Our industry is awash with a variety of agencies, big multi-branch corporates, a selection of mid-sized companies and a large number of small independents. When choosing your next estate agent, be mindful on who you choose as big doesn’t always mean best.

Deciding on who is best to sell or rent your home can be a challenging process. Many will often appoint the recognised high street brands, those who have a large presence in their town or County or indeed those who seemingly have an army of leaflet droppers at their disposal promising the best service at the best price.

Others will take their time to carefully select an agent having undertaken research online. They’ll look at recently agreed sales in their area, they’ll read up on previous customer testimonials and they’ll look at current stock levels before making a decision.

Regardless of which approach you take, it is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Appointing a good agent can be the difference in achieving your asking price within a set amount of time or languishing on the market for months and not being able to do anything about it.

Take time to consider if you and your home will be treated like valued customers as opposed to simply being another sales statistic. Be mindful of signing a lengthy contract that will allow your agents to simply wait for enquiries to roll in as opposed to actively selling your home. Take your time to seek out previous customers comments on their experience with your shortlisted agents, they might have words of warning for you which could prove invaluable.

At Carnabys, we’re a small independent agency who pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service to every one of our vendors, buyers, landlords and tenants as proven by all of our recent testimonials on RaterAgent.co.uk. We have completed on 91% of all instructions since 2001 because we provide realistic valuations to ensure we find a buyer within 6 weeks.

If you’re looking for a personalised service for your next property move, you should consider agencies like ours, those that make the most of every opportunity given to them and will often go above and beyond the normal call of duty to ensure your experience is maximised.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

James

The Spring sunshine has finally managed to break through the winter blockade and what a difference it can make to how you feel, what you do and how you perceive things. A bit of sunshine can be good for the soul.

Is it a wise time to move, to take that next step on the property ladder, to conclude that development work and re-finance your home or to invest in a buy-to-let property? The answer to each of these is, of course, YES!

Over the past 12 months, the South East has seen property prices rise by almost 3.5%*. Whilst many areas of the Country may well be suffering from a post-Brexit uncertainty, our region, due to its proximity to both London & Brighton, has remained almost unaffected; we’re in a PBB – a ‘Post-Brexit Buddle’.

Burgess Hill could epitomise exactly what has been mentioned above. Property prices have gradually been on the increase, demand to relocate to our town has remained strong, future developments are in hand and we’re privileged to have a great selection of both primary and secondary schools.

This year, our town centre will see a dramatic change as The Martlets Shopping Centre is set to benefit from a £65 million development. The work will see news shops, restaurants and even a new cinema open in the coming years, ultimately making Burgess Hill a more popular place to live and socialise, shop and spend.

So, whether you’re looking to move to our town, to sell your current property and take that next step on the ladder, to invest in property locally or to simply get a latest, realistic market valuation, we can help.

At Carnabys, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service, as proven on RaterAgent. We have 80 years of collective industry experience amongst our team of four so you’ll certainly be dealing with the professionals.

Call us today for your sales or lettings valuation, to register your details or to simply chat all things property, we’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading

James

*Source – Rightmove House Price Index March 2017

Regardless of what industry you work in, customer testimonials can give you a powerful insight into the quality of the company that you’re considering working with or buying from.

Companies who pride themselves on delivering exemplary customer service will often ask recent customers for a review or testimonial, knowing that their response will help to drive future business opportunities. Those companies who are more concerned about securing the sale without necessarily focusing on delivering a joyful experience to the customer might not be after the same feedback as their competitors.

Within our industry, there are an abundance of websites which allow for customers to share their thoughts on their own experiences, good or bad. The question is, which reviews/websites can you trust and which can you not.

Many Estate Agents will have a testimonial section on their website, some will link to 3^rd party websites where reviews are checked, though the majority will simply be uploaded with no way of checking if indeed they are genuine and true.

At Carnabys, we are very proud of our relationship with raterAgent.co.uk. The following has been taken directly from their website, “raterAgent.co.uk is a trustworthy, dedicated estate and letting agent review site for getting proof of the quality of an agent’s service. Using our exclusive raterMark system, every single review is checked by a human being before it is set live, to weed out fakes. raterAgent is, therefore, able to provide the insights that you need to be confident in one of the most important decisions you’ll make – choosing the right agent to sell or let your home.” 

We work hard to ensure that each landlord, tenant, vendor & buyer are treated as individuals and that their experience with Carnabys is an extremely enjoyable one, regardless of how long the relationship lasts. You can view all of our recent reviews here.

So, in summary, the next time you’re looking to make a property move, whether it be selling or letting, do your research, see what genuine previous customers have to say about your local agents, it could be the difference between being treated like a sales statistic as opposed to a valued customer.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

James

I’d like to start by wishing all of our vendors, landlords, buyers and tenants a very happy New Year, we hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas break.

Now that 2017 has arrived, we’ve been thinking about what new opportunities the New Year will bring.

From a sales perspective, the New Year will always bring about new property instructions supported by a vast amount of new applicants for those looking to make a property move in the early stages of 2017. Many families will be looking to make a move to help be a better location for school choices come September. Some will be looking to move to make a fresh start to the year, in keeping with numerous New Year resolutions. Overall, January is often a great month to sell & buy as there will be a good choice of available properties on the open market.

From a lettings perspective, January is always a strong month. To be honest, most of 2016 was very strong, the rental market in Burgess Hill and the surrounding villages was very buoyant with the majority of available properties being taken within 48-72 hours. We’re fortunate that our proximity to London & Brighton means that lots of people wish to relocate & rent in our town as the value for money is far superior than the respective cities where they work.

Our aims for 2017 are simple; to continue providing unrivaled customer service to our many active customers, ensuring that each of them is dealt with like a individual and not a statistic. We’re certainly not the biggest agent in our town, far from it, however, we pride ourselves on offering a personal service as proven by our recent RaterAgent.co.uk reviews.

If you’re looking to work with an agent in 2017, we’d love to help in anyway we can. We’re available 6 days a week by phone on 01444 245201 or e-mail on properties@carnabys.co.uk.

Wishing you all a very successful and prosperous 2017.

Thanks for reading.

James

At Carnabys we always aim to support the local community however and whenever we can.

A big part of that is sponsoring local sports teams and clubs.

Within the past month we’ve sponsored a 50 over game at the Sussex County Cricket Club.

We’ve good links with the cricket club as James Potten, our Sales Manager, worked there for more than five years.

We followed that up by clinching a deal to support Hassock Football Club.

The partnerships will see our Carnabys’ boards around their ground, The Beacon, as well as sponsoring their player of the month award.

The club has a wide range of men’s, women’s and children’s teams and work hard to make playing and enjoying football accessible to everyone in the local area.

We’re also working with Mid Sussex Golf Club as corporate partners meaning we’ve access to their fabulous meeting facilities as well as being able to regularly play their course with clients and suppliers.

As a local independent agent we know the importance of building great relationships with local clubs.

These sorts of partnerships create a win win situation for all involved.

It helps that we’re all sports fans in the office and our team is made up of people who either live locally or who have strong links to the towns we serve.

While we can’t improve the fortunes of England’s football team (can anyone?) we can do our bit locally to help.

That’s why we are always interested in having a chat with local clubs, community groups and schools to see if we can support them in any way.

Thanks for reading.

Terry

It’s the summer solstice on Monday which means the sunnier months are officially here.

Shame that no one has told good old Mother Nature as the weather in around Burgess Hill remains unsettled with showers, winds and a chill in the air.

But we’re optimists (must be something to do with being England fans as well) and keeping our fingers crossed for warmer weather and the Three Lions’ team to do well in France.

Now I love a good barbecue.  Nothing says ‘summer’s here’ to me more than the smell of roasting charcoal, sizzling sausages and cool drink.

Especially now the European Championships are on the TV.

I’d like to think I’m a meat grilling maestro (although my wife might disagree).

A good barbie and a successful property sale have a few things in common.

Firstly you need to choose the best ingredients in much the same way you need to instruct a good agent. (We recommend Carnabys – but we would wouldn’t we).

Secondly make sure you’ve the right equipment to make your life easier. Similar to ensuring your agent is using every possible marketing avenue to get buyers flocking to your door.

Thirdly if you get the flames burning too hot you’ll scorch the food which can see your bangers getting binned.

The agency equivalent of this is overpriced property – it sticks on the market and gets overlooked for better value options. It’s THE biggest reason why property doesn’t sell.

And finally when all is cooked and ready to eat take time to serve it with a touch of style not just plonk it on a plate.

Your BBQ presentation matters in much the same way as getting your property looking good when viewers come calling.

Make sure your plate, I mean your place, is looking tidy, uncluttered and tempting to potential buyers.

Thanks for reading and happy cooking.

Terry

Hello and I hope you all had a good Bank Holiday.

Forget the recent rain the summer holiday season is not far away and we’re expecting a busy time as the market heats up in and around Burgess Hill.

Everyone feels better when the sun’s got his hat on but don’t rely purely on sunshine and a ‘nice weather’ feel good factor to sell your home this summer.

At Carnabys we’ve come up with six super summer tips to get you moving in the right direction when it comes to marketing your property in the sunnier months.

1: Open the windows

Open the windows and air the house. Viewers are put off by stale smells. When a house is allowed breathing space it always smells better and often feels better to.

2 The great outdoors

If you have a garden get it looking neat, tidy and somewhere that potential buyers will want to sit with a glass of chilled wine on a warm evening. Don’t forget to get your front garden looking as good as your back.

3 Keep a clear hall way

After your front door and front garden the hallway is the second point of reference your viewers have. Impress them with a clean, neutrally coloured and clutter free space which they’ll feel good going through en route to the home’s other rooms.

4 Make it easy for the viewer

We often hear people say things like ‘this used to be our dining room, but now it’s a temporary study’. The implication is for viewers to use their imaginations and envisage the file-filled, book laden room as a place where their family can eat and entertain. Wrong. When you put your house on the market give each room a clear purpose. In this instance change the ‘study’ back to being a dining room and don’t leave it up to the viewer’s imagination.

5 Smells sell

It’s important to be mindful of odours especially in the summer months when hot weather brings its own challenges. Keep bins out of the way if possible, buy some of the better air fresheners out on the market and remember point 1.

6 Windows to the world

Viewers are drawn to windows during the summer. They’ll like to look out at your garden or what parking is like or just check out how clean your windows are. So keep them as clean as possible inside and out and don’t clutter your window sills either.

Summer is a busy time for viewers and a great opportunity for you to sell your home quickly and for a price you’ll be delighted with.

At Carnabys we believe if you follow these tips and our expert advice you won’t put a flip-flop clad foot wrong.

Thanks for reading.

Terry

Every year for the past six I’ve valued a house ten minutes away from our office. Always at the start of May. It began to feel like Groundhog Day.

Last week the gentleman who owns the place instructed us to sell it for him.

He had no intention of selling the property until this year – so why the valuation visits beforehand?

In his case he was just curious. For us it wasn’t a problem at all as ALL our valuations are free and carried out under absolutely no obligation.

Of course I’m glad we got the instruction but at Carnabys we understand there are many reasons to get valuations on your property and not just because you’re thinking of selling at that time.

These include pre a big refurbishment to gauge if the money you’ll spend will give you a decent return.

A person rewriting their will is another reason, as is exploring the possibility of a remortgage and wanting to know your home’s worth beforehand.

People looking at their pension pot are another one, as they want the most up to date picture of their prized asset’s value.

Whatever the reason we’re always delighted to give you an honest, expert and experienced valuation on your home.

We are in it for the long haul and expert, no obligation valuations are just one way of building long term and mutually beneficial relationships.

Thanks for reading,

Terry’s Top Tip: Whenever an agent gives you a valuation ask for comparables. Anyone can pull a price out of the air but producing evidence of similar properties, like yours, that sold successfully separates the wheat from the chaff.

We’re always looking for ways of making people’s lives easier.

That’s why we’re delighted to be teaming up with H & D Mortgages to create Walk in Wednesday.

Gone are the days when you needed to book two weeks in advance to speak with a mortgage advisor from a High Street bank. Walk in Wednesday are exactly that.

Every Wednesday the experts from H & D Mortgages will be based at our office at 1 Keymer Road, Burgess Hill, opposite Burgess Hill train station.

If you need free, no obligation advice from a company that searches the whole mortgage market then having a chat with the good people from H & D Mortgages could be the best move you could make.

It’s as simple as walking in to our office with no appointment necessary.

The advice is totally impartial and tailored to your needs rather than any unseen sales agenda.

So if you are buying or selling, thinking about remortgaging or releasing equity or just curious to see what’s available in the current mortgage market pop in and see the lovely H & D people.

To find out more about H & D Mortgages visit: www.handdmortgages.com

If you have any property related questions whatsoever please feel free to call us on 01444 245 201.

Terry’s Top Tip: Remember H & D Mortgages find the mortgage that is best for you not for them.

The world of estate agency can be full of mysterious and confusing jargon at times.  The dictionary definition of it is below:

Jargon: Special words and ​phrases which are used by ​particular ​groups of ​people, ​especially in ​their ​work and industry. Often not understood by ‘outsiders.’

At Carnabys we don’t like jargon. We like to talk with our clients in a language they understand and appreciate.

So we’ve come up with this jargon buster for the estate agency industry.

Vendor – The person selling a place.

The ‘applicant’ – The person buying the place.

Sole agent – Not to be confused with soul agent which would refer to a fan of Luther Vandross and James Brown who sells and lets properties. Basically this means the only agency selling the place.

Chain free – This should be an easier place to buy due to the lack of people, solicitors, agents, surveyors etc involved.

Mortgage Offer – The lender’s letter proving you have a loan for the money to buy the place.

Conveyancing – The legal stuff that needs doing when you are buying a place.

EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) – The piece of paper which shows how energy efficient (drafty or insulated) the place is.

Subject to contract – You’ve agreed to buy the place, they’ve accepted your offer but everything is still in the lap of the gods until exchange of contracts (or if you are really unlucky completion) happens.

Stamp duty – The Government tax which makes buying your place a lot more expensive especially if it’s a second home in Cornwall or a buy to let in Burgess Hill.

Exchange – When everything is legally agreed by everyone involved and you can swap contracts making buying the place a whole lot more likely. At this point you can have a drink.

Completion – The moment the place becomes yours. Keys in your hand, kiss the agent, order a take away and have another, larger drink.

We like to keep things clear, honest and friendly and that’s why we avoid jargon like a forest full of angry bears!

Thanks for reading,

Terry

Terry’s Top Tip: Any agent who relies on jargon probably doesn’t know their stuff half as much as they think they do.