Latest News,Sales & Lettings Liverpool – James Kristian

One of the biggest challenges in adulthood is making the move to get on the property ladder and buying your first home.

You may have been renting a house in Bootle for a time, or living at home with your parents, but at some point you start to think about owning your own place.

If you are paying rent, then why not pay a mortgage on a house that one day will add in value and become and asset.

Getting started is the hardest part, so here are some tips to help you on the way.

Start Saving Early

The early bird catches the worm they say, and this is especially true when it comes to saving, the earlier the better.

Budgeting is key when it comes to saving, and if you are serious about getting a deposit together then it pays to have a plan.

Whether you get paid weekly or monthly you have to have a saving plan in place, so you have to know ‘your number’ i.e. the minimum amount of money you need to cover the essentials.

Factor travel money for work, rent, utility bills and any other essentials, then what you have left work out the maximum you can afford to save towards your deposit.

Open up a Help to Buy ISA and set up a direct debit so you automate your savings process, and as an added bonus the government will add a 25% bonus to your savings.

If you haven’t already then start today, the earlier you get going the quicker you will have your deposit.

Workout Your Price Range

One of the best things to do when you are starting out your search is to find out how much you can borrow for your mortgage.

The best way to do this is to speak to an independent mortgage advisor, they will take all your details, how much you earn etc, and then they can look at a range of mortgage products, and DIP you.

Which means a ‘decision in principle’ by a mortgage provider; this will also tell you how much you can borrow for your mortgage.

Its important to speak to a mortgage advisor at the start of your process, as this will give you a realistic figure for you to work with, then you can start looking for properties that fall within your budget.

Time To Do Your Research

Now you have a figure in place, and a mortgage in principle its time to research properties in your price range.

Do you want to buy a house or an apartment? Do you have a specific area in mind?

You may want to stay close to work, or have good transport links, these are all important things to consider when looking for place to buy.

So thorough research is a vital part of the process as you consider what you can afford, what type of property you want, and where you want to live.

Get Your Ducks In A Row

Now you are actively looking for your first home its important to make sure you have all the correct items for the purchase.

To be considered for a mortgage you will have to provide proof of income, utility bills and bank statements.

So make sure you can have easy access to all the essential paperwork, it is best to plan in advance and know where they are.

If you start the process and the provider asks you for your financial details, you can delay the process for yourself if you don’t have everything to hand.

So plan ahead and get your paperwork in order before you start making offers.

Start Your Search

Now you have everything in place its time to start looking for your new home. You can search online at your local estate agents, or use Right Move to look for properties.

You can use filters to set your location and price range, and this will return a range of properties that fit your requirements.

This is an excellent way to start the viewing process, once you have a list of properties you’re interested in, you can then contact the estate agent to arrange viewings.

Its best to view during daylight hours as this will help give you the full perspective on the property and the surrounding area.

If you plan on doing multiple viewings in a day, then allow enough time to make the journey between viewings.

Its unlikely you will find your dream home on your first viewing so be patient in the process and you will find success, it’s important not to rush.

Make Your Offer

Once you have found a property you would like to buy, its time to make your offer. Working with your estate agent to liaise between you and the seller to make the deal.

It’s tempting to want to under offer on the price and make a bit of a saving, but its important to not offend the seller and scupper the deal.

Talk with your estate agent before you make your offer and see if there is any wiggle room on price, then once you have established what a sensible offer is, your estate agent can make the offer to the seller.

Then once you have your offer accepted you are well on the way to owning your first home.

Take Care Of The Paperwork

Now you are good to go its time to get the ball rolling with the legal side of the buying process, you can instruct your solicitor to take care of the conveyance for the property.

This is another area where patience is required as depending on the speed of both solicitors for seller and buyer, it can sometimes be a drawn out process.

It pays to keep in touch with your estate agent as they can help liaise with both parties to help the process move quickly to completion.

Collect Your Keys

Once everything has moved along and contracts have been exchanged, its time to pick up the keys. You are at the end of the process and the owner of your first home.

Your estate agent will have the keys waiting for you to collect and you are on your way.

At James Kristian we have helped many first time buyers to find and move in to their first home.

If you are thinking about your first property and a bit unsure of the best way to move forward, then why not call in for a coffee, or give us a call to discuss your situation.

One of our friendly staff will be on hand to give you advice and help you on the way to becoming a first time homeowner.

If you’re in the market for buying a new home, maybe you are a first time buyer, or you are looking to move on from your current house.

There are many things to consider when you are buying houses for sale in Liverpool; do you have the deposit in place? Do you have the solicitors etc?

If you don’t have everything in place, but just want to test the market, and do some viewings, then you need you to take some points into consideration before you start making appointments.

Time is Money

It’s easy to get excited about the prospect of buying a new home, especially if you have been window shopping estate agents websites for inspiration.

And its very tempting to call up and book viewings for properties, its great fun to have a mooch around someone’s home and pretend its yours.

Window shopping online and a test visit may be fine, but if you’re not really ready to buy, and you are taking viewings regularly, then you can quickly sour your relationship with estate agents.

If you book a viewing but have no intention of buying, this means a representative from the estate agent will have to book time to leave the office to show you around the house.

And secondly the homeowner would have spent time and effort preparing the house to have it in its best appearance for you.

As Estate Agents James Kristian takes pride in the relationships we build with our buyers to find them their next home, and likewise we take great pride in the relationships we build with our sellers.

So if you are in the mode of ‘just looking’ then that’s no problem, we are more than happy to assist you with advice, and to stay in touch for when you are ready to buy.

But we do please ask to take into consideration that booking viewings when not ready to buy takes the time of the business, and alerts seller’s emotional expectations.

So please inform your estate agent exactly where you are in the process and they will be more than happy to help you.

Put yourself in the best position to proceed

As obvious as it may sound you cannot buy a home till you have been approved for a mortgage.

You may have a deposit saved and in the bank ready to go, but do you have the mortgage offer in place?

Before you even start looking at properties you should seek advice from an independent mortgage broker.  They will be able to look at your details and run the best deals for you from a range of mortgage providers.

If everything checks out they will be able to get you a mortgage offer in principle.

Then you will know how much you can lend, and start your search for a house.

Part of being accepted for a mortgage is credit checks, so its vital you speak to a broker to get you a mortgage, if your credit history isn’t great, then this will be highlighted as part of the checks.

This can be a real blow if you are expecting to move forward seamlessly, so take the time to put your ducks in a row, and if you haven’t yet spoken with a broker and are wondering about your credit status, you can use this free credit checker to make your own investigations.

Then once you have your mortgage in place you are ready to start viewings.

Appointments are made to be met

When you book an appointment to view a property you put the owner on alert to make the house look great prior to your arrival.

They may have spent a considerable amount of time getting the place ready the day before, and went to some expense buying cleaning materials.

What also happens is in the back of their mind they are thinking is your visit may lead to a sale for them, so they start getting their hopes up in anticipation.

So once you have made a booking to view a property, make it a priority to attend, and at the arranged time.

If for some reason you are going to be late, then call ahead and let the estate agent know, and they will inform the seller.

If for some reason you can’t make the viewing, again inform your estate agent at the earliest convenience so they can rearrange for you.

You can imagine yourself if you were the seller and the viewer didn’t show without any warning, I’m sure you would be disappointed after making the effort to get the place ready for you.

So all we ask is for as estate agents is a little consideration if you can’t make a viewing, and we can rearrange another time that suits you best.

Not every home is suitable for you

One of the things estate agents rely on is feedback from viewings, and quite often if a viewing doesn’t go as planned for the viewer; they can be a bit coy on the reasons that put them off making an offer.

Some people just feel uneasy about giving negative feedback, but its ok because it helps the estate agent to speak to the seller and relay the issues that prevented an offer.

The estate agent can then feed back to the seller and hopefully improve issues that may be preventing the sale.

So feedback is great, even if its negative as this help us make improvements for the next viewing and help the seller to gain the sale.

Is your offer credible

Everyone likes a bargain, and if you want to be taken seriously as a buyer then your offer must be based on facts.

It never ceases to amaze agents how low people can go from the asking price and expect a sale.

There may well be room for some negotiation on price depending on the sellers position, however you can quickly sour that position and offend the seller if your offer is ridiculously low.

So be realistic when you bid, take some time to look at the prices of houses in the same street, or nearby.

This will give you an idea of what you can offer realistically, especially if you have viewed a house and really liked it, if you offend the seller with your offer it may be something you regret in the long term.

If you are in the market for buying a house, or even if you are just thinking about it, then feel free to give James Kristian a call and we will be more than happy to help you out.

One of our friendly team is on hand to give you the best advice and help you find a house, or advise you on the best way to move forward in the house buying process.

They say that buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you will make in your lifetime, all the time spent saving up the deposit, scrimping away and saving every last penny to be able to afford it.

Then when you move in and make the place your own, you redesign the house, redecorate every room, put in a new kitchen and make the place yours.

The next thing you know the years have gone by, you have raised your children and the house has your stamp all over it.

The house you bought is now your home, complete with years of memories and emotions tied into it.

And for whatever the reason may be, downsizing, upsizing or relocating. If you come to the decision to sell your home in Liverpool, then all the emotions you never realised where there will kick in, and you may find it hard to keep your feelings in check.

Selling the house you have made a home can be a tremendously emotional experience, and you may find it harder than you thought to let go.

If you are thinking of selling your home then there are steps you can take to help you overcome the emotional rollercoaster you may be facing.

Be Prepared

Humans are emotional creatures, it’s in the make up of our DNA, and quite often we make judgements we go on to regret.

So when you have the idea to sell your home, the first thing to do is to take some time to think about it.

Do you really want or need to sell your home?

It may sound obvious, but it’s well worth considering, what may seem like a good idea at the time may not actually work out to be the best decision for the long term.

A good idea is to write down the pros and cons for selling or staying, if its more room you need, can you convert the loft?

You may think the house is too big now the kids have moved on, but can you be guaranteed if you move the new neighbours will be nice enough to live next door to?

Whatever the reason that’s brought you to the decision to move, make sure you take serious consideration before putting your home up for sale, as the grass may not always be greener.

Only Sell If You Are Ready

Once you have weighed up the pros and cons and you feel you really want to move, that’s when its time to put the house on the market, and not before.

One of the common things people do is still be in two minds, and put the house up with an estate agent to ‘test the water’.

This is not a good idea, if you are unsure in anyway about selling, then don’t put your home on the market, this can cause so much emotional conflict.

The minute you see strangers walking around your house viewing will cause you distress. Have I made am mistake? Do I really want to sell? Etc etc.

And if an offer comes in you may find every reason to not accept, and this is not good for you or the people viewing.

This is when the emotions really kick in.

So only put the house up for sale when you are sure you are ready, and not a moment sooner.

Price the House To Sell

Another thing that people do who are unsure if they really want to is to price the value of the house too high.

Subliminally you are saying I don’t really want to move, so I am either going to price myself out of the market, or I will accept an offer if I get a really high price.

Both of these tactics are not going to bode well for you, if you are pricing yourself out the market then do you really want to move in the first place?

And how much stress will it cause if the house sits in the market for a long time without selling?

And if you are willing to accept a high price, but don’t really want to, the motivations say you really don’t want to move, and should reconsider.

There is no use having money in your pocket and be missing the home you loved.

So if you are ready to sell, price your house accordingly and it will sell quicker for you to move on to pastures new.

Stage the House to Sell

It’s your home, the one you have built over years of hard work, but if you want to help sell it, then you have to de-personalise.

This is something people find really hard to do, take down the school photographs, remove the coats and shoes from the hall.

Take down the kid’s drawings off the fridge and basically remove all the memories you hold dear.

It may sound simple, but it’s harder than you think, and can stir strong emotions as you strip away the memories.

To sell the home you have to present a blank canvass to potential buyers, so they can imagine the house being their place to make new memories.

Let The Estate Agent Do The Viewings

If you have a strong emotional attachment to your home, when it comes to viewings, let the local estate agent take care of business.

Or you may find yourself talking potential buyers out of making an offer, even if its not intentional, you can emote strong feelings that may put a buyer off.

And you may take offence to comments viewers make about your home, as they are making a critical judgement based on their needs, not your memories unfortunately.

So leave it to your estate agent to do the viewings, they are trained to do so, and will make the sale happen quicker, relieving you from the discomfort of showing people around.

So maybe selling your home is a bigger decision than buying one, considering the emotional equity you have built, never mind the financial equity.

If you need any advice or help on how to best approach selling your home, then the staff at James Kristian have years of experience in handling property sales.

Especially when there is an emotional aspect of the sale that needs handling with care.

So please don’t hesitate to contact us today and we can help you on your way with an understanding team to guide you through the whole process.

Spring is here at last, and finally the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer.

And when you have been bunkered in for the winter, spring offers the ideal chance to get outside and see how your property has faired through the winter.

Spring is traditionally the busiest time for property rentals, so if you already have houses to rent in Bootle, then it’s a good time to go and do some essential checks to make sure everything is ok for your tenants.

The obvious things to check are the guttering, door seals and anywhere that may have been affected by high winds and rain such as roof flashings and chimney breasts.

If you do find any water damage, then make sure you get it repaired immediately, water can cause a lot of expensive damage if not fixed quickly, so make sure you fix a small leak before you have to deal with something bigger.

Spring is also a great time to put your property out to rent, and if you are looking to rent out this spring then there are a few things you can do to give it the best appeal to renters.

Declutter 

Nobody wants to rent a messy home, and first impressions count. So before anyone comes to view your make sure you have removed all of the clutter from all the rooms.

Don’t leave shoes lying round, pick up any coats and clothes up and put them in wardrobes out of sight.

Remember that people coming to view the property are going to imagine themselves living in it, so create space by clearing clutter and removing any personal items such as posters, bikes and excessive furniture, this will go a long way in staging your property to rent out quickly.

Give the place a lick of paint

Now the light is coming back its an ideal time to give your place a spruce up to rent out, when you have viewings it makes a massive difference if your property is bright and airy.

If you have taken the time to declutter then the next step of the process is to bring light into the place. And fresh, bright colours really open a room up and allow the light to give the illusion of greater space than the room may actually have.

Remember you are not decorating for yourself, you are doing it to appeal to potential renters, and so bright neutral colours are the best way forward to make your property appeal to viewers.

Give it a good spring clean

The next item on the list is to give the place a good clean, the two most common areas that both appeal to a viewer, and put off a viewer are the kitchen and bathrooms.

No one wants to walk into a kitchen and see a greasy cooker, or a dirty extractor fan. If there is a fridge in the kitchen, make sure any out of date food is removed and give it a good clean, to get rid of any lingering smells.

In the bathroom make sure the seals round the bath and shower is clean of any mould, same goes for the tiles, for a small expense it is probably worth renewing any silicone seals and touching up the grout to the tiles.

This will make a big difference in how your home is viewed by potential renters.

Give the place a good hoover through, and try to get any rogue stains from the carpets if needed.

If that all seems to daunting, then it may be worth hiring a professional cleaner who specialise in pre tenant cleans, to get the placed spruced up and ready to rent.

Tidy up the outside

If someone is thinking of renting out your property, the first thing they will do is take a drive or a walk past to see what its like, and this is where kerb appeal comes in.

If your place looks unkempt from the outside, they may not even follow through with the appointment to look at all the work you have done to make the inside look great.

Is the garden tidy? Sweep up any leaves from the garden and front step, could the front door do with a lick of paint?

Have the bins been emptied, and now spring is here maybe think about adding a couple of colourful plants via a hanging basket to the front door.

This attention to detail could be the difference between renting out your property quickly, or it sitting on the market for months.

If you need any advice on how to dress your property to make it appealing to viewers, then please don’t hesitate to contact any of our friendly staff at James Kristian, we are on hand to help you get your property rented out quickly.

D

If you are thinking of becoming a landlord, or maybe you have a portfolio already and you are looking at adding more properties, then one of the best strategies for entering the market is to find a house in a state of disrepair and fix it up.

This involves buying a run down house, carrying out the repairs quickly, increasing the value of the property and then renting it out.

It’s becoming more popular to totally refurbish a property, extend the loft, build an extension and add extra bedrooms to increase rental income.

Planning is key

Before you undertake any refurbishment work, you have to make sure you plan ahead, you need a project plan in place to make sure you are working to a timeline and a budget.

Your project plan needs to include all of the tasks you have organised for each room, what order you are going to carry them out, and how much you plan on spending for each room

Budgeting is extremely important, especially on room-to-room basis, you would be amazed at the amount of people who don’t do this correctly, and end up over extending themselves financially.

If you budget by room, then once you have completed one, then you know how much you have spent and you can control your budget more rigidly.

The typical scenario for bad planning involves starting with a budget in mind, then going to B&Q and getting excited when you see the additional fittings you can have, so you choose the most expensive taps, and worktops etc.

The next thing you know you are 5 grand over budget, and you have eaten into your potential profit from the refurb.

Worst case scenario, you run out of money and can’t complete the project, leaving the property standing empty with no rental income.

This is why good planning is key, and sticking to your budget even more so.

Its very important to organise tasks in order, and prioritise key elements such as structural defects to make sure you get the big jobs out the way first, as they tend to be the most time consuming and costly.

Now for the décor

Once all the big messy jobs are out of the way its time to add a bit of sparkle to the property.

Making the house look nice on the inside will not only add value to the property, but it increases the chances of renting out the property quicker for a higher rental value.

Fittings and furniture should be seen as an investment, as these are the eye catching elements of your property that make the house more appealing to tenants.

The thing to keep in mind here is that you are not decorating the house for you, so you have to be more neutral in your choice of colours and fittings.

What appeals to you may not necessarily appeal to your prospective tenants, so if you have a particular favourite colour, you best think twice about doing the whole house just to satisfy your own tastes.

Fixtures and fittings is the most common area for people to go over budget. This is when people get over excited as the walk around B&Q, and pay over budget for swan neck taps, and expensive light fittings.

You have to keep in mind that you will have to replace these if a tenant damages them, so find the middle ground where you can get nice looking fittings that don’t break the bank, and stay within your budget.

Finding the right tradesman

To carry out a refurbishment to a high standard means you will have to find good tradesman, electrics and gas in particular require certified professionals to sign off any work, and you will need a gas safety certificate before you can rent out a property.

Finding good reliable tradesman can be a skill in itself, so make sure you take advice from friends and family, ask around to see if you know anyone who has had work carried out recently, who where their contractor? How much did they cost?

Asking these questions and doing your homework before you undertake any work can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

Ideally it would be best to use a good refurbishment company from Liverpool to carry out the work, a good team can take care of everything for you and complete the work quickly, and to a high standard.

So your newly refurbished property can be let out to the right tenant.

If you are thinking about doing a renovation, or becoming a landlord and need advice, then the staff at James Kristian are on hand to discuss the process with you, and we can even recommend some good reliable tradesman to help you on your way.