Although Spring is still a little while away and those longer, lighter days of summer breeze are even further in the future it's not to say you can’t start giving your home a good spring clean now and get ahead of the seasons. It can be a therapeutic experience and often quite necessary with Christmas not that far behind us.

Not only will your home benefit from an overall clean and tidy, there are a few other areas of the home you can look at at this time of year.

Initial Inspection

Give your home a good overall inspection. When you find anything that needs attention take a picture of it or make a note. Then you can create a list of priorities. This is the first step to sorting whatever you find!

Check your caulking

One place to start is to check out your bathroom caulking. During the steamy windows of wintry months, this often suffers and the cold winter weather outside means that you have perhaps not opened the windows quite as often as usual.

Windows

Give your windows a good clean. Although you may want to employ a window cleaner to do the outside, it's a good time to employ your own elbow grease and thoroughly tackle the inside.

Gutters

After the windy assaults of winter, it’s always a good idea to check your guttering. If it's broken or blocked, when it rains again it can cause more damage which could lead to expensive repairs.

Roof

Checking your roof is important; a few slate tiles may have become loose or perhaps have blown away. You could use a camera or binoculars to look at the highest points.

Garden

It might be a bit early to get fully immersed in your garden. However, you can certainly have a tidy-up and start planting a few bulbs for the summer. Why not check the patio for weeds or cracks that may have appeared from the ice?

Wood

If there are a couple of clear days, and you have the time, consider resealing your decking or fences, as well as the shed or gates.

Concrete and pointing

Any concrete, pointing, tarmac or hard surfaces that may have cracked over the winter or simply become cluttered up with moss or dirt could be cleaned. This will brighten up the appearance of your home and make it feel a bit more spring-like.

The result

Whether you are staying put, selling, thinking of moving or if you have plans to develop your property in the coming months getting ahead of the spring clean will help make your home an attractive place to live or buy.  

Thinking of moving? Call us today for a valuation to see how we can help.

Now that the property market is stabilising and weathering the stormy waters of last year, we take a look at some predictions and influences of the year ahead.

Don’t wait and see!

With all the tumultuousness of last year, it’s easy to sit on the fence. With interest rates stabilising, the long-term view looks good. While it’s tempting to delay and procrastinate, there’s no time like the present and likely no harm in getting a free, no-obligation market valuation from a local estate agent.

Slow but steady

It’s no secret that the property market has slowed down a little, but with any slowness comes stability. Many analysts suggest that the property market is now more where it should be as interest rates had previously been very low and perhaps prices increased too quickly. With less volatility, planning is easier.

Less Carbon Legislation

In 2022, legislation required all new homes to produce 30% less carbon. With the cost of energy remaining a challenge, more energy-efficient homes with efficient appliances, better insulation and building materials mean new builds are raising the standards for all homeowners. As a result, home movers and developers are dialling into the importance of meeting these greater energy efficiency expectations.

Green mortgages

Some banks are now offering better interest rate deals for more energy-efficient homes. Reducing the cost of your energy bills could lead to a cheaper mortgage. Combine this with adding value to your property and in some instances, cash-back offers for greener homes from banks, going green could be a good option.

Embrace technology

Making your property as compatible as possible with the tech we use daily is becoming desirable. USB sockets, automatic and efficient lighting, superfast broadband, modern appliances and homes which offer an efficient and effective space to work from home are trends showing no sign of waning. So if you’ve been thinking about updating elements of your home you may want to consider new technologies at the same time. 

Building blocks

With a shortage of building materials and labour, property development is generally moving at a slower pace. Whether a new build or refurbishment, it may take a little longer.

Outlook

The outlook is very positive in many ways for 2023. Demand for rental properties will remain extremely high, buyers and sellers are still looking and mortgage deals for first-time buyers remain good with many lenders offering 5% deposit deals until the end of this year.

Looking for a new home which combines beauty and efficiency seamlessly? Browse our properties.