Category: diy

10 ways to help your home sell faster

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property sold signscredit

You’ve made the decision to move on – and now the hard work begins. You may have great memories of the property where your children grew up or you progressed in your career, but to the home-buyer that means nothing; their memories are still to be created. Here are ten quick ways to help your home sell faster and boost your chances of moving to your next abode.

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De-clutter for visits

If you’ve made the decision to move, then your personal effects will need to be packed up at some point – so why not start now? Pack away the personal photographs and travel memorabilia, wall certificates, photographs and kids’ paintings, with the aim of creating a canvas onto which a visitor can mentally stamp their authority.

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Let other people love your home

Garish room colours such as dark reds, purples and blues might be perfect for your lifestyle, but for a potential buyer it represents redecoration at best, and rejection at worst. Regard it from the viewpoint of someone coming into the home fresh, with new ideas for rooms, which they’ll visualise more easily if they’re pastel colours.

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Get those jobs done

The niggly, nasty little jobs that you’ve been putting off for months or years need to be done if they’re a real barrier to the sale. Guttering upgrades, crack repairs, and broken windows might need professional help, but replacing doorknobs and skirting boards could be done in a day or so by the owner and could tip the balance in a buyer’s eyes.

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Update the kitchen

Alongside the bathroom, this is the one room where old age can’t be hidden easily by removing items for the photographs. Dirty units and old-fashioned trimmings will drag down the overall picture of the house; while a modern, clean kitchen might catch the eye. We’re not talking big money – just enough for it to become a positive talking point for the estate agent.

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Leaving behind?

Transporting some items is more hassle than benefit; sheds, integrated TVs, cookers and the like are the types of furniture that might not add value to your home, but might a) give a good impression, b) look nice and prevent disruption and c) enable the buyer to sell their own counterpart items.

filming the Houses of Parliament with a mobile phonecredit

Get recording

You’ve got a mobile phone or a small video/DSLR camera, so make use of it. A walk through your lovely home is one thing, but why not go further by taking potential buyers on a leafy tour through the local amenities, pubs, shops, leisure facilities, parks and other attractions. If they’ll agree, enlist neighbours and friends as well.

'Easy Guide to Selling' web page

Go online

The quick house sale and online estate agency markets are booming, with much of the donkey work such as photography, floor plans and advertising on property portals like Rightmove and Zoopla done for you through sites such as HouseSimple.com. It’s certainly worth a look if time is of the essence – for example, if one needs to move to start a new job.

use social media to sell your homecredit

Utilise social media

That video should not only find its way to YouTube and Vimeo, but other social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Accompany it with lovely pictures, a PDF of particulars for downloading and contact details. The trick is to make something that’s interesting enough for friends & followers to share, encourage and positive comments.

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Don’t forget the exterior…

The external walls and the garden are part of your home, and a spot of weeding/raking to the latter and painting of the former – and therefore protecting it from sun, wind and rain for future owners – could be worth it. Keep a tin of the paint and the receipt if completed by a professional decorator, to prove the job has been done recently.

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…and additional space

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (as reported in The Independent) three times as many front gardens are now completely paved over compared to a decade ago, for reasons such as people can’t be bothered with gardens and need parking spaces. If your property boasts its own parking space make sure this is highlighted, and emphasise that it is near to any attractions (if true). A happy medium would be a combination of parking and grassed area, of course; shout from the rooftops if you possess this treasure.

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House maintenance – 10 ways to maintain your biggest investment

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House in handsimage credit

Your home is probably one of the most expensive things you’ve ever bought, so it’s important to keep it in tip-top shape. A little revamp here and there will ensure your property stays in great condition for a long time, so here are 10 useful maintenance tips:

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  1. Paint your garage doors

A fresh lick of paint is a well-known way of giving rooms a quick and relatively easy makeover. But don’t neglect the outside of your property. The look of your house contributes to what is called ‘curb appeal’ – how attractive it appears, which is particularly important when it comes to getting a valuation. Painting garage doors can instantly transform the appearance of a house. Just ensure you use a specialist paint supplier, like Rawlins.

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  1. Have the carpets deep cleaned

Your carpets might not look particularly dirty, but you’ll be amazed how much dirt and grime has been ground into the material over time. One of the best ways to remove all this is to have your carpets professionally cleaned – you’ll be surprised at the results.

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  1. Wash the windows

On the next warm, dry day, head outside with a bucket of bubbly water and clean the windows using a squeegee. Don’t want to do this yourself? Then there’s sure to be a local window cleaner who’ll do the job for you.

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  1. Get caulking

As a home-owner, it’s essential to check the caulking around showers and bathtubs and repair as needed to prevent leaks.

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  1. Clean sediment from shower heads

Shower heads can become blocked with all kinds of gunk, so if you’re in the mood for some maintenance, pull on your rubber gloves and clean out the sediment. One of the easiest ways to do this is to submerge the shower head in a bag of vinegar for a few hours.

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  1. Give your furniture a polish

There comes a time when furniture can start to look a bit dull and worn, but you can bring it back to life with a good polish. And you don’t even need to buy expensive products as olive oil is a great cleaning agent and ideal for polishing wood.

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  1. Tighten loose screws

Once in a while, go through the house with a screwdriver and tighten any screws that are a bit loose on cupboards, draws and such like.

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  1. Check all locks and deadbolts

The security of your home is of paramount importance, so check all locks and deadbolts. If something doesn’t work properly, replace it.

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  1. Clear out your guttering

Don’t forget to spruce up your outside space too by getting rid of all the leaves, mud and whatever else might have found its way into your guttering.

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  1. Give your patio a deep clean

There are many ways to improve your outside space, but cleaning your patio is definitely one of them. Use a pressure cleaner and you should find it makes a big difference without taking too much time.

So there you have it – ten simple, yet effective ways to maintain your home.

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Everything you need to know about building your dream home

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The Glen self build by Reid Architectsimage credit: Reid Architects

Did you know that almost 20,000 people a year in the UK fulfil their dreams and construct their own homes? The website Self Build suggests that as long as you follow some basic guidelines this vision can become a reality for all.

Regent Road self build by architecture:mimage credit: architecture:m

Start with a legal search

The budget is always important, but so is the availability of your chosen building site. You may have seen the most desirable plot of land in the world, but it’s no use starting to dream of house building until you have verified that the land can be used for building purposes. If you’re planning to build overseas, then you should use the services of Vanner Perez Notary Services who can offer translation as well as legal services for land and property purchase overseas.

Wedge House by Soup Architectsimage credit: Soup Architects

Set a realistic budget

Don’t just take the cost of the build into account. It’s a good idea to remember that very few building projects run to plan, so, if possible, include contingency funding within your budget. You’ll also have to include the cost of a good architect, planning permission fees with the local authority, as well as your own living expenses while the project is ongoing.

If you’re a good organiser, then by all means take responsibility for project management yourself. If you feel at all uneasy about this role, then appoint a manager for your self build. This appointment could save you money, and you’ll be confident that all aspects of the project are being completed to your satisfaction.

passivhaus self build by Forrester Architectsimage credit: Forrester Architects

Getting a mortgage for your self build

You can’t build your own home unless you have the financial means in place. Special mortgages for self builds are available but you’ll also need to have funds or savings of your own in order to get the project started. The Build Store website is an excellent resource for accessing building societies and other information concerning finance and self building.

The most popular type of mortgage is the ‘advanced stage payment’ that will release the funds before the build starts so that you can get going with the job. Funds will continue to be released at regular intervals throughout the project. The ‘arrears stage payment’ mortgage only allows money to be released after each stage of the build is completed. This might not be such a good option if your workforce needs money in advance in order to proceed with the build. You’ll have to prove that you’re able to maintain the mortgage payments whilst the project is in progress.

New House, Stow self build by Jefcoate Anderson Architects Ltdimage credit: Jefcoate Anderson Architects Ltd

Enjoy your project

Despite worries about finance, builders and a thousand and one other niggles, building your own dream home is rewarding. You’ll end up with a house that you have planned to suit your tastes, and your family’s needs. Many self builders have slashed their utility bills by designing an eco-friendly property; others have created innovative gardens around their new home. The possibilities for creating the house of your dreams are endless. Once the project is completed you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy the benefits that come from building your dream home.

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1Wall Creative Collage

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sheets of font characters from the 1Wall Creative Collage set

We just received this Creative Collage set from the lovely people at 1Wall.

1Wall Creative Collage box set

The box contains 64, A3 sized sheets with which to create random patterns or specific words & phrases.

1Wall Creative Collage box set

Possibilities are endless with a choice of typefaces, letters, numbers and symbols.

sheets of font characters from the 1Wall Creative Collage set

All the sheets can be applied en-mass to a feature wall or designs can be room-specific; food-related for a kitchen diner, bathing for the bathroom – or relaxation for a lounge or bedroom.

sheets of font characters from the 1Wall Creative Collage set spelling out Noel

We also think that they’re great for use as Christmas decorations – and we’ve been experimenting in our own house this week.

sheets of font characters from the 1Wall Creative Collage set spelling out Happy Xmas

They’re very easy to use. The sheets can be applied directly to the wall using the paste mixture supplied or mounted on movable & re-usable boards which adds a further dimension of flexibility.

sheets of font characters from the 1Wall Creative Collage set spelling out Happy Xmas

Perfect for both domestic or business use – retailers in particular might find them useful. They’re ideal for a shop space or market stall – spell out company names, product ranges, messages to your customers etc.

sheets of font characters from the 1Wall Creative Collage set spelling out H is for Home

The Creative Collage is a wonderful Christmas present – the recipients can mull over ideas with a mince pie, then get creative in the New Year.

In addition to this Typography set you also have the choice of Cityscene and Map collage designs. If you’d like to give it a go yourself, just enter the promotional code ‘nuffnang15‘ (valid until 31 Jan 2015) which will give you 15% off purchases on the 1Wall website.

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