There can be a lot of pressure in January to make extensive plans, set lots of aims for the year and expectation that this year will be the year of change. Whatever the year may bring time spent in preparation is never time wasted. If you are even simply exploring the possibility of selling then it is wise to start making small changes and alterations that can potentially add value to a house and at the very least increase the chances of a quicker sale.
1. First impressions count
Most buyers form their first impressions within seconds of walking through the front door. If you have a front garden, spend a little time sprucing it up. A few plant pots and a clear pathway can make the front of your house more appealing and don’t forget to clean your front door, it can make a huge difference. The first impression is also the last impression so make it a good one!
2. Tidy hallways and entrance rooms
Hallways and other circulating spaces should be tidy and free of excessive furniture. The length and width of each room should be immediately apparent in order to give a good indication of size and space.
3. Clear worktops and de-clutter
Dirty or cluttered rooms can be an immediate turn off for some buyers, so take some time to clean each room from top to bottom paying special attention to high impact rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom. You should also think about having a spring clean; if there’s too much furniture, and things like children’s toys and unused gym equipment lying around, it can make the property feel smaller. After a deep clean your home will smell fresh and be much more appealing to potential buyers.
4. Add a lick of paint
Neutral colours are appealing to buyers; a fresh coat of paint will brighten up your home and will allow would-be buyers to envisage themselves living in the space.
5. Crack out the toolbox
Straightforward DIY jobs such as filling holes in walls and checking for clogs in the guttering are easy to do and is one less thing your buyer needs to think about doing once they’ve moved in. Getting any problems fixed before putting the house on the market is a smart idea.
6. Pay attention to the garden
Often houses in the country are bought for the outside lifestyle. Focus strongly on the garden, particularly if a family house as the children’s lifestyle outdoors will be a significant factor. Now is the time to, mow, trim, plant, check fences and jet wash paths!
7. Clean windows
For better light but also because buyers always look out of them in each room to understand the aspect and orientation.
‘The Little-known loophole to save on stamp duty’ was the headline for Ruth Bloomfield’s article in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph; ‘buying a country home that has multiple-use land attached can drastically cut the tax you’ll pay’. The article goes on to explain that properties that have either a commercial or agricultural side line are classified as “mixed use”. Mixed use buyers pay no stamp duty on the first £150,000, 2% on the next £100,000 (up to £250,000) and then 5% on the remainder.
Sounds good and certainly worth exploring but take care, HMRC’s guidance on what qualifies as mixed use is unclear; there must be a historic or current commercial use, such as grazing agreement, and not simply the potential to do so in the future. Guy Hurst, a solicitor at Paris Smith, pointed out that ‘If you can show that part of the property is non-residential, then the whole of the property will be classed as mixed use’.
It should be clear but every property is different and there is no official definition. So as always, the advice has to be to deal with professionals you can trust! Call us now for advice on all matters concerning property sales and rental.
With so many articles encouraging us to detox and reduce our stress levels for 2019 we thought we would help! Winter can be demanding and challenging for both tenants and landlords. Whilst your tenants may be very competent, it could be reassuring during these months to have the professional team at The Country House Company on hand to filter calls, react to urgent situations and recommend contractors. Our Managed Services allow landlords and tenants access to our dedicated management phone which is monitored by a member of the management team during out of work hours. Our management services can be adapted to suit your requirements. From Full Management through to Response Management or even an annual property management visit and access to our legal expertise throughout the year, we are able to tailor the service to match your requirements. So, to reduce the stress this winter, call us now to find the level of service best suited to your budget and property.
In the past 5 years there have been over 150 new regulations affecting landlords and there are more in the pipeline for 2019. Whilst it is good that the industry is being more tightly regulated and there is a greater focus on safety measures, it does highlight the importance of using a professional letting agent. A key target for the government for 2019 is to rid the industry of rogue agents and landlords, and a new government working group has already been set up to look at ways to improve standards for home buyers, vendors, tenants, landlords and leaseholders. We are members of ARLA Propertymark and our team attend training courses and industry updates. We regularly update our landlords on changes in legislation, so make one of your key targets for 2019 to use The Country House Company as your professional letting agent.
The first quarter of 2019 is likely to be dominated by the rumblings of Brexit. We can express our opinions, but the outcome and consequences of Brexit are largely out of our control. Decisions you make regarding your property are within your control and whilst politics can affect the market we can actively influence the reaction to it. At the Country House Company our team are able to offer a specialist service which enables us to actively promote our clients properties to the widest most effective audience whatever the state of the market. So if you want to make the move in 2019, ignore the uncertainty about the economy and let us focus on your property with you to take control and influence the outcome.
One of the delights of the BBC’s The Archers is the number of story lines constantly unfolding and although dramatised are based on real life situations. Brian and Jennifer Aldridge are about to leave Home Farm and are desperately trying to find a rental property. Last night Brian moaned that Letting Agents were closing for Christmas already. Well not so here at The Country House Company! We are open through to Saturday 22nd December and although there will be reduced staff levels on some days between Christmas and New Year, all enquiries will be dealt with and where possible we will still organise viewings.
We currently have a range of properties available to rent from a five bedroom family house for £3,000 per calendar month to a stylish one bedroom detached annex at £895 per calendar month.
If you are looking to buy, then we have a good choice from an exciting detached residence set in 4.5 acres with a spring fed trout lake to a perfectly positioned 2 bedroom village property.
So while there may be no room for some at the inn over Christmas call us now on 02392 632275 and we will be able to help you with accommodation for early in the New Year.
During the winter months and especially over the Christmas holiday period contractors in general, and particularly boiler engineers, plumbers and electricians, are very booked up and may not be available. Also, even if they can respond to an emergency, they may not have access to the parts needed to make the necessary repairs. Therefore, landlords and tenants, below is a useful check list to help minimise the chances of a breakdown, water leak or other problems.
01 Ensure that there is plenty of oil, gas and/or other fuels needed.
02 Check that boilers have been serviced and are in good working order.
03 Chimneys/flues including Aga and Rayburn flues should be swept annually.
04 Ensure that septic tanks have been emptied.
05 Check that white goods are in good working order.
06 Check that pipes are insulated with lagging where sensible.
07 Pay particular attention to outside taps and it may be worth turning off the water supply all together to outside taps or at least ensuring they are insulated.
08 Check that you are aware of the location of the stopcock and that it works.
09 Check the guttering to ensure it is free from blockages and leaves as this reduces the risks of leaks and blockages.
10 If there is a persistent cold spell it is advisable to keep the heating on low constantly to prevent pipes freezing.
11 Bleed radiators; keeping the heating system healthy is important as low pressure can cause a problem.
12 Maintain good ventilation in the property otherwise damp and mould will develop.
13 If you are going away remember to leave the heating on to prevent pipes freezing.
14 If you are going away it is wise to inform somebody who could check on the property for you. Also, please do remember tell us or your landlord if you are leaving the property for a long period of time.
15 Immediately report or attend to any leaks you may have detected however small, it may seem insignificant but a small drip will often lead to a larger problem.
16 Ensure you have torches with full batteries to hand.
* If you smell gas – Call the Gas Emergency Services on 0800 111 999.
If you are in immediate danger evacuate the building and then call the Gas Emergency Service.
If you think you could have a gas leak, you’ll need to turn off the gas supply at the meter.
How to turn your gas off at the meter in an emergency (if it is safe to do so)
If the gas supply is in a cellar or basement then don’t turn it off. Evacuate the building and do not re-enter as the concentration of gas may trigger an explosion, from even a small spark.
If your meter is easy and safe to locate, to turn off your gas supply, first locate the gas emergency control valve, which you should find next to the meter. In newer houses, the gas meter and isolation valve are often outside in a meter box. If not, try looking under the stairs, beneath the kitchen sink or in the garage. We suggest you find out where your gas meter and emergency control valve is, so you’re prepared in case of an emergency.
To turn off the gas supply, simply turn the handle a quarter turn so the lever is at 90 degrees to the upright gas pipe.
Next steps:
- Open all windows and doors.
- Don’t turn electrical switches on or off – including your TV, computer, oven, etc.
- Put out any naked lights (flames), e.g. your hob or candles. Don’t smoke, strike matches or do anything that could cause ignition.
- Open any electric doors or gates manually.
*information taken from npower
Water leak – Turn off water at the mains. Switch off electrics if the water leak is near lights or power outlets.
Electrical fault – Check that fuses have not blown, circuit breakers are in the ‘on’ position and that there has not been a power cut in the area.
The Country House Company Emergency Management phone – 07824 467 518
We have a dedicated out-of-hours phone, manned by the Management Team at The Country House Company, for our landlords and tenants of managed properties wishing to contact us in an emergency.
This phone will be checked regularly but not necessarily answered at all hours so where there is a risk to life or damage to the fabric of the property and where applicable please call the emergency services on 999.
Response management offer
Winter can be demanding and challenging for both tenants and landlords. Although your tenants maybe very competent it could be useful during these months to have the professional team at The Country House Company on hand to filter calls, react to urgent situations, recommend contractors and enable you and your tenants’ access to our dedicated management phone which is monitored by a member of the management team during out of work hours, including the Christmas period. Our management services are very flexible and vary in level to suit the landlord and property. Response management is a popular service offered by the management team which gives you peace of mind over the winter holiday period that your tenants have a point of contact. Contact Marishelle Gibson, Head of Property Management or Kate Morton, Head of Lettings to discuss your options further.
This detached property is situated within the grounds of a large country house and enjoys a peaceful, private outlook over adjoining fields.
The accommodation is light and contemporary with wooden floors, beams, high ceilings and stylish fittings.
An inner hallway with adjoining cloakroom/utility opens to a large sitting room with dual aspect French doors. Towards the rear of the property is a spacious dining room, a modern fitted kitchen with 5 ring gas hob, fitted fridge and freezer and access to the rear garden. There is a small double bedroom with en suite on the ground floor which could also serve as a study.
The first floor provides two double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes and a bathroom with shower.
Externally the property has gated driveway parking, a car port and a generously sized south west facing garden with patio and shed.
The countryside village of Binsted is between the market towns of Alton and Farnham and has a public house, Church and church hall, primary school and recreation ground with tennis and croquet clubs. The nearby village of Bentley provides an additional primary school and village shop. Stations in Alton, Bentley and Farnham make the commute to London Waterloo just over an hour.
For full details or to arrange a viewing please call Emilie or Kate on 02392 632275 or see www.countryhousecompany.co.uk