Planning consent has been granted for the redevelopment of part of Nailsea High Street, designed by the architects' practice behind the grade-I listed visitors' centre at Clevedon Pier.

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We’re really thrilled that TWO Ferguson Mann Architects projects have been shortlisted for the Bristol Property Awards 2019!

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A former Bristol steelworks could be redeveloped to provide more the 200 apartments if recently submitted plans are given the green light.

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The average time take to complete a property sale is now 19 weeks! Before you give up completely, there is a way of selling your house and getting the money in your bank in as little as 7 days!

Here we will look at the different methods of selling your home, whether you’re willing to wait 3-12 months for full market value or you would like the quickest turn around.

Firstly, we will uncover some easy house sell fixes for if your property is already listed on the market.

Price correctly:

Getting your asking price correct is a delicate balance of wanting a decent sum of money whilst also  preventing it from sitting on the market for a long period of time.

If you price keenly, you’re statistically proven to sell quicker. A great approach is to get several valuations from different estate agents then take into account how quickly, or slowly each method will obtain you a buyer.

Is your house ready to sell?

It’s no laughing matter that first impressions count, so if your property doesn’t look good from the outside, it’s unlikely to obtain much interest on the inside. Making sure that guttering is clear, lawns are mown and gardens are kept neat and tidy can have a massive impact on attracting potential buyers. Some buyers will discount a property immediately just based upon the aesthetics of the external property. They believe that external work is expensive and therefore will immediately place them in a financial deficit upon purchase of your property, so now is the time to tidy up paintwork and have a clear out.

Whilst the exterior is hugely important, the interior is too! In depersonalising your property and decluttering, you allow potential buyers the opportunity to imagine the space as if it was theirs; so, if you have a garish colour scheme, not to everyone’ taste, now is the time to update and neutralise your palette, to ensure the space appeals to a broader taste.

Top of the list:

Estate agents now report to have 98% of their property interest online. With all the competition around, it’s in your best interests to ensure your property features at the top of a search list. It’s also important that when it does, there are lots of photographs of your home, from an array of angles and good lighting to showcase your home in the best possible way. Ensure rooms are clutter free in photos so potential buyers can see the space in its entirety.

Which is the best and fastest way to sell?

Whilst pricing, making sure your home is ready for sale and advertising will help, it is the method to sale that will decide how soon your house comes off of the market.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of the different ways of selling your property.

Estate agents are usually the most popular way of selling a house but the main issue to consider with estate agents is that they vary a lot in the way they work in order to sell a property.

How long your house takes to sell and the price you will get for it, is considerably impacted upon by how much your estate agent wants to sell your home and not how quickly you want to. The extra concern is you won’t actually discover how good or bad they are until they’ve sold your house, if they even sell it at all!

Research here is key, as are recommendations. Speak to people you trust who have used estate agents and ask them to be frank with their experiences, so you can have the benefit of being able to make an informed decision on who you allow to sell your home!

Selling at auction:

The big advantage of selling your house in this way is that once the hammer falls you are guaranteed the sell will go through after a specified period - this is usually 28 days after the auction.

The con of an auction is that you’re gambling with your sales price to a certain extent. You can never be sure what your bidders will pay, or even if anyone will bid that day at all. Either way, there will be auctioneer’s fees to deduct from the final price after the hammer falls.

Part exchange:

In this instance a builder or developer buys your house and uses it as payment towards the one you buy from them. Part exchanging is good as it guarantees you a sale at a fixed price. The main issue to consider is that it only works if you want to buy a house as well as selling one. Also, as part-exchange is normally only offered with new build houses you might have to wait some time until the new one is built and the sale goes through.

Quick sale house buying services:

Quick sale house buying companies are a new method used for house selling. The idea is simple: Once you contact them, they agree with you, firstly, a fixed price for your property, and secondly, a timescale for the sale where a guaranteed amount of money will reach the seller's account by a certain date.

Once you accept their offer – which can sometimes be made in as little as 24 hours – you’re guaranteed to receive the agreed amount of money within an agreed period of time.

Other advantages of using quick sale house buying services are that you don’t need to get your house ‘sale ready’. Most house buying companies aren’t concerned if your house needs repairs or redecoration. You don’t have to put up with annoying viewings and it’s completely confidential – no one will even know you’re selling, not even the nosey neighbours next door! The buying company might also be able to include settling your costs and fees within the deal.

With quick sale house buying companies you can choose what works best for you – whether it is market value for your house within 28 days or a cash price in 7 days.

Like with anything, we recommend doing your research to get you the best possible outcome when selling your home. Have a clear strategy of how you are going to go about selling and also all the figures you would be willing to settle on.

The first completions have taken place at the development of 14 townhouses, 2 mews houses and 3 apartments in Bedminster.

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Developments Bristol are supporting Help Bristol's Homeless

Visit their website for more information on everything they are doing in Bristol, and make a donation today!

https://helpbristolshomeless.co.uk/

This was a legacy war and bomb-damaged site. Formally a rank of 3 shops adjacent to The London Inn in Bedminster. The land had been vacant and derelict since the 1940’s and had become the subject of anti-social behaviour through fly tipping and graffiti.

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Before you part with your hard-earned money and embark upon any type of property developing project, here are a few ‘need to knows’ to take into account when considering a prospective development.

‘Location, Location, Location’:

An obvious point of interest for any property developer is the location of where the development will be. Found the perfect spot or dis-used building that is ‘perfect’ for a new project? Think again about where it resides. If a plot is situated within a ‘high crime’ area or has ‘poor education’ connections, it isn’t going to be a desirable location for first time buyers or younger families you may wish to target. Careful consideration about the location of a property or piece of land will enable you to decipher if the risk is worth the reward.

‘Keep your friends close’:

This is business and ‘all is fair’. Keep a close eye on where your ‘competitors’ interest lies and what other investors are looking at. If the ‘big fish’ are looking at projects involving eco-products, for example, they may know something you don’t and it’s worth delving slightly into their affairs to ascertain if you are missing out on a huge investment in the market.

‘Be careful of the ‘company’ you keep’:

Who you employ to carry out your projects is imperative. Cutting corners with a cheaper labour force will only acquire issues further down the line, costing you money and draining your projects time-frame. By investing in professional and diligent contractors, not only do you ensure your project runs smoothly, you also add reputability to your property portfolio which will be invaluable for future investments.

‘Slow and steady wins the race’:

In an ideal world, we would turn-around projects in a couple of days. Depending upon what type of development you have, you need to be realistic about how long the project will take. If you have projects that require a lot of installations or demolition, it will delay your completion date but don’t be tempted to ‘cut corners’ as this will only add more time to your projects completion. Don’t feel pushed into making promises that are unrealistic to maintain a buyer’s interest.

‘Spend a penny’:

In researching other properties around your chosen development area, you can decipher what they are lacking that you can add to your project; giving it more selling points and adding value to your development. If properties within the area don’t have garages, parking or driveways, for example; these types of additions to your project can add considerable value and interest into your development. It’s worth spending a little more; after all, ‘you have to speculate to accumulate’.

‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’:

Probably the most important on the list, planning your budget. It’s really easy for development budgets to run over. As the project unfolds, ideas start to flow and things you hadn’t considered before begin to actualise; whether it’s a fancy bath tub or an unexpected issue; ensure you have allowed for such things in your initial budget should things run over. By accounting for some of the unexpected, you should be able to maintain your initial budget without running up thousands of pounds in extra costs.

Keep in mind these points when considering or investing in a development project and you should see success. Good luck!