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Details: Published: 07 November 2023; Hits: 179

Those autumn leaves are falling, creating a carpet of gold and brown on footpaths. The wind blows colder, and people are beginning to sport bobble hats, winter coats and woollen scarves.

It’s late autumn, which will of course lead into winter, and it’s a great time of the year to spruce up your home ready for the colder months ahead, creating a cosy home that you just want to spend time in and enjoy.

It’s fair to say that we absolutely love autumn and winter here at Warren Powell-Richards, so we thought we would take a look at some seasonal trends to help you make your home nice and cosy – and of course look great for viewings if you are selling.

Prepare for the Footprints

First things first, you need to create a space where you, the kids, and the dog can come in out of the cold and mud, and not ruin your flooring or make a big mess! Whether it’s at the back door, or by the front door, this space will help you keep things clean.

It might be that you lay down a larger-than-normal doormat, or use a special covering to protect the carpet. You also may want to install hooks to you’re your coats up straight away.

Put your summer shoes away in a wardrobe and keep your winter footwear out. That way, you can minimise the clutter.

Winter Candles and Cones

Tell us, who doesn’t just love winter smells in the home? Candles are a low-cost way of creating a beautiful winter aroma in your house. Pop one in your halfway, or on a mantlepiece and you have something nice to look at and something delicious to smell too.

And don’t forget, if you have more than one candle, you won’t always need to have all the lights on to create an ambience.

Always make sure you blow your candles out before retiring for the night and be sure that they are placed away from furnishings and fabrics and out of the reach of children and pets.

Outside in, Naturally

When winter comes, leaves are on the ground, twigs are fallen, cones are lying on the path. Gather some up, after first checking that you’re not breaking any rules, and check there are no creepy crawlies hidden away!

The things you collect will make a beautiful natural display inside your home. When the cold weather kicks in, you’ll have some of the outside, indoors.

Don’t go overboard, as too much will look messy. The key is to create something simple and effective, giving a hint of the season. One or two small logs by the fireside will look really attractive.

Dine-in, in Style

Chances are, this year you’ll be spending more time at home. So, why not make your rooms a little bit more special. In the dining room, where you may typically just have a few mats on the table, create a cosy atmosphere by choosing a patterned tablecloth that has hints of autumnal colours. Napkins, again colourful, could be placed on the table, bringing style to the dining room.

There is an abundance of winter room settings in magazines and on the internet. Have a look and find something to your taste. With a bit of creativity, you can turn your house into a cosy winter home.

Lighten up

One thing people seem to do during winter is to switch all the lights on full beam! It really does not create a cosy living space. Yes, dark evenings mean light is needed earlier and earlier, but you don’t need it to be bright.

A standard lamp in a corner could provide the main light, with smaller lamps placed on tables in the living room. You should think about cosiness – softer lighting, rugs on the floor, maybe a throw or two on the sofa.

The atmosphere you create at home can help you through the long winter months. Take time to make it right for you and your loved ones.

We have many years of experience in helping home movers create the perfect setting when selling their property. If we can help you, then please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Details: Published: 07 November 2023; Hits: 171

There Are Several Reasons Why The Process Of Exchanging Contracts Could Be Held Up

For those selling, the process of selling their property can be a stressful one, especially if they’re worried about their completion being delayed. There are several reasons why the process of exchanging contracts could be held up, but the good news is that many of those are avoidable. Our team of experts at Warren Powell-Richards have some advice to help prevent any delays from arising during your sale.

What Can Delay Exchanging Contracts?

The exchange of contracts is a key step in all property transactions since it’s the point at which everything becomes legally binding. It can be an arduous process to get there, though. All transactions are different, so there are lots of different variables that come into play, even if your sale seems like a simple one. Here are some common reasons for delayed completions.

Searches, Queries, And Communication

If one of the search results hasn’t yet arrived, the process of contract exchange will be halted until it turns up. Unanswered queries are another common cause of delays. Both the seller and buyer’s solicitors ask questions of the other party, and the exchange of contracts can only proceed after they receive an answer that is satisfactory. If one of the solicitors is slow or unresponsive, delays can occur in the contract exchange process.

Any of the parties involved in the property sale could cause a hold-up if they’re slow in responding to information requests or documentation. But you can speed up the process as much as possible at your end by answering any questions promptly, reading, signing, and returning paperwork quickly, and keeping in touch regularly with your solicitor and estate agent.

Issues With The Chain

Most property sales involve a chain of other properties, and if there is a problem anywhere along its various links, every sale and purchase will be held up. For example, if a buyer’s mortgage lender finds something dishonest or untoward about the applicant or property, they can stop the process by withdrawing an offer.

Unfortunately, in some cases, a buyer may also develop cold feet, bringing a halt to the process. Using the services of a reliable estate agent like Warren Powell-Richards is the best way to prevent this, as your agent will communicate with the buyer to find out what their issue is and to offer solutions that will get the chain moving again.

Market Conditions

Sometimes, conditions in the property market will affect the length of time you need to wait until the exchange of contracts. If the market is overwhelmed with a lot of sales and purchases, searches will take longer to be returned, and estate agents and solicitors may experience backlogs. Although this only happens rarely, it can be a frustrating cause of delays.

Gazundering And Gazumping

Although the practices of gazundering and gazumping are frowned upon, they still exist in the property market. Until contracts are exchanged, these practices are entirely legal, albeit unethical.

How To Minimise Completion Delays

Although there is little that you can do to prevent delays further down the property chain, choosing the right team of professionals is the best way to avoid issues at your end. Our team of passionate negotiators at Warren Powell-Richards are highly experienced and always work with your best interests at the fore making us a solid choice to handle your sale.

Get in touch today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Details: Published: 30 October 2023; Hits: 167

With The Cost Of Living On The Rise, It’s Never Been More Important To Know How To Keep Your Home Warm This Winter

As the colder weather is on its way and energy costs are rising faster than ever before, it’s never been more important to know how to keep your home warm this winter. Whether you own your property or whether you’re renting, finding ways to reduce your costs couldn’t be more vital this year. With this in mind, the team here at Warren Powell-Richards have 6 helpful tips for you to put into practice so that you can stay toasty without breaking the bank.

Bleed Your Radiators

Check your radiators to see if they feel colder at the top than at the bottom. If so, there may be some cold air trapped inside which is stopping hot water from filling the radiator and preventing it from heating up. You can fix this problem by bleeding your radiator to release the trapped air. The hot water will be able to start flowing inside again, and that will allow even heating of the radiator to heat the room more effectively.

Keep The Top Of Your Radiators Free

It can be tempting to put your damp laundry on your radiators to dry, but if you allow the top of your radiators to become covered with clothing (or indeed, any other items), the warm air won’t be able to flow, and that will stop the heat from circulating. Use a clothes airer instead or dry your laundry outdoors whenever possible.

Add Effective Draught Proofing

Make sure to draught-proof any areas where cold air could be creeping into your rooms. Draught excluders can be purchased for use with your doors, and you can buy foam self-adhesive tape to apply to your windows. Think about your keyholes and letterboxes too. You can buy items in DIY stores that will block out any cold air coming through these small gaps.

Consider Furniture Positioning

Move furniture items such as sofas and beds away from your radiators so that the flow of warm air won’t be blocked. Whenever possible, put thermal curtains up at your windows and doors too. This will help keep the warmth in your rooms.

Insulate Your Property

If you own your own home, make sure you have sufficient insulation in your loft, under your floors and in your external walls as well as around the hot water cylinder. If you’re a tenant, it’s worth speaking to your landlord about insulation.

Service The Boiler

If the boiler in your property is inefficient, your energy bills can take a serious hit, so make sure you’re getting it serviced once a year and that your thermostats are frequently checked too. If the thermostat is old, it can sometimes delay the heating up of your home, or alternatively, could heat it to a higher temperature than necessary.

Follow our tips, and you should find that your home feels warmer this winter. If you’re interested in buying or renting a more energy-efficient property, get in touch with the Warren Powell-Richards team today.

Details: Published: 30 October 2023; Hits: 176

So you’ve found the home of your dreams. It’s close to top-rated schools and the nearby amenities are fabulous. But there’s just one problem – you’ve discovered that it’s in a high-risk flood zone! Before you panic and scrap the idea of buying it, it may not be a dealbreaker. There are lots of ways to make it work for you. To help you make the right decision, here are four things you should know and consider before buying a house in a flood risk area.

How prevalent is the problem?

Before you panic too much, it’s a good idea to investigate how prevalent the problem is. Your estate agent can provide information about any past issues and what impact they had on the house. You can also do your own research into the flood plains. You can use the GOV.UK checker to understand how severe the risk is and get a survey completed on the property for personalised advice.

What are the home insurance premiums like?

It’s possible that living in a high-risk flood area can equate to a higher home insurance premium. This is especially the case if there have been claims on the property in the past due to floods. It’s a good idea to get an online quote before you buy to see the potential cost. If it’s higher than you’re used to, it’s important to bear in mind that you may pay less for a property in a high-risk flood zone. So even though home insurance costs will be high, they could balance out long-term.

How important is carpet downstairs?

It’s not completely necessary, but you may want to consider hardwood flooring or tiles downstairs if a home is in a high-risk flood area. This is because it’s usually a lot easier to clean or replace. It can also be much cheaper to replace than new carpets (including underlay and hiring a fitter). If you’re thinking about buying a house in a flood risk area, consider how important it is that you have carpet downstairs beforehand. If it’s a non-negotiable, make sure you’re willing to replace it, potentially on a regular basis.

Are you willing to invest in precautionary measures?

To prevent incidents and excessive damage, it’s a good idea to consider whether you’re willing to invest in precautionary measures when you buy the property. Should a flood occur, there are lots of things you can do to minimise the impact. Rewiring plug sockets so they are higher up and not close to the ground will be an investment, but it could pay off in the long run. Plus, keeping a regular stock of sandbags in your garage or shed will come in handy. These are small measures, but if you’re prepared to invest, floods may not be so troublesome if they occur.

Want more tips?

Here at Warren Powell-Richards, we’d be happy to help you with your search for the right home. We take pride in answering any question you have about a property before buying a house. Contact us today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Details: Published: 25 October 2023; Hits: 152

Moving house is a pretty stressful event at the best of times, and that’s when everything runs like clockwork.

Unfortunately, life doesn’t always run so smoothly, and there are plenty of potential pitfalls and oversights that you’ll want to avoid if your move is to go as planned.

Here are 6 of the most common moving house horrors you might come across, and how to avoid them.

Not Packing An Essentials Box

As moving day horrors go, this isn’t too bad, but it can be extremely frustrating. Just imagine, you’re sitting in your new pad, feet up on the sofa after a long day and your phone battery is down to the final 2%. There’s a mountain of boxes in front of you, and you can’t remember for the life of you where you put that phone charger. Damn!

Substitute phone charger for kettle and tea bags in the above scenario and you’ve pretty much got the same situation.

Just remember when you’re packing up your old place – keep a box of essentials separate from everything else!

Furniture Doesn’t Fit

This is an awkward one, especially if it’s something valuable or sentimental to you. Equally, if it’s the sofa or a bulky bed, then you might not have somewhere to sit or sleep for a few weeks while you’re waiting on a new one to be delivered.

It’s always a good idea to measure up in advance, unless you have furniture that can be taken apart and easily reassembled, or if you’re lucky the new place might have double doors into the garden so you’ll breeze through the back door with that swanky sofa.

Again, as with most things, preparation is key. If you’ve measured up in advance and there’s just no practical way of getting your bulky furniture into the new place, then at least you’ll have time to donate or sell it and get something new ordered. And on the plus side, it’s one less thing to have to take with you on moving day!

Forgetting To Notify People Of Your New Address

If it’s the in-laws then maybe ‘accidentally forgetting’ isn’t such a bad thing! But on a serious note it’s important you inform a few essential people, such as your bank, employer, and utility providers. After all, you don’t want to be paying for someone else’s gas and electricity in your old place too!

A good way to avoid this is to make a list of all the companies and service providers you use a few weeks before you move, and tick them off as you notify them. It’s also worth getting in touch with Royal Mail and having your post redirected for a few months, as you’re bound to miss someone out.

Damaging Items

If you think your smartphone is fragile, just imagine what could happen to your 60 inch Plasma screen if you drop it! The best way to avoid damage is to package everything overly cautiously and don’t rush. Just remember, you can never have too much bubble wrap, and it’s better to take your time and get everything in the house in one piece than finish by lunchtime and have broken glass on your new living room carpet.

Of course, accidents can happen though, so make sure you’ve got your contents insurance in place ready for moving day. And, if you’re using a removal company, check they’re insured too before you hire them.

Running Out Of Time

If you’re a naturally laidback person then it’s time to focus and be organised. Just for a few weeks at least!

If you’ve never moved home before it can be easy to underestimate how long it takes to get everything packed up, especially if you’re wrapping your valuables well to protect them.

As much as you won’t want to live among boxes for a few weeks before your move, it’s often necessary in order to have a smooth moving day when the time comes.

So unlike your school exams that you didn’t revise for until the night before, don’t leave your packing until the last minute, or you’ll be running around like a headless chicken on the morning of your move!

Getting An Injury

Ok, so you’ll have to be really unlucky to trip over a box and break your leg, but it’s not completely impossible.

A more likely injury is a pulled muscle or a back spasm. Ouch! Just take your time with all the heavy items, make sure you’ve got plenty of pairs of hands to help out, and don’t overstretch yourself!

Talk To The Experts

Here at Warren Powell-Richards, we provide advice that can help you avoid these Halloween horrors!