property today

A Gazette supplement Thursday, February 19, 2009

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Property team

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SALES REPRESENTATIVE:Michelle Disley 2735

TELEPHONE SALES: Darren Stacey 2748COPY PROCESSOR: Tracy McCormaic 2759

Advertising: 01253 361810Editorial: 01253 400888EDITOR :

Steve Singleton 2244

AAnn aaggeenntt’’ssvviieewwJustin Allitt, of AllittEstate Agency,answers readers’property questions

In association with Allitt Estate AgencySend your queries to Justin Allitt at 12 WoodStreet, St Annes, or email [email protected]

22 www.propertytoday.co.uknneewwssThursday, February 19, 2009propertytoday

HHoommeeoowwnneerrss iinnhhuunntt ffoorr bbaarrggaaiinnHOMEOWNERS are returning to theproperty market looking to pick up bar-gains following recent house price falls,research showed today.

The Royal Institution of CharteredSurveyors said new buyer inquiries hadnow risen for three months in a row –the first time this has happened sincethe end of 2006.

Seven out of 10 surveyors think lowerhouse prices are responsible for thegrowth in interest, while 48 per centbelieve buyers think the bottom of themarket is now in sight.

The group said that while the Halifaxand Nationwide house price indexesshowed a fall of around 20 per centsince house prices peaked in 2007, manysurveyors think the drop in transactionprices is closer to 30 per cent.

Existing homeowners are the mainsource of the increased interest, with 74

per cent of surveyors saying they aredriving the jump in enquiries, while 38per cent have seen a pick up in interestfrom investors.

But first-time buyers are continuingto be frozen out of the market aslenders demand high deposits, withonly 23 per cent of surveyors reportinga rise in interest from people takingtheir first step on to the property ladder.

There are now just three mortgagesavailable for people with a five per centdeposit, and 88 for those with a 10 percent one.

Instead people now need at least a 40per cent deposit for nearly one in fourmortgages on offer, according toMoneyfacts.co.uk.

Research from the IntermediaryMortgage Lenders Association alsoshowed that 58 per cent of first-timebuyers were unable to get a mortgage

through their broker during the finalquarter of 2008, although in half ofthese cases this was because the mostsuitable product was not availablethrough intermediaries.

The RICS research comes as propertywebsite Rightmove said asking prices inEngland and Wales jumped by 1.2 percent during the four weeks to February7, as sellers were falsely optimisticabout how much their home was worth.

But it added that interest from poten-tial buyers was booming, with inquiriesduring January more than double thoseseen a year earlier. Simon Rubinsohn,RICS chief economist, said: “Interestfrom owner occupiers is likely to persistover the comings months as those withlarge deposits look to capitalise on thedrop in house prices.

Part exchange could be the answer

QHow should I present my property in the best lightwhen trying to sell it?

The first rule of selling your property is to take your timeand prepare your home.You may not be a marketing professional, but now youmust act like one. In principle, selling a property is notvery different from selling a car. In a sense, they are bothjust goods and just as the dented car stays on the garageforecourt, so generally the tired and unloved home will failto tempt many buyers.The key to selling a property for the best possible price asquickly as possible is to make sure your property attractsthe maximum number of potential buyers. You need towork out what type of buyer your property will attract andthen you must get into the mind of that buyer. The psy-chology of selling a property and what makes one housemore attractive than the identical house next door is some-thing which every property seller needs to know.Thinking about the kind of buyer who will want to buyyour home is the first piece in the jigsaw. For a lot of sell-ers, this is easy enough. For example, a four-bedroomhouse in a safe neighbourhood, close to good schools, islikely to appeal to families with children. Your childrenmay have left home long ago, and the spare bedrooms maylook faded and neglected. Giving your property familyappeal will be the key to getting a quick sale.A small, one-bedroom flat in a neighbourhood with livelybars and restaurants and good transport links appeals toyoung professionals, who yearn for a clean, unclutteredand contemporary look. Clearing out the clutter and giv-ing the rooms a coat of crisp white paint, may be all that isrequired to give your flat that touch of urban chic. A cosytwo-bedroom country style cottage in a quiet village, sayover Wyre, will appeal to retirement couples who aredownsizing and moving to the country. Here the idea is tosuggest comfort and warmth with good quality soft fur-nishings and roaring log fires.Other properties may not be so easy to categorise but it isstill worth putting some time and effort in to second-guess-ing the likely buyer. If you know where to look there areclues all around you. For example, what kind of people areyour neighbours? Who have been the recent newcomers toyour street? Are there good schools nearby? What are thetransport links like? A nosy walk around your neighbour-hood will also yield useful information. What style of deco-ration is fashionable? Is it an up-and-coming area withplenty of builders' skips in the street that might appeal topeople who want to add value to a house?To get that fresh perspective, ask a couple of friends whofall into the category of likely buyers to give you a warts-and-all assessment of your property. Tell them they can beas honest and rude as they like because an unbiased opin-ion is what you are looking for.You could be in for a surprise. You might love yourMoroccan style kazbah of a bedroom, but a friend mighttell you that it gives them the creeps. You have lived withthe cat litter tray tucked away in the corner of the kitchen,but a friend might suggest that your house could smellfresher.

ANYBODY who has lost out on a dreamhome move because they couldn’t selltheir current property knows it can be aheartbreaking experience.

At Crossing Gates development inWesham this worry could soon be athing of the past under Bryant Homes’part exchange scheme on a range ofhomes including plot 95 – a stylish fourbedroom detached Longworth design.

With its price already reduced from£310,000 to £249,950 , the Longworthoffers house hunters plenty of luxuriousliving space. On the ground floor thereare two reception rooms, one withFrench patio doors leading onto the gar-den, a spacious kitchen, cloak room anda separate utility room. Upstairs thereare four bedrooms, two of which havefitted wardrobes and a family bath-room, plus a luxurious en-suite to themaster bedroom.

Elaine Smith, regional sales managerfor Bryant Homes, said: “The stylishLongworth home is ready to move intoimmediately, meaning someone could beenjoying life at Crossing Gates in a justa few weeks. While the current marketmeans it can be tough to get onto theproperty ladder, those with equity look-ing to move to a larger home could snapup a great deal.

“Our expert team of homes consult-ants can offer advice on the range ofschemes we have available such as ourpart exchange scheme. This is such aconvenient process and is hugely popu-lar with families who have so many

other things to worry about when mov-ing besides finding a buyer for their oldhome.

“Under the scheme Bryant Homestakes the stress out of moving by buyingyour current home at an agreed price,relieving the worry of broken propertychains and saving you the stress andexpense of finding the right buyer.

With no need to instruct estate agents,you’ll also be saving money on fees too,leaving you with spare cash to spend onyour brand new home. And of course,

with no chain to maintain, your movecan be arranged so you’re in your newhome on time and on schedule.”

Crossing Gates is a development oftwo, three and four-bedroom homes,Currently available is a collection offour bedroom detached homes pricedfrom £241,950.

For further information visit the mar-keting suite (open daily between 10amand 5.30pm), call 0845 071 8775 or logonto www.bryant.co.uk/northwest/crossinggates

STYLISH DESIGN: The Longworth four bedroom detached

Thursday, February 19, 2009 3www.propertytoday.co.uk

Thursday, February 19, 20094 www.propertytoday.co.uk

AAuuccttiioonnss ddeeffyy sslluummppMETCALF’S were established in the 1960sand during their long reign as one ofBlackpool’s most popular independent estateagents they have witnessed many ups anddowns in the property market.

Through their years of experience theyhave found that during difficult timesauction sales always come out on top.

Director, Hamze Ballout says: “In the cur-rent climate we are finding that auctions arethe way to sell property.

“Due to the credit crunch a lot of estateagents are struggling but at Metcalf’s we areas busy as always attracting a lot of clientswho are ready and willing to buy at auc-tion.”

In 2008 Metcalfs had a very successful yearselling over 50 per cent of their auction prop-erties and are now looking forward to theyear ahead.

If you are thinking of selling by auctionbut are not sure if it is the right path foryou, below are some answers to Metcalf’smost commonly asked questions:

Frequent questions about auction

● How much? Metcalf’s commission for sell-ing at auction is two per cent + VAT (mini-mum £1,500) and they have a competitiveauction entry fee of £300 + VAT.● Why auction? It offers maximum advertis-ing for your property and a quick secure saleto a buyer who has the funds available and isready to exchange.● How long? Once contracts have beensigned it takes 28 days for completion.● What happens if the property doesn’t

sell? They usually get post sale interest.However, if this isn’t the case, then there arethree options.

1. You can withdraw the property.2. You can put the property for sale on the

normal market.3. You can put it into our next auction for

half price (£150 + VAT)● How frequent are they? Metcalf’s is hold-ing seven auctions this year and they takeplace approximately every two months.● What is the first step? You would need tobook a valuation. They are free of chargeand you are under no obligation to sell yourproperty with Metcalf’s.● Can the buyer pull out of the sale? Oncethe buyer has signed the contract and paidthe 10 per cent deposit, they are committedto the sale. If they pull out for any reason,they will forfeit their deposit and could facelegal action from the seller.● Will there be a reserve on the property?Yes. However this is usually discussed near-er the auction. The property will be adver-tised with a guide price. The reserve isconfidential between Metcalf’s and theseller.

Entries are now being taken for the Marchauction so don’t miss the deadline, guaran-tee your property a place and enter beforeFebruary 13.

If you want to book a free valuation or ifyou have any further questions regardingauction, you can call Metcalf’s on 01253624047, or pop in and see them at 73 ToppingStreet, Blackpool.

There has never been a better time to con-sider auctioning your property and seeing itsold!

MILESTONE: At the opening of new premises on Topping Street last year are sales negotiator Ashley Dribben, Mayoress Ms Julia Massey, Mayor Coun Mary Smith, director Hamze Balloutand principal John Metcalf

1144 www.propertytoday.co.ukaaddvveerrttiisseerr ffooccuussThursday, February 19, 2009propertytoday

Mortgagechoicescut backTHE number of different mortgagedeals available has slumped to onlya tenth of its level before the creditcrunch first struck, figures show.

There are currently just 1,542 dif-ferent home loans available acrossthe market, compared with 15,599in July 2007, according toMoneyfacts.co.uk.

The fall in choice has been par-ticularly acute for people looking toborrow a large proportion of theirhome’s value, with the number ofdifferent deals available for peoplewith just a five per cent deposit div-ing from 1,079 in July 2007 to justthree now.

Choice is also limited for peoplewith a 10 per cent deposit, as thereare currently only 113 differentmortgages available for consumerslooking to borrow 90 per cent oftheir home’s value.

Instead the majority of lendersare demanding deposits of at least40 per cent if homeowners are tobenefit from their best rates.

The latest slide in mortgageavailability has been driven in partby lenders withdrawing theirranges of tracker products ahead oflast week’s interest rate cut.

But there have also been steepfalls in product availability for peo-ple with impaired credit historiesand so-called self-certification bor-rowers, such as the self-employed.

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HOUSE price falls have made itcheaper for first-time buyers withbig deposits to buy a home thanrent one in the majority of placesacross the UK, research showedtoday.

London and East Anglia arethe only regions of the countrywhere renting is still cheaperthan buying for people with a 25per cent deposit, according tohigh street bank Abbey.

The group said the averageprice of a typical first-time buyerproperty such as a flat or ter-raced house has fallen by 12.6 percent during the past year to aver-age £111,628.

At the same time, the Bank ofEngland Base rate has droppedfrom 5.25 per cent in Februarylast year to a record low of 1 percent, making mortgage rates forpeople with large depositsincreasingly affordable.

The research found that out-side of London and East Anglia,the average monthly rent on a

typical first-time buyer propertyis £429, while those buying a sim-ilar home with a 25 per centdeposit would pay an average of£378 a month, based on a mort-gage rate of 4.19 per cent.

The North West offered thebiggest savings to buyers overrenters, with it costing around£77 a month less to buy a proper-ty in the region than to rent asimilar one, followed by Wales,where buyers could save around£68 a month over renters.

But it is still significantlycheaper for people to rent a homerather than buy one in London,where a typical first-time buyerflat costs £275,566, giving month-ly mortgage repayments of £1,113once a 25 per cent deposit hasbeen taken into account.

First-time buyers have been hithard by the credit crunch aslenders demand increasinglyhigh deposits.

Nearly one in four mortgageesnow requires a deposit of 40 per

cent, while there are just threedifferent deals for people whohave five per cent to put downand only 88 for people with 10 percent.

However, the Abbey research isbased on the cost of one of itsown mortgages for people bor-rowing 85 per cent of theirhome’s value, with a rate of 5.84per cent used for the calcula-tions.

Using a best-buy rate of 4.74per cent, offered by ClydesdaleBank for people borrowing 90 percent of their home’s value, wouldincrease affordability levels.

Nici Audhlam-Gardiner, direc-tor of Abbey Mortgages, said:“The tide is turning in favour offirst-time buyers.

“With property prices fallingand competitive mortgage offer-ings now available, those whohave built a significant depositwill be able to reap the benefitsacross most of the country withlower monthly outgoings.’’

1166 www.propertytoday.co.uknneewwssThursday, February 19, 2009propertytoday

HOME HUNT: Buying is anincreasingly attractive option forfirst timers

HHoommee iiss ccooooll ffoorr ccaattssBy JULIA BENNETT

A PRIVATE cattery, with room for 12 to 15cats, is one of the unique features of thiscontemporary home.

Not only is each room beautifullydecorated, there are some other unusual fea-tures including a wooden summer house andhot tub.

As soon as you approach the white houseyou can see the quality on offer. The spaciousentrance hallway is fitted with a beautifuloak floor, coved ceiling and ambient featurelighting.

There is a cloakroom with contemporaryglass wash hand basin, wc, black ceramictiled floor and a coved ceiling.

Unique ambient lighting sets the scene inthe stunning lounge which boasts a beautifulcontemporary stone fireplace with blackgranite hearth housing an inset brushedstainless steel coal effect basket fire and abay window.

The breakfast kitchen is fitted with anextensive range of walnut wall and baseunits with LED plinth lighting.

There are complementary work surfacesand tiled walls, a fitted stainless steel Boschmicrowave oven and plate warmer.

There is an integral breakfast eating areaas well as plumbing for automatic washingmachine, space for dryer and dishwasher.

The L-shaped dining area is fitted withfeature lighting which makes the room per-fect for entertaining.

Also on the ground floor there is a bedroom

with walk-in wardrobe and an en-suite show-er room as well as a further room whichcould be used as a bedroom or a study. Onthe first floor where there are three otherbedrooms, one of which is fitted with an en-suite shower room.

The luxury family bathroom comprises acontemporary four piece suite including free-standing bath with feature waterfall tap, dou-ble shower cubicle, tiled floor with underfloor heating and illuminated mirror.

Outside there is block paved parking to thefront of the property with ample parking forseveral vehicles. Additional parking to theside is ideally suited for a caravan or boat.

There is an extensive garden with a widevariety of established trees, bushes andshrubs, a patio area and lawned gardens.

But the real highlights are the eight-seatedhot tub and pavilion, wooden summer houseand conservatory with oak floor.

There is also an enclosure cattery withmeasurements and standards suitable for aletting cattery.

DETAILSSummary: Stunning home with uniquefeaturesAddress: West Drive, CleveleysPrice: £399,950Agent: Entwistle Green, Victoria RoadWest, Cleveleys, (01253) 852341

1188 www.propertytoday.co.ukhhoouussee ccaallllThursday, February 19, 2009propertytoday

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2255www.propertytoday.co.uk Thursday, February 19, 2009aaddvveerrttiisseerr ffooccuuss propertytoday +

MCDONALD PropertyRentals is a privately ownedcompany who specialise in let-ting and managing residentialproperties throughout theFylde.

They are a long-establishedcompany who have built ahigh reputation based on hon-esty, providing clients a gen-uine comprehensive propertymanagement service.

With three prominentground floor offices, they areable to give a personal serviceto all their clients.

The offices are on WhitegateDrive, close to DevonshireSquare, Blackpool; BrightonAvenue, close to the tram track,in the centre of Cleveleys andLord Street, at the Copse Roadend, Fleetwood.

At McDonald PropertyRentals there are qualifiedproperty managers who liveand work in the area and who

can give an accurate rentalvaluation of your property.

If a property is not offeredat a fair current day rentalfigure, it could be let veryquickly, in which case therent may be too low.

If the asking rental is toohigh the property could takea long time to let and rentalincome could be lost.

It pays to obtain profession-al advice, free to all landlords.

McDonald Property Rentalsspend a lot of time, effort andmoney on advertising, andoffering the properties theyhave to let, and work reallyhard for their clients.

Properties are displayedwith photographs onRightMove, PropertyFinderand PropertyLive.

Details of properties withphotos are on their web pagewww.blackpoollettingagents.co.uk

It is important all prospectivetenants receive assistance tomake a move into a property aseasy as possible. That is why aMcDonald’s staff memberaccompanies all prospectivetenants on viewings.

A detailed application form isrequired to be completed,together with references andproof of identification.

A full month’s rent and abond equal to one month’s rentis required at the time of sign-ing the lease and inventory.

McDonald Property Rentalsare aware that it is importantto keep maintainance costsunder control. That is whythey obtain competitive quotesfrom qualified tradesmen, sav-ing landlords money.

The professional organisa-tion for all letting agents is theAssociation of ResidentialLetting Agents.

McDonald Property Rentals

are members and take pride intheir professional service tolandlords and tenants.

As one of the largest lettingagents on the Fylde coast they

can make bigl savings on over-heads, which is why their feesare so competitive comparedwith any other agency offeringthe same service.

Manager of Blackpool officeRosemary Dawson

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Manager of Cleveleys officeLouise Darbyshire

Manager of Fleetwood officeIan Donaldson

Thursday, February 19, 2009www.propertytoday.co.uk

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DDIIYY27

TOP TIPS FOR

... using woodfiller■ Wood filler driesquickly, which ishandy when you’rein a hurry but makesgetting it off yourfingers a pain, sowash it off straightaway or wear dispos-able gloves. You canusually sand woodfiller quite quicklyafter applying it, butleave deep repairsovernight to harden.■ If the filler hasn’thardened properlybefore you sand it,you won’t get a goodfinish, so don’t con-tinue if it seems soft.You may need tostart sanding withcoarse sandpaper,such as 40 or 60 grit,and work through tofiner sandpaper,such as 80 or 120grit.■ For repairs onthings where move-ment occurs, such aswindow and door-frames, use flexiblewood filler. Unlikemost flexible fillers,this isn’t rubbery intexture and can besanded.■ As with any filler,it’s important tostore wood fillerproperly to preventit drying out. If it’sin a tub, try pouringa little water on topof the filler, coverwith a piece of plas-tic bag and makesure the lid’s ontightly. If it’s in atube, ensure the lid’son properly at alltimes.

NEW PRODUCTSNatural paint manufacturerAURO has launched a new-looklabel that incorporates EthicalConsumer magazine’s new BestBuy logo. Ethical Consumerranks companies and their prod-ucts against a number of ethicalissues and then recommendsthe top-performing ones as bestbuys.AURO’s new labels also point tothe company’s CO2-neutralmanufacturing process, as theirfactory in Germany uses windand solar technology to reduceenergy consumption, and rain-harvested water for washingdown the machinery.CO2 emissions from transport,business trips, etc, are offsetthrough the Climate NeutralGroup, which finances renew-able energy and forestry proj-ects.AURO paints are evenbiodegradable and can be com-posted with household waste.

To find a local stockist, visitwww.auro.co.uk or phone 01452772 020.

■ If you’re starting your springclean and sort out early, Focus’snew easy-to-build shelving unitcould be just the thing for yourDIY tools and materials.Made of natural pine, the four-tier shelving unit with storagebox, which costs £21.99, can bewaxed, stained, varnished orpainted.If you’re painting it, justremember to seal the knots withknotting solution first. For yournearest store, see www.focus-diy.co.uk or call 0800 436436.

ASK THE EXPERT

QMy painted banisters arechipped in places – what’s

the best way to repair them?

ARemove any loose paintaround the chip, then give

the edges a quick sand and wipeclean. When it’s dry, apply woodfiller over the whole area, pressdown and smooth off. Once thefiller’s hard, sand carefullybecause it’s easy to accidentallysand off the paint nearby, wipeclean and paint over when dry.

SEASONAL TASKIf you have a frozen pipe, warmit gently with a hairdryer (afteropening the tap fed from thepipe).If there’s a leak, thawing thepipe slowly should enable you tosee where the leak is and somend it or get a plumber inbefore it causes too much dam-age.If in any doubt, call a plumberbefore you do anything.

Get the job donewith a little helpfrom DIY guruJulia Gray

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West Drive,Cleveleys

Kenilworth Gardens,Blackpool

AAlllliitttt ((0011225533)) 886633003300

Character and charm

FFaarrrreellll HHaayywwoorrtthh ((0011225533)) 334411000000

Many original features

££118844,,995500££223399,,995500

Crossway,Cleveleys

OOyyssttoonnss ((0011225533)) 886666000000

Recently modernised

££114455,,995500 Newton Drive,Blackpool

MMccDDoonnaalldd ((0011225533)) 339988449988

Deceptive semi detached££221144,,995500

A traditional semi detached house retaining manyoriginal features and offering character and charmthroughout. Briefly comprising; hall, lounge, diningroom with french doors to the garden, modernkitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom and wc. A drive-way leads to a garage and there is a superb maturerear garden offering a good degree of privacy.

A semi detached dormer home home boasting manyoriginal features. There is a hallway, lounge, diningkitchen, bathroom, utility room, shower room andthree bedrooms. One of the bedrooms has afitted wardrobe and another built in furnitureincorporating a bunk bed. The front garden has treesand a shared drive leading to a garage. The reargarden has a pond, decking and a summerhouse.

This recently modernised semi detached true bunga-low offers well appointed, gas centrally heated anddouble glazed accomodation comprising; hallway,lounge, kitchen diner with integrated appliances, con-servatory, two bedrooms and a bathroom. There is aflagged garden to the front with borders. The rear gar-den is also flagged with a pebbled area, trees andshrubs. A driveway leads to the garage which haspower and light.

This lovely semi detached house is truly deceptiveoffering a lounge, dining room, conservatory, kitchen,bathroom, three first floor bedrooms and a furtherbedroom in the attic. The property also benefits fromgas central heating and double glazing. The frontgarden is mostly paved with a driveway to a garage.The rear garden is over 70 feet long, mainly laid tolawn, with a patio, rockery and borders.

2288 www.propertytoday.co.ukpprrooppeerrttyy ffooccuussThursday, February 19, 2009propertytoday

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Documents

cent deposit

cent of surveyors reportinga

centsince house prices

rics research

prices inengland

lowerhouse prices

recent house price falls

firsttime buyers