February is often considered the coldest and gloomiest month of the year, but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable. Here are four reasons why you should love February:
❤️ Valentine's Day: Who doesn't love an excuse to show their loved ones how much they care? Whether you're in a relationship or you choose to spend it alone with a good book or with your closest friends and family, this day is all about celebrating the people you love most in life.
❤️ Winter Activities: Have you tried skiing or snowboarding? Winter activities are always fun and exciting! Even if it's too cold for outdoor activity, there are still plenty of indoor options such as ice skating or playing board games with friends. There's something for everyone during the winter months!
❤️ Snow Days: Nothing beats a good old-fashioned snow day! Although they might interrupt your daily routine and work schedule, snow days provide an opportunity to relax and enjoy the beauty of winter without having to worry about deadlines or obligations. Plus, there's always hot cocoa waiting for you when you come back inside from playing in the snow!
❤️ Comfort Food: At this time of year you can hibernate and eat some home cooked comfort food that will keep you satisfied and cosy this Winter.
❤️ The Return of Spring: After months of cold weather and darkness, February gives us hope that spring is just around the corner. With longer days and warmer temperatures on their way (hopefully), this month gives us something positive to look forward too after all those dark winter nights!
February may seem like an uneventful month but that doesn't mean it has nothing worthwhile to look forward to. So don’t let winter blues take over; go out and enjoy all that this season has to offer!
Lighting plays an important role in creating the perfect ambiance for your home. It can set the tone for a room, and it can make even the smallest of spaces feel bigger and brighter. If you're looking to add more light into your home, here are five creative ways to make it happen.
🏠 Utilize Natural Light: Natural light is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to brighten up a space. Make sure that any window treatments you have are lightweight and airy, so they don’t hinder the amount of natural light that comes in.
🏠 Install Mirrors: Mirrors are an excellent way to reflect light, making them great tools for bringing more brightness into your home. Hang mirrors opposite windows to reflect natural sunlight as well as artificial lighting from lamps or ceiling lights.
🏠 Use Lighter Colours: Choosing lighter colours on walls and other surfaces in your home will help create a brighter atmosphere overall by reflecting more light than darker colors would do. Consider using pastel shades on walls or choosing furniture pieces with lighter fabrics such as whites, ivories, or creams instead of deep colors like navy blue or black.
🏠 Add More Lamps: Adding lamps around your space is an easy way to make it appear brighter without having to install additional overhead lights or electrical wiring in your home. When selecting lamps for each room, look for ones that provide both ambient lighting (for general illumination) as well as task lighting (to focus on specific areas). This combination is essential for creating the perfect balance between mood and functionality in any given space.
🏠 Update Your Fixtures: If you’re looking for a quick fix that will give you more light without breaking the bank, consider replacing outdated fixtures with newer ones that have higher wattage bulbs or LED lights which offer better illumination than traditional incandescent bulbs do. This small change can make a huge difference when it comes to brightening up a room!
Whether you want to create an atmosphere that’s warm and inviting or one that’s cool and modern - adding more light into your home is key! With these five tips, you’ll be able to easily incorporate more brightness into any area of your house without having to spend too much money or time on renovations or redecorating projects!
So go ahead – take some time today to brighten up your living space!
Can I get a mortgage or even afford one month to month with current interest rates?
It would be an absolute understatement to say Mortgages has thrown up challenges in 2022, but with it thankfully there has been a lot of myths and there are more to be reasons to be optimistic than pessimistic in 2023.
The truth is that for the majority of buyers they have still been able to help secure an appropriate affordable mortgage.
Mortgage affordability ie how much you can borrow all comes down to what you earn and what are your debts and liabilities are. Once a Mortgage Advisor understands all these aspects, they will be able quickly to build an idea of what lenders may be best.
All lenders are different from each other on how they assess. Some for example might use lesser a % of bonus or overtime than others, some might give you higher or less of a mortgage depending on how much you earn, some may take benefit income whilst others won’t. It all depends on the lender.
The biggest recent challenge to everyone is the mortgage affordability granted by lenders due to the cost of living. This is where it is vital to look across multiple lenders.
So make sure you know your figures, how much can you borrow, what is the mortgage going to cost month to month, that way you know what is achievable. You never know, you might be doing yourself out of that dream home, rather than exploring all the options thoroughly with a Mortgage Adviser.
Staying in on Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be boring. Whether you're looking for a cozy evening at home with your partner, or some self-care time alone, here are four fun things to do this Valentine’s Day.
❤️ Pamper Yourself With a Spa Night:
Spa nights are an easy and relaxing way to spend time indoors. Take turns giving each other massages, face masks, mani/pedis and foot soaks. Buy some scented candles and soothing music to set the mood and make the night extra special. For an added bonus, pour yourself a glass of wine or champagne while you pamper each other!
❤️ Cook Something Special Together:
Instead of going out to eat, why not cook something together? Choose something that is special to both of you that isn't too complicated – like your favorite comfort food. Enjoy the process of cooking together then sit down and enjoy your delicious meal in the comfort of your own home! Don't forget dessert – nothing says love like chocolate!
❤️ Watch a Romantic Movie:
Snuggle up on the couch with some popcorn and watch a romantic movie together! Make it special by selecting something you both haven't seen yet or pick one from your favourite genre. Add pillows and blankets for extra coziness – after all, it is Valentine's Day!
❤️ Play Some Games:
Who said games were just for kids? Board games can be lots of fun for couples as well. Choose something that will engage both of you such as Monopoly or Scrabble – bonus points if it's been awhile since either one of you has played it! Games are also great conversation starters so use them as an opportunity to get creative and learn more about each other while having fun together.
Valentine's day is a perfect opportunity to stay in. Whether it's cooking something special, watching an old movie or playing board games - there are plenty of ways to have an enjoyable night in on Valentines day.
So get creative and make this Valentine's Day truly memorable!
Moving can be an overwhelming and sometimes stressful task. It is important to be organized, plan ahead, and know the best practices for moving day so that it goes as smoothly as possible. Here are 6 tips to make sure your moving day is a success.
🏠 Start Planning Early: One of the best ways to reduce stress on the big day is to plan ahead. Make sure you have plenty of packing supplies and boxes ready at least two weeks before your move date.
🏠 Purge Before You Pack - Moving is the perfect time to purge items you no longer need or use.
🏠 Label Your Boxes - Label each box with a number and the contents of the box written on the side so when it comes time to unpack, you know exactly where your items are located.
🏠 Pack an Essentials Bag - Have a bag ready with all of the essentials you may need while moving like toiletries, medication, change of clothes, snacks, and electronics chargers so everything is easily accessible during your move without having to search through multiple boxes for what you need right away.
🏠 Keep Important Documents On Hand - Be sure valuable documents such as passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, stay with you at all times during the move instead of packing them away in boxes so they don't get lost or damaged during transport.
🏠 Prepare Your New Home - If possible beforehand be sure all utilities are set up at your new home before move-in day so everything runs smoothly when you arrive; this includes electricity/gas/ along with internet setup if needed!
Moving can be a daunting task but taking these steps can help ensure it goes as smoothly as possible!
Are you looking for ways to spruce up your home but don’t want to break the bank? Here are 7 decorating ideas that will help you refresh your living area without spending too much:
🏠 Switch Out Your Throw Pillows - One of the easiest ways to update your space is by swapping out your throw pillows. With so many different colours, sizes, and material choices available, you can easily find something that fits in with the design of your home.
🏠 Hang Up Some Wall Art - If you want to make a statement without spending too much money, wall art is a great way to do it. You can get creative and make art yourself or purchase one from an online shop or a thrift store.
🏠 Upgrade Your Lighting Fixtures - Another simple way to update any room is by replacing old lighting fixtures with newer ones. Changing these out can instantly change the mood of a space; try installing dimmers so you can adjust the light depending on the occasion.
🏠 Refresh Your Furniture - Have an outdated piece of furniture taking up space in your living area? Consider giving it new life by repainting it or adding some new hardware or knobs to it! This is also an excellent opportunity for those who love DIY projects – check out tutorials online for ideas on how you can transform something old into something new!
🏠 Invest In Quality Rugs - An area rug is another item that can really spruce up a living area on a budget; just make sure that you invest in quality rugs since they will last longer than cheaper alternatives.
🏠 Add Plants To The Mix - One of the easiest ways to liven up any space is by adding plants! Not only do they add color, they also purify air while helping reduce stress levels – what more could you ask for?
🏠 Reorganize The Room - Finally, if you're looking for an easy way to freshen up any room in your house without having to spend money (or time!), consider rearranging furniture pieces around the house instead! Rearranging items around the house may not seem like much but it could actually make a huge difference in terms of how big (or small) each room feels – and best of all, it's totally free!
#EasyKitchenMakeover If your kitchen is looking a bit tired then one of the easiest and most cost effective things you can do is to either paint or viynl wrap your cabinets.
When a buyer enters your property you instantly want them to feel at home. Here are 5 things you can do to achieve that:
🏠 New Carpets and Fresh Paint: When selling a house it’s sometime necessary to spend some money doing minor renovations. Painting certain rooms and putting down new carpet are the two biggest things you can do to help your house sell faster.
🏠 Unclutter Your House: Get rid of all your clutter. Buyers might not appreciate your magazine collection or the dolls and teddy bears you keep in the guest bedroom. Tidy your home and give it a more minimal feel.
🏠 Make Sure it's Clean: Please make sure your home is clean and tidy otherwise you’ll really put buyers off. That means making sure the bathrooms are spotless, your oven in sparkling and your carpets and upholstery have no stains on them.
🏠 Give All Your Rooms a Purpose: When staging your home for a sale it's important to make sure all your rooms have a purpose. If a room in your house is supposed to be a dining room for example then make sure you set it out like that.
🏠 If you are doing the viewings instead of your Agent then make them feel at home by giving them space to wander around on their own.
Thinking of moving? Get in touch today for your FREE home valuation
#HomeSellerTip Remove all furniture (and other items) that aren't essential to the function of your room- it will free up valuable floor space and make the place look bigger.
#TipOfTheDay You would be surprised how many home buyers discount a property because they feel it isn't suitable for their dog. Have a look at your home and garden and see if you can make them more pet friendly.
Furniture can be expensive to replace so here are 6 things you can do to look after it and make it last:
🛋️ Keep screws tight and secure: Failure to tighten the screws in the bed and chair can lead to permanent damage. Tighten the screws regularly depending on how often they become loose.
🛋️ Keep it neat and tidy: Dirt and dust will make your furniture look old and faded. Clean furniture regularly using natural cleaners by wiping it with a clean damp cloth.
🛋️ Polish the wood: Polish wood furniture to reduce uneven textures and protect it from regular wear and tear.
🛋️ Avoid direct exposure to sunlight: Protect furniture by placing them in parts of the room that the sun's rays do not reach. Use blinds and curtains to reduce direct exposure.
🛋️ Be careful while moving it: When moving furniture, lift it carefully and avoid dragging it around to prevent damaging the floor and straining the furniture legs.
🛋️ Restore or refinish: Regain the value of old furniture by restoring or refinishing it to help make damaged, worn-out pieces with bumps and scrapes pristine again.
Selling your home is an exciting time, but it’s no time to get complacent and just expect offers to come rolling in 💪
Here are 5 things you should expect after your home hits the market:
📱 Pictures v Reality: Your home needs to closely resemble its listing photos as much as possible, so take this time to get rid of clutter to pique buyers’ interest and make rooms look as spacious as possible
🖼 Criticism: Your taste isn’t the same as everyone else’s so prepare for your home to be critiqued. Don’t take it personally, though. Take it as constructive criticism and use it to best prepare your home for selling.
🖌 Repairs: They say never judge a book by its cover but this isn’t always true when it comes to your home. If it isn’t up to scratch, you won’t get offers. Simple things like gardening, small repairs and a lick of paint can make a big difference so pick up those brushes!
🕛 Schedule: You’ll find you’ll have to chop and change plans to accommodate viewers and also factor in no-shows, so be prepared to be as flexible as you can
💷 Expenses: If you're selling your home to purchase another, you need to take into considering addition costs i.e. energy performance certificates, final bills and removals.
Thinking of selling? Get in touch today for some free advice.
