World

TV presenter and property expert Jonnie Irwin gives his thoughts and views on first time buyers and the housing market

I bloomin’ love a deal me! Doesn’t matter if I’m in a fancy clothing boutique, an antiques shop or buying a car, I’ll always try to negotiate. Maybe it stems from the days of when I was skint – I put myself through university and could regularly be found in Cash Converters selling my stuff for cash. There’s a chance it’s more innate than that – perhaps it’s a competitive streak where I don’t like to walk away from a deal thinking someone’s got the better of me. Either way, it’s not very cool is it?

When it comes to buying property, most people are guilty of wanting to do a deal. We are normally dealing with relatively huge numbers – for most people it’s the biggest financial outlay of that time of our life. Of course, we will want to strike a deal where we don’t quite pay the full asking price – it makes the deal feel a little in our favour and at least subconsciously we savour the victory when a discount is negotiated. My consultancy business (where I help people to buy property) even has a fee structure that incentivises me to get the best possible price. And so it should.

But there’s a fine line to be drawn. When I’m the person tasked with submitting the offer on a client’s behalf I often question (usually in my head) the thought process behind the figure. I’ve been flabbergasted by couples who have fallen head over heels with a property and been reduced to tears when I tell them it’s, say, £20,000 below their budget, only for them to put in a derisory offer. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and market for a cheeky offer, but any reduction has to be justifiable.

That, I suppose, is the intriguing thing about property – there’s no fixed rule but more of a nuanced way of how best to go about things. I’ve written in this column before about negotiating and it’s a subject that fascinates me because of the human element. And it’s just this human element that makes some deals hard to predict. I have recently been trying to buy a new home for my family and had the frustrations of being stuck in a chain – something most first time buyers among you will be blissfully unaware of. It finally got to the day of exchange and we got gazumped. I repeat – on the actual day of exchange. Everything was signed, the money was in place and someone came along and tempted the owner to deal with them. I even got into a bit of a bidding war until eventually I realised that whoever I was bidding against was prepared to throw more money at it than me and I had to think of my budget. Now I’ve always been pretty cold blooded about property, but my wife and I became quite emotionally attached to the idea of this house. Losing it in the manner we did was a shock and acutely unpleasant. Hindsight, of course, is a wonderful thing, but it can also keep you up at night. I wondered what I could’ve done differently. The reality is not a lot – it’s difficult to legislate for greed, but it has reminded me as to my advice for first time buyers when offering on a home. Your budget should always be the overriding cut-off point as to the highest you can afford to offer. Many property markets in the UK will see a lot of activity this year, with buyers in competition with one another. There really is no substitute for research. If you’ve watched the property market for a decent amount of time through the portals, agents and developers’ websites, then you will have a decent handle on what places are selling for and then ultimately you should know if a property is worth the asking price, or a bit more or less. Just last week I was getting a coffee and the shop owner asked for advice on a place he was trying to buy. He had put in an offer on a flat which had also received other bids from buyers in excess of the asking price. He had been asked to submit a “best and final” offer by the end of the week. My advice to him was to remind himself of his own budget and assess how much (if anything) he would need to spend on the flat. Then, ignoring everyone else, submit the maximum figure he could not only afford, but would be comfortable with. Nothing more or less. If it sells for more than his bid, then he knows he’s done all he can with no regrets. I didn’t ask him to try to find out who the other buyers were or second guess what someone else might go up to. Control what is within your sphere of influence and do all you can if you’ve fallen in love with a place. If it doesn’t work out, then dust yourself down and go again. What happened to the first time buyer I hear you ask? Well, he got the place and is chuffed to bits. Oh, and I got a free coffee. Small victories.

What’s hot in the shops? Always on the lookout for exciting and innovative new ideas and accessories that will help create the perfect space, here are our favourites this issue

Perfect Picnicware

With hot days just around the corner, it’s time to make the most of the great British outdoors – so slather yourself in SPF and go exploring. Whether you fancy a day trip to the Cotswolds or a weeklong trip in the Peak District, this four-person picnic backpack comes with everything you need to take your lunch with you. The lightweight design is easy to wipe clean and includes all the plates and cutlery you’d need for a family picnic for four. All you need are some sandwiches, a blanket, and a bottle of water, and you can enjoy al fresco dining make the most of the great British outdoors – so slather yourself in SPF and go exploring. Whether you fancy a day trip to the Cotswolds or a weeklong trip in the Peak District, this four-person picnic backpack comes with everything you need to take your lunch with you. The lightweight design is easy to wipe clean and includes all the plates and cutlery you’d need for a family picnic for four. All you need are some sandwiches, a blanket, and a bottle of water, and you can enjoy al fresco dining with ease. Four-person picnic backpack, £42, Next next.co.uk

Peace-lovin’ Planters Planters

Morning Campers! Packed with ower power, these rockin’ pots are perfect for anyone who wants to add a splash of the 1960s (and colour) to their garden. Made of high-quality ceramic, these botanical buses are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Perfect for brightening up even the dullest of days, they make a hip gift for any camper fan. Just add some groovy greenery and you’re on your way to a great gardening adventure! Campervan planter, £19.50, Red Candy , £19.50, Red Candy redcandy.co.uk

One Coat Wonder

There is nothing duller than waiting for paint to dry, especially when you’re trying to revamp your home. We love Dulux’s new Simply Refresh range, helping those home DIYers decorate and redesign a room with ease and speed. The range features two colour collections – One Coat and Feature Wall. Whether you go for the classic neutrals or the striking vibrant shades, all the paints have an extra-thick formula meaning you only need one coat to change a room, saving you money and time. The paints even come with Dulux’s One Coat Guarantee, giving you peace of mind to enjoy your home makeover. Simply Refresh Paint, from £39.18, Dulux dulux.co.uk

Stress-free Family Cooking

What Mummy Makes is the highly anticipated cookbook from Instagram sensation Rebecca Wilson. The easy, fuss-free recipes are perfect for weaning children and for fussy eaters alike. The book is more than just recipes though, with tips and tricks for prepping ahead and essential ingredients to always have in stock. There is plenty of expert nutritionist advice and with over 130 simple, fresh and nutritious recipes designed for family enjoyment, this cookbook is a must-have in any home. What Mummy Makes, £14.99, DK Penguin Random House dk.com You can follow Rebecca’s weaning community on Instagram @WhatMummyMakes

EDITOnlineTHE There is a clear theme this spring – bringing the outside in – taking inspiration from earthy tones and natural textures and incorporating Dulux’s colour of the year, Brave Ground, a bolstering warm shade that connects back to nature. In particular, look out for designer pieces from names that are better known for their crop-tops than their candles, as more of the fashion brands we love are delving into home accessories, giving you even more choice to add to your

Pinterest wish-list. Best of all, everything here is available

Home sculpture with foliage, £6; Seagrass covered vase, £8; Bunny cushion, £8.00; Seagrass magazine basket, £10.00; Gingham One Thing At Time cushion, £8.00, Wilko online for delivery straight to your front door

Diane von Furstenberg x H&M Home round glass vase, £69.99, H&M Home

Botanical hanging frame, £8, Wilko

Black Mojave glaze bowl, £10, I Saw It First Beige Shrimp Studio Eat Spaghetti A3 print, £20, I Saw It First

Black Sass & Belle large House Shelf, £20, I Saw It First

Cream Sass & Belle Scandi Boho rug, £20, Sass & Belle

Sass & Belle terracotta tassel basket, £25, Missguided

Sass & Belle cream Tufted Face cushion, £20, Missguided Sass & Belle nude large basket planter on legs, £15, Missguided Woven monochrome stripe throw, £29.50, M&S Metal hanging storage baskets, £17.99, H&M Home

White Chickidee Terazzo desktop drawers, £20, I Saw It First Hanging plant in cement pot, £8.00 , Wilko

Beige shell candle, £15, Missguided

Brave Ground, Dulux Paint Mixing at matt 2.5L, £30.04, Dulux

Medium Reactive glazed bottle vase, £7.50, M&S

Nude Speckled Feather concrete tray, £16, Missguided

Rattan lampshade, £59; Watercolour oral bedding set, £29.50-£59, M&S

» Dulux dulux.co.uk » H&M Home 2.hm.com » I Saw It First isawit rst.com » Marks & Spencer marksandspencer.com » Missguided missguided.co.uk » Wilko wilko.com

At home with: Rune Sovndahl

Rune Sovndahl is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Fantastic Services, which combines technological innovations with bespoke customer care to deliver services for the home, office and garden. Rune, who is Danish, moved to London over 20 years ago and built up his business, which now operates in Europe, America and Australia. Lynda Clark finds out how it all began, his first home and his plans for the future

FTB: Tell us about your first step on to the property ladder

RS: I bought my first home in 1999 for £86,000 and it was a two bedroom excouncil apartment in the Elephant & Castle, which at the time wasn’t at all fashionable. I had rented for many years and decided to buy a place of my own, but it was quite difficult. Firstly, I was a foreigner and I was self-employed and the banks were not keen to give me a mortgage, but I got there in the end. I foolishly sold it far too soon as I hadn’t realised how that area would be regenerated and that property prices would increase so much. I sold it for £250,000 but at the last count I think it sold for £450,000 – who would have imagined that!

FTB: Where do you live now?

RS: I live in central London in a rented apartment, which suits me at the moment. I have plans to buy again but I am not sure where. I need to have a base in London, but like many people nowadays I need more space and a better lifestyle.

FTB: Tell us about how Fantastic Services started up

RS: I was renting a place in Islington and was about to move out, but I had a red wine stain on the carpet that needed cleaning first. I made lots of calls to carpet cleaning companies but only two of them answered the phone. So I made arrangements for one of them to come round but they never turned up and nor did the second one, which really got me thinking. During this time, I went to a birthday party and met Anton Skarlatov and told him the story and funnily enough he had recently invested in a carpet cleaning company and immediately got on to it and sent someone round. We got on so well we decided to join forces and start Fantastic Services, which we did in about three to four weeks. We offer domestic cleaning, end of tenancy cleaning for landlords, removals, gardening, handymen, tradesmen and builders, plumbers and pest control. We cover just about everything and it is a very successful business. We have over 600 franchisees and around 2,000 experts delivering services to 50,000 plus clients globally each month. We have very strict guidelines and principles that have to be followed by our franchisees. Quality and customer care are paramount and we do spot checks, have secret customers and we take our customer feedback very seriously. If there are any complaints or re-visits because the job was not satisfactory then we will re-train those people, as you are only ever as good as your last job. Our prices are very competitive and we are fully insured too. We are easily the largest home services provider in London and the company has been self-financed

“THE MORE WE CLEAN, REPAIR AND MAINTAIN WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE, THE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WE CAN BE”

since the outset. We are very busy, and during the pandemic we have really never stopped at all.

FTB: What are your plans for the future?

RS: We saw a huge increase in people wanting domestic cleaning, gardening and removals during 2020. As the property market has been booming, we have experienced high levels of people using our services. We are now concentrating on expanding our franchises throughout the UK, which is our main focus. We also have plans to expand internationally as well – you can never sit still, you need to move on and keep growing. Both Anton and I are very serious about our business and we are both passionate about sustainability – that is very important to our business.

FTB: Can you explain how Fantastic Services is sustainable?

RS: The most sustainable way forward for all of us is being able to reuse, repurpose and fix the things we already have. So the more we clean, repair and maintain what we already have, the more cost-effective and environmentally friendly we can be. As the UK’s biggest domestic services franchise operator, we see our role in helping people to repair, reuse and recycle as key to helping consumers become more sustainable. In the domestic services industry we often say, “a well-cleaned carpet, is one less carpet that goes to landfill”.

FTB: What further steps are you taking?

RS: We are undertaking a big initiative to reduce emissions and wastage as much as possible, and in 2019, we built a new logistics dispatch software that managed to cut 38% of the miles driven by our tradespeople – obviously resulting in lower emissions. This software also helps our teams with planning jobs ahead and letting clients select eco slots, for when a tradesperson is near you and available. For example, you can now choose to book a cleaner already working in the next street to you, rather than book a cleaner who has to travel from the other side of your town or city. We’re always looking for ways to improve and intend to innovate new technologies to lower our carbon footprint wherever we can. We all have a long way to go, but we believe we’re making steps in the right direction.

FTB: What is your advice for first time buyers?

RS: When you buy your first property you should understand and think of it as an investment and consider what the longterm gain will be. In London, many people are very concerned about what travel zone they will live in, but that comes at a price and a high price too! After this Covid crisis many people want to move out of cities and find a better lifestyle out of town. We have seen this with our removals – people are moving away and are happy to commute for say an hour. Priorities have changed, and I am sure many first time buyers are re-thinking what location they would like to buy in – after all it is your home and you need to feel happy and contented there.

“WE HAVE VERY STRICT GUIDELINES AND PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED BY OUR FRANCHISEES. QUALITY AND CUSTOMER CARE ARE PARAMOUNT AND WE DO SPOT CHECKS, HAVE SECRET CUSTOMERS AND WE TAKE OUR CUSTOMER FEEDBACK VERY SERIOUSLY”