Archive for September, 2007

How to make your life abroad so much easier

September 25, 2007 By: David Wood Category: Buying property privately, General musings, Mouse-Move.com, Overseas property, Recommended buys No Comments →

If there’s one thing that will make life easier for the millions of English-speaking expats in their adopted countries worldwide, it’s having an expert to turn to when they need help. I know, I’ve been there.

 

So I’m going to give you an invaluable tip.

Go and visit AngloINFO.com today.

 

From simple things like finding out how to get a phone line connected or what to do if you’re involved in a traffic accident, to finding an accountant you can trust or receiving recommendations for the best local school, everything is a difficult hurdle if you don’t have a reliable source of information.

Something like the unbelievably helpful AngloINFO network would have been a godsend for myself and Helen when we first moved to Tenerife many moons ago. Unfortunately though, this great site wasn’t around then.

Launched in  2000, nowadays AngloINFO sites are everywhere - from Belgium to Thailand and 35 other regions. In a clear, precise manner you can find ALL the answers to questions that EVERY expat anywhere is always asking, for FREE.

In fact, try it now. Think of some local service or information that you need to know about and I can guarantee that the answer will be found through the AngloINFO website for your region.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for on the INFormation pages, leave a query on the forum and before long you’ll have connected to others in the region that have the answer.

Believe me when I say I don’t make any financial gain out of singing the praises of AngloINFO, I just think it’s the ultimate information service for all expats in their local region and thoroughly recommend them to all our visitors and advertisers at Mouse-Move.com.

We are all too eager to jump in with our four-penneth-worth when it comes to having a mumble and groan about something, so we should equally be as keen to openly praise those who are providing a helluva service. You’ll see on the site that several people have already done this…

Congratulations on your website - this is the first time I have been able to get easy to understand information about health care in France for expatriates holding an E121 form.”

Just a short note from an AngloINFO fan… THANK YOU for managing such an excellent resource. This year, thanks to AngloINFO Riviera, I have been able to prepare for getting my Carte de Séjour, registering my car and having my baby. I’ve made friends with other users, and got some shopping done too! Keep up the good work.“ 

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the success of AngloINFO and for the wonderful service you are providing, your site is the essential website for the Anglophone society.

I’ll be adding my comments soon.

If you’re based abroad, or have an interest in a particular overseas region, I highly recommend that you pay AngloINFO a visit.

You’d be mad not to!

The alternative is to blag, bluff or bury your head to those niggles and problems that face all expats at one time or another and are so easy to solve by making use of this fantastic free resource.

So start making your life easier today. Make use of what is one of the best free expat resource sites around today.

To make your life easier, click here now.

PS. AngloINFO are currently looking for franchisees in the Canary Islands, as well as other parts of the world. For more information click here or email franchising@angloinfo.com

The power of the For Sale sign - a must for private house sales online

September 20, 2007 By: David Wood Category: Buying property privately, Mouse-Move.com, Recommended buys, Selling property privately No Comments →

FOr sale signThey’re everywhere - in your neighbour’s garden, lining your friend’s street, in the apartment block on your summer holiday abroad.

No matter where you are, you just can’t avoid the For Sale or To Let sign. Every estate agent worldwide uses them.

Why?

Because they work.

Even if you’ve opted for a private house sale, research has shown that displaying a For Sale sign can double the chances of selling your house.

Although over 70 per cent of people now use the internet to search for their next home, many deals are ‘drive-buys’.

Whilst for those choosing to sell their house online the internet can globally spread the word to millions, it’s vital not to miss out on the local market. It’s estimated that up to 48% of property enquiries come from people seeing a For Sale or To Let sign.

House-hunters deciding on the area they want to live in will inevitably drive around to get a feel for the neighbourhood. If they like what they see, they’ll more than likely stop at properties displaying a For Sale sign and jot down the contact details in order to make an appointment, or at least find out more details about the house.

No matter how fantastic your property is or how low you’ve set the price, you’re never going to be in the running if the drive-buys don’t know your cherished property is for sale.

Even for those who have decided to sell a house privately, for the sake of a few quid it makes sense to order a sign so as not to miss out on a possible drive-buy sale.

Mouse Move will deliver a professional, eye-catching For Sale or To Let board for just £30 plus postage. Each double-sided sign is personalised with the contact number of your choice and a unique property ID for easy reference on mouse-move.com

More moving house in the UK

September 18, 2007 By: David Wood Category: Buying property privately, General musings, News, Selling property privately No Comments →

Nearly one in five British homeowners are currently planning on selling their house and moving, says a new report from Zurich Insurance.

Rising interest rates and thus more expensive mortgages costs, plus the desire to downscale in later life are two of the major factors influencing this trend.

The study also revealed that the average Briton will own five properties during their lifetime and moves an average of 125 miles each time to find their next perfect location.

Top 10 tips on selling your house privately

September 17, 2007 By: David Wood Category: General musings, Selling property privately No Comments →

It’s already been proven that selling your house privately is often quicker than using an estate agent, but follow these top ten tips and you might  find it sells even quicker…

  1.  When people contact you to make an enquiry, make sure you always get their contact details
  2. Try to get them to come and view as soon as possible so they don’t lose interest
  3. Try to make viewings on the same day, at 20-30 minute intervals so that potential buyers see other interested parties
  4. Make sure your house is spotlessly clean and tidy when people are coming to view
  5. Make sure it’s brightly lit
  6. If you can, palm off the kids and pets to family or friends.
  7. Allow viewers some time to look around by themselves
  8. Invite them to return if they’d like to see the house again
  9. Ask questions about the them, their kids, their work, where they live. You can use the information to emphasise the features that would specifically appeal
  10. If someone seems ready to make an offer, ask them the question, ‘Would you like to make an offer?’ More often than not the prospective buyer feels like he or she needs an ‘invitation’ to start the business ball rolling. If they do make an offer, make sure you get it in writing.

From Keighley to the Costas - private property sales in the UK are booming

September 04, 2007 By: David Wood Category: General musings, Mouse-Move.com, Overseas property, Selling property privately No Comments →

It’s nice to see that property from Keighley to the Costas is continuing to roll in to Mouse Move. It’s amazing to see so many people choosing to go the way of private property sales in the UK, whether they want to sell a house online in Keighley, or the private sale of a villa in Estepona.

I think one of the things that is attracting so many UK homeowners and overseas property owners is the fact that all properties for sale online at our FSBO site www.mouse-move.com are also automatically advertised on HotProperty.co.uk and thus are getting incredible online exposure. Have a look at the following links for examples:

Sell my villa in Estepona online

Sell my house  in Keighley online

Sell my finca in Alicante online

Sell my apartment in Tenerife online

Keep those private property sales coming!