Estate Agents - are they all the same? #Sheffield #Spencer #Blog #SpencersAgents

"They’re all the same!"

Blog by Chris Spooner, our Senior Valuer at Spencer

I was in a well-known coffee shop last week when I happened to over-hear a conversation where two people were discussing a recent experience of choosing an estate agent. "I went for the agent who had the lowest fee because when you break it down they're all pretty much the same." This comment managed to make me experience sadness, disappointment, anger and happiness all in a 20 second moment but thankfully happiness was the emotion I felt for the most of that day.  I went back to the office to be greeted by our office manager who had a smile that was bigger than a Cheshire cat’s! The reason for her happiness was a vendor who had just been into the office to drop off a set of keys for the sale of their house which had just completed. Behind her on the desk were four bottles of wine, a bunch of flowers, and two cards, which had comments thanking us for all our help. This particular vendor has had plenty of recent experience with estate agents both as a buyer and seller so it was even more satisfying to read his praise of our team for all of our efforts. He was keen to point out that my initial marketing valuation was in the middle of three that he had received when looking to find a suitable agent, and he also was happy to admit that we weren't the cheapest agent to quote for his business. The results though were that we achieved a sale price higher than the highest valuation he'd received with a service that he couldn't find even the smallest of faults with. He couldn't believe the difference between using ourselves and the previous agent he used less than three years ago who at the time he chose because he thought all estate agents were the same! 

If you're thinking of selling your home in the near future and also think estate agents are all the same, please come down to our office for a cuppa and chat so we can try to help you see how different we might just be.

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk

#property #estateagent #sheffield #blog

#Spencer's 5 reasons to use an Independent Financial Advisor - #Sheffield

Good financial planning can be beneficial for all; attaining your dream home and providing security for your future.

No 1: Dream home

Finding the right Mortgage can appear complicated and scary. Financial jargon to the less familiar can make mortgaging our homes seem a daunting and impossible process. An IFA could help to simplify the process, get you better rates and also find lenders who may be better suited to your requirements.

No 2: Protecting our loved ones

Should the unthinkable happen an IFA can offer guidance assessing your needs and personal situation, providing options to help ensure your personal tragedy does not turn into a financial crisis.

No 3: Retirement

We all work hard for our money! Investment is key to providing a good quality of life throughout our golden years. An IFA can help to sift through the many rules and regulations pensions deliver and provide answers to our long term financial prospects.

No 4: Objective approach

With more money than ever spent on advertising, how do we know who is genuine? And what really is the best option for us?  An IFA can outline both the positives and negatives, they know the market inside out and can offer much needed objectivity within a competitive market.

No 5: Saving Money

What is the best way to save money? Who can I trust? An IFA can help assess your needs and attitude to risk. Once your investments are secure an IFA can offer support in starting you saving journey.

Contact us at for more advice on supporting your financial needs

+44 (0)114 268 3682

469 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, S11 8PP

SpencersEstateAgents.co.uk

Tina Hall

Negotiator

How well should Spencer know your home? As well as you.

When you think about selling your home, what are the first things you consider?

On the whole, the main considerations are how much you can sell your house for and how much you have to pay someone to do it but there are so many more things to consider, after all your home is your biggest asset. We all know that the price of estate agents fees can vary hugely and that generally speaking the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ still rings true. Wouldn’t you prefer to sell with an agent who cares and wants to help with every step of the process? 

At Spencer we may not the cheapest but we go the extra mile, where the other agents don’t. Amongst other things we get to know you and your home so that we can really sell it.

So, when you last sold a house did anyone from the agent, other than the valuer, visit?

What about the last house you bought? Could the agent answer all of your questions rather than having to check with the vendor first, even at the viewing?

Whether you’re considering selling next week, next month or next year, we would love to visit your property to tell you what we do and how we differ from other agents. We know how much your home matters to you and we make it our business for it to matter to us, just ask our clients…

“Thank you for making our move happen so seamlessly, we really appreciate all the extra effort you took to get us moved in by our desired completion date. I will definitely be recommending your estate agents to friends and family, you have all been fantastic.”

“The only estate agent to use in Sheffield in my opinion, they always go the extra mile”

“Truly a rare company offering a level of service which is missing from many companies. The only estate agents I would ever use.” 

Looking for a refurbishment project in Sheffield? Let Spencer help

Looking for a refurbishment project? Then we have the perfect property for you whether you are a budding or experienced developer, or if you want to renovate your own home.

13 Causeway Head Road in Dore is a fantastic Victorian two/three bedroom end terraced property which is located in the heart of village. This property is in need of love and attention allowing you to put your own stamp on it.

http://bit.ly/2guDaRQ

We’ve sold some fantastic refurbishment projects recently which might give you some great ideas.

93 Townend St, S10

96 South View Road, S7

To view 13 Causeway Head Road, or any of our properties, please call Spencer. The Estate Agent on 01142683682

Investment Properties in Sheffield from Spencer

Investment properties in Sheffield

Sheffield continues to be a highly sought after rental location due to the ever growing student and professional market looking for properties to rent.

With great transport links and a strong economy, investors from all over the UK are looking for buy to let opportunities in Sheffield.

We have some great properties for sale, to suit all types of investors budgets.

http://www.vebra.com/spencersestates/property/26393366

http://www.vebra.com/spencersestates/property/26430844

http://www.vebra.com/spencersestates/property/26200401

http://www.vebra.com/spencersestates/property/26097158

http://www.vebra.com/spencersestates/property/26345425

If you would like any further information on these properties, please call Spencers on 0114 2683682.

Interior Autumn Trends from Spencer's Estate Agents of Sheffield

Autumn Trends

Autumn is a fantastic time to start looking at new interior styles.

Luxury throws, cushions and rugs, reflective light, bold patterns and statement furniture are all on trend.

If you are thinking of selling your home, now is the perfect time to update your interiors. Stuck for ideas?  Then why not call our resident House Doctor, Nicola Spencer, who can help transform your home.

Take a look at these fantastic properties interiors for inspiration.

STORTH HOLLOW

STUMPERLOWE S10

For further information on these properties, or if you’d like a free valuation, please call Spencers on 01142683682.

#Spencers of #Sheffield #Blog about #Brexit and how it is affecting us

Brexit & The Sheffield Property Market

It’s the hottest topic on everyone’s lips and whilst we’re all keeping our opinions on Brexit to ourselves at Spencers, we have found that valuation appointments have slowed in the last few weeks. Meanwhile we have many buyers who are desperate to find something to buy so we're seeing multiple viewings on properties which are in turn going to best & final offers and achieving over the realistic asking price.

Whatever your thoughts as to whether we remain in the EU or we leave, Sheffield is a very different kettle of fish to London, certainly in our experience. We are not finding foreign investors are coming to Sheffield and making vendors put in ‘Brexit clauses’ into the contracts or that a ‘Brexit pledge’ is necessary to tie up a sale, which is what the London market is finding. At Spencers our buyers are first time buyers, families, and downsizing movers who are led by catchment areas, changes in their own circumstances, growing families, and the need to release funds upon retirement. 

In the last month we've seen properties in S6, S7, S8, S10 and S11 at asking prices from £150,000 to £450,000 all go to best & final offers within two weeks of marketing, all agreed for over the asking prices. That tells us that, on the whole, from a buyers point of view, the Brexit doesn't factor in people’s decision to buy and that the Sheffield housing market is not affected by the referendum. If anything, the predicted changes in catchment areas and intakes in local schools are what’s driving our sales, but that’s a different story!

So if you're waiting for the result before you look to market your house consider first who your buyers will be, watch what is selling in your area and how quickly. You might just be surprised by how much you can achieve! 

If you're still not convinced and are looking for a short term solution while you wait for the result and the ripple effect of it, then perhaps renting your property out is a better option. Invariably we receive multiple applications on everything from one bed apartments to five bed detached farmhouses in the South West of Sheffield. That way you're not tied to a sale of your home but can make the move you're wanting to make with a guaranteed income for 6 or 12 months. 

Please call our friendly team of Sales & Rentals staff to book a free valuation of your property and discuss what we've sold & let recently in your area. We'd love to have a cuppa & a chat! 

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk

#Sheffield #Walkley #Property #Blog

Is Walkley becoming the new Crookes?

Spencers' property sales are booming in Walkley, with investors and homeowners looking to benefit from this great up and coming area. There’s a real sense of community here;  the residents love to support local businesses, whether it’s the family-run butchers’ and inner city farm shop, the two excellent bakeries, the Cafe Pie, ‘where Henderson’s Relish runs on tap’, or the great local pubs and amenities.

Walkley has much more to offer with its excellent bus routes giving easy access to the Universities, main City Hospitals and Sheffield City centre and let’s not forget the green spaces of Ruskin Park and the picturesque Rivelin Valley.

Our own Walkley resident, Ashely commented “Having lived in Walkley for a little over a year, what I love about the place, is the close knit village feel and picturesque views with the added advantage of quick commutes into the city, Crookes and Hillsborough areas”

  

Here’s just a few of the properties we’ve sold in the area this year;

• 202 Howard Road – Sold in 1 week!

• 204 Howard Road – Sold in 2 days!

• 51 Cromwell Street – 9 Offers, Sold in in 1 week!

• 49 Parsonage Crescent – 7 Offers, Sold in 1 week 

We also have a fantastic double storey upper apartment, which has come on to the market recently, but we doubt it’ll be available for long, as we already have two bidders! 

http://www.vebra.com/spencersestates/property/26202198

If you’re looking to sell your property, why not call Spencers for a free valuation? on 0114 2683682.

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

How much does it cost to BUY A HOUSE? Spencers Estate Agent, Chris Spooner blogs

How exciting! You’ve decided that you want to buy a new home! The very thought of moving house for most people will bring a huge level excitement and wonderful ideas about what type of property you are looking for. Once you have trawled through the Internet looking at various property websites it suddenly dawns on you that it will cost real money if you are actually serious about moving home. Where to start though? How much will it cost? What do I have to pay for? What and how much is stamp duty? Even if you’ve bought and sold several properties before, I doubt that most people will immediately think of every expense needed when initially looking for a new home and there will be many who don’t fully understand the governments changes to stamp duty which have been brought in over the last few years.

The first and possibly most important cost will be a deposit. Typically this will be anything between 5% -20% of the price of the property that you buy. The bigger your deposit the better, as it will affect the mortgage rates on offer to you.

This brings us nicely on to the topic of mortgages. Most banks will these days offer you a mortgage and sometimes with preferential rates if you already bank with them. However the mortgage market is possibly the most competitive I have seen it in over 15 years and therefore it would be a good idea to speak with an independent mortgage advisor who has access to rates from all of the lenders out there.

As part of your mortgage application, a valuation survey will be carried out on the property you are buying which will confirm the market valuation and general condition. There are two further types of survey you may want to consider but be aware they will be much more expensive. A homebuyers report is a much more detailed report which can often be carried out at the same time and by the same person who is carrying out the valuation survey. The third option is a buildings survey which is the most detailed survey available but normally would only be recommended on older buildings or where you can see obvious problems with the structure and construction.

It is technically possible to buy a property without being guided by a solicitor however I wouldn’t recommend it and all mortgage lenders would insist on you using one. Fees for conveyancing solicitors can range from £500 - £1500 depending on the price of the property you are buying and any complications that may come up in the process. Many local solicitors will now offer a ‘no sale/no fee’ option in the event of a sale falling through.

Stamp duty is commonly misunderstood by many people who I meet and the best advice would give is to use an online stamp duty calculator which there are many of if you search google such as www.stampdutycalculator.org.uk  In a nutshell you will pay 2% between £125k - £250k and 5% on the portion between £250k and £925k.

When the end is in sight and your solicitor is talking about ‘exchanging contracts’ you will need to start thinking about removal costs. This could be simply the cost of a van needed to transport all of your worldly belongings which is likely to be no more than a few hundred pounds or a full removal service which could be £1000 or more. There are plenty of options out there but always go for a recommendation if possible.

The final cost you may want to consider is a bottle of wine for the helpful estate agent who gave you lots of valuable advice along the way! 

If you would like us to recommend an independent mortgage advisor, removals contact, or any other property professional, we are happy to help. 

Call us on 0114 268 3682 or email us via our website www.SpencersEstateAgents.co.uk 

Spencers Estate Agents Sheffield - Property Blog

Kelly Fletcher from Spencers Estate Agents talks about how to best present your property... 

A decision to sell your property is not one that is taken lightly. First impressions are vital so it is key to present your property in the best possible way. Steps can be taken to ensure your property sells quickly for the best possible price.

De-cluttering is a simple task but can make a huge difference in the presentation of your home. Potential buyers need to be able to view their possessions in a property. The best approach is to remove unwanted items in to cupboards and storage spaces, this will make your property feel more spacious and inviting.

Now is the time to get round to those odd jobs that you have been putting off. A lot of vendors think “what’s the point, we are selling”, but ask yourself would you buy a property that has lots of unfinished odd jobs? It can make a big difference so perfect time to pay a trip to the hardware store.

Cigarette smoke, pet’s odours, mould…… bad smells are a well know turn off for potential buyers. Eliminate these with air fresheners, candles, cleaning carpets and curtains. You could even put on a pot of coffee to give that homely smell before any viewings.

Outdoor space is as important to present in the correct way as the property itself. Trimming hedges, mowing lawns, tidying up flower beds. Take care of external paintwork and gutters, you want the property to be as inviting as possible from the minute any potential buyer arrives.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion, get a friend, relative or neighbour to give you honest feedback on the presentation of your property. Looking at properties every day, there will be things you get used to seeing so you may not even notice slight imperfections.

Here at Spencers we have friendly, helpful, honest staff that would be more than happy to provide details on presenting your property in the best way. 

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk 

Spencers Estate Agents - Sheffield, 469 Ecclesall Road

Sheffield Property Blog 

Sheffield Buy-to Let Hotspot

With rising rents, a strong housing market and excellent buy-to-let mortgages now available, many people are looking to traditional bricks and mortar to invest their hard-earned savings.

The S1 area is developing fast and is known to have some of the highest gross yields in the whole of the UK, providing up to 11% on some properties.

With a population of over 500,000, Sheffield is England’s fourth-largest city, and regularly attracts over 57,000 students, many of whom choose to stay after graduation. The S1 area is perfectly located for them with excellent links to the Universities, Colleges and Hospitals.

Let’s not forget the professionals either, with Sheffield’s economy booming and many young professionals unable to afford a deposit to buy a property, more and more are turning to rentals.

“Sheffield is at a massive advantage over other major northern cities, benefiting from its location, strength of the rental market and relative under-supply of city centre residential units. The strength of the rental market can also be attributed to the limited number of high-quality centrally-located schemes in Sheffield, especially when compared with other regional centres across the UK.”

Victoria Chambers is a perfectly placed development scheme for investors looking to buy in the S1 area, with an excellent blend of one and two bedroomed properties, all boasting period features, as well as high specification interiors and very competitive prices from £132,500 to £160,000.

www.spencersestateagents.co.uk Spencers Estate Agents Blog - Sheffield 

http://www.vebra.com/spencersestates/property/25884818

Spencers Estate Agents Online Property Marketing Services #Sheffield

Spencers Online Property Marketing Services

Estate Agency is all about evolving your marketing to suit your clients and the market place, as primarily our service to find a buyer is at its most basic level marketing and PR. In most people’s eyes, this is where an estate agent’s job ends, when a buyer is found, but in an estate agent’s eyes, this is when the hard work begins to get the job over the line.

We are all super-aware of the rise of the internet over the last 20 years and therefore the rise in the desire for clients to be seen in more places online in better and more unique ways. The job of an estate agent only gets more and more complicated as new technologies emerge and we, at Spencers Estate Agents, try our utmost to keep up to speed with what is hot online. Our social media presence sees us as the only Sheffield estate agent in the Zoopla Nationwide Top 100 Agents for online media and we pride ourselves on moving with the times regularly Tweeting / Facebooking / Pinteresting / Instagramming / Blogging.

Now, we are taking a giant leap into the online market place by offering our clients an online marketing package to compete with the likes of other internet marketing agencies. Whether you like or dislike Sarah Beeny and her constantly pregnant self relentlessly promoting her own services, you cannot ignore that her online marketing platform promotion is ensuring that a board is suddenly creeping onto a street near you.

But, is the service any good? What we are aiming to do with our knowledge and our experience in estate agency, as well as marketing and PR, is offer everything that you can get from an internet platform but with genuine local estate agency experience on top!

Why we are better than an online marketing agent ….

We ARE estate agents. Many of the online marketing services advertised are literally just marketing tools

We have extensive local knowledge

We are a trusted local estate agency brand – established 1993

An experienced property valuer will come to you to value your property

Our staff all have excellent property knowledge and sales experience for your viewings, if you want us to do them for you

We book your viewings for you, confirm them on the day, and financially qualify buyers to ensure that you get as few timewasters as possible. Many online marketers send text messages to you as the seller to arrange viewings with buyers direct, putting you and your home at risk to crime.

We write your description and organise your marketing material therefore we are responsible under the terms of the CPR (Consumer Protection Regulations) Do you know consumer rights in respect of the law if you describe your own property?

You ultimately influence your price but we will give you excellent local knowledge and comparables in respect of valuation and current market trends

We can mentor property staging, making sure that your property looks the best it can for your marketing

We are real people with an office where you can come and see us! We are not just a call centre of faceless staff

We can recommend an independent financial professional who will come to your property to offer advice on mortgaging and products. Do you know that most recommended financial professionals are linked to certain lenders or institutions to make higher commissions?

We use and recommend only local solicitors. If you are having a hard time contacting your solicitor it is a nightmare to find out that they are a “chicken factory” out in the middle of nowhere

If you decide that you are too stressed to deal with your sale in this way, you can revert to our full estate agency service and we will take all of the pressure off you, as well as discounting your upfront marketing fee off your final bill!

We market all of our properties in the same professional way, using respected, tried and tested property professionals for your marketing material

Because you might decide that you want a full estate agency service, you can test the online marketing service and upgrade if you choose. If you were to choose an online only marketing tool you would incur double the costs to then switch to a traditional agent

For more advice and information on this service please call Nicola Spencer or Chris Spooner on 0114 2683682 or email us at Sales@SpencersEstateAgents.co.uk

#Spencers Estate Agents #SocialMedia #FACTS #Sheffield

Instead of asking "Why are Spencers Estate Agents so OBSESSED with Social Media?" You should be asking "Why am I not?"

Facebook FACTS

1. Total monthly users: 1,310,000,000 with 680 million of them on mobile devices.

2. On a daily basis there are 350 million photos uploaded, 4.5 billion likes, 10 billion messages sent and 22 billion times that the Like or Share buttons are viewed.

3. Between 2012 and 2013, there was an increase in Facebook users by 22%.

4. Ever since Facebook launched there have been a 150 billion friend connections, 1.13 trillion likes and 250 billion photos uploaded.

5. Every 20 minutes on Facebook 1 million links are shared, 2 million friends are requested, and 3 million messages are sent.

6. Despite being blocked, there are roughly 95 million Facebook users in China.

7. Approximately 7.5 million sites contain the Facebook Like or Share Buttons.

8. Every morning when they wake up, 48% of 18-34 year olds check their Facebook account. 28% of that demographic actually check Facebook before they even get out of bed.

9. Users are exposed to 1500 pieces of potential content every day.

10. As of September, 2013 the percentage of 15-34 year olds on Facebook are 66%. Interestingly, 45% of internet users who are 65 years or older are also on Facebook. And, don’t be embarrassed if you’re Facebook friends with your parents; 70% of users are friends with their parents.

11. When Facebook began selling stock to the public and trading on the NASDAQ on May 18, 2012, its shares were priced at $38, which meant the company was valued at over $100 billion. It also meant that Facebook was worth more than eBay, Yahoo, Groupon, LinkedIn, Netflix, IAC, AOL, Zynga and Pandora… combined.

12. One million web pages are accessed using the “Login with Facebook”  feature

13. 3 percent of Facebook users login at least 5 times per day

14. 47% of Americans say Facebook is their #1 influencer of purchases

15. 70% of marketers used Facebook to gain new customers

16. 640,000,000 – total number of minutes spent on Facebook each month

17. 18 minutes – average time spent on Facebook per visit

18. 54,200,000 – total number of Facebook pages

19. 130 average friends per user

20. 75% of Facebook’s users are from outside of the USA

21. 7 million apps & websites are integrated with Facebook

22. Facebook employ only 4619 people

23. In 2012 the revenue was $5,090,000,000 in 2013 it was $6,150,000,000

Twitter FACTS

Total number of active registered Twitter users	645,750,000
Number of new Twitter users signing up everyday	135,000
Number of unique Twitter site visitors every month	190 million
Average number of Tweets per day	58 million
Number of Twitter search engine queries every day	2.1 billion
Percent of Twitter users who use their phone to tweet	43 %
Percent of Tweets that come from third party applicants	60%
Number of people that are employed by Twitter	2,500
Number of active Twitter users every month	115 million
Percent of Twitters who don’t Tweet but watch other people Tweet	40%
Number of days it takes for 1 billion Tweets	5 days
Number of Tweets that happen every second	9,100

1. 34% of marketers use Twitter to successfully generate leads

2. Twitter was the fastest growing network with a 44% growth from 2012-2013

3. 215 million monthly active users

4. Fastest growing demographic  on Twitter is 55-64 age bracket

Social Media FACTS

1. 93% of marketers use social media for business. Only 7% of marketers say they don't use social media for their business. That means there are lots of people out there getting involved and managing a social media strategy. It's becoming more common to include social media as part of an overall marketing budget or strategy, as opposed to when it was the outlier that no one wanted to spend time or money on.

2. 25% of smartphone owners ages 18-44 say they can't recall the last time their smartphone wasn't next to them. It's pretty clear that mobile is a growing space that we need to pay attention to. And we've all heard the cliché of smartphone owners who don't want to let go of their phones, even for five minutes. Well, apparently that's not too far from the truth. If 25% of people aged 18-44 can't remember not having their phone with them, there are probably very few times when they're not connected to the web in some way.

3. 72% of all internet users are now active on social media

4. 18-29 year olds have an 89% usage

5. The 30-49 bracket sits at 72%

6. 60 percent of 50 to 60 year olds are active on social media

7. In the 65 plus bracket, 43% are using social media

8. Time spent on Facebook per hour spent online by country. Here are the top three. USA citizens get the top gong at 16% followed by the Aussies at 14 minutes and the Brits at 13 minutes.