We have been undertaking a full risk assessmentof all areas of our Business, this is being managed in an extremely safe and professionally wayto ensure that safety is at the forefront of everything we do.
The Government have recently announced full guidelines and advice around all areas of moving home, which you can read here in full https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak, however below is the top-line advice which we think covers the most important areas.
Viewings
We recommend that people do their initial search online, we use all the key portals including featured properties on Rightmove to ensure the best chance of being seen.
Selling your home
The Government has advised that you can now sell your home
Getting your property ready for selling:-
At David Phillip Estate Agents we want to ensure that we work in the most professional way for buyers and sellers, if you are unsure of any of the guidelines or have any further questions, then please call David Phillip for an informal chat on 01134 676 400
#Covid-19 #bramhope #adel #cookridge #otley #poolinwharfedale #rightmove #zoopla #onthemarket #3Dvirtualtours #videos #safe #local #trusted
The department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have created a digital toolkit which includes lots of ways you can still get involved in marking the anniversary. It contains educational resource, a guide for planning an ‘at home’ tea party, recipes, bunting and fun activities – the tool kit is available on www.ve-vjday75.gov.uk/get-involved. The English Heritage and the Royal British Legion are also creating tool kits too.
In Leeds, using resources from these toolkits, the Council have been linking up with Care Homes, schools and nurseries to encourage people to celebrate VE Day wherever they may be.
At David Phillip Estate Agents, we think this is a brilliant idea, encouraging families in Leeds to celebrate this day from the comfort and safety of homes. This initiative gives people something positive to do together as a family whilst fighting a different battle with Covid-19 - thank you Leeds City Council
Before you start
The night before your big spring clean gather all your supplies in a bucket, include any cleaning products, rubber gloves, bin liners, baking powder and white wine vinegar plus your most upbeat CD’s to keep you motivated.
Plan your meals for the day, have a healthy breakfast, throw something in the slow cooker or choose a takeaway, there are places still delivering and takeaways are a treat when you are unable to go out to a restaurant! – whatever meal you plan, you won’t want to be cooking at the end of your mammoth cleaning day – keep some snacks on hand too and put a nice chilled bottle of wine in the fridge to enjoy afterwards!
Start with an empty dishwasher, washer and dryer. Before you start on each individual room collect blankets, throws rugs and pillows and put them in the washing machine
Clean light fixtures and window blinds – spray windows with a glass cleaner and spray and wipe all the mirrors too.
The Bathroom
So you are ready to start on the first room – the bathroom.
Descale taps and chrome fittings, especially if you are in an area that has hard water, not only will limescale make the fittings look awful, but by leaving this you are much more likely to have leaks and need to replace fittings too. If you leave limescale for a long time then it can become really difficult to remove – white wine vinegar is great for descaling – use a toothbrush for any tricky areas.
Next it is the bath – use a microfiber sponge to rub your cleaning products into the bath and shower - leave for about 30 mins before you rinse away
Grouting is there to stop the walls and floors getting wet, use baking soda and hot (not boiling water),dip in a toothbrush and scrub away!
Use natural products rather than chemical ones for the essential cleaning of the toilet – again baking powder and white wine vinegar is a natural thing to use - leave for 15 mins, scrub and flush – also change your toilet brush at this time and pour a few drops of essential oil into the holder – put essential oils in the bathroom bin too so that it stays fresh, but this can also be used as an antiseptic – always ventilate your bathroom well after cleaning.
Hair, beauty products and toothpaste can bung up the bath, shower and sink, again white wine vinegar and soda poured down the plughole can help – leave it for 30 mins before washing away with water.
Descale the shower head – fill a small sandwich bag with white wine vinegar, for best results leave overnight, you can wash a shower curtain on a gentle cycle in the washing machine.
If you have children, wash plastic toys in the dishwasher, but remember to remove any batteries first.
Don’t forget your makeup bag – if you haven’t used a product for a while then throw it out, the only exception is seasonal items – wash makeup brushes with shampoo ( I saw a video last week – these can be washed in a cooking sieve – really easy!).
The kitchen
Next onto the kitchen – oven cleaning is time intensive, but by putting bi-carbonate of soda into a water spray, this will give you your own handy oven cleaning solution (avoid the heating elements) – leave this overnight and wipe clean the next day (ok this bit takes you over the spring clean in one day!) spraying with vinegar to remove any remains – if you don’t fancy getting stuck into the oven then a professional cleaner may help with this one to save you time too.
Get your fridge sparking clean - stains, food matter and water can build up – again a toothbrush and toothpaste are great at removing – the chemicals found in toothpaste will help to remove stains easily. Clean your fridge on the day before you do your main shop
To get rid of any fridge odours, cut a lemon in half placing one half at the top and one on the bottom shelf – this will absorb any odours and leave your fridge smelling fresh – lemon also de-odourises microwaves too – just add to a cup of water and heat slowly.
The Bedroom
Revamp your wardrobe – separate your clothes into seasons, try on your outfits, do they still fit, if the answer is no, then get rid of by donating to charity or selling on e-bay.
For the clothes you want to keep, bag up if they are out if season and store somewhere .
A golden rule for clothes – trash, give-away, store or put away for use
Bedsheets can be cleansed by using bicarbonate of soda (which can also be used for cleaning the mattress – leave for 8 hours vacum up any excess powder and your mattress will be as good as new)and wine vinegar as this can help breathe life back into them and help get rid of any lingering odours – make sure you rinse thoroughly afterwards though too, to get rid of the vinegar smell before using.
Deep clean your carpet, you’ll be surprised how much dirt, hair and dust can accumulate – remember to clean your vacuum cleaner beforehand.
Some final tips
Don’t use the same cloth around the house as this will hang onto grime from the previous surface – bathroom germs on kitchen counters is a definite NO
Feather dusters are notorious for spreading dust
Change your vacuum cleaner filter before your big spring clean
Clean a room from the top down
Don’t spray cleaner directly onto furniture as this can cause a build-up leading to greasy furniture and surfaces
Clean the washing machine - skin cells and dust mites can linger in the machine drum meaning that washing is being done in dirty water .
Don’t worry if you are selling your home and not fully decluttered
So your home should now be spic and span and decluttered – if you are looking to sell your home, don’t worry if you haven’t totally decluttered every room as at David Phillip Estate Agents in Bramhope, North Leeds we have some clever photographic techniques to do this for you and enhance the look of your property.
FREE VIRTUAL VALUATION
So once you have undertaken your spring clean in one day, that gives you time to take a look of the 3D virtual tours of our properties whilst on lockdown from the safety and comfort of your sofa or if you are looking to sell your home, book a free virtual valuation t: 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk e: info@davidphillip.co.uk
For the buyer, it saves time and effort trawling around lots of properties, which potentially, do not suit their requirements. Properties can be viewed 24/7 from the comfort of a sofa and on whichever device they choose to use
For the seller, their home is always staged show-home ready which saves cleaning and tidying the property before every viewing. If someone views the property online and then asks for a ‘physical’ viewing it shows a genuine interest for the property.
After covid-19, we think that vendors may still be cautious about people entering their home, so at David Phillip Estatre Agents we are taking 3D virtual tour concept to the next level - accompanied 3D virtual tours, which means we will do the 3d walk around with you.
So how does this work? – interested buyers will make an appointment to view the property at a convenient time, just as if making an appointment for a ‘physical’ viewing.
At the time of the appointment, both the viewer and a representative from David Phillip Estate Agents will join the tour via laptop or desktop – we will be in Bramhope, but the viewer can view from wherever in the world they are – we have had people buy our properties with the first viewing been as far away as Malaysia, but we have also sold to someone who viewed from Liverpool – all via 3D virtual tours.
The whole viewing process is really interactive and immersive – the agent has the opportunity to point out all the special features of the property that someone viewing virtually unaccompanied might not notice – the viewer can also take control of the viewing if they choose to do so.
As well as showcasing the property and the garden, we can also show the viewer the dolls-house floorplan and play the local area video – people may be looking to buy a home, but the area is just as important too! – take a look at the area video of Bramhope
If the viewer is interested in a ‘physical’ viewing – we know at this point there is a genuine interest in the property and a viewing appointment will be made.
So after Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, if you are looking to sell your home, choose an agent that has taken 3D virtual tours to the next level (and not just out of necessity!) – choose an agent that does accompanied 3D virtual tourscall David Phillip Estate Agents on 01134 676 400
David Phillip has over 30 years’ experience, valuing and selling properties in North and West Yorkshire, he has valued and sold hundreds of properties during this time. At our Estate Agency office in Bramhope, Leeds, we have access to many different data sources, which, when combined with David’s Market knowledge enables us to reach an initial valuation of your property.
So what do you need to do? Simply call 01134 676 400, and we will talk you through the process – all you need to do is answer some straightforward questions about the property, video it from a phone and then we will arrange a call to talk through the details and what sort of price you can realistically expect.
We use the review site Allagents where we have 5 star reviews, but we have also been given 100% for accuracy of property valuations
After the Government restrictions are lifted, we will then then arrange an appointment for a ‘physical’ market appraisal to confirm the expected value – videos are an amazing tool but it is always good to see the house in person!
So if you want to start the selling process today, please just give us a call – this is a free service, as are our market Market appraisals too!
The Government have sought to ease the process for all involved by:-
If your home is not yet on the market, but you are intending to move, there should be no visitors to your home, however a reputable Estate agent will be able to provide you with advice about the local property market and things that you need to get in order as part of the sales process.
if your home is already on the market, you should not be inviting visitors into your home, so talk to your agent about 3D virtual tours – this means that potential buyers can view from the comfort and safety of their own home 24/7. Take a look at the property on the Sycamores in Bramhope – the 3D virtual tour allows you to do a viewing just as you would do in person
Because people are only allowed to leave their home for essential reasons, you may be looking to move but aren’t sure about the local area – local area videos filmed in the summer show you the local areas but also the communities which will become active again after the Coronavirus has lifted
As well as the area and house, potential buyers will want to see the size and layout of the garden – site maps enable buyers to see all aspects of the home, the garden, the drive, the summerhouse - not just the house.
The buying and selling process can continue, although it may take a little longer – all Estate Agents should be working with their clients to ensure the property sale moves forward but should be mindful to those showing symptoms
Conveyancers should continue to support the sale and make every effort to help clients through to completion
Removal companies should honour existing commitments, and the government advice is that work carried out in people’s homes can continue, provided the tradesperson is well and shows no symptoms of Covid- 19
When we set up our business at the end of 2018, our cloud based technology means that everything can be worked remotely without having any impact on the customer experience and the progress of the sale whilst on lockdown.
So if you are thinking about selling your home, choose an agent that uses 3D virtual tours, area videos, site maps and all the property portals – call David Phillip Estate Agents for advice and to book a free market appraisal once Lockdown has been lifted t: 01134 676 400, w:davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope.
To take a look at the 3D virtual tour of the property on the Sycamores in Bramhope
On a normal day I would take an hour to get ready for work and then drive from Beckwithshaw to Bramhope, usually feeling wound up as I got to the office because of traffic queues on the way or a ‘particular’ tractor that if you were behind would be for most of the journey.
I still get up at the same time, but in that first 90 mins (time saved having to get ‘full face and hair ready’), David and I now go for a walk along the drive of Moor Park, the daffodils look lovely and the birds are singing – this is nearly 5,000 steps – I often take pics to post on my social media – I think it is nice to see pics of nature and flowers.
We return home and I ring my Mum, Friends and Trudy our Associate Director who is currently not in work, but is using the time to study for her exams – it’s important to talk to people throughout the day, so I have a few calls planned with suppliers or potential new people we can outsource things to or improve our technology.
When we set up David Phillip Estate Agents, everything was set up to be ‘cloud based’, so simply moving the office from Bramhope to home was really easy – the Customer Experience is exactly the same, although at the moment there are not as many valuations coming through or phone calls – we are adapting to this though and this week we will launch ‘virtual valuations’ – the technology is almost ready to go and because we are affiliated with lots of property pricing databases this is something that is easy for us to do – David has also been selling houses in North and West Yorkshire for over 30 years, so he is probably one of the best in the business at providing accurate valuations.
This morning I have had a long chat with our account Manager from Zoopla, it is really good to know that they are receptive to the current situation, and even though we are going to complete on fewer properties this month, our costs are reduced.
I’ve received an e-mail from someone interested in a property we are marketing in Otley, she lives in Doncaster but has already viewed the property via our 3D virtual tour, and likes it enough to want to view it when the restrictions are lifted – anything virtual really works for us at the moment, and our clients are really impressed. This property in Otley has already been viewed nearly 1,600 times on Rightmove – we know this because we are really keen on checking our data – last month we were the agent in the Number 1 position for the most average views per property per day on Rightmove in our area, which is fantastic as we have only been in business for just over a year.
The time away from the office has given me the opportunity to be creative and innovative and provided me with time to be strategic. I have a call arranged soon with our Virtual tour provider – in an e-mail he has told me “this solution doesn’t exist anywhere globally – so this would be a world first” - this I am interested in! – At David Phillip Estate Agents we like to be ahead of the game.
Now that I have finished my blog, I will do some more posts on Social media, it’s great that our audience is growing – and then start work on my VAT return!.
So one week into lockdown, what have I learnt – after the initial panic of the market pause (so annoying as we had taken instruction for 5 properties only the week before), I am finding that I have structure in my day which is key, I am able to spend more time talking to family and friends and enjoying being outside in the fresh air. This ’pause’ also gives me time to be creative, innovative and to make plans for the future. Horizon scanning is key to me to ensure we are ahead with technology and the direction of the business, so this has given me time to do research. Trudy is studying for her exams which is great for our business, and everything seems a little calmer.
I try not to watch the news so much, but every time I do, I feel thankful for the NHS and although we are on ’pause’, it is nothing like what our nurses, doctors and other key workers (including my niece) are doing.
This time of lockdown has given people more time at home, spending time with their families and assessing what is really important - I do know that during this time, people may be thinking of looking for a new home, so once the restrictions are listed David Phillip Estate Agents will be in an even stronger place, and if anyone wants a chat about property or houses in general, please just call on 01132 676 400 – hopefully we will be back in our office in Bramhope son too. W:davidphillip.co.uk
Trudy our Associate Director is working from home today, but with access through the Jupix Customer Relationship portal to all our appointments, vendors and buyers. The phones are diverted straight through to her mobile phone, and she is using Face Time – the Customer Experience is no different to that of calling the office.
Our meeting this afternoon will be virtual – we really don’t need to be sat around a table, as every member of the team has access to all the relevant data required.
At David Phillip Estate Agents, if we were unfortunate to be on the receiving end of Coronavirus, we know that neither our Customer Expectations or the welfare of our employees will be compromised, and people are still looking to sell their homes.
So if you are looking for an agent that markets your property 24/7, and can be accessible from the comfort of an armchair without hand santisers or face masks call David Phillip Estate Agents on 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were introduced in 2007 to give buyers a better understanding of the energy efficiency of a property they may wish to buy. The EPC is a legal requirement if you are selling or renting a property and are valid for 10 years from date of issue.
An EPC document includes an assessment of the current energy performance and estimated energy costs of the property as well as its potential future energy efficiency, if you were to implement the recommendations in the report.
1.The EPC rating graphic
The ratings graphic shows how efficient your property is on a scale from A (very energy efficient to G (not very efficient). The higher the rating, the lower your potential energy costs will be.
Each letter is also assigned to a group of numbers (from 1 to 100). The higher up the scale, the better the property's efficiency. The first of two arrows shows the propertys current rating, whilst the second highlights the property’s potential rating if more energy-efficient features were to be installed.
The average EPC rating for a home in the UK is D.
The report goes on to details the changes you could make to improve the energy efficiency of the property, as well as detailing the estimated costs and potential savings you could make.
Who needs an EPC?
Sellers : It's a legal requirement to have an EPC for your home, before you sell it. You can arrange it through your Estate Agent, or directly with an EPC provider. The EPC register lists approved providers: https://www.epcregister.com/
Buyers. You should receive a copy of the EPC from the seller. Which you can use to plan energy efficiency improvements to the property or to negotiate the property price you pay.
Landlords. It is a legal requirement for buy-to-let properties to have an energy efficiency rating of E or above, before you can take on a new tenant or renew an existing contract. Later this year the rule will apply to existing tenancy agreements too.
Tenants. You should receive a copy of the EPC for the property you are renting. It will help you plan and budget for energy costs.
How can you improve the energy efficiency of your home?
If you want to add value to your home, and make it a better place to live upgrading your bathroom can bring surprising benefits. One of the most important rooms in a house, it's a place where you can relax and unwind after a hard day. As well as get ready before going out or calling it a night.
By increasing the value of your property, a revamped bathroom can help differentiate your property, if you decide to sell, and help you realise a better selling price. It can also help you build more equity in your property enabling you to re-mortgage or raise finance from the equity in your home.
To get the maximum increase in value, consider the following:
If you need any advice about renovating a bathroom to add value to your home, contact us today.
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