Coffee and a Chat about…Moving House

Coffee and a Chat about…Moving House

Here at Better Organised HQ we love coffee and chat, so have a series of blogs that take place over a cuppa! James Lang from Corum Property has some invaluable advice if you’re considering putting your property on the market in the coming months.

What is your background?

I have lived and worked in the area all my life and been in the property business for 24 years, having been a partner at Corum for the last 3 years.

What are the main benefits of coming to an estate agent rather than using a fixed fee service or doing a private sale?

We believe that the care, experience and advice that we offer is second-to-none. We pride ourselves on solely offering estate agency services. In addition, all the staff are local and have personally viewed every property that we sell.

We are experts on the local area and focussed on offering a personal service to help clients get the best possible price for their property, and subsequently the quality of lifestyle that they desire.

My staff and I will look for opportunities to help clients — whether buyers or sellers — through the process, ensuring that everything runs smoothly to help keep them calm and minimise stress.

What steps do you suggest I take to be well organised when preparing to put my home on the market?

Tidy and declutter inside and out! Get into the corners of your house and look for items that are unused or broken, anything that hasn’t been used since you moved into your current home or things that have simply been outgrown.

Also consider whether the new property will be able to accommodate the furniture that you currently own. It can be annoying to pay for a sofa to be transported only to find that it is too big for your new living room!

Bringing in a professional organising firm can really help with the practical side of preparing the house for sale. They can assist with decluttering and will support you in deciding what to keep as you prepare to go to your new home. They can also give practical, hands-on help with packing and some, such as Better Organised, will also be able to take care of many of the administrative elements that are involved too. Corum can recommend local property maintenance businesses to help get everything looking its best before the marketing photos and videos are done.

How can I stay organised when the time to move is approaching?!

The key to a stress-free, organised and smooth house move lies in the preparation. Start as early as possible!

• As soon as you know your entry date, book childcare and pet care for the day!
• Removal companies usually charge by volume — quite simply, the less stuff you have to move the more money you will save, so doing a big declutter can ensure a quicker and more efficient move. If you pay to move items that you no longer need it’s likely that you’ll find it frustrating and time consuming. Similarly, paying for storage can be expensive and annoying, so try to pare down your belongings to the ones that you actually use, need or love.
• Aim to have most of the house packed up before moving day. Ensure that boxes are clearly labelled with the room they have to go to and a summary of their contents.
• Anything that is out-of-season or that won’t be missed can be packed up straight away i.e. Christmas decorations, holiday clothes, ski gear etc.
• If your removal company doesn’t dismantle/re-build furniture, set aside some time to dismantle bed-frames and any other large items that won’t be needed before moving day.
• Put together a kit of essentials to have to hand on moving day i.e. snacks and drinks, important documents/contact information, phone charger and overnight bags.
• Contact utilities companies to let them know the date you are moving. Take a note of meter readings before you leave the property. Arrange for your internet and phone line to be set up in your new home, and for mail to be redirected.

What do clients say about your service?

We offer friendly expertise and are delighted to often get referrals and repeat business from clients, and consistently receive positive feedback about our professionalism, effort, knowledge and advice. One client recently summed it up perfectly when she said that our pro-active and engaged approach meant the process went as smoothly as possible!

James is a resident partner in the Bearsden branch of Corum. If you’re looking to buy one of their current properties, are interested in their property matching service or are thinking of selling your own property, why not pop in, grab a comfy seat and talk them through your requirements.

Alternatively, give them a call on 0141 942 5888 and they can arrange a date and time to come and see you.

***Better Organised offers a 10% discount to Corum Bearsden clients***

For a step-by-step guide to decluttering and organising throughout your home, head to Amazon to pick up a copy of A Better Organised Home in 30 Days.