News & Views Blog

Your kitchen is a saleable asset. So much so that valuers at the Halifax rank a modern fitted kitchen second when assessing the home improvements most likely to add value (after a loft conversion). 

Peter Bolton King, NAEA chief executive, agrees:

The kitchen is a key selling point. Whether you have a comfortable family orientated meeting place or a stylish singleton’s galley, it’s most often the heart of the home. Maximising its attraction can speed up the sale of your house.

However, with the average fitted kitchen costing in the region of £5,000, installing a new one isn’t an option for many. Besides, bear in mind that 76% of new homeowners buy a new kitchen when they move in anyway. However there are small changes that are worth making to boost the potential of your home, and which will make kitchen living more pleasurable altogether even if you’re staying put.

Here's how:

• Replace the doors – it’s cheaper than installing a brand new kitchen, and a clever shortcut if the carcasses are all in good shape. Try a selection at B&Q and ask about their clearance ranges.
  

• …or paint them. You’ll need some melamine wash. Remove, then sand lightly before applying primer, and a couple of layers melamine paint. Try www.farrowball.co.uk for beautiful classic shades to complement period homes – some found in 19th-century kitchens. For contemporary style visit www.thedoorknobshop.com for a great range of knobs and handles to add a finishing touch.

• Tart up your tiles – self-adhesive steel sheets are a cheaper way to transform tired tiles. For details visit www.stickandgo.com

• …or paint them. Bring a splash of colour to tired tiles with a specialist tile paint – Ronseal makes paints custom-made for tiled surfaces.

• Swap your worktop. A fresh, clean worktop or pristine new splash back can liven up your kitchen dramatically. Try the selection at Wickes, www.wickes.co.uk

• Have a clear out. Clean up, declutter, wash dirty dishes, put them away and keep surfaces clear. “Viewers may even look in cupboards, so ensure shelves are cleaned and all contents organised,” warns Bolton King.

• Posh the place up – display a few stylish accessories. Visit www.divertimenti.co.uk or www.stylecookshop.co.uk

• Change the blinds – Tired, grime-stained window-wear isn’t appealing. Try Cath Kidston’s range at www.cathkidston.co.uk

• Create a kitchen-diner. If you have the room, add a table and chairs for versatility factor. For fold down tables try John Lewis (www.johnlewis.com) or Ikea (www.ikea.com) for space-friendly wall-mounted drop-leaf tables.

• Add a flourish. Try potted plants from The Chelsea Gardener www.chelseagardener.com or put supermarket-bought fresh herbs in pretty pots.

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Once the initial teething problems have been resolved, all properties on the market in England and Wales requiring a Home Information Pack will come with the following documents:

Compulsory Documents

• An Energy Performance Certificate - telling you how energy-efficient the property is and how much impact it has on the environment through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Both measurements are graded on a scale of A-G (A being the most efficient). This is issued by an accredited Energy Assessor and includes recommendations on how to improve the property’s performance to save you money and help the environment.

• A Home Information Pack Index – a checklist of all the compulsory documents in the Pack, indicating if anything is missing and, if so, what steps are being taken to obtain it.

• A sale statement – provides basic information about the property being sold. This includes its address; whether it’s freehold, leasehold or commonhold; registered or unregistered; and whether it’s being sold with vacant possession.

• Standard searches – including the local land charges register; ‘local enquiries’, such as planning decisions and road building proposals; and the provision of drainage and water services to the property.

• Evidence of title – proving that the vendor has the right to sell the property.

• For leasehold and commonhold properties – in addition to the above, a copy of the lease; any rules and regulations; details of service charges, ground rent, reserve fund levy, insurance, and managing agents; the name and address of the current or proposed lessor; and a summary of works being undertaken or proposed that affect the property or the building in which it’s situated. Plus official copies of the individual register and title plan for the common parts and the commonhold community statement.

Optional Documents

• Home Condition Report – contains information re the physical condition of the property, which sellers, buyers and lenders can rely on legally as an accurate report. It gives an idea of any structural work or repairs that needs to be done, which may hold up the sale at a later stage.

• Legal summary – explaining the legal content of the Pack to help buyers understand the complex documents (although they should take their own legal advice as well).

• Home use/contents form – includes information on boundaries, notices, services, sharing with neighbours, planning permissions ad any other matters that will be of interest.

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When first proposed, the aim of the HIP was to make the homebuying process in England and Wales more efficient and cut the time taken from offer to exchange.

Commissioned by the seller before the property was put on the market, the pack was to include a single survey or ‘Home Condition Report’ (to save potential purchasers paying for a costly survey on a home they my not even buy), an Energy Performance Certificate (something all homes for sale in Europe will need by 2009), along with other essential documentation potential homebuyers need to make an informed decision on whether or not they wanted to proceed with the purchase.

However, when it was clear that not enough trained surveyors would be available to meet demand, the single survey or Home Condition Report – one of the most useful elements of the original pack – was withdrawn as a compulsory document. Now it’s hoped that the optional Home Condition Report will be included by sellers as a means of speeding up the process and to act as a sales incentive.

Shortly before the much-hyped HIP was due to be introduced on 1st June 2007, the government announced that the launch was to be delayed by two months, and then implemented on a phased basis starting with larger properties. But now the scheme has rolled out to all homes with 3 bedroom or more. And for an initial period, packs don’t actually have to be complete before the property can be marketed.

Confused? To help clarify the situation, here’s a quick summary…

• From 10th September 2007, HIPs will be required for all properties being marketed for sale in England and Wales with three bedrooms or more.
• Smaller properties will be phased in as soon as sufficient energy assessors are fully qualified – probably by the end of the year.
• Until the end 2007, properties can be marketed as soon as the seller has proof that the HIP has been commissioned.
• Energy Performance Certificates must be available before completion.
• As a temporary measure, Energy Performance Certificates can be up to 12 months old when a property is put up for sale.
• HIPs are not required in Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland.
• Scotland is due to introduce its own Purchaser’s Information Pack (PIP) in early 2008.

Read more on Home Information Packs.

As featured on re:home - the home of homemovers...

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Whichever way you decide, if you have three or more bedrooms, you’ll need a Home Information Pack (HIP) before you put your property onto the market. Some agents and legal companies offer HIPs as part of their package on a ‘no move, no fee basis’, so this may determine who you choose to handle the sale.

What next?
Once you’ve decided which fixtures and fittings and other contents of the property are to be included in the sale, instruct a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the conveyance (don’t forget to ask for a quote for both a sale and purchase). Alternatively, look into online conveyancing.

Then, as soon as your house is on the market, make sure it’s at its best. Remember, first impressions count, so take a long, hard look - as if seeing it for the first time through someone else’s eyes. Be honest, do you like what you see? Are there things you can do to make it more desirable?

Tips on preparing your property

• Ensure the entrance looks welcoming and that your home is clean and tidy.

• Create more space by de-cluttering and putting non-essentials in self-storage.

• Ensure the house smells fresh and homely.

• Have the carpets cleaned, if necessary.

• Wipe over the gloss paintwork and skirting boards.

• Don’t forget to keep valuables safely out of sight or locked away.

• Make sure kitchen work surfaces are free of clutter and appliances are clean.

• Keep the bathroom clean and tidy.

• Freshen up tiles by whitening the grout.

• Clear the garage and put your car outside.

• Hang mirrors to make rooms appear bigger.

• Tidy the loft or attic space – they always like to look in the loft.

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