House Doctors

I am quite into this house doctoring concept as I saw my daughter literally add thousands to the value of her house last year when she did an ‘Ann Maurice’ (the TV house doctor) on her property. I am a great advocate of home ‘staging’ as it is sometimes called because to me, it all seems like down to earth common sense. I can’t understand how some people, who would gladly if they were selling a car, say, touch up the paintwork, valet it, add new tyres and so on, yet not do the same to their property. ~~~ Having read some of the other opinions here, all of which contain great ideas and sound advice, I would like to offer a ...  Read the complete review

Anyone trying to sell their home should watch House Doctor. The programme is presented by Ann Maurice, a Canadian born "house doctor" who worked for year in an Estate Agents trying to sell houses and then used her skills as a house doctor. Each programme looks at a house that has been on an Estate Agent's books for many months and will not sell. Ann gives it the "house doctor" treatment and potential buyers are invited back to look at the house again. Needless to say offers are put on the house (sometimes above the asking price) and the house is sold. The "house doctor" treatment will not cost a fortune. ...  Read the complete review

Yes, we’ve done it again after swearing that this house would be great until we retired and/or needed to go in a home for force feeding we are on the move again. Since we were married in 1965 we have moved nine times and it is always going to be ‘the last time’. I’m not sure what makes me ( and it is usually me) put myself up for this stressful , expensive, time consuming, heart breaking, exasperating process, perhaps it is masochism but, every Spring I get the urge. Just want to get up and go. Perhaps I was a gypsy in a previous life although we never move far – always in and around Torbay. Needless to say I could relate ...  Read the complete review

I have to say it.....yes, I used to be an estate agent (but I'm better now). To anyone wanting to sell their house I would give the following pieces of advice. Firstly, get more than one estate agent in for the free valuation. When my husband sold his house, we had 9 agents who valued it between £35000 and £65000!.Usually have three agents and, if possible, take the middle valuation. It's no good taking the most expensive, if the house is going to sit on the market for ages because it's outside everyones price range.Plus, people obviously read house ads in the paper and if they see a house sticking for months and then having the price reduced,they start ...  Read the complete review

We put our house up for sale at the start of the year and opted for a particuler estate agent, who gave us a valuation for our three bed semi. The house duly went on the market and we got a trickle of viewers. However the estate agent in question didn't seem to be chasing up these viewers and we were generally unhappy with their service so we asked them to take their sign down. In the meantime, my wife, disappointed at the reaction to the house and lack of viewers anyway, did a 'house doctor' on our property, neutralising the two main rooms; the lounge and master bedroom with magnolia and peach respectively, lightening up the bathroom with a pale ...  Read the complete review