How to kick off your Happy Move Year
Happy New Year to you, or should we say Happy Move Year!? The last piece of tinsel has been put away for another year, and we have all stepped back into a sense of normality. For some, a new year signifies the opportunity for a new beginning and thoughts turn to plans for moving home. Whether it’s something you have been contemplating for a while, or a recent desire for change, moving home can often seem daunting.
With so much negative talk in the press about the property market, and countless gloomy predictions, you may believe that the property market is stagnating. If you step away from the Docklands for a moment, however, and come with us to the City of London’s insurance district you will find 22 Bishopsgate. This address is a symbol of the optimism returning to the property industry following the EU referendum. The result of the vote on European membership caused the investors in this development to seriously consider pulling out of the deal, but by the autumn the concerns were shelved and now 22 Bishopsgate is growing by the day.
Before you begin your search for a new home you need to establish your current situation, so that you can make effective plans for the future. If you are already a homeowner you need to know the value of your current property in today’s market in order to ascertain what you can spend on a new home. This can be achieved by means of a free property valuation from our team at Franklyn James.
Many factors are taken into consideration when undertaking an appraisal: the area and any plans for development, the exact location of your property, its condition, size and even presentation. Your home may be the largest and most sought-after in your street, but if it isn’t presented and maintained to a high standard you are unlikely to achieve its optimum value. There are no short cuts to preparing your home for sale if you want to attract the right buyers.
It’s then time to turn your attention to finding an estate agent. Estate agents are a bit like a box of chocolates, we all look similar on the outside, but what is inside can be very different. Something that may be offered as standard by one agent, could be subject to an additional fee with another. At Franklyn James our messages are clear, our fees are transparent and our service is exceptional, resulting in a standard that is a cut above the rest.
To put yourself in the strongest possible position to negotiate an offer on your next home, it’s always preferable to have already accepted an offer on your own property. As a vendor you don’t want to be waiting for someone to sell his or her home, you want someone who can act immediately. Having a mortgage agreed in principle will also add strength to your position when you’re about to place an offer on a property.
Searching for your next home may begin online with one of the major property portals such as Rightmove, but don’t underestimate the importance of registering with estate agents in your chosen area. Should a property they list meet your criteria you could be booked in as the first viewing before the property even appears on the web, thus giving you a distinct advantage. At Franklyn James we often actively seek out the sort of properties we know our buyers are interested in, some of which may not even be on the market.
The groundwork an agent undertakes when they first list an available property is essential for a swift and profitable sale, but the true measure of their worth is how they perform once an offer is accepted and the sale advances towards completion. The ability to keep a chain together, with all parties moving forward at a similar speed, whilst ensuring any issues are handled and resolved without additional stress on the seller, shows what an agent is really made of. To have a low fall-through rate is a sign of a good estate agent.
If a Happy Moving Year is one of your goals for 2017, kick-start your journey with a free property valuation from Franklyn James.
For more information or property advice, please contact us on:
Docklands – 020 7005 6080
Limehouse – 020 7791 1777
Bow – 020 8983 2930
Blackheath – 020 3370 2222
Property management – 020 3668 6712
