May Newsletter - Our top tips and property guidance

We hope that you are staying safe and well in the current circumstances. The team at Town & Country are still working remotely and are available to support you with any of your property queries.

This month we share some of our favourite property programmes to inspire you in your property journey as well as our tips to prepare your property for a sale. Elsewhere you will find our suggestions of some healthy habits you can adopt whilst in lockdown, as well as some supportive tools that can help with anxiety and stress. We all need some time out every now and again, so we hope that some of our suggested apps can help you to relax.

Property programmes to inspire you

If you’re missing the thrill of looking at new properties and imagining your next home, we have put together a list of programmes which will help inspire your next property purchase. Available on streaming platforms to fit into your timetable, this selection should give you a taste of what could be possible with your own home and future properties.

Netflix

• How To Live Mortgage Free With Sarah Beeny – Property entrepreneur Sarah Beeny meets with different individuals who have managed to clear their mortgages by using simple and effective tricks.
• Tidying Up With Marie Kondo – Tidying guru Marie Kondo has become somewhat of a sensation over the past few years in helping people declutter their homes and their lives.
• The Apartment – In this reality series hosted by design icon Jamie Durie, interior designers show off their design skills each week in a bid to win the overall prize.
• Amazing Interiors - This series shows that we should never judge a book by its cover as each of the properties featured looks relatively ordinary from the outside, with the interiors then anything but ordinary.
• The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes – Living up to its title, this series explores the world and discovers the most unbelievable properties, from Norwegian valley homes to Spanish cliff-face villas.

Amazon

• Homes By Design – This series focuses on a different design aspect each episode and looks at superb examples of property architecture throughout the Americas and Europe. From Gothic Revival architecture, to ocean inspiration this series truly does have it all.
• Homes Under The Hammer – Originally made famous on the BBC, this series is also available on Amazon and showcases properties bought auction which are then restored by their new owners with the express intention to sell them quickly or let them for profit.
• CoCoCozy Design House – CoCoCozy is regarded as one of the top design influencers around the world, and this series chronicles the latest design project from the renowned design house.
• The Really Big Flip – Flipping a house is the process of buying a property that is ripe for restoration and then selling it on as quickly as possible for a profit. This challenge programme follows three teams who are tasked to do just that.

Channel 4 On Demand

• Property Ladder – Amateur developers source run-down homes for them to develop and sell for a profit, but along the way they are presented with challenges both financial and logistical.
• The Property Chain – Perfect for those who have never purchased for, this series follows property chains and explores the whole process – from offers being accepted all the way through to move-in day.
• Location, Location, Location – A Channel 4 favourite fronted by Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer, this programme follows different individuals and couples on their property searches.
• Big House, Little House – In this series, two sets of couples with budgets at different ends of the spectrum create amazing new spaces in their homes.

Apps to help you with anxiety and stress

Anxiety is something that we can all experience at times, however in the midst of the coronavirus there will likely be more of us than ever who are suffering with anxiety. There are plenty of techniques to help you manage levels of anxiety, with one of the key innovations being the development of apps, we have found some of the best apps to help you cope with the current situation and beyond.

1) Stress & Anxiety Companion
Recommended by the NHS, this application helps you to handle stress and anxiety on the go through the use of breathing exercises, relaxing music and games designed to calm the mind.

2) Calmer You
Calmer You is a new app developed by Headspace’s former head of Research. The app brings together a range of tools from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy through to workouts, all with the aim to find a personalised approach that helps soothe your anxiety.

3) ReachOut Breathe
Focusing specifically on breathing techniques, this app guides you through your breathing telling you when to inhale and exhale in order to counter some of the effects of anxiety. You can customise the techniques which work best for you and the user interface can also measure your heart rate.

4) Self-Help For Anxiety Management (SAM)
This is an anxiety-soothing app with a difference; it encourages users to think about situations which cause them anxiety and how they react. Through identifying different types of anxiety and triggers, a toolkit is developed to help you cope better – one of the key features of this application is the multi-faceted approach which it takes in dealing with your symptoms.

5) Mindshift
Perfect for the current situation as this application can focus on general worry, social anxiety, perfectionism, panic, phobia or another kind of anxiety. For each specific concern, the application can create tailored coping plans which should aid you in finding an equilibrium.

6) MoodMission
If you are looking for a more light-hearted manner in which to find your perfect coping method, then sample MoodMission. This application uses games and app rewards designed to motivate you to improve your mental fortitude.

7) Sanvello
During the Coronavirus this usually paid-for app has been made free of charge due to the demand on downloads; tracking your exercise, meals, family time and other habits it can pinpoint your bouts of anxiety.

Healthy habits to see you through lockdown

It can be easy to become demotivated spending so much time indoors at home; especially if you were used to being out of the house more often than in. However, it is important that we pay attention to our mental health and wellbeing to ensure that we are looking after ourselves. Whilst we have so much more time on our hands, we have an opportunity to adopt some healthy habits into our usual routines to keep us feeling good. Continue below for some ways to improve your wellbeing.

Drink Water

We all know that we should drink more water, but it can be easier said than done. Water is so important for our health as it performs a range of vital functions in our body. Our body is made up of 60% water! When we don’t drink enough of it, we can become dehydrated causing tiredness, poor concentration, and headaches. Most of us should drink around 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. For a different taste we can also try herbal teas, coconut water, and include foods in our diet that have a high-water content.

There are also apps that can help us to remember to drink throughout the day, such as Plant Nanny. Plant Nanny allows you to grow a virtual plant and water it every time you drink a glass of water to help it grow.

Eat Healthily

A balanced diet is a healthy diet. We should include a variety of foods in our diets to ensure that we get all the nutrients and vitamins for our body. Some ways that we can incorporate a healthy diet into our lifestyles is by meal planning. Now that we are spending more time at home, we have more time to cook meals from fresh. So now is the time to get out those recipe books or head to the many online recipes available at the click of a button.

Another tip to encourage healthy eating is to keep healthy snacks around. This will ensure that you do not binge on unhealthy treats. Baking your own healthy snacks is a great way to understand what you’re eating (such as making your own granola bars).

Exercise

Research shows that exercise can help to relieve stress, improve mood, and stimulate the production of endorphins which can create feelings of happiness for us. So, it is the perfect remedy for days where we might feel stuck in a rut. It obviously improves physical health too!

There are hundreds of free online workouts that you can follow. Or you can make it as simple as going for a walk or a run, dancing in your living room, or doing some yoga. The more we can get our bodies moving during this time the better we will feel.

Be More Present

If there is one thing that has changed for most of us during lockdown, it’s that our lives have slowed down. No longer are we rushing around from the moment we get out of bed in the morning.

We can use our additional time spent at home to learn how to be more present, which essentially means to be focused on the one thing that you are doing, or the people you are with. Practicing mindfulness can help with this. There are many apps available to try, such as Headspace. Headspace talks you through short breathing and mindfulness techniques to calm the mind and promote positive health. Keeping a gratitude diary can also help you to focus on what you have in your life without always thinking about more.

Connect With Family And Friends

Although we can’t meet up with our family and friends as normal, it is so important to stay in regular contact with them. With the endless digital tools that we have available, it’s so easy to do this. There are many ways to be inventive when connecting online through social media or video call. There are games and quizzes you can play; as well as having a good old chat. Keeping in touch with people will boost our sense of belonging as well as providing crucial support to those we care about. Our relationships are so important to us so create a habit of checking in with family and friends more often.

Preparing your property for sale

With demand for property prior to lockdown soaring, there are sure to be plenty of motivated buyers once restrictions are relaxed, therefore now is an ideal time to prepare your property for a quick sale.

Kerb appeal
As is always the case with selling properties, a first impression can make or break a sale with a poorly presented property often putting off buyers before they have even set foot in the home. In the summer this is especially important as buyers will often drive or walk past a property before they decide to book a viewing. With the summer sun shining a light on any less-than-perfect parts of the exterior of your property, you should ensure that flowers are planted, weeds are pruned and lawns are mowed. Extra attention to details, such as ensuring that the front door has been cleaned and the windows are streak-free will pay dividends in your selling process.

Accessories
A neutral interior will appeal to a mass market and increase the scope of your property in terms of potential buyers, but if you are looking to make the most of the summer then don’t be afraid of colour. Using accessories to add pops of colour around your home that reflect the brighter summer season – such as burnt orange and lemon – will make your property stand out from the crowd in those all-important photographs.

Lights
When we think of summer, we all first think of sunshine and brighter evenings – so make the most of this light when presenting your home for sale. Get rid of heavy curtains and dark blinds, which can make a room feel smaller and prevent the light from entering a room. Buyers want to feel that rooms are bright and spacious, so if at all possible have windows and doors open throughout the house to create a light, airy feeling (as well as bringing in those fresh summer scents).

Set dress
Set dressing refers to the arranging of a room or space in order to paint a picture of the kind of lifestyle which could be enjoyed in your property. Never is it more important to set dress your garden than throughout the summer months, with potential buyers wanting to know that they will be able to enjoy the outdoor space which your home provides. Tempt potential buyers by showing off your outdoor spaces with garden furniture, fire pits and barbecues.

Viewing times
During the summer months many people like to start work early and leave early in order to benefit from the longer evenings; make sure that you can accommodate as many viewings as possible by being flexible with your viewing times. Allowing people to view your home early in the morning, as well as in the afternoon will help bring more people through the door as well as showing off your property in favourable lighting.