What Is a Search Agent?

Simply put, a search agent looks for a property on your behalf. If you are looking to move – be it buying or renting – the search agent can do all the legwork for you. That’s finding suitable properties, arranging viewings and brokering the negotiations on your behalf saving you heaps of time and energy. If you really trust them, they can even attend viewings on your behalf. Maplewood often takes on this responsibility and reports back with videos or video calls, saving you further time travelling to multiple appointments.

In the UK, this process is less familiar than elsewhere in the world. In North American sales transactions, for example, both vendor and buyer are usually represented by a qualified professional (real estate) agent who acts in their interest. This isn’t the case for rental transactions, but it does mean that Americans and Canadians fully understand the principle of someone working on their behalf in this way.

In the London rental market, it is not uncommon to encounter relocation agents (or ‘relo agents’ in agency lingo). They are normally retained and paid for by a company to look after relocations for members of staff and their families (often internationally). They have excellent little black books full of London agency contacts and can work proactively to get access to properties that aren’t yet on the market. This role is common particularly for those looking for a property in Prime Central London.

If the idea of having someone take care of all of the hassle of looking for a property sounds ridiculously appealing, you may be wondering why search agents aren’t more common in the UK. The reason for this comes down to – perhaps unsurprisingly – money.

In Prime Central London, a search agent can undertake their work on the basis that they are paid a portion of the fee earned by the seller’s/landlord’s agent (i.e. the agent listing the property). The prices of Central London properties produce margins that allow for this and with both agents retaining a healthy fee. Outside of Central London (even just south of the river) the commission on offer isn’t regarded as sufficient to be split between two agencies. So a search agent must pass their fee directly to their client (the buyer/tenant) instead.

In an environment where much emphasis has been put on eliminating fees for tenants, lots of those people looking to relocate would rather take on the search themselves than pay a fee for someone else to find them a place to live, despite the valuable time-saving, negotiating experience and contacts the search agent may have.

The tide is changing however and – particularly in a hot rental market – it can be a difficult and logistical nightmare to find a property if you’re a busy professional. Hiring Maplewood to conduct a four-week rental property search for you starts at £1500+VAT. We jointly determine your search parameters, source potential properties, arrange and attend viewings for/with you and advise on the negotiations right through to your move-in day. Imagine that: a quick, low-stress and proven solution to finding your next rental home.

You can find more information about our property search service here or book a call with us to have a chat about your dream home.

Top Tips for Spot On Property Photography

Property photos are far and away the most important asset in marketing a property in both the sales and lettings markets. Good images show a property truthfully and also in the best possible light (pun intended). Whilst post-production can tweak/magic/erase a few wrinkles (like turning a wintery grey sky blue or even vamoosing a neighbour’s unsightly bin), it is far simpler to start with good images than to try to correct them after the fact. And the uncomfortable truth is that with only one chance to make a first impression, you don’t want to give the people viewing your property any reason to swipe left - and they can be a fickle crowd. 

To give your place the best chance to truly shine in the photos, bear these top tips in mind…

•   Put the toilet seat down: Toilets come with seats for a reason - so that they can be put down in property photographs! Joking aside, this is probably the most common faux-pas in property photos and it is such a quick and easy fix. Distracting to some buyers and downright off-putting to others, having a toilet seat up automatically makes your photos look less polished. By putting the seat down, you’re not triggering those who are bothered by it and those who don’t care will never even notice. #win-win

•   No selfies please: Property photos are not the place to play Where’s Wally - as much as we love a good round of ‘spot the photographer’ in reflective surfaces. Particularly in bathrooms, it can be a challenge to position a camera to capture the room without also capturing the camera - and the photographer. Good property photographers are experienced in their camera placement and have software to magically erase any stray body parts, if necessary.

•   Spruce me up: We’ve shared previously about the amazing results that an interior designer or home stylist can produce, however you need not commit to a total overhaul. Give your home a critical eye. Are there obvious areas where a pot of paint would do a world of good? Can you employ some pops of colour through cushions or a decorative throw to inject some life and catch focus? Plants are a quick and easy way to make spaces more attractive and are very on trend.

•   Take a knee: Another very common feature in property photography is the downward sloping angle. Resulting from taking photos from too high an angle or even from a top corner of a room in order to capture as much as possible, it results in odd-looking images that aren’t pleasing to the eye. It’s far better to take more than one image instead to capture the entirety of a space.

With just a few tweaks, these images could show off the property to much better effect.

•   Lighting, lighting, lighting: It cannot be overstated that lighting is critical in showing your property to best advantage - so much so that at Maplewood we deliberately schedule photography sessions for brighter days! Internal lighting is so often from overhead sources that can add odd shadows and unflattering colouration. Over-saturated photos, where too much light occurs, can wash out images or make it difficult to see details - and beware images that are overly filtered in post-production to cover up dark rooms! As much as possible, ensure that natural lighting is finding a way into your rooms and pay attention to window dressings.

•   Beware room stretch: Professional property photographers have wonderful equipment that allows them to capture far more of the edges of a space than a conventional lens. Beware of images that take this to the extreme though - some agents use photographers who use ‘fish eye lens’ or panoramic views such that the rooms wind up looking wonderfully large but oddly stretched. The result is that on viewings, potential tenants and buyers are expecting much roomier spaces than exist in reality - a waste of everyone’s time. 

•   If DIY’ing it: Don’t – use a recommended estate agency! We pick up the cost for all photos and floor plans and many agents will too. If you must, use a tripod. This will only set you back around £20 but is worth the investment. With cameras in phones now being so advanced, it can be tempting to give it a go yourself. A tripod will ensure a clearer image and you can be more consistent in the angle and framing to ensure a consistent look. Don’t forget the basics though. Make sure your lens is thoroughly clean and that you’re shooting sufficiently high resolution to allow for clear images in both web and print marketing materials. 

 •   De-clutter: It should go without saying that your property should be sparklingly clean before a photographer comes in (with the beds also made, properly), so our top tip is to Marie Kondo your heart out. Purge your rooms of the stuff of life before a photographer comes in. And we do mean ruthlessly. Try to see your rooms as they will show up on an image the size of your phone screen. Lots of ‘stuff’ makes it hard for the eye to settle and to properly assess the property rather than the stuff. The photos are an invitation to visit in person. Your stuff can stop people from taking you up on this. It is far better for a property to err on the side of too empty rather than over cluttered.

•   Oh and Landscape… not Portrait! Simple.

And there you have it! Nine top tips that will have your property photos looking spot on. For more information on our services, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

How to Win the Rental Game

How to Secure a Rental Property in a Competitive Market

Demand for rental properties in London has been through the roof over the past months with the market having more than recovering from the lockdown slump. We’re regularly listing new properties only to have them snapped up within days and often over asking price.

Because we also undertake property searches for clients, we know from both sides of the ‘equation’ how tricky securing a property can be. We’re lifting the lid to share our top tips on winning in a busy lettings market. Here’s how to best position yourself to secure that sought-after rental property.

Draw your search parameter map and set-up alerts

You probably know that property search websites like Zoopla enable you to view your search results in a list view or a map viewing, show where each property is located. But did you know that you also create a customised search area? By dropping perimeter pins to specify a boundary area, you can create a search area outlining exactly where you want to live and include areas that would otherwise be excluded from a standard search by postcode or circumference search (I.e. ‘search within x miles of y’). Your map searches will be saved within the Alerts and searches section of your My Zoopla account and you’ll receive notifications whenever new properties come up in your desired area.   

Creating a customised search area on zoopla.com

Set up a designated inbox and set reminders to check it periodically throughout the day

A recent property search for a client has been a great reminder of the volume of emails that can come your way when you’re property hunting. The rental market in London moves quickly and it’s easy to become inundated (and overwhelmed!) with new property notifications and appointment bookings. That’s why we suggest setting up a separate email account for your property search. You can keep your personal inbox clear of property clutter and if you’re searching at a more relaxed pace, you can even turn off the email notifications altogether and simply set reminders to check your property search account when it suits you.   

Be quick off the mark

Those new to the London rental market can be taken aback by just how quickly things move. In the current busy market, it wouldn’t be uncommon for a property listed on a Friday to be under offer by Monday. This means you’ve got to be ready to act quickly. Be proactive in phoning for viewing appointments and confirm your appointments with the agent to double check a property is still available before you travel to view it. If there’s something you like the look of, get as much information from the agent before the viewing so you’re clear on their offer process and can have any necessary paperwork lined up. You can even request an offer form from the agent in advance of the viewing and have it ready to send once you’re sure you want to make an offer.

Get clarification on when the property is reserved to you

At many estate agents, having had an offer accepted by the landlord may not fully secure it for you. You may need to pay a holding deposit to stop any further viewings and reserve the property whilst you undergo referencing checks (which is usually put towards your first month’s rent or security deposit). Holding deposits are generally non-refundable should you change your mind and withdraw your application, so seek confirmation if the conditions of a holding deposit aren’t clear.

Align yourself with the landlord

In putting forward your offer in a busy rental market, you need to make your offer as attractive as possible to the landlord. Do your requirements align with theirs? High street agents will typically push for long contracts without break clauses (as this can affect their commission) but a decent agent will let you know if a landlord has preferences regarding their ideal tenant. It can be useful to include a short blurb about yourself in your offer (a couple of sentences will do) so the landlord gets a better sense of you. Also be aware that making an offer that’s contingent on removal of furniture pieces or upgrades to the property can put you out of the running when there are multiple offers.

Be prepared to offer above the asking price

In a busy Central London rental market, properties often go for over the asking price. Up to 10% is common, though we’ve recently seen as much as 20%. You should never put forward an offer that you’re uncomfortable paying, but be aware that sometimes even £25 over the asking price can put your offer a notch ahead in the landlord’s mind. Offering to pay 6 or 12 months’ rent up-front can also position you favourably and will almost certainly be required if you’re a full-time student living on your own.

Have all your documents ready to go - and brief your current landlord, employer, guarantor or accountant

Once your offer is accepted, you’ll be asked to undergo referencing checks. An independent referencing company will ask you to provide information to confirm your identity, a reference from your current managing agent/landlord and check your financial position. If you’re a student, are self-employed or receive Universal Credit, you may also need a guarantor. For anyone whose details you provide in your referencing application, it’s worth letting them know that they will be contacted so the referencing process can run quickly and smoothly. Managing agents can be particularly slow to respond to landlord reference requests, so do what you can to push this along.

If you’re moving between jobs or are self-employed, speak to the letting agent and referencing company on the best way to provide proof of your income. Referencing companies are generally looking for confirmation that you will be employed for the duration of the contract and that you’re earning 2.5x the annual rent. You may need to show pay slips, a P60 or bank statements to prove this.

With all these tips in mind, we’re sure you’ll be far more prepared to hit the London property market running and secure that sought-after home with ease. And if you’d like further advice, book a call us with. We’re always happy to have a chat!

Dress for Success (aka Property Staging)

There’s a saying that you should dress for the job that you want. We think the same applies when it comes to finding new tenants or a buyer for your property.

We’re all well-versed in the concept of property dressing within the sales market. You may even have heard stories of people putting the coffee on or leaving out freshly baked bread in the kitchen before viewings to create that ambiance. What is becoming far more common however is dressing lettings properties to attract discerning tenants, particularly in central London.

When marketing, if a property looks a little bit tired and run down – even something as simple as not being professionally cleaned or if it has a few marks on the wall – it sets the tone. Our experience is that tenants look after a property in line with it is handed over. Start with a property in good/great condition and with the right tenant, it will stay that way. Wear and tear is natural, however this can be minimised from the start along with the cost of repair works and void periods between tenancies.

Property dressing is a fantastic way to present your property in the best possible light. For this recent project, we arranged a dressing rental & styling package on behalf of the landlord to supplement the existing furniture already in place. Costs vary, but expect to spend at least £750+VAT for dressing and styling on a two bedroom flat. Typically you’ll have the option to keep the dressing items in the property for an agreed length of time (rather than just for the photos) which means it still looks impressive for viewings.

If you choose the to do-it-yourself approach, bear in mind that A LOT of property searching now happens via mobile phones - so the images are small and need to stand out whilst scrolling. Avoid too much clutter (if in doubt, less is always more). Colour can be eye-catching and greenery makes a property immediately look more appealing (and is very on trend). Ultimately, your images need to be arresting enough for someone to click on your listing and book a viewing. Your property needs to stand up to the visual standards most people have come to unconsciously expect via social media. A well-styled property can produce excellent images that do this for you and make yours stand out from the crowd.

Next week, we’ll be featuring a truly surprising method of dressing your property – virtual staging.

For more details or recommendations to our preferred interior designers, get in touch and check out more before and after photos on our Instagram @maplewoodproperty.