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Barkers are pleased to announce first HOUSE SWAP deal successfully completed!
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Home-Swap deal's just magnifique!
Everyone knows that the house market is not as buoyant as it should be and quick-thinking estate agents have had to resort to ever more resouceful methods to help their clients sell houses
One of these is house swapping - an initiative tried recently by Barkers estate agents of Birstall, which met with great success for two couples who both secured their ideal homes.
David and Ann Tattum had a four-bedroom house at Woodlands Road but were keen to downsize in a bid to release some of the capital to fund a building project in France. After 12 months they had received no interest and were despairing of ever being able to sell.
That was until they contacted Barkers and Amanda Humphreys suggested they may like to consider part-exchanging their house for a smaller one. After initial scepticism Mr Tattum eventually came around to the idea. He said: "Barkers came along and at the first meeting said, it's just an idea, but have you considered doing a swap?
"My initial response was I didn't think it would solve anything but then she's put the idea to me that it might release some capital on my house as we're hoping to move to France.
By swapping we have released capital and given us a smaller, more manageable property for when we're away."
Chris and Debbie Flesher lived in a three-bedroom house at Birchwood Avenue, which had been for sale for around nine months. Mrs Flesher spotted the Tattum's house was offered on a part-exchange basis and contacted Barkers to find out more. The two couples were put in touch with each other and just a few weeks later the contracts were exchanged and the moves took place. Mrs Flesher said: "We absolutely love our new house."
Amanda added: "Home Swapping isn't revolutionary by any means - it's been happeing for years - but the housing market is not going to recover overnight and this is a way of helping homeowners, as well as ourselves to move homes.
"With house swapping your home may be a similar size of type or totally different - all that matters is that you are both happy with the exchange arrangements. Be as flexible as possible and even consider locations you may not have thought about before."
Top deals give market a boost
Barkers estate agents, who have three branches in Birkenshaw, Birstall and Cleckheaton has seen a positive upturn and improvement in the local property market over the last few weeks.
A healthy rise in the number of properties sold during January and February has become apparent and it is hoped that this trend is set to continue.
A property in Birkenshaw was sold recently for the full asking price within just 10 days of it going on the market. Whereas another property attracted multiple offers - a situation which is normally associated with a booming market!
Director Amanda Humphreys said: "We think the local property market is improving and are hopeful that this will continue this year. The recent steep interest rate cuts and price reductions will tempt even more buyers back into the market."
She added: "After house prices across our region fell last year, the new year has seen many properties offered at extremely good value for money prices and this is encouraging buyers back into the marketplace.
"We have seen an increase in investors, cautious about trusting their money to banks, beginning to buy up properties and first time buyers are starting to increase in number.
"The availability of mortgage funds, particularly for the first time buyers, remains crucial to the upturn of the market and the government's focus should be on the banking sector to improve commitment from the major lenders to free up credit.
"I Spoke to a couple last week and the best deal they had managed to secure was one with a 30 per cent deposit.
"Obviously the announcement that Northern Rock is to start offering up to 90 per cent loan-to-value mortgages again is good news but more needs to be done."
