I see that the debate about whether to employ a homestaging company in a bid to sell your house has reared its head again. For the uninformed homestaging or house doctoring is the practice by which a house is ‘improved’ by an interior designer, thus making it more appealing to would-be buyers. Time was all you needed to do was to spring clean, brew some coffee and add a vase of flowers here and there to make your home more appealing. Now we are exhorted to declutter, neutralise and define each space. All great advice but when you visit as many properties as I do, you develop an uncanny ability to spot a ’staged property’ before you’ve stepped into the immaculately coiffured hallway. I swear I could even win competitions identifying which items of furniture actually belong to the vendor and which are hired in for the duration.

As you see, I’m not entirely a fan. It works for some vendors, providing a much needed boost when they are in very low spirits. Some fall in love with their houses again and decide to stay put; but others can spend thousands only to find that their house continues to languish on the market.

What is important to remember is that preparation for sale is essential. In the current market especially it’s no good  expecting your home to be snapped up without some considerable effort. Getting a critical friend to cast their eye over your home before you head to the estate agent is a step in the right direction. They’ll spot areas which are off-putting, allowing you to rectify these immediately. You could have a look here to get you into the right frame of mind for selling your home.

And in terms of presentation, here are the key things I look for when visiting property on behalf of clients. Sort these out and you’ll stand out from the crowd, believe me.

• Firstly make sure your house is correctly priced taking into account the actual selling prices for comparative property in your location. You can take advice from your agent and find information online from the Land Registry.
• Maintenance needs to be taken care of. A property which has clearly been properly looked after holds no nasty surprises which will send buyers running for the hills. So fix the leaky tap, repaint the front door and replace any cracked panes of glass.
• Clean, clean, clean. Who wants to look at a somebody else’s dirt? Sparkling windows let in more light and a spotless bathroom suggests that you really care about your home…making it instantly more appealing.
• Tidy up and get rid of clutter. A house jam packed with excess belongings is a problem in two ways. To vendors it means that your house is too small and has too little storage space. If you haven’t found room for all your stuff by now, then neither will they. Secondly if you do actually secure an offer your removal bill will be considerably higher. Do yourself a favour and sell it, give it away to friends, to charity, post it on Freecycle or get up close and personal with your neighbourhood recycling centre.
• Make your house a home.  Agents will tell you that you are selling a lifestyle not just a home. This is the very essence of house doctoring. Your job is to make it easy for would-be buyers to want to live your lifestyle in your home. If they can do that, then they’ll be well on the way to buying it. But don’t think that the only way to do this is to get rid of all evidence of your children and dog and hire in a designer sofa or two.  You might have to do an amount of reorganising and some decoration but remember your job is  to accentuate the positives. Cosy evenings round the fire, a relaxing glass of wine under the pergola, picking fresh veg from the garden for dinner, a den for the children to make their own…whatever your house has to offer, make the most of it. If you live in a vibrant community, make sure you have some evidence of that lying around - local village magazine, posters for events. If the school is great or the pub a good place to go for a meal, make sure you mention this too.

          You know best what’s good and bad about your house so you are  in the best position to deal with it …with or without the help of a house doctor.

Yesterday’s downpour involved a trip up into the loft to check for signs of water ingress around the chimney, which we know is a potential problem. It showed up in the survey we comissioned prior to purchasing the house.

A question I am frequently asked by clients is “Do I really need a survey?” On the one hand this is a ludicrous question when for a fraction of 1% of the cost of the property, you could have real peace of mind and confidence that your investment is safe. On the other hand, press reports about nightmare property purchases are not uncommon, where the surveyor has not been held liable for items missed in the report. It’s true that surveyor’s reports are only a snapshot in time and are full of caveats and disclaimers. So are they worth the money and what line should you take when purchasing property?

Currently only 1 in 5 purchasers opt for a more detailed survey than the basic valuation  which is insisted on by the morgage lender. Although you pay for this type of survey it is intended for the benefit of your lender to ensure that their investment is safe. They instruct the surveyor and you are unlikely to have any contact with him or her. He or she may never visit the property. Drive by or desk top valuations are commonplace. 4 out of 5 purchasers rely on this when deciding whether to invest hundreds of thousands of pounds in a property. Frightening isn’t it!

If you opt for the next level of survey (the Homebuyer’s Report) bear in mind that if this is booked by your morgage lender you may be paying extra for the privilege. My advice would be to get the basic valuation and then to commission your own survey from an independantly recommended surveyor. By taking this course of action you can set up a dialogue with the surveyor and determine the scope of the survey.

If you have owned a string of similar properties in the past then an opportunity to have a close look around may be enough to set your mind at rest but for most people a survey from an expert is the way to go. My advice is this:-

• Decide on the level of survey you need which for more modern properties may well be a Homebuyer’s Report
• Approach a smaller practice for flexibility. You  may then be able to opt for a purely verbal report (cheaper) or meet the surveyor to decide the scope or discuss the findings.
• For older properties a full structural survey is advisable but choose a surveyor who has experience of the kind of property you’re thinking of buying. Remember if you intend carrying out extensive work on the property, the surveyor may well prove useful to you in the future and starting to build an effective working relationship with someone you can trust is important.
• Remember that despite their bad press, surveyors are impartial, do operate under a strict professional code of conduct, are required to have insurance and  a clearly defined complaints procedure. So you do have some protection.
• Make sure that the following areas are within the scope of the survey for these are the most revealing and potentially the most expensive to put right…

           Structual soundness eg look for signs of subsidence and settlement.

           Condition of roof, particularly effectiveness in channelling away rainwater.

           Management of damp eg inspect the render, plaster, wall coverings and  damp  proof course.

           Condition of brickwork and pointing including chimney structure.

           Condition of woodwork eg doors, windows, roof timbers, floorboards.

           Condition of electrics and boiler.

           Condition of drains

I’m not in favour of taking on a property with the crossed fingers approach to the future but it is important to take control and be sensible about the scope of the survey you require. Know what you’re paying for and pay for what’s important.

Until next week.

Cally

My children are distraught at the lack of snow in Wiltshire compared to the huge drifts experienced by their American cousins. Frankly I too feel envious thinking of walks across virgin snow, sledging, snowmen and home for cinammon toast and steaming mugs of hot chocolate beside a crackling fire…….Instead we have just endured a familiar trip along the M4 to our “ethical holiday home” (inherited property occupied rent- free by elderly relative) in bleak conditions.

Welsh rain has a peculiar quality whether sweeping dramatically over the Preseli hills or the now deserted beaches of Pembrokeshire - finer and I swear wetter than the Wiltshire water currently pounding on the window. Consequently I am content to remain indoors, heartened by tomorrow’s forecast and a pot of early daffs on the kitchen windowsill.

And I am no less idle than several of our neighbours who have chosen this week for major house projects. Roofing, windows, conservatories - they’re all receiving a makeover on this side of Bradford. My projects are a little easier on the bank balance but guaranteed to boost the flagging spirits of any homeowner on what Radio 4 reports is officially “the most depressing day of the year”.

January is the ideal time to tackle useful indoor projects and set yourself up for an organised approach to caring for your home and ultimately protecting your investment. Choose projects which will take only a few hours and will have an immediate impact on your indoor environment and your state of mind - the kind of things which cannot be faced on better days when you need to clear the cobwebs or catch a few rays.

Organise Paperwork

Now is a good time to get your household paperwork in order, be that filing your receipts for work done during last year or locating and organising operating manuals and warranties for appliances. Keeping paperwork related to your property well organised is even more important now that Home Information Packs are here to stay for the foreseeable future, as you will need to provide much of this information prior to marketing your property. Personally I’d go the whole hog and start a House Log Book where you record absolutely everything related to your home. In fact I’ve known a comprehensive House Log Book to clinch a sale. No idea what I’m talking about? Read next week’s blog for all the information.

Freshen up your Carpets

Now may not be the time for wholescale shampooing of your carpets and rugs but you can still freshen them up after the Christmas party season. Starting the year with fresh carpets will make your whole house smell better and will lift your mood. You can buy commercial products to deoderise but I prefer to follow my grandmother’s approach of sprinkling on a layer of baking soda, leaving for a few hours and then vacuuming up in the usual manner. I buy my baking soda in refillable industrial quantities from the green store at Green Park Station in Bath, but you can get it from some farmshops and health stores with a cleaning section or online.

Pay Attention to House Plants

I love plants, particularly those which give a splash of colour in the Winter. Surveyors are all too aware of the problems of ‘outgassing’ from some building materials, carpets and manufactured furniture and fittings in well sealed centrally-heated houses. Common household gases such as formaldehyde are easily absorbed by houseplants such as rubber plants, which are so indestructible that even the brown fingered can keep them alive. So treat yourself to a few plants. They really are good for you - lifting your mood and purifying the air.

Reorganise Cupboards

Now here’s something for quick results to warm the heart and lift the spirits and an ideal occupation for a rainy afternoon. Turn out your cupboards (whitewash the walls if you feel really inspired), line the shelves with scented paper or an old roll of pretty wallpaper and add a paper trim if you like. Restack in an organised way and write neat labels to stick on. Small items look great in baskets or hat boxes. After all that effort you can feel really rather smug, knowing that you can lay your hands on anything in a fraction of the time.

Plan

Perfect work for an afternoon or evening in front of the fire, whether you’re pouring over seed catalogues to find something to fill a space in the border or stock the allotment or thinking back to last Summer to decide what extra storage you might need outside. If you have somewhere sheltered, an old piece of furniture repainted and stencilled might be a more cost effective solution than anything purpose made - and it’s a great project for a Winter weekend.

Have a great week. look out for my ramblings about House Log Books next time and if you feel we can help with your property problems, do get in touch.

Cally

I’m not just talking rain here although unsurprisingly the talk in the school playground this morning entirely concerned which drains were overflowing, whose guttering needed clearing, and who had driven through the largest puddle without getting stuck.

I’ve experienced the kind of week which plagues us all from time to time. I’m talking about the “themed” week, where all roads lead to the same subject and all problems are connected in some way. This week’s theme is plumbing. It started with a clunking in our rather ancient pipework and has moved through blocked drains, guttering which cannot cope with the volume of water on the roof, overflowing soakaways and cold radiators to concerns over old heating systems in the light of publicity over the Rhianna Hardie case. To use another water analogy, rather than swimming against the tide I will go with the flow (ouch!) and blog about such matters.

Lets be clear - any problems which are serious or urgent will almost always require the services of a qualified plumber. However many such problems can be avoided with a little know how and regular maintenance (Regular blog readers will know what a fan I am of regular maintenance!). So if nothing horrendous has happened to you yet, here are a few tips to help keep it that way.

Blocked drains

Check your drains regularly, lifting the cover and removing any blockages, particularly if like me, you are the proud owner of a rural property. Keep drains clear of moss, leaves, debris from your guttering and gravel. Clean regularly with disinfectant and warm water.

Excess water around your property

Pools of standing water around your property after heavy rain are usually indicative of the poor performance of guttering. Check that yours (and that of your neighbour in semi-detached or terraced properties) is clear and free from defects. Sometimes extension work or changes to an older property can affect the ability of your property to channel water away. If this is the case you may need to consider installing extra soakaways or downpipes.

Boilers

Whatever the age of your boiler it will serve you best if you have it serviced regularly by a Corgi Registered engineer. Aim for once a year in the early Autumn.

Cold radiators

Ensure that there are no airlocks in your system by regularly ‘bleeding’ your radiators. A radiator key will cost you about £1.50 in a hardware shop.

Domestic hot water systems

There has been enormous publicity surrounding the tragic case of baby Rhianna Hardie who died as a result of the failure of the hot water system in her parents’ home when gallons of boiling water poured through the ceiling onto her cot whilst she slept. There is plenty of excellent information available for homeowners or tenants on the website of the Health and Safety Executive (www.hse.gov.uk). Check your system, particularly if it is more than ten years old, where you are unsure of the quality of work to the system in the past or where immersion heater is the only method of heating water in your home. Modern immersion heaters have a safety cut out mechanism which trips if the thermostat fails. An overheating system will normally show warning signs - unbearably hot water coming out of the hot tap, excessive noise or bubbling from the hot water system, hot water coming out of the cold tap and steam or condensation in the loft are indicators.

Shower not working properly

When showers go wrong it is often because the shower head is blocked with limescale from the water supply. Investing in a water softener will help your shower flow smoothly but taking off the shower head and soaking it in lemon juice and giving it a poke with a stiff brush is equally effective. (I put mine in a plastic bag filled with lemon juice for a few hours.)

Toliet blockages

These are usually caused by objects which shouldn’t be there so avoid flushing away nappies, wet wipes, sanitary items and excess toilet paper. (My children used to use it as if it were going out of fashion.) Whilst we’re on the subject of small children keep an eye out for budding scientists experimenting with the sinking properties of socks, soft toys and marbles and don’t use those clip on toilet fresheners as they can easily become dislodged and find their way down the pan.

If there is a blockage then scooping out excess water into another container and using a plunger or toilet brush to create a vacuum and cause pressure by pumping vigorously usually works. If it doesn’t it’s time to call in the big guns.

If the problem is water seepage into the bowl after the tank has refilled there may be leakage from the tank itself. You can trace any leaks by adding food colouring and tracing the water’s path. A leaky or very dirty float ball will not allow the shut off of the water. Check also that the connecting rod between ballcock valve and float ball is not bent or stiff.

Blocked sinks

Don’t pour cooking fat down the sink or drain and avoid the temptation to poke food scraps down the plughole. Take care to remove hairs from bath or shower plugholes.

I’m off to wade through the wet stuff. Whatever your property problems, have a good week and if you feel we can help, do get in touch.

Cally

A telephone call from my sister in the States describing the first snows of the Winter coupled with the purchase of a Home Almanac in the second hand bookshop has put me in the mood for some serious pre-winter tasks around the home. It’s not as sexy as buying a new sofa or as uplifting as redecorating but when it comes to protecting the value of your property asset and ensuring its saleability, it makes sense. Consequently I am soon to don a strikingly ugly boiler suit and start clearing debris from the gutters, content in the knowledge that I am saving myself time and money in the long run.

Actually, Friday sees the start of National Maintenance Week, now an annual fixture in the calendar of the Society For the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), the organisation behind the BBC’s Restoration series. The aim of the week is simply raising awareness that there are straightfoward, achievable ways to protect your property from the ravages of the winter weather - and that doing so is both ‘green’, economic and financially astute.

In my line of work I am all too aware of the cost, both financial and emotional of avoiding planned minor maintenance around the home. Usually the results are a hefty bill or a prospective buyer pulling out when a survey reveals a problem. Water damage is of particular concern - so check drains, clear gutters of leaves and other debris and inspect the roof through a pair of binoculars to ensure that tiles are all in place.

Choose a bright, clear day and spend a couple of hours checking, clearing and mending in preparation for the winter. Your window cleaner may agree to clear the gutters for you or why not get together with friends and do a job lot. Safety at height is paramount so ensure that you can gain access safely,set ladders up correctly and have someone around to foot them for you. (If in doubt use a reputable professional.) And don’t forget to use protective gloves. Then sit back , reward yourself with tea and cake and remember next time there’s a downpour, you won’t be up a ladder trying to sort out an emergency or paying tradesmen handsomely for bailing you out on Christmas Eve.

For more information about SPAB, who provide all sorts of fantastic advice and workshops about property maintenance, log onto their website www.spab.org.uk

Information about National Maintenance Week can be found at www.maintainyourbuilding.org.uk

Have a good week.

Cally