September Newsletter

September Newsletter


Welcome to the September edition of the Oulsnam Estate Agents newsletter

Each month we will bring you the latest property market news and guidance, as well as current news from our agency too.

In this edition of the Oulsnam newsletter, we take a look at the current sales market and how to get your home ready for autumn.

With Oulsnam, you can discover how much your home could be worth in just a matter of seconds with our online valuation tool. 


Asking pricesĀ  dropped

Asking prices for homes have dropped for the first time this year, down £4,795, because of a summer lull in activity, says sales portal Rightmove.

Click here to read Asking pricesĀ  dropped.



The power of a slow declutter

‘There are those than need visual calm and order, living in a cluttered space can take its toll on their health as they can never really relax or recharge.’ By keeping on top of cluttered spaces in your home, you are allowing yourself to focus on other things.

 

When you look at your home, it can feel very overwhelming to think of what needs to be done and to declutter an entire room or home at once can almost be too much, Lisa Staff who is a professional organiser of 19 years suggest that decluttering needs to be done regular, rather than all at once.

 

Lisa states, ‘When you are walking past something and think, I really do not like that, or it doesn’t look great there, move it!’

 

If you do what Lisa suggests this will mean that you are adapting a habit, rather than snap decisions… Meaning clutter will not accumulate as you will automatically move something if you do not want it in your home.

 

Decluttering has become very popular over the past few years, with TV shows, inspiring people to declutter their homes and more recently home organisers, where there are many shows and videos online that show you how to organise your home.

 

The true professional Marie Kondo introduced to the world with her book ‘The Lifechanging Magic of Tidying up.’ This was made a real hit by the Netflix show, which focuses on moving through your home by category rather than by room. The five categories are, Clothes, Books, Papers, Miscellaneous items and sentimental items. The main focus with Marie Kondos approach is to remove items that no longer have value to you.

 

Why don’t you give it ago, maybe start with that junk draw and see how that makes you feel, to then motivate you to start with other items in your home.

Giving to charity is also a great reason to start with the decluttering process, find a charity that is easy for you to donate to on a regular basis to keep on top of decluttering in your home.  



September home maintenance list

Here are our top September Chores:

 

Boiler service / repairs - this is the perfect time to look at your boiler and check your central heating, it may not have been on for some time? It is recommended to have your boiler serviced every year, so ensure you are keeping up with the maintenance of your boiler to make sure it’s safe. 

 

Inspect and clean fireplace and chimney - there are many chimney sweepers in the local areas who can assist you with maintaining your fireplace, ensure it’s safe and running efficiently. 

 

Cut and stack firewood - this is a job that can be done in September as the weather is still pleasant to be outside and you can stock up ahead to keep you going through the winter.

 

Start your garden clean up - Clear down all of the patio and areas that will not be used during the cooler months ahead, make sure you are still looking after your plants, some potted plants may need to move indoors during the winter. 

 

Fresh air - With the windows open less on the winter, it maybe worth investing in house plants to keep the air inside your homes fresh! 

 

Plan your next project - pick up some hone magazines or head to Pinterest, get inspired and start planning your next project, it could be a simple paint touch up, whatever it maybe it is exciting to get this planned. 

 

Keep the summer memories going - why not print some of your favourite photos this summer and display on albums or around your home! 



6 reasons to remove Japanese Knotweed

Environet are experts at removing Japanese Knotweed and they have further details on how to remove this, we will copy the link at the end.

 

Environment have stated that it will be a lot more difficult to sell an affected property and can impact the value by an average of 10%. Sellers are required by law to disclose the presence of knotweed, if they do not then they run a risk of expensive misrepresentation claim in the courts.

 

Here are the top 6 reasons why Japanese knotweed should be removed from residential properties:

 

1.    Protect your assets – by protecting your property you can get the highest value and save potential buyers walking away from the home.

 

2.    A growing problem – knotweed is programmed to grow its underground rhizome system extending year on year! It is a problem that will not go away on its own.

 

3.    Nuisance neighbours – those who allow it to spread also diminish the value of their neighbour’s property, this can lead to disputes, costly civil claims.

 

4.    Damage – the knotweed can cause damage to the property.

 

5.    DIY Disasters – if you want to add that conservatory, summer house or home office tackle the knotweed first.

 

6.    The heavy hand of the law – An injunction or community protection notice can be enforced to encourage people to act on removing the knotweed from their property.

 

Japanese Knotweed and Invasive Plant Specialists | Environet UK