The latest news from Wood & Pilcher

Welcome to our June newsletter - first and foremost we hope that all of our customers are staying safe in the current climate.

In this month's newsletter, we have put together some useful insights into the local and national market, as well as shining a light on what we can do for you. We have also offered some top tips as the temperature rise on how to keep your home cool.

Sell Your House, Step By Step

Are you looking to sell? Sometimes it’s hard knowing where exactly to start. Our step by step guide might look like a lot of information but it can really be a good reference point to help you during this process.

1. Work on your finances
With our mortgage valuation tool you can get an estimate of your property's worth.

2. Get an energy performance certificate
You will need one to provide to potential buyers.

3. Decide how much
Get to know your local market as this will help you decide on a price and what you can afford when looking for your next property.

4. Get a conveyancing solicitor
They handle the legal work.

Get an overview of how much conveyancing costs.

5. Fill out your paperwork
There is going to be a lot of it!

6. Accept an offer!
Congratulations, the estate agents legally must now pass all offers over to you.

Once you’re happy with the offer, formally accept.

7. Work on your draft contract
You and the buyer will have to negotiate-
• The length of time between exchange and completion.
• What fixtures and fittings will be including, and if they have a cost attached?
• Any survey discounts.

8. Contracts get exchanged
This is the process when you become legally committed to selling your property, and they become legally committed to buying from you.

When you sell the house, you are responsible for maintaining the property until the sale is fully complete.

9. Move out
It is less stressful to move out before the day of completion if possible.

Completion is when the property changes ownership. Once the keys have been handed over.

10. Pay of your mortgage

The mortgage company will have given you and the solicitor and outstanding amount for the day of completion.

Now the buyer has transferred the money that will essentially pay off the mortgage for you.

11. Settle with everyone
Once completion has been finalised, your conveyance solicitor will send you an overview covering all their costs, as well as outing the sale price.

If you’re buying and selling at the time, you can settle for both transactions at the same time.

There can sometimes be a small discrepancy and you may even get a little refund.

How To Minimise Deposit Disputes

When tenancies come to an end, there are sometimes disagreements between the tenant and the landlord regarding the deposit. If your deposit was paid after 6th April 2007 then it will be protected by the landlord in a secure scheme and won’t be able to be touched until the end of the agreement.

Deposit deductions are historically proven to cause friction. 20% of tenants who lost some of their deposit feel it was unreasonable. A huge 30% of tenancies end with some amount deducted from their deposit, out of which 13% lost the entire amount.

Some common reasons for deductions:

• Rent that hasn’t been paid
• Any bills that haven’t been settled
• Stolen or misplaced belongings
• Any direct damage to the property or its contents
• Lack of maintenance.

Of course, this is subjective to each individual contract, but honesty is the best policy. If you have broken something, it is always the better option to just be open about it. Inform your landlord and in most cases, they will understand and organise it to be taken care of.

Be thankful for your inventory report! Having your inventory report during the process of sorting out your deposit will make everyone’s life so much easier. You will have two inventory checks during your tenancy, one at the beginning and one before you move out. The report is a thoroughly detailed list that states the condition and contents of the property. Once the two checks have been completed, then it is very easy to see if there are any changes that need to be accounted for. This document will either cover your back or it will be used to prove you in fact did misplace or break something. Either way, necessary for both parties.

Welcome to Wood & Pilcher - Heathfield!

Welcome to Wood & Pilcher - Heathfield!

With over 60 years combined Estate Agency experience our Heathfield Branch are extremely well placed to provide a professional and comprehensive service to Clients and customers alike.

Our team is made up of the Business Partner -Ryan Eckhardt, Sales Manager – Mike Watkinson, Senior Negotiator – Josh Johnston, Negotiator – Melissa Marsh, Administrator Lisa Sharpington and weekender Paul Wiley.

All our staff either do, or have lived locally and have an excellent knowledge of the area.

Our Heathfield office work hand in hand with our other offices in Crowborough, Tunbridge Wells, Southborough and Tonbridge and are all fully linked using the latest Estate Agency Software and Technology.

Whether you are looking to sell your home, buy or rent an alternative property, we would be delighted to hear from you.

01435 862211 – Heathfield Office

Is Your Home as Good as it can be?

As part of the valuation process, agents should seek to provide details of properties similar to your own: either still available for viewing, or equally currently under offer. This approach will – broadly – show the many choices that your viewer has. It’s a logical progression that vendors should be always asking themselves will their house be offered at both the correct price and appropriate condition for it to stand out accordingly?

As Easter and a Spring market (thankfully!) approaches, all vendors will be well served to look at their properties afresh. Not as the owner of many years but instead as a buyer would consider the property.

People talk about kerb appeal and first impressions – does your home impress? Are the front gardens and driveway well maintained, grass under control and shrubs suitability pruned? Passing into the property, has a spring clean taken place? Is the property aired? Are the carpets cleaned (if necessary) and has there been an intelligent de-cluttering process going on to show new buyers that the house is perfectly big enough for them to live in?

Obviously, one can think of many improvements that can be made to one’s house and in this competitive world where people are seeking to sell quickly and for good prices, can you genuinely say your property is offered at its best and justify the appropriate asking figure? If you can’t do this then why would you expect a viewer to become a buyer?

On a personal level, we tried to sell a property some 5 years ago at a certain price with little interest. In truth, the colour scheme was terribly dated, and we needed to make changes. We spent a month visiting the property after work and painting the dramatically coloured walls a far more sober, simple, white. On re-marketing not only did the property go under offer very quickly but also at a figure some £20,000 higher that it had originally been on the market for.

For this month, our advice is to take a fresh look at your home. Is it as good as it can be? Are there affordable fixes that could be undertaken? If you go to the market once you have thought this through and seek to remedy any potential problems, experience tells us that you will not only sell quicker but also at a far more attractive price than you would have achieved without due consideration. Dust down those plantation shutters, open the windows,let some light in and take a cold, hard look at your home!.

Welcome to Heathfield!

Welcome to Wood & Pilcher - Heathfield!

With over 60 years combined Estate Agency experience our Heathfield Branch are extremely well placed to provide a professional and comprehensive service to Clients and customers alike.

All our staff either do, or have lived locally and have an excellent knowledge of the area.

Whether you are looking to sell your home, buy or rent an alternative property, we would be delighted to hear from you. 01435 862211 – Heathfield Office

The Comedy Club

The Comedy Club As Seen On TV is one of the most recognised and respected names in the comedy Industry and over 24 years has worked across the UK and Abroad with the best of the best.

Click here to read The Comedy Club.

Prosecco Cream Tea

Alongside your scone, jam and cream, you'll receive a mini bottle of chilled prosecco to enjoy and an additional lemon & orange shortbread. You'll also receive a voucher for a free hot drink.

Click here to read Prosecco Cream Tea.

After Hours Networking

Join us at the Discovery Park for our popular networking event. The informal atmosphere and relaxed environment is the ideal place to make connections.

Click here to read After Hours Networking.

Local Pressure-Washing Service

Thinking of moving, want to freshen up your property before photography is booked and viewings start?

Have a look at what we can do for you...

Our Review Of The Property Market

Take a read of our magazine that looks at property market trends both nationally, and closer to home.

Click here to read Our Review Of The Property Market.

Residential Sales, Lettings, Land & New Homes Brochure

Please browse through our latest brochure which demonstrates our latest offerings and services.

Click here to read Residential Sales, Lettings, Land & New Homes Brochure.

How To Keep Your Home Cool This Summer

Most of us spend the colder months of the year dreaming about the summer, but it can be easy to forget how inhospitable the heat can make your home.

Ensure you have all the fun in the sun with none of the discomfort with our guide to keeping your home cool this summer.

Use your windows and curtains
It’s a shame to shut all that natural light out of your house, but unfortunately it comes with a good deal of heat. Closing all your curtains or following the sun’s progression across your house will seriously lower the temperature.

However, as soon as the sun has gone down, we would recommend throwing open the curtains and windows so that you can let in as much of that cool evening air as possible.

Build a makeshift air con
Can’t afford the electric bill and initial cost of an air conditioning unit? You can create your own air con by placing ice/frozen ice packs in a washing up bowl. You can then place it at an angle in front of a regular fan, which will circulate cold air around the room.

Switch off the electrical appliances
Every single one of your appliances gives off heat whilst they are on. During the hottest hours of the day you should avoid using washing machines, dishwashers, hobs and ovens. Lighting should also be avoided when the sun goes down.

Drink plenty of water and eat cold
Staying hydrated and eating cold food like salad will help you to keep your body temperature down and avoids using any heat generating appliances.

Sleep on the lower floor
Have you ever headed upstairs when its sunny, only to find that the upper floors are far warmer than the lower floor? This is because heat always rises to the highest possible point. If you are struggling to sleep, ditch the sweltering upper floor and sleep downstairs – either on your couch or your airbed.

Insulate
You probably see a lot of advice articles recommending insulation for keeping your home warm in the summer, but did you know that it also keeps the heat out in the summer? If you don’t already have insulation in your home, it will practically pay for itself in the money saved on energy bills.