House detective work may make a difference to achieving a sale

Estate agents and home owners anxious to sell come up with various ideas to make a house or apartment stand out from the rest of the market, especially in densely populated areas, so that the property sale and consequentresidential conveyancing in London or Brighton, perhaps, can proceed quicker than might otherwise have been the case.

Some suggestions, such as creating a tidy and welcoming entrance for potential viewers to gain a positive first impression, are common sense but another proposal gaining popularity is for the owners to supply a history of the home either written by themselves or through commissioning a specialist author.

There are a number of so-called house detectives in the UK, who are historians, surveyors or other researchers with a specialist interest and some knowledge. They have set up businesses to help owners discover as much as possible about their homes and the lives of those who previously were under the same roof.

Even for a house which is less than 100 years old, a professional researcher is likely to be able to unearth all sorts of fascinating details about who owned the land it was built on, who built it, perhaps how much it cost, whether the street or house name has any significance, past owners and tenants, extensions or building work which required planning permission and, if the deeds are complete, a record of how much the property was sold for at each transaction.

In London, with its long and chequered history, links can often be found to famous figures of the past who have lived or worked in a property, perhaps writing a best-selling novel or making an important scientific discovery.

Many of these notable people have already been traced and their achievements noted through the placing of an English Heritage blue plaque on the outside of the house.

This scheme of commemoration itself has a long history, having been started in 1866 by the Society of Arts. By 2011 around 850 places in the capital associated with particular properties had been recorded.

Other cities, towns and villages throughout the UK have copied the scheme and put up signs on heritage sites for the interest of residents and visitors. These include Brighton and Hove City Council which continues to mark the homes and other buildings connected to the many characters who have graced its streets.

A particularly famous ‘name’ connected to a house may add a few thousand pounds to its market price but, more importantly, even humble former residents can give cachet to a property and a report containing well-researched information about days long ago may well appeal more to a potential buyer, compared with a similar home without such a document.

Residential conveyancing advice from Healys solicitors of London and Brighton
Long-established firms of residential conveyancing solicitors sometimes have records of property contracts from the past and may be willing to allow house detectives to have access to them.

However, it is important for an efficient transaction that both buyers and sellers instruct a firm of solicitors with a combination of experience and use of modern technology, such as Healys with its offices in the City of London and central Brighton.

With its wide range of expertise helping people buy and sell freehold and leasehold flats and houses, the helpful legal team of Healys is well placed to offer advice and representation through all aspects of property law.

For more information and advice on costs of Healys’ residential conveyancing services, you can request a call-back via the website, email partner Kiri Kkoshi telephone 020 7822 4148 or, in Brighton, Darina Gowentelephone 01273 669115