Simple Storage Solutions To Banish Clutter

So you’ve tried selling off your unused items, have taken everything that doesn’t spark joy to the charity shop and yet you are still struggling to keep your home free of clutter. One of the main causes of clutter in a home is not having enough storage space or simply not having it in the right places.

If you have spent time decluttering and yet still feel like your home is a disorganised mess then it's time to consider some nifty storage solutions.

Hallway

As the main entryway in and out of your home it is easy for discarded coats, bags and shoes to quickly build up. Consider investing in storage solutions so that there are easily accessible places to put these things away as soon as you enter your home. If you are worried about floorspace there are lots of wall-mounted shoe storage solutions available. If you have an overflowing shoe rack consider storing out of season shoes somewhere else until they are needed again. A few well placed hooks on the wall can be perfect for keeping coats and scarves safely stored off of the floor and a shelf mounted directly above them is perfect for storing accessories such as hats, gloves and sunglasses.

Understairs

Is the space under your stairs underused? Shelves and hooks can be used to turn that area into the perfect space to store anything from bikes to books and cleaning products to coats.

Vertical Space

If floor space is limited in your home consider using the vertical space to store your belongings. Wall mounted cabinets and shelves are ideal for keeping things off of the floor which can make a huge difference to how the space feels. Alcoves and recesses are perfect for popping small shelves in without there being any encroachment on your space.

Ceiling

Don’t be afraid to hang storage from your ceiling. Hanging mesh storage baskets are ideal for keeping your little ones cuddly toys within reach but safely contained. Ceiling mounted pan racks provide the perfect place to keep your pots and pans off of the side when cupboard space is limited in the kitchen.

Bedroom

Underbed storage boxes are ideal for packing away out of season clothes and bedding. Storage boxes that match your decor are ideal for utilising the normally wasted space on top of your wardrobe.

Attic

This is the perfect space to store belongings that you don’t use all of the time. You need to be careful to ensure that it is both well insulated and well ventilated to ensure that your belongings are protected from extreme temperatures and high levels of humidity.

If you are decluttering your home to get it ready to go on the market in Warrington please do give us a call on 01925 235 338 and we will be delighted to give you a free no-obligation valuation.

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

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How To Choose The Right Estate Agent For You?

Choosing an estate agent to sell your property can seem like a difficult task. There are so many available and of course, they all say that they are the best around! What should you consider when choosing which one to trust with selling your property?

Local knowledge

You wouldn’t jump in a taxi with a driver who didn’t know the local area, or at least you’d jump back out again quite quickly! You also shouldn’t trust your property to an estate agent who doesn’t understand the local market or who doesn’t know the area well. Great estate agents know their community and already have a well-established database of potential buyers that they can use to make sure that your property is seen as quickly as possible by as many people as possible.

Tech-savvy

Newspapers, magazines and other forms of printed media should definitely form a part of the marketing plan for your property. However, estate agents who only use these and haven’t embraced the benefits of online marketing, including social media, their own website and online property portals, will be putting you at a disadvantage when selling your property. This is because 78% of buyers begin their property search online so you need an estate agent who knows how to make sure that your property is seen by them.

Honesty

When selling a property, you need an estate agent who will be honest with you, especially in the current market. Beware of agents who inflate their suggested asking price for your property with the expectation that they will drop it in a few weeks once you are tied into a contract with them. An honest estate agent will not hesitate to point out areas of your property that you could improve in order to increase your chances of a sale and are candid about things that should be taken into account when setting the asking price.

Communication, communication, communication

The estate agent you choose will not only be the go between for you and your buyer but will also be your source of information concerning how viewings went and on the feedback from viewers. Choosing an agent who is a good and friendly communicator will make the whole process of selling your property much easier.

Works for you

It is your property. While a good estate agent will be able to give you advice concerning your property, a great estate agent will be able to tailor their advice based on your needs and wants because they will listen to them. Selling a property isn’t a one size fits all experience, so you need an estate agent who is willing to listen and adapt to your needs.

If you are thinking of selling your home in Warrington then please give us a call on 01925 235 338 and we will be delighted to chat to you about the reasons we believe that we fulfil all of those criteria.

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
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How To Become A Successful Property Developer

Have you ever watched a programme about property development and been tempted to give it a go? All those wonderful before and after shots make it look so easy. From our comfortable sofas we cockily criticise their design decisions, mock their progress and vocalise how we would do it differently. But how many of us really appreciate either the potential problems or the potentially life changing benefits of renovating a home either to live in ourselves or to rent out.

So what can you do to mitigate the risk of your dream home renovation becoming a nightmare?

Set a goal

What is your end goal with the property? Do you want to flip it, rent it out or create your forever home? You need to remember your goal when looking for a property. If it is to be your forever home then it should be in an area that you want to live in. Alternatively if it is to be a rental property then you need to make sure that it is in an area that is attractive to your target rental market.

Make a budget

Set yourself a budget for each room and try your best to stick to it. Don’t be swayed by expensive tiles or paint. If you are planning to rent out the property then your tenants are unlikely to care whether you use Dulux paint or Farrow and Ball paint. If you are doing the property up for your own family then you may be happy to splurge in certain areas but make sure that you always keep an eye on your budget. Just as in the television programmes you are likely to go over budget so make sure that you factor that in.

Plan

Frequently diverting from or changing your plan will cost you time and money so try to stick to it. The longer the renovations go on the more money you lose in potential rent. The longer you have to pay your mortgage or utility bills for the property, the more they eat into your profit if you are flipping it. If it is your forever home then you will be reducing the amount of time you get to live in it.

Have a valuation

When all of your hard work is finished, arrange a valuation so you can find out just how much all of your hard work has added to the value of your property and how much its rental value has also increased.

If you manage to complete all of those then congratulations you are a successful property developer and you will be able to reap the financial rewards of your endeavour.

If you are looking for a property to renovate please give us a call on 01925 235 338 so that we can add you to our earlybird list so you can be one of the first people to hear about our new listings.

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
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The Pros And Cons Of Being A Buy-To-Let Landlord

Buy-to-let property is often seen as an attractive way of accumulating wealth or as an alternative option to a pension. However, while purchasing buy-to-lets is undoubtedly a good investment, they are also a long-term commitment that require hard work and good financial planning.

If you are unsure as to whether to take the plunge and buy your first buy-to-let property then it is definitely worth considering the pros and cons of being a landlord before you invest.

PRO - Rental Income

This is the biggest incentive for people who buy a buy-to-let property. The idea of receiving regular income that not only pays off the mortgage on their buy-to-let property but also gives them a little bit extra in their pocket each month is a very attractive one.

CON - Rental Void

However, if your tenant misses a rental payment then you will be responsible for covering the mortgage payment yourself until they catch up and if you should have a period when your property is not let (a rental void) then you will be left covering all of the costs during that time too.

PRO - You’re your own boss

If you are fortunate enough to be making enough money from your rental properties to live on then you can have complete control over your income and your own time. The ability to work the hours you choose, make all the decisions and feel completely in control of their own life is what drives many landlords to build their property portfolio.

CON - Responsibilities

Being a landlord means you have both legal and moral responsibilities towards your tenants and no-one can choose or predict when urgent maintenance issues such as a leak may occur. For many people who are trying to hold down a full-time job alongside managing their buy-to-lets the responsibility is too much. An easier solution is to have your properties managed by a letting agent but this will of course cut into your profit.

PRO - Allowable expenses

You are permitted to deduct expenses from your rental income when working out your taxable rental profit. These expenses must be ‘wholly and exclusively for the purposes of renting out the property’ and includes maintenance costs, utility bills, agency fees and insurance payments.

CON - Costs

As soon as you start to make a profit from your buy-to-let property you are legally obliged to inform HMRC. You may be required to submit a tax return so that HMRC can calculate how much income tax you should pay. Buy-to-let property purchases are subject to higher stamp duty rates. Also when you sell a buy-to-let you must pay Capital Gains Tax on the amount that the property has increased in value during the time that you have owned it. Don’t forget to factor in costs such as the deposit, survey and conveyancing fees, renovation costs and the administrative costs for inventories, deposit protection, gas safety certificates and EPCs.

Being a landlord certainly requires more time, effort and planning than most people think it does but for those willing to put in the work it can be a highly profitable endeavour.

If you are considering becoming a landlord and would like to know more about how we can help you to manage your property please do give us a call on 01925 235 338 and we will be delighted to help you.

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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Warrington Property Market Report October 2022

The leaves are falling, the clocks have gone back and children, still hyped-up on sugar from their Halloween trick or treating, are now looking forward to this weekend’s fireworks displays. November brings with it darker mornings and chillier nights and so comes thoughts of Christmas and the New Year. This inevitably focuses the minds of those who have been considering moving, as they consider whether their homes are too small or indeed too large for their needs.

The looming New Year sparks thoughts of new beginnings and new homes so, despite the doom and gloom in the papers, life continues. People still move home and the property market continues to be busy.

Let’s have a brief look at what’s been happening over the last month in the local Warrington property market.

There are currently 416 properties available for sale in Warrington. This is 14 more than last month. Of these 416, 71 were new to the market in the last two weeks. The average price of properties in Warrington is £253,017 with the median price at £210,000.

Most of the properties available are in the £100,000 to £200,000 bracket with 158 currently on the market. There are 26 properties available, in the £500,000 to £1 million bracket. This month, properties in the £300,000 to £400,000 bracket are the fastest movers, only on the market for 71 days. They are closely followed by properties in the £400,000 to £500,000 and properties in the £500,000 to £1 million bracket which both only remain on the market for 91 days.

Properties priced at £100,000 and under, are now taking 162 days to sell. One-bedroom properties with a median price of £89,943 are currently sitting on the market for an average of 249 days. This has gone down from 349 days last month.

This is another example of how selling property can take longer than people often imagine. If you’re looking to upsize from your first home, or are an investor looking to change your portfolio, please bear this in mind when planning.

Let’s take a look at the annual figures now.

The majority of sales in Warrington during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £238,088. Terraced properties sold for an average of £173,129, with detached properties fetching £410,885.

Overall, sold prices in Warrington over the last year were 1% down on the previous year and 16% up on the 2019 peak of £212,882.

This shows the high levels of activity in the local Warrington property market, which are likely to increase or at the very least, remain strong in the final quarter of the year. There is a lot of demand and plenty of people looking to move around Warrington.

If you’re thinking of selling your property, feel free to contact us. If you’re thinking of buying, letting or renting a Warrington property, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call 01925 235 338 or email staff@hamletwarrington.co.uk.