Month: August 2023

Is your inbox clogged with emails that you never find time to read?

Does scrolling through social media leave you fizzing with rage or grappling with imposter syndrome?

Or are you bombarded by the relentless ping of WhatsApp notifications, news updates and promo offers from fast-food delivery firms?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then it’s time for a digital declutter.

Take the concept of a spring-clean (a chance to turf out unwanted items and free up space) and apply it to your virtual world.

By following the steps below, you can achieve two things:

• Improve your outlook. Just as clutter in your living environment can distract and overwhelm you, a messy, disorganised digital landscape can negatively impact your mental health.
• Boost the performance of devices that are sluggish or have poor battery life.

Here are some easy ways to kickstart your digital declutter.

• Streamline your inbox by unsubscribing from newsletters you never open or retailers that bombard you with marketing emails.
• Cull the number of groups and individuals you follow on social media. If the posts they share aren’t relevant or useful, or make you feel anxious, irritated or exhausted, take action.
• Delete unnecessary apps from your phone, tablet or laptop. If you haven’t used them in months, uninstall them, as they’re only slowing down the performance of your device.
• Review your photos. If you’re a keen snapper, there are probably hundreds if not thousands of pictures on your phone – and not all of them good ones. Delete the double-ups and blurry shots, group the rest into albums, and store them in the cloud.
• Turn off unnecessary notifications so you’re not constantly distracted by trivial updates or reminders.
• Disable Location Services. Review the apps with which you’ve agreed to share your location. Unless it’s vital for the app’s function, turn Location Services off in settings (as having it on can drain your phone’s battery).
• If your laptop takes ages to power up, check how many apps automatically launch when you start your machine. While you need antivirus software to start up automatically, there are probably lots of other programmes that you don’t use every day that are powering up unnecessarily (slowing your computer down). Go to the Startup Apps section in your settings and adjust accordingly.
• Bin files that you no longer need. Arrange the rest in folders – don’t leave them in a random mess on your desktop.
• Go into your downloads file and have a good clear-out.

From all of us here at Chamberlains, good luck with your digital declutter!

 

 

 

Let’s be honest, we’ve all been a nosy neighbour at some point, haven’t we?

A ‘for sale’ sign goes up on a property in your street, and within minutes you’re online to find out what it’s on the market for.

Soon enough, you’re marvelling or shuddering at your neighbour’s taste in décor and deciding that your home is bigger, smaller, smarter or scruffier than theirs.

There’s nothing wrong with this; in fact, if you plan to sell up yourself, it’s useful market research. But it’s also important to keep things in perspective, or you could develop what is known in the property industry as Next-Door Syndrome.

This term refers to a seller whose price expectations are based solely on what their neighbour’s property sold for. (Usually, people think their home is worth at least as much as their neighbour’s, or a bit more.)

While knowing what other properties in your area achieve at sale is helpful, it’s important to look at the whole picture. Other things to consider include:

• Square footage. Is your neighbour’s property the same size as yours?
• Selling price. You probably saw the asking price when you did your online snooping, but your neighbour may have had to accept a price reduction.
• Completion time. Sometimes, it takes half a year to complete a deal, so the price may have been agreed six months earlier when the property market was in a different place.

The impact of Next-Door Syndrome

Focusing too much on your neighbour’s property deal instead of what’s best for you in the current market could mean you get your pricing strategy wrong and prolong the whole sales process.

The risk is you overprice your property and deter savvy buyers. After months of lacklustre interest, you’ll have to drop the price.

Valuation strategy

When you get three agents around to look at your property, don’t take their valuations at face value. Ask them how they reached their conclusions.

A good agent will welcome the opportunity to explain their calculation and the different data sets used to determine a property’s value.

Also, be aware that some agents deliberately overvalue a property just to win business.

Once they’ve secured the listing, they’ll quickly suggest a price reduction.

Go for an agent who is ambitious but honest. Selling a property is a huge undertaking, and it’s important that you trust your sales team.

For a free valuation, contact us here at Chamberlains today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a landlord, one of your main goals is to make sure your property is tenanted. As soon as the old tenants decide they’re moving on, it’s time to find new renters to move in.

But while you’ll be keen for a quick turnaround, it’s also important that things are done properly (cutting corners will cause you problems in the long run).

Not only will you want to end the initial tenancy correctly, but you’ll also want to start the next one off on the right foot.

In this quick read, we look at how to ensure your tenant changeover goes smoothly.

Communicate with tenants

Before your tenants move out, get in touch and go over what their responsibilities are, as set out in the original tenancy agreement. It’s also an opportunity for tenants to ask about the return of their deposit and giving the keys back. Getting these details sorted beforehand helps move things along.

Be organised

Managing the turnaround is quite a juggling act, so you’ll need to be organised, proactive and thorough with your admin.

For the outgoing tenancy, you’ll need a check-out inspection, meter readings and to release the deposit. For the new tenancy, you’ll need to ensure the paperwork is up to date, prepare an inventory and conduct a check-in report.

Then of course, you’ll need to manage the work in between: cleaning, repairs and redecoration.

It’s a lot to keep track of, so make sure all the important dates are in your diary, and all the paperwork is properly filed.

Check-in and check-out reports

Whether you do this yourself or get an expert, such as a letting agent, to do it for you, this is a vital part of the process that should not be skipped.

During the check-in process, your tenants should have signed an inventory; this report is an important resource for you as a landlord, especially if there are concerns about damage and/or deposit deductions.

The reports can be used as evidence if disputes arise and to record important information, such as a forwarding address and meter readings.

Give yourself enough time

You might be tempted to move new tenants in as soon as the old ones have moved out. But it’s advisable to leave a few days (or at least a week) in between just in case the property needs to be professionally cleaned and/or repairs need to be carried out.

It’s not fair on the new tenants to move into somewhere that still needs work. Also, if you live far from the property and want to inspect it, you’ll need at least a day to do so.

Use a letting agent

Many landlords use an experienced letting agent to make the turnaround process run more smoothly. From finding tenants, to a fully managed service that covers all the bases, a letting agent can ease the pressure and carry much of the administrative burden.

Find out more about our property management services and how we can help you by getting in touch with us here at Chamberlains today.

 

 

 

As it’s World Photography Day tomorrow (19 August), we look at how the camera and its role in society has changed over the past 200 years.

Brits do it five times a day, while Americans manage it 20 times a day.*

Yes, taking a photograph has become second nature for many of us who snap our pets, holiday destinations, dinner or ourselves without a second thought.

Across the world, people take a dizzying 1.81 trillion photos annually and share 1.3 billion photos on Instagram and 6.9 billion on WhatsApp daily.**

This is thanks to the high-spec cameras in our phones that mean we can easily capture all of life’s significant (and mundane) moments and share them in seconds.

It’s all a stark contrast to what the pioneers of photography went through in the 1800s. Back then, taking a single image took hours, required specialist equipment and involved handling toxic chemicals such as mercury.

A major breakthrough came on 19 August 1839, when Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre revealed the secrets of his revolutionary image-making process to the world. The move introduced photography to the masses and put many portrait painters out of business.

Later came the roll-film Kodak camera (1888), the box Brownie (1900), the Polaroid (1948) and the digital camera (first sold commercially in 1987).

And then, in 1999, the digital camera was incorporated into the mobile phone – a development that revolutionised how we see the world.

As a result, our hunger for imagery has never been stronger, and we expect it to be high quality.

Gone are the days when we’ll excuse a grainy, out-of-focus photograph. This is worth bearing in mind if you plan to market a property; good lighting and careful positioning can make all the difference.

We’d love to see some of your best snaps. Whether it’s a brilliant landscape or a photo of your beloved pet, share them with us on social media at facebook.com/chamberlains.ea

Here at Chamberlains, we take photography seriously, which is why we invest time and care into getting high-quality photographs to market properties. To learn more, read our recently published guide to property photography. https://chamberlains.pulse8.co.uk/why-good-property-photos-are-an-essential-step-in-the-sales-process/

* Source: Phototutorial

** Source: Phototutorial

 

 

 

 

It’s often said that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but then (confusingly), it’s also said that first impressions count… Why are all these clichés so important? Well, when marketing a property, it’s a bit of both: how a property looks will catch a buyer’s eye before they pore over the finer details.

Photos of your property are what hooks the buyer, what drives them to pick up the phone to arrange a viewing, and what helps them imagine living in your home. So, property photography is an essential part of the selling process.

In this quick read, we look at how to prepare your home for photographs and what to expect.

Tidy up

If you know your agent or a professional photographer is coming round, your first move should be a tidy-up. Clear those counters, pack away the clutter, make the bed and give the floors a quick vacuum. Photos of a messy, cluttered home aren’t going to entice buyers. But a sparkling clean and desirable property will.

Quick makeover

Just before you take a selfie, you might give your hair a quick pat down, check your teeth for bits of food and put on your best smile. Well, the same applies to your property. A superficial makeover can make the world of difference to property pics. Open the curtains and let the light in, add some fresh flowers to your coffee table and make sure the dog bed isn’t in the middle of the room.

You might even consider moving the furniture to create more space and putting away all the bottles of shampoo and conditioner that are lined up along the bath.

Don’t be offended

Some property photographers might come in and move things around. They probably won’t start rearranging your sofa and chairs, but they may angle furniture to make a room look bigger or clear a kitchen island of any dishes or piled-up post to get a clear shot.

There’s no need to get offended or upset by these little adjustments – after all, they know what sells and are working with you to achieve the best look for your home.

Whilst not all estate agents use professional photographers, you can bet that even if it’s someone with a smartphone snapping away, they’ll know how to make your house or flat look its best. Give them a helping hand by making sure they’ve got a clear and clutter-free space to take pics of.

If you’re looking to sell your home, get in touch with Chamberlains today. We’ll help get the best photos to achieve your asking price.

 

 

Renting a property with a friend or acquaintance? Never lived with anyone before? We’ve got you covered with some top tips to help manage your new living situation.

These days, renting isn’t cheap and whether you’re a student or professional, those monthly payments can feel like a stretch. So, if you’re about to move in with a flatmate, it’s worth sticking to some basic rules to make sure your tenancy works out for the both of you.

In this quick read, we look at ways to make your flat share feel like a happy home.

Understand Your Tenancy Agreement

Whether you’re living with one other person or multiple people, you have your own individual responsibilities to stick to. You most likely have signed a joint tenancy agreement, where you and your housemates are all named. This means you and the others living in the property are jointly responsible for paying rent and adhering to the rules of the tenancy. Keep a copy of your tenancy agreement handy so you know what you’re responsible for and what your landlord is obligated to do.

Split the Bills

When living with someone, it’s important to decide how to split the bills. For most people, it’s an easy 50/50 split, however this is totally down to you and the person (or people) you are sharing with to agree.

To avoid disagreements, see if your utility provider allows multiple names on the bill. This means that whoever is named is responsible for paying – not just one person. Similarly, if problems arise, anyone named on the account can contact the service provider.

Cleaning

Some people love scrubbing surfaces or washing windows, whilst others just don’t. Make your rented home a happy one by agreeing on which areas are communal and split the cleaning duties. Mucky bathrooms and cluttered kitchens can cause unnecessary tension, so make sure tasks are divided equally. If you really hate cleaning, split the costs of a professional cleaning service.

Whilst bigger jobs can be shared, when it comes to dirty dishes or no loo roll – just get it done. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Respect

If you and your flatmate have different work schedules, it’s important to be respectful of their space and your noise levels. After all, 30 July is World Friendship Day – don’t be the annoying/rude housemate!

Also, keep clear of their bedroom. By maintaining boundaries between private and communal spaces, you’ll always have somewhere to retreat to just in case.

Food 

At the start of your sharing journey, decide what you’re going to do about food. Will you shop together or separately? Can some items be shared, and others kept for yourself? No one wants sticky notes on their bread and butter – agree to separate shelves in the fridge and drawers in the freezer instead. And whatever you do, don’t drink directly from the juice carton!

Are you looking for a new rental property? Give our team at Chamberlains a call.

Buying a new home is a big step that comes with lots of considerations. Finding the right property in a good location at a price you’re willing to pay isn’t always easy and can take time.

But when you finally move into your new place to start the next chapter of your life, all the hard work is worth it.

Here are some factors to consider if you’re considering buying in 2023.

Shifting market

The property market has made headline news recently, but it’s important to remember that nothing happens in isolation. When interest rates change, so too does property price growth.

For example, 12 months ago, most buyers had no trouble securing a low-interest-rate mortgage but found sellers weren’t budging on asking prices. Skip forward a year, and the mortgage landscape is much tighter, but there’s more wiggle room on price.

It’s important to focus on the bigger picture (after all, the average person in the UK spends 21 years living in the same property*).

Affordability 

Saving for a deposit, working out what you can afford, costs of a mortgage, stamp duty… none of these things have changed.

It’s important to do your homework so you know how far you can stretch yourself. Work with a mortgage broker to understand the financial commitment you’ll be making if you choose to buy in the coming months.

Demand for housing is strong

The UK has a chronic undersupply of housing to buy or rent (and has had for years). This is one of the reasons why the Office for Budget Responsibility predicts prices will grow again in 2025. Long-term property is still a reliable investment.

Hunt down a bargain

In response to changing interest rates, some property owners, particularly buy-to-let landlords, may have decided to sell. If they’re looking for a quick deal, you may be able to negotiate a good price, especially if you’re a first-time buyer and aren’t in a chain.

Strong position

While any offer you make needs to be realistic, in the current market, you might be able to avoid things like bidding wars and competition from other buyers.

If you’re looking for a new property, contact the team at Chamberlains – we’re ready to help.  

* Zoopla