How big is the property?

Have a look at the EPC for a property, at the top right hand corner of the full EPC it gives the habitable area of the property in sq metres (not including garages etc.)
That way you can determine the price per sq m / sq foot of the property!

Make notes to compare prices between properties!
All propertys have to have an EPC when they are for sale (or rent) and the estate agent should show it you free of charge.

House jokes

I’m going to collate all the housing jokes I can find… Might even get my sketchbook out and draw some cartoons if I feel inspired enough!


If you buy a house with a 125% mortgage, you own less of the house than when you first looked at it!

Another search to think about

When you’re looking at an area you can do searches for “land for sale” and see whether there’s any land being sold off by either the council or landowners. Bear in mind any affect of a new development might have on your future property in the area.
Local councils either manage the sale of land or allow private companies to do this for them. Some internet searching should find you the answers you need.

Ready to make an offer?

Thinking about making an offer

If you’re at the stage where you’re thinking about making an offer, then I hope you’ve viewed twice, preferably taking someone else with you for a second pair of eyes. I hope you’ve asked all the questions you needed too and got good answers.

So what to offer?

Do a postcode search on houseprices.co.uk and see what properties have sold recently in the area and what they’ve gone for. Ideally you’re looking for similar houses on the same street but it’s not always possible.

Do a crime search on the police maps site too. What’s the crime like? Will it bother you having antisocial behaviour nearby or even on the same road?

Check on property bee for price reductions within the area too. See if things are being reduced – if so this is a sign that not much is selling. You can view sale trends on home.co.uk by using a postcode search.

Are you in a really good position and ready to go? Is your mortgage in place, your deposit available and waiting?

Get solicitor quotes NOW so when you make your offer you can say “this is my offer and my solicitor will be…” so you look like you’re ready to buy.

If you want to put in a low offer then do it! There’s no harm in trying especially in a falling market. They might refuse – and there’s probably no point in saying you expect prices to fall, as the owners won’t care about that, but speak with the estate agent and say you’re worried about the crime levels on the street and nearby and that this has affected your offer.

If they refuse – then do not rush in and up your offer. Say you’ll have to think about whether you can offer more in light of the work you think needs doing, and the potential problems with the property. If you rush in and up your offer then they know you’re keen and will push you to offer more.

Be relaxed. There are plenty of other properties on the market. If you don’t hear back from an agent after you’ve made an offer then you could give them a ring and arrange a viewing for another property. That lets them know you’re serious about finding the right property at the right price – it might make them hurry the vendors along too.

Drive by viewings

Drive by viewings

You should always visit the area before you make your actual viewing. It’ll give you a chance to have a look at the street in advance.

You should be looking at parking problems on the road, the state of the road, and the surrounding properties.

If you are new to the area then it can help you spot local shops and facilities and also potential trouble spots.

Driving past at different times of the day to include evenings, rush hour and weekends gives you more idea how the place changes during the week.

Reasons to declutter

Reasons to declutter

There are lots of reasons you should declutter your house.

One of the most important is that it’ll make your house look bigger and more spacious.

By decluttering you take away many of the rather personal items that make your home your home. This is essential when you’re selling as sadly many viewers will see your items and not be able to imagine fitting their own items in next to them. It doesn’t matter than when you move you take your stuff with you, as some people just can not see beyond simple things like photos and ornaments.

You neutralise your space which makes it more of a blank canvas for your prospective buyers to visualise themselves in.

If you remove coats from the coat rack then it will give the impression that your house has plenty of room for coats. If you leave one coat out make sure it’s a good quality clean coat that evokes some sense of lifestyle. If you live in a town then a posh coat would be nice, if you live in the country an outdoor jacket would be nice.

Hide away your shoes from the halls and floors of rooms. It makes it look like there’s no where to put them! There might not be room for a shoe rack but they are better hidden away so that the buyers don’t realise!

If your rooms look empty after you’ve decluttered then consider allowing one or two good quality items in each room. This can be a vase of fresh flowers which adds to the lifestyle feel. Remember to check them and throw them out when they start to wilt.

Decluttering the outside of your house is essential too. Where are you rubbish bins right now? Put them away in the shed or garage, or neatly in a corner where they don’t spoil the view. Bins stuck at the front of the house make it look like there’s no room for them anywhere!

Check doormats are clean too and that there’s no milk bottles left by the front door for the milkman! Line up the doormat straight! Make sure your doorbell works too if you have one!

Declutter any signs on your front door too. A sign saying no cold callers gives the impression the area is constantly full of cold callers! This might put some people off!

Nominate a house for a blue plaque

Ever wondered how you go about nominating a property to have a blue plaque? English Hertitage only do London blue plaques (apart from a brief nationwide trial) – They have a guide about it here at the English Heritage Website
* a figure must have been dead for twenty years, or have passed the centenary of their birth, whichever is the earlier.
* a building associated with the figure must survive in London.
* proposals will be considered for the commemoration of sites of special historical interest (for instance, where a key event took place), but these should be shown to be of national significance.

If you’ve nominated and failed in the past you have to wiat 10 years before you can have another attempt at that one!
You then have to fund the plaque yourself!

There are many other local schemes for other parts of the country.
Wiki has a list of blue plaques
Societies like the Tiverton Civic Society has done blue plaques!