All you need to know about property in Eastleigh

This time out we delve into the world of Hampshire town Eastleigh.

The area

A large town in Hampshire, Eastleigh is situated in between Southampton and Winchester and lies on the picturesque River Itchen.

It’s a busy commuter hub and a manufacturing and business hub of its own. Eastleigh’s town centre is made up of a mixture of independent and high street stores, as well as hotels, banks, gyms and supermarkets.

Property in Eastleigh is the usual suburban mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced homes, as well as bungalows, flats and apartments.

They range from pricey four and five bedroom homes in high-end areas like Chandler’s Ford to much more affordable homes in and around Eastleigh itself.

You can certainly get plenty of bang for your buck, with sizeable three and four bedroom homes on offer for well under £300,000.

Things to do

Southampton, Portsmouth and historic Winchester are all nearby, with plenty in those great cities to keep all ages and demographics happy.

Marwell Zoo is also a short drive away (kids of all ages will love it there) and the natural beauty and splendour of the New Forest is pretty much on the doorstep, ditto parts of the South Downs.

Certainly, if you’re looking to spend time in the wonderful English countryside, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

For the young ones, Hensting Alpacas is a great day out, while older children and teenagers will no doubt relish the thrills and spills of TeamSport Indoor Go Karting.

Elsewhere, Eastleigh Lakeside Railway and Eastleigh Museum are both gems, while Itchen Valley Country Park is a delight when the weather is behaving itself.

Culture vultures should check out The Point. A fabulous local venue that puts on a wide and eclectic range of shows and performances.

Food & Drink

Artisan Coffee House & Bar offers great service and even better food, while lovers of Italian cuisine should look no further than La Fenice.

The Dog & Crook (great name!) is arguably the best pub in town, offering up home-cooked grub, a good range of ales and lively quiz nights. The Sunday roasts are particularly good.

If you’re after something a bit fancier, East Avenue (modern European) and Special Thai Restaurant are highly recommended.

Masala Lounge and Saffron both offer superb curries, while Peking Phoenix is the place to head for authentic Chinese cuisine in friendly, stylish surroundings.

Those looking for their fish and chips fix on a Friday are also well catered for – Sonny’s Traditional Fish & Chips does exactly what it says on the tin!

Transport

Eastleigh couldn’t be much closer to Southampton Airport, which operates cheap flights across Europe.

It’s also equally well-served by rail, bus and road links. Eastleigh railway station can get you to London Waterloo in just over an hour, while services are also provided to Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth and Poole.

Eastleigh has a number of local bus services that serve the town and areas in and around it. Again, services are fast and frequent.

Easy road access to Southampton and elsewhere is provided by the M3 and M27 motorways.

For expert advice when it comes to selling your home in Eastleigh and other locations throughout the South of England, please get in touch with ChimneyPots on: 0844 809. 993.

We also provide an instant online valuation tool to give you an estimate of how much your property is worth in the current marketplace.

Property in Hedge End – what do you need to know?

We’ve covered Havant, Gosport, Fareham and Fratton, now it’s the turn of popular commuter hub Hedge End.

The area

A town and civil parish in Hampshire, Hedge End lies to the east of the City of Southampton and has been inhabited since before the Roman conquest.

A historically significant place, Hedge End grew from a small village into a busy market town with the arrival of the M27 motorway, which led to the population of the Southampton suburb to soar.

The town has a pretty decent claim to fame, too – back in 1971 boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who passed away this month, paid a surprise visit to the Fine Fare Supermarket to sign autographs and chat to locals. When the man commonly known as ‘The Greatest’ rocks up in the place you live, it can’t be anything other than a good thing!

Property in Hedge End is the usual suburban mix of new build housing estates, flats, bungalows and terraced, detached and semi-detached homes. Prices are affordable – buyers can expect to get a very nice three-bed house for around £275,000, while even a four-bed home can go for under £330,000.

Things to do

Southampton is right on the doorstep, with all the leisure, sporting and cultural activities that city offers, not to mention its buzzing night-life and the chance to watch the mighty Saints at the impressive St Mary’s stadium.

Play Shack is absolutely ideal for young kids, while thrill-seekers should check out Seadogz Rib Charter Limited, which offers adrenaline-junkies extreme tours, river rafting and rib rides – ‘a rollercoaster on water’ is perhaps the best description we can offer.

Manor Farm Country Park and Marwell Zoo are also good days out for the whole family – just remember to take a picnic!

Museums buffs, meanwhile, will be kept happy with the SeaCity and Solent Sky museums.

What’s more, Hedge End holds an annual carnival – this year’s takes place on July 2nd 2016 – and includes all sorts of events and competitions.

Food & Drink

Purbania offers the best curry in town, closely followed by Monsoon Indian Cuisine. Shamblehurst Barn provides classic pub food in a family-friendly environment, while the Brewery Bar and The Vineyard Restaurant are other reliable choices.

If it’s a takeaway you’re after, look no further than Hello Kitchen Chinese – expect big portions and freshly cooked grub.

Artisan Coffee House and Bar is another excellent choice. The name might not give it away, but this is the place for authentic Turkish cuisine at cheap prices. The staff are very friendly, the portions considerable, the baklava delicious and the coffee lovingly made.

For lighter snacks and breakfasts, Josie’s can’t really be beaten, while Elsie’s Traditional Tea Room offers superb afternoon teas in a suitably quaint setting.

There are also, of course, the usual roll call of chain restaurants and fast-food establishments nearby.

Transport

Hedge End, Botley and Bursledon are the nearest railway stations – services head to Portsmouth Harbour, London Waterloo, Southampton Central and Eastleigh.

Southampton also has a reliable and wide-ranging network of buses, which serve the suburbs on a regular basis. For those looking to take a trip away, Southampton Airport is a mere nine minute drive away (assuming the traffic is behaving itself; if not, it still only takes around 15 minutes).

For expert advice when it comes to selling your home in Hedge End, Southampton and other locations across Hampshire, please get in touch with ChimneyPots on: 01489 584298.

We also provide an instant online valuation tool to give you an estimate of how much your property is worth in the current marketplace.

The lowdown on property in Fratton

In this area guide we aim to shine a light on the residential hotbed of Fratton.

The area

The former industrial heart of Portsmouth, Fratton is a mostly residential area that is perhaps best known for being the home of Portsmouth FC.

In place since 1898, Fratton Park is one of the most charmingly old-fashioned grounds in the whole of the Football League.

Although Portsmouth currently ply their trade in League Two (quite a fall from the heady days of winning the FA Cup in 2008), the 21,100 capacity stadium still regularly draws crowds of over 15,000 to matches.

Consisting mainly of Victorian terraced houses, Fratton is a popular location for those who work in Portsmouth and the other major towns and cities of the South East.

Property here could certainly be counted as affordable, with two-bed houses, apartments and flats going for under £200,000. There are also substantial four-bed terraced homes and three-bed semi-detached properties that can be purchased for between £170,000 and £190,000.

Things to do

Well, other than sampling a match at Fratton Park, there is plenty to explore in Portsmouth itself, including the city’s historic dockyards and its strong maritime and naval links. Old Portsmouth is also a delight.

What’s more, Southsea Marina – which includes Southsea Leisure Park, Fort Cumberland and Southsea beach – is the perfect place to spend an afternoon.

Southsea Castle, too, is a wonderful day out (for kids and adults alike), while jumping aboard the HMS Warrior 1860 or the HMS Victory is an unforgettable experience.

The Mary Rose Museum is another gem – especially for history buffs – and Portchester Castle and Staunton Park are lovely places for a family picnic.

Hayling Island and the Isle of Wight are also easy to reach for day trips.

Food & Drink

If you’re looking for a takeaway, Fratton is an excellent place to be. Seavan Fried Chicken, Singapore Island and Efes Kebab & Pizza are all superb – and cheap! Expect big portions, too.

As for pubs, the Froddington Arms and the Connaught Arms are both good old-fashioned boozers with nice beer and welcoming atmospheres.

The Golden Bowl does fantastic home-cooked Chinese Food, while Samys offers the best coffee and tea in town.

For fans of Middle Eastern or Turkish food, Nemrut and Spice N Grill provide delicious, fresh and authentic meals for reasonable prices. Once again, expect big portions.

If you’re looking for something a bit different, Pie and Vinyl and Brewhouse & Kitchen are the places to be.

As you can see, food and drinks options in and around Fratton and Portsmouth are very eclectic and wide-ranging. There really is something to suit every palate.

Transport

Fratton’s transport links are very good. As well as Fratton Railway station (services to London Waterloo, Brighton and Cardiff Central), there are three other National Rail stations close by: Portsmouth & Southsea, Hilsea and Portsmouth Harbour.

Buses are frequent and plentiful, while road links to nearby areas and further afield are also strong. Southampton Airport is a 30 minute drive away.

At ChimneyPots we will do all we can to get your property sold whether you live in Fratton, Portsmouth, Southampton, Havant or any of the other areas we operate in.

To find out more about what we can offer you, get in touch with us on: 01489 584298.

If you would like to know how much your property could be worth in the current marketplace, check out our free instant online valuation tool.

Here’s what you need to know about Fareham

We’ve covered Havant and Gosport, now it’s time to focus on Fareham.

The area

A market town located at the north-west tip of Portsmouth Harbour, Fareham was traditionally known as a major manufacturer of bricks (which were used to build the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London) and a grower of strawberries.

Nowadays, it’s a busy commuter town with a small-scale manufacturing base, a keen focus on retail and home to the Royal Navy’s HMS Collingwood.

Fareham High Street includes many lovely and historic Georgian buildings, not to mention a range of independent shops – selling everything from fishing tackles to traditional sweets – and a good smattering of chain stores.

Markets and street events are regularly held in the pedestrianised part of Fareham high street, while Fareham Shopping Centre is a covered shopping mall with more than 80 stores, including Boots, M&S and Next.

West Street, meanwhile, is where to head for ‘speciality shopping’, being home to more than 90 shops, cafés and restaurants, most of which are independent.

Property in Fareham is a good mix of apartments, new builds, terraced homes, studio flats, retirement flats, bungalows, maisonettes and semis.

Affordability is good – you can expect to get a well-sized three-bedroom house (with garden) for around £275,000.

Flats are reasonably priced and even bigger, grander properties are far cheaper than what you’d pay for a smaller home in or around London.

Things to do

There is more than enough to do in Fareham, whether you’re a history buff, a culture vulture or a keen sports fan. Fernham Hall, first opened in 1982, is the town’s premier entertainment venue, hosting an eclectic range of comedy, music and theatre shows in front of a 700-capacity crowd.

There is also the Ashcroft Arts Centre, which has a 150-seat theatre, gallery, dance/music studio and fully licensed bar.

What’s more, festival lovers need not venture far for good music, family entertainment and, wait for it, a solar-powered cinema!

Wickham, a small village a few miles from Fareham, is home to the annual Wickham Festival, a great day out for people of all ages.

If you’re looking to keep the kids entertained at the weekend or during the school holidays, family days out don’t come much better than Portchester Castle – a medieval castle built within a Roman fort, no less – which is an equally great place for a picnic, a history lesson and an impromptu game of football/cricket.

Other places of interest include Titchfield Abbey – founded in 1222 and dissolved in 1537 by Henry VIII – Westbury Manor Museum and Fort Fareham.

Titchfield Canal, the UK’s second-oldest man-made waterway, offers plenty of walking, cycling and running routes, while leisure opportunities in Fareham are abundant. Rugby, cricket, football, swimming – you name it, Fareham caters towards it.

Fareham Town FC might not be the most glamorous footballing side in the world, playing as they do in the Wessex League Premier Division, but football fanatics may still enjoy sampling a game.

Food & Drink

If you’re looking for Italian cuisine in Fareham, look no further than Villa Romana. It might be a tad on the pricey side, but the food and service more than makes up for that. Definitely the ideal place for a special occasion dinner.

Franco & Paolo Ristorante in Locks Heath (a residential suburb of Fareham) is also fantastic, while you won’t do better than Naz Indian Cuisine for a curry.

The Wheatsheaf is the best pub in town – fresh, local, seasonal produce, great ales, stylishly revamped surroundings, fantastic service – and Lauros Brasserie offers an excellent blend of British, French and Oriental cooking.

Not to be outdone, Antonio’s is the place to go for cheap, cheerful and wonderfully tasty Spanish food.

Meanwhile, Breezes Café does the best brunches and breakfasts in Fareham, while Vintage Tea Room offers great cakes, cream teas, scones and sandwiches.

The town is also home to a wide range of excellent watering holes – with everything from chain establishments like The Slug & Lettuce to the old-fashioned and family-friendly The Golden Lion.

Transport

As you’d expect of a busy commuter hub, Fareham is well-served by both road and rail links. Fareham railway station, which sits on the West Coastway Line, has regular train services to Southampton, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Brighton and London.

Numerous bus routes serve the town, with services running as far as Winchester. The M27 motorway passes around the northern edge of the town, providing easy access to Southampton Portsmouth and, from there, London.

Also, an interesting little titbit – the Office of National Statistics named Fareham the most car-dependent in the UK in July 2014, with 538.7 cars registered to addresses in the town for every 1,000 residents. So, if you want to live in Fareham, you’ll probably need a car if you don’t want to feel left out!

At ChimneyPots we will do all we can to get your property sold whether you live in Fareham, Southampton, Portsmouth, Havant, Gosport or any of the other areas we operate in.

To find out more about what we can offer you, get in touch with us on: 01489 584298.

If you would like to know how much your property could be worth in the current marketplace, check out our free instant online valuation tool.

Area guide: Property in Swanwick

In previous blogs we've focused on major Hampshire towns like Havant and Gosport. This time we turn our attentions to the small, picturesque village of Swanwick.

The area

Located within the borough of Fareham, Swanwick is to the east of the River Hamble and best-known for being a key air traffic control hub.

The village doesn't have a centre as such, but is home to a number of housing developments and is a popular commuter hub for those working in Portsmouth, Southampton, London and further afield. 

Lower Swanwick, situated on the edge of the River Hamble, is a few miles away and is popular among history buffs (thanks to the Bursledon Brickworks, the last surviving Victorian steam-powered brickworks in the UK).

It also draws fans of the BBC classic Howards' Way, with many scenes from that filmed in and around the village and its local pub, “The Jolly Sailor”. 

There is a good mix of property in Swanwick, with 3 and 4 bedroom terraced houses on sale for around £320,000, as well as stylish, modern flats and stunning barn conversions for affordable prices.

You can certainly, with a bit of research and planning, bag a bargain in Swanwick. And, like with anywhere else in Hampshire, you get much more for your money than you do in London or its surrounds.

Things to do

Portsmouth, Southampton and Fareham are all on the doorstep – and easy to venture into – while the New Forest and the South Downs are close enough for days out experiencing lovely, serene woodland and beautiful open countryside.

Marwell Zoo (perfect for the little ones) isn't very far away, while there are a number of excellent golf courses close at hand for all the budding Rory Mcllroy's out there.

Equally, high-quality cricket and football matches can be sampled at The Ageas Bowl and St Mary's Stadium respectively.

Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum is another family-friendly gem, while Swanwick's main landmark is  the delightful 80-acre Swanwick Lakes – a Site of Nature Conservation Interest and a fantastic place to get away from the fast-paced nature of modern life.

Meanwhile, nearby Whiteley is home to a shopping centre, a Cineworld Cinema and Solent Hotel & Spa.

Food & Drink

Swanwick itself isn't blessed with places to eat and drink, other than the excellent Elm Tree Inn country pub and the popular bar 'Halladay's At The ELM Tree'.

But Lower Swanwick and Whiteley more than make up for this, with The Old Ship, The Navigator, The Bold Forester and the Village Inn all superb, family friendly pubs with great food and attentive service.

Tiger Lily, Kamz Palace and the Golden Valley are all good choices for those feeling a bit bolder, while Whiteley is home to a number of chain restaurants ranging from Chimichanga to Five Guys and the Harvester.

Montagu's Cafe Bar & Bistro is the best place to opt for in Whiteley's Shopping Centre, whereas Swanwick Railway Café – located, funnily enough, right by Swanwick train station – undoubtedly offers the best fast food in town.

Transport

The village has excellent transport links. The M27 is to the north, with Southampton and Portsmouth easily reached by car.

Swanwick railway station is on the West Coastway Line, providing services to Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour. Commuters can be in London Waterloo in under two hours, with one quick change at Fareham.

Southampton Airport, with flights to many destinations in Europe, is an 18 minute drive way.

For expert advice when it comes to selling your home in Swanwick, Fareham and other locations in the South of England, please get in touch with ChimneyPots on: 0844 809. 993.

We also provide an instant online valuation tool to give you an estimate of how much your property is worth in the current marketplace. 

All you need to know about property in Gosport

Last time out we focused our attentions on Havant. This time we focus on another busy Hampshire town where ChimneyPots operates: Gosport.

The area 

A very popular commuter hub, Gosport is located on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour. It is situated directly opposite the City of Portsmouth, a place famous for its historic dockyard, its football team, its old town and its maritime prowess (it is home to the Mary Rose, HMS Warrior and Lord Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory).

The two are linked by the Gosport Ferry, which runs frequent services and takes between 7 and 15 minutes depending on the time of day.

The natural, untouched beauty of the New Forest and the South Downs is on Gosport’s doorstep, offering ample opportunity for walking, running, cycling, days out and summer picnics.

Gosport’s town centre, located close by to the Ferry and the waterfront, is largely pedestrianised and is home to a wide range of shops and a bustling street market every Tuesday and Saturday.

On these days the high street is full to the brim with stalls selling everything from arts and crafts and flowers to clothing and local produce, with the market catering to all kinds of tastes. Throughout the year, specialised markets also pop up.

The shops on the high street range from chain stores and hair & beauty salons, to charity shops, pubs, mini-supermarkets, betting stores and two travel agents.

There are also a number of independent, local stores, selling everything from cakes and sweets to fishing tackles and old vinyl records.

As for property in Gosport, it’s a good mix of terraced, semi-detached, bungalows, maisonettes, new builds and one and two-bed flats.

The area can definitely be considered an affordable location in which to buy, with an average two-bed terraced home costing you around £190,000 and a 3-bed semi setting you back around £230,000.

In other words, considerably cheaper than London and other parts of the South East. Rents are also reasonable, with a nicely furnished two-bed apartment or flat costing tenants between £550 and £800pcm.

Things to do

Portsmouth, with all that city has to offer, is very close by, but Gosport has plenty to keep people entertained as well.

The town is a home to a number of fantastic museums, none more so than HMS Alliance, a Royal Navy Submarine Museum that has recently benefitted from a £7m refit. There is also Explosion! The Museum of Naval Firepower, an award-winning museum housed in 18th-century buildings on the waterfront, while the Diving Museum is also a family-friendly gem.

Fort Brockhurst, a 19th-century fortress with a moated keep, is one of Gosport’s most iconic landmarks – and well worth a visit (entry is free) – while the town also has a wide range of leisure activities available at various venues.

Monkey Bizness Indoor Play Centre is the ideal place for young kids to burn off all that excess energy, whereas those looking for peace, quiet and picturesque walks should head to the Alver Valley country park.

All over, Gosport is best explored by foot. The 3km long Waterfront Trail not only provides stunning views of Portsmouth Harbour, it also takes you past many of the town’s best museums and allows you to experience the hustle and bustle of Gosport’s thriving marina.

Food & Drink

Gosport is a haven for keen foodies, with a wide range of restaurants, bars and pubs. The best of the pubs is the, ahem, interestingly named “The Fighting Cocks”, which is a good old-fashioned local boozer with great home-cooked food, an excellent array of ales, friendly staff and a large beer garden that comes into its own in the summer.

TK snak is arguably the best café in town, although Lakeside Café & Bar might have something to say about that.

Arty’s at the Coach House – offering a mixture of Italian cuisine and pub grub – and The New Bengal are other popular local establishments, while Bobby’s Italian and Sapori are the place to go for pizza.

As expected of a town close to the sea, there are also many great places in which to get some fresh-tasting, deliciously authentic fish & chips. Pebbles Fish & Wine Bar, for something a bit different, and Karen’s Plaice or Smart Fish Bar, for something a bit more traditional, are the best places to go on a Friday evening.  

Transport

Gosport has the dubious honour of being the largest town in Britain without an operational train station. However, Portsmouth Harbour station is a short ferry trip away, while Fratton and Portsmouth & Southsea stations are also close by.

Further to this, Gosport’s numerous road and bus links more than make up for a lack of a train station.  
Southampton Airport is a 42 minute drive away, with flights to destinations all across Europe.

Gosport is primarily a dormitory town and, as well as excellent links to Portsmouth, Southampton, Winchester and other major areas on the South Coast, has good connections to London, making the town a viable location for commuters working in the capital.

You can get to London Waterloo from Portsmouth Harbour in 1hr 39m, while Southampton can be reached by train in just over an hour.

Here at ChimneyPots we will do all we can to get your Gosport property sold or let. For more info please get in contact with us on 01489 584298.

Alternatively, to find out how much your property could be worth in Gosport (or how much you could rent it out for), check out our free and instant valuation tools.

All you need to know about Havant

As estate agents working across the South of England, we operate in a number of major towns and cities in the region. One of which is Havant. Here we give the lowdown on one of Hampshire’s busiest commuter hubs…

Havant

Situated roughly midway between Portsmouth and Chichester, Havant is a thriving, well-connected market town with excellent transport links to London and easy access to the coast and sea.

Havant borough also includes the smaller towns of Waterlooville and Langstone Harbour, as well as the popular holiday resort of Hayling Island (think amusement arcades, shingle beaches, fish & chip shops, funfairs, olde worlde pubs, etc.).

The serene beauty of the South Downs – with its rolling hills and chalk downland – is right on the doorstep, while nearby Emsworth is known for its culinary delights and relaxing country or seaside walks.    

Havant’s town centre dates from Roman times and is characterised by fine Georgian architecture and narrow, weaving footpaths known as “Twittens”.

The town has a twice weekly market (every Tuesday and Saturday) and is also home to the Meridian Shopping Centre, where high-street favourites and smaller, independent stores combine to make it the ideal location for keen shoppers.

From a property perspective, you are mainly looking at detached, semi-detached and terraced homes, as well as flats in old council housing and various new-build developments.

Prices fall into the affordable bracket for buyers, with an average property price of around £325,000 and plenty of homes in the £100,000-£250,000 range.

By contrast, the average rent in Havant currently stands at £741 per month, giving the town good appeal to a wide range of renters (of all ages and demographics).


Things to do

Staunton Country Park is a firm family favourite (and perfect for kids of all ages). There is more than enough to keep the little ones busy, with 1,000 acres of parkland to explore, friendly farm animals to feed and George’s play barn, with toddler soft play, climbing walls, bridges, slides, fireman poles and all other sorts of fun.

Keen walkers may enjoy the 13-mile Staunton Way – ending at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park in the South Downs – while nearby Hayling Island offers seaside charm and the chance to enjoy unspoilt beaches, watersports and various walking, cycling and running routes.

The idyllic little fishing village of Emsworth is a great place to spend a day – particularly for those who are into their food and art – while Langstone Harbour is a quiet, tranquil and picturesque delight and the perfect place to get away from the hectic nature of modern life.

For culture vultures, there is The Spring in Havant – an arts and heritage centre offering an eclectic programme of plays, music, films, comedy gigs, events, exhibitions, visual arts and interactive workshops.

Food & drink

You won’t go hungry in Havant, that’s for sure. Whether it’s pub grub, gourmet fare, street food, cakes and coffee from stylish cafés or good old-fashioned fish & chips (eaten straight from the bag, of course!), Havant caters to all tastes.

The town does a fine line in traditional tea rooms – 19 Fourteas Tearoom and Lavender Tearooms are both a delight – while the best British fare can be found at The Wheelwrights Arms.
Laura’s Kitchen is one of the best places for cakes and sandwiches, Aroma Oriental Restaurant offers wonderfully authentic Chinese cuisine and the Red Chilli will please lovers of Bangladeshi food.

Transport

As we said before, Havant is very well-connected and a good place for commuters and young professionals to set up base. Havant station serves both London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour.
It also offers services to London Victoria via Gatwick Airport, Brighton, Littlehampton and Southampton, as well as long-distance routes to the West Country and Wales (although these are much less frequent).

Havant is also well-served by road and buses. Services from Havant bus station go to Fareham, Hayling Island, Brighton, Southsea and Waterlooville. The A3 and A37 are nearby major road links, providing good access to Portsmouth, the South Downs and more.

Southampton Airport can be reached in under 30 minutes, while Gatwick Airport takes just over an hour by train and about 1 hour 15 minutes by car.

At ChimneyPots we will do all we can to get your property sold whether you live in Havant, Portsmouth, Southampton, Chichester or any of the other areas we operate in.
For more information please get in touch with us on: 01489 584298. Or, to find out how much your property could be worth in the current marketplace, check out our free instant online valuation tool.

Could solar panels help to sell my Portsmouth and Southampton home?

Southampton and Portsmouth are both areas where property is selling fast and for increasingly higher prices, as demand continues to grow in these areas.

Even in this already buoyant market, sellers should always be open to new ways of improving their home’s value and the chances of selling quickly.

One way of increasing the buzz around your home is to install solar panels.

With spring and summer on the horizon, it’s not only already a popular time of year to sell your home, but these seasons can be the most profitable for homeowners with solar panels.

By 2020, it has been predicted that solar power will produce around 6% of the UK’s annual electricity, stretching to as much of 40% on sunny days in coastal locations such as Portsmouth and Southampton.

If you’re considering selling your property and want to make your home more attractive to buyers, then investing in solar panels could be beneficial as they use sunlight to generate clean, renewable energy for the homeowner.

Installing the panels isn’t too much hard work either. The average solar panel installation will cost around the £6,000 mark – half of what it would have cost four years ago and still falling.

Although this isn’t the cheapest way of improving your property’s value, it has been estimated that solar panels could add around £16,000 to the sale price of the average home.

Not only are solar panels now cheaper to install, they are also slowly overcoming the perception that they are an eyesore as designs get sleeker and these days they require minimal maintenance once installed.

Solar panels can be quite the money-maker for buyers in the long-term, too, with many monetary benefits attached to having them – perks which sellers with panels must highlight when marketing their home.

Home owners with solar panels will also benefit from access to a Feed-In Tariff. This is an ongoing payment whereby the government offers owners monetary rewards for creating green energy, providing the buyer with a small but regular income.

That said, buyers and sellers should be aware that the amount of money gained from the tariff has recently been capped at 4.4%, but this venture could still be profitable over the long-term, especially now the installation costs for panels have dropped.

Not only do solar panels provide home owners with a Feed-In Tariff, they also contribute towards reducing energy bills.

If you’ve got panels, we’d advise that when a prospective buyer does come to visit, you show them a selection of energy bills, both from before and after the solar panel installation, to demonstrate the savings which can be achieved.

Additionally, having a property which generates its own renewable energy will also lower your property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) grade – something which will have increased importance if you’re thinking of letting it in the next few years.

Here at ChimneyPots, we have helped to sell properties with solar panels before and are able to succinctly convey the advantages to the prospective buyers during viewings.

If you would like tips or advice on how to best market a home with solar panels, or any other Portsmouth or Southampton property guidance, then don’t hesitate to get in touch today.

If you would like to find out how much your property is worth, you can also use our free online property valuation tool.

Let property in Southampton – one of the UK’s ‘coolest’ cities

Not only is Southampton a great buy-to-let investment location, but research from home furnishing company Web-Blinds has named the city as one of the coolest in the country; an indication of its appeal for potential buyers and renters alike. 

This comes as no surprise to us here at ChimneyPots, as we've been successfully letting property in this fantastic location for many years.

Southampton has steadily become an investor hotspot and a place where landlords can flourish and grow their rental portfolio, thanks to an overspill of demand from those who are struggling to get on the housing ladder.

The south coast hotspot is also a superb place to invest in property as average prices here aren’t too steep either. Meanwhile, the average rental return for landlords in the area stands at £1,323pcm; higher than the typical figure across the UK.

In the recent study, Southampton was named as one of the UK’s ‘coolest’ cities alongside Manchester and Brighton. The study was based on how metropolitan an area's lifestyle is as well as its attractiveness to renters.

A high proportion of the city’s population falls into the 18-35 demographic. Many of these residents are young professionals – a group who are extremely likely to be living in the Private Rented Sector (PRS). This really is encouraging news for landlords who are considering letting their property in Southampton.

Southampton is also home to the headquarters of several blue chip companies and its own airport – again great for professional tenants in the area.

Having two top quality universities means Southampton is now also home to a high student population – another indicator of its 'cool' status.

If there is a high proportion of students living in a city – it is likely to mean that it has an attractive social scene – and it's been reported that Southampton is one of the top five cities in the UK with the most bars and art galleries per 10,000 people.

Therefore, if you’re a landlord who is unsure of where to invest in the UK, starting a buy-to-let portfolio in Southampton, or any of the southern lettings hotspots which we operate in here at ChimneyPots, is guaranteed to provide you with great returns and minimal void periods.

If you have any questions about letting property in Southampton, or any of the other southern locations, then get in touch with our team of trained property experts today.

Alternatively, we also offer landlords the opportunity to discover how much rent they could potentially obtain from a property with our free online rental valuation.

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/let-property-in-southampton-one-of-the-uks-coolest-cities/

What makes buyers fall in love with your home?

Love really is in the air when it comes to buying property, as it's been revealed that 56% of Brits made an offer on a home simply because they fell in love with it.

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, a survey by My Home Move has revealed that women fall in love with a property more easily than men. Some 59% claiming that it was the reason for choosing a property, with men slightly less at 51%.

There are several factors which can encourage potential buyers to fall in love with a home, and if Southampton and Portsmouth property sellers are savvy, then they will ensure that theirs is marketed towards enticing those buyers.

Unsurprisingly, according to the study, the number one factor which can encourage a buyer to fall in love is a property’s location, which, like love, is outside of a seller’s control.

However, there are things you can do to tap into a buyers' requirements and expectations.

When a buyer arrives for a viewing, explain the location and its surroundings, including transport links and access to local amenities.

For those purchasing Southampton and Portsmouth property, it's worth letting them know of the great transport links we have to the capital, as well as both cities' close proximity to the New Forest National Park and South Downs National Park.

Property price is the second most popular factor causing buyers to fall in love with a home. This should remind you how crucial it is that your property is priced correctly and current market conditions are taken into account – something an estate agent like ChimneyPots is useful for.

Our professional property experts can provide you with an accurate valuation, but in the meantime if you’d like to discover how much your property could be worth in an instant, then obtain a free online property valuation today.

When buyers come to view your property, it’s also worth informing them not only of the price that it is on the market for, but its potential for growth in the coming years.

No buyer will want to purchase a property which isn’t expected to see a price rise and this shouldn’t be a problem for Southampton or Portsmouth buyers as in the last year alone, prices have risen by over 4% in both locations, according to Zoopla.

It seems us Brits also have an established love affair with a fantastic garden, after it came third in the list of things which make buyers fall in love with a property.

Therefore, if you’re marketing a property for sale with a garden, then you’re on to a winner, but only if it’s in great condition.

Tidying up the garden may not be your number one priority throughout the winter months, but it has the potential not only to increase the price of your property, but to attract more buyers to view your home.

Mow the lawn, plant some winter-friendly plants and you’ll ensure your garden is a sure-fire hit with visitors.

Having a superbly designed interior can also cause buyers to fall in love with your Southampton or Portsmouth home.

Giving your home a fresh lick of paint, putting down new flooring and updating the fixtures and fittings are all things which show buyers that you care, while also helping them to envisage living there in the future.

Ultimately, it is an estate agent’s job to ensure that plenty of buyers fall in love with your home, and if this sounds like something you require help with then don’t hesitate to get in touch with the property experts at ChimneyPots Estate Agents today. 

http://chimneypotsestateagent.co.uk/what-makes-buyers-fall-in-love-with-your-home/