…. and the benefits to the sellers

• 0% seller fees – there are no fees to sell your house through Mybid4it
• Achieve market value – competitive bidding will ensure you receive the best possible price for your property
• An undisclosed reserve price – this is set separately to your marketing  price so you will reach a value you are happy with for the property to sell for
• Funds received quickly – buyer deadline 42 days to complete
• Reduced fall through rates – buyers will have undertaken more extensive  property checks and committed to a non –refundable reservation fee.

Lesa Brown, Director at David Phillip Estate Agents said “our absolute belief is that people sell houses but this is enabled by the best technology and modern sales techniques , so working with Charlie Lancaster at myBid4it provides our clients with the opportunity to sell through a modern auction.

We have a very clearly defined brand, and mybid4it can only enhance this with its first class Customer Experience, and product offering – we are pleased to be the first Estate Agent in Leeds to be able to work with this forward thinking company”

So.. if you would like more information around this new way of selling your home via a modern auction then please give us a call and we can talk you through the whole process t: 01134 676 400 w:davidphillip.co.uk

According to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and the Home Owners Alliance (HOA), you can enhance the value of your property by almost £50,000 simply by removing an internal wall to create an open plan kitchen and dining area.

Chief executive of the FMB, Brian Berry, said the work would cost less than £3,500, take seven days to carry out, and would add £48,417 to an averagely priced home in London.

"By investing in low-cost, high-return projects, not only will you make your home a more pleasant place to live, you’ll also be increasing its value significantly. Better still, these projects take no time at all so the hassle factor will be kept to an absolute minimum," he said. 

But what if this isn't an option? What other projects could you invest in to significantly add value in a short amount of time? Here are some options:

1. Build a garden room or outside playroom. Typical costs for this project will be in the region of £6,500, but will add an average (in Surrey) of over £35,000. A massive £28.5k profit.
2. Update your kitchen. With careful planning this could cost in the region of £4,000, but could add almost £27,000 to the value of your property.
3. Turn a cupboard into a downstairs toilet. With an initial outlay of just over £2,500 it could add up to £24,000 to the value of your property
4. Add an en-suite bathroom.  Converting part of a bedroom into a a bathroom can cost as little as £4,700, but add in excess of £14,500 to the value of your home.
5. Add a driveway. If you have the space, buyers will pay more for a property with added parking space. For an investment of £2,200 you could add £13,300 to the value of your property.
6. Install decking. For just under £4,000 you could add decking and lighting generating additional value of up to £9,000.

Potential returns will vary by property and location. Contact us if you'd like specific advise, before you invest the money.

Did you know that when you rent out all or part of your home a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) charge may apply when you sell the property? Currently, HMRC exclude the last 18 months of your ownership – even if the property is let for this time – when assessing any CGT liability. However, in a draft of the Finance Bill released earlier this year, HMRC have confirmed that this 18-month period will be reduced to 9 months from April 2020. Disabled property owners, or those in a care home, will continue to be exempt for 36 months.

The Finance Bill also outlines a change to the letting relief rules…

Letting relief is an extra deduction you can make from any CGT payable when letting your home. Under the rules, you can claim the lowest of the following three amounts:

1. The same amount that you can claim as private residence relief. 
2. £40,000. 
3. The same amount as the chargeable gain you made from letting your home. 

From April 2020, you will only be able to claim this letting relief if you are in shared occupancy with the tenant.

Property owners that are considering the sale of their home – which is or has been let for any period - may be advised to complete their sale before April 2020. In this way they will benefit from the 18 month exemption and the more flexible lettings relief.

• The whole post sale process is too slow - we can only go as fast as the slowest party involved, but if there is a chain, then slowness can put the transaction at risk as well as the nerves of the buyers and sellers – the wheels of the buying process definitely need greasing. At David Phillip Estate Agents we go through the postsale process as part of our marketing packs – vendors should start thinking about this right at the beginning of the house sale, we are also investing in some clever technology to speed it up
• The quality of some pictures on the property portals is really disappointing – I have seen photos with messy bedding, clumsily thrown throws, bathroom and cleaning clutter, pots on draining boards, plus ironing boards and extension cables in the rooms – why would an Estate Agent post photographs like this? – it only results in less viewings and therefore hinders the sale process. Good Kerb appeal attracts buyers too. At David Phillip Estate Agents we like to stage our property photographs and use a professional photographer – we can also recommend a decluttering service too.
• Property details should be immersive and exciting not static – it is good to have traditional values, although traditional can also mean old fashioned too. In the days of modern technology property marketing  shouldn‘t just be static photos or literature. The use of 3D virtual tours that we use as well as area videos should be part of the process, working for the vendor 24/7
• Selling a home shouldn’t be 9am – 5pm – we live in a 24/7 world – the days of having an office open from 9am to 5.30pm are long gone – people need to be able to book Market Appraisals, Valuations and view properties 24/7 in their own home – just by using Facebook properly you can book appointments and 3dVirtual tours allow for 24/7 property viewings from the comfort of your armchair. At David Phillip Estate Agents even our ‘’hiviz for sale boards can be seen 24/7
• You don’t need a high street office to provide the best Customer Experience – in fact less than 2% of the high street premises are occupied by Estate Agents – if you have the right technology, that works for you 24/7 then that is key. However, people sell houses, and at David Phillip Estate Agents if you want to speak to us in person, then we have an office at 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope – it doesn’t look like a traditional estate agents office, but then we don’t want it to – to us it is more important that the money we save in Business rates we  pass on to our customers (with our fairer fees), invest in technology and pay to get the best staff. 
• It’s important to use an Estate Agent with local knowledge and experience  David Phillip has been selling properties in North and West Yorkshire for over 30 years and is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered surveyors – so you know that you are dealing someone who has the best qualifications. Trudy Petrow, Associate Director at David Phillip Estate Agents is well on the way to completing her NAEA examination – we think that being able to deal with credible people is key.
• Social media is vital – getting to the biggest audience is very important, although we use all the main property portals, we also use all the key social platforms as well as Early Bird, Blogs, videos  and have a great website too

So – one year on I have learnt some key things, but more importantly, we have put into practise things that  provide our customers with the very best experience and true value for money too – take a look at our 5 star reviews

Although we have some of the best technology and modern sales techniques, ultimately it is people who sell houses.

If you are looking to sell your home then ring for a market appraisal on 01134 676 400 or take a look at our website davidphillip.co.uk  

When we started David Phillip Estate agents at the end of 2018, I was determined to create a business model that provided the best Customer Experience. At the end of the day, people sell houses and customers like to have face to face contact, having no high street presence whatsoever is all about saving on overheads, which is fine, as long as the Customer Experience isn’t compromised.

We have a small office on Leeds Road in Bramhope, our properties are displayed in the window, and there is someone here to talk to, however business is no longer 9am to 5pm, and it is important to have the best supporting technology (which we have in Property file plus and the impressive telephony) to enable customers to contact you 24/7, whenever is the best time for them.

Almost all property searches now start online, and we have invested in all the key portals of Rightmove, Zoopla and On the market (we don’t pay expensive business rates, so we invest money in the areas that benefit our customers), we also have an intuitive website and use area videos and 3D virtual tours, this is a much better investment.

So, although the Estate agency business model needs to adapt, not having a huge high street presence does not need to impact the Customer Experience and the results achieved.  

In fact we couldn’t be more pleased with what our customers are saying about us – take a look at the All Agents website to read our 5 star reviews and if you are looking to sell your home call us on 01134 676 400 or call in to see us at 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope. 

If you're thinking about buying a new home, you'll need to budget for more than just the deposit. It's a stressful time, saving! You work hard to put away savings each month and feel like celebrating when you have saved enough for that all important deposit. But don't get carried away too early, as there are other costs that you need to take into account!

When you're working out your 'buying a house' budget, you also need to take account of the cost of buying, your mortgage fees and moving costs - on top of your deposit. It all adds up and can easily plunge you into debt if an unexpected bill hasn't been taken into account.

Here's what you need to know about and budget for:

1. Mortgage fees. On top of your deposit you need to take account of the charges that your mortgage provider will require as part of the application process. These can vary from a few hundred pounds to several thousand pounds. Shop around to get the best possible deal. Also bear in mind that an electronic transfer fee is often applicable when the mortgage is paid out. This is often in the region of £50.
2. Surveyors fees. You may view this as a necessary evil in order to comply with your mortgage, but having a professional survey could save you thousands in the longer run. A basic survey could be as little as £250 to £300, but really amounts to little more than a valuation. Paying extra for a homebuyers report, or even a full structural survey, could identify issues that enables you to renegotiate the price or save you money and headaches in the longer term.
3. Legal fees. You will need a solicitor to carry out the legal searches on your property; to identify if a new motorway is likely to be built alongside your new property, for example. Fees for these are typically less than £250. Whilst the paperwork for the purchase of your property could cost £1000 to £1500.
4. Stamp duty. Depending upon the purchase price of your property you will need to pay stamp duty to the Government. If you are a first time buyer you won't pay stamp duty on the first £300,000. Whilst you are only exempt from paying stamp duty on the first £125,000 if you are not a first time buyer.
    

   Rate	Charge Band
   0%	Up to £125,000 First-time buyers: first £300,000 for property up to £500,000
   2%	Over £125,000 to £250,000
   5%	Over £250,000 to £925,000
   10%	Over £925,000 to £1,500,000
   12%	Over £1,500,000

5. Estate Agent fees. You only pay estate agent fees of you are selling a property. So if you are a first time buyer, you shouldn't need to budget for Estate Agent fees. If you are selling, the fees are typically one to three per cent of the final sales price. With VAT usually chargeable on top of that.
6. Moving costs. Unless you are prepared to rent a van and move yourself, you will need to budget for a professional removal company to move your possessions. Fees are typically £400 to £600.
7. Decorations and refurbishment costs. It's worth being clear exactly what is included within the sale. If you need to buy carpets, curtains, curtain rails and more, these can quickly eat into your budget. Even a fresh lick of paint can add up. And that's before any more extensive refurbishments that may be required. Where possible get quotes up front, so you know what costs will be applicable after you've purchased the property.
8. Rates. And finally, make sure you know what rates are payable (to your Local Authority) for the property that you are purchasing. As this can often be another overlooked cost.

Structure your day like you would  a working one (pretend you are actually going to work), working from home means you are your own personal manager, but try to segment what you do over the course of the day, and don’t feel guilty if you take a break!

Take advantage of morning hours to plough through meaty projects without any distractions, and leave calls and virtual meetings for the afternoon, having uninterrupted time can help with higher productivity, and modern technology means you can still attend meetings albeit in a virtual way .

Find out what music motivates you for different tracks, this can help if you have been used to having  noise from an office in the background.

If you work from home, but have other members of the family around then maybe they need reminding that just because you are working from home doesn’t mean you are ‘home’, as it is easy to get distracted by things going on around you.

Put a definitive ‘finishing time’ in each day – you would if you had a train to catch, and try not to let your work life bleed into your home life – a boundary for both areas is important  

Choose a dedicated work space, this provides you with a place where you specifically ‘ work’, it might be a local coffee shop, table or chair, but you may want to create a room within your home that provides a place to work

• It could be the extra bedroom that you don’t use, bedrooms tend to have good natural light as well as overhead lighting, and usually there is some sort of wardrobe that can be used for storage
• If you don’t have space below, then maybe you have space above such as an attic, this can provide enough distance from the main relaxing area of the home , but can also provide an area of peace and quiet
• Always wanted a library at home, then this may make sense to turn this area into somewhere you would want to work too.

However if you are looking for a property that already has a ready-made office then look no further than the Old Barn at Moor Park in Beckwithshaw, Harrogate, the office there is amazing – as is the rest of this lovely home, set in the beautiful location of the prestigious Moor Park.

For further details or to arrange an early viewing on this amazing property  t: 01134 676 400 w:davidphillip.co.uk.

The war time public were encouraged to see what we call re-cycling, but at that time was called salvage as a contribution towards victory. Official publicity campaigns attempted to explain how recycled materials were used to save shipping and to make planes, guns, tanks and ammunition, and the research that has taken place suggests that this message had at least some impact on the rapid growth of recycling during the first years of war.

The Exhibition is inspired by research carried out by historian Henry Irving and was produced by a group of BA Graphic students at Leeds Beckett University it  hi-lights how similar techniques can be inspired to change how we work In the present.

The exhibition runs until September, with free entry.

• Bees are too small to drink from ponds or bird baths so place outside a small plate with water, as bees do get thirsty.
• If you see an exhausted bee a simple solution of sugar and water can help to revive
• Make sure something is blooming each season – some bee species are active all year around.
• Make a border – by bordering your fruits and vegetables with flowers you will improve the pollination of your crops and also support bees when the crops stop blooming.
• Go easy on chemicals.

If you really want to help bees, then maybe you could add a touch of the wild to your garden – it is best to sow in Spring, but you can also sow in Autumn, especially if you have light sandy soils that aren’t prone to waterlogging.

Perennial wildflowers adapt easily to a hard life, liking impoverished soil that isn’t too rich. It is best to grow a wildflower meadow in an area that you wouldn’t normally cultivate or one that has been left for a while.

A wild meadow can be made up of the following – plantains, docks buttercups, vetches and clovers as well as dandelions and nettles

You can buy ready-made wildflowers meadow mixes for different soil  types and situations, and also also buy seed mixes – if you make this up yourself, you will need 1g per square metre of pure wildflower seeds and 5g per square metre of grass and wildflower meadow seeds.

Give your spare space a good weeding before sowing as these will compete for space, light and food, dig over the soil, scatter the seeds and ensure the soil remains moist and warm whilst the flowers are germinating.

You can also deadhead  as plants fade to bloom and in late Autumn wildflowers can be mown to about 6 inches above the ground.

Perennial wildflowers will not bloom until a full season after they are planted, but they can last for decades.

After walking around the beautiful  RHS Harlow Carr Gardens, I am now determined to do something to help the bee population – so am now going to the garden centre to buy my ready-made wildflower seed.

At David Phillip Estate agents we are listing some properties with lovely gardens, check out Daleside at Creskeld Gardens in Bramhope which has beautiful views too.

For a free market appraisal ring David Phillip Estate Agents, Bramhope, Leeds  t: 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk e: info@davidphillip.co.uk

Stable House, which was originally one of the stable blocks to Moor Park Hall back when this magnificent Elizabethan-style main mansion house was built for James Bray in 1859, the iron and brass founder who had obtained contracts to build the Leeds and Thirsk and Wharfedale Railways including the famous Bramhope tunnel, a Grade II replica of which lies in the graveyard at Otley’s Parish Church! Priced at £450,000, Stable House is itself a stunning three-bedroom character home enjoying a cobbled courtyard approach with a fountain and is open to view this Saturday the 8th of June between 3pm and 4pm. So those interested in viewing, by appointment, contact either David Phillip Estate Agents – 01134 676 400 or Hopkinsons Estate Agents – 01423 501201 – Directions recommended.