Wondering what to do with yourself over the long weekend? Should you be preparing the garden for summer? Getting on with some Spring Cleaning? Or just relaxing on the sofa?
We asked 15 prominent people from the world of property for their top tip for what to do this weekend – here is what they had to say:
Rob Ellice – CEO easyProperty
“We all live such busy lives and very rarely get to make the most of the area we live in, so this bank holiday why not take some time out and look for somewhere local that you have never explored before; it could be a park, restaurant, museum, leisure centre or somewhere completely different. Maybe even ask a neighbour for a recommendation.”
– Rob Ellice, easyProperty
Kate Faulkner – MD Property Checklists
“May Bank Holiday is a great time to go through a maintenance checklist so you know what work your property needs doing over the summer before autumn. Checking for things like missing tiles, leaky guttering and overflowing drains through to cracks in external masonry, making sure any woodwork is well painted and finally getting the garden ready for enjoying in the summer needs to start now! You can visit us for free maintenance checks.
I’ll be out there this Bank Holiday planting some veg and sorting external paintwork, so am hoping for at least one day of sunshine!”
– Kate Faulkner, Property Checklists
Henry Pryor – “The BBC’s Favourite Property Expert”
“If you are selling remember the three ‘P’s’ – Price, Presentation and Promotion. Get the guide price realistic so that you attract buyers who think you’re serious. Make sure the property is clean and tidy, you want them to go away discussing how they will live in the place, not the rim around the bath! Finally, make sure you are promoting it – on the big property websites, with a sale board so people don’t get lost coming to find it and your neighbours can tell their friends who always wanted to live in such a nice place.
If you’re buying then remember that most sellers are grateful for an offer even if it’s low. Better to make an bid that is turned down than to be worried that they may be offended. If there’s anyone who can be offended it’s the estate agent, that’s what he’s being paid for!”
– Henry Pryor, HenryPryor.com
Vanessa Warwick – Co-Founder Property Tribes
– Vanessa Warwick, Property Tribes
Rush Somauroo – Founder and CEO Propertyflock
“Property searches soar at the weekend, but between hunting for your dream home, try giving Pinterest a browse. Pinterest is a hugely underrated resource for anyone passionate about property, design and DIY. If you haven’t already explored the world of Pinners and Boards, set up a Pinterest account and discover the best home improvement ideas. Whether it’s interior design, architecture, furniture – use this bank holiday to get inspired about how to upgrade your property.”
– Rush Somauroo, Propertyflock
Christopher Walkey – Founder Estate Agent UK Networking
“Spend time with family and friends, if you haven’t picked up the phone in a while (maybe you rely too much on Facebook updates), give someone a call and say hello in person. Lot’s of people will be having a long weekend rest at home so it’s a great time to be social and pop over to see someone you have not seen for a while, or make yourself something to drink and get dialing telephone numbers of loved ones. I am sure that we will all agree, that work gets in the way of life sometimes… Change that this weekend.”
– Christopher Walkey, Estate Agent UK Networking
Ann Currell – CEO Currell Group
“As a Hackney local I would highly recommend spending some time at the London Fields Lido. It’s a great place for adults and children to enjoy, especially if the sun is shining. Follow this with a trip down Broadway Market and finish with lunch at Duke’s Brew & Que, famous for their craft beers and American BBQ inspired menu.”
– Ann Currell, Currell Group
Sheila Manchester – The Negotiator
“If you’re planning on putting your home on the market, stand back, take a good hard look at all your possessions and clear half of them away. Cluttered, messy homes turn buyers right off.”
– Sheila Manchester, The Negotiator
Adam Male – COO Urban.co.uk
“If you are selling your home this May one of the common mistakes we see from vendors is not de-cluttering soon enough. You might love your collection of 18th century ceramics, but if it is collecting dust then it needs to go into storage. You need to put yourself in the shoes of the buyer who wants a blank canvass with a few choice pieces of furniture to spark their imagination. So if you’re thinking of selling after the bank holiday use the extra time to start packing that clutter away, you’ll need to pack it all up at some point anyway!”
– Adam Male, Urban.co.uk
Rosalind Renshaw – Editor Property Industry Eye
“Trendy kitchens don’t necessarily sell homes, but dated ones do provided they are clean and tidy. Buyers almost always want to put in their own kitchens, but they need something they can live with for the first year. So, don’t bother to update your kitchen if you’re planning to sell but do keep it ultra-clean, shine the sink and make sure the work surfaces are uncluttered. Obviously, if you’re a politician, you will have two kitchens so that’s double the amount of work – sorry about that!”
– Rosalind Renshaw, Property Industry Eye
And of course we had to ask our very own House Shop team for their top tips too!
Nick Marr – Co-Founder The House Shop
“If you’re a buying a property, this weekend is a great time to eye up what’s available, my feeling is that after the election we will see a boost in house prices so May Bank holiday is a great time to get in early. If you’re not house hunting, get outside and see some scenery, a breath of fresh air does us all some good and helps top up the vitamin D that we have all been missing. For gardeners it’s the perfect time of year to spend some hours preparing for summer, my top tip is to buy bedding plants early and plant them in your posts and hanging baskets.”
– Nick Marr, The House Shop
Tom Samuel – Business Development Manager
“Whilst many people believe that the bank holiday weekend is the perfect time for upholstery and sewing, or maybe even germinating your own seeds ready for the summer, the weekend really shouldn’t be so boring. How about getting that motorbike that sits dormant for the whole of winter, out of the garage and out onto the open road! Get your boat shoes out, pop to the coast or your nearest reservoir and hire a sailing dinghy. You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy capsizing. Find your nearest theme park, if you are scared of rides great. Get on them, once the restraint comes down there is no turning back, just scream your head off. Or you can just sit in, it looks like it might rain across most of the UK. Have fun!”
– Tom Samuel, The House Shop
Anne-Charlotte Mornington – Business Development Manager
“While long weekends are ideal for short getaways, if you haven’t managed to organise a little trip out of town, I recommend you take this extra time to focus on all the little things you don’t have time to address during a normal weekend.
On the top of my personal list would be: sorting out my clothes and giving all that I never wear to a charity shop, buying new things in the charity shop (you wouldn’t want to waste all that new space you’ve just created!), sewing and mending the things which didn’t quite make it to the charity shop, going for a swim, checking out antique markets, cleaning the things in my flat which don’t get cleaned often (each to his own, I would rather not go into specifics for that one), inviting friends over for a diner party. Basically making sure that when I come home on Tuesday after work, I get to a place which makes me smile.”
– Anne-Charlotte Mornington, The House Shop
So there you have it! Some top tips to make the most of your Bank Holiday weekend. Enjoy!
by Franki Chaffin-Edwards, The House Shop
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