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Martin Long
Divisional Director, Inverness Office
Whilst the property market has slowed down when
compared to the high activity levels of a few
years ago, there are still a good number of
purchasers who are actively seeking property.
They are, however, becoming more discerning and
it is the well presented properties in good
locations that are proving to be most popular.
This may be an obvious statement but it does
demonstrate the need for careful presentation of
a property if it is to create an impact in the
market.
Lentran House, near Inverness and ‘By The
Bridge’ in the city centre are two distinctive
properties that have great appeal. Good
presentation and location are resulting in
prices for two bedroom apartments well in excess
of £200,000, prices that would have been
considered totally unachievable just a short
time ago. There are numerous TV programmes
advising on how to present a property and
achieve a successful sale. Whilst it is not
always necessary to have a complete makeover,
good maintenance and routine redecoration will
greatly assist the prospect of a successful
sale. A cluttered house with too much furniture
will make rooms look small and dark, the only
answer is to take a deep breath and order a
skip!
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The other main piece of news in the property
world is HIPS. The 1st June is the start date
for England and Wales. Scotland has to wait
until late summer 2008 for the Single Survey or
PIPs (Purchaser Information Pack). PIPs will be
a simpler pack that will be easier to manage,
but it will be of great interest to see how the
English version works and what impact it has on
the market. There will be a last minute rush to
put properties on the market to beat the
requirement and cost of a Pack before the
deadline and it is highly probable that the same
will happen north of the border next year.
However workable the Scottish version will be,
it is not the answer to the property buying
process and will not solve the problem of
multiple surveys.
The pack will also include a property sale
questionnaire and an Energy Performance
Certificate that will be required by European
Regulations. The sale questionnaire contains
much useful information about the property that
will compliment the Agent’s brochure. This part
of the pack will undoubtedly help the sales
process although any good professional agent
should have this information as a matter of
course.
We will be watching the impact of HIPS
on the market with interest so that we are well
prepared when our turn comes in 2008.
If you are currently looking to buy rural
residential property and would like to receive a
complimentary copy of the Bell Ingram monthly
list of properties for sale, please forward your
postal address, telephone number and email
address to
enquiries@bellingram.co.uk or
contact us on 01738 621 121.
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