Think Blog!

ithink drop prices

Jan 20 13:20

Hello out there. Well I thought you may like to know that in our ongoing effort to offer you the best deal we can without affecting levels of service we have dropped our prices.
Wanting to reach a bigger audience and educating the public about the new way of selling your property through online estate agents, we are trying to set the benchmark; break the mould if you wish.

So please have a look at the site, the great prices and ask away if there is anything you would like to know.

Have a great weekend and I look froward to hearing from you soon.

Peter

Back to Work

Jan 6 14:20

Happy New Year to you all.
Well I hope you had a good Christmas and I'm sure like me there are many of you regretting that extra glass (or bottle !!) and that extra mince pie.
Well its the first few days back in the office for most of us and things seem to show signs of the property market being busy for the start of the year.
With the phones being busy on both sales nationally and locally and renting for both new instructions and plenty of viewings being booked. Lets hope pace keeps going, all we need now is the banks to open their rather bulging purses and we would be away !!
Don't forget, Nationally we can advertise and sell your property for as little as £345+vat with NO further fees or locally we are offering great fees plus a £250 cash back upon completion !!.
So no matter where in country you are, if you are thinking of selling or renting let us help you; and save you money, lets face it, after Christmas we could all do with that.

Have a great weekend. Peter

Josh's apprentice update month 12!

Dec 22 16:19

Already it has been twelve months since I started my Apprenticeship with Think Property. I find it strange to think I have been here for over a year already as so much has been crammed into my personal life as well as my life here at work.

From Ironman UK in Bolton to passing exams in Colchester it's been a hectic one to say the least. But it's one I'm sure to remember and build on leading into 2012. The start of the year saw my first year as a Letting Agent mapped out. I had 8 exams to pass (4 for The Sale of Residential Property + 4 for Lettings and Property Management) and an NVQ to complete, all worth a couple of A-levels which are always very handy to chuck on the CV. To make things a bit more complicated I had, at times, 20 hours per week of training to squeeze in for my maiden Ironman Triathlon in July. Needless to say my social life took a back seat for the best part of Jan-Aug 2011.

Think Property proudly first opened it's doors in August, and in February 2011 we were already nominated for a nationally recognised award! It was the 'Estate and Letting Agents Awards 2011'(The Esta's) hosted by Channel 4's Phil Spencer and we were in a shortlist of 10 up for 'Letting Agent of the Year' for the South East of England. Now, what makes these awards so special, is that it is down to our clients to vote for us if they choose to. They would fill out a feedback form from the esta's and mark us based on the service they received. So you can imagine our delight when in April, at a ceremony at Mayfair's Hilton Hotel, We were voted the 2nd best Letting Agent in the South East, and then to top it off, the 6TH best in the WHOLE of the UK - wow!! So, 2011 was already big year for us at Think!

Summer, apparently, came and went, and in July I took part in the UK Ironman Triathlon in Bolton. This was without doubt the most amazing (not to mention most painfull) experience I have ever had! Something I only hope to better by doing it again and again, but getting faster everytime. The World Championships are in Hawaii each year so may as well aim high eh?!

Back to work, and into the later part of this year. I've made great progress in my apprenticeship and I have passed all of my Sales exams which now makes me a fully qualified estate agent. I took my last exam on Wednesday this week and got my highest mark of 88% - my average is between 75-80% so I'm chuffed! I only have 2 more to pass for lettings which I'll take in January. I'm currently finishing up my coursework and then my apprenticeship is complete!

I have people to thank that have given me advice throughout my first year as a Letting Agent, most of them know who they are, but special mention to everybody here at Think and also Lynn Barta at DB training - despite having a very tough year herself, she still managed to make time to help us through our exams and NVQ.

Eat/drink as much as you can over the holidays and have a great Chistmas!

Josh Bowers MNEA

Mishas Blog

Dec 1 14:56

I have now been working full time for think for just under a month and have already learnt so much. I have been given the role of online sales consultant which involves marketing houses on portals on the internet opposed to the original style of estate agency.

When interacting with customers I am solely conversing with them over the phone and email so I find it very important to start a solid rapport with my client from the word go. I have always been a person who enjoys being social and interacting with the public so this job is proving just right for me. I am really enjoying the challenges I have had to face over the last month and look forward to help building this side of the business into a strong and successful way of selling property.

Im really grateful to have the opportunity I have been give and enjoy working with my colleagues very much.

get selling before Christmas

Nov 25 12:39

Sell your home commission free this Christmas. It is no secret that the well documented economic uncertainty around the Eurozone crisis has impacted somewhat negatively on consumer confidence and has to some extent been governing the decisions of those looking to buy and sell their homes. Indeed, for those who have tightened their purse strings but are still looking to sell their home, what money saving option will save the day?

Relieving your financial woes, iThink Property, the award-winning online estate agent offers an easy, stress free alternative method of selling your home commission free - a perfect way to save money, particularly with the festive season fast approaching.

From as little as £345 (+ VAT), the iThink approach removes the middle-man, the high street estate agent, marketing your property directly, using the same online tools as traditional estate agents.

Peter Joseph, Owner of the established award-winning online estate agent comments,

“With the average high street estate agent’s fee for selling a property in the UK at £3,500, people looking to sell their homes are unlikely to be able to afford such a hefty fee particularly in times of economic hardship and, with the Christmas period looming in iThink Property can lend a helping hand to sell your home commission free.

“We offer the ultimate combination for a private house sale - an outstanding traditional estate agency with the latest full marketing on all the major property portals and online media sites, complete transparency and a service we feel is second to none for a fraction of the normal industry fees. For example, this month we have taken on properties that will save our clients somewhere in the region of a total of £70,000. On top of this we are hoping to double this saving in January next year and to forecast figures, I would be surprised if we don't save our clients about £300,000 in fees in the first 3 months of 2012.”

As the perfect stress free alternative to a high street estate agent that guarantees mass savings, you can select from three fantastic value Price Options starting from just £345 depending on how much you wish to pay upfront. In simple terms, you can submit your property details to iThink Property whose NAEA qualified team ensure the property is marketed on all major UK property portals including Rightmove, Primelocation, FindaProperty, Zoopla, Globrix, Nestoria and Fish4homes in addition to many more.

Utilising the popular Gold package of £345 paid up front with 12 months of flexible marketing and no other selling costs payable upon completion, you can save up to £4,150 in fees on the sale of a typical £250,000 home. In addition you will be assigned a qualified iThink Property Agent, a free “value my home” report, professional and unlimited photography, bespoke floorplans, arrangement of viewings, handling and negotiating of offers, full buyer check including verification of financial position and a weekly sales progression report once a sale has been agreed.

So if you are looking to sell your home commission free this Christmas and wish to save thousands of pounds in fees then visit www.ithinkproperty.co.uk today or call 0844 381 4787 to speak to your dedicated iThink Property Agent.

Thank you

Nov 15 10:20

Well I am sitting on the train on route to London and I have just come off the phone from a very happy vendor. Very much like the case written about in the Sunday Times last week we have just sold their house within a month; not so strange you may think apart from it had been on with a local agent for the last 3 months.
Our online agency ithinkproperty reaches more potential buyers than most traditional agents due to our extensive marketing.
I am very pleased for our vendor and I just wish to thank them as they are spreading the word.

If you would like any information about what we do, how much we can save you or for a free valuation, please get in touch.

Many thanks

Peter

iThink Property.
Thinking about keeping you informed.

As Featured By the Sunday Times

Nov 1 06:59

Hi, well some great news, we were lucky enough to be contacted by the Sunday Times who wanted to know all about our Online estate Agent. They contacted one of our many happy clients for a case study and the full page article appeared in this weeks Sunday Times.

So incase you didn't have a chance to see it, please see the link below, We are all very proud.

Many thanks

Peter

http://www.onlineestateagentsuk.com/press-releases/httpwww-thesundaytimes-co-uk/

Good news, Mortgages approvals hit a 2 year high

Oct 7 14:45

Increase in mortage approvals is this good news

Recent figures from the Bank of England have revealed that August saw the highest number of mortgage approval’s since December 2009. Over 52,000 were approved in August, the previous six-month average was 47,551.

Although this slight increase is encouraging to an extent, my concern remains that first time buyers are still struggling to get onto the property ladder, due to the lack of products and reasonable rates at the higher loan to value, loans. Understandably lenders want the very safe cases where there is plenty of equity in the property, and in fairness there are some fantastic products available for those fortunate enough to be in this position. However, to stimulate the housing market, we need more first time buyers to enter the market as we are still very much in a 'buyers’ market' and any slight increase in mortgage approvals is also likely to be as a result of increasing numbers of buy to let purchases to people already owning property, particularly given the recent increase and improvements in Buy to Let mortgage products.

Simon Compton

Independent Financial Adviser

Think Finance

Motivated staff wanted

Oct 4 17:37

Think Online Property Require Sales Negotiator / Sales Progessor for ever expanding Online Estate Agency. Please Private Message Me For More Details

Thanks Peter

http://www.thinkonlineproperty.co.uk/

invest in Property or Invest in Shares ??

Sep 28 20:49

Good morning all,

Well the sun is shining and we are set for a nice weekend, so I may have to take get the barbeque back out.

September is nearly over (already) and we have; as predicted seen a sharp increase in activity on both the local sales and lettings.

With more and more properties coming on the market we have just treated Emma to a new 10mm super wide angle camera so if you are thinking about putting your home on the market and want to see the amazing wide angle photos let us know and we can send you some.

Both Mark and Josh have been putting the hours in too with more and more rented properties coming on and with our ever increasing number of suitable tenants they are busy matching them up.

We are also offering a free 20 page valuation report on your property http://www.onlineestateagentsuk.com/value-my-home Just click through to receive yours.

Away from the office for a moment someone recently was asking me about looking out for an investment property as he was thinking about his future and his retirement years and in the light of this weeks crazy share market activity perhaps this is an apt question.

Invest in Property of Shares ?

For a while now some Financial Planners have been preaching how shares have been a better investment than Property; over the last few years few would argue, that is until share prices plummeted recently.

When investing in property you will find that over recent history say the last 50 years, you would have trouble finding a time when prices have fallen more than 10%. However with stocks and shares whilst you can make quick gains you are exposed to equally large and sudden losses.

If an investor spent his money on property over the last 5 years they may be down about 5% at the moment which is a normal part of any property cycle, the idea is to be in a position to ride out the storm as property always eventually recovers and goes up, up, up. This unfortunately can't be said for shares which sometimes completely collapse leaving the investors substantially out of pocket.
In short both investments involve risk the difference is the size of the risk. If you can hold on through the tough spells property always increases in value over time.
The only question you need to ask as an investor is how long I will have to wait to double my money; the answer is usually 7-9 years. With shares this increase can happen a lot quicker but you can also lose the lot just as fast. Look at how much you could have lost on the stock market in the last week !!!!
We are getting offered more and more ideal investment properties so if you would like to find out what we have or have coming up please speak to Mark or email him onmark@thinkpropertyuk.com
Many thanks for taking the time to read this.
If I can be of any help with anything please let me know, have a good day and enjoy the warm week.

Peter

We are on the move

Sep 25 22:14

Well another week and our online estate agents website Think Online Property has climbed another 2 places on page one of google. Thats great news.
We are offering a free 20 page valuation report on your property, so if you want one please just click on.
Value my home
Thanks for reading and look forward to hearing any comments.
Peter

Misha's blog

Sep 24 16:04

Today is my third weekend working at Think. I've felt a lot more confident today and have used my initiative to answer customer's questions over the phone and in person in the office. I feel that I am picking things up subconsciously through listening to Josh on the phone or with clients also. I’m still very much enjoying my time here and am looking forward to future prospects. In being here over the last few weekends I can see why people would choose this career, as not only do you feel a sense of job satisfaction but also you can determine how well you do through your own personal efforts.

Thank you for reading

Misha

Mishas Blog

Sep 17 15:54

Today is my second day working at Think, after chatting with Peter about how the company started and their aspirations, I can already tell that I’m going to enjoy working here. As an aspiring estate agent, I am extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work here. It’s clear to see, after various chats with my colleagues that Think property is a very successful and well sought after company that has received various awards such as 1st place in Estate and Letting agent in Essex award 2011 accompanied by more. Just a few of the reasons I am thrilled to be part of this team.

I am looking very much forward to learning the trade from my fellow workers here and am keen to get involved with as many aspects of the company as I can. Although I’ve only been here for a short while, I really like the feel of this office environment and I have already started picking things up slowly but surely. Today I have been focusing on the online estate agency which we have, this has proven to be a very cost effective way for a vendor to sell their property whilst still receiving the service that any local agent would provide. I hope to get involved in the structuring of the website at some point and designing is a hobby I hold close to my heart.

I am looking forward to my future here at Think Property and helping the company grow more so...

Thanks for reading,

Misha

Sep 4 21:27

Hi All,

Well the summer holidays are over and the kids are packing their bags ready for the start of a new school term.
I hope you have all had a good summer and for those of you lucky enough to have got away, I hope you had a good time.
I was lucky enough to spend about 2 weeks in France. Most of the time in the Alps and then a few days in Paris.
Property prices in France have been hit just like over here and as you would expect the prices in Paris have been the least affected, just like London over here.
So does this lend itself to thinking that over the longer term investing in our capital is a better bet. Well quite possibly, but if this ever changes, the losses could be greater. Also there is the problem with having to find bigger and bigger deposits for your mortgage.

Office News.

Well August was actually not a bad month (as predicted by everybody) the local office saw quite a few sales go through and a few more offers accepted. The rental side of the business still continued to be buoyant and the online national estate agents Think Online Property saw one of its busiest months and there are quite a few sales progressing here as well.

If you would like to know more about any of the services we can provide please let us know.
For this month we can sell your home locally for just 1% and nation online for as little as £145 with NO VAT at the moment.

Dont forget we are also offering a full free wealth health check, so again just let us know.

Thanks for reading.

Peter

When will it happen?

Jul 27 14:38

Earlier this month, the Monetary Policy Comittee, ruled to keep the Bank of England base interest rate at the record low of 0.5% for the 28th month in a row.

Going into 2011, Markets and Economists were predicting increases in the third quarter of this year, now there are suggestions that it could be July or August 2012 before the first increase. On one hand inflation is very high which would normal be a trigger to increase the rate but with the economy remaining so fragile with little signs of recovery, increases at this time could cause another full blown recession.

I am probably asked this question more than anything else when advising on mortgages and it is becoming harder and harder to predict. Speaking to lenders on a regular basis and observing the markets generally, I thought we would have at least one increase in the last quarter of this year and at least a couple more next year and end 2012 with a base rate of 1.5%. However, now all the signs are, that it could well be into 2012 before any increase at all. As well as the weak economy we also have the huge problem of thousands of mortgage holders unable to remortgage or do anything other than stay on their current lenders standard variable rate as they have little or no equity in their property and/or don’t have the income required to get a mortgage nowadays under the much stricter criteria used and lower loan to values. With little signs of any consistent or significant growth in house prices, this situation is not going to change any time soon. For those on a standard variable rate of 2.5% with Nationwide or C&G for instance the impact of an increase may not be too damaging but for those on variable rates of 4.5-5% (as is the case with several lenders) even small increases will have a huge impact on affordability and is likely to result in repossessions and undermine consumer confidence.

This would all suggest low rates for a long time and no increases at all until next year at least, unless the MPC feel they have to act if inflation continues soaring. This would be good news for mortgage holders and will hopefully buy some time where hopefully property prices will increase, although very bad news for savers, with no real hope of any decent returns on cash in the near future. Consequently, with variable and tracker available at around 2%, a two year deal would appear to have every chance of being a lower cost than fixed deal over the same period.

As the so called experts and economists can’t seem to decide when the base rate will increase, what chance do I have! I think whatever happens, any increases will be small and it is likely that rates will only begin to increase next year, perhaps increasing to 1/1.25% by the end of 2012. The economy is still so precarious that that I can’t see the Bank of England risking large scale repossessions and even a further recession until there are sure signs of recovery. However, we should all be aware that the current economic climate is unprecedented and the outlook for the future can change very quickly.

On the mortgage products side of things, lenders keep reducing rates, including some excellent Buy to Let offerings, it remains a fantastic time to obtain cheap funding with some great opportunities particularly for landlords or potential landlords. As always feel free to contact me for further details and guidance.

Simon Compton Cert PFS, Certs CII (MP & ER)

Independent Financial Adviser

Think Finance

Good news for Landlords

Jul 27 13:49

Well, have you ever thought of having an investment property, or dreamt of getting on the landlord ladder. Well it seems more and more of us are, and for the shrewd few the leap isn't one to lose sleep over.

There have been lots of figures released about the rise in rents and the demand for rented property, our office is no exception and the level of calls is quite amazing. A recent ARLA report (Ass. of residential lettings agents) states that the average property stays on the market for 3.6 weeks compared to 4.2 weeks in 2009. On top of this the rents achievable are also rising every quarter and the ratio of tenant demand to available (supply) properties has also been rising for four quarters in succession, this from 59% to an all-time high of 70%

So, for landlords, we have:
a) A faster turnaround on market-to-rent
b) Higher rental yields
c) Increased demand in general, i.e. more tenants to choose from.
So if its always been a dream of your to have an investment property then now could be the perfect time. If you're not sure why don't you speak to Simon our in house IFA. We have helped quite a few clients recently with equity release or re-mortgaging for exactly this purpose. (simon@thinkpropertyuk.com)
On top of this we are also getting more and more properties coming on for sale that are ideal investor opportunities. So again please just let us know if it is something of interest. It costs nothing to speak to us and we'd love to help.
Office News.
We have a new member of staff, Lucy has been in the property management business for years and she will be a great asset to our strong team. Like us she is very service driven so that is very exciting for us.
Emma is very happy as she now has a new camera to play with for her instructions. It has the widest angle lens you can buy so I have been giving her lessons !!!
The online side of think www.thinkonlineproperty.co.uk is still attracting a lot of interst, so if you are in the market to sell and want to save £1000's please let me know. From as little as £145 we can have you listed on Rightmove as well as all the other main portals.

If you would like any information on anything I have mentioned or something else please let me or one of the team know.

The do's and dont's if you want to sell your house

Jul 25 14:09

Hello all,

Well the school are out and the holiday season is about to start. For many of us it is the start of a quieter time at work and especially in the world of estate agency things drop off until September when all of a sudden more and more people decide to try and sell their house with the hope to be in their new dream home before Christmas.

So if you are thinking about putting you house on the market after the hols here are some 'selling tips' from Phil Spencer.

1. Target Market and Timing

The first step to selling your property quickly and painlessly is to consider your target market. Who do you think might buy your property? Then try to tailor your space to appeal to the main group without alienating other groups that might also be interested. So if you feel a professional couple would be ideal, then turn the 2nd bed/office back into a bedroom and make a space for a workstation elsewhere in the house. This will ensure that the house would still appeal to a young couple with a small child. Spring (Feb/Mar) and Autumn (Sep) are the key times to sell your property when traditionally demand outstrips supply and therefore prices are usually at their most buoyant.

2. De-Clutter and De-Personalise

Potential buyers need to imagine themselves living in your house, so get rid of ornaments and photos - especially posters in kids' bedrooms. Put things you don't really use on a daily basis in the attic or storage. Large pieces of furniture should also go into storage; this will make rooms feel much bigger. Focus on the hallway - clear away coats/clutter; the bathroom - hide all your products; and the kitchen - clear the bench surfaces of appliances, jars, tins, etc, and replace any ragged tea towels or smelly bins.

3. Freshen Up

A fresh coat of neutral paint, new tiling or lino, and a couple of new kitchen doors can do wonders to smarten up a tired-looking property. If you can't stretch to re-tiling in the bathroom, re-grouting should bring it up new. The same effect can be achieved by installing matching chrome fittings; replacing broken light bulbs; re-painting the front door; ironing sheets in the bedroom; taking down any heavy dark drapes; installing up-lighters in the living room for subtle lighting; and strategically placing flowers throughout.

4. Clean Up

If you'd rather not re-decorate, it is still essential that the house be spotless. Getting industrial cleaners in to really make the place sparkle will be money well-spent; have the carpets, sofa covers, oven and windows cleaned while you're at it. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms, which need to be inviting and hygienic; finish up with a new loo seat; fresh white towels; and a strategically placed plant or two. Watch out for over-stuffed wardrobes - yes, people do look in them to check the amount of storage space - so clear them out. Finally, the garden is now seen as an additional room, so be sure to make your garden feel like a great space for entertaining and relaxing.

5. Instructing an Estate Agent & Solicitor

When instructing an agent don't necessarily go for the one with the highest valuation, or the one that you may also buy through - this is an old trick used to win instructions. Many agents will also often try to tie you into a 12-week exclusive contract - negotiate the minimum time possible, so that if you are not happy with the service, you can change or go multi-agency. You'll want someone you can relate to personally.

6. Get the Word Out

Always have a board up, and tell your neighbours - word of mouth is a powerful tool. You never know who might live just round the corner, waiting for your house to come to the market.

7. Preparing for Viewings

Everyone knows that first impressions count, and you'll want the house to appeal to as many people as possible; the more people there are who like the property, the higher the selling price should be. So sweep up, and make sure the front yard and hall to your house are tidy and inviting. Leave the pets with a neighbour, and thoroughly clean up any cat hair in particular, as many people are allergic to animal hair. Turn the lights and heating on; air out the house; and don't smoke or cook a curry before viewings. If you've got parking, leave the space free for the buyer - this will add to the whole experience.

8. Showing a Property

You may find your agent will do your viewing but If you must show your property yourself, then decide beforehand what order you will show the rooms, and guide viewers around the property once, showing the best rooms first or last. Don't overload them with detail, such as the size of your boiler or the trouble with the neighbour's cat. Be business-like during the first viewing; if someone is interested, you can always get to know them a little more on the second viewing. Never point out problems or issues, but do feel free to highlight the odd positive point, like a south-facing garden, or very convenient parking. Finally, invite viewers to take another tour round the property on their own... but don't go off and make a phone call - be somewhere nearby, on hand to answer queries.

9. Choosing the Best Buyer

The person who offers the highest price is not always the best choice. Listen to your agent's advice on buyers, and push your agent to find out as much about the buyers' circumstances as possible. First, how are they financing the purchase? Cash buyers are best, but if they are raising a mortgage ask to see a mortgage 'in principle' letter from their lender. Are they first-time buyers? If so, they will need some handholding by the agent and could protract conveyancing. Do they have a related transaction? If they have something to sell, then it should be under offer before you take your property off the market. Also, find out about any forward chains that could complicate agreeing completion dates further down the line.

12. Accepting Offers

Your agent will be the middleman and should present every offer that is made. Insist that the agent has all the background information to hand on the buyer's position, and the ability to move quickly and ask that offers be made in writing. Market conditions, competition and how much the buyer loves the property will determine what the buyer is prepared to offer. Similarly, the price you will be prepared to accept will depend on market conditions; how quickly you need to sell; and the size of your moving budget. Compromise on both sides is often the key to securing a deal. Also, know whether you want to keep all your furniture, curtains and white goods, as many of these items may not suit your next home, and can be used as effective bargaining tools to get the price you want.

13. Holding the Deal Together

This is where the hard work starts, and the longer it takes to reach exchange of contracts, the higher the chances of the deal falling out of bed or of the buyer gazumping (i.e. dropping their price). So keep in weekly contact with your solicitor and agent to ensure that channels of communication stay open. You need to be kept informed of where the conveyancing is at, and how your buyer is feeling about the progress of the transaction - you need to know whether they are still highly motivated, or off looking at other things to keep their options open.

Well I hope you found that helpful. We are strong advocates of all the points above and it is this attention to detail that led us to be voted No.1 in South East Essex and no. 6 at the prestigious national Esta's awards earlier this year.

So if we can help you in anyway possible please give on of our team a call.

Have a lovely day

Peter

Good news for the property market plus our news.

Jul 10 18:42

Hello all,

Well the tennis is over and yet again the hopes of a British champion are over. History is repeating itself it seems, very much like the reports about the housing market.
Only last week the papers were full of depressing headlines that the housing market had “stagnated”. But now look at them: Surge in house sales… Demand for houses jumps… House prices fall but sales increase… Does this sound familiar...? This week’s headlines, however, have been sparked by the Hometrack survey for June.
Simon Read of The Independent summed it up when he linked the increase in buyers with the sellers ‘getting real’ on prices. He pointed out that the number of buyers registering with estate agents may have risen by 10.6 per cent in June but property prices are 3.9 per cent down on last year. Richard Donnell, Director of Research at Hometrack suggests a number of factors will keep prices down over the next few months – and once again the huge regional variations have to be borne in mind. What’s happening in London isn’t true for the rest of the country and can skew the national picture.
So how do you set an accurate price for your property in today’s market? Numerous factors affect a realistic asking price: number of buyers around, how quickly you want to sell, the strength of the local economy and – if we’re to believe the housing experts – whether you’ve got the smell of freshly-brewed coffee wafting through your house when potential buyers come to visit! More seriously, a number of websites offer details of prices in the housing market based on what your neighbour paid for his/her house. At some point you’ll want to talk to an estate agent who knows the local market. We do extensive research in accurately pricing your property but beware of simply accepting the estate agents who offers you the highest value you for your home – ask how they arrived at that price and why it is so much higher than other valuations you have received. A realistic price will save you a lot of heartache and hopefully result in a quicker sale plus more importantly if the banks don't agree with the sale price you will not get your mortgage.
If you want us to give you a free valuation please let us know or click here to fill out your property details.
Office News
A big welcome to our latest member of staff, Lucie. She is going to be helping Mark on the property management and with her years of experience and long standing working relationship with Mark at her previous company she is a great addition to the strong 'Think' team.
Also a well done to Josh who completed his first half Ironman at the weekend - 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike followed by a half marathon. All that in 5 and a half hours! Big pat on the back Josh. Well done and I hear a much deserved drink was had after a few weeks on the wagon in preparation.
Thanks again for reading and your support. If you need anything please let us know.
Peter

The inexpensive Online option gathers speed

Jun 18 13:23

Hello All,
Well as I sit here looking out at the rather dark grey clouds, I think to myself ahh, it must be nearly Wimbledon time !! Why does it always look a bit precarious for the championships ??

So what's been happening here for the last couple of weeks, well Josh has passed his 3rd exam so great news there. He's also been in full training for his half iron man and just completed a 100mile bike ride for the heart foundation. Also Emma did a charity fun run last week, so they are leaving the rest of us with our heads bowed in shame !!

The office has again been a hive of activity this month especially the online side of the business.
It seems that more and more people are finding out about how easy it is to use us to sell their property for just £395+vat anywhere in the country. Infact we had a very happy vendor this week who has instructed us to sell his £1.3M home in Surrey, he worked it out that we are saving him a cool £19,000 in fees.
So hopefully a nice bottle of champagne and a huge recommendation when we sell that from him.

Simon has been busy on the finance side with even more new mortages coming out , and some very good deals out there at the moment so let him know if you need and advice on anything.

Right back to it for me. Have a great weekend and I look forward to hearing from you if you need anyting at all.

Many thanks

Peter

An Apprentice's update Month 6

Jun 9 16:05

Month 6 already. This year is flying by so quickly. Hope everyone is well and isn't getting to confused with the weather. This morning it was glorious. 11am: Doors and windows wide open, jacket off... 3pm: Door shut, jacket on and it is absolutely chucking it down.... WHY?!

Anyway, some good news, I took and passed my 2nd unit in my Sale of Residential Property Exams last week so I am very pleased! 5 to go now and ahead of my target to have them all done by the end of the year.

On a personal note, at the weekend I went up to Norwich to take part in a 100 mile cycle in aid of the British Heart Foundation. I did this as part of my Ironman training which is coming up in July. Corr that has come round quick too! I did it with my training partner Rob (he's also doing the Ironman with me) and we managed to finish in 5 and a half hours so we were very pleased! For those of you that don't know, an Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 180km(112 miles) cycle + a 26.2 mile run to finish. It's in Bolton too so expecting one or two hills. No wind though please Weatherman.

This week at work I have started to do more with my role as an apprentice. On Monday I went round to a property to do the measurements and take the photos that will appear in our property particulars that we publish to the web and give to prospective tenants. This was the first time I had done it and I thought I did quite a good job. But, by the time it came to putting the details onto our system, the property had been let already, so I never got a chance to make my first property particulars. Next time haha!

The online estate agency goes from strength to strength and Local Sales and Lettings are good too which makes for a busy office.

Have a good Thursday and thanks for the read.

Josh Bowers

Brilliant Buy to Let Remortgage Opportunity – Only available for 1 week

May 26 14:16

A leading lender in the Buy to Let market is offering rates of 4.29 percent on a 2 year fixed deal and 3.79 percent on a 3 year tracker deal.

· With a reduced 0.5% arrangement fee

· Up to 75% loan to value

· £500 cash back to cover valuation fee

This is good compared to any BTL products but at 75% loan to value, these costs are unheard of in recent times. I am calling all my landlord clients today, quite a few have been waiting for an opportunity to refinance or raise additional funds and finally some reasonably prices products to allow this.

Unsurprisingly they will not be around forever, in fact both products are being withdrawn in one week, so all applications HAVE to be in by the 3^rd and then completed by 30^th June. So for anyone interested get in touch urgently so we can book the funds, it really is a fantastic opportunity.

Simon Compton Cert PFS, Certs CII (MP & ER)

Independent Financial Adviser

Think Finance

An Apprentice's update Month 5

May 21 12:07

Another month draws to a close and the sun is out yet again, it's annoying how that always happens when I'm working.
Apprenticeship progress is going along quickly and smoothly, after my recent exam success I have wasted no time in knuckling down into my revision material and I have booked my 3rd exam of 8 for the end of this month. Feeling pretty confident about it so hopefully I'll be able to move on to the next module. fingers crossed.

Our trophy that we received at the National Estate Agency Awards 2011 has finally arrived in one piece (the last one was sent broken) so that has taken its proud spot on the mantel piece, hopefully next year to be joined by a Gold award! I'll tweet a picture of it later @thinkpropertyuk.

Buisness is good so plenty to be getting on with, speaking of which im going to crack on with some good old admin.

The world is supposed to end tonight so if it does, good bye, and if it doesn't, I'll speak to you when I pass my next exam!

Happy Weekend and thanks for reading.

Josh Bowers

Massive saving

May 14 07:39

Good morning all.
Well another beautiful Saturday morning and another busy week. Apart from the normal comings and goings in the office the online website www.thinkonlineproperty.co.uk has started finding people and we have had a few happy clients this week. One in particular has put his beautiful Surrey house on to sell with us
and it has saved him over £13000 in fees.
So you can imagine how happy he is and it's great for us.

So if you would like to know more about how we can sell your property for £395 +vat then please get in touch and I can answer all your questions on what we do.

All that leaves me to say is have a great weekend and speak soon.

It's going to be a good one.

Peter

Think Property.
Thinking about keeping you informed.

Remortgage of the decade!!

May 9 18:22

What a busy time at Think Property, the online estate agency is up and running and off to a great start with plenty of properties let out and sales agreed already this month.

Also importantly for me, plenty of financial services leads and new clients referred to me which is great news, I really do appreciate such great support from the team.

In recent weeks a couple of fantastic mortgages have come on to the market place, perfect for anyone wanting to remortgage to a lower rate or wanting to raise capital. With a rate at around the 2.5% mark and importantly NO FEES and available up to 70% loan to value, for anyone on a Standard Variable Rate of 3% or above it is likely to be a no brainer. I have made several applications for clients previously on SVRs over the last couple of weeks, including a couple wanting to raise capital to buy another property. Perfect for any potential new landlords, instead of paying higher fees and rates with a buy to let mortgage, they have raised the capital and as well as saving a packet are also now cash buyers and in a great position for a bargain!

As always let me know if you want more info.

Simon Compton
Independent Financial Adviser
Think Finance

What a week

May 6 18:00

Hi everyone. Well its 6pm on Friday and Mark and I are off for a well deserved drink in the sun to end a busy and productive week.

The first week of May (I know, how on earth can that be !!?) and we have started the month brilliantly.
Josh already has made a huge dent into what he is hoping to do this month, Emma is getting more and more recommendation which means more properties to sell. So all good. Well done guys.

Also we started marketing our online side of the business this week and have taken on a few properties on that side too, we have one very happy client who we are saving over £13K on selling his house...... I will look forward to the nice chilled bottle of Dom Perignon he has promised us when that is sold.

If you havent seen our new online site please have a look and let us know your thoughts, as ever we are keen to learn what you think.
www.thinkonlineproperty.co.uk

Right, time to switch off the computer for a few hours and relax.
Hope you all have a great weekend.

Peter