The home-buying process can be exciting, nerve-wracking and, at times, frustrating. To minimise the stress and confusion, it’s important to be prepared for the journey ahead with a game plan that includes strategies designed to help you achieve your house-hunting goals. Read on for pro tips for successful house hunting:

Creating a realistic budget is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your home-hunting experience goes smoothly. A good estate agent will help you establish your ideal price range, while a loan originator will walk you through your mortgage options and explain how interest rates can impact your budget. For details on Stroud Estate Agents, visit http://www.tgres.co.uk/office-locations/stonehouse-estate-agents

Image credit

Prioritise your needs and wants. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the process and start dreaming of woodwork, granite countertops and spacious fenced-in gardens. Before you visit houses, make a list of the things that are essential to your purchase and the features that are nice to have. This will help you stay focused and avoid wasting time on properties that won’t meet your needs or match your budget.

One eye-catching listing or outrageously high asking price can stop you dead in your tracks. However, remember that most sellers end up lowering their price at some point during the negotiation process, and you can use comparable sales to validate an asking price before letting it derail your search.

Also, when viewing a property, pay attention to the structural aspects of the property and not just its cosmetic appeal. It’s easy to overlook small problems that can easily be fixed, such as worn carpet or outdated wallpaper. But it’s critical to focus on the big items, such as location, size and the overall quality of the property, as these are the elements that you can’t change once you move in.

Image credit

Remember, too, that the neighbourhood is just as important as the house itself. Be sure to explore the area thoroughly and visit nearby schools to learn more about the educational opportunities available. You’ll want to be sure the neighbourhood fits your lifestyle, whether that means a bustling business district or a quiet neighbourhood where children play and neighbours wave hello.

Finally, don’t forget to schedule a thorough home inspection before closing on the property. A home inspection is an invaluable tool that can save you from unexpected repair bills in the future. For the best results, work with a reputable and experienced home inspector. It’s well worth the investment!

If you are fed up with getting home and having to get out of your car to open the gates on the driveway, then now might be the time to consider having some electric gates installed by someone like this electric gate company Gloucester https://completegateautomation.co.uk Continue reading Four Reasons Why Electric Gates are Beneficial to your Property →

When you purchase a new family home, you do so hoping that you will be safe, secure and happy, living there for many years to come.  Nobody envisages the horrors of being burgled or opportunist thieves stealing your work tools or children’s push bikes from your garage!  A professional company like upandoverdoorsltd.co.uk/garage-doors/swindon who specialise in providing quality, Garage Doors Swindon could certainly help you improve on the security of your garage by installing a new, state-of-the-art, up and over door that also improves on the overall aesthetics of your home.

Image credit

With a population of over 230,000, Swindon is a popular place to live, work and raise a family, located just over seventy miles from the capital city of London, twenty-six miles southwest of Oxford and thirty-five miles, east-northeast of Bristol, the town lies directly on the M4 corridor which makes it great for commuting to the capital but unfortunately also makes it a viable target for opportunist thieves and hardened criminals. Having a new, strong, garage door installed and fitted by a professional company will certainly deter those criminals from trying to enter your home.

Image credit

By investing in some security lighting, cameras, sensors and a smart doorbell system, alongside your new garage door, you will keep the criminals at bay, making your Swindon home, definitely safer and considerably more secure and adding value to the sale price, should you ever decide to sell.

If you are keen to reduce both your carbon footprint and the cost of the energy that you use, then renewable energy is certainly something to look into. Solar panels are a great way to harness the energy produced by the sun and convert it into the energy that you need to use in your home. Continue reading When do your Solar Panels Star to Pay for Themselves →

When planning a home extension, you will want to get it exactly right. It should serve the purpose you want it for and add value to your property. However, not all extensions go to plan and here are some mistakes you will want to avoid:

• Not understanding what it is for

Some homeowners want extra space but embark on the project with no tangible idea of what the space will be used for. Nobody wants to invest all that time and money on;y to have the same problems. Do you want a bigger kitchen? Is there always a queue for the bathroom? Do you dream of more space for entertaining? Have a clear picture of what you want the space for. Builders Bristol can help. For trusted Builders Bristol, contact Mogford Prescott.

Image credit

• Not considering how you will ‘feel’

A vast extension can feel cold and uninviting if you haven’t given any thought to how you want to feel in the space. There are clever ways to incorporate elements to make a space feel more cosy and inviting, so consider ceiling height, warmer paint shades and inviting textures.

• Not creating flow with existing property

Whilst you might want the new space to be unique, it should ideally flow into the existing house. Flow is an essential element of interior design but if you don’t want to use the same flooring or paint colour as the rest of the property, consider similar styles to tie it all in.

Image credit

• Not thinking about furniture

When it comes to deciding where to mount radiators and position windows, factor in what furniture you want at the planning stage so there are no nasty surprises further down the line, such as finding you have nowhere to place a sofa!

Problems with drains and sewer pipes can cause headaches, not only due to the inconvenience that results, but also from trying to work out who is responsible for fixing the issue. To try and minimise your stress, let’s take a look at who is responsible for what, ensuring that you’re in the know if future problems arise. Continue reading Who is responsible for repairing and maintaining drains and sewer pipes? →