Whether you are looking to buy or rent, the property viewing stage is crucial. So, to make sure you make the right decision and say yes to a property that will work for you, here are some tips from me:
Where to start
The main way you’ll be searching for properties will probably be through online sites including Zoopla, Rightmove and Prime Location. Or you may receive recommendations from estate agents you connect with. Either way, take the images ‘with a pinch of salt’, more as a guideline of what you will truly see.
Often photos make the property look bigger/smaller. They may not be up to date images, many will keep using images that were taken for a previous advert. Viewing a property is the only way to get really clear about it in your mind. However, this can be a very long process. Stay strong. If there are certain features on your ‘must have’ list or locations you want to stick to, make sure you are not wasting your own time by viewing properties outside of these. When it’s been a while since your search started, it can be disheartening that you’ve not found a great place yet but stick it out, the right place is waiting for you.
Preparing for a property viewing
When you’ve found somewhere in the right area, has all you’re looking for and you set up a viewing, the next stage is research. Look at the immediate area, do a Google Earth search. Check how close the property is to the shops and services you want close by. Is there a rating online? Is it easy to get to? Work out how you will get to the viewing and back. Research into your potential commute to work/school. Find out more about the specific area and what it has to offer.
The day of the property viewing
Firstly, I recommend taking someone else with you, even if you’ll be living on your own in the property, having additional pairs of eyes looking at the property can be very useful.
Try to get there a little early so you can scout the area out in person and get more of a feel for the place.
Don’t rush, so many people just whizz around the property and are done in record-breaking time. Take it seriously. Check everything, look at everything. Are there any problems you foresee or things already not quite right? Also:
Check the walls for damp/mould
Check the water pressure
Is it a gas or electric oven/hob?
How is the property heated?
Parking
Storage
Number of plug sockets
Amount of wall space
Will your belonging fit through the door frames? Up the stairwells?
Check the seals around taps, baths, showers, sinks and piping
Are their gaps around the windows?
Are the windows single or double glazed?
Is there much noise coming from neighbours? Traffic outside?
TV/internet connection points
Does it still have your ‘must have’ features?
What to ask the estate agents
(If leasehold/renting) Who manages the property?
(If renting) What is the landlord/lady like?
Insight into the area, nearby services, neighbours if they have sold multiple properties in the area
Small print
Leasehold vs freehold
Are you allowed pets?
Hidden charges
Ground rent
Service charges
Parking permits
Ultimately, there will always be something in the small print of a contract. Just make sure it’s something you are aware of, looking out for, and that it won’t come back to haunt you later down the line.
When you find the place, then the real hard work starts… Good luck.
I hope you are taking steps each day to create your dream life and believing in its existence.
If you’ve come to this post then I’m assuming you’ve decided you want to own your own home and are looking for help as a first time buyer. No matter what age you are when you make this decision, my first piece of advice is START SAVING!!! Home ownership is a very expensive venture, the sooner you start saving up the better your options will be.
This will be a blog post series guiding you through the various steps, this post being group 1.
First time buyer ‘help’
There are lots of schemes and programmes out there that supposedly help first time buyers. Make sure you’re reading all of the small print, exclusions and exceptions before going ahead as many turn out to be more hassle than they’re worth.
Savings
Saving money is something I know a lot of people struggle with. The best thing to do is to save something each month from the moment you get your first pay check. There’s always something that you’ll want to save money for, even if it’s not initially to buy a house. Holidays, the latest tech, a new phone, a car, it all costs. Being good at saving money will always be a useful skill. If you’ve been saving for a while it also means you have a nice starting block in your savings if you then decide you would like to buy a home for yourself.
Credit score
Something a lot of people forget about is how much their credit score can affect things. Credit scores will affect the mortgage deals you’ll be offered. It’s a good idea to check what your credit score is and make it as healthy as possible. I usually use the free version of Experian to keep an eye on mine.
Location
Think of where you would like to live. UK? Europe? USA? Canada? Australia? New Zealand?
Research into the house prices in that country/area and any other stipulations linked with it. For example, in London the majority of homes are either shared ownership or leasehold which involves a lot of additional fees added on top of the usual price. Again, the best advice is to keep an eye on all of the small print.
What do you want?
No, I’m not quoting that scene from The Notebook (although it’s now in my head).
Think of what you want/need in your home. What could you not live without? Do you have any deal breakers? What would be the dream? Make a list, or if you’re artistic enough why not sketch it out. Visualise what you want and need and then go searching. It will help you to keep focus and not get lost in the sea of options.
Use your network
Do you know someone who has recently bought in that area? Ask them about their home buying journey. They may have found a great broker, or estate agent that they recommend which can save you a lot of time, effort and money. Use your connections. The more help, advice and information you can gather from your network, the better.
Your first time buyer tips
What else would you say to a first time buyer? Any tips you have that I’ve not discovered yet? What was your home buying journey like, how long did the whole process take?
Hopefully this helps you to get a few steps closer to your dream life, keep believing.
Now that I have moved to London and have started making this flat our home, my home office dreams are so close to coming true. My excitement for finally being able to have a home office has meant lots of Pinterest searches and looking at various websites. I have started a check list of my most important elements of home office so thought I would share it with you:
Layout
Firstly I would love it if I could have a home office with a lot of natural light. Ideally a room with a large window, good air circulation and room for making the space my own. My partner works from home a lot of the time and we may end up sharing the room. More reasons to be able to make at least my home office section ‘mine’.
Laptop vs pc
Desktop vs Laptop
The laptop I currently have is the one that got me through uni. I graduated in 2012… During university laptops were easier. Carting them about between home, revision sessions, mates houses, the library and lectures (or to use in the breaks in between). Now I am looking at setting up a home office though, I think a ‘proper’ computer setup might make more sense.
Luckily my partner is very techy so I know I can ask him about all things computers. In fact he recently bought a new setup for himself as he needed the higher specs. If I’m cheeky enough maybe I can nab some of his old elements. I could then just gradually upgrade if and when I need to. That’s a good idea actually…
This for me is the most important thing. My back hasn’t been in great shape for a while, but working from home during covid has made it worse. As WFH was sprung on us quite quickly and we weren’t sure how long it would last I decided not to invest in an office chair. Regretting that decision now. Sitting on dining chairs, my bed or on our sofas has not been kind to my spine.
I would love a desk chair with a tall back, adjustable height and angle. A bonus would be if it already had the additional lumbar support but as you can get cushions for this purpose I could always add that later on anyway.
To go with the seat I would also like to get a foot rest so that I can make sure I am always sat in the best position for my back. With the exercises and other things I am starting to put into place I am hoping to counteract most of the unhealthy habits I have had over the last decade or so.
Desk
For the desk I would like something quite basic, as I am planning to have the chair as an investment piece I will be looking for bargains for the rest of the set up unless one really catches my eye. I like the idea of one that sort of engulfs the chair, the corner and U-shaped desks. If I have to have a standard rectangular table though I will not be disheartened.
I prefer to have a clean desk at the start and end of each work day as this seems to help with my mental health as well as organisation. Having a few drawers under the table would be super helpful for this.
My Home Office Stationery
I absolutely love stationery! I used to get so excited when a new school year started because I always bought a brand new pencil case, set of pens and so many other little bits to set me up for the year.
Setting up a home office is another great excuse to buy a matching set of stationery. I will also purchase storage sets to make the desk look beautiful. Having somewhere to tidy away my pens, post its and other bits and bobs would be extremely helpful. A tiered tray to sort through the majority of the paperwork into important, urgent and other would be great too.
The end goal is to make my home office space something even The Home Edit team would be proud of. I have been searching on Pinterest for desk ideas and I am so excited about making a home office and finally having my own creative space.
Decorations
The final step is to make the space feel like me. After purchasing and sorting out the desk, chair, stationery and where it will go within the room. No doubt there will be some kind of pin board, inspirational quotes and some art. Pops of colour will be something I look for as the main elements of my home office will be quite mundane looking.
I will keep mostly neutral tones but I do love it when brights are thrown in with it as well. I think it all depends what styles I find the quotes I want to have in. TJLubrano prints will definitely feature, I loooooove her artwork. Stunning designs andd colours (plus she used to have lots of Disney and Harry Potter artwork which I own too). Recently I have purchased several more of TJ’s prints, this time including some quotes, so I think those will be the first to go on display. Then I can buy other designs and quotes that will fit with the colourschemes and feel of the space.
What about you?
How would you design your home office? What are your key elements? Do you already have a home office? Are there any website/store recommendations you have for me?
As this will be my first ever home office I would love your advice. Send me messages or write a comment and let me know your tips 🙂
Hope you are having the best day and taking more steps towards creating your dream life.
Future aspirations – putting them out into the universe
Several of the books and podcasts I’ve been reading/listening to recently have mentioned ways to help you achieve your future aspirations. How to live the life you want. I am always willing to have a look how a dream life becomes a reality. Something that was mentioned in most, is the notion of speaking your dreams out into the universe. To be specific in what you want out of life and why. However, you don’t need to know the full story of how, the universe will help you along the way.
As a believer in faith I have always liked this idea. The idea that everything is possible you just have to find the right way of attracting it. A lot of authors and coaches have mentioned that ‘your vibe attracts your tribe’. It also seems to be true to find your life’s calling as well.
Visualising your dreams/future aspirations isn’t going to be enough though. Sadly reading your paragraph about your ideal life every day isn’t going to make it happen.
Can you imagine if that’s all it took? Not quite sure if that would be a good thing or not…
According to the books you have to believe your dream life is already yours. You have to live as if you have already achieved it. Take active steps to get closer to it but keep asking the universe for added assistance as well. The universe may have a better route planned out for you. However, you won’t know unless you give it a try.
Take time to work out what it is you really want out of life and why. Write it down. Tell people. Hold yourself accountable to achieve these dreams. Watch as they come into fruition. I doubt it will be a fast transition, but patience is a virtue after all. All good things come to those who wait (as long as you’re working towards it at the same time). Find your middle ground between wishing on a star and living just to work (think Princess and the Frog).
With all of this in mind I thought I should put my dreams out there. Hold myself accountable. Speak it into the universe and post it to the world wide web. Here goes…
Future employment aspirations
I am a self-employed events planner. Working from home most of the time but networking and attending meetings where it needs to be in person. I have a small team of amazing people around me and a network of incredible businesses and individuals whom I work with regularly. My hours are flexible. I can support my family and take time off when needed. Travelling around the world is a keen hobby of mine. Due to this flexibility I can keep on top of my physical and mental health, this means I am in the best shape to be able to help others.
We mostly cater for weddings but we also plan other celebrations and both private and public events too. Wedding season we are super busy. In the quieter months I use the down time to meet up with new businesses trying to make their way in the world to add to my network. This gives my clients more options and it allows me to expand my network across the UK.
Starting off with the connections I already had in South Wales and the London area, that’s where my initial events were based. As my business grew we were able to start planning events across England and Wales and eventually spread to parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland as well.
My website attracts a high number of visitors every month. Our calendar is booked at least a year in advance in most cases. I have created several online courses, e-books and other products which have proven popular. I am making enough money to pay for home improvements, more holidays and save for my children’s futures. Having my own business has enabled me to support my extended family as well, I have helped them achieve their dreams too.
Future housing aspirations
We live in the country, in a very cosy, yet modern country home. Log cabin-esque on the outside but lots of character on the inside with all the mod cons. We have a huge open hearth in the living room, a shaggy rug and sofas you can lounge on for hours. Due to my kind of employment there is a study/work room in the house. Because of my love of music and to fuel my need to continue singing there is a soundproofed music room as well.
How many of you dream of living somewhere like this?
Outside there are several ‘zones’ of land. We have an allotment where we grow most of our own fruit, vegetables and herbs. A tranquillity garden with a water feature in the middle. There is a lake that runs along the back of our house, we use the water for the gardens and animals and can filter it for our own consumption if we want to. We have noticed a few fish swimming through on a few occasions so we could also catch our dinner too. It’s fun to paddle your feet in and we have had many river days in the summers.
Wildflowers, foxgloves and a willow tree grow in our wildlife garden (among other things). There are bug houses, drinking areas, bird feeders and all sorts to encourage wildlife.
Future family aspirations
I have two children and a loving partner who supports me in my self-employment and constant need to improve my business. We have a dog, two cats and a few chickens. I am tempted to start rearing goats and pigs too but will see what happens there. For many years I have loved the idea of being self sufficient, our home has helped me start that journey.
The children have been very hands on and curious about our allotment and wildlife areas. Both have been active in helping me maintain them since they were very little.
We are able to go on at least two holidays a year and have managed to visit somewhere on every continent. Learning about how other people live and experiencing the different cultures around the world has been incredible. Showing the children first-hand the infinite possibilities they have access to, and seeing how far their imagination and ambition can go, is another wonderful feeling.
My why
After reading what I visualise, you may not see the true reasons behind it. Ultimately? Health and motherhood.
I want to have a healthy relationship with my work, mind, body and my loved ones. Having the ambition to go after what I need out of life and to move forward despite hardships and daily mental battles, I think, would be a great example for my children as well as others around me. This in turn motivates me to make it a reality.
For me to have a healthy relationship with work I need to be able to work flexibly. To have the ability to spend as much time with my family as possible. Take time for my mental health when needed. Be able to go on regular holidays. Creating a healthier work-life balance. Knowing when my own energy needs topping up and when I can help others with theirs.
Having my own business will make this difficult initially due to the huge investments of time, money and energy, I know this. Further down the line it may be difficult as everything will be my responsibility, but that is why I have started my journey now. It gives me time to set up a fledgling business and for it to grow at its own pace. Then I can start hiring my team.
I plan to be working remotely so will be at home with my family and be there when they need me. Hopefully I can have a fully developed business and a small team underneath me before my children grow up too much.
Motherhood
I have always wanted to be a mum. This has been what I’ve believed to be my main purpose in life for many years. Becoming a mum doesn’t necessarily mean the traditional route of getting pregnant and physically bringing new life into the world. There are many different ways a person can become a parent. The universe can decide the best method for me and when the time is right, but I know that it will happen.
I have not written down what kind of parent I will be. In my opinion it will depend on when and how I become a parent, who is supporting me and what each child is like. Also, I see so many videos comparing what people thought they would be like as parents. It is often vastly different from what ended up happening, so I’m going to let that element decide for itself too.
Wanderlust
The last part of my why is travel. I have always longed to explore the world and experience new cultures. Travelling opens your mind, helps your attitude of gratitude and is a great source of knowledge. I’ve always wanted to see as much of the world as possible and to experience that alongside my partner and our children would be an amazing feeling.
My aspirations for the future and the goals I have, I believe, will help my mental health, my self belief and confidence. Plus the more cultures, life styles, people and ideas I can observe and learn about (and from), the more influences I can choose from in the events I create for my clients.
Do you have goals set for your future? What do you visualise? What are your reasons why?
