How to prepare your home for selling

Spending a little time preparing your home for prospective buyers to view can not only help sell the property quicker but also help you to achieve the very best selling price

Here's our top tips...


Clean and freshen up
Have a good spring clean so that your home is really seen in its best light. Don't forget to clean windows and freshen up net curtains, bed linen and any other soft furnishings. Remove any stains from the carpets - hiring a carpet cleaner is a good idea for this.

Clean and clear all the kitchen surfaces, cooker, hob, appliances and kitchen floor. Wipe any grease off kitchen cupboards and make sure the sink is bright and shiny. Remove limescale from bathrooms and check that tiles are in good order and grout is clean 

If necessary, consider re-painting rooms in a neutral colour. That vivid coloured feature wall may have been a good idea several years ago but people generally prefer to move into a place that is more of a 'blank canvas'

De-clutter
Get rid of all those piles of 'stuff' that accumulate in every home - find a proper place for it all, sell it or take to the charity shop. If you have too much excess furniture, boxes or bags, consider putting some items in storage for a short period

Don't just throw it all in a cupboard - it will be better for viewers to appreciate how big the under-stairs cupboard is than have it piled to the brim with all your possessions

Make sure that there is space in each room for viewers to be able to be able to walk around and envisage how it would look with their own belongings in there 

Tidy up the garage and shed - they often get forgotten!

Don't be tempted to hide everything away, you need some personal effects to make it look like a home rather than a hotel room

Fix and mend
Make sure everything in the house is in good order. Outside, fix any loose guttering and mend broken fencing, make sure the lawn has been mowed, paths and patios washed and swept, the garden tidy of toys and dog mess. 

Inside, fix all those little things that have broken but haven't yet got to the top of the list for repairing - curtain poles that have pulled off the wall, doors that don't shut properly, light bulbs that don't work...every home has their own particular collection of jobs to do!

First impressions
You really don't have to be baking bread or brewing coffee when people come to view but making sure that the house doesn't smell of animals and ensuring last night's cooking smell has left the kitchen is very important. 

Open windows where necessary and air any rooms that smell a little stale. A scented candle or reed diffuser may also come in handy so your property smells clean and fresh when people walk in the door

Leave the viewings to the professionals
Let Belvoir, the property experts show prospective buyers round your home. We know which of the good things about your property we need to point out. 

Whilst you leave the house for a short while (ideally taking children and dogs with you!), we can answer any questions about the neighbourhood, schools, local amenities etc and we will always make sure we know as much as possible about your home and what you have loved about living there. After the viewing we will also give you the all-important feedback

We can offer help and advice on any particular worries or queries you have regarding preparing your home for sale, so please do ask! 

Belvoir Black Friday Offer

Here at Belvoir Andover, we are offering a staggering 50% off our fees until Black Friday, 24th November 2017

Whether you are selling your home or letting your property, don't miss out on our fantastic offer...

50% off our fees for selling your house*

Put your property on the market with us by 24th November and you will only pay 50% of our standard 1% + VAT selling fee. Just think what you could buy for your new home with the money you save!

Not only can you be confident that your house sale is in safe hands with Belvoir’s highly experienced sales team, you will also benefit from our first class marketing, excellent customer service and prime Andover Town Centre location

*There are just a few Terms and Conditions relating to this amazing offer

• The 50% fee reduction is subject to an overall minimum selling fee of £1200 including VAT and applies to new property instructions received between 9am on 16th November 2017 and 5pm on 24th November 2017
• A FOR SALE board will be installed at your property 
• We are to be instructed on a sole agency basis (unless you are already mid-contract with another Estate Agency) 
• Residential property only

50% off set up fees for new Landlords**

Instruct us to manage your rental property before 24th November 2017 and qualify for 50% off our set up fees. Join the many landlords that choose Belvoir’s expert lettings team for their properties and enjoy our thorough, professional and friendly service

** Terms and Conditions relating to our new Landlords offer

• The 50% reduction of our set up fees (usually £240 including VAT) applies only to new lettings client instructions received between 9am on 16th November 2017 and 5pm on 24th November 2017
• A TO LET board will be installed at your property
• Residential property only

Don’t delay, these offers are for a very limited period and must end on Black Friday. Call us now on 01264 366611 or email us at sales@belvoirandover.com 

Renewal Frequently Asked Questions

Renewals FAQ

If you have been contacted by our office regarding a renewal of your AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy) Agreement, you may find the following Frequently Asked Questions useful.

Please ensure you have read the below before contacting the office with any questions:


Why do we invite you to renew?
It is generally believed by both Landlords and Tenants alike that it is better to know that for a definitive period of time, the property is safe from notice from either side. This helps with financial planning for both parties as well as helps to know you do not need to be house hunting for a period of time.

Why can't I go Periodic?
It is not Belvoir's policy to allow periodic tenancies due to the reason laid out above.

What does this fee cover?
The fee covers the necessary admin associated with communicating with both parties as well as the drawing up and licencing of a new AST agreement.

My neighbour rented through Swattons and they are not getting the same correspondence or options?
Before Belvoir took over the Swattons portfolio in June 2017, agreements and policies with their legacy tenancies were individual and will run until the conclusion of the existing tenancy.


Please contact our renewals administrator Courtney Dugdale by emailing courtney.dugdale@belvoirandover.com to notify how you would like to proceed.

Be Careful of Faceless 'Call Centre' Estate Agents

Be Careful of faceless 'Call Centre' Estate Agents

Over recent months there seems to have been a huge uprising in the number of online-only estate agents. Each jostles for attention within an increasingly crowded market with promises of ‘big’ savings for customers. These companies are usually operating from a back bedroom somewhere or a call centre on an anonymous and remote business park somewhere. But are these ‘Call Centre’ style estate agents really saving consumers money? In this blog we take a look at this key question and explain why, when you’re dealing with a faceless ‘Call Centre’ estate agency, it pays to be careful.

Let's begin with the main reason why most sellers consider online estate agents; to save money on the fee

A totally understandable consideration and we all want a 'bit of a deal' and have no appetite to over spend! However, we must consider the bigger picture here. The cheapest fee is often the most expensive. Why? Paying a low fee may, at first, seem attractive but saving a thousand pounds or two, pales into insignificance, if an agent fails to get the best price and sells your home for five, ten or twenty thousand pounds less because they haven’t reached all potential buyers. This is where an established and town centre estate agent has a bigger tool box. Time and time again we achieve a higher sale price than the online cyber agents do. 

Paying a fee upfront irrespective of result is hardly an incentive for great service or performance either. Once you've paid the incentive to work hard disappears. Also, you will pay even if your property doesn't sell!

It's a bit of a cliché but three of the most important things to consider when buying a property is: Location, location, location

They say that selling a property is often more about location than it may be about the property itself. Pick a property in the 'right' area and they will enjoy a higher chance of the value increasing over time and it will always be desirable. Parents will research schools, commuters will research infrastructure and everyone will consider local amenities and which area boasts the best reputation.

Whether you’re buying or selling, it seriously pays to be talking with an estate agent who knows the local area (and its pros and cons) inside out – and as all too many consumers find, online-only estate agents simply don’t cut the mustard as they are often remote, cover an enormous territory and simply do not have the “on the ground” knowledge and experience.

Think that the shop window is an old-school marketing tool? Think again.

The well-placed estate agency shop window upon the busy Bridge Street is an essential marketing tool that many sellers overlook. After all the majority of savvy buyers will be researching any potential area that they’re considering moving to, and key to this is checking out the local high street agents.

An estate agents office is another 24-7 advertising hoarding for your property alongside the undoubted benefits of the internet. Why not have both? Belvoir are effectively an online agent with huge internet coverage but also have a well situated “Town Centre“ office providing additional and relevant local coverage.

Faceless estate agents are exactly that – faceless

Lacking face to face contact can be a real negative. No one-to-one meetings where your circumstances can be discussed and actions agreed and actioned. There are many situations where it is much easier to resolve issues and make progress when sat across a table with a cup of tea! Of course, the benefits of face to face contact also extends to the potential pool of buyers that sellers may be missing if they opt for an online estate agency.

A sometimes sorry reputation that proceeds them

Whilst there has been many an online-only estate agency cashing in on what seems to be the latest trend of trading via internet and phone alone, many such companies already have a (pretty poor) reputation. Check out their social media presence and reviews. You can’t? No, often they have removed themselves from the potential firing line as feedback and comment on their service is less than favourable. Nobody is perfect but at Belvoir in Andover, we believe in resolving any aspects that need addressing rather than just hiding them in the cloud!

And finally... At Belvoir Andover, we are as good as our word

We have a solid reputation that goes before us. We know our local and national markets inside out and back to front – from school’s latest Ofsted report to the average journey times from and to local towns and cities. We also appreciate the need for superstar customer service that is far from faceless.

Our teams are exactly that, teams. You are not reliant on a single person but benefit from our teams across our network of offices. Yes, you will have one main point of contact but also a number of other staff working diligently on your behalf.

So if you want to deal with tried, tested and trusted professionals who are anything but faceless, then talk to us today. After all, why would you entrust the sale of your bricks and mortar property to a company who exists only within the online world?

Text adapted and expanded from an article by fellow high street agent Mr D Sansome

Belvoir Andover is an established estate agent in Andover town centre who have been property experts since 1997. They occupy a prominent position on Bridge Street (the only road to pass through the town centre) in a recently refurbished listed property that has been an estate agents for the past 60 years. If you would like 21st century efficient and proactive property marketing, please contact us to arrange a free and without obligation valuation. Why not pop in for a cup of tea? Belvoir Andover 01264 366611

We sent our Little Agents round to sell one of our houses!

Find our what happened when we sent our Little Agents round to sell one of our houses

Belvoir Andover are the leading estate agent in the Andover, Whitchurch, Ludgershall areas of Hampshire and Wiltshire.

If you are looking to instruct an agent with real personality, please call us today to see what makes us different from 'the rest' 01264 366611

Welcome to our newest Team Members

A big welcome to our three new starters Charlie, Chris and Lucy. They have recently joined the business due to continued success and growth in Sales and Lettings.

Charlie joins our busy lettings team as a Lettings Negotiator where she will assist the rest of the lettings team marketing landlords properties and letting them to fully referenced tenants and achieving the best possible return for our landlords. Charlie, whom is extremely professional, has already demonstrated her skills and salesmanship by successfully letting 9 properties in her first two weeks!!  

Chris joins us as Sales & Lettings Administrator. Part of Chris’ role is to sales chase our sold properties as he has a wealth of experience in the conveyancing sector having joined us from a local conveyancing firm. 'Sales progression' is an unsung ingredient of estate agency as this kicks in after a sale is agreed (Sold subject to contract) and is essential for getting a sale all the way through to completion. 

Lucy has joined our ever growing sales department as a Sales Negotiator. Lucy is a young and dynamic individual with heaps of enthusiasm and a natural motivated sales personality. Lucy will be assisting the rest of the team to market our vendors properties for sale, finding buyers and assisting our clients in deciding which offer to take. Within 2 weeks, Lucy has already successfully sold 5 properties!!

We wish Charlie, Chris and Lucy the very best and welcome them to our team of property professionals here at our Andover town centre office. 

Job Opportunity - Senior Sales Negotiator

Due to our continued expansion we are now looking for a Senior Sales Negotiator.

The successful candidate must have a positive attitude and structured approach to their work. It is preferred that the successful candidate will already have experience of the sales process within estate agency. A clean driving licence and good references are essential.

The Role:

• Market Appraisal/Vaulations
• Identify potential buyers and securing quality viewings
• Chat face to face with potential buyers to find out their requirements
• Carry out viewings
• Ability to negotiate a sale price and close a sale quickly
• Follow up viewings and secure offers where possible
• Although leads do come in daily via email and telephone, you will be required to generate additional leads
• Canvassing

Skills Required:

• Self-motivated, target driven, results orientated and customer service focused.
• Able to work well within a team
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to negotiate.
• A good understanding of general computer systems is required
• Must have clean driving licence
• Outgoing, sociable & well presented
• Have a 'can-do' attitude

Working Hours: 
Mon - Fri: 9.00am - 6.00pm 
Saturday: 9.00am - 4.00pm (alternate)

Job Type: Full-time
Remuneration: £Negotiable


Belvoir are part of a national network of over 170 offices, each one owned and operated by local property professionals. The Andover office is consistently within the top 5 in the network and is considered one of the flagship offices. Belvoir are one of the highest regarded agents in the UK and have been awarded GOLD by The Sunday Times for the last 5 years. The company has built it's reputation and success on getting the job done whilst delivering award winning levels of customer service . Belvoir Andover have been in the town since 1997 and will be celebrating it's 20 Years with a total revamp of their Bridge Street offices.

So if you'd like to get into property and join the most regarded agent in the town, please send a copy of your CV to andrew.bailey@belvoirandover.com