Whisky Galore

Our Director Sam Samuel (left, below) and our staff in our Bromley office were very cheerful the other day when some of our clients thanked us. Two were a couple who we had helped to buy their first detached home. 

Nice photo, isn't it? It certainly made our day. Yet estate agency isn't all smiles.

Knowing how difficult property transactions can be, we pride ourselves on our work, on our professionalism. We provide an excellent service for those who use us. Regardless of what our clients are like themselves! For the people we deal with are only human, they are unique, and they are under different pressures. We understand if people are disorganised, grumpy, stressed out, distracted, impatient, or all of those at once. It is our job to provide a professional arm to lean on, to guide people through the choppy waters of selling or buying homes, chains, letting or being let to, and so on.  

It helps, of course, if our clients are as responsive as us, tell us anything relevant that is going on, ensure we know what their needs are and what they are planning. Yet we will happily work with people who are inexperienced in property transactions, who don't like them and who will, try as they might, will never understand them all that well.   

It is, though, good to be appreciated and to work with people who aren't disorganised, grumpy, stressed out, distracted, or impatient. 

The two clients who, as we said at the start, outdid us recently were thanking us. We regularly get thanks from people who give us cards and gifts. These are always greatly appreciated. 

Among theirs and other recent gifts, whisky has been involved, a bottle of Jamesons and of Glenfiddich. The former went to Sam and the latter to Kevin Spires. Naturally, we won't disclose whose has been drunk the fastest, though we can say that Kevin has more left as the Christmas festive period approaches....

Thank you to those recent clients, but gifts aren't what we work for (nice though they are). It is knowing we have done the best we can and that we have achieved something meaningful for our clients.

You can view our earlier posts in our Index here.

Moving in... with the Queen of Clean

Lynsey, Queen of Clean, has advice for you

 

So, you've bid for a house or two, you've had a bid accepted, then you have passed the nervous period till contracts are exchanged, not to mention the stressful period after they've been exchanged, and you've completed the move. Congratulations!

 

Next you've gone through and boxed up all the possessions in your old home that you think you need for the new one, and consigned them to the tender care (hopefully) of a removals company, and if you're newly married perhaps the new bride has been carried across the threshold safely. You're in, surrounded by boxes, with luck and planning the power is on, the water flowing, and the people you bought from have left things clean and tidy.

 

Chances are it's late at night and you're going to be sleeping on the floor, a couch, or a bed you're too tired to make up properly, maybe even a hotel not too far away. Morning dawns, you dig out the kettle and necessaries you brought to make the morning cuppa, and there you are, ready to make this house your home.

 

What next? Unpacking those boxes, moving that furniture, making sure the cat (if you have one) doesn't leave the premises for two weeks, certainly not if the lengthy to do list by icatcare.org is anything to go by – http://icatcare.org/advice/keeping-your-cat-happy/moving-house-your-cat.

 

However, the bright new light of day, and seeing the premises minus your predecessors furniture and decorations for the first time, might make you think twice. Is that an unpleasant smell coming from the sink? Oh dear, is that long untouched grease you see behind the empty cooker space? Just what are those stains where the sofa used to be? And what are those suspicious tiny droppings behind where a bookcase formerly stood? Your own visits and your surveyor didn't prepare you for this, as the light arcs mercilessly through temporarily curtain-free windows, revealing all.

 

Common sense comes to the rescue here. You can leave those boxes untouched, your furniture and effects where they are. Out come the cleaning materials. You may have been a householder for years already and know what you're doing, more or less. Or maybe you're fresh from the coddled experience of living in your mum's house and you don't know what to do with a cooker or an iron, let alone a steam mop.

 

Here we can help you. Just as we'd hope you moved with the expert help of Edward Ashdale Estate Agents, now you're in cleaning mode another expert can be of help.

 

We have some exclusive tips for you gleaned from TV's Queen of Clean, Lynsey.

What tips does Lynsey have to suggest to people newly moved in to help them with their cleaning challenge?

 

“Moving into a new home is a very exciting time, but it's so important to give your new home a good clean before you move in to make it feel like yours. Other people's grime will be polluting the surfaces and door handles!  You will notice the previous occupants marks of habitation which can make you feel uneasy in your new property, but never fear, a few antibacterial products and a drop of bleach here and there will help your home to feel brand new and all yours.

 

“My advice would be to start at the top and work your way down!

 

“Firstly, dust those ceilings, concentrating well on the cobwebs and the corners. Have a step ladder to hand and go over with a large feather duster.  It will be satisfying watching the dust drop to the floor. Ceilings harbour dust so its important that you get these clean.

 

“Door handles, light switches and other buttons all need a really good clean with antibacterial spray.

 

“Get all the windows and doors open and give the house a really good air.

 

“Pull up any unwanted carpet and rugs and pull down old curtains, blinds and  lampshades and get them straight to the tip.

 

“Add a good amount of neat bleach to all the sinks and baths and leave to soak to really help kill those germs.  After a good soaking scrub, clean with an antibacterial spray until it comes up like new. If you have a shower, replace the shower head. These harbour a lot of bacteria and germs.

 

“If you are keeping the toilets make sure you replace the seats with new ones and really scrub the pan clean.  Pour a cheap bottle of coke down to ensure the pipes are clean and there are no unwanted blockages that can create nasty smells.

 

“If appliances have been left and you are keeping them, ensure you scrub them clean. Invest in a good over cleaner and use baby oil to really shine that hob.

 

“A bit of neat bleach on a toothbrush will help you get the grout in-between any tiles clean and bring them back to life.

 

“Other than this, rigorously, but well needed clean, your home will be clean and ready to move into and it will truly feel like yours.”

 

When Lynsey finished preparing this advice, typically she remarked, “In the mood for a good clean now!”

 

With advice like this, your life in your new home should get off to a good (if busy) start.

 

If you have bought through Edward Ashdale, and need a bit of local knowledge and advice once you've moved in, don't hesitate to give us a call. We don't think our job is done – and dusted – once you have those keys in your hand.

 

You can view our earlier posts in our Index here.

Rising Prices and Signs of the Times – thank you, The Bromley Times

Signs of the times

As a south London estate agent with branches in Bromley and Lambeth, when property issues make the front page of the media, we take notice. On 23^rd July, The Bromley Times went front page with the story "Rising Prices', sub-title "High cost of buying a home in the borough – see inside."

The article, by Sarah Linney, says that the average price of a home in Bromley and Bexley is now over £300,000 (£304,000 in Bexley, £436,000 in Bromley). Both are under the London average - £500,000.

The ratio between wages and wage rises and property price growth isn't helpful to home purchasers. More helpful are very low interest rates and, as the article mentions, the loss of the prospect of a 'mansion tax' after the general election. So, as ever, the picture on London property is reasonably complex.

Even more so if you listen to the radio. Recently, as respected a body as the BBC in a radio programme referred to additional, and very hard to trace, demand for property in the UK coming from overseas criminal sources engaged in money laundering.

On a happier note, Sarah added that Bexley is the most popular place to live in the country. Bromley is a distinctly sought-after location as well.

Unfortunately, the resulting price pressure cooker contributes to a rise in homelessness among young people and increases in property rental prices provide fresh difficulties for anyone needing somewhere to live.There are some interesting developments, one being in Greenwich, as reported on by homesandproperty.co.uk – see www.homesandproperty.co.uk/property-news/rentals/family-rental-homes-london-uks-first-private-housing-scheme-family-renters-greenwich.

What difference does this make to Edward Ashdale Estate Agents? In one way, none. Our values mean that we seek to put the right people in the right properties, whether bought or rented. We also ensure that vendors and landlords and buyers and tenants experience, as smooth and stress free an experience as possible. Whether prices are up or down, or if the sales market is more active than the rental sector, our service has to be the same.

However, there is food for thought for us. Things are changing and we need to be changing with them. Our advice to people needs to be able to consider the latest trends. We ourselves need to engage with people in new ways, including via social media, to improve customer experience. We are doing those things. These are all signs of the times.

You can view our earlier posts in our Index here.

Lambeth Country Show-n off at its best

If you're putting on a big day out, you need sun. The Lambeth Country Show on Saturday 18th July, when we went, was sunny and showed off the spectacle at its best.

The sun, lighting one of the quieter spots

Brockwell Park is a big place, but it was full. Children's rides and games; craft tents; a health (check) tent; avenues of food; a charity tent and stalls; a display arena banked around with its large crowd; a Trade Union tent; portaloos (thankfully); local societies and groups; a food tent, well, two of those. Lots and lots of people. Plus lots and lots of purple-topped Lambeth Council people out from behind desks and having a good time and sharing what they do with the community.



The Tulse Hill Forum asked a good question

It was good to see The Tulse Hill Forum and the Norwood Forum next to each other and close to a marquee with many Council housing services on display.

This steel band was a joy to hear

A lot of the food and drink were very local - and on a day when the Herne Hill Market greeted people coming to the Show via Herne Hill station. Certainly, there was a roaring trade going on, as the smokin' hot photo below shows.

The queue was lengthy for GDH Gordons Grill

There was a lovely buzz to the day. All over, you could see friends bumping into each other and smiling, children playing and dancing, people eating, drinking, sitting down, sitting up, and lying down. All ages and backgrounds of people were strolling about.

Lambeth clearly wants to put itself on the map

We're already looking forward to next year.

You can view our earlier posts in our Index here.

Sam's Word 10: Doing anything for a sale

Sam's word

Some people will do anything for a sale. You may have heard that saying before. It is usually associated with traditional product sales and sales techniques.

Door to door salesmen. Big feet in the front door, wearing vulnerable people down over hours in their homes.

Used car salesmen. 'Clocked' cars that show a gentle 20,000 mileage where the true mileage is 100,000 plus. Claims of the superior reliability of the vehicle that barely groaned its way into the premises the day before. Have you ever seen the splendid Ealing comedy School For Scoundrels? You should. One of the high points is the sale of a terrible car by two of the shadiest salesmen you could ever meet, Dudley and Dunstan, resulting in Ian Carmichael losing out to Terry-Thomas with a young lady (temporarily, as it happens).

There are many more examples of people who will do anything, and often bad things, for a sale.

Well, we will join some of those people. The better ones. We will do anything for a sale. If it is within reason and if it is within our values and ethics. You may not hear the word ethics around estate agency too often, so here it is again. Ethics.

So, what is the 'sale' I am talking about? What do I mean by 'anything'?

The sale I am talking about isn't selling ourselves to get people's business, important though that is.

No, the sales I am talking about are the ones that we do on others behalf. So selling a property we've been instructed to sell for the best price and in the best interests of a home owner. Or having a property let for a landlord to the right tenants and not ones who will provide an unpleasant experience for that landlord.

The 'anything' that we will do starts with working hard. My staff and I put ourselves out, big time, to make a sale. We work a lot of hours and take calls round the clock. We take a proper look at a property we're to present. No five minutes in and out and a scrawl on the back of an envelope before someone types up some crude property details sheet and considers the job done. No unaccompanied viewings. No amateur photography, we use professionals.

The market for sales is strong as I write, so you can be lazy and sell properties. We don't like that at all. We're not like that at all. Our approach is the same, is as reliable, whether the market is hot or cold.

As a smaller, but very determined agency, we can't do everything at once. Yet here are some things we have done as part of our journey. We are the result of the bringing together of two agencies to form Edward Ashdale. That meant re-branding and merging IT resources, not a cheap or easy start. Since then, one of our offices, Bromley, has moved (not very far) to a better office where we can welcome people better.

We've developed a new website, and the one we have now will be replaced when we're ready with something even better. We've been blogging interesting writing (we hope) about our industry and our locality, and more. We've taken to the airwaves by appearing on Meridian Radio - thank you, DJ Alan King. We've taken a presence on social media sites Facebook and Twitter, and more unusually for estate agents, Tumblr. Why? Because we need to be heard, and if we're heard, so are the properties we have for sale or let. Certainly we network and leaflet and have good property details in our windows like many other agents. That is where many other estate agents give up, job done. Believe me, far fewer go the extra mile into these social media platforms, or onto You Tube, which we use and we are going to be using more and more from now on as well.

The anything we won't do for a sale is to exaggerate, lie, deceive or pretend that things are one way when they're another. I wrote in an earlier blog post about "the agencies who have a drive to fleece consumers unfairly". They do exist and we will never be one of them. So we work hard, we innovate, and we build our reputation that we are twenty first century estate agents with traditional values who are good to work with.

That way, we get to sleep at night.

Sam Samuel, MNAEA CRLM,  January 2015

You can view our earlier posts in our Index here.

Stripes and Strypes



It doesn't do to get into issues of décor if you're an estate agent. It isn't for us to offer an opinion if a homeowner or landlord decides on an all-purple colour scheme or to take up a parquet floor in favour of some ugly lino.

Of course, these things can affect the saleability, or chances of letting, a property. How often do you see on TV or in print more obvious and basic tips for property owners, like ensure the property when viewed is clean and tidy? Or de-clutter. Or fix things that need to be fixed. Or get some fresh coffee on to create a nice smell (or do a bit of bread baking, which is that bit more extreme).

That said, we do have our own and private tastes, so we would, yes, it has to be admitted, probably prefer professionally to see good old bland magnolia painted on walls rather than anything more adventurous. A, dare we say it, bland, impersonal décor allows the viewer to not be challenged by another person's personal vision, and to be able to imagine minimal changes that could make the property a potential home to them.

Recently, we saw a very public and eyebrow-raising reinforcement to the bland is best message. Thank you, the London Evening Standard. Someone in a dispute painted their property frontage in red and white stripes. It caused a rumpus, one person commenting, "it's not very Kensington and Chelsea." Full story here. There's even a hint of video in the story, which makes us smile.

Other kinds of stripes are important too. One very serious, and one entertaining. The entertaining one first. A few days ago one of our team saw the Irish Rock band, The Strypes, in Tunbridge Wells, a place which would doubtless say of stripe-painted houses, "it's not very Tunbridge Wells." The Strypes started as a school band when the members were eight years old and one wore a striped shirt. That generated a name and the Y went in as it was fashionable. They're a great band and though some people might think estate agents (and teachers) don't have a personal life and passion for things outside of property, we do, of course Ask Sam in our Bromley office about Milwall FC or Derrick in Tulse Hill about Arsenal FC, for instance. On reflection, perhaps it is for the best that they're in different offices.  

The serious stripes are in Tulse Hill. Near our office is, for pedestrians, a dangerous road junction, a gyratory. Moves are afoot to plan out a new and better and safer layout. We hope that works, as we want the stripes on that road to be good and safe for our staff and the local public. We wish the planners the best with their work, and we look back to our earlier blog where someone danced on the stripes in the road, and no harm done. You can view it here.

It is interesting how things can be tied together from a single word. We don't use many to describe the values we work to. Passion. Professionalism. Innovation. Friendliness.

Edward Ashdale, your thoughtful estate agent. 

You can view our earlier posts in our Index here.

The Great British Bake-On

In the news



Most of this blog post concerns food, so please bear with us in this introductory paragraph, where we talk about ourselves. It is relevant. You see, we're estate agents, and proud of it. We enjoy giving our clients a great experience: minimal stress (this is property purchasing, letting and management we're talking about, after all), tlc - tender loving care -, and our old fashioned values including friendliness and professionalism.
 
We also enjoy experiencing that kind of service from others, and we enjoy cakes. We went the whole hog (or perhaps loaf) a while ago with our recipe flyer which shared a recipe from the fantastic South London-based Blackbird Bakery, and it got us in the news. 

However, it is good to reflect on baking as a lively sector in Britain's economy and on the fact that some high street bakeries are thriving despite the fairly comprehensive range of baked items in supermarkets these days.Shows like The TV show The Great British Bake Off must have helped boost Britain's appreciation of bakers. Ours was already high to start with.

This didn't last long

The smallest example is our Director, Sam Samuel. Not that, as an ex-Navy boxer, Sam is all that small, but he likes to bake. Not so dissimilar to that Will Smith line in the movie Enemy of the State (with Gene Hackman and a cat), "Some people meditate, some people get massages. I blend." See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0O9H0O8gko.

The staff of life

Then, near our Tulse Hill office, there is Creative Aroma. A coffee shop, but one that produces lovely ciabatta, mouth-watering fancies, and beautiful cakes. It is amazing what amounts to a business within a business can do.

On a bigger scale, the Blackbird Bakery has a number of cafe's, and one product to look out for in any of them is a particularly fine granola.

Not too far from our Bromley office, in Orpington, there is another new baker, Hank's (named after Cockney Rhyming slang - Hank Marvin - Starvin' - or so rumour has it). Hank's is on a parade of shops where a previous bakers, Plaxtol, had closed down. Too many do. Hank's was set up by the former head baker of the local Tesco, but now he does nicer bread and the cakes are great. Peanut butter cupcakes, just one of several kinds, stand out. Well worth dropping in if you're nearby - 23, Carlton Parade, Orpington BR6 0JB.

Much further afield, on a recent holiday (we have those) in Dunbar, Scotland, we found a remarkable bakery. The Bakery, Dunbar serves really excellent bread, brownies, cakes, and - outstandingly - sausage rolls. It is a community bakery, has local (and wider) shareholders, and is award-winning. It isn't too common to find a bakery website with an Our Ethos page, but there is one, just as we publish our Values.

We enjoy it when what we do and the quality of our service is appreciated. To the bakers mentioned in this post, we hope you enjoy our words. We'll be seeing you again.

You can view our earlier posts in our Index here.