Most moves have a lot riding on them, and, if you're thinking of selling your home, there's probably a good reason behind it.

Perhaps you're moving in with a partner, expanding your family, relocating for work, thinking about schools, considering downsizing, or simply moving to your ultimate dream location.

None of these are small events. They're pivotal life moments filled with anticipation, and when the next chapter of your life depends on the sale of your home, it can be an emotional time.

We believe that estate agents have a unique role to play in making your move an enjoyable and exciting experience. Because moving is exciting, and it can absolutely be enjoyable.

In that spirit, let's look at what you can plan for and what to be prepared for so you can keep a level head at every stage of selling your home.

PUT TIME ON YOUR SIDE
Far and away, the biggest source of anxiety when selling your home is feeling that your move may not happen when you need it to.

The speed of buying and selling is far from an exact science, so allow yourself enough time and flexibility to meet your ideal dates. Having plenty of breathing space will make it easier to make decisions calmly and to carry on with your work and home life as usual.

Just like everywhere else, the property market in and around Berkhamsted and Tring is prone to contradictions. Some homes fly off the shelves in days, but you'll feel a whole lot more at ease if your plans don't hinge entirely on that kind of good fortune.

A general guideline is to be ready to hit the market about six months before you want to move. For some tailored advice on getting the presentation and timing just right for your home though, the first thing is to book a market appraisal with one of our valuers.

TAKE IT STEP BY STEP
Just like a house, moves are built from the bottom up. Nothing can happen without the foundations in place, and buyers are the building blocks of your plans.
So, if there's only one piece of advice you follow, make it this: find a buyer for your current home before committing to your next one.

It's completely understandable to feel so confident when estate agents are telling you they can sell your home quickly, and with all those beautiful listings staring out seductively from the portals, the temptation to view can be hard to resist.

But you'll face stiff competition from buyers in stronger positions, and the fear of losing the home you've set your heart on can leave you desperate to sell, even in a fast market. Feeling compelled to accept the first offer you get is not only stressful; it could also mean taking thousands less than your home is truly worth.

Unfortunately, too many sellers find this out the hard way, so give yourself a break and get that buyer first.

PICK AN AGENT WITH A PLAN
Imagine your sale as a series of time bubbles. With each subsequent one becoming less effective, your agent needs a plan to maximise response early on and then maintain momentum.

Your first two weeks on the market are often the most active. Your home appears online, portals give you a shiny New Listing label and send out alerts, your agent calls their registered buyers, and new enquiries come in. You've also decluttered to perfection, and you tidy up enthusiastically to prepare for a flurry of viewings. You might even have a launch day.

The following two weeks are also busy. Response is still coming in from the people who couldn't get round before – maybe they were away, or tied up with life, or holding off till they got a buyer of their own – and anyone who liked your home on their first viewing has arranged to come back for a second look.

At this point, after about a month on the market, you'll have hopefully found a buyer or have offers coming in. If not, you'll at least have enough feedback to know whether a sale is likely, or if you need to change tack.

Here's where a plan becomes really important. Before choosing who to entrust with the sale of your home, ask each agent what they'll do after those first four weeks if you haven't got a buyer. How will they keep you on track to sell?

ACCEPT THE RIGHT OFFER
Getting an offer is exciting, and you might even be lucky enough to have multiple buyers competing against each other, so let's explore what makes a good one.
There's much more to an offer than money, and your buyer's position is every bit as important as the price they put forward.

Everyone who makes an offer on your home should be able to confirm:

• whether they need to sell another property;
• if they have a buyer yet;
• full details of any chain involved;
• proof of funds (mortgage, cash or both);
• that their deposit is readily available;
• if any money is coming from somebody else who also needs to see your home;
• when they want to move.

Getting these questions answered will help you identify a strong and secure offer with a timescale that fits your own. Just like a jigsaw - all the pieces need to be in place for the puzzle to be complete.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
If we had a penny for every sale that hit a hitch, we'd need a huge bottle to store them!

Bumps in the road can come from survey results, mortgage valuations and the conveyancing process. They can happen to any home in a chain, but they don't automatically mean the end of your move.

You can't plan for everything, but instructing a solicitor as soon as your home goes on the market can reveal and resolve any potential legal issues, giving you a draft contract ready to go the moment you accept an offer.

And getting timeframes confirmed for every link in the chain when your sale is agreed, along with any booked holidays that might affect your moving date, can avoid fraught conversations as you approach exchanging contracts.

It's also worth remembering that, despite the ups and downs, things generally work out.

Final words
By following these tips, you can minimise the potential for stress by the time you put your home on the market, which is a pretty good start.

If you're thinking of selling your property and you're beginning the search for an estate agent, we'd love to show you how we can help you sell your home.

Tring office: 01442 820420
Berkhamsted office: 01442 863000

We cannot remember a market like this. Record high demand, record short supply, record low interest rates, record speeds of sale and record high prices have created one of the strongest seller's markets in memory.

In fact, the conditions are favourable enough to temporarily tear some pages from the rulebook on selling your home and getting the best price.

Usually, we'd recommend spending a week or two fixing every little unfinished job, perfecting your kerb appeal and getting your interior styling just right. However, with so much demand and so little available property, the time to get your home on the market really is today.

It's not only an unprecedented time to be selling; it's a golden opportunity to increase your buying power for the home you've always wanted. Historically low interest rates and accessible lending are making that extra bedroom, bigger garden or perfect location more possible than ever.

If you've been pondering selling your home, or holding off for the right moment, the ideal conditions are here for achieving that premium price. And by having a sale already agreed, you'll enhance your buying position when your dream home hits the market.
 
Our latest journal piece looks at how you can use the market to your advantage, as both a seller and a buyer.

RECORD SHORT SUPPLY
Although the lack of property on the market means you'll have minimal competition when selling your home, you could well be concerned about finding somewhere to buy.

The curious thing about low supply levels is how they're usually followed by a flood of homes coming onto the market. As soon as everyone gets wind of the favourable conditions, they rush to seize the moment before it fades, turning a lack of availability into an oversupply.

It's rarely a gradual change, and the diaries of estate agents begin to groan from trying to fit in all the valuation and photography appointments. An ocean of homes is not the best environment for selling, but it's an excellent market to be ready for when buying.

RECORD BUYER NUMBERS
There are so many high-quality buyers right now: you'll be able to choose from the cream of the crop.

The other side of that coin is that you might face a lot of competition wherever you're looking to buy, but you'll be at a disadvantage if you try to find your next property before accepting an offer on your own.

No matter how confident you are of accepting an offer quickly, the estate agent acting for the seller of wherever you wish to buy will be looking for people in a position to proceed, just like we are when finding a buyer for your home.

You can take comfort in knowing that most buyers will wait for you – they all know what it's like at the moment, and you have the opportunity to put yourself in the best buying position very quickly, and at a brilliant price on your sale.

RECORD LOW INTEREST RATES
The cost of borrowing has been historically low for a while, but the real story now is that 95% mortgages are more widely available. Since the 2021 Spring Budget, the government-backed mortgage guarantee scheme has unlocked the door to loans that were mostly withdrawn in 2020.

As well as helping more people to buy their first home, the effect has rippled quickly up the property ladder. While that means a larger market for your existing home, it also means that your buying power has significantly increased on your next one.

Perhaps your forever family home had seemed just out of reach, or the leap to your perfect location was too much of a stretch? You could now be in a position to make the move you've always wanted.

RECORD SALE SPEEDS
According to industry figures, the average time to agree a sale more than halved between May 2020 and May 2021. Many homes are selling even quicker, some in their first week on the market.

That's good news if you find it a bit of a chore having to tidy up every single day, just in case someone wants to view your home. Even if you're supremely organised, it's still a to-do list for the mornings and evenings: is the washing up out of sight; are the beds made; is the couch plumped to perfection? We've written entire articles on getting ready for viewings!
 
But right now, with property selling faster than ever, you can be free of that daily obligation much sooner. Instead, you can concentrate on finding your next home with the confidence of being an attractive buyer who can move quickly.

RECORD HIGH PRICES
The average UK estate agent now only has 17 homes available for sale. This lack of availability, combined with market confidence and accessible lending, has proved that buyers are willing to pay more and take a longer-term view on property values.

How long will this last? Nobody can say for sure. We'll only know after the moment has passed.

As it stands today, more homes are receiving multiple offers than ever before, pushing prices to new heights. So, if your primary goal is to secure a premium price for your sale, use the current squeeze on supply to your advantage, before that advantage is gone.

To catch the wind of the current excitement and energy, the right pricing strategy remains the vital first step. The more interest and competition there is for your home, the more you can capitalise on these unique market conditions to achieve a record price.

Final words
It's a remarkable time to be selling a property in and around Berkhamsted and Tring, and we'd love to help you get a premium price and at record speed - it truly is a seller's market that could be the springboard to your ultimate dream home.

To put your plans into action today, contact our sales teams – we would love to be part of your move.

Berkhamsted office: 01442 863000
Tring office: 01442 820420

"At least one in six people on The Sunday Times Rich List owes their wealth to property or the world of home ownership in some way". Those are the words of Robert Watts, the man who compiles The Sunday Times Rich List.

Building a successful lettings portfolio is an exciting route to financial freedom, and picking a direction for your buy-to-let business ultimately comes down to two choices: capital growth or rental yield.

When it comes to choosing between them, you'll find strong proponents of both whenever you ask the question. For some, capital growth is the be-all and end-all of being a landlord, while others extol the benefits of immediate income and higher yields. You'll also find many successful landlords operating in each camp, with some even managing to combine both strategies.

Comfortable retirement, financial freedom, a change of career, supporting children, expanding a business, earning passive income and being your own boss are all motivators for becoming a landlord. Whatever your goals, building a sustainable portfolio of buy-to-let homes can make them possible.

Whether you're looking to increase the size of your lettings portfolio, add a second strategy to your current one, or even if you're just about to go looking for your first buy-to-let investment, this article has something for you.

KNOW YOUR BUYING POWER
The amount of your own money that you can – or are willing to – put into buying a rental property may well dictate your strategy.

To minimise your capital outlay, you'll need to secure a higher loan-to-value mortgage. Buy-to-let mortgages are generally available up to 75% of a property's open market value, as long as the rental yield is high enough: most lenders require the monthly rental income to be at least 125% of the monthly mortgage payment.
 
While gross rental yields are the ones you'll see widely advertised, the net yield is the only number that matters and may be significantly lower. Be sure to factor in all the ongoing costs like insurance, service charges, maintenance and management fees.

With deeper pockets, your options are wider. Capital growth tends to come from more expensive locations and more luxurious homes, where sales prices are higher but rental yields are lower. You could well need to fund 50% of the purchase price yourself to satisfy the income-mortgage payment ratio of lenders, but you'll also find loans at lower interest rates.

SET YOUR PRIORITIES
In the most simplistic terms, capital growth concentrates on investment, while yield focuses on income. The two can become blurred when you adopt a dual strategy, and it's not as cut and dried as that for every landlord, but it's a place to start.

Why choose capital growth?
Let's look at the landlords whose portfolios we manage. Those interested primarily in capital growth operate on a 'buy and hold' basis, intending to keep a property for at least five years, possibly ten and maybe even indefinitely.

You might call it a set-it-and-forget-it approach: a bit like a long-term savings account but with a far better return. Capital growth strategies often underpin longer-term plans like supporting children onto the property ladder or building financial security for retirement.

As the value of the property increases, you can release the built-up equity to fund the deposits on further buy-to-let purchases without using your own money.

Why choose rental yield?
Landlords who prioritise yield tend to be less fixed around how long they keep a home. They stay open to opportunities and may be open to selling if we had a potential buyer who we thought would be perfect. When kitchens, bathrooms and heating need replacing, a landlord might prefer to take their money out and buy a more up-to-date property instead of having a vacant period while they carry out renovation works.

Yield strategies produce an immediate income stream that can supplement an existing salary, or be the catalyst for switching careers altogether, perhaps to become a full-time landlord. In short, they can facilitate an immediate lifestyle change.

Concentrating on lower-value homes makes entry to the market more accessible and is how many landlords get started before switching to a capital growth strategy later on.
 
A CAPITAL GROWTH STRATEGY
The most prudent and reliable course is to go where the money is. Look for central and prime locations with a high concentration of high-earning professionals, often from the corporate worlds like banking, insurance, medicine and law, as well as the tech and creative industries.

Tenants at the top end of the rental market respond to high-quality property that reflects their aspirations, along with a lifestyle that reflects their spending power. They seek homes with an emphasis on contemporary design and luxury specifications, with a premium retail, restaurant and cultural offering nearby.

The catchment areas of high-performing schools are also excellent targets as there are usually more hopeful parents looking for homes than there are properties for sale. However, you'll face fierce competition from local families, which may send the price higher than you're willing to go.

If you can find a fixer-upper in a prime location, you'll benefit from an instant uplift in the sales value and may even be able to increase the level of accommodation. There's a reason for the adage of "always buy the worst house on the street", but you won't be the only person trying.

A RENTAL YIELD STRATEGY
Less central or prime locations have lower property prices, but they will attract good-quality tenants when they offer easy connectivity and an enjoyable lifestyle.

Perhaps the best way to describe properties that fit a yield strategy is regular homes for regular people: think classic Victorian, Edwardian and 1930s houses or conversions, along with purpose-built apartments from the 1960s until now. The closer to a high street the better, particularly one with a choice of coffee places, pubs and good local shops.

To give yourself the best chance of moving tenants in swiftly after completion, look for homes with minimal works required to have them ready for occupation.
Remember that just because a property is cheaper to buy doesn't mean it's cheaper to own and maintain. Older homes are consistently popular because of their character, but they require looking after, so check around thoroughly for the prospect of upcoming surprises.

A DUAL STRATEGY
Finding a formula that will deliver strong capital growth along with a strong rental yield is the holy grail of being a landlord. With a bit of research, it's entirely possible to buy low, rent high and watch the value of your property increase.

Look for locations where infrastructure improvements or regeneration are on the horizon, but still a few years off. When the local connectivity or lifestyle get earmarked for attention – faster (or new) transport connections; an improved retail and leisure offering; even better places to live – there's usually an opportunity to get in early at subdued prices before they catch up with more developed areas.

Owner-occupiers prefer to buy in areas with established amenities, but tenants are more flexible in where they live when they can get a better home for their budget. This presents an opportunity for investors.

Be sure to balance your decision with a reality check. If you're buying into a large new development, many similar homes may become available simultaneously as different landlords complete their purchases. Choice for tenants means competition for landlords, which usually translates to a downward impact on rents in the short term until the development is fully occupied.

Final words
There are many ways to be a successful landlord, and there's no one-size-fits-all strategy. Talking things through with a letting agent where you're looking to invest will give you a clear picture of the local market so you can make an informed decision about the best approach for you.

We can help you identify the locations in and around Berkhamsted and Tring that suit capital growth or rental yield strategies, so why not get in touch? We're here to help you build a sustainable portfolio and a solid financial future.

Tring office: 01442 820420
Berkhamsted office: 01442 863000