New outlook. New attitude. New home.

How to start the process of change in 2023.

Posted on Friday, January 6, 2023

There’s a reason it says ‘This Way Forward’ in our office window on Orford Road.

The fresh starts, the new thinking, the scary ideas, the big chats, the first steps, a lot of that stuff takes place at home. So changing that home brings about a holistic gear shift in our lives. Changing our scenery, our walk to the shop, the view of the street, the shape of the morning light, everything starts to look different and clearer. 

But unlike changing your career or your relationship, changing your home is one of the few life changes you can dip your toe into first to test the water, without risk.

You can start by booking a valuation. It’s free and at a time of such a fast-changing property landscape, you need someone from inside the property market who lives and breathes it, to hear your situation and help you with it.

Then, like starting all big changes, we break down the tasks into manageable chunks and work forward. This way forward.

THINKING OF SELLING

• Start by booking your valuation. We'll be straight with you about what your property will realistically sell for in line with the current property market and how other properties are selling in your neighbourhood. You’ll know instantly the budget you’re working to based on how the local market’s behaving.

• We all know it’s massively good fun to cosy up with the laptop and search property. But start exploring areas first. It’ll be more useful to you. However great a property is, if the immediate area makes you want to get away to the other side of town to find a good coffee and a walk, or there’s an ick such as the rumble of a main road nearby, you’ll never truly love your home. You can alter the property, but not the neighbourhood.

• Start looking at your home with ‘reality vision’ that’s how it will look as something for sale rather than ‘I think the rough plaster walls still look cool’. For the full low down on how to prep, check out our blog on preparing your home for sale here.

THINKING OF BUYING

• Start by facing your finances. Not forgetting those awkward subscriptions you said you’d cancel after Christmas. It can feel scary, but it’ll clarify for you what you can afford versus the kind of property you want, then talk to us about the costs involved in buying so you have a crystal clear picture of what buying will cost you. You’ll immediately have a budget and a starting point.

• Check your credit rating, there are lots of free apps and websites available to do this, and many offer advice on how to improve it, if it’s currently low. It’s less stressful to know what you’re dealing with before you start exploring mortgages.

• Start exploring mortgages. We have one word to say on this, and that is Paul. You need Paul at Estates East, he’s independent, easy to talk to and brilliant at mortgage advice. He’ll help you agree a mortgage in principle which puts you in a great position to move forward to the fun bit.

• Start the searching online, but do check in with us as there’re a lot of properties in the pipeline for this year, which we can share with you.

• Not the right time for you? Don’t lose heart, but do start or continue saving towards your deposit, it’s daunting, but a small and regular contribution adds up. Do you really want to look back at 2023, next January and think ‘I could have had a chunk of cash together by now if I’d only cracked on and put a bit by’?

Start by starting. And talk to us, tell us what you’re thinking and we’ll fill as many blanks in as we can for you. You’re not alone.