How Selling your Home Via an Online Estate Agent Can Save You Time and Money

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There are a lot of options available when it comes to selling your home. One particular method that’s becoming increasingly popular is the use of online estate agents. Their main selling point is their cost-saving benefits compared to traditional high-street estate agencies. So, how much could you save by going through an online agency and is it worthwhile?

Are online estate agents really cheaper?

When you sell your property, you obviously want to make sure you’re getting the best price. Traditional estate agents used to be the only option available and while they’ve always taken a cut of the final selling price, the costs used to be much more affordable than they are now.

The fees charged by estate agents have gradually increased over the years and now sellers face thousands of pounds’ worth of fees. So, it’s unsurprising sellers are looking for alternative, cheaper options and that’s where online estate agents come in.

Unlike offline agencies, online estate agents charge a set fee, rather than a percentage of the selling fee. This fee does usually need to be paid upfront, but it’s a fraction of the cost that offline estate agents charge.

There aren’t as many fees included with online estate agents either. So, if you’re looking to benefit from the expertise of an agent, without paying extortionate fees, an online agency is definitely recommended.

Helping you to sell your home quickly

Another advantage of choosing an online estate agent is they are typically more driven to sell the property quickly. So, if you’re looking to save time and want a quick sale, an online agent such as Hatched is the better option.

Traditional estate agencies aren’t concerned with selling the home quickly as the more they can get for the property, the more money they’ll make. This means they won’t necessarily get you the best price either and the home could be stuck on the market for months, if not years.

Overall, online estate agents do save time and money and sellers also have a lot more flexibility. For example, you can choose to do your own viewings if you’d prefer and you’re given a lot more control over the process than you are with a high-street agency. So, if you’re looking to sell your property, you might want to consider looking into an online estate agent.

Five Ways to Renovate Your Home on the Outside

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At first sight, your home might seem perfectly fine. It’s not perfect, but it keeps you warm and has enough room for the family and all your prized possessions. However, when looking at nearby homes and how well-kept they are, do you feel as though yours pales in comparison? If so, there are a few things you could do to change all that, turning a pile into a palace.

A Lick of Paint

To cover up tired brickwork or walls stained heavily by residue from passing traffic, it’s worth getting out that paint roller and making your home look just like new. To do that, wash the walls using a pressure washer. Then, cover the windows and doors and apply a first coat (in dry weather) using a large, telescopic roller whilst stood on a sturdy ladder. Leave a few days to dry afterwards.

Resplendent Roofs

Your roof does a lot more than keep the rest of your property dry. From an aesthetic point of view, it makes it look complete. To keep it looking sharp, check that all the tiles are in place and that no unsightly moss or mildew has built up. If it has, look at retiling, going to a supplier such as Burton Roofing for what you need.

Sowing Seeds

If your garden looks a little plain or is covered in weeds, tidying it up is useful. It will take getting the lawnmower out and removing some of the weeds, either by hand or with chemicals. Next, you should consider planting a few flowers, but this can take a bit of work. The easiest ones to plant are perennials, which just require planting once and occasional watering.

Not-so Crazy Paving

The paths that lead to the doors, garage and back lawn should, ideally, be even, straight and capable of standing up to all kinds of weather. If, however, some slabs are cracked or worn out, replacement isn’t too much of a problem. After buying some new paving, you need to make sure the ground underneath is even and that there’s enough room for each slab.

Keep it Clean

Before you perform any of the above tasks to completely revamp your home’s exterior, you must get cleaning. Working with dirty walls and weed-infested soil will make it difficult going on impossible to do all of that. We have already mentioned how to deal with walls, but for windows, a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water will do the trick, making them appear as new!

How To Create The Perfect Country Feel Kitchen

If you’re looking to shake things up in your kitchen to make it feel less modern and more country chic, then here are a few simple ideas to get you started.

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Go natural
If your kitchen is fairly small, neutral/natural colours can really open up the space. Painting in natural colours also allows you to have an array of kitchen accessories out on surfaces without them clashing. From off whites to subtle greys, you still have a lot of colours to play with and never have the opinion that neutrals are boring!

You can also spruce up your flooring with some paint if you have engineered wood flooring. Interior designer Katie Scott told Elle Décor that she envisions 'bleached out, reclaimed, herringbone wood floors combined with kitchen cabinets painted in Plummet by Farrow & Ball'. The Plummet colour is a gritty, industrial and natural grey paint that will instantly give your kitchen that country chic edge.

Throw in something rustic
Even if you don’t have that much space in your kitchen, find somewhere for a farmhouse sink if you want that classic country feel. Not only do farmhouse sinks look stylish, they’re hard workers and extremely practical, too. Instead of having to keep up with water stains on your current metal sink you will find that the ceramic materials stay cleaner for longer.

Consider your furniture
A kitchen is never going to feel country chic if you’ve got a plastic table and chairs in there. You want something wooden and rustic; benches work really well instead of chairs or you can mix it up with a bench one side and chairs on the other.

Mismatched chairs can also be really effective; you could paint them in different pastel shades to lighten things up. Now, depending on your budget you may want to start thinking about saving for an old fashioned stove instead of an oven and hobs. Aga have really upped their game lately and the colours available are incredible, similarly Smeg and Rangemaster are creating more authentic looking cookers than the black glossy ranges that have previously been on the market. It’s a huge investment though and you’ll probably want to take it with you if you move house!

Accessorise your kitchen 
Without making any drastic changes, a simple but very effective change you can make is upgrading the knobs and handles on your cabinets. Bronzes and coppers can transform a room or there are some lovely alternative rustic hand-painted knobs and hooks available. Similarly with lights, most people will stick to the same ceiling lights in their kitchen for their entire life. Switch things up. Pendant lights are a must have for kitchens and you could even find some copper shades to match your new nobs. It’s less pricey than you might think to call the electrician out to make the changes, especially considering the sense of satisfaction you’ll get when you see how pretty your kitchen can be!

Tips for Increasing Your Home’s Value

Considering selling your home? Perhaps you’re just looking for ways to build on your investment. Whatever the reason, making a commitment to increasing your home’s value can be daunting. However, with the right strategies and additions, you can drastically improve the look and value of your property in one fell swoop. From kitchen upgrades to landscaping efforts and everything in between, you’ll find it’s easier than you ever imagined to boost your home’s value and make a more comfortable living space for you and any future owner.

A Fresh Coat of Paint
Revamping your home’s interior and exterior walls with a fresh coat of paint can pay dividends when it comes time to sell. Hire a professional painter to give your home the facelift it needs. For just a few hundred dollars, you can fetch thousands more during the sale. Whether you decide to paint yourself or hire a professional, be sure to use paint products that don’t contain VOCs, as these harmful compounds can result in serious medical issues.

Focus on the Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and making improvements in this area could greatly contribute to increased home value. You don’t have to completely remodel your cooking space. Enhance the look of the room by refinishing or painting the cabinets, add a new backsplash that serves as a focal point, or purchase a rolling island that provides extra counter space but can be easily stowed away for more room. You may also consider replacing your hardware. Switching out stained and rusted handles and pulls on your cabinets will make a significant impact on the overall look of the space, and adding chrome or stainless steel faucets can give the room an injection of upscale design.

Step Up Your Curb Appeal
Your home’s curb appeal matters. Increasing your home’s value by thousands of dollars could be as simple as adding landscaping features. Landscaping can add up to 20 percent more value to a given property, and one of the most effective ways to do so is adding a tree. The value of a tree in your front yard will continue to increase as the tree grows; not only does it heighten your chances of a better sell, but it can also affect energy efficiency—you’d be surprised how much natural shade can save you when it comes to cooling costs. Browse the available trees at TheTreeCenter.com. Looking for a low cost way to boost your yard’s aesthetic appeal? Create flowerbeds, create a DIY garden box, and use native plants to save water and effort.

Enhance Your Lighting
Buyers want bright spaces, and doing all you can to enhance both the natural and artificial lighting in your home can make a big difference in appearance of space. Simple ways to achieve better lighting? Install dimmers. These can help set the mood, perfect for those eventual walkthroughs with prospective buyers. You may also install lighting that only turns on when motion is detected. When it comes to emphasizing natural light, start small. Change your curtains or window treatments and prune back bushes that may be blocking the sun’s rays. If you’re looking to spend a bit more, consider installing a skylight or adding more windows to your space.

Going Green
The push towards sustainability and eco-friendly features has forever transformed the landscape of real estate. Buyers are looking for green features, and energy efficient upgrades can definitely work in your favor when it comes to fetching a higher price at resale. From solar panels to energy efficient appliances, added insulation to eco-friendly irrigation systems, there’s no limit to the ways you can make your home greener. While upgrades like solar water heaters and new windows can be costly, investments like these are now affordable through organizations like Renovate America. This company offers a Los Angeles PACE program—one that can be found in many other California communities, as well—that helps homeowners finance energy efficient projects, meaning you can make those vital upgrades to your home. These investments can help you save on your current living expenses, and allow you to demand a higher price when you put your home on the market.

Boosting the value of your property doesn’t need to break the bank. With simple fixes and strategic additions, you can improve your own comfort and expect a much better selling price in the future.

5 bathroom accessories which you need to enhance its décor

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Bathroom accessories are a perfect way to set the theme and highlight the ambiance of the bathroom. Stick to the conventional accessories that are different to add fun, pizzas to the look and a classic appeal. Your choice of the accessories determines the look and appeal of the bathroom. When you shop for the accessories, you will come across stylish, trendy and funky accessories. If you think it is time to remodel the bathroom and give it a fresh look, it is important to know the latest trends. Top 5 accessories can really enhance the décor and make your bathroom a focal point.

1. Bathroom sets to create a lavish bathroom
   Looking to adorn your bathroom in a perfect manner? Do consider a bath set which comprises a soap dish, cotton jar, toothbrush holder and a soap dispenser. All the mentioned items of the bath set are of immense value and have great utility. Tissue box reflects healthy bathroom habit where your guests might feel fresh when they use fresh tissue to wipe their hands and faces. Your bathroom is sure to appear organized, neat and appealing with the proper bathroom set.
2. The need for mirror
   Looking to add elegance, class and style to your personal zone? Exclusively designed mirror can help attain a perfect look. A mirror is worth considering in the bathroom as it can add the sense of completeness and luxury to the private zone. If you place the mirror strategically, it can foster a sense of expansiveness in your private chamber. While buying the mirror, look for designer mirrors only.
3. Placing the towels
   Towels have more utilitarian value when compared to other accessories. So, there is no need to waste more paper in the form of napkins when there are towels. You may replace the towels every now and then to change the look of the bathroom and to add more color. Bathroom decoration is just like decorating the home and enhancing its interior. Thus, you need to be careful about your choice. 
4. Complementing the theme with shower curtains
   Wall decal and shower curtains are the perfect way to compliment the theme of the bathroom. If you have an ocean themed bathroom, do go for decals carrying the shape of shell or fish along the bathroom wall base. You can further couple this up with ocean-styled curtains attain the right kind of look.
5. Contemporary cubicles and bathtubs
   A beautiful and decorative bathtub can fabulously enhance the appeal of the bathroom. Bathtubs and cubicles are available in various models and makes. You may choose among colourful ones, round and oval ones. Cubicles in stained glass are also a popular option. 

When you choose any bathroom accessory, try to be different. There is no dearth of innovative ideas as the internet is flooded with the list of bathroom accessories to enhance its décor. You can buy a stylish range of bathroom accessories from Tradewindsimports.com, which is a one-stop solution for any and every kind of bathroom vanities that can transform your simple and plain bathroom into a place, where you will love to recline at times and spend some time on your own.