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Before you lament about the amount of rain we’ve had this summer, remember the old adage ‘it’s good for the garden’. In fact, the wet conditions may help budgets as well as flower beds, if new research is anything to go by.

Politics, especially the period before an election, can be hard to keep tabs on. With a new Labour Government assembled, our job is to make sense of what was contained in the party’s manifesto, what was verbally discussed by then shadow ministers and what will actually be delivered now Sir Keir Starmer is Prime Minister.

With high summer in full swing, the property market has entered into its usual seasonal phase. Less fevered activity has been replaced by a more measured approach to home moving. This is widely attributed to holidays, the build-up to a General Election and even the European Football Championships.

As we write this blog, the temperatures are rising to the mid 20°C, the air is filled with the scent of barbeques and sales of sunscreen are soaring. We are, however, about to break the early summer spell by mentioning the C word. Christmas.

If you have a passing interest in property, you will know that some people ‘stage’ their homes during the marketing phase in order to increase the appeal. Common tactics involve dressing sofas with stylish cushions, removing bulky items of furniture to create more space and using vases of flowers to add colour. There is, however, a more unique trend that’s found its way into the national press.

Everybody needs good neighbours but what if the people next door are a nuisance? When it comes to selling a property, the requirement for full disclosure means admitting if you’ve ever complained about the people living either side of you, or if you’re currently involved in a neighbourly spat.

As soon as the sun peeks out from behind the clouds and the mercury rises, many of us rush to improve our outside spaces. We do, however, have to be mindful of what we grow and build in our gardens, as it can have a detrimental effect on the property’s overall value and general appeal.

When we think of first-time buyers, we often think of young couples and fresh-faced professionals picking up the keys to their first home but recent research shows the reality can be very different.

What happens when you reach the top of the property ladder? It may be time to consider taking a step back down again. In this blog, we answer some of the most common questions we are asked about downsizing.

We’re already a quarter of the way through 2024 and a stocktake of statistics shows a resilient property market. In March, experts were waiting for two important figures to be updated: inflation and the base rate. The news on both was encouraging.

While estate agents are the most qualified to generate interest and turn enquiries into viewings, and eventually sales, there is a growing movement among home movers that can help boost the sales process.

How long do you think you have to impress a potential buyer when they arrive at your home? Five minutes? Until the end of a viewing? If you guessed either, you could be in for a surprise.