Moving house has been marked as one of the topmost stressful life events a person can go through. Especially when you’ve recently had your home valued and the price point wasn’t as prosperous as you hoped for.

Anyone can add a basement conversion (with the correct planning permission, obviously!) or get a shiny new kitchen to bump up their valuation. However, not everyone has the funds or the time to do so. Fear not! There are some home improvements you can make without breaking the bank.

Did you know that home buyers decide whether they like the property or not within 8-10 seconds? Judging only from exterior alone. Barclays Mortgages revealed that around 35% of buyers base their decision entirely on the front of the house.  Meaning that you could be losing buyers before they’ve even seen inside!

Freshen the front door – Starting with the front door. The front door is the focal point of your home. It’s what peoples eyes are immediately drawn to. So If you’re looking to pull in buyers and increase the property value, the front door is the best place to start. This doesn’t have to be paying out big bucks to buy a state of the art door with a central locking system. If your door is looking tired and dull,  adding a lick of paint could make a world of difference. Sticking to exterior design trends, the right colour palette is important. For example, using mushroom greys, royal blue or sage. Another couple of ways to spruce up your door is replacing a rusting letterbox or adding a fancy knocker.

Kit out the kitchen – A kitchen is the heart of the home. Replacing a kitchen can be very pricey but there are some simple home improvements you can make to increase value. Again, repainting cabinets and changing handles to enhance your kitchen is often an inexpensive alternative to modernisation. New lighting fixtures can brighten and transform the room and really set the mood of your kitchen. Decluttering and clean surfaces are also cost-free improvements which will further add value.

Save your spare room – Do you have a spare room or a study which nobody uses? Well if so, this is another great way of upping the value. Home buyers tend to spend more on a property if the house has more bedrooms. However tread lightly with this, there can often be a ceiling price for every street (meaning houses often sell for a price within the guidelines of the street, making it difficult to achieve more than this without major extensive work). Keeping in mind, bedroom to bathroom ratio, usually having a one to three ratio, as a minimum.

Spruce up your garden – Garden appeal is vital. This includes both front and back. Along with the front door, the garden it the first thing potential buyers spot, so it’s important. Trimming borers, clearing pathways, weeding the driveway. If you’re a busy person and gardening isn’t at the top of your agenda. Then adding pebbles or grey slate to flower beds is often a quick cost-free way of improving the presentation of your garden. Depending on your budget, investing in either a patio or decking for the back garden will add to your saleability. Buyers love being able to picture themselves relaxing in the garden on a warm summer’s day. The garden should feel like an extension of their living space and adding outdoor furniture, along with a patio, allows the garden to feel more habitable.

Clean the carpets – Finally, replacing worn-out carpets/flooring. You need to make the buyer want to take their shoes off! A fresh carpet can make a huge difference but it’s important not to over personalise your decor. Adding a stripey carpet might be appealing to you but unfortunately, it isn’t to everyone’s taste. That’s why keeping or interior fairly neutral is a good idea, people need to visualise living in the property. If you don’t have the funds to replace your flooring, you can hire home cleaning kits which will significantly improve the appearance of your carpet. As for wooden floors, you can sand them down, varnish them or give them a deep clean before viewings.

Moving house doesn’t always have to be expensive and it’s often the smaller changes that go a long way. Haven’t had your property valuated yet? Here at Move Now Properties, we offer free home, no-obligation property valuation. Contact us at http://movenowproperties.com/selling/

New beginnings. Fresh flowers. A hint of sunshine. We all associate springtime with better weather and lighter evenings, but did you know that springtime is also a brilliant time to think about putting your property on the market? One common question that we’ve been asked time and time again here at MoveNow Properties is regarding which months of the year are best to start selling. And whilst there are advantages and disadvantages to every season, we thought it was time to wanted to break down exactly what spring has for property sales that the other seasons don’t.

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Moving into your first home is rather like falling in love. Every single room is exciting, you have a whole host of ideas to make the place a true reflection of your life and personality. It’s yours and yours alone, and any small imperfections are easily ignored. Of course, this early infatuation can start to fade. Before long you might start a family and quickly realise that your space is gradually disappearing. But when do you start to consider upsizing?

If you’re starting to feel cramped in your current home or feel it isn’t right for you anymore, you shouldn’t worry – this is a natural step for every homeowner. And whilst it’s often inevitable that a bigger home will be more expensive, there are many ways in which you can save and still enjoy a larger space. Upsizing might seem like a big move, but by using our handy guide, you’ll soon know if the time is right.

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Our Christmas #SantaSelfie campaign is well and truly under way – and we want YOU to get involved! From November through to January, we’re attaching colourful Santas to over 100 of our MoveNow Property boards around Wakefield. How many will you spot? (more…)

“Morning! Come and join us for a coffee and a cake!”

These were the words on our entire team’s lips last Friday at MoveNow Properties. Why? Once again we decided take part in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning to raise money for Macmillan!  (more…)

Buying a house is one of, if not, the most important purchasing decisions that you are ever going to make in your life. So when it comes to viewing a house, you need to be prepared. You need to do your background research about the area and be ready to ask the estate agent the right questions so you can make informed choices. It can be easy to get emotionally attached to a house early on, but logic needs to prevail in these situations. Remember, you are investigating whether a particular house is suitable for you to live in. Here are the key questions you need to ask to find that out: (more…)

There are many benefits to renting a property. As well as increased independence and the enjoyment of living in an area that suits you without having to commit to buying, more and more of us are turning to renting every year as a way of testing the property waters and enjoying the flexibility of fast-paced jobs and lifestyles. But how much rent can you afford? If you’re stepping into the rental market or are thinking of finding a new place to live, then it’s a good idea to get your finances in some kind of order. Here we break down exactly what you need to consider before you put that deposit down. (more…)

Summer has well and truly arrived for 2018, and the entire MoveNow team are happy that it has! The sun is out, the World Cup is on and you can buy an ice cream or beer on every street corner. No doubt you’re already thinking about your summer holiday, but before you get too carried away it’s good to keep in mind that your home will be empty for a while every time you head off to the airport or pack up the car. To keep your home and contents as safe as possible whilst you’re away, we’ve put together 5 easy ways to ensure peace of mind when you’re packing for your trip. Happy holidays! (more…)

Buying a house for the first time is a huge step. You’ve spent long hours saving, your little housing fund is now growing nicely, and your entire family is thrilled at the idea that you’re finally “settling down”! You’ve reached the point where you’re ready to put down that deposit and enjoy a space that is wholly yours. Simple, right? Not always! There are lots of phrases thrown about in the housing industry that make little or no sense to the first-time buyer. If you’re new to the property market and struggle with jargon like ‘stamp duty’ or ‘sinking fund’, then read on. We’ve put together the ultimate jargon-buster to help you through the buying process more easily. (more…)