A good few years ago now, I wrote a Nova article about new-build properties and the reason I remember it so well was because it prompted an individual to come in to the office to tell me that I hadn’t given them a fair review. He felt I was biased towards older properties and, at that time, he was probably right! Having always been brought up in semi-rural or character homes, I had never experienced owning or living in a new-build and although this is still the case, I now think I have much more experience and a better understanding of the benefits a brand new home has to offer. With rising energy prices, a lot of buyers are leaning

As the days start to draw out, now is a good time to consider a change. If you’ve been wanting to make the move but have been worried about the lack of market choice, the way the year has started you needn’t be! With new instructions coming in thick and fast, there is now more out there to choose from, whether you are stepping onto the first rung of the property ladder, climbing higher up or looking for your forever home. If you do have a property to sell, it is worth standing back and looking at your home objectively. Stand outside and think “would the front appearance make me stop and want to take a closer look?” It is

Normally at this time of year, we take stock of the last 12 months, evaluate what we did right and wrong and plan on becoming better human beings in January (well – after we have consumed several thousand extra calories in food and alcohol and, overspent on Christmas presents that is!) but this year has obviously been very different. Whilst it has been one of the strangest years ever, which at times has seemed like a never-ending black hole of doom and gloom, it has also made us appreciate the things we usually take for granted such as seeing loved ones, going on nice holidays and generally having the freedom to do as we please. One of the lowest points

I literally can’t believe it’s been 10 years since my Barker Healey baby was born! Happy Birthday to us! It has absolutely flown by and I have loved every minute of the journey so far. The property market has been quite changeable over the last decade due to one thing and another – from starting out just after the crash in 2008 to dealing with changes to BTL mortgage relief and stamp duty, Brexit and now a worldwide pandemic, it hasn’t been easy! One thing which hasn’t waned though is my love for all things bricks and mortar. I still possess the same enthusiasm and passion as I did in the beginning, only now I have much more experience and

When the evenings start to seem just that bit shorter and the kids are finally back at school for the start of another academic year, it can only mean one thing – Autumn is on its way. And as we enter the last third of what has been the most bizarre of years and Halloween, Bonfire Night and, dare I say it – Christmas – seem to be fast approaching, we start to wonder just where has 2020 gone? Life over the last 6 months has changed immeasurably and no one can predict just yet what the next 6 months will hold. One thing is certain though – we will do our best to carry on and the housing market,

This week I was not surprised to learn that Estate Agents have once again made it into the top 10 list of most disliked professionals in the U.K, being beaten only by traffic wardens and bouncers!  Also up there are bus drivers, footballers, tele-sales reps, people who work in PR, politicians, and anyone who takes part in reality TV shows, so we are amongst good company!! I guess this deep-rooted disdain comes from the fact that traditionally Estate Agencies have charged too much and delivered too little, and so often I hear from people who are currently on the market and not happy with the service they are receiving.  Consequently, I feel compelled to make everyone aware of what you

Well with a quarter of the year gone already, neither Marion nor I could have predicted the amazing amount of activity which we have seen in recent weeks. Having not been in the High Street office this time last year, I didn’t have any previous statistics to look back on, and therefore had no idea what to expect from the Spring season. However, it appears that the milder weather has definitely had a positive impact on the housing market and the amount of sales we have agreed so far has well exceeded my expectations! With everything from a 2 bedroom terrace property in Gnosall to a 4 bedroom detached house in Newport being sold*, the only real common denominators are

One of the main occupational hazards I encounter in my job is that I go out to so many beautiful properties…and then at the end of the day I go back to my own house, and notice all its flaws. When giving advice to potential vendors, its always been a “do as I say, not do as I do” approach and thank goodness they don’t all come round to my house and see last nights dinner plates still on the side or the growing collection of shoes by the front door! Well, untidiness aside (which I blame my Husband for anyway!), I have finally waged war on the DIY jobs which are long overdue and have launched “Operation House Proud

1. Disassociate Yourself With Your Home. Say to yourself, “This is not my home; it is a house — a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the supermarket shelf. Make the mental decision to “let go” of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours. Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners! Say goodbye to every room. Don’t look backwards — look toward the future. 2. De-personalise Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can’t see past personal artefacts, and you don’t want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the

After having an extremely fruitful November and December, the biggest problem at Barker Healey Property is that we are quickly running out of properties to sell! Whilst we do still have a number of fantastic homes on the market to suit a range of budgets and requirements, in particular there seems to have been a rush on properties within the £175,000 – £250,000 bracket and as much as I love to see the bright red “SOLD” triangles on the display board and in the window, at the moment we are limited as to the choice we can offer the steady stream of potential vendors who register their details with us. I know all this sounds like a crafty marketing ploy