Linden Avenue, Herne Bay – Property Tour Welcome to this stunning modern three bedroom bungalow nestled in the charming location of central Herne Bay. Impeccably

Talbot Avenue, Studd Hill, Herne Bay – Property Tour This superb two double bedroom detached bungalow is situated on Studd Hill, a private estate towards

Richmond Court, Herne Bay – Property Tour Looking for a modern and secure retirement apartment in a central location with easy access to local amenities?

Rockingham Place, Broomfield, Herne Bay – Property Tour Introducing a stunning four bedroom detached house, refurbished to a high standard throughout. This wonderful property boasts

The Broadway, Herne Bay – Property Tour This three bedroom semi-detached house is situated in a great central location, close to Herne Bay seafront. The

Highfields Avenue, Beltinge, Herne Bay – Property Tour This spacious three bedroom detached bungalow is located in the sought after village of Beltinge, Beltinge is

Norton Avenue, Herne, Herne Bay – Property Tour The property has been refurbished by the current owners and is beautifully presented throughout. The open plan

Thwaytes Court, Herne Bay – Property Tour This cozy and comfortable apartment boasts 1 bedroom, 1 living room, and 1 bathroom – perfect for those

Albion Lane, Herne, Herne Bay – Property Tour Luxurious living awaits in this stunningly refurbished, spacious 4 bed detached home. Features include 4 large beds,

Strode Park, Herne, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Danny shows us around a lovely detached bungalow in Strode Park Road, Herne, Herne

Pochard Crescent, Stillwater Park, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Gareth shows us around a lovely link-detached house in Pochard Crescent, Stillwater Park,

Bishopstone Drive, Bishopstone, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Gareth shows us around a lovely detached bungalow in Bishopstone Drive, Bishopstone, Herne Bay

Chrysler Avenue, Studd Hill, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Danny shows us around a lovely detached bungalow in Chrysler Avenue, Studd Hill,

Richmond Drive, Beltinge, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Paul shows us around a lovely semi detached house in Richmond Drive, Beltinge, Herne

Margate Road, Broomfield, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Danny show us around a lovely detached bungalow in Margate Road, Broomfield, Herne Bay

Merry Christmas – 2022 We wish all our customers, past, present and future a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year ??? < Back

Pier Avenue, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Danny show us around a lovely detached bungalow in Pier Avenue, Herne Bay which is

Queens Avenue, Beltinge, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Gareth show us around a lovely detached property in Queens Avenue, Beltinge, Herne Bay

How to avoid a delayed sale! In this video Gareth and Paul share their experience on how a seller can best help themselves when preparing

Beltinge Road, Herne Bay – Property Tour In this video Danny show us around a lovely detached property in Beltinge Road, Herne Bay, which is

What £250,000 Buys You along Herne Bay sea front: November 22 In this video we take a look at a first floor sea front apartment

What £450,000 Buys You in Whitstable: October 22 In this video we take a look at a bungalow in Valkyrie Avenue, Whitstable to find out

Property Market Report: October 2022 In this video, recorded on the 1/10/22, we chat about the news headlines following the weeks mini budget and how

September 2022 Property Market Report Welcome to the September 2022 property market comment.  There is no denying that the incredibly strong property market we have

August 2022 Property Market Report Welcome to the August 2022 property market comment. So far this year, we have seen continued growth in the property

In this weeks video I share how the property market is doing and give tips to sellers on how they increase their chances of a successful sale and or move ?.

In this video we cover trends in the current market and the outlook for the coming months in the East Kent area.

May 2022 Property Market Report As you may know, the Bank of England has just announced a further 0.25% increase in interest rates. That’s the

April 2022 Property Market Report As we enter the spring, the traditional spring market doesn’t quite feel that way yet! The acute shortage of stock

March 2022 Property Market Report As we exit what has been an extraordinarily upbeat winter in terms of the property market, we enter a slightly

March is the best month to sell a home as spring ushers in a wave of prospective buyers, with this year set for a bumper

It’s well known that confidence is key to a healthy property market. Or it used to be at least. The pandemic didn’t dent it – quite the opposite in fact, with the average house price having risen over 11% in the past year (Source: Nationwide). Could issues such as rapidly

Propertymark promotes higher standards than the law demands and campaigns for more laws and enforcement to regulate the sector. They hold us accountable in order to protect you, the consumer and your money.

“Moving House” may be the term we commonly use, but moving HOME is surely a better description for one of life’s more stressful experiences. Few changes, other than a relationship, can stir such emotions.

As estate agents, we are effectively “agents of change” and whilst our natural focus might be to help people move in

Here’s a quick overview of the property market this November.

The manic race for space prompted by the SDLT concession has definitely started to ease and we are now experiencing a near-normal healthy property market, albeit with a little less stock than expected, because we have sold most of it!

According to the Halifax, the

Here’s a quick overview of the property market this October.

According to the Nationwide, annual house price growth last month was still very strong at about 10%, although this was down from 11% in August, and no doubt supported by the tail end of the SDLT concession which has now come to an end.

It

One of the frustrations with the system of property transfer in this country is that moving day invariably coincides with the formal completion of a sale.

Generally, the buyer cannot move out, and the seller cannot move in, until such time as the completion monies have been received by the seller’s bank, or in most

Many property transactions form part of a chain of related sales. Of course a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and, as a national statistic, unfortunately one in every three chains will fall apart, often at the eleventh hour. This happens for a variety of reasons from one party’s mortgage glitch to

According to the Nationwide, the average house price across the UK is up 11% on last year prompted, as we know, by three things: 1) Pent-up demand following three years of Brexit confusion, 2) The SDLT (stamp duty) holiday coupled with ultra-low mortgage rates, and 3) Lifestyle changes prompted by the pandemic. Interestingly, the average

It would not be unreasonable to assume that as a property comes onto the market, the instructed estate agent will post the property details on various property portals and wait for the enquiries to roll in.

However, this approach is somewhat simplistic! We take a much more strategic and proactive approach to handling new buyer

Even the most credible authorities tend to disagree on the rate of price change in the property market, leaving the humble consumer somewhat baffled!

The problem is the source of data that is used to make assumptions about the market is fickle. For example, you could look at the latest Land Registry figures. These record

In the current market, if you are to maximise your price, it is more important than ever to ensure that your property is a highly saleable proposition, rather than one that makes another house look good by comparison.

Of course, there are several basics that should be in place. The price needs to be as

Just as the weather forecasters get it wrong (we never know whether it’s going to rain or shine this summer), so the economic forecasters and property analysts get it wrong as well. Who could have foreseen such buoyancy in the market, and, as we approach the end of the summer, with it’s very mixed weather,

Many properties in the East Kent area are as unique and distinctive as the people who buy them. So when selling yours, it is most important that your estate agent has a thorough understanding not only of your property, but also of the needs and preferences of every buyer who views it.

It is simply

When you are keen to move house it can be tempting to accept the first buyer who comes along with an attractive offer. However, buyers come in all shapes and sizes, and it is important to assess your purchaser’s ability to perform before accepting any offer.

We often receive offers from people who themselves have

What a crazy summer to date, with Zoopla predicting a record 1.5m property transactions this year – that’s up 45% on last year! The unexpected consequences of the pandemic and the Stamp Duty concession following right on the heals of that Brexit-related stalling market, pushed the market into a frenzy. (Although it’s interesting to note

Sometimes we have to point out a few home truths if we are to enhance our client’s chances of selling quickly, and for an excellent price! Some homeowners spend thousands of pounds improving their property before going to market, yet can be oblivious to issues that prospective purchasers could regard

Some people feel that houses should be able to “sell themselves” and do not need to be “shown” by estate agents. Whilst this may be true of certain exceptional homes, or where achieving the optimum price is not an issue, most properties require the skills of a well-trained estate agent if they are to sell

According to e-surv, the average price of a home in England and Wales stood at £343,658 last month – up 0.5% on the previous month and 13.4% on the year, the highest year-on-year growth since 2004. We know the market has been flying – but could this be ambitious reporting designed to capture a headline?

Some estate agents claim that the seller is the best person to show a property to prospective purchasers.

However, apart from the inevitable awkwardness of inviting strangers into your home, there are sound reasons why good estate agents prefer to accompany buyers around, even though the pandemic has prompted many to rely solely on virtual

One of estate agency’s fundamental tasks is to secure the highest price that an able purchaser will pay for your property in a given market. In an ideal world, we would have a hot-line to The National Lottery who would feed us with a regular supply of winners prepared to pay ridiculous prices for modest

There’s no question about it, buyers visit property portals like Rightmove and OnTheMarket because they provide easily-searched access to properties currently available for sale. Or do they?

Certainly property portals are efficient and estate agents have embraced them for many years as being an important addition to their marketing toolbox. On the surface, people no

We are often asked to look at properties that really should have sold, but haven’t, and we understand the disappointment of vendors whose experience of the sales process has fallen short of their expectations.

This disappointment can sometimes be the result of simply not knowing where you stand. We find that enthusiasm and good communication

You may know your property better than anyone else, but when the time comes to sell it, a well-trained sales negotiator will maximise your chances of success, for the following reasons:
The heart!The buyer’s initial objective is simply to get a feel for the property, asking themselves “could we be happy here?” In order to

As a seller, it is tempting to accept the highest estate agent’s “valuation” you receive. However, there are three sound reasons why you should avoid overpricing your home initially, as overpriced property often ends up selling for less than it otherwise might have.

Buyers buy by comparison. Why should they buy your house if it

First impressions are not only important when selling your home, they are absolutely critical. When people come to view a property for the first time, they are unlikely to be scrutinising the unseen. They are simply trying to get a feel for the property. They will be bombarded with mostly visual impressions, many of which

Most estate agents see their role solely as a “purveyor of buyers”, and they understandably pride themselves on their ability to find the right buyer for a property and to negotiate attractive terms for the seller. But estate agency has moved on. Indeed, finding a buyer is arguably one of the most straightforward aspects of

Selling An Unmodernised Property Our last article focussed on issues to think about when buying an unmodernised property. However, sellers should also be careful when

Buying an Unmodernised Property   There are about a dozen property-related programmes on TV every week. Some of these track the progress of a wreck

When you instruct an estate agent to sell your home, you naturally want them to promote it in its best light. But what does this actually mean?

Many people would expect their agent to produce property particulars that are an accurate and comprehensive guide to the property, be this hard copy or online. However, too

Auctions have become recognised as the most effective way of selling a property decisively in the shortest possible period of time. Gone are the days of property auctions only being regarded as a sale of last resort; sellers are increasingly seeing some excellent results – for the following reasons: An auction creates a “day of

Many estate agents will flatter you and promote themselves by claiming that they’ll get you the “highest price in the shortest possible time”. This is easy to say, but not so easy for most agents to justify or indeed deliver! Effective property sales involve a combination of great presentation, attractive pricing and effective marketing along

In a competitive market, we know that as long as your property is priced attractively, it will sell. However, many people spend a fortune on improving their home expecting at least the cost of the improvements to be returned to them via an increased sale price. This can be a mistake, as around 90% of

We understand how stressful it can be to sell your home, and it is reasonable that prospective sellers may be tempted to appoint two or more agents in the hope of increasing their chances of selling. However, this can be counter-productive, for the following reasons:

1. Build a platform of competition between buyers – not agents!

As a buyer you are in a powerful position, both in terms of the effect your buying decision will have on your own life, and on that of the person from whom you buy.

If a property were some form of commodity like petrol or milk, then you would simply buy the cheapest stock available.

Showing your home to prospective purchasers can be stressful enough, but children add an extra dimension, and their needs should be considered.

Moving house might be logical and exciting for an adult, but the fear of the unknown can be upsetting for children. That room or corner of the garden that has been their special

We recently came across this poem about investing in property, and thought you might find it interesting. Once you have read it, and only then, take a look at the date of first publication. Makes you think!

“PROPERTY INFLATION”

I hesitate to make a list

Of all the countless deals I’ve missed.

Bonanzas that were

As the evenings begin to draw in, sellers should take stock of their property if they are to maximise their chances of securing an early sale. Buyer activity is traditionally very good at this time of year, but your property still needs to compete well if it is to sell readily. Here are some tips,

Most lessees (nb not tenants) have the statutory right to purchase the freehold of their building, called Collective Enfranchisement, under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.

Such a purchase certainly has its appeal if your lease is beginning to look a little light – say 80 years or less. In this instance it may be

Many people whose property is on the market now would ideally like to move by Christmas, yet only those who are prepared to price realistically are likely to be successful.

Buyers who are currently active in the market are now getting increasingly keen to move before the end of the year and we have recently

Our last article considered some of the dangers associated with pricing your home in relation to other properties available for sale (ie those remaining unsold). This time we’ll look at pricing in relation to properties which have actually sold.

When considering what asking price to quote, common sense dictates that the price of other homes

When considering the value of a property prior to putting it on the market, many vendors understandably look at the asking price of other properties currently on the market locally, and draw pricing conclusions based on this research.

Whilst this is not an unreasonable way of determining value, there are some traps for which to

It seems amazing to us that almost anyone can open up an estate agency and commence trading without any training, qualifications, proof of minimum standards, or certificate of competency.

The sale of your property is far too important to entrust to just anybody. Those who claim to work on your behalf may simply be out

House prices may have risen beyond expectation in recent years but, interestingly, affordability is at a new high too! These factors might seem diametrically opposed, yet the opposite is actually true. Could this be why demand has remained strong throughout the Brexit-related political and economic uncertainties (thankfully now at an end)?

Affordability, or the relationship

For homeowners wishing to sell their property and buy another, it’s the classic dilemma; which do you do first – buy or sell?

Typically, people initially investigate the market to find out what they can buy for their money. Inevitably, during this research they fall in love with the “ideal” property. As they have yet

Estate agents’ market valuations are usually free, and because of this, it is very tempting for prospective sellers to invite a number of agents to comment and then select the agent that suggests the highest likely sale price for the property.

However, we advise caution on this issue. Some agency “valuers” are paid bonus on

Friday is overwhelmingly the most popular day of the week to move house as it provides new homeowners with a long weekend of moving “fun” – unpacking boxes, hanging pictures and all the DIY that tends to accompany a move.

Due to this preference, it is therefore quite likely that other buyers and sellers in

It is interesting to note that some sellers are not as committed to moving as they might be, and are prepared to remain on the market until what they regard as an acceptable offer comes along.

Likewise, some buyers, whilst generally remaining committed to a purchase, do not exhibit a great deal of urgency, and

A covenant is a term you might hear when discussing a property during the conveyancing process. Covenants are a form of legal obligation that is binding on the owner of a property and passes from owner to owner whenever the property is sold. They form part of the deeds of a property and are recorded

Our research has shown that buyers overwhelmingly prefer floorplans on property details in addition to the usual description and written dimensions. There are several good reasons behind this preference, which is why we always feature floorplans on our particulars:

Firstly, where several properties are competing for a buyer’s attention, a floorplan always makes an immediate

On 4th July each year Americans go to town on celebrating their national pride on Independence Day.

And well they might, as independence is a wonderful thing. As independent estate/letting agents, we experience daily what it is to be free of the constraints of corporate governance, number crunching, management reports and toeing the party

The opportunities opened up by technology in estate agency have been enormous, yet many local agents simply use their website as a glorified shop window. Like any agency window, the properties displayed need to be regularly updated and presented in a way that inspires buyers to take things further.

But a good estate agency website

It is perhaps quite worrying that anyone can start trading as an estate agent, without any qualifications whatsoever. This makes it all the more important that you choose an agency that puts a high value on training.

Better-trained staff gain an intimate understanding of what the customer is going through and are able to help

There can be nothing better suited to the internet than property, and hits to property websites far outnumber those of any other industry. The ability to be able to search in the comfort of your own home, usually without having to provide any personal details, is certainly attractive and has transformed the way the public

The adage that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link could not be more aptly demonstrated than in respect of property transactions in the UK.

Whilst a lot of agents focus on finding a buyer, which is obviously important, it is the quality of that buyer and their situation that will determine

Good negotiation is a skill that adds real value to the service you receive from your estate agent. After all it can be the make or break of a sale.

Many agents focus on “getting the maximum price” for their client, the property vendor. So do we. However, we also recognize that the vendor’s main

One of the most important aspects of your estate agents role is not only to negotiate a price (or ideally secure the full asking price of course) but actually to generate an offer in the first place! Too many agents simply see themselves as people who show buyers around property, hoping that an offer will

The layman’s view of an estate agent is simply someone who shows prospective buyers round properties. Whilst understandable, this simplistic perspective belies the fact that the well-trained agent knows how to maximize the viewing opportunity with the specific objective of prompting a sale.

Whilst “showing someone round” might appear straightforward, vendors who do this themselves

The phrase “Willing and Able” is seldom heard today, as it no longer appears on estate agency documentation. However, it remains important to discover if a prospective buyer for your property is indeed willing and able to proceed, should they express interest in your home.

This is especially the case today, when people are finding

In the old days, a property ad in an estate agent’s window and the local newspaper were all that was required to promote a property. Today we also have our website and numerous portals ensuring that our clients property receives the maximum exposure to the right people – or ideally thousands of them! Plus, of

Valuation is possibly the most contentious aspect of estate agency, and emotions run high when discussing most people’s most valuable asset. It is natural that the vendor of a property will want as much as possible for it, as does the agent.
However, vendors should be careful about opinions, especially when everyone seems to have

Straight-talking sincere advice can be invaluable in a world where too many people would just tell you what you want to hear! For example, the oldest trick in the book is for an agent to suggest an inflated suggested asking price in order to impress you enough to secure your business, only for tears to

It is well documented that, nationally, around 30% of all sales arranged fail to reach a successful exchange of contracts. Fortunately, our success rate is much higher than this!

However, the sales cycle can be frustratingly slow and the longer the sale takes, the greater the chance of it falling through. This makes it particularly

You have decided to sell, but the thought of packing your home up can be daunting, especially if you have lived in the same property for many years.

It is well known that a property sells more readily when it looks and feels like a home, rather than just bricks and mortar, so it could

There is a lot of talk and numerous TV programmes about home improvement and the benefits of presenting your property at its best when the time comes to sell.

However, if you are thinking of selling and your property is not necessarily the prettiest in the street, or perhaps it is a bit tired, needs

Recent research has shown that about a quarter of home-movers leave themselves open to some form of identity theft when they move, simply by failing to redirect their post promptly.

Indeed, almost half of all identity theft cases involve a previous address, and 70% of new occupants receive mail addressed to a past occupant. This

Buyers often waste an inordinate amount of time viewing property that is either too expensive or blatantly wrong in other critical ways.

Additionally, more than 30% of property sales fall through due to buyer or seller suddenly changing their minds. Both these annoyances could be attributed to the agent not having gained a good understanding

Many sellers who receive a good offer for their home turn it down because they have not yet found “the right property” and worry that they will in effect become homeless should they sell first (although we have never known this to happen!)

Of course, the problem would become a self-fulfilling prophecy if everyone were

This year is a leap year – the 29^th February only occurs every four years – which is about as frequently as many people used to move house during the heady days of property speculation that sparked the boom market.

Nowadays most buyers and sellers are more level-headed and don’t leap from place to place