only are we seeing an unusually busy summer period, but also parts of the lending and legal sectors are having to cope with capacity constraints, as some staff will still be on furlough while many will still be working from home.
“Patience will be required, especially with some lenders limiting their product ranges due to capacity constraints in their ability to process mortgages.”
Article taken in part from www.estateagenttoday.co.uk
Important Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.

The property market has been affected by lockdown, especially when it comes to the balance of housing supply and demand, according to the latest Zoopla House Price Index.Average house prices are up 2.7% on the year and sales activity has rebounded strongly post-lockdown.
You can download the full report at www.zoopla.co.uk but here is a summary of the main points as featured on their webiste.
House price growth The annual rate of growth edged up to 2.7% in June, after rising 0.2% on the month. Price growth is highly localised, but there is little evidence of material declines at regional or city levels, although a small proportion of local areas are seeing price declines of up to -0.2%.
Why are house prices increasing? Buyer demand has risen strongly since housing markets reopened. Although the number of new homes being listed for sale has also risen, it hasn’t increased by the same margin. This creates an imbalance of low supply and high demand – and contributes to house price growth.

The stamp duty effect The biggest change in the market spurred by the Chancellor’s announcement of a stamp duty holiday for England and Northern Ireland has been seen in London. Sales jumped by 27% in the weeks after the change. Given the higher average house prices in London and the South East, these are where the largest benefits from the stamp duty holiday will be felt. The stamp duty holiday will continue to support demand in these higher value markets.
Key takeaways from the report:
Article taken in part from www.zoopla.co.uk – to read the article in full why not visit their website where you will also find for handy guides and additional information or enrol on one of their web-chats to get up to the minute news about the property industry.
Important Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.

Investing in property has long been a popular alternative to putting money into shares or topping up your pension fund. One of the big draws of property investment is its tangible nature. Many buy-to-let investors are homeowners themselves, and they often feel they understand property better than many other investments. And, unlike putting money into a pension fund, you do not have to wait until you are a certain age before you can access your money.
But the attractions do not end there. A buy-to-let investment offers the possibility of making both capital gains, as house prices increase, and receiving a regular income, through rent.
Many buy-to-let investments are also geared, meaning you have borrowed some of the money that supports the investment. While having a geared investment increases the risk involved if property prices fall, it also potentially increases the gains you will make if they rise.
If you’re tempted to become a buy-to-let investor, or expand your existing portfolio, here’s what to factor in.
What’s the forecast for house prices? A key factor to consider when thinking about snapping up buy-to-let property is how house prices are likely to perform.
Unfortunately, the impact the coronavirus pandemic is likely to have on the economy makes it particularly difficult to predict what will happen to property values this year.
With the Bank of England warning the UK could be facing its worst recession for more than 300 years and unemployment expected to rise, many economists are forecasting a dip in house prices.
This could, however, create a good buying opportunity. If you are interested in investing, you will need to look at the pros and cons of going ahead with a purchase now, or waiting in the hope of getting a discount later.
What’s happening to interest rates? The Bank of England base rate, which influences the rates that banks charge to borrow money, is currently at a record low of 0.1%.In addition, buy-to-let mortgage rates are also highly competitive with best-buy two-year fixed rate deals starting at just 1.35%.The low cost of borrowing means the fixed costs of being a landlord are also likely to correspond lower, with the cost of servicing an interest-only mortgage of £150,000 at the above rate coming in at just under £170 per month.Existing landlords may also want to consider taking advantage of the current low level of interest rates to remortgage properties to unlock capital and expand their portfolio.The low cost of borrowing also helps to offset some of the higher stamp duty charges landlords face as a result of the introduction of the 3% surcharge for people buying an investment property or second home.What demand is there for rental homes? Demand for rental homes is booming as high house prices delay the age at which people purchase their first property.An estimated 4.5 million households rent in the private sector, with the figure soaring by more than 60% during the past decade, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).This trend is expected to continue as the current economic uncertainty creates concerns about job security, causing people to delay buying property.Meanwhile, the number of homes for rent is falling as landlords sell up or stop expanding their portfolios after a raft of tax changes made the sector less profitable.These high levels of demand, combined with a shortage of supply, pushed rents in England up to a record high of £700 a month before the UK went into lockdown, according to the ONS.Look out for our quarterly Rental Market Report, which highlights the UK cities where rents continue to increase.What is legislation in the sector like? While there are many advantages to investing in a buy-to-let property, it is important to do your sums before you take the plunge.
There have been several tax changes in recent years. These include a phasing out of mortgage interest tax relief, with this instead replaced with a 20% tax credit, an end to the ‘wear & tear’ allowance and the introduction of a 3% stamp duty surcharge on property purchases by landlords.
Regulations on the standards rental properties must meet have also been tightened, and letting agents can no longer charge fees to tenants, a cost that is generally passed on to landlords instead.
You will also have to pay capital gains tax at a rate of 28% on any increases in your property’s value – minus your personal allowance, which is £12,300 in the 2020/21 tax year – when you come to sell it.
Remember too, that you are likely to have void periods when your property is not let, while there will also be maintenance costs and letting agents’ fees to pay if someone manages your property on your behalf.
Is property a stable investment? Property is generally considered to be a more stable investment than equities, also known as shares. As the recent impact of coronavirus has shown, the stock market is prone to significant volatility. It is unheard of for house prices to lose 25% of their value in three months. But this is exactly what happened to the FTSE 100 during the first three months of the year.
But while house prices move up and down, the property market does tend to bounce back. For example, although house prices fell by nearly 20% in the 18 months following the financial crisis, they regained this level within five years.
And that’s because the UK suffers from a significant mismatch between demand for property, due to a rising population, and the supply of homes as a result of low building levels. It is estimated that the UK needs to build up to 340,000 new properties each year just to keep pace with demand.
Average UK property values are now 154% higher than they were 20 years ago, according to Zoopla data.
Keep an eye on Zoopla’s latest House Price Index where you can track which areas are seeing the biggest increase in house price growth.Is property investment rewarding? Many people find investing in property very enjoyable. This can be particularly true if you like doing DIY and carrying out improvements to the properties you own in order to increase their value. Other investors enjoy searching out potential up-and-coming areas.Even if home improvements and spotting locations with potential is not for you, it can still be satisfying to know you are a good landlord providing accommodation of a high standard for your tenants.Article taken in part from www.zoopla.co.uk – to read the article in full why not visit their website where you will also find for handy guides and additional information or enrol on one of their web-chats to get up to the minute news about the property industry.Important Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.

Was your mission to get on the property ladder disrupted by the impact of coronavirus lockdown? Kickstarting your house hunting and waving goodbye to renting likely seemed impossible with the market on pause. Now that the English market is back open, it’s time to rethink how best to get on the property ladder.
Here are some helpful tips from Zoopla to help you get there:
Once you have money coming in, the first priority in order to get on the property ladder is to pay down any debt. One of the factors that mortgage lenders consider in their affordability assessments is how much you spend every month on unsecured debt repayments such as loans and credit cards. It helps them assess the kind of mortgage payment you can afford.
The average first-time buyer puts down a 15% deposit, according to our data. And with average first-time buyer properties costing around £220,000, that equates to a hefty £33,000. Raising that kind of money may sound daunting, but the sooner you start saving, the sooner you’d start to build your deposit fund.
Watching the pennies could also increase your chances of getting onto the property ladder. This is because lenders take into account your spending patterns when assessing affordability.
In other words, if you’re buying takeaway coffees every day or blowing money on three nights out a week, it could count as regular expenditure and have a negative impact on the amount you are allowed to borrow.
A credit score, which is found in your credit report, details any outstanding credit agreements you have, including credit cards, loans and mobile phone plans and looks at whether you make repayments on time and in full.
Banks and building societies use these reports to determine whether or not they want to lend to you. The two main credit reference agencies are Experian and Equifax.
You can access your credit score and in some cases your entire credit report free of charge. It is worth doing this to see what your credit report looks like and ensure there are no factual errors, which you can correct.You can improve your score by making sure you do not miss any repayments and repaying more than the minimum each month on outstanding credit card balances.It is also important to be registered to vote (even if it’s at your parents’ address) as it is harder to obtain credit if you are not listed on the electoral roll.If you are renting from a private landlord, you can now opt to have timely and reliable payments recorded in your credit score at Experian, too.While it may seem counterintuitive, your credit score may be lower if you have never borrowed any money, as it marks an absence of proof that you are a reliable borrower.If this is the case, it is worth considering taking out a credit card and using it to pay for some of your regular outgoings, such as groceries, to build up a track record with credit.If you opt to do this, be sure to clear the balance in full each month. Remember, student loans are not factored into your credit report.If you are keen to get on to the property ladder it’s worth spending time doing some research on your housing options and the best place to buy for your budget.If your job is universal in its location, such as a teacher or doctor, you may want to base yourself in a popular destination where property is cheaper.You can use Zoopla’s house price tool to explore property costs in different areas and take a look at our interactive first-time buyer affordability map.Knowing how much your first property is likely to cost will also help you to set a savings goal for your deposit.The government has introduced a raft of schemes to help people get onto the property ladder which are worth looking into.
Its flagship initiative is Help to Buy, which allows you to buy a new-build home with a deposit of just 5%, with the government offering a five-year interest-free loan for a further 20%.
This means you only need qualify for a standard mortgage of 75% of the property value, although the government will keep a 20% equity share of your home.
The loan is higher for buyers in London at up to 40% of the property’s value.
Other initiatives include shared ownership which means you can just buy a share of a home (between 25% and 75%) from a local housing association and pay rent on the proportion you don’t own.
But it might not be necessary to use a government scheme at all. If you can show the right income, you can buy a home on the open market with a deposit as little as 5%. Bear in mind that interest rates on 95% mortgage deals are the most expensive on the market.
As a first-time buyer in England and Northern Ireland, you will escape paying stamp duty on the first £300,000 of a home’s purchase price so long as that’s under £500,000.
Rules differ for the rest of the UK.
If your parents are around and are willing and able, they may be able to offer you a loan – and with any luck, repayments to the Bank of Mum & Dad will be more favourable than to a normal lender.
Even if your parents are not able to lend you a lump sum for a deposit, there are other ways they may be able to assist.A number of lenders, for example, will accept parents as guarantors on your mortgage. As guarantors, they become liable for the repayment of the loan, which means the bank or building society will lend you more than you would have got otherwise.Other schemes work by setting your parents’ savings against your borrowing, reducing the amount of interest you pay overall, or reducing the amount you need to borrow in the first place.A bit of creative thinking can help speed up the rate at which you are able to save money. For example, some people opt to be property guardians while they are saving for their first home as a means of spending less on rent.Being a property guardian involves living in an empty building, such as a disused school, and keeping an eye on it for the owners. And, in return, six out of 10 property guardians pay less than £500 a month in rent.Others tap into the ‘gig economy’ to secure a second income stream, so think about any hobbies you have that could help you make money.No small is too small when it comes to getting on the property ladder. In fact, it’s very likely your first home will not be your dream property.Starting small – even just a one bedroom apartment – will mean getting a foothold on the property ladder quicker. This will enable you to start building up some equity, which will help you to trade up at a later stage.Very few people regret buying a home and everyone has to start somewhere.Finally, when trying to get on to the property ladder, it is important to be realistic. The average age of a first-time buyer is 33, according to the most recent English Housing Survey.So if you manage to buy your first home before that age, you’re doing exceptionally well.Article taken in part from www.zoopla.co.uk – to read the article in full why not visit their website where you will also find for handy guides and additional information or enrol on one of their web-chats to get up to the minute news about the property industry.
Important Information All property sales and the financial advice that surrounds them are as unique as the people engaging in the transaction. It is important to not make a decision without seeking professional advice. If you want to sell your home and are considering redecorating before marketing, speak to one of our Property Professionals to get the best advice for presenting your home for sale before making any investment. This article is for the purpose of information only and should not be seen as financial advice.

Millions of you have started home-hunting again since the government eased certain lockdown restrictions in England.
Zoopla saw their busiest ever day on Wednesday 27th May, surpassing six million visits for the first time, which is up 18% on the same Wednesday in May last year.
But what does all this activity mean for you and your own move? Well Zoopla very kindly gave an insight and broke down some of the key stats and trends to help you understand if now is a good time to buy and sell.
Here are some of the things Zoopla said:
What are the headline figures? The first thing to note is that the reopening of the market has released lots of pent-up demand, meaning that many people are now pressing ahead with their plans to move.
Specifically, we have seen that:
What do the experts say? Zoopla’s resident property expert Miles Shipside, one of our founding directors and a BBC News regular, explained that the market has seen a late spring boost as a result of certain restrictions being eased.
He said: “Usually we record our busiest days of the year in January and February and almost never when there is warm weather, so the combination of pent-up demand being released, new people entering the market and no half-term holidays during lockdown has led to this late spring boost.
“The challenge agents are facing is handling this surge in enquiries, having a process to deliver virtual viewings, and setting up socially distanced and safe physical viewings.“This means that although numbers of sales agreed have improved from being down 90% to currently being 47% down compared to this time last year, it’s going to take a considerable time for a return to sales agreed levels seen last year and at the start of this year.“Areas with beautiful scenery and a potentially quieter life are proving to be popular as home-movers’ priorities start to shift, and outside space becomes more important.“There are also those considering a move further out now that they’ve realised they can work out of the office and may be finding they can get a lot more for their money in some of the South West and Northern locations.”What are estate agents seeing? Blair Stewart, Consultant Strutt & Parker in South Hams, said: “The last two weeks have been incredibly busy – it’s crazy. From £300k up to £3m plus, the interest in the South West is off the charts. Much interest has been from London, but we’ve also had interest from Yorkshire and further afield with interested parties even chartering helicopters to make socially distanced viewing possible.“The interest has extended from second-hand homes to empty plots; with some buyers looking to build their own house with a view to relocating their business from the city to the South West as many take stock of their work-life balance. Good Wi-Fi and good connectivity is all you need, and for what used to be the bane of the South West, broadband quality is now up there with the best. People are valuing the time they’ve spent with family and their children.Andrew McKnight, Owner of MAP Estate Agents in Cornwall, said: “We’ve brought all of our staff back to manage the demand we’ve been seeing over the past two weeks. It’s taking longer for viewings now to make sure we’re following the correct social distancing measures so this is adding to how busy we are.“We launched a fixer-upper cottage last week and had 40 viewings and 14 offers on it, with it going for over the asking price this week, and we’ve had multiple offers on other properties as well, which has taken us by surprise. I’ve been speaking to a few people who are considering moving further out of cities now that they can work from home more often, so we’ll have to wait to see if this is a short-term trend or a start of a change in buyer behaviour.”Anthony Holtom, Director of Hearnes in Ringwood, added: “Since the market reopened we’ve been incredibly busy, and have actually had a number of properties getting multiple bids and some over the asking price, and some of those properties didn’t have that much interest before lockdown.“It will take time for an increase in sales to follow compared to usual levels though, as right now there is a scarcity of new properties coming on to meet the increase in buyers interested in moving quickly.“We’ve managed to adapt to the new safety measures quite quickly and it’s also helping that we’re only allowing physical viewings and visits to serious buyers and sellers.”
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