Tag: buying & selling
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How Much Do Outstanding Schools Add to House Prices?
Once upon a time, in search of a better life for their children, the people of Britain would pack up and move across the ocean – perhaps to America, or Australia – where they’d find their fortune, usually at the expense of people who already lived there. Now it’s a bit different. Now, the middle…
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What is Artex, and What Should You Do About It?
Artex ceilings are everywhere. Of all the things we’ve inherited from the 1970s – disco, prawn cocktails, dysfunctional railway administration – Artex might be the most enduring. Across the UK, you’ll find Artex, clinging to the ceilings like Gollum. Happy. Undisturbed. But now, as another generation (i.e. my one) has started to buy houses, we’ve been…
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The Truth About Spray Foam Insulation
Spray foam insulation continues to be a hot topic. With a history of dodgy installations, and stories of mortgage woe, it’s fast becoming the bogeyman of the eco revolution. The House of Commons library has even written a paper about it. But as an interested (and quite cynical) reader, I’ve found it quite difficult to…
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How Fast Do Houses Sell? (Using Real Data for the UK)
On average, it takes 59 days to find a buyer in the UK. This is followed by 98 days average during conveyancing, plus 14 days between exchange and completion, giving 171 days (or around 6 months) in total. But it varies. A lot. By region. By house type. By other things. I’ll explain how. I’ve…
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Can You Advertise Directly on Rightmove?
No, you can’t advertise directly on Rightmove. Although, in a way, you sort of can. There’s a kind of loophole. Let me explain. Who can advertise on Rightmove? In order to advertise on Rightmove, you need to be an estate agent. Agents pay a fee to Rightmove, in order to show their listings. This is…
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Best School Finder Tool for the UK
So you’re moving house to be near a good school, are you? Clever. Best crack out the spreadsheet and start banging in Ofsted data. Or, actually, don’t. You see, all the really clever parents have outsourced the data entry. They’ve turned the country into a blinking mass of targets (schools) and they’ve locked on with…
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How Do You Find a School Catchment Area?
Moving house often means the kids move schools. But it can be a minefield. Only instead of mines, the danger lies in two words from Ofsted: ‘needs improvement’. Of course, you can pay for private education , if you can afford it. But the canny solution, as any parent knows, is to move near a…
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Are Online Estate Agents Worth It?
In 2023, I used an online estate agent to sell a house, and for me: yes, using an online estate agent was definitely worth it. However, it’s not for everyone. It can be more work, and less reliable. But it can save you thousands in fees. What are online estate agents, and how do they…
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Quick Property Sales: Are They Worth it and How Do They Work?
Quick house sales are an option if you want to want to sell your property fast, in exchange for accepting lower than market value. How much do quick home buyers pay? Usually it’s 75%-85% of the value of your property. It varies between firms, and you should obviously read the small print to make sure…
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EPC Guide: How to find, use & renew your Energy Performance Certificate
EPCs are a requirement for properties in the UK, and you’ll need one to move house. They’re also actually quite useful. Find our how to read an EPC, find your existing one, and apply for a new one. What is an EPC? EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. It gives a property a score from…
