Right Now Residential

If you’re looking to buy a house in London at the moment you may have a ‘Fear Of Missing Out’ (FOMO), and who could blame you?  With a distinct lack of properties on the market and an abundance of buyers all wanting to find a home, it’s like the Wild West out there on the housing front. In March, HMRC announced that UK property transactions were at their highest level since records began in 2005 – in fact, there were 180,000 sales, that’s double the number seen in March last year. So if you are a buyer trying to navigate this market, how can you ensure your FOMO doesn’t become a reality?

Get ready
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a buyer is to start your search before you’ve got yourself in a viable position. In other words, do you have a mortgage in principle?  Having an up to date mortgage in principle demonstrates to both the homeowner and the estate agent that you are able to proceed with the purchase. Your offer will be considered serious and in cases where demand for viewings on a property is overwhelming, you will be considered over someone who doesn’t have this in place. If you haven’t taken the steps to speak to a mortgage broker, we would suggest you do so as soon as possible.



Be transparent
If you want to be taken seriously, you need to be transparent when speaking to an estate agent about what you’re looking for and your maximum budget. We know that by placing all your cards on the table you may think you’re putting yourself in a weaker position when it comes to negotiating. But stating that you don’t have a maximum budget doesn’t ring true and can make it difficult for an estate agent to help you find your dream home.

Take advantage of virtual viewings
Virtual viewings are a great way of touring a number of properties to see what you like and don’t like. It can help you to solidify your wish list and work out where you’re willing to compromise. Within a virtual tour not only will you be taken around the property but you will also get the opportunity to ask questions. This means that when you are sure of what you want you can focus all your time and energy on properties that could be the perfect match.  



Be clear
Buying a house is a massive investment, yet it’s a decision that many rush into, and we don’t want you regretting a purchase down the line.  Before you start to physically view properties, think about all the things that are important to you and not just the property itself. As the country starts to open up to some kind of normality, what can the neighbourhood offer you? Your work situation could be different, perhaps involving work from home days, so is commutability as important as it was? Or, do you want walks, shops, and bars in walking distance? Remember, a home can be changed but a location can’t, and it’s easy to be swayed by a stunning interior and glorious garden design, but is it the right ‘home’ for you?

More haste, less speed
This market requires a clear and level head, if you snooze you will lose, but your decisions shouldn’t be rushed either. Set up alerts with property websites so you’ll know as soon as a new home in your chosen area comes onto the market, book a viewing as quickly as possible, and do your research before you go if it is a street or borough you’re not familiar with.  Make a list of questions so these can be answered whilst you are viewing the property.  Try and view the house without rose-tinted glasses, because this could be your home – will you be happy living there? Don’t wait to make an offer if this house is for you, because you can be assured that others who have viewed it will no doubt be doing the same.



Do you want this house?
Any offer you make has to have an impact. Yes, we all love a bargain but when homes are going for close to or over their asking prices at the moment in London, making a low ball offer will seem like an insult to the homeowners. You want your offer to be taken seriously. Don’t forget to remind the estate agent of your position – are you a first-time buyer, chain-free, your property already sold? Knowing more about you and your position could make your offer more attractive; not all sellers take the highest figure, some wish their home to go to a local family, not an investor, or prefer a buyer for other reasons.  

No more fear
With these hot tips, you may still have a little fear of missing out but you’re taking steps to place yourself in a strong position so you can not only find your dream home, but buy it too. If you’re looking for a new home in London, come and chat with our team to see how we can help you.

Call our team today on 020 3002 2650.  

When moving home, it’s always a kind of chicken and egg situation, you will no doubt have been nosing online for your potential next home, but you’re also curious about the value of the home you already own. But when you own a property and are looking for another, is there a right way round to do it?  Should you buy or sell first when moving home in London?

Buying first
For some people, the idea of moving forward is only possible if you know where you’re going. Why on earth would you consider selling your home when you have no idea where you will be moving to?  You may have a clear picture in your mind of the kind of property you’re looking for, and until you find it, there is no way you’re going to place your home on the market.  For sentimental reasons, you could be struggling to say goodbye to your current home and there is a kind of comfort in knowing what home you will be moving to.



We completely understand all these emotions. Moving home is a huge thing and you want to make sure you get it right but buying a property before you have sold your home is not the right move to make.

For financial reasons
You may have an idea of what your home is worth, or even had your home valued, so when you start to look at homes on the market, you will have a sense of what you can afford.  A valuation is not a sold price, and property markets rise and fall over time. The figures you are basing your finances on could be completely different to the actual figures that apply when you start to go through the process.  If they are too far apart, you could potentially lose the home you are looking to buy as well as a few pennies along the way.

Puts you in a weak position
When someone makes an offer on your home, you want to ensure that they are in the best position possible so that things move quickly and smoothly.  As a seller, you are looking for someone chain-free, or in a small chain, who has their finances in order and their home has been sold.  How would you feel if someone made an offer on your property but they hadn’t even placed their home on the market yet?



Because time doesn’t stand still
We would love to tell you that we can stop time, but that’s one skill that even us estate agents and unable to achieve.  Whether you’re wishing to move before the stamp duty returns to normal to take advantage of a discount, or you want to be in before the new school year starts, the speed of the process is always something that concerns buyers and sellers alike.  The process in the UK is not swift, as we know, and anything that feels like it’s dragging its heels can make things seem a thousand times worse.  

Even if your offer is accepted by a seller, how long would they be willing to wait for you to sell your home? How long would you wait?  Nothing is more frustrating in a move than delays and waiting for someone to sell can be one delay too far for many, which sadly can see chains collapsing.

Shattering the dream
You have set your heart on your chosen new home and you’re spending your evenings picturing how you will decorate, where your furniture will go and what your life will be like living there.   Dreaming about your new home is what’s making leaving your old one so much easier, to the extent that emotionally you’ve already left your current property.  It’s now on the market and you’ve made an effort to make sure it’s looking good for potential buyers, all you need is one buyer to see what a fantastic house it is. Yet things are not going according to plan. Viewings are getting less, the sellers of the house you want are getting nervous and you can see the dream of your new home shattering all around you. Who needs that stress?




Get it right from the start
SELL YOUR HOME FIRST! There is only one right way to move and that is to sell your home first. This way, you’ll be putting all your energy into your current home to make sure it isn’t just looking good for buyers but looking amazing.  You will be in a better position financially, because you’ll know exactly what monies you have to play with when you start to look for your next home, and you’ll be in a stronger position to get your offer accepted.  

We understand the lure of wanting to search for a new home before you sell, but please be patient, you will get to that part of your move quicker if you take our advice and sell your home in London first. Finding your next home will feel even more exciting when you know you can actually move forward rather than waiting in limbo.

Thinking about moving? Get in touch with our team at Right Now Residential and we’ll get you on the first steps to getting your home on the market and promptly sold.  Call today on 020 3002 2650.

No matter what you’re advertising, whether it’s a product, a service or even a home, you want to capture a buyer’s attention.  To get results you need to put in time and effort to ensure your property is looking its absolute best.  You don’t need to own one of grandeur, any sized home has supermodel potential, which is why at Right Now Residential we’ve put together some tips to show you how to prepare your home for its photoshoot.

Understanding the value
When it comes to selling your home, you only have seconds to make a lasting impression. Buyers will be flicking through the online property websites hardly even giving some homes a second glance.  A photograph may not sell your home, but it can open the door to the possibility and prompt a viewing.  The more importance you place on getting things right for when your home is photographed, the better the potential outcome can be.  Buyers want to feel a connection with your house; the way it’s marketed is the draw and ‘that feeling’ tends to happen the moment they step inside. Yet if we don’t market your London home correctly, we will struggle to get buyers to view it in the first place.



If you follow our tips you can transform your property into the next top model. We want buyers to be focused on your clean and bright home, not pondering over what work it would take to get it looking its best.  With your preparation and our investment in photography and videography, together we can dramatically impact buyers’ opinion of your home.

1. A clean kitchen
When we talk about a clean kitchen we don’t just mean literal cleanliness (and we know you will be cleaning vigorously before the shoot) but also a clean ‘look’.  Worktops are fantastic places to store and house things, all those wonderful gadgets that we buy and rarely use, but by minimising what you keep on your worktop your kitchen will look so much cleaner and larger.  Just leave a couple of decorative items, such as a bowl of lemons and a vase of flowers and find a place to hide the practical bits whilst your photoshoot is taking place.

2. A clean bathroom
The same principle should be applied to the bathroom.  We all have bottles, soaps and paraphernalia decorating our bathrooms, but does a buyer really need to know what shampoo you use?  A bathroom that has been cleaned and cleared of lotions and potions is a lot more attractive than one where the bath has various items on display.  Again, by clearing things away for the photoshoot you will make your bathroom look bigger and also give it more of a ‘sanctuary’ feel, a place where your buyer can see themselves relaxing in and enjoying.



3. There has to be light
One of our little niggles as estate agents is when we are in a property and the owner has neglected to check and change lightbulbs.  Light is always a big selling point for buyers and we want your home flooded in it, so check the lightbulbs of all your ceiling lights and lamps before your photoshoot so we have as much light as possible.

As well as lightbulbs, raise any blinds, open all curtains fully and remove anything that could be blocking natural light from a window.  With this in mind, don’t forget to get those windows clean too!

4. Less is more
We all have personal tastes, especially when it comes to how we decorate our homes. One of the most challenging requests we have for sellers is to remember that less is more. Removing large and bulky furniture is going to be challenging but if it’s eating up all the space in a room then it’s a must-do task.  Many buyers will find it difficult to visualise the room without this piece of furniture within it, and so their focus could be on that particular piece rather than what the room could offer them.  You want buyers imaginations running wild when they look at photograph of your home and thinking about the potential space it offers.



5. Remove floor mats
Lots of us have floor mats and runners (not rugs); they are fantastic at protecting our floors, especially when we arrive home all wet and muddy from a walk. As wonderful as they are, they can make a room and even a hallway look smaller and a bit cluttered. It will only take a couple of minutes to remove bath mats, door mats and runners for the photoshoot, to give these rooms clean lines and a greater sense of space.

6. Fridge design
How many of us are guilty of cluttering our fridges with magnets, notes, reminders, children’s artwork… you name it.  It’s a little piece of your family life, but as much as you love it, it’s not so alluring for buyers – in fact, it can be extremely distracting.  Removing all these items will make your kitchen feel tidier and cleaner, but also, and more importantly, keep personal information away from prying eyes.

7. Make the beds
Yes, we know how obvious this sounds, but it can often get overlooked, especially in rooms you may not be using. Fresh clean bedding with a neutral design always works best, accented with pillows, a throw and a couple of finishing touches. Look at hotel rooms and flick through home magazines for inspiration if you get stuck for ideas.  One thing we know you will agree on is that walking into a room with an unmade bed doesn’t give you a warm feeling.


8. Remove yourself
This is a tough one, as this is your home and ‘you’ are everywhere throughout it. But when buyers see your home, they want to see themselves there, which is hard to do if you’re staring back at them.  By removing your family photos and personal items, a potential buyer can focus on the house and not you and your family.

9. Clear surfaces
From the coffee table, breakfast bar, bedside table to chest of drawers, we all have places where clutter congregates whether that’s a book we’re reading, chargers, tissues, essential bits and pieces, it’s amazing how quickly a space can be filled.

You want any surface to have minimal items, maybe a book on your bedside table and, if big enough, a decorative item. A coffee table could be staged for a morning coffee on a little tray, and your breakfast bar is perfect when completely clear.

10. Remove ALL pet items
We’re not being harsh, most of us have pets too, and we know what an integral part of the family they are, but the truth is not everyone has pets and some people are allergic.  The last thing you want is a buyer who is allergic to your home due to the smell of pets.  It’s essential to get this right so hide bowls, beds and toys and give your carpet, and furnishings a deep clean to get rid of any ‘nose blind’ areas of your home.  

Camera ready?
It’s always easy to spot the homes where the owners have really spent some time getting it ready for its photoshoot.  In this buoyant market where houses are selling quickly and often at asking price or above, the more you can do to bring out your home’s inner top model, the more viewings and potential offers you will receive.

For more advice on how to prepare your home for sale, please contact our team at Right Now Residential on 020 3002 2650.