How long should it take to sell your house?

Transcription

1 LIVE IN EAST BELFAST Pooler Estate Agents 91 Cregagh Road, Belfast BT6 8PY (028) Issue 1 February/March 2012 How long should it take to sell your house? Six months, a year, maybe longer? Think again, we can sell your house within a reasonable three month time-frame. You may feel trapped in your present home, alarmed by the high asking prices of the houses you are interested in and concerned your own property won t sell. We can make it happen for you in With our comprehensive knowledge of the local market, an understanding owner and a lot of thought and hard work it really can happen for you in Call us now for a home visit and we will show you how we have helped previous clients make the move they originally thought would never happen. Telephone Woodstock Road, a clever interior re-design of the traditional 2 bed terrace, page 3 Recent listings and features from the local area Live in East Belfast is a new bi-monthly property marketing publication from Pooler Estate Agents, showcasing our latest properties for sale and rent, keeping you up to date with sales prices, featuring local interest stories and taking a look at some houses that have caught our eye. 15,000 copies of Live are distributed bi-monthly in the Cregagh, Ravenhill Castlereagh and Bloomfield areas. Partner Christopher Pooler commented Numbers of people visiting Estate Agents offices are declining due to the ease of on-line searching but we also want to keep in touch with our local client base directly, those very people who used to call in to our office on a regular basis to pick up leaflets and papers. Live in East Belfast is our way of keeping you in touch with latest price trends while offering our clients the chance to promote their properties to the local community

2 Keown Solicitors, Lynden House, 19 Cregagh Road, Belfast, BT6 8PX. Tel No You move faster with us! Keown Solicitors provide an unrivalled one-stop service for: Property - Residential and Commercial Sales and Purchases Re-mortgages Members of NICOHA Ltd panel Special Rates for First Time Buyers Road Traffic Accidents and Personal Injury claims Matrimonial and Family matters Wills and Probate Debt Recovery We move fast for you! For friendly, fast and efficient advice on all your legal matters. Our mission statement: To provide a holistic, truly independent and professional mortgage and protection service to all our clients, both existing and new. Whole of Market Advice Financial Services Include: Co-Ownership Financial Protection - Life cover, First Time Buyer critical illness, etc Home Mover Access to Independent Advisors Home Insurance for Savings/Pension Advice Remortgage Commercial Finance Options Buy-to-let Specialist Equity Release Secured Loans Adviser Please visit our website at or contact us on YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE There will be a fee for mortgage advice. The amount will depend on your circumstances. Our typical fees are for Self build mortgages is 800, Standard Purchase and Remortgage 150 and No Fee for First Time Buyers THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY DOES NOT REGULATE SECURED LOANS AND MOST BUY-TO-LET AND COMMERCIAL MORTGAGES Mortgage & Financial Guidance Ltd is an appointed representative of Personal Touch Financial Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority

3 The ultimate living space Last year we were asked to value this property in a modest street off the Woodstock Road. It was one of those occasions where expectations were blown apart the moment we stepped in the front door. We were overwhelmed to see what could be achieved with a bit of creative thought and a healthy budget. Glass Wall It is perhaps the back yard concept which is the most distinctive feature of the ground floor layout. Instead of the usual kitchen in the rear return of the house leading out onto a dull yard, the architect has embraced the modest outside space with the addition of a folding glass wall, which manages to incorporate the decked yard into the adjacent sitting area. This part of the house comes into its own during the summer months when the owners stock up the decked area with plants, fold back the wall and enjoy the benefits of outdoor living from the comfort of their home. Open plan The ground floor is totally open plan with chimney breasts and internal walls removed, allowing extra space for kitchen to be fitted down one side while the dining table sits opposite. There are two siting areas, the main one to the front of the house based around the bay window and the other in the return as mentioned above with the kitchen slotting in-between. The result is a property with more usable space than you would expect to find in a house this size. This property is not currently on the open market but the owners may consider selling later this year. If you would have any interest in buying it, please give us a call. Thoughts from a valuer CHRISTOPHER POOLER Everyone likes a break from the norm in their daily working lives my break tends to be valuing a property I was expecting to be a traditional terrace or semi that turns out to be transformed into something beyond my imagination. The house featured in this issue off the Woodstock Road is a case in mind. Creating something different is quite easy but creating something that looks great and works as a living space requires a touch of genius. *** Can a flag, affect the sale of a house? A concerned owner asked me if I thought the flag nailed to a telegraph pole outside his house could affect its sale. It s a difficult one, as no one likes to offend but generally if potential buyers are familiar with an area, flags will not have a detrimental effect. In this case the sale of the house was agreed within a week but if an area in any community is bedecked in flags it undoubtedly will have negative connotations for someone with differing traditions. *** Asking prices are really marketing prices, we have to be quick to respond to market conditions otherwise properties remain unsold. How do I set an asking price? The trick is to set the price as high as possible without the risk of putting viewers off based on other sales. Its easier said than done especially in a difficult market but if the asking price isn t working within six weeks, we can be fairly sure it needs to come down. *** How did your street get its name? Its well known now that many of the streets around the Castlereagh Road including Orby and Ladas Drive were named after Epsom Derby winners from the past but did you know that Sagimor Gardens in Bloomfield was really meant to be Sycamore Gardens? A resident of the street recounted the story to me that the foreman from the site was sent to the City Hall to register the name but with his strong accent and lack of spelling prowess, Sycamore morphed into Sagimor.

4 Latest listings... Latest listings... Latest listings... The buy to let market has really come into its own over the past year. Properties can now be bought at a level where they offer a good return on investment. 32 Ranelagh Street, Ravenhill Avenue is a two bedroom terrace house on the market at 69,950. Its very well located and it shouldn t take too much to get it into rentable shape. Another good investment opportunity in the Cregagh Road at 18 Willowholme Parade, Cregagh. It is a mid terrace in need of some updating but again there is room for manoeuvre at 59,950. Moving up the market we offer a fabulous 2 bed terrace in excellent order at 4 Montgomery Road, Cregagh. This is a move straight in property and is offered at 110,000. It has the benefit of a nice garden to the rear. Although it is set in a street predominately of terraces this excellent semi at 104 Dunraven Avenue, Bloomfield has a garden to the rear and is priced not a lot higher than its neighbours. It really would be a first home to be proud of and is priced in region of 105, Palmerston Road, Holywood Road, will not be everyone s cup of tea as it requires quite a lot of hard work to bring it up to scratch but it is an extended semi with a decent sized kitchen and a massive garden. There is room for negotiation at 99,950. If you are luckily enough to be able to buy your first home nearer the 150,000 mark then take a look at this lovely semi at 13 Pommern Parade, Castlereagh. It is a great location for getting into the city centre and whether you are at that stage or not, the local schools are prime. We are asking 149,950 but negotiators will not be turned away!! It is sometimes hard to find a four bedroom house in the area you want at a budget you want without having to 32 Ranelagh Street 18 Willowholme Parade 13 Pommern Parade 4 Montgomery Road 104 Dunraven Avenue 71 Palmerston Road For further details of these properties and others currently on the market please visit

5 Latest listings... Latest listings... Latest listings... compromise and look at three bedroom houses with roofspace conversions. 179 Orby Drive is a four bedroom semi with spacious living to match and it has further potential. Its outlook is straight down Orby Drive and it is priced at offers in region of 169,950 How about this for value in a detached house? 66 Bloomfield Road is on the market at offers in the region of 129,500 and the owners are eager to sell and will consider offers. With a walk in cloakroom with w.c. and many original features this house does need some updating but we are sure you will not get better value. There is something a bit special about 4 Kingsway Gardens, Gilnahirk Road, whether it is the size and shape of the site, the spacious interior or probably the best tended garden we have seen in years, we re not sure but suspect it is a combination of the three. It is a very convenient and popular area close to the shops at Cherryvalley and is priced at 175,000 When it comes to obvious value take a look at 11 Dunraven Crescent, Bloomfield - it may be for the first time buyer who understands there are bits and pieces to do or it may be for the investor, either way this two bed semi will make someone a wonderful home and investment at offers in region of 59,950 For an investor, 11 Imperial Street, Ravenhill is literally ready to go and we are confident it would rent out quickly but equally first time buyers would be able to move swiftly as it should sail through survey having been built more recently than most houses in the area. The asking for this one is 85,000 Loopland is a very popular area of six streets of terraces and semis with gardens, located just off the Cregagh Road. We have various properties in the area but 30 Loopland Gardens, Cregagh has just been reduced to 75,000. Some buyers may feel the price of houses in Loopland is beyond them but may re-consider when they see this one. 4 Kingsway Gardens 11 Dunraven Crescent 179 Orby Drive 11 Imperial Street 66 Bloomfield Road 30 Loopland Gardens or

6 RENTALS... RENTALS... We are currently experiencing high demand for rental properties in East Belfast. LANDLORDS Take advantage of our three great value services. Tenant find - Lettings - Management SPECIAL OFFER 199 plus vat for Tenant Find if we are managing the letting (Initial 12 month contract). Visit poolerestateagents.com to see which service would suit you best. TENANTS Here is a selection of properties we currently offer for rent. 9 Earlswood Grove, Ballyhackamore 37 Kensington Avenue, Bloomfield 68 Newton Heights, Newtownbreda 500/month inc. rates Ground Floor Apartment Living room Kitchen 2 Bedrooms Timber double glazing Mains gas central heating 38 Reid Street, Cregagh Road 425/month inc. rates Mid terrace property Through Lounge Kitchen Two bedrooms Mains gas central heating 23 Agra Street, Ormeau Road 550/month inc. rates Semi detached Living and ding room Kitchen, 4 bedrooms Oil fired central heating UPVC double glazing Gardens and driveway 3a Carolhill Gardens, Holywood Road 500/month inc. rates End terrace Through Lounge Kitchen 3 Bedrooms UPVC double glazing Oil fired central heating 500/month inc. rates Mid terrace Living room Kitchen 2 bedrooms UPVC Double glazing Mains gas heating 550/month inc. rates First floor apartment Living room Open plan to kitchen 2 bedrooms, one with en suite, UPVC double glazing Mains gas central heating Paved driveway

7 WE CAN SELL YOUR HOUSE WITHIN THREE MONTHS We firmly believe there is a buyer out there for every house we put on the market. We also believe, despite the poor market conditions, properties should be sale agreed within three months. We can t pretend that all our properties are agreed this quickly but with correct pricing and an understanding owner who is willing to respond to conditions, we believe it should be possible everytime. MARKETING We set our marketing prices as high as possible at a level we think can attract serious interest, being careful not to over-estimate. We carefully monitor progress and if this asking price is not producing results within the first few weeks, we liaise directly with the owner and begin discussions regarding the price level. The major cause of houses remaining unsold is Estate Agents and vendors being inflexible in pricing either because the owner has set a figure in their mind they don t want to go below or the Estate Agent is embarrased to admit their initial figure was not achievable. If you want to sell your house swiftly and efficiently we can work together with you to produce the desired result. Contact Pooler Estate Agents Here is a selection of recent sales and the story behind them. 39 Pommern Parade Castleeagh Road This is a very nicely finished semi in immaculate order. The owners were always realistic and we knew that this was one that wouldn t sit long on our books. We agreed a sensible asking price of 165,000 and had the sale agreed literally in 3 weeks at a figure within 5% of the asking price. 1 Gibson Park Gardens, Cregagh Road This one took a little longer to sell but through no fault of our own. It was literally agreed within weeks of going on the market at the asking price of around 180,000. Unfortunately the Bank Valuer felt it was too strong a price and undervalued it by 5,000 making it impossible for the buyer to proceed. Luckily we found a new buyer relatively quickly at the same price. We weren t long in telling the valuer of the outcome. 36 Cheltenham Park, Rosetta The popularity of the area was the key here but we had to be very careful not to overprice this one as it was in need of a complete refurb. We ended up with countless enquiries and an abundance of viewers who bid against each other up to the asking price of 165,000. Now if all properties were like this, it would make life a lot easier for all concerned in the moving process! 26 The Courtyard, Castlereagh Road We had always thought this was worth around 100,000 but when an owner wants to try a little higher we have no objections, just as long as they will re-consider if nothing has happened after a six or eight week period. We tried this one at 115,000 but to no avail. The owners were very receptive to our suggestions, dropped the price and secured a sale just below our original estimate. It took four months to secure the offer but definitely worth the wait as they have just moved into a lovely new house.

8 Competition... Competition... Where am I? Win free listing for your property with Pooler Estate Agents including an EPC, total package worth around 300. All runners up will win free listing with Pooler Estate Agents worth in the region of 200 (for properties coming onto the market before end of June 2012) This photograph has been taken from an upstairs window in a property that is featured for sale in this issue. If you know where it is, just e mail christopher@ poolerestateagents.com with your name, contact details and of course your answer. In the event of a tie, we will make a draw for the winner. If you would like a fast and efficient sale or rental, please talk to us first. SALES AND RENTAL VALUATIONS TELEPHONE CALL IN TO 91 CREGAGH ROAD (opposite Tesco) or E MAIL US AT [email protected] check out our new website at