Award Winner Attends International Real Estate Conference

Richard James, Relocation Agent Network member for Northamptonshire, has just returned from the Cartus Broker Network International Real Estate Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

This year’s event welcomed over 700 delegates, each participating in interactive workshops, roundtable discussions, networking opportunities and keynote speaker sessions. The event, taking place from 13 to 15 March, culminated in a prestigious platinum awards dinner for the top performing companies celebrating the past year’s successes.

Richard James attended the conference as part of their prize for winning the … Continue Reading…

First-time buyer Tips

As the average age of first-time buyers continues to rise – the latest figures suggest this is now 37, so the market is less driven from below, but by a complex combination of personal, local and national factors.

Yet even if you are in your 30’s, buying your first property can seem pretty scary! “Am I making the right decision?”, “Can we really afford this?”, “What if the market falls?”, “Should we have offered less?” are understandable questions.

So here are few … Continue Reading…

Financial Clout

One of the greatest frustrations in selling a property is delay. Delay not only causes anxiety, but also provides more time in which the buyer or seller can reconsider their position and withdraw from a purchase or sale.

As our objective is to help you move with minimal stress, it is essential that we are able to do everything in our power to speed up your sale.

Apart from keeping a keen eye on the progress of any related transactions, one of … Continue Reading…

Catch 22 –Should I Sell First or Buy?

Many 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 to take this stance, and the entire market would grind to a halt. But in really it isn’t that bad and, whilst we don’t have a magic … Continue Reading…

Slow Growth with Strong Demand

Everyone knows that the balance of supply versus demand exerts the greatest influence over property values. Yet, as we approach the spring market we find ourselves in a situation where the annual rate of house price growth is at its lowest for four years. at 2.3% (HMLR), but demand remains strong. Could this be the tipping point where buyers are voting with their pockets in respect of overpriced properties?

Certainly pricing appears to be more sensitive than it has for some … Continue Reading…

Working In Partnership with your Estate Agent

When the time comes to sell your home it is important to ensure that you entrust your sale to a reputable estate agent, if the stress of selling is to be minimised.

However, the most successful sales tend to be those where the seller and agent work hand in hand during the marketing process. Here are some pointers:

• Be open with your agent about any problems with the property. Even if these cannot be solved, awareness of an issue could save … Continue Reading…

Split Opinion on Whether Brexit is Impacting Local Markets – Says National Estate Agency Survey

As the Government debates the intricacies of Britain leaving the European Union, widely known as ‘Brexit’, local estate agents across the UK are experiencing mixed trends with regards to its impact so far.

From the responses received, following a recent survey conducted by Relocation Agent Network amongst its members – including Richard James – there was a relatively even split between agents that have already begun to experience market trends that can be attributed to Brexit (46%), and those that have … Continue Reading…

What Does Viewing Feedback Really Mean?

Sellers often approach us after an unsatisfactory experience with another agent, particularly in relation to poor levels of feedback following property viewings.

Surely prompt and constructive feedback should be a fundamental part of any estate agent’s service to their clients! Only when agents understand what buyers think of a property can they deliver practical advice that will enhance its sale prospects. The agent and the seller should be working hand-in-hand to achieve the desired outcome, based significantly on buyers’ comments.

We also … Continue Reading…

Market report – January 2017

Whilst many of us might have understandably had quite enough of Brexit/Trump inspired news, there is one aspect of these that is extremely reassuring in respect of the UK property market! Such tumultuous news, almost daily, with so many angles and such far-reaching political, economic and social consequences, might ordinarily cause such uncertainty as to put a dampener on the property market. People and markets generally don’t like uncertainty. And we probably live in the most uncertain times in a … Continue Reading…

Open House

The keys to selling any property are price, location and exposure. You can’t change the location of your property, and the market determines the price. However, your agent can make significant inroads into how powerfully your property is exposed to the market.

One of the most effective methods is the “open house”. This is where the property is advertised as being open for anyone who wishes to view it at a certain time, usually during a weekend. Very common abroad, the … Continue Reading…