Month: October 2020

In this three-minute read, we look at fears the UK is heading for an animal welfare crisis this winter.

Demand for puppies skyrocketed during lockdown, but with furlough ending later this month and the economy struggling, is the reality of pet ownership about to bite?

Earlier this year, demand for puppies skyrocketed, with Google searches for “Puppies near me” increasing more than six times (by 650%) between January and July.

As a result, the price of popular breeds such Dachshunds, English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs and Chow Chows shot up.

The asking price for a Dachshund, for example, increased from £973 in March to £1,838 in June (figures from The Dogs Trust).

But what happens when the novelty of owning a puppy wears off? The RSPCA, The Dogs Trust and The Kennel Club have all raised concerns about the number of people who bought four-legged friends on a whim during the lockdown.

They fear a surge in the number of dogs dumped or abandoned as people struggle to pay for pet food and vet bills or exercise their pooch every day.

The Kennel Club’s Head of Health and Welfare Bill Lambert says: “We have concerns about those puppies which may have been bought on impulse, without owners doing their homework on how or where to get a dog responsibly, or fully realising a puppy is a new family member for life, not a short-term commodity.

These hasty decisions not only play into the hands of the opportunistic scammers and puppy farmers operating during the pandemic – but can also sadly result in puppies being rehomed if owners haven’t carefully considered how their dog will fit their ‘normal’ life.”

Due to this growing concern, the RSPCA has renamed October “Adoptober” (see what they did there?). The campaign urges people who are determined to get a dog to adopt, instead of buy.

By adopting a rescue dog, you will be giving an animal in need a loving home. You will also be able to rest easy in the knowledge that you haven’t fuelled the activities of overseas puppy farmers, who illegally smuggle dogs into the UK and sell them on the internet.

These dogs often have serious health and emotional problems as they are often kept in unhygienic conditions, are in poor health and are removed from their mothers too soon.

Dog welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines says: “The message here is simple: do lots of research to help find the right pet for your family and don’t impulse buy.”

And if adoption isn’t for you, there are, of course, other ways you can do your bit for the canine community. Many animal charities are looking for people to foster dogs, providing pooches with a temporary residence until they find their “forever home”.

Or you could consider volunteering your services as a dog walker to various charities around the country. Check out the work of the Cinnamon Trust and The Underdog.

We’d love to see your dog, whether it’s a rescue, fostered, owned, or adopted, so feel free to share photos of your four-legged companion with us here at Chamberlains.

 

In this two-minute read, we look at ways to make your Teignbridge home a warm, welcoming retreat.

As the nights draw in and the mercury drops, it’s time to take a little inspiration from our Nordic neighbours.

The stylish Danes have mastered the art of dealing with long, dark winters by embracing what they call hygge (pronounced hoo-gah).

Hygge is a sense of cosy contentment brought about by enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Imagine yourself, warm drink in hand, sitting in a comfy chair in front of a crackling fire, and you’re on the right track.

The idea of hygge is to create a comforting nest (it can be indoors or outside) and to enjoy it with family and friends.

As we’re all likely to be spending a lot of time at home over the next few months, here are a few ways to bring a little hygge into your life.

Lighting – Nothing is less relaxing than mortuary-style clinical blue/white lighting. Create a subdued, laid back vibe by opting for light fittings with warmer tones. Candles, tealights and lanterns are also great, but (get ready for a very British health and safety warning) always be careful, especially if little ones are around.

Soft furnishings and furniture – Comfort is key so go for faux fur cushions, fluffy blankets and hand-dyed fabrics preferably in muted or natural tones. When it comes to furniture, natural products such as wood, are a must.

Indoor plants – Indoor pot plants promote better air quality in the home, a must when you’ve got the windows closed to keep the warmth in and the cold out.

Comfort food and drink – Hygge’s not just about interiors and furnishings, it’s also about food and drink. Think hearty stews, tasty soups and cinnamon rolls. If you don’t fancy cooking, try sipping glogg (wine heated with cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg) or smorgasbord eggnog, a blend of cream, sugar, brandy, rum and whipped egg. If you’re after a non-alcoholic beverage, indulge in a decadent hot chocolate (some people sum up hygge as “cocoa by candlelight”).

Spend time outdoors – Just because summer is over, doesn’t mean you have to stay cooped up. Wrap up in warm clothing – it’s no fun shivering in the cold – and spend time in a welcoming outdoor space. Outdoor heaters, heater-barbeques, fire pits and chimineas mean it’s possible to enjoy the great outdoors all year round. Add touches like fairy lights and lanterns to create even more atmosphere.

Turn off the screens – Switch off from the outside world – for a short time at least. Many of us spend our waking hours plugged in (especially if we work from home) but spending too much time in front of a screen can impact our sleep, posture, and vision.

If you think you’ve mastered the art of hygge, share a few of your stylish snaps with us on social media. Thanks for reading.

In this three-minute read, we outline five ways to streamline the home-selling process.

Selling a home can be stressful, but by following a few easy rules at the start of the process, vendors can save themselves time, money, and heartache.

A little bit of pre-sale prep will help you avoid the two most common home-selling horror themes.

Scenario one: The process is painfully slow and drags on for months (or sometimes years) leaving the vendors living in limbo and tearing their hair out because they can’t seal a deal.

Scenario two: The vendor falls in love with another property but can’t shift their own quickly enough to keep the chain moving. As a result, they lose their dream home – and blow thousands of pounds in surveys and legal fees along the way.

Here is a five-step plan to help you prepare for putting your home on the market.

1 Manage your expectations

It’s human nature to place a high value on something to which we have a strong emotional attachment. But you need to step into the shoes of a potential buyer. They will view several properties in the area as part of their search. How will yours stack up? Be realistic with your asking price; over-valuing a home is a sure-fire recipe for a drawn-out sale. We have detailed market data and can provide expert advice.

2 Research agents and don’t be led by price

You get what you pay for. Someone who promises you the earth for next to nothing is most likely stringing you along. If they suggest a ridiculously OTT asking price, ask yourself why? Do they possess magical selling powers? (Hint: the answer is no). Or do they want to lure you in with a big promise, tie you into a long contract, and then drop the asking price like a hot potato?

3 Phone a friend

Ask a straight-talking buddy for a brutally honest appraisal of your home. Don’t be offended if you don’t like what you hear. If they tell you the front room stinks of cat, it probably does – so do something about it. If they confess that the life-sized portrait of Grandma on the wall creeps them out, take it down. Dress your home to appeal to a range of buyers, not your personal taste.

4 Declutter

Following on from the previous point, review the furniture and décor in each room and decide what needs to go (if you want to keep it, put it into storage). Remove personal photos and objects, and bulky furniture which can make a room look smaller.

5 General repairs and maintenance

Sort out minor DIY issues such as broken door handles or mould in the bathrooms and give tired rooms a fresh lick of paint. Trim shrubs and smarten up the garden. Don’t bother with costly renovations that won’t add value.

BONUS TIP

Many people search for their next home before they put their own on the market and wind up facing Scenario Two (as discussed above). When you find your dream home, you need to move immediately and know exactly how much you can offer. We recommend you put your home on the market first, so you’re pumped and primed to make your next move.

If you’re thinking about selling your home, talk to us at Chamberlains. We can help make your next move happen.

In this three-minute read, we look at why a landlord needs a professional mindset, and what can go wrong if emotions cloud your judgment.

There’s a line in the classic film The Godfather that neatly sums up what landlords need to know about letting properties.

“It’s nothing personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business,” drawls a brooding Michael Corleone as he plots a daring and ruthless double hit.

Now, here at Chamberlains, we’re law-abiding citizens, so we’re certainly not suggesting you become a cold-blooded Mafia boss or fraternise with Sicilian mobsters.

But we do recommend that Teignbridge landlords take a business-like approach when they let a property.

One of the biggest mistakes a landlord can make is to allow their personal feelings to impede their decision making; this often happens when:

• A landlord has a strong emotional attachment to a property (perhaps they used to live in it, or inherited it from a loved one). When a tenant moves in, the landlord views every minor scrape to the woodwork or carpet stain as a personal affront. Landlords need to accept that some wear and tear is inevitable.
• A landlord has carried out DIY work at the property to their own taste instead of keeping things neutral, making it less appealing to tenants. They may also see no need for electrical and gas safety inspections because they’ve “had a look over it themselves”. Fact: gas and electrical inspections are legal requirements.
• The landlord knew the tenant before they moved in, so the professional boundaries are blurred. Things often go awry because the landlord hasn’t conducted a reference check (because a friend or family member has vouched for the tenant). Even worse, some landlords don’t make their tenants sign a contract; it’s all done on a wink and a handshake.
• The tenant/landlord relationship grows too cosy over time. As a result, the landlord is lax about inspections or hasn’t raised the rent for years because the tenant is a “friend”.
• The tenant/landlord relationship becomes so toxic that the landlord loses perspective. (As they say in The Godfather: “Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.”) Determined to settle a score with a nightmare tenant, the landlord cuts corners on inspections or evictions – a decision that later proves costly. Sometimes the most financially astute course of action is to compromise (even if it is through gritted teeth).

Being a landlord isn’t just about managing a property; it’s about working with people. Whether it’s dealing with a tenant who has lost their job and can’t pay their rent, or managing a messy dispute between a tenant and neighbour, you need to remain calm, clear-headed, and professional.

Landlords don’t have to be unsympathetic or insensitive but do need to balance their duty of care with their financial responsibilities.

One way to manage these difficult situations is to draw on the expertise of us, we will be able to:

• Come up with workable solutions to all manner of problems (as experienced agents we have seen all sorts over the years).
• Ensure landlords stay on the right side of the law.
• Talk to people from all walks of life and clearly articulate a tenant’s legal obligations.
• Step back from complex scenarios and take a broader view.

Here at Chamberlains, we can take the stress, emotion, and guesswork out of managing a property. Please get in touch if you’d like us to help you.

 

In this 90-second speed read, we discover how something so simple to do can have such big positive effects.

This month sees the world’s biggest drawing festival take place.

Throughout October, there are activities taking place across the globe to encourage people to pick up a pencil and pen and start getting creative.

Due to Covid-19, many of these are now taking place online. And at the end of this article, we share a link where you can access more information.

The Big Draw attracts millions of people of all ages and highlights the benefits of getting arty.

These include:

Reducing stress – drawing takes your mind off things, and let’s face it, plenty is happening in the world right now that we might want to forget about.

Building relationships – sitting down to draw with your kids or friends creates a sense of shared experience and builds bonds.

Engaging creativity – merely grabbing a piece of paper and a pencil can kickstart the creative parts of your brain and has been shown to improve your memory.

The benefits of it are incredibly powerful among kids, and it can help to build self-esteem, motor skills, and get them away from gadgets.

The Big Draw’s theme this year is ‘A Climate of Change’ and is encouraging people to draw their thoughts and ideas on how we can live more harmoniously with our natural environments.

A Picture-Perfect Home

At Chamberlains, we know what draws people to property.

Based on our 23 years of experience locally, we also know what people look for in their dream homes.

So, what does an ideal home in Teignbridge most commonly look like?

Well, we’d sketch out a spacious place, with access to outdoor areas, good neighbours, and a short distance away from shops, schools, and transport links.

We’d love to see what you create this month, so please feel free to share your drawings with us.

To find out more about The Big Draw visit: https://thebigdraw.org/