Your Right Move » Housing

5 Simple Ways to Add Value To Your Property

Zanet — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:57:00 +0000

Sometimes its easy to think that adding the most beautiful home improvement that you’ve always dreamed of will be valued by every buyer walking through your property and therefore clinch the deal. How wrong that thinking would be! So what genuine suggestions would add value to your property and by how much?

You can ask local estate agents as an initial starting point. There often well informed and offer free advice, it’s likely they will be able to see for themselves when valuing the property obvious areas that can add value to your property.

The 5 Simple Ways to Add Value To Your Property

1 Identify your largest Market – Major value
you need to be aware of what is selling well locally. This tells you the type of people moving into the area and this should dictate who you market to as it increases the chances of a sale dramatically, even a potential price bid and we all love those when we are the benefactor. Are Two bedroomed or Three bedroomed houses selling well? What market will you be aiming at and what are these people’s needs? This may well lead to a decsion to keep a bedroom and not make it into an en-suite. Or not to knock down the garage. So in effect sometimes doing nothing and keeping the things the same can be a value knowing the market beforehand.

2. Expand the Kitchen add upto 15% value
If any area of the house has changed in the minds of buyers in the last decade or two, its the kitchen area. Kitchens are seen as the hub of the home, so enlarging to create a multi-functional room will add value to your property.

Extending The Kitchen by working out the most cost-effective solutions. Either taking space from adjacent areas within the home, adding an extension by taking from the garden or just linking to a dining room to make one combined space are the most common solutions.

Once you have maximised the size of the kitchen then make the most of the layout of the kitchen. There are many free kitchen planning services out on the high street and this will provide a great basis for maximising your space with ideas drom there kitchen range. An open plan dining area and possibly living area overlooking the garden with double doors is the most preferred setup.

3. Loft Conversions or An En Suite Bathroom add upto 10% value
If bedrooms are needed to sell property, then a loft conversion can be a simple and effective way to acheive this, alot easier than extensions in many ways as planning permission and application can be quite minimal.

There are loft companies that will do the complete works from planning right through to the final paintwork. This is a great way to increase your market value and yet have little worries. If your more hands on it will probably be slightly cheaper, but make sure your builder has experience and ask to see his work beforehand.

With the adding of an ensuite to a master bedroom it’s worth bearing in mind it doesn’t need to be large, but it should be clean and well lit.

4. Curb appeal works add upto 5% value
Often overlooked, but how your property looks before walking through the door has a massive impact. So much so, that some won’t even walk through the door after a drive by.Easy wins are consistent window design, a well-proportioned entrance. Avoid peeling paintwork or cracked windows.

Familiarity of your own property doesn’t always help and almost makes the obvious areas of improvement invisible, so ask someone passing by, it may be embarrassing but listen as what they say is probably a good direction to consider.

5. Adding An Extra Bedroom or Conservatory add upto 20% value
It may cost a sum, but it will put your property into a new league of buyers with a larger budget.Take into account the road your living in and the largest market in your area before making this decision, in fact its step 1 above that should dictate this as a clear way forward.

With all the above additions, good advice before any decisions are made is vital. If the property’s volume is increased by 15% you will need planning permission. If its within the property then the chances are it fine. In all cases consider each option with care.

If you want to add value to your property you may find this article useful - A great free guide on this web site: How to Value your property

IKEA house

Zanet — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:06:06 +0000

So you love allen keys and meatballs and don’t mind the Swedish look with your Billy bookcases. Well if that all sounds familiar to you, you have probably been in an IKEA store on more than one occassion. But how about living in the Swedish showroom, literally! The IKEA house is now released on the housing market.

The Swedish company has partnered with an architectural firm to bring customers an IKEA dream.

aktiv IKEA house

IKEA working along with ideabox have put together their first IKEA house. It’s called aktiv meaning active in typical IKEA diction. It comes with all the typical trimmings. With One bedroom and a kitchen diner leading into the lounge, it’s suprisingly spacious and as expected from IKEA well thought out. The walk way flow is very practical for every day living. When your ideabox aktiv arrives, all of the cabinets, countertops, and flooring are installed.

Production company Ideabox says there’s no wasted space in true IKEA fashion. A combination of corrugated metal, fiber-cement siding, and a metal roof house the mini IKEA home. It also comes equipped with a dual-flush toilet and energy-efficient electronics, PSFK reports. Don’t forget IKEA staples like tundra maple flooring, Pax wardrobes, and Abstrakt cabinets. Though no Billy bookcase in the design!

The IKEA house measures 53’6 length with 14’9 width.

Below is the aktiv floor plans:

There are plans for several further IKEA house designs from ideabox in the future – to order your IKEA home visit Ideabox. The IKEA house is around £55,000 which for a one bedroom house is worthy of consideration. Though you will need to find the land first.

The home’s exterior is made of fiber-cement siding, corrugated metal, and a standing-seam metal roof.

No related posts.

How to fight housing and homelessness

Zanet — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:25 +0000

Zoopla decides to show how to fight housing and homelessness. Teaming up with Shelter, Zoopla commits £25,000.

The economic situation over the past few years in the UK means many families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. As a result, property website Zoopla.co.uk has today announced a fundraising partnership with national housing and homelessness charity, Shelter, with Zoopla committing to raise at least £25,000 for this cause in 2012.

As part of their commitment to make a difference and raise awareness of the issues surrounding bad housing and homelessness, Zoopla will work closely with Shelter to help support their charitable efforts and will participate, donate directly and identify new opportunities to raise funds in 2012.

Zoopla employees also lead the way on how to fight housing and homelessness

Zoopla employees have wasted no time in showing their commitment to the partnership by donating over £7,500 themselves already via payroll giving alone and committing to numerous events throughout the year, including Shelter’s annual Vertical Rush in early March, which involves scaling the 920 steps of Tower 42 in the City. Zoopla also plans to make fundraising for Shelter an integral part of the numerous trade events and awards it sponsors throughout the year including Lettings Live, the ESTAs and the Estate Agency of the Year Awards.

Alex Chesterman, Founder & CEO of Zoopla said: “Shelter does an outstanding job trying to help those have fallen on hard times. We recognise that charities like Shelter rely heavily on donations from businesses like ours and we are keen to do what we can. Our team are motivated and to meet or exceed the fundraising targets we have set for this year and to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.”

Tracy Griffin, fundraising director at Shelter, said, “We’re delighted to be working so closely with Zoopla and are very grateful for their support. The money raised through the partnership will support Shelter’s vital work to help families across the country find and keep a decent home. We are looking forward to developing a strong ongoing partnership.”

Shelter’s housing advice helpline 0808 800 4444 is open 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm Saturday and Sunday.

Property price gap grows

Zanet — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:32:11 +0000

According to the Rightmove House Price Index this month, it found that UK average asking prices increased by 2.8% over the past month driven by strong price growth in the South.

lf you are looking to move to the north of the country from the South, the growing price gap will let you buy a lot more house for your money”.

The North/South price divide means that you can now buy two properties in the North for the price of one in South!

A real plus - draw a search

Rightmove’s House Price Index also found that asking prices in London reached a new record high.

The Rightmove House Index gives further details on the average asking price for a property in the UK increased by 2.8% over the past month to leave the average asking price for a UK property now at £239,672. This figure masks a two-tier market in which the price gap between the north of the country and the south has never been wider. Asking prices in the south (East Anglia, South East, South West and Greater London) increased by 4.7% over the past month but fell 0.7% in the north (East Midlands, West Midlands, Wales, North West, Yorks & Humber and North East), and average property prices in the south (£336,743) are now more than double those in the north (£164,347).

Do you think the North south divide will ever disappear in the UK. Is it due to several factors including the London commuter pull along with higher temperatures in the South?

Have your say on the property price gap below:

Barratt Housebuilder go Gold

Zanet — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 11:31:06 +0000

Barratt are set to return to profit this year after a poor few years. Barratt Developments, Britain’s biggest housebuilder, expects to increase profit after announcing thay have began work on more than 1,000 homes near the Olympic site in East London before the games begin in 2012.

Barratt Developments have a total of eight major phases at St Andrews in Bromley-by-Bow and Dalston Square in Hackney by the time the Olympics kicks off.

Barratt House builder at Olympics

This ties in with rising prices in the East London area, after Lloyds TSB research revealed that the average property has appreciated by 32 per cent in Bow and 39 per cent in Dalston since the Olympics was awarded to London in 2012.

Barratt Developments reports, “There is strong demand for property in East London and flats in both St. Andrews and Dalston Square are excellent value for money, especially considering how convenient they are for Canary Wharf and The City”

House prices set to Rocket or Plummet

Zanet — Sun, 09 May 2010 10:01:51 +0000

A very interesting report in the Times looked at how things may turn out in the coming months for UK property with the latest political changes.

The articles expressed that one of the greatest challenges the new coalition Government faces is to make sure that pessimistic predictions about the housing market do not come true. Allowing prices to plummet would be catastrophic economic policy. If the market falls by significantly more than 10 per cent our banking industry could once more find itself in difficulties, triggering a negative spiral of new lending restrictions and further house price falls that would put the economic recovery in great jeopardy. Nor should we forget that falling prices would trap tens of thousands more borrowers in negative equity.

Property Set to Rocket or Plummet after Hung Parliament

The replies were even more interesting based on whether an extended period of stable prices may allow incomes to catch up with valuations or whether a return to an era when houses are viewed primarily as places to live rather than speculative investments. Here are the comments below….

“One of the greatest challenges the new coalition Government faces is to make sure that pessimistic predictions about the housing market do not come true.” Why? What happened to “you can’t buck the market”? Why should the Government prop up excessive house prices?” – Ned Ludd

Not sure I agree when you say falls in excess of 10% could cause the banks problems:
Firstly, the net lending figures tells us something interesting – people have been steadily paying down their mortgages, therefore increasing equity. Secondly, the average deposit for the past few years has been around 25%. See where this is going? The banks are positioning themselves very comfortably for the coming falls. Also, whilst keeping house prices artificially high may have suited a government trying to get re-elected, a lower starting point would suit any incoming government. Anyone buying recently will find the next few years quite stressful I think.” – Mike Williams

“We are approching the end of the “suckers rally”in land and property prices.This rally in theory cauld continue until interest rates start creeping up due to inflation or the end of the banks monetary policy that is supporting the economy some which should happen at the end of this year or the beginning of next.How ever interest rates cauld rise alot sooner due to the contagian of delinguat soverign debt in europe that WILL hit us at some time meaning interest rates will have to rise subsantially and speedily to defend the pound against a down ward spirral,thus pulling down the last prop holding the property market up.The shake out has not finished, this will be a dramatic colapse.To prevent this cycle happening again we need to tax the land owners/free holders and not the wage earners and savers!Buy to let investers have destroyed the hopes and asperations of many people.They are the new land barrons!!! Tax them out of existance!” – Rousel Duke

“The house price bubble created during Brown’s era of fiscal imprudence that led to the collapse of the banks is over. The bubble Brown encouraged to power our economy has left the nation with the highest level of debt in decades. The subject matter of that bubble, house prices, have yet to reflect economic reality. Prices are grossly distorted against any measure you care to name including wages, ability to borrow under the new rules that eschew “creative financing,” jobs and the unemployment trend, rentable values and the global trend of house price collapse. House prices in this country will collapse and they have a long way to go before reaching a viable level. I expect to see further falls of between 40-60% over the course of the next 3 years.” – Real Istbear

So what do you think?

Are prices still greatly inflated and we are about to find out?

Will interest rates dramatically sneak up over the coming months?

Will the next few years be really tough on new time buyers?

Village of Tescos

Zanet — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:40:44 +0000

Tescos announced plans to build four reported villages based around there own store. Its been echoed around for some time that the massive supermarket would move into the housing market. This has now raised concerns of the retailer abusing it’s power and knowing too much about it’s customers.

Village of Tescos - Every Little Helps!

Their is no doubt though that there is rightful concern that the biggest supermarket in Britain is turning into a power business as it recently announced a record £3.4bn in profits to the city.

While Tescos claim that it will provide more work for the economy, others are concenred that they will end up owning a to large share of several markets and thus take away the importance of fair competition. They would know everything about individuals as they not only shopped, but insured, banked, mortgaged, and now virtually worked and lived under the Tescos umbrella.

The New Economics Foundation think tank reported “There’s a sense that they are using their market power to dominate aspects of the economy, there is a need for more affordable housing but there is a danger with Tesco’s moves. If they provide the mortgage, if they act as estate agent, if they provide a credit card, if they sell you a house, they will end up with more personal information about you than the Government.”

A Tesco report denied they would abuse its power or “suggestions they were building “mini-villages” was “going too far”.

Property Price Extremes

Zanet — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:09:10 +0000

Last week we revealed the most expensive street in Britain as being Chester Square in London, where the average property is worth £6,596,000. It is the second consecutive year that Chester Square has been in the number one spot and the most recently sold property in the area went for £7 million.

Fernhill Near Cardiff - Extremely Low Prices

So what is the cheapest street in Britain? Well no one wants the label cheapest, so officially its Britain’s most affordable street. A street in Wales is Britian’s most affordable location with the average home costing just £28,600. Fernhill, in Mountain Ash, Wales was the cheapest road for the second year running.

Fernhill, in Mountain Ash, Wales – average property is worth £28,600
Chester Square London – average property is worth £6,596,000
Thats a downsizing difference in average property price of £6,567,400

In effect you could afford 230 properties in Fernhill in exchange for one in Chester Square!

Fernhill in the Mid Glamorgan village of Mountain Ash, near Cardiff, has remained the lowest-priced street amid recent low sales and has an average home value of £28,600, up from £24,640 last year.

At least the price has increased since last year by around £4000. Mouseprice said all regions had seen their average rise since last year as the property market has improved.

Pre-election house prices up – Rightmove

Zanet — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:23:06 +0000

Rightmove the largest UK property web site reports that house prices continue to rise. With the election approaching this has not dappened the market in any way. Asking prices in April increased by 2.6 per cent on the average property, thats almost £6000 compared with March. Prices are running 6 per cent higher than in the same month of 2009.

Rightmove does add some caution though. “The shortage of properties widely credited as a key factor in recent price rises is starting to ease. More than 25,000 properties have been going on the market each week for the last two months, the longest sustained period at such levels since August 2008. Estate agencies’ unsold stock levels are also increasing, rising from 65 to 68 between March and April. Also if the General Election result is a hung parliament, the uncertainty could undermine the boost in activity which normally follows an election”.

right move stats

“As far as the housing market is concerned, any election result is better than no result,” Miles Shipside, the commercial director at Rightmove, said. “In the even of a hung parliament, the market is likely to go into suspended animation until greater certainty emerges.”

Some would debate whether there is a shortage of properties. If asking prices continue to rise, all but the most popular locations are building themselves up for some of the gains to be lost later in the year. May will provide a lot more answers to the on going and ever changing views of the Uk property market.

Can Tepilo remain free?

Zanet — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:52:25 +0000

How can Tepilo remain free?

Why can a web site like Tepilo, operate as an on-line estate agent for the grand cost of zero? Normally you would expect to see some small print or a catch in such an arrangement. we looked into it in greater detail and were suprised to find that there really are no catches.

Can Tepilo remain free?

With its small cost of running and maintenance the site will probably have to have some form of advertising. As the Tepilo brand grows and traffic increases it seems that the kindest way to cover costs would be an advert here or there. Most users would be overly happy to accomodate such adverts in exchange for the free services.

Tepilo web site states “We plan to run the site for some time with little or no “on site” advertising, and keeping the offering free for you. We need to establish ourselves, get the site finished and get our message out there. In the future we may look for some choice sponsors to help finance the site, but we are determined not to pester you with offers, adverts or spam”.

Looking forward, Tepilo have some exciting partnerships to announce and plan on remaining true to there word of keeping everything free.

This unique offering may well change the way you sell your next property. Read our full report on how you can upload your own properties for free, without the need for getting an estate or letting agent involved and saving you thousands in the process.

Good to see that on a detailed look Tepilo is exactly what it claims, a great free offering.