Warrington Homeowners Have Turned to the Rental Market to Cash in by £31,800 Each

Should you sell or should you buy in this most interesting Warrington property market?

I have calculated that at least 232 Warrington house sellers have rented a home to break their house chain in the last 12 months, although at a cost as they face paying many thousands of pounds in rent.

There are a number of reasons behind this. One is because they cannot find another Warrington property to buy amidst a continuing shortage of new Warrington properties coming to the market. Although, there are others who have achieved such a high price for their home they have decided to cash in and are (hopefully for them) waiting for the Warrington property market drop?

Or will it drop? (More on that later).

Those selling their home have seen the …

average Warrington home rise in value in the

last 12 months by £31,800.

Yet, if they have had to go into private renting, they have paid for that privilege in the rent they have had to pay.

The average cost of a six-month rental agreement in Warrington is £4,623, meaning accidental Warrington tenants have pumped £1,072,612 into the Warrington rental market in the last 12 months.

The unevenness between the number of properties for sale and demand for them is at its widest since the early 2000’s. Whilst we have seen a slight improvement in the number of properties for sale in Warrington, there are still …

61% fewer homes up for sale today in Warrington,

compared to August last year.

This serious shortage of Warrington property for sale is discouraging some hesitant Warrington homeowners from putting their property on to the housing market, anxious they will not be able to find their next home and will be left renting.

Yet some savvy Warrington homeowners are moving into a rented property as a way to navigate the shortage of properties to buy. If you have someone offering you top dollar for your Warrington home, whilst you will have the hassle of two moves, the increase in value of your Warrington home will more than offset the rent.
Also, when you come to buy your next Warrington home, you will be chain free and in pole position to buy your ‘forever home’, rather than being overlooked for the home because you are sold stc and burdened with a chain.

Yet this trend has made life tougher for long-term Warrington tenants.

On average there were normally 330 to 395 properties available to rent in Warrington on Rightmove at any one time (pre-pandemic), today there are only 164 available.

To give you an idea of how this has affected the Warrington rental market, with heightened demand and lower supply, demand for rental properties has grown to such an extent …

the average rent in Warrington has grown from £771 per month

a year ago to £806 per month today.

Tenants are suffering from less choice and higher rents in the Warrington property rental market, with few indications it’s going to significantly ease on the run up to Christmas.

So, what is going to happen to the Warrington property market?

Well, those of you that follow me know I regularly write about the Warrington property market in my property blog. If you would like some recent articles I have written about the future of the local property, either drop me a line and I will send you some links to those posts, send me a DM or contact me by telephone.

In the meantime, please do share your thoughts on the matter in the comments.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

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7 Home Selling Myths…Busted!

When it comes to selling your home in Warrington, there’s a lot of overwhelming information and old wives tales out there, and it can sometimes be difficult separating the fact from the fiction.

Advice often comes from well-meaning friends or family members who are just trying to be helpful, but in reality, they are not property experts!

Our team at Hamlet Homes Warrington are all experienced property professionals with many years of experience between us. So, to ensure you are in possession of the correct information, here are seven home selling myths you’re likely to hear and why they’re not to be believed.

1. Overpricing Your Home Will Lead to Better Offers

Unfortunately, many sellers believe that by overpricing their house to start with, it leaves more room for negotiation and ultimately a better offer. That’s why we often see sellers marketing their properties with the agent who has simply come in with the highest valuation!

However, this is entirely false.

When buyers are looking at properties, they’ll search within their price range. If your property price has been inflated, then it’s going to be competing against other properties that appear to be far better value for money, rather than sitting in the price bracket it should be in! This potentially means it will sit on the market for longer.

Buyers whose budget doesn’t stretch to the higher price range will miss out on seeing your property altogether as they’re not even looking in that price bracket.

You’ll attract more offers and sell your property more quickly if it’s been priced fairly. It gives it a chance to stand out among other properties in its price range, rather than being a poor relation in the higher price category. And you’re more likely to see interested parties competing upwards rather than knocking you down.

2. Getting an Immediate Offer Means it’s Priced Too Low

If you’ve resisted the urge to overprice your home and an offer comes in straight away, it’s tempting to think that you’ve missed a trick by not marketing it at a higher price. After all, if you had done, then you’d be a few thousand pounds better off surely.

Again, this is false. Most buyers scour the market for a couple of months, waiting for the perfect property to come up, and there’s a good chance that they’ve jumped in immediately to avoid missing out.

Remember too that if you’d overpriced it, there’s a chance they wouldn’t have found it in the first place.

3. A Better Offer Will Come Along if You Wait

This is another all too familiar trap that sellers fall into. After all, if you’ve had an offer on the very same day your home has gone on sale, then surely there’s likely to be a whole queue of buyers lining up for it?

No, not necessarily. You might just have been lucky enough to have the right buyer come along at the right time. If you receive a fair offer, then it’s usually best to accept it whether your property has been on the market for hours, days , weeks or months.

4. The Estate Agent With the Lowest Commission is the Best Option

While you’ll naturally want to earn as much money from your property sale as possible, it doesn’t mean you should sign a contract with the estate agent who offers the cheapest fees.

Selling a property can be a very stressful process. A good estate agent will help make it run as smoothly as possible while communicating effectively and providing outstanding service, so it’s crucial you weigh up what’s included in their fee.

Although it’s tempting to cut costs as much as possible in the short term, you might come to regret it over the longer term, especially if your property isn’t selling.

5. Major Renovations Will Offer the Biggest Return on Investment

Many homeowners are under the impression that if they spend a few thousand pounds on a conservatory, a swimming pool or a landscaped garden, they’ll just be able to add the cost of it to the house when they come to sell.

Sadly, it’s not quite as simple as this. Not all buyers will want to maintain a pool or require the space that a conservatory ultimately takes away from their garden, for example. Many buyers prefer to start with a blank canvas too, so they can add their own renovations.

That’s not to say that a major renovation is a bad idea, but if you’re only doing it to see a return when you come to sell, then it might be worth considering the type of renovation or extension that will bring you the best returns.

6. It’s Not Worth Fixing the House up at all

If you’ve decided to sell your property, it’s understandable that you won’t be thinking about spending even more money on it. After all, it won’t be you seeing the benefits long-term.

This logic is flawed, though, and it could cost you when it comes to getting the full asking price. A property that’s well maintained and looked after is far more appealing to buyers. Fixing broken fences and gates, tidying the garden, replacing broken windows or doors and giving any tired rooms a fresh lick of paint will go a long way towards selling your property for its true value.

7. Online Valuations are 100% Accurate

Online valuations are a fantastic tool and we are most definitely in favour! However, a quick online valuation of your property should be used as a guide. Online tools don’t always take into account the condition of a property or the extra value you may have added. They’re simply using other similar sized and types of properties in your area as a guideline.

The best way to get your property valued is always to contact an experienced, local estate agent who will come and value your property in person.

Hamlet Homes Warrington are your local property experts for the Warrington area. Call us on 01925 235 338 or email manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk to chat with a member of our friendly and experienced team.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
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How Many Days Does It Take to Sell a Warrington Home?

Whether you are a Warrington homeowner, first-time buyer or landlord; the last 15 months has been a roller coaster ride when it comes to the Warrington property market.

With 213,120 UK house buyers and 58,580 UK tenants moving home in June, the summer has been manic for many people. Meaning some Warrington homeowners are asking if they should be staying put? Or should they wait for the best home to come onto the market before putting their home up for sale or find a buyer but be unable to find a property – it’s all rather confusing.

Then we have some Warrington landlords who are asking themselves if they should buy another property investment (and some even wondering if they should sell and cash in on the boom) and then finally, with 95% mortgages back, first-time buyers are asking if they should look to take the plunge and buy their first home or wait.

In this article, I hope I can help you with the decisions you might want to make and to navigate this unusual post lockdown housing market. Let me start with some stats to show you what is happening at the moment in Warrington.

The average time it takes to sell a Warrington property in 

this housing market is 14 days.

Interesting when compared with nearby Woolston at 12 days, Burtonwood at 40 days, Risley at 10 days and Newton le Willows at 12 days.

Look back five years, it took 39 days on average to sell a Warrington 

home – the local property market is now certainly ‘cooking on gas’!

The property market has certainly solidified a little over the last few weeks. The Stamp Duty holiday rush has seen its run and the pent-up post-Brexit and more importantly post-lockdown demand has receded and although I am still observing competing offers on most Warrington properties, I certainly get a feeling of a small shift in the balance-of-power between the seller and buyer.

Many people have put their house hunting on hold as they go on their first holiday since 2019, be that glamping in Cornwall or having days out on a ‘staycation’. That means between now and mid-September, depending on what type of property you are looking for, many buyers could well discover that there are fewer competitors for their next home than there might be.

Also, July and August are notoriously barren months for estate agents putting new properties up for sale. Yet since the typical ‘seasonal property market’ is so out of kilter as a result of the pandemic, many agents are taking on a decent number of very good properties now, which is not something that characteristically would have happened in the summer months.

The important thing is not to wait for the property to hit the portals (i.e. Rightmove etc). Yet research shows, nearly 5 out of 6 people who bought their home were not on the agents mailing list before they viewed the home they eventually bought. That’s OK in a normal property market as you can wait until it hits Rightmove or Zoopla, yet these are unprecedented times and if you are not on an agent’s mailing list - you will miss out on properties.

If you don’t put yourself on the agent’s mailing lists, you could end 

up losing out on the property of your dreams.

So, the question is should you put your Warrington home on the market first or wait for the right property to come along?

Roll the clock back a few years and it was standard practice for people to wait for their dream home to come onto the market, then put theirs on and hope that it would sell in time. This housing market is different and only those who are in a position to proceed (cash buyers or those sold subject to contract) will be considered as serious buyers.

Yet, nobody wants to be homeless if they do sell.

Estate agents are returning back to their old skills from the 1980s and 1990s by chain building. By starting at the bottom of the chain of the smaller house and building up a chain, waiting for everybody to find their next homes, nobody need be made homeless.

This is not an issue because most house sales are taking on average between 20 and 25 weeks and as long as everybody communicates with each other and everyone knows where they are, then normally things go through, albeit slower. Can you believe it – estate agents really are earning their money with this!

Warrington landlords, maybe there are some bargains to be had with some apartments with that length of time on the market? Again, do your homework or even consider picking up the phone to me for a chat.

So, there you have it. The lessons I hope you have now learnt from this are to put yourself on agent’s mailing lists, talk to agents about your requirements so you get a heads up first when a property is coming onto the market (don’t just do everything over a computer screen) and once you have found a property be a little bit more patient with how long it takes to build a chain and then get the property through to an exchange and completion so you get the keys to your forever home.

Whether you are a Warrington homeowner, Warrington landlord or first-time buyer and would like some advice and opinion on your circumstances in the current Warrington property market, please don’t hesitate to either pick up the phone or drop me a message.

To everyone else, what are your thoughts on the Warrington property market?

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
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Only 1 in 9 Warrington Properties are Bungalows, Despite an Ageing Population.

The bungalow is a building that has represented a more leisurely, gentler way of life since the early 1900’s. Bungalows have been sold as an aspiration for those about to retire, saving them the annoyance of having to climb stairs. With an ageing population, one would think they would be building more bungalows, yet nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this could be one of the main issues that is holding back many mature homeowners moving home, thus creating a bottleneck in the Warrington property market for the younger families who are being held back and unable to move into the larger homes they so need to grow their families.

So, before I answer that question, let me share this fascinating fact about bungalows. The word ‘bungalow’ originated in India, not the UK. The name is derived from the Hindi word ‘baṅglā’ or the Gujarati word ‘baṅglo’, both of which seem to refer to a home occupied by a Bengali person. The colonial English started to use it for themselves in the late 1600s to describe the same sort of basic lodgings that sailors and staff of the invading East India Company used.

Anyway, back to the here and now in Warrington.

There are 2,269 Bungalows in Warrington.

When you consider there are 20,060 properties in Warrington, that means only 11.31% of property in Warrington are bungalows.

To give you an idea of the age demographic of Warrington homeowners, there are 6,399 Warrington homeowners aged 65 years old (and over) and 7,917 Warrington homeowners aged between 50 and 64 years of age.

You can see demand for bungalows is only expected to grow. Yet new homes builders are having to deal with soaring land prices, meaning to get a profit from the site they are under pressure to build more vertically than horizontally as with bungalows (as bungalows take up so much more land).

The last available data is from 2018 and only 1.6% new builds in the UK were bungalows, interesting when it was just over 7% in the middle of the 1990s. As British people are living longer, those existing Warrington bungalow homeowners will be living in them longer, thus creating even more of a bottleneck in the Warrington property market.

So, what is the answer?

Well with building land in Warrington at a shortage, maybe new homes builders should be forced under planning rules to reserve ground floor apartments to be set aside for older people to encourage them to move out of larger houses. I would challenge the long-held point of view that building more bungalows in Warrington is the pre-eminent way to urge growing numbers of mature ‘last-time buyers’ to move out of their under-occupied Warrington homes and free up their large homes (where their children have flown the nest) for younger Warrington families to grow.

With the new Planning Regulations due to be in place in a couple of years, local authorities could require builders to set aside a share of homes for mature residents, as they are already obligated to subsidise local community facilities or low-cost social housing in return for obtaining their planning permission to build in the first place.

Another option would be to convert all those empty shops in our town and city centres up and down the country into residential use. There is no need for planning permission to change offices to residential property and the Government are considering the same for shops (although I have heard of some horror stories of those office to residential developments making rabbit hutches look spacious) – so again, it comes down to the planning laws and making them fit for purpose.

There are no doubt consequences of not designing our housing stock for the 21st Century and beyond for older people.

The population of Warrington is set to grow

by 8,832 to 55,317 by 2040.

As the UK population gets older in the coming decades, as life expectancy is set to grow from 81 years 2 months to 83 years 3 months by 2040, I fully appreciate the need for more Warrington homes to be built for families, yet one must ask if the planning authorities are focusing too much on new housing for the younger generation, when they in fact should be encouraging new homes builders to develop larger, ground floor two-bedroom homes and decent accessible transport links.

These are my thoughts, what are yours the good people of Warrington?

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
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5 Tips to Make Your House Look Larger

For many people, buying a bigger house in Warrington or building an extension is an unaffordable dream, but being short of space doesn’t mean you have to feel squashed in your home.

Here are 5 tips to help you make your house look larger.

1. Declutter

Nothing makes a room feel smaller than unnecessary clutter. Whether it’s paperwork and magazines lying around, or kids’ toys strewn across the living room floor, a messy room always feels smaller than it actually is.

If this sounds familiar then it’s time for a clear-out, and don’t be afraid to be ruthless. Divide all your unnecessary clutter into three categories. Things that just need throwing out, items you can take to the charity shop, and items you can sell to make some extra cash.

Not only will a good decluttering free up some space and make your house look larger, but it’s also great for your mental wellbeing too.

2. Brighten Your Rooms Up

Painting your rooms with light, bright colours will automatically make them feel bigger. And by bright, we don’t mean fluorescent yellows and pinks. Just an off white or a pastel yellow will instantly transform a room.

Avoid darker colours and heavily patterned wallpaper, and go for neutral, light and bright colours.

And when it comes to brightening the rooms up it’s not just the walls to consider. Having blinds instead of curtains will take up less space, and you can opt for light fittings with brighter bulbs to really lighten the room up and allow more light to radiate.

3. Buy Multi-Functional Furniture

This is definitely the most practical thing you can do to create more space and store away clutter. For example, you could invest in a sofa-bed that can be folded up when it’s not being used, giving you more floor space.

Or you could opt for an Ottoman bed, so you’ve got lots of extra storage space without cluttering the room.

Essentially any furniture that can be folded up or doubled up for storage is likely to be a good investment.

Another tip when it comes to furniture is to avoid items that lie on the floor and buy ones with legs, such as coffee tables and sofas. This allows more light to come in and give the room an airier feel, and it can also double up as extra storage space underneath. Just be careful not to use it as an excuse to add more clutter though!

4. Use Mirrors

A couple of well placed mirrors can make a huge difference when it comes to making a room feel bigger.

Choose a range of shapes and sizes and place them strategically throughout your house and you’ll be amazed at the effect they can have.

Because they reflect natural and artificial light, they’ll make any room seem brighter whatever time of day it is, and they’ll give the illusion of making a room feel larger just by being there.

Another tip with mirrors is to place one near a window so it’s reflecting the outside world. This can make a huge impact on a room’s perceived space.

5. Arrange Your Furniture to Maximise Space

Large items in the middle of a room are probably the biggest no-no when it comes to maximising your space. Unless of course, there’s plenty of room to get around them.

Keeping large, bulky pieces of furniture against the walls is usually the best thing to do, so you can keep as much floor space free as possible. And be sure to keep pathways around furniture as clear as possible, as squeezing between a bed and a wardrobe for example will only heighten the feeling of being cramped.

Another trick you can use when it comes to furniture is to use shelves over cabinets as much as possible, and the higher up the better. A bulky bookcase will take up a significant amount of space, but if you can put a couple of shelves high up on the wall which will fit all of your books then you’ll be freeing up valuable floor space.

When it comes to furniture, if space is at a premium, then stick to the essentials. While it’s nice to have extra armchairs and fancy floor lamps, ask yourself if they’re actually necessary or just an extra feature that’s nice to have.

The key to making a room feel larger when it comes to furniture, is to keep as much floor space free as you possibly can, especially pathways through rooms.

Still need more space? Hamlet Homes Warrington are your local property experts for the Warrington area. Call us on 01925 235 338 or email manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk to chat with a member of our friendly and experienced team.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
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Warrington’s Love (and Hate) Affair with the Semi-Detached House

The semi-detached house – the icon of middle-class aspiration, the pinnacle of liberalism yet at the same time compromised individuality, the ‘semi’ as it is colloquially termed is, for many Warrington homeowners, the highpoint of modern domestic bliss.

Britain’s gift to architecture is the humble ‘Semi-Detached House’. This type of property has been exported around the world with - the ‘Doppel Haus’ in Germany, the ‘Duplex’ in the USA, Canada and Australia.

For those young, hip and trendy people living in your converted warehouses with strobe lighting and exposed brickwork, it might surprise you the semi is the dream home of an immense number of Warrington people. In fact, it is the most common dwelling type in the British Isles, with 8,060,657 semi-detached homes occupied by Brits alone (representing 31.68% of all occupied property) compared to 23.81% detached, 25.49% terraced and 19.02% flats.

In Warrington alone, there are 29,851 semi-detached houses meaning …

41.8% of properties in Warrington are semi-detached.

So, when did the semi-detached house first come into play? Many people think the semi-detached boom started with mass swathes of the suburban mock Tudor bay-fronted semis being built between the first and second world wars. The fact is that it was actually that rich landowners in the post Great Plague (1665+) years wished to house their farm labourers as inexpensively as possible, yet making their grand estates look as imposing as possible.

And that’s the point of a semi-detached house. Only half the 

property is yours, yet you ‘feel’ like you own it all.

The next phase of the semi-detached story, and a phase that really pushed home the point, were many of the late Georgian houses built around the Kensington Gardens area in West London. Many upper-middle class Georgians were wanting something more than the classic Georgian terraced house yet couldn’t afford a large detached home. Therefore, architects took the humble semi-detached house to the next stage of its evolution by masquerading the building itself as one home by slipping its two front doors down opposite sides of the building, making it look like one home from the front, to complete the impression of total ownership.

By Victorian times, semi-detached houses fell out fashion as the railways were building many of them for their railway workers and they became associated with the lower working classes but speculative builders continued building semi-detached homes for the new lower middle class, that is the reason why ultimately the country is full of semi-detached homes today.

The semi-detached house was saved from the annals of history by the Bedford Park development in Ealing (London). Referred to as the world's first ‘garden suburb’ and started in the 1870’s, the architect of Bedford Park used influences of the Aesthetic Movement, the precursor to the Arts and Craft Movement to make the buildings look more pleasing on the eye. The architect also took reference from the style of properties from British history such as Queen Ann to be seen in such features as a sweep of steps leading to a carved stone door, rows of painted sash windows in boxes set flush with the brickwork and bright coloured brickwork with limestone stone quoins emphasising the building’s corner.

As the car enabled people to commute to work from further away, people wanted to get out of the big cities, thus giving rise to the interwar semi, with its mock Tudor fronted, rosemary tiled roof, oak beamed, herringbone brickwork and the leaded and stained glass windowpanes that we all recognise. It was Bedford Park that gave the green light for architects up and down the country to use old styles of building design to make their semi-detached houses look the part.

And now, in more modern times, the semi-detached house has gone from strength to strength.

27,573 of Warrington semi-detached houses have changed hands 

since 1995, many upwards of 5 times (and a handful even more).

The semi continues to appeal, both to big national builders and smaller Warrington developers, and most importantly to home buyers. The advantage of semi-detached houses over town houses/terraced houses or apartments is they afford access to their (typically bigger) gardens without having to pass through the house, and they have natural sunlight on three sides of the property, are easily extendable and quite often have a driveway.

 
And that’s at the heart of what a semi-detached house is all about, the schism or divide of the semi reveals the tension at the heart of owning your home, which on one side of the coin is a commodity/way to make money and on the other side, a vision to have your own castle, a piece of ground to call your own. It articulates both the craving for personal freedom and the inevitability of socio-economic life. What do I mean by that?

We may dream of owning a castle in many acres, with a drawbridge and moat, yet in real life we can only afford half a building plot sliced out by a volume national builder next to the A49.
I just love a semi-detached house! Style and substance combined.
What are your thoughts? Share your stories and opinions on the humble semi-detached house.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
Hamlet Homes Warrington LinkedIn Page
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10 Tips for a Stunning Garage Conversion

Our garages often become storage rooms, hoarding items we now have little use for but converting this space can completely transform your home.

Whether it gives you a dedicated office, a bigger kitchen, or an additional bedroom, a stylish garage conversion will afford your family some much craved extra space. Not to mention, it will add a substantial amount of value to your Warrington home.

Check If You Need Planning Permission

The work for garage conversions is generally internal, and therefore does not require planning permission.

However, the rules can vary hugely depending on the alterations you make to the windows and doors. Therefore, it is always best to check with your local authority in Warrington before beginning any work.

Consider a Double Story Conversion

If your budget permits, a double story garage conversion is a stunning addition to the home. A mezzanine works fantastically, transforming an otherwise dark, unused space into an area your family will love.

Use the bottom story to create a comfortable, relaxed living area – the perfect annexe for guests to enjoy. This allows visitors to stay in your home, but have their own slice of privacy.

The top floor can then become the bedroom. Use large windows to allow natural light to flood into the room, overlooking the garden if the layout of your garage permits.

Don’t Forget Insulation and Ventilation

If your garage is separate from your main home, it was likely built with entirely different regulations. If its original purpose was to house a car, the ventilation and insulation will not be sufficient to create a living space.

It will be worthwhile to have a professional look over the room, ensuring the finished product not only looks spectacular but functions perfectly.

Ensure Consistency

The garage should flow from the main home, with consistency in the architecture and the styling techniques. Use the same doors and windows to help blend the conversion, and ensure skirting boards and coving follow into your new space.

Plan for Natural Light

To create a stunning room, you must contemplate the light sources. Unfortunately, garages usually have little to no windows, which does not equate to an ideal living space.

Adding a large glass panel or bi-fold doors that open onto the garden is an excellent way to incorporate the maximum amount of natural light.

Create a Utility Room

For smaller garages, a utility room conversion is a great idea.

A little extra space to put our washing machine, tumble dryer and other cleaning equipment in is always welcome. Garages are often connected to the kitchen, making them ideally located for a purpose-built utility room, with the added bonus that this dedicated area allows you to live out your Pinterest styling dreams.

Build a Home Gym

Especially in the colder months, a home gym can make committing to regular exercise much easier.

Gym equipment takes up a surprising amount of space. You can carefully hide a small set of weights and a yoga mat in another room, but if you plan to advance to larger pieces of equipment such as a spin bike or treadmill, a dedicated space is essential.

Transform Into a Playroom

A playroom is another popular option for a garage transformation. These rooms are often cluttered and filled with mountains of toys, so having a dedicated space to allow the children to get messy is fantastic.

Alternatively, those with older children can create a stylish and cool place for teenagers to hang out – a snug. This can be designed relatively inexpensively, using bean bags and an overhead projector to build a relaxed movie room.

Create a New Kitchen

Garages that are connected to your home are often right next to the original kitchen. This offers an incredible opportunity to extend and renovate your kitchen, knocking through to create one large open plan room.

It might be that the floor level of the garage is slightly lower than the original kitchen, so play around with split level design ideas before committing to a releveling of the whole area.

Consider a Home Office

The way we all work has changed dramatically over the past 18 months, and the demand for a home office has never been higher.

Working from our dining room tables is no longer viable as a long-term plan, and therefore an unused garage creates the perfect opportunity to build a dedicated office.

Ensure there is plenty of natural light, as a dark room does not lend itself to productivity. Additionally, consider a multifunctional space that doubles as a playroom in the evenings and weekends, to ensure you get the most from your garage conversion.

Want more tips like this? Hamlet Homes Warrington are your local property experts for the Warrington area.

Call us on 01925 235 338 or email manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk to find out we can help you.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

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