In a world where you can pick your spouse-to-be from a directory of online photos at the swipe of a finger, it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd.

If seconds count when dressing to impress on dating apps; microseconds count when it comes to wooing a potential buyer on Rightmove.

So, with the clock ticking, how do you ensure your home is the pick of the pics?

Discover our secret formula to fabulous photos below…

1. Professional eye.

When scouring Rightmove for properties, buyers make up their minds in seconds; so, you need your pictures to stand out for the right reasons.

Whether you plan to use a professional photographer, or intend to take the snaps yourself, proficiency is the key to bagging those all-important clicks.

If you plan to be behind the lens, why not book on to a photography course? Often readily available at adult education centres, they range in cost and will ground you in the basics. Investing in a tripod is an essential to ensure crisp, sharp images with no hand-held blur.

Of course, there is no replacement for experience and knowledge.

For total peace of mind, a good professional photographer will be able to capture your home at its very best.

Best of all, accompany them on the shoot. Discuss your thoughts and ideas with the professional. With their skillset and with the intimate knowledge you possess of your home’s best features (and potential flaws), it’s a Batman and Robin recipe for success!

2. Perfect planning.

As the old adage goes, ‘failure to prepare; prepare to fail’.

This is particularly key if you have lived in your home for many years and have accrued a lifetime’s worth of possessions and clutter along the way.

Work out a timescale and stick to it, spring cleaning and de-cluttering in ample time before the big shoot.

Are there any blemishes that need dressing prior to photographs being taken? Make notes of your rooms’ ‘bad sides’ (we all have them) and find ways in which to compensate. Perhaps a light-coloured throw to counter a shady bedroom, or a mirror to make an entrance hall seem wider?

3. Clean ‘til it gleams.

Not so much of a tip as a reminder to focus on the details.

To clean before a photoshoot goes without saying, doesn’t it? However, you may be surprised by how much of your home’s daily detritus passes you by.

Be sure to emphasise light and reflected shine in every shot by polishing surfaces ‘til they sparkle.

Windows are an absolute must; if you are short on time, a professional cleaner should guarantee a gleaming shine.

4. Stay on trend with the season.

 You’ve seen it. That one tired house in your area that keeps cropping up on Rightmove searches. The one with the snow-covered hedge and holly tree with its bright red berries in the foreground.

At Christmas it was quaint. By spring it was out of sync with the surrounding shots of daffodil-lined lawns. By summer it was a stark reminder that the home still hadn’t sold and, more concerningly, a bargaining chip for under-asking-price offers.

Make sure your external photographs stay on-trend and up-to-date with the season. This may mean recalling a photographer to take a few choice snaps of your vibrant purple trailing wisteria in late-spring.

Well worth the effort to stay fresh and ahead of the pack.

 5. Dress for success.

In an Insta-perfect world, gone are the days of the candid camera. It’s time to primp and style each room so that it’s dressed to impress.

Now for the fun part…

Each room should be de-personalised (remove all your half-empty shower gels and colour-correcting conditioners from the bathroom) and ‘dressed’ in its finest.

Garnish the kitchen worktop with a succulent cheeseboard, refreshing jug of Pimm’s or a homemade carrot cake.

Replace worn and faded bathroom towels with a set of fluffy, colour accent ones. Avoid over-cluttering the shot, instead opt for elements that hint at luxury, comfort and offer a warm welcome.

Pay close attention to creating a cosy bedroom setting. Iron out any creases in the bed linen (plain, not patterned) and dress with symmetrical, colour-coordinated cushions and even a rustic handwoven throw for that ultimate comfort-blanket appeal.

6. Light up the room.

Light infiltrates so many aspects of our lives, affecting the way we function from dawn ‘til dusk. Ever thought much about the phrase ‘it’s like a light went on in my head’?

Light is synonymous with enlightenment; so be sure to illuminate your viewers as to the wonderful features of your home by providing key lighting throughout the shoot.

Lighting equipment should be within the remit of your photographer, but do be sure to point out any furtive dark corners to them. You are, of course, the expert when it comes to your own home.

The early bird catches the worm; but the night-owl photographer captures the sunburst of twilight. Study your home prior to the shoot and analyse how and where the light hits your home at different times of the day.

Dawn light can be a fantastic medium for photographers, whilst twilight shots, with all the lights on indoors and curtains open, weaves its own alluring spell on viewers.

7. Be part of the process.

For estate agents, picking the right photographs for marketing is second nature. They have the added bonus of impartiality; they don’t have the emotional ties to the home that you have after all.

However, your home is your castle. Who knows it and loves it better than you? Ultimately, nobody is better placed to scrutinise and assess the final shots than you, the homeowner.

Take direction from the agent and listen to their valuable advice, but let your heart and instinct lead you. Point out the unique features that captivated you on your first viewing; show them to the gin and tonic terrace where the light hits perfectly at twilight.

Aim for a selection of shots; a mixture of lifestyle, full-width and feature.

Armed with your seven magic ingredients to fabulous photos, your home can’t fail to get snapped up.

To download our FREE GUIDE TO MAKING YOUR PHOTOS LOOK FABULOUS simply contact us on hello@sawdyeandharris.co.uk and we will email it straight over to you.

Getting a mortgage if you’re self-employed

Self-employed people often worry about getting a mortgage because it isn’t always easy for them to demonstrate they have a stable income.

Around 15% of the UK’s working population, equivalent to 4.93m people, are currently self-employed, according to latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

It used to be the case that those working for themselves could ‘self-certify’ their income when applying for a mortgage. In other words, they could simply tell the lender how much they earned without having to prove it. Self-certification mortgages are no longer available due to stricter lending regulations, so now anyone who is self-employed must be able to show lenders proper records of their income and outgoings.

This can be difficult for those who’ve only recently started working for themselves and don’t have several full years of accounts available, or whose income varies greatly from month to month.  Recent research by Kensington Mortgages found that 68% of Britain’s self-employed workers are finding it tricky to get a mortgage, with one in five (22%) of self-employed renters claiming that they’ll never be able to get onto the property ladder due to their fluctuating income and steep house prices.

However, self-employed people typically want to borrow much less than most lenders would allow, according to Kensington’s mortgage application data, making them a safer bet than many first-time buyers.

Ways to boost mortgage chances

Self-employed people can boost their chances of having their mortgage application accepted by making sure they’ve got all their paperwork in order.

Lenders will usually want to see proof of earnings for the last two to three years. However, some are prepared to accept only one year’s records for those who’ve only recently become self-employed.  They will typically accept self-assessment tax calculations (SA302 forms) and a tax overview, rather than a full set of accounts. They may alternatively ask the accountant responsible for preparing the applicant’s accounts to certify their income.

Any paperwork supplied must be recent. Usually the most recent year-end documentation mustn’t be older than 18 months prior to the date of the mortgage application, or it may be rejected. This means that figures for the 2017/18 tax year are now no longer acceptable as the latest year’s figures, so self-employed mortgage applicants will need to submit figures for the 2018/19 tax year.

Other paperwork

Proof of income isn’t the only paperwork that lenders will need to see from self-employed mortgage applicants. Everyone who applies for a mortgage, regardless of whether they are self-employed or an employee, must show proof of their identity, such as a passport or driving license, and proof of address, typically a gas or electricity bill or a council tax statement showing the applicant’s name and address at the top.

Applicants must also submit current account bank statements showing their outgoings, such as the amount they spend on childcare each month, any pension contributions, utility bills and so on.

Lenders will usually want to see the last three months’ statements, although some may ask to see statements for the last six months.

For more information about which mortgage might suit you simply click here or give us a call on 01364 652652.

Is it the right time for you to move?

It comes to us all. That defining moment. It can be brought along on winds of opportunity, on the back of financial necessity, or because we have simply outgrown our comfy shell; but it comes to us all.

 All men must move house.

But sometimes, what do we say to the god of moving? Not today…

Moving house is often cited as one of the most stressful stages of life, aside from getting married, that we as humans can experience.

Maybe that’s because when it comes to selling your home, you need the same levels of commitment as you do in marriage. To succeed, you need to be 100% motivated ahead of this next big step.

After all, for better or worse, there are many hurdles to overcome along the way; it is not a process for the fainthearted.

From the minefield of surveyors’ reports, negative feedback, Rightmove statistics and low offers, to the constant cleaning ahead of each new viewing, you’ll need to be in the right frame of mind to face the challenges ahead.

Here we shed some light on factors that could help you decide whether the time is right to go on the market.

1. Wish or whim?

How long have you been thinking about moving on?

Is this a deep-seated spark of desire that has been on the slow-burn and is now catching fire? Or is it a sudden, snap reaction to other external factors?

Has your friend recently moved house and you’ve caught a sniff of fresh-start frenzy?

Take a moment to consider the pros and cons and implications, both financial and emotional, that moving house right now could have.

A friend of mine has been toying with the idea of relocating from the city to the countryside for the past twelve months. Finally, he decided to bite the bullet and has handed in his notice at work.

Fortune, we are told, favours the brave, but, with his notice period ending in July and his second child due in August, is this move down to his long-held wish to move, or based on an idealistic whim?

Whilst a growing family can often be the spur behind a house move, timing that move so that it causes the least financial and physical disruption to your family is key.

2. Why do you want to sell?

Are you preparing to downsize, relocate or are you planning a family?

The reasoning behind your potential move is crucial, as is the timing of its execution.

For downsizers, the decision can be a tricky one. Perhaps you have recently said farewell to the last of the brood to fly the nest. The house suddenly seems so quiet. Is now the time to take your life plans off the back burner and make that move to a smaller, more economic home?

Spending less time cleaning empty rooms will certainly be a plus point. Perhaps you want to swap those three double bedrooms for a studio where you can finally sketch that masterpiece, or realise that ambition of becoming an amateur photographer. It might make sense to make the move now, before the next chapter begins and grandchildren are in the offing!

If you are planning to have children, it is only natural to desire more space for your expanding family. For those already with children, the ages of your nippers will factor greatly into the timing of your house move. Keeping disruption to your child’s education, particularly if you are locating to a new area, is crucial to a successful move.

Pros and cons exist for moving at all ages; babies and toddlers are malleable and can handle the changes with ease – yet older children are able to help with the packing! For teenagers with close local links, timing is crucial.

No move is without its traumas, but do take the time to consider exam dates and how a move will impact on your child’s school life, hobbies and interests before putting up that for sale sign.

3. Which season is best for selling your home?

Your mind is made up. You are moving house. But when is best to move?

Historically speaking, spring is oft cited as the premium time in which to put your home on the market. Key ‘hot points’ occur around the Easter and May bank holidays.

The benefits to selling at this time of year are easy to recognise: the days are long, the sun is (usually) shining, the blossom is blooming and properties generally look at their finest.

House hunters are out in their droves, and – dream of dreams – if you price your house competitively, you might even prompt a bidding war!

What about summer?

If your target market is families, summer has traditionally been perceived as a troublesome time to sell. With the school holidays in full flow, trips abroad and entertaining the wee ones tends to leave the streets devoid of house-hunters.

Getting your house on the market at the start of summer should help you avoid the peak holiday dates, when your target market will be abroad. Of course, if you happen to have a home with a large garden and pool, summer could be the ideal time to sell.

Autumn is the season of change and that goes doubly so for house sales, with people keen to move on before Christmas. If Christmas leaves you raring for change, turn over a new leaf in January.

4. Monday’s house is fair of face…

Want to get down to the real nitty gritty of timings?

You might feel sluggish when the alarm clock goes off at 7:00am on a Monday morning, but according to Which?Money analysis published in 2017, Monday is the best day of the week to sell your house!

According to the survey, properties listed on a Monday took only 176 days to sell compared to an average of 191 days.

So, if you were planning on leaving it until the weekend to amble down to your estate agent to give the green light for your launch, think again. The same research suggested that properties listed on a weekend took longer to sell, with Saturday listings taking an average of 203 days to sell and Sunday homes taking 213 days to sell.

With much at stake emotionally and financially, finding the right guidance when selling your home can make all the difference. If you want to know whether now is the right time for you to start a fresh chapter, just pick up the phone. We’re waiting to hear from you.

Wanting to reach more buyers ? 

We are holding a property ehibition in our London office on Park Lane, promoting properties we have on the market to the lucrative London and International buyers and investors.  One of these properties could be yours.

Let us present your home in our next exhibition.

TO BOOK YOUR SLOT AND TO FIND OUT MORE JUST CLICK HERE.....

When it comes to selling your house, the viewer becomes the VIP. Here, we help you prepare for that all-important ‘state visit’.

We all have that friend. You know the one. The rarely-seen frenemy who, when they text to say they’re in the area and ‘might drop by’, you drop everything to ensure your home is military-precision perfect.

If you are selling your house, this high state of alert can become trying. You need your home ready to bring its A-game every day of the week. Because this visit isn’t simply a matter of pride; it’s about clinching that all important sale.

In a perfect world, we would all appreciate a clear day’s notice (preferably when it’s raining outside and we have nothing better to do) to tidy and prepare for a viewing. In reality, in between calendars filled with children, pets and work schedules, we can often be left with mere minutes to get the house spic and span.

Below, we have compiled our top six time-saving tips to help speed you through the preparation for these high-profile visits.

1. Clear spaces

Even the largest rooms can look poky when they are overcrowded with everyday clutter. Take a real look around the room you are sitting in right now. What can you see that doesn’t belong?

First impressions are crucial, so be sure to give the whole house a thorough ‘sweep’ before your viewer arrives, removing all non-essential items that might distract the viewer.

It is important that your viewer has the opportunity to envision themselves living in your home; a task hard to achieve with your toddler’s abstract handprint masterpiece adhered to the fridge.

Short on time? Grab a laundry basket as you tour the house, placing errant items in there. Stash the basket in your car until after the viewing.

 Top tip: pay attention to bookshelves. They can often be magnets for day-to-day detritus such as hair grips, pens and loose change.

2. What about the children?

Now your home is clutter free – it’s time to keep it that way. You love your kids, you love your dogs, cats, iguanas and so forth. The trouble is, your viewer may not.  Ensure that when it comes to that all-important visit, children and animals are kept off premises. A cat jumping on the surfaces will not convey the clean and pristine image you wish to portray of your kitchen to a first-time viewer.

Similarly, your attention should be entirely focussed on answering (and pre-empting) your viewer’s questions, not on helping your child to find their football kit or the Wi-Fi password.

As with other clutter, remove any pet bedding, where possible, for the duration of the visit.

Be sure to do a final sweep for lost Lego pieces under the sofa (viewers have the keenest eyes) and pay a visit to your pets’ favourite corners to check for recent hair deposits and you’re good to go.

3. Selective cleaning

With only fifteen minutes to go before the viewing, we aren’t suggesting you do a deep clean of the home, its soffits and facias.  Quite the opposite; the last thing your viewer needs is a nose full of ammonia as they step through the front door.

It is important, however, to ensure that any surfaces they are likely to touch are clean and crumb-free. A quick wipe down of the kitchen worktops will suffice.

Check mirrors and windows for smudges (if you’re running short on time focus on en-suites and the main family bathroom) and run a damp duster over televisions and computer screens.

If you have a log burner, it is often the focal point of the room. Be sure the clean the glass before viewings. The quickest and easiest way to do this is by taking a clean, damp cloth and dipping it in the ash from the previous fire. This will remove even the toughest smears and black soot with minimal effort.

 Finally, run the hoover around the floors to remove any loose fluff and fuzz for a smooth and sanitised appearance.

 4. Olfactory appeal

Falling in love with a home is a full-sensory experience. And just like any first date, it’s important not to over-face the viewer with too much fragrance. The old adage is to bake bread or brew strong coffee, but our fifteen-minute countdown calls for much simpler solutions.

Open a few windows to let the fresh air in. This is particularly important in spare bedrooms and lesser-used rooms which can sometimes accrue a stale smell.  If you have stronger odours you need to combat, then consider spraying your fabric sofas, carpets or curtains with a mixture of water and fabric softener (just a few drops will suffice).

Quicker still, pop a tumble drier sheet on a radiator and let the gentle scent suffuse the air.

Avoid stronger invasive perfumes such as incense or potent aromatherapy candles. Neutral and clean is far more appealing.

5. Let there be light

No matter the time of year, create a sense of cosiness in your home by flicking on the lamps in every room. Again, pay attention to neglected spaces such as studies and guest bedrooms.

If your kitchen has plinth lighting, now is the time to let it shine.

Keep a sense of symmetry in your bedroom by lighting both bedside lamps, or even by lighting a candle or two on the dressing table.

As well as making your home appear bright, switching on lights helps to make your rooms feel both larger and warmer. 

6. Keep a cool head and a warm hearth

Minutes to go before the VIPs arrive. If you’ve opened the windows to air any rooms, now is the time to close them and check the temperature.  The comfort of your viewer will dictate the amount of time they spend in your home – and ultimately whether they feel your house is a welcoming prospect.

On warm summer days, keep the air flowing and consider leaving windows open. If it is windy, wedge doors so they don’t bang in the breeze.  Even on the hottest days, your log burner should still be dressed in a cosy and inviting manner. Stack the fire with a few logs and light a candle on the hearth to convey the warmth and comfort it provides, without causing your viewer to perspire.  

In the winter time, pop an instant burning log on the fire for that homely glow. No need to fuss with firelighters when time is of the essence.

Now that the house is ready, play some Einaudi at low volume and spare a minute to check your own appearance in the mirror. You look great! And so does your home.

We hope our six top tips have taken some of the worry away, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of viewings, just pick up the phone. We can arrange to chat with you over a cuppa. We’re waiting to hear from you, call us now on 01364 652652 or 01626 852666.