Home and Living
Tips On Adding Value To Your House Before Selling.
Are you selling your house and want to make it as valuable as possible before putting it on the market? We would all love to get a little more for our homes when it comes to selling up but what can you actually do to add to its value? Freshen Up It goes without saying…
How long will it take to sell my house? One property firm has the answer:
Research has revealed that North Easterners looking to sell their properties should be prepared to wait eight months to find a buyer. Analysis of 15 North East areas by sales and lettings firm KIS shows homeowners in the region wait an average 238 days to sell their property – two months faster than this time…
Bedroom Refresh – Pared-Down Skandi Styling.
The trend for the perfect ‘unmade’ bed continues to be strong in 2016. This pared down style is born out of the fashion for Scandinavian and industrial style interiors, where a more manicured bed would seem out of place. Achieving the look involves swapping your crisp cotton sheets for relaxed washed linens which will crumple…
Alex Evans
Sofa Revival – Home Staging Tip of the Week.
For simple restyling – scatter cushions rule! I was asked to upgrade the Kensington rental flat featured here. The property had good quality but tired furniture, especially the sofa which was looking so out of shape the owner felt they would have to replace it, but I love a challenge and I knew that with…
Alex Evans
Kitchens – How to upgrade on a budget.
Deciding to install a new kitchen is always a big investment, and although I love the opportunity to start from scratch there is no reason why with a little creativity you can’t either upgrade existing or go for one of the less expensive suppliers. As with some careful ‘hacking’ you can create something unique. The…
Alex Evans
Top Tips on Smelling your home!
Top Tips on Smelling your home! No no, it’s not a typo… we meant to write ‘smell’. Everyone’s heard the old tricks of brewing coffee and baking bread to sell a home – but did you know that 75% of emotions that we generate on a daily basis are associated with scent? With this is…
Alex Evans
A Guide To Interior Design For Buy To Lets
Buying up properties, fixing them up and then renting them out can be a great moneymaker and an enjoyable process when you plan and execute it well. If you are a first timer to buying to let though it can be tricky as there are many pitfalls, which can turn your investment into a nightmare…
Japanese Knotweed – Difference between a Building Survey & a Knotweed Survey
RICS building surveyors are not expected to be fully trained in the management and treatment of Japanese Knotweed, however many RICS building surveyors do receive training often under CPD so that they have the ability to identify Japanese Knotweed at any time of the year. The RICS building surveyors also have the RICS information paper…
Alex Evans
‘Yes it’s moving day!’ or ‘help it’s moving day’ – which one do you want to be?
Moving house is not something the vast majority of us do very often, so the learning from your mistakes mantra, unlike with most things in life, is actually very difficult to apply here. It is also not a prescriptive process, it is very individual and can have many different nuances. There is however one very…
Alex Evans
Don’t let ivy drive you up a wall.
While ivy is the bane of many estate agents, kept under tight control ivy can be a real asset to a garden. It is one of the few evergreen climbers that is self supporting. None is as hardy as ivy. Now is the time of year to give it a bold haircut because you want…
Alex Evans
How to Not Spend a Fortune on Your House Removal.
Finding a new place to live is expensive and stressful enough on its own, but even after you have completed this difficult task, there will be costs still waiting for you. A significant part of them is the money you will have to pay to complete your home relocation. You have probably set a budget…
Alex Evans
What to Consider When Converting a Barn.
Living in beautiful rural surroundings entitle an array of property developers to consider barn conversions. The scenic countryside that envelops our country is rich with rustic properties that already have been, or have the potential to be converted into spectacular homes. Barn conversions are becoming progressively popular in society and there are a number of alluring…
Alex Evans
Period features: Restore or replace?
Many property buyers dream of owning a Georgian townhouse, Victorian villa, Art Deco apartment or other stylish period building. Period homes not only satisfy people’s desire for an authentic link with the past and their local community’s heritage, they are invariably larger than post-war properties. That’s why period properties command premium prices, according to London…
Alex Evans
5 simple ways to update your home just like you would your little black dress.
A little black dress is considered to be a wardrobe staple. It’s the blank canvass of the fashion world, there to be dressed up or down as the occasion dictates and easily transformed with simple accessories. Worn on it’s own, it often goes unnoticed. Add a pop of colour, a silk scarf or a bit…
What does the front of your home say about you?
You’ve decided you want to move home. The inside is all prepped. Your kitchen and bathroom are sparkling. But what does the front of your home say about you? Go outside and take a look. Does your front door stand out? Is your front garden neat? Does your home have what we call kerb appeal?…
Alex Evans