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Teach Your Kids About The Online Property Market

February 27th, 2017 Posted in Property Investment, teaching children about money
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Teach Your Kids About The Online Property Market - nice street image

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If you are in the process of moving house, this may be the perfect opportunity to teach your kids about an important phase that they are likely to go through later in life. A house is the biggest financial investment most people make, and selling it is a process that can be a complicated affair.

While they are learning about the financial aspects of house sale, they can also discover the different ways to improve the chances of it being sold quickly. Just as the internet is revolutionising so many parts of life, it is also doing the same to the process of selling a house. Here are just a few of the other ways that the internet has changed the housing market.

Research Online

Before people do anything these days, whether this is going out for a meal, heading out to the movies or buying a house, they are likely to research it online. Properties that are more difficult to find online are significantly less likely to get many viewings. It’s also likely to be time saving as people are able to view pictures before they actually decide whether or not they want to visit the property. You can even make a video that gives a virtual tour to give an extra personal touch.

If you are in the process of selling your house, show your child how your house is listed online and explain to them the value of it compared to different houses in your neighbourhood. Property prices are a tricky thing for anyone to understand, so the earlier you teach them, the better.

Real Estate on the Web

Certain companies are now offering online services that are providing a challenge to traditional real estate brokers. Companies like Doug Hopkins are now able to showcase their services through an online portal.  As the internet continues to move at warp speed, it is likely that these services will continue to increase in number. This is being seen as a way to massively reduce fees, but of course there are numerous pros and cons to this approach. It’s worth running over all of these with your kids as when they get round to buying and selling houses, it’s much more likely that the internet will be playing an even bigger role.

Communication

There are so many different ways for house buyers and sellers to get in contact with each other thanks to the internet. Whether this is just making small enquiries or actually putting in an offer, buyers and sellers can stay in touch like never before. When you are getting in touch with buyers, keep your kids in the loop so they know how things are developing and the types of questions that are likely to get asked.

In the future, the internet is likely to play an even bigger role in the property market. If you get your kids involved from a young age, they are more likely to have an advantage when the time comes for them to get on the property ladder.

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4 Tips To Help You Buy A Property ASAP

February 21st, 2017 Posted in Money Tips, Property Investment
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Buying a new property can be, well it can be difficult. It isn’t making a bid or having it accepted that is the hard part; the hard part is doing all the admin. Let’s just say it can take months before you are cleared to move into a property. A quick sale can take five weeks but many last so much longer. You clearly don’t want to wait this long before you get the keys so it is time to speed up the process.

Forget The Realtor

The days of using a realtor are over. There is no need for them because they only speed up the process. You need to find a property as quickly as possible but they will take weeks to help. Sure they want to sell you a property, but they want to sell the one that is right for them. Does commission ring any bells? With the help of an online letting agent like Heather Tibbetts you can cut out the middleman and find a property in no time. Plus you can call the seller and ask them for a private viewing. This is a much quicker way to get the deal over the line.

Go Easy On The Price

Before a seller accepts the price they have to agree to it which isn’t easy. Obviously you want to drive a hard bargain but you don’t have the time. The harder the bargain the more time you waste. So it is a good idea to not haggle over pennies especially if they are inconsequential. Offer them a fair price that you are willing to pay and negotiate. If they don’t play ball tell them that you offer is final and wait for their response. There is plenty more properties on the market with owners that will accept a fair price.

Find A Kindred Spirit

It is simple – the quickest way to finalise a deal is to find a seller who also wants a quick deal. If both of your interests are aligned you will sign on the dotted line as soon as possible because it suits both parties. So, all you have to do is find someone who needs the money which isn’t too hard. Those that desperately need the money will tell you from the beginning which is clue number one. Or you can pass on the information that you would like a quick sale and gauge their reaction. It is imperative to cut a deal as soon as you find someone with the same agenda.

Help You Buy a property - case of cash image

Picture

Pay Cash

Possibly the quickest way to get the deal done is to pay by cash. The reason property sales take so long is because of the banks. They have to finalise the mortgage and do background checks before they sign off. The result is that you have to wait months before everything is finalised. Paying cash means you don’t have to deal with the banks, and that in turn means you can cut a big chunk off of the timeline.

Follow these tips and you’ll have a new property in no time.

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Give Your Home The Visiblity it Deserves When Trying To Sell

February 7th, 2017 Posted in Money Tips, Property Investment
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As your house is one of the most financially important assets in your life, it also presents the opportunity for one of the best investments you’ll ever get. However, getting a return on that investment will depend on getting the best deal you can. To get that deal, you want more people interested in buying the home. Having a house that sells well means having a marketable house. However, it also means marketing it properly. So, here we’re going to look at how you use different marketing methods to the most effective degree.

selling your home - for sale image

Diana Parkhouse

Signage

You might not think it, but putting the for sale outside a home is tremendously effective if you have a home in a good area or with particularly strong curb appeal. Rarely should you skip putting up a sign, but if you belong to a homeowners association, you should check with them first. Some won’t allow you to put up any signage.

selling your home - nice house image

Allan Ferguson

Listings

The most common way of marketing the house is to get it up on a variety of listings, both online and in the real world. We will look into the details of what you should put on those listings. But just as important is making sure you’re using all the right listings you can access. One of the benefits of teaming up with a realtor is ensuring you give your house some advertising space in places you might not have otherwise thought off.

selling your home - pile of newspapers image

Jon S

Details

On those listings and on any other adverts, you should think more about how much detail you include about the home. The rooms, space and features like gardens are obvious. But you should also think about details that appeal to specific markets, including investors. Families, landlords and investors alike see potential in what is in the surrounding area, for instance. Spend some time finding out the most attractive details not only of the house but the area around it, too.

selling your home - classic camera image

SplitShire

Photography

When it comes to photography, you need to make sure the room is ready. Don’t just declutter, but try and depersonalize the home somewhat so that your personal tastes aren’t getting in the way of showing off the dimensions and qualities of the rooms. Make sure you photograph with the best possible light and a quality camera, too. Fuzzy and undetailed pictures do not make a home look attractive.

selling your home - declutter image

rob_alltimemedia

Tours

If people can get more in depth looks through the house, then that’s even better. For one, you can offer tours to agents in your area so they can report on your home to their clients. But you should also consider offering virtual tours so people can explore your home without having to come to a viewing. It assures them there are no aspects of the home you might be trying to hide.

Effectively marketing the house is how you get the best start to selling your home. Without getting more interest, you won’t get as many visitors, as many interested parties, and as many offers as you could. Meaning you’re missing out on the chance to get a better deal. Take the step of marketing the house seriously.

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Top Things to Consider When Buying a Property

January 27th, 2014 Posted in Property Investment, Uncategorized
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Buying a property is often one of the biggest decisions you can make in life, so it’s important to make the right choice. Christmas generally stalls the house-hunting process but now that 2014 has arrived you may be starting to think about recommencing your search. Here are a few top tips for choosing the perfect property.

Plan your budget

Once you start house hunting it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding your dream home.  You may love to be able to approach Mayfair estate agents or other exclusive areas but if the area is not within your budget then there’s no point in starting your search. It’s important to establish your budget before you do anything else. If you need to seek finance for your purchase, most banks will require a 10-15% deposit. You should also speak to your bank or a mortgage broker to find out how much you will be able to borrow. You need to take into account other expenses as well such as stamp duty, mortgage arrangement fees, the valuation, removal fees and the cost of furnishing or renovating your new home.

Think about the location

Location is everything when it comes to buying a home. You not only need to think about how suitable the location is for your needs (transport links, schools, local amenities etc) but also how the location may affect your property as an investment. Research up-and-coming areas which may give you a bigger return on your investment if you eventually come to sell.

Go on as many viewings as possible

Many people say that when they find their dream home they know as soon as they walk in through the door. Although house hunting can be exciting, it’s important not to rush into buying the first great house you see. Don’t feel pressurised by an estate agent telling you they’ve already had a lot of interest in the property. Move at your own pace so you can be sure you’re making the right decision.

Buying a new property can be a very fulfilling step to take but it can also be very stressful and be prepared for the fact that things might not move as quickly as you’d like. Complications can arise and you may be stuck in a chain which prevents the sale from moving forward. Remember to stay patient and make sure you go through all of the necessary protocols to ensure your sale goes through as smoothly as possible.

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Are you one of the 7 million UK homeowners whose home needs repairs?

June 18th, 2013 Posted in Property Investment
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If you’ve been dragging your feet when it comes round to doing those home repairs – for whatever reason – you’re not alone.

Secured homeowner loans provider Ocean Finance recently did some research and found that 7 million homeowners in the UK admit their home is in need of some repairs, but haven’t got round to doing anything about it.

The biggest reason to delay home repairs is money. More than half (54%) of the people we asked can’t afford to pay for the necessary work. That means they run the risk of their home falling into further disrepair while they struggle to get the money together.

However, some people just haven’t got round to it (40%) or they need to find somebody else they trust to do the work for them (24%).

The most common repairs people needed were:

  • Repairs to fences and boundaries (32%)
  • Painting the outside of the house (30%)
  • Painting/repairing exterior windows (27%)
  • Sorting out damp or mould (26%)
  • Replastering certain areas (26%)
  • Cleaning or repairing blocked gutters (26%)
  • Sorting out an overgrown garden (23%)

Some of these may sound like small, aesthetic problems, but some of them could become very costly to fix if left for a long time. It could even be dangerous to leave some home repairs untouched. If you’re not sure about certain repair jobs, it’s worth asking a qualified expert their opinion.

And, it’s worth keeping up with your home repairs as Ian Williams from Ocean Finance said: “Keeping on top of maintenance around the home is vital to protect the value of your property.”

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