Great Baddow – Chelmsford Property Blog

Just moved into your new Chelmsford home and want to save some money?

Here are a few things you can do to get started:

🏠 Turn your heating down: Dropping just one degree of heat could cut 10% off your heating bill!

🏠 Sell your unwanted items: Clear out your home and sell any unwanted items that are in good condition, from clothes to appliances, on eBay, Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace.

🏠 Use energy-saving lightbulbs: Energy saving bulbs last longer, are brighter and more energy efficient and can save you money over their extensive lifetime.

🏠 Adjust your television: Did you know that reducing the brightness and contrast on your television could save up to £100 per year?

🏠 Prepare your meals in advance: Save money and time by spending a few hours each week preparing your meals for the days ahead. The meals can then be frozen and reheated throughout the week for an easy dinner – and to save the temptation of eating out when you’re too tired to cook.

🏠 Quit the gym: Put that money back in your pocket by doing home workouts instead.

What are your money saving top tips? Tell us in the comments section below.

https://chrisallen.exp.uk.com

4 Ways To Make A Buyer Feel At Home

When a buyer enters your property you instantly want them to feel at home. Here are 4 things you can do to achieve that:

New Carpets and Fresh Paint

When selling a house it’s sometime necessary to spend some money doing minor renovations. Painting certain rooms and putting down new carpet are the two biggest things you can do to help your house sell faster.

Chelmsford Home with modern table and ceiling lamps

Unclutter Your House

Get rid of all your clutter. Buyers might not appreciate your magazine collection or the dolls and teddy bears you keep in the guest bedroom. Tidy your home and give it a more minimal feel.

Modern bedroom prepared and staged to sell on the property market

Make Sure it’s Clean

Please make sure your home is clean and tidy otherwise you’ll really put buyers off. That means making sure the bathrooms are spotless, your oven in sparkling and your carpets and upholstery have no stains on them.

Chelmsford housekeeper cleaning a mirror in the bathroom

Give All Your Rooms a Purpose

When staging your home for a sale it’s important to make sure all your rooms have a purpose. If a room in your house is supposed to be a dining room for example then make sure you set it out like that.

A Chelmsford property that has been well staged for the property market

Thinking of moving?

Get in touch today for your FREE home valuation

https://chrisallen.exp.uk.com

What to ask when viewing a house

It’s very important to ask questions on a property viewing, so I have put together a small list to help you out. Good luck with your property search!

How long has the house been on the market?

Has the seller made any DIY renovations?

When was the home last updated?

What’s included with the home sale?

What’s the seller’s timeline?

For more advice please get in touch.

https://chrisallen.exp.uk.com

5 Mistakes Not to Make When Showing Your Home to Buyers

So your Estate Agent has asked if you will handle some viewings- now what? Giving a potential buyer a tour of your home can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming and really awkward.

When your house hits the market and viewers start to come into your home, the whole experience can take its toll on you mentally. It’s never easy having strangers walk through your home, pick things apart and rummage through your cupboards and drawers and then ask you: “How much do you want for it?”

As challenging as it may be though, here are the five things you should NEVER do when showing your home to potential buyers:

1. Leaving Personal Hygiene Items Out

Store all personal items out of sight. Some homeowners will leave toothbrushes, razors, trimmers and shampoo out in their bathrooms but this can make a buyer feel uncomfortable while walking through your home. These are intimate items after all and sometimes they’re not pleasing to the eye, so put them out of sight.

2. Leaving Valuable Items Out in Plain Sight

Valuable possessions should always be hidden away. Never give buyers the impression you are affluent as they may try to use this and negotiate a better deal for themselves if they think you can afford to make concessions, potentially leaving you worse off. You also have complete strangers walking through your home who you don’t know and will probably never see again, so it’s best to lock anything valuable away just to be on the safe side.

A small dish full of expensive jewellery

3. Allowing Controversial Items to Be Seen

Not everyone will share your political views or lifestyle choices so if you have fridge magnets, posters or magazines that could have viewers talking for all the wrong reasons, get rid of them. For example, if you’re a taxidermy collector, or have real animal skins and fur around your home, put these away until the viewers have left. The last thing you want to do is send viewers straight for the front door as soon as they’ve walked in.

A fridge dorr full of magnets from around the world

4. Cluttered Up Closets

As invasive as it sounds, potential buyers will always open up cupboards and closets while viewing a house- storage can be a big selling point after all. So, if you’ve shoved all your clutter in them with the aim of hiding it, you can give off the impression your home lacks storage. Plus, it just doesn’t look good.

Tidy closets are best when showing people around your home

5. Get Emotional

You may have lived in your home for a number of years and it’s understandable that you’re attached to it and all the memories that come with it. However, when your home hits the market, you need to get out of ‘homeowner mode’ and become more business-minded.

Always remember that everyone has their own taste in decor, so if a viewer makes a criticism about something in your home, please don’t get emotional or defensive. Remember, you’re a businessperson now.

Staging a home for sale is hugely important. If you’re unsure about how you should present your home to a potential buyer then please ask your Estate Agent for advice before listing your home for sale.

Thinking of selling, get in touch today for a FREE home valuation

https://chrisallen.exp.uk.com

4 Reasons To Sell Your Home In Autumn

If you’re wanting a quicker and smoother sale then Autumn is a good season to put your house on the market. Why? Well here are four reasons…

Less Competition: At this time of the year there are fewer houses hitting the market so that means your property will go up against less competition in the search for the perfect buyer and it will stand out on listings websites.

You Only Get Serious Buyers: With the year heading towards Christmas and New Year, a lot of people want to feel settled by this time so you’ll only get serious buyers looking to purchase a property. They want to get a deal done quickly to allow them time to get the keys before Santa comes.

Kerb Appeal Doesn’t have to be Perfect: Due to the changing weather you can get away with the front of your house not looking perfect. Also, at this time of year people get emotional when house hunting as they want a cosy, atmospheric property they want to spend Christmas in.

During Autumn You Might Have a Smoother Transaction: All parties involved in a house sale have less going on in the autumn; mortgage lenders don’t have as many loans to process, surveyors aren’t as busy and solicitors/ layers have fewer completions and exchanges to handle – you’re almost guaranteed a quicker and smoother sale.

So there you have it, 4 reasons why it could be a good idea to sell your home during Autumn.If you have any questions about getting your house ready for sale during Autumn then please get in touch as I’d be delighted to help you out. Get in touch today!

https://chrisallen.exp.uk.com

6 Home Updates To Make After A Decade

All homes need a bit of TLC after a while and there comes a time when you have to face up to the fact that, no matter how much you love where you live and no matter how much you think your decor looks great, your home needs freshened up after a while- especially if you’re looking to sell.

So, if you’ve lived in your house for a decade, chances are some things will need to be updated. Here are six things to freshen up after ten years:

Get Painting

This is the fastest and cheapest way to give your property a facelift and breathe new life into it. You may not be a fan of neutral colours, but creams, whites and grey will take years off the surface of your home. Plus, not only do neutral walls make a room look clean and fresh, but they also make it look bigger and brighter too. It’s a no-brainer.

Replace your Flooring

After a decade of walking all over it, it will definitely be time to change your floor coverings as they will no doubt be worn, stained and look a bit shabby.

Replacing the flooring in your home will increase its value

Redo Bathroom & Kitchen Sealant & Grouting

If you want a quick way of making your bathroom look fantastic, re-grout your tiles or clean or replace the sealant around your bath, sink and toilet.

Make sure to do this in your kitchen as well. A super-quick way to do this is by using a grout pen which literally allows you to quickly colour in discoloured grout.

Invest in a new Mattress

Ten years down the line, you’ll probably be in need of a new mattress for hygiene reasons as you don’t want to be sharing your bed with bed bugs.

After a while, your mattress will also become a bit lumpy and bumpy, something that can cause discomfort, body aches and interfere with your need for a good night’s sleep.

A fresh mattress on your bed is a great way to add a new feel to your bedroom

Get a new washing machine

Did you know that a washing machine can last up to ten years? After this, it’s highly recommended that you get a new one. You’ll know if you do need a new one if it leaks, there’s a bad smell from it that won’t go away or if it makes a lot of noise.

Older models are not always as energy-efficient as they are now, so definitely consider this if you’re looking to save water and bring your monthly bills down.

A good washing machine should last 10 years

Replace the Dishwasher

As with the washing machine, this is something else you might need to replace after every 10 years. You’ll know when your dishwasher is at the end of its life if the dishes are not getting cleaned properly or if the main control board is acting up.

As with a washing machine, it’s important to take saving water and energy into consideration when shopping around for a new model.

Just follow these simple tips every ten years or so and your home will always look as good as new – and be ready for viewers should you want to sell!

Thinking of moving? Get in touch today for your FREE home valuation.

Call Chris on 07540 174048.

https://chrisallen.exp.uk.com

What Is your dream kitchen?

The most important room in any home without a doubt has to be the kitchen. This is the heart of any home and it’s where we love to socialise and cook our favourite meals. I’m seeing so many people turning their separate dining rooms and kitchens into one large open space.

The ideas for your kitchen are endless. I’m always taken back by peoples creations and how they mix up their choice of ovens and hobs. Mixer taps that are unique and inspired work tops. A wine rack and beer fridge are also my favourites.

The possibilities are endless, I love this rounded style in a galley shaped kitchen. It really makes the feel almost seamless.

A kitchen island with bar stools can be great when socialising with friends, or just to sit in the morning enjoying breakfast. I love the added touches of the lights in this kitchen. It gives it great character. A great place to have party’s.

The brick wall really sets this kitchens feel, reminds me of the Master Chef kitchen on TV, a very airy space to put your culinary skills to the test, I also love the contrast of the Brown and white units on display here. What are your favourite colours? Will they work in the kitchen? I’d love to see your kitchens and what inspired you.

These chandelier type lights and studded bar stools add a touch of class. A lovely blend also of white and grey cabinet doors really set this kitchen off.

I hope that I have inspired you with a few of my favourite types of kitchens. It’s fair to say that the possibilities are simply endless. But creating the space you want is important. And it makes us feel good when we are socialising or just enjoying a nice cuppa.

Please fell free to get in touch about these kitchen ideas, these stunning kitchens were Installed by Arthur Anthony Interiors. A bespoke company based in Chelmsford, Essex.

http://www.arthuranthonyinteriors.com