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Selling a house can be extremely stressful and overwhelming but it is also an exciting time too. CB Estates are here to make everything a little bit easier for you, take the stress away and save you money whilst providing a great service.

• Making the decision

There are lots of different reasons for moving to a new house – relocating to a different area, upsizing due to expanding your family or wanting to cash in on your properties value, whatever the reason CB Estates are here to help.

First do the maths. See what you will need to budget for. How much is your home worth? How much is left on the mortgage? How much is the new property that suits your needs? And how much are removal and any hidden costs?

Once you have made your mind up its time to contact an estate agent. CB Estates will appoint a dedicated property manager to give a free valuation and discuss the best ways to sell your home.

• How will I sell my property?

You will need an agent who knows the area, will give you an honest, realistic valuation and provide a strategy of how to sell your home.

Setting the price to high could risk there being no offers and too low could lose you money. The price you put your property on the market for depends on the local market conditions and how quickly you want to sell.

Choosing an agent is your next important step, and why not support a local agent with great knowledge of the area with a person at the end of the phone.

If you choose CB Estates we will arrange professional photography, floorplans, your property being advertised on Zoopla which gets millions of hits a day and that is all alongside a great customer service and a friendly face.

• Energy Performance Certificate

An EPC provides information on your home’s energy use and grades how efficient your home is. This also contains any recommendations or improvements that could be made to reduce your energy consumption.

This is a legal requirement for all homes before they are marketed.

The certificate is valid for 10 years and CB Estates can point you in the right direction to get this done.

• Prepare the home for viewings

De clutter the house and get any outstanding maintenance jobs resolved. Make sure the front of the property looks good as first impressions are everything.

If you have pets make sure you get rid of any odours or pet hairs before any viewings take place.

It is recommended to make the property feel homely by baking bread, putting a fire on or lighting candles. It may also be a good idea to not be at the property so the viewers can have a good look around at everything.

With CB Estates we will ask the potential buyers for feedback so you will be aware of any minor changes to make.

• Received an offer, what next?

Congratulations, this is great news. But first is this the offer you wanted? Are you willing to accept the offer? If it is less than what you wanted are you willing to hold out or do you think this is the best you will get?

Our dedicated Property Manager can help you negotiate with the buyer and once you are happy you will need to formally accept, and your property will be removed from the market.

• Appointing a solicitor

A solicitor is required to deal with the legal side of the sale and transfer everything from you to the buyer.

You may already have a solicitor but if not, CB Estates can pass you a recommendation.

Solicitor fees can vary, some can be fixed, and some can vary with the price of the property. Make sure you are clear on all prices before you go ahead.

• Filling out the forms

Once you have instructed your solicitor you will be given a big pile of forms and questionnaires to fill out. This provides your buyer with all the information needed.

There is a general questionnaire which includes information about sewage, boundaries, neighbour disputes, utilities, and council tax.

Another form includes fixtures and fittings where you list everything that will be staying in the property. It might be worth digging out all the warranties you have for these items.

A final form sets out arrangements for handing over the property.

• Drawing up the contracts

It is important to keep in the back of your head that until your property has exchanged, nothing is guaranteed.

The time between accepting an offer to exchange and completion can be around 6-8 weeks, sometimes longer. Some properties go through faster if you have a keen buyer and an efficient solicitor.

Your solicitor should always keep you informed and if you choose CB Estates, we also chase this process and keep you updated.

• Exchange and completion

Once all the paperwork is done it is time to exchange. The buyer and seller are now legally committed to going ahead with the deal and could lose money by pulling out.

If you are part of a chain the solicitors will make sure everyone is happy and willing to proceed before exchanging contracts.

Once exchanged a date of completion is agreed.

Completion is when the property changes ownership and the keys are handed over.

• Moving out

The day has finally come and ideally you have booked a couple of days off to move.

The longer notice you give a removal company the more you can negotiate the price as costs depend on how much you must move and where you are moving.

Do all the household admin, notify anyone who needs to know the change of address, give final readings to the utility companies, and cancel any policies.

Label all boxes and get rid of anything you don’t need.

If you are interested in selling your property with CB Estates, please call us on 01752 917458.

It is looking increasingly likely that Property logbooks will be introduced for every home in the UK. The introduction of these logbooks was discussed at the first meeting of the Residential Logbook Association (RLBA). The aim is that every residential property transaction will be supported by one whether sales or lettings, with a trial scheduled for Spring next year. it is hoped that these logbooks will help to simplify and speed up the house moving process. 

The digital logbooks will also transfer from owner to owner and will include the following information:

• Unique Property Reference Number
• Title number
• History of transactions including sales and rentals
• A lettings MOT certificate (if relevant)
• Ground rent info (if leasehold)
• Up-to-date search and other local authority information.
• Land Registry information
• Utility company data.
• Government information such as flooding risk.
• Handover packs.
• Building or retrofit works completed. 

It is often assumed that renting a property stops you making a house a home, this is not the case. There are lots of different ways you can make a rental property feel homely and cosy.

Many landlords will welcome you making the property your own. However, it is always a good idea to check with your landlord or letting agent first before making any changes to the property.

CB Estates Top Tips:

• You should be allowed to hang pictures as long as you do not damage the wall
• Many landlords will allow you to paint some of the walls. This can be a useful way to personalise children's bedrooms where you can add some colour
• Make good use of lighting. There are many ways to utilise light, to make a place feel more spacious and to set a mood to your home. Mirrors can also make a property feel larger and you can use lamps to create a softer light. 
• Accessorise – you may not be able to change the carpets but its good to start with a blank canvas and then use rugs, pillows and throws to add colour and your personal touch.
• You do not have to focus on just the inside of the property – if you have a garden or balcony space you can put your own stamp on it with pots and plants and garden furniture. If you do not have outside space try bringing in house plants  
• Use your home to display things that you love such as books, art, and photographs. This will all help to add your personality to a property. 

If you are thinking of renting and would like to see what properties we have available, please call us on 01752 917458 or look at our website.

Property Investors describe annual rental income as the rental yield. It is a particularly useful 
measure when comparing different properties and can be a useful target for landlords when
considering future investments.

Gross Yield and net yield
Gross yield is calculated by taking the value of the property when it was purchased versus the rent
that is usually received.
For example, if a property was bought for £200,000 and the rent is £800 a month then the gross
yield is 4.8 percent – that is because £9600 yearly rent divided by £200,000 is 4.8 percent.
The gross yield does not include other costs which a landlord has to pay out such as mortgage
repayments and insurances, it also doesn’t include less regular costs such as management fees,
maintenance and any periods the property is not rented. These costs included would provide the net
yield.

CB Estates Top Tips for increasing your rental yield

1 – Invest Wisely
Investing in property requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and research. You will become more
experienced and better equipped with each new purchase. It is always important to treat every new
property as a business decision and carefully study each potential investment as well as negotiating
where possible to maximise your return.

2 – Invest in up and coming locations
Buying property in up and coming towns and cities is another way to maximise return. Towns and
cities where there are plans to regenerate with government investment for example redevelopment
of city centres and new travel links. Buying in these areas will increase capital growth and greater
rental values for the future.

3 – Make your property attractive to tenants
One of the best ways to maximise your return is to minimise the number of times you have to find
new tenants, marketing costs, periods with no rent and wear and tear can all affect your overall yield. By treating tenants like valued customers and giving them a great service and experience will
help ensure they stay there for a long period and treat our investment as their home.

4 – Review your outgoings
The first place to start looking at your outgoings is your fixed costs. This could be looking at interest
rates and looking to see whether there are better mortgage deals available.
This can make a big difference to what you have going out so it is worth checking all products, from
your mortgage to your insurance products to ensure you are on good rates and by shopping around
when your renewal is due.

5 – Carefully selecting tenants
Taking careful steps when choosing a tenant can help reduce costs which are associated with
changing tenants.
Ensuring a tenant can pay their rent is extremely important and a positive reference from a landlord
and employer is a must.
Its also good to identify who your potential tenants are and market your property to the correct
audience to get better value from your property.
Using an agent is great for this point because they will manage your property and look for the right tenant for your property. This will allow you to concentrate on finding your next property investment.