Finn's Newsletter: Autumn, Issue No.11

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;">UK house prices have climbed on average by £25,000 in the past year</span>

 

House prices rose by 10.6% during August, up from 8.5% during July – bringing the average price to £264,000.*

 

This strong national increase is being fuelled by the perfect storm of high buyer demand combined with low housing stock levels.

 

The stamp duty holiday helped increase house prices in the UK by 9.8% in the year to August, before coming to a close in September.

 

Whilst growth rates were seen to be higher in Wales and Scotland, the average prices are lower at £195,000 and £181,000 respectively.

 

At the same time, London has seen the lowest level of growth across all regions but has reached a new height at £526,000 on average.

 

Even though the stamp duty holiday has finished, experts believe that prices won’t fall due to demand for homes remaining higher than supply.

 

Online property searches spike over the Christmas period, giving you an optimal window to showcase your home and attract buyers in the new year.

 

To learn your property's value and get it market-ready in time for the holidays, contact us.

 

*Office for National Statistics

 

 

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;">What are your house guests most interested by?</span>

 

Through the use of eye-tracking technology, new research has shed light on the key factors that guests will notice the most when visiting our homes.*

 

As could be expected, an office space is one of the most eye-catching areas of a property, which makes sense considering the rise in working from home in the last 18 months.

  

Top 10 areas that guests find most eye-catching

 

- Office chairs

- Kitchen floors

- Child’s cot

- Throws on a bed

- Kitchen cabinets

- Bathroom mirror

- Drawers under the sink

- Home office computer

- Child’s bookcase

- Bedroom chest of drawers

 

After the home office space, kitchens were the next room to draw attention from guests, with the choice of flooring attracting 100 more views than for the cabinets or sink.

 

Whilst it still remains essential to present your cooking area in the best light during any property viewings, the findings actually showed that hobs and extractor fans were the least interesting spots in the kitchen.

 

Are you ready to consider your next property sale or purchase? Talk to us about your home's core unique selling points.

 

*Confused.com

 

 

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;">Transform your bedroom with these headboard ideas</span>

 

Are you looking for effective and inexpensive ways to transform your bedroom?

 

Over the last year, a lot of thought has been given to our 'working from home' and garden zones, but with the change in weather and Christmas holidays not far off, have you considered making your bedroom cosier for the long nights and dark mornings ahead?

 

Having the right design in your bedroom can instantly lift your mood when waking up to dark skies.

 

According to interior designers, one key focal point you should pay heed to is the headboard, which has the potential to alter your room's energy.

 

Here are some stunning headboard ideas to inspire you:

 

Camouflaged painted headboard

 

Blending your headboard into your walls is a unique idea, using materials like chalk paint to produce a satisfying back drop.

 

Rustic asymmetric headboard

 

For a striking choice, you could opt for an asymmetric pattern ingrained into the wood.

 

Combined with soft furnishings, this will create a homey feel and really draw the eye against a plain white wall.

 

Wavy headboard

 

If you like thinking outside of the box, why not experiment with shapes?

 

A wavy design above your bed will create an interesting layer to the room, especially effective with a bold colour choice.

 

Tiled headboard

 

If you want something more vintage, tiled headboards can truly give personality to your bedroom.

 

Curious to see what properties we have for sale or let in your area? Visit our website.

 

 

<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica;">The paint colours that could decrease the value of your home</span>

 

Smartening up a room is a great idea to attract prospective buyers, but certain paint colours could put a negative effect on the value of your home, potentially decreasing its value.

 

The use of trendy colours can date a property and be costly to update. So, what are the key colours that experts would suggest avoiding?

 

Dark brown

 

Darker paints can produce a bold and rich feeling, however, when this comes into contact with wooden furniture, there's the possibility that this will create an odd and jarring look for the room.

 

Citrus green

 

Whilst a bold contrast might suit your own tastes, there's a high chance that viewers will struggle to visualise the space as their own.

 

Bright yellow 

 

Despite its positive connotations, overuse of yellow can be overwhelming, especially where used heavily in a small space.

 

Bold black

 

This colour often comes across as daring, dramatic, and striking.

 

While it can lift a wall in an instant, research suggests it can make a front door appear uninviting.

 

Instead, a medium to dark grey with a white trim would give the same powerful impact without being overpowering.

 

Have you had a recent valuation of your home? If you've recently renovated, you could see high returns from your home, contact us today.