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LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

PROPERTY NEWS

MAY 2022

JUBILEE STREET PARTY ARRANGE A PATRIOTIC STREET PARTY FOR THE JUBILEE KEEPING YOU COOL TOP TIPS TO KEEP YOU COOL AT NIGHT THIS SUMMER

HALF TERM HOLIDAYS TRAVEL IDEAS FOR THIS MAY HALF TERM

DOCTOR STRANGE WE BREAKDOWN THE UPCOMING NEW RELEASE

FOOTBALL ALL AROUND A PREVIEW OF ALL THE MAJOR FOOTBALL FINALS

CONTENTS COVER STORY

LIFESTYLE

National Biscuit Day Biscuit recipes for you to try at home

PROPERTY

Half-Term travel Abroad travel ideas for the next half-term

May gardening Learn more about World Bee and World Biodiversity Day.

Screen free week Get away from your screen this May

Dr Strange We breakdown the upcoming new release

Jubilee street party Arrange a patriotic street party for the Jubilee.

Keep your bedroom cool We show you ways to keep you and your bedroom cool in the upcoming months

Our latest instructions Take a look at a selection of our latest properties on the market

30 38

About us Get to know us a little better and see why we are your agent of choice Your home move Your guide to help you every step of the way on your home move

SPORT

Football all around We talk all things finals and football this month

WELCOME TO THE MAY ISSUE! Summer is very nearly here, and May looks like a great month to bounce into the sunshine. May means half-term, which ultimately means trips away enjoying the warmer weather and with that in mind, on pages 8&9 we look at some of the best last-minute resorts for you and your family. However, if you’re staying closer to home, we look forward to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with a guide on some of the best street party ideas to celebrate in style. On pages 4&5, keeping with the Great British theme, we look at National Biscuit Day. With the weather getting warmer, we want to help you keep cool with our feature on top tips to keep your bedroom cool during the summer months. Moving outdoors, our

PROPERTY NEWS

monthly gardening feature is all about World Bee Day and Biodiversity Day this year. Rounding this all off, we have three fantastic features: We look at ways to take part in Screen Free Week this month, alternatively, if that sounds like hard work, we have a movie preview of the new Marvel film, Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. And finally, it’s a big month for football with a month of finals, all of which we have previewed on pages 14&15. So make yourself a cocktail, sit back in the garden, and enjoy this month’s magazine. Jonathan Wheatley Editor

he Queen’s Jubilee extended bank holiday is going to be very special this year, since The Queen will be making history being the first British monarch ever to reach 70 years on the throne. Queen Elizabeth II will be celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, the major celebrations of which will take place on 2nd June this year and last throughout that entire weekend - officially qualifying her as the first British monarch in history to reach the landmark. The Platinum Jubilee itself, however, fell on Sunday 6th February, which is the date The Queen ascended to the throne on the death of her father, George VI, in 1952. The official day planned for the Big Jubilee Lunch is Sunday 5th June, when up to 10 million Brits are expected to organise and attend street parties in Her Majesty’s honour. There are different ways to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee over the first weekend of June, and here are our best ideas to celebrate in the most exuberant and patriotic way possible. Arranging and planning a Platinum Jubilee street party is extremely simple, and that includes being legal about it all. Typically, you do need to request permission to hold a street party in

ARRANGE A PATRIOTIC STREET

PARTY FOR THE JUBILEE

general, and this may be harder to do so if you live in a particularly quiet street but over the course of the first weekend of June, including that Thursday, anyone who wants to hold a street party is welcome to do so any time during that bank holiday weekend. All you need to do is follow the steps on this webpage and complete the online form to request permission: https:// www.gov.uk/apply-hold-street-party It is important to note that if you are planning on playing loud music and/or selling alcohol, you will need a Temporary Events Notice, and you can apply for one here: https://www.gov.uk/temporaryevents-notice It is generally recommended that six weeks in advance is a good time to start planning for the event, as this allows the Government time to put any necessary temporary traffic regulations in place and close your road to traffic so you can take advantage of the whole street. While some councils might charge a small fee, event officials are being encouraged to make street parties as affordable as possible and facilitate any necessary road closures. Once the application(s) is approved, you can begin inviting guests. Spread the good news and try to get as many of your neighbours to attend as

possible. Handwritten letters through front doors and a useful Whatsapp group are probably the most effective ways of spreading the word and informing your guests on what to bring. Believe it or not, you can also tell the Royal Family itself about your event, as there is an interactive map on The Queen’s official Platinum Jubilee website which will show the thousands of events being held over the course of the weekend.

CORONATION CHICKEN: Otherwise known as Poulet Reine Elizabeth, coronation chicken is the perfect food item to be enjoyed for the Platinum Jubilee. Constance Spry, an English food writer and flower arranger, and Rosemary Hume, a chef, both principals of the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London, invented this dish for the banquet of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The dish typically consists of cold cooked chicken meat, herbs and spices, and a creamy curry based sauce. It can be eaten as a salad or used to fill sandwiches.

VICTORIA SPONGE: The famous, and utterly delicious Victoria sponge is named after The Queen herself, making it the perfect dessert for the Platinum Jubilee. The Queen is said to

enjoy a slice of the delicious cake with her traditional English afternoon tea. It is sometimes referred to as The Victoria Sandwich because of the filled nature of the two sponges. The classic filling of this wonderful sponge cake has come to be based around jam and cream or buttercream.

THE PIMM’S ROYALE COCKTAIL: As we all know, Pimm’s is absolutely ideal for the summertime. It has a punchy yet light and fruity character to it, making it wonderfully versatile for a whole range of fruits and herbs, including strawberries and mint. Pimm’s is also said to be The Queen’s favourite summer drink.

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NATIONAL

BISCUIT DAY Be a smart cookie and go crackers for the best day of the year for all things biscuits!

ith all the recent controversy and discussion on whether or not a Jaffa Cake qualifies as a cake or a biscuit, the definition of ‘biscuit’ is still a hot-baked topic. In the States, biscuits are small crusty bread rolls, often served at breakfast or as a side dish. In Britain, biscuits are a whole different thing, and cover a much broader range of shapes, sizes, ingredients and textures.

go off and wouldn’t need to be chilled to stay good, and biscuits is what they came up with. Thereafter, dried biscuitlike breads became a staple at sea. It was around the end of the 10th century when biscuits finally arrived in Europe. By the 19th century, per capita sugar consumption rocketed, and biscuit firms such as McVitie’s, Crawfords, and Carr’s all set up factories to mass-produce biscuits in a confectionary capacity.

Biscuits are beloved worldwide, and for very good reason. It’s the warmth and smells from the kitchen while they bake, the feeling of satiety we get when our bellies feel full with the heaviness of the biscuit, and the flavours of salt and butter, among many other versatile possibilities, dancing on our tongue and about our taste buds. Moreover, they can be enjoyed as savoury or sweet foods, depending on the ingredients.

National Biscuit Day is a celebration of biscuits of all forms – cookies, oatcakes, crackers, water biscuits, and crispbreads. While most biscuits for sale are sweet, savoury varieties still make up a considerable chunk of overall sales of biscuits all over the world. It is also the perfect excuse to bake your own biscuits at home, particularly with the kids, which is a whole lot of fun. A great baking idea is an ancient Roman biscuit called a ‘buccellum’, which will give you an insight into the sort of cuisine that people enjoyed in the past whilst sailing the seven seas. Alternatively, cookies or traditional biscuits bread are absolute favourites for anyone celebrating the day in style. National Biscuit Day is a day to share with loved ones, so whatever it is you’re going to be doing or baking, ensure you’re surrounded by your loved ones.

Biscuits are not a modern invention. Rather, they originated from the ancient world, when merchants and military personnel in the Roman, Greek, and Egyptian empires would often spend many weeks at sea and found they needed snacks which provided the source of calories they needed for their entire journey. Through much experimentation trying to invent a snack which wouldn’t

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BISCUIT RECIPES FOR NATIONAL BISCUIT DAY The best way to celebrate National Biscuit Day is to bake, of course, and there are many recipes to try your hand at.

JELLY BEAN COOKIES

Ingredients: 1/2 cup shortening 3/4 cup sugar 1 large egg, room temperature 2 tablespoons 2% milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup small jelly beans Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until blended. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in jelly beans. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 1-1/2 in. apart onto greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

ANZAC BISCUITS

Ingredients: 85g porridge oat 85g desiccated coconut 100g plain flour 100g caster sugar 100g butter, plus extra butter for greasing 1 tbsp golden syrup 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Directions: Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/ gas 4. Put the oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a bowl. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the golden syrup. Add the bicarbonate of soda to 2 tbsp boiling water, then stir into the golden syrup and butter mixture. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the butter and golden syrup mixture. Stir gently to incorporate the dry ingredients. Put dessertspoonfuls of the mixture on to buttered baking sheets, about 2.5cm/1in apart to allow room for spreading. Bake in batches for 8-10 mins until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

BASIC BISCUIT

The basic biscuit base is the absolute perfect foundation on which to design anything at all you like. Almost anything can be added to a part-baked biscuit base, or a fully baked one, which is what makes this recipe so versatile and useful for any baker looking to celebrate National Biscuit Day with panache.

Ingredients: 250g butter, softened 140g caster sugar 1 egg yolk 2 tsp vanilla extract 300g plain flour Directions: Mix the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and briefly beat to combine. Sift over the flour and stir until the mixture is well combined – you might need to get your hands in at the end to give everything a really good mix and press the dough together. For basic vanilla biscuits: Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Chill the dough for 20 - 30minutes, roll out and cut out shapes as above. Bake on a non-stick baking tray for 10-12 minutes until pale golden. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp up.

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

TOP TIPS

HOW TO KEEP YOUR

BEDROOM COOL

DURING THOSE

HOT SUMMER MONTHS Follow these suggestions to keep the heat out of your room

ummer is one of the best times of the year. Long days, barbecues with family and friends, outdoor fairs and concerts and of course, the beautiful sun beating down throughout it all.Yes, in England we may only have a handful of truly beautiful days, but we are sure to enjoy them all the same. While sunny weather is enjoyable, these summer months also bring unbearable nights trying to sleep and get comfortable in hot bedrooms.Sticky heat can cause even just trying to get a few hours of rest feel like an impossibility. To help you get ready for the warm months of the summer this year and to ensure your beauty sleep does not get disrupted, we have put together some great tips to cool down your bedroom. While one of the most obvious suggestions is to get a fan to blow cold air around the room during the night, selecting the right unit can make all the difference. Portable aircon systems are affordable and can move the air around your room much more efficiently and effectively, while also being far quieter than noisy bladed fans spinning in the corner of your room all evening long. Anyone who is scared of the dark may not like our next suggestion, but as lightbulbs naturally give off heat

A thinner duvet can make a whole world of difference

PROPERTY NEWS

themselves, switching them off during the summer can help to drop your room’s temperature. Appliances and televisions you may have in your room similarly produce heat while plugged in and working, so make sure these are all switched off to optimise the amount of heat you are taking from the room. Heat is well-known to rise, so if you are sleeping as low as possible in your room you are going to feel the heat far less. Air mattresses or Japanese futons, which both sit low to the floor, can make ideal alternate beds to use in the summer. Another great suggestion is to switch the type of bedding you are using. Thick duvets, such as those stuffed with duck feathers, may keep you warm and toasty during the winter, however in the summer this can be one of the worst choices. A thinner duvet can make a whole world of difference, and is not always something you may think of straight away. Right, now you have decided which bedding to stick with throughout the summer, you can even look to cool it down in preparation for sleep. Ditch any

additional throws or blankets, whether ornamental or not, the fewer layers on the bed, the better. You could place your pillow in the fridge or pick up a specific cooling pillowcase, which are filled with gel to absorb heat away from your face. There are some steps you can take before nighttime to keep the room’s temperature down. Keep your curtains or blinds closed throughout the day, effectively blocking out as much of the summer sun as possible to stop the room from heating up as much during the day. Making a few additions to your room can also help to bring down the heat, such as introducing one of two houseplants to the bedroom. The plants will take in the warm air, offering a natural solution to dropping the heat, while also becoming an attractive new feature to your room. Right before you head to bed, go for a short, cold shower. Starting your body at a low temperature before even getting in bed can help you to stay cool throughout the evening. Be wary, however, and do not jump straight into a sudden cold shower after getting into the house from a long day in the sun as a sudden and extreme change in body temperature can be dangerous to your wellbeing and health. Many of you may not expect to be advised to use a hot water bottle during the summer to cool off. While they are great for cuddling up to in the winter, a hot water bottle can also be used for the exact opposite of their intended use. Stick the bottle full of water into the freezer for a couple of hours and pop it in your bed overnight. The hot water bottle, now a “frozen water bottle” will release cold temperatures directly into your bed throughout the night, cooling it down. Follow as many of our tips as you can to ensure you can sleep as much as you can during the warm months.

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

IDEAL DESTINATIONS FOR MAY HALF-TERM

I It is nearly time to put your feet up and relax, but why not hop on a plane and get exploring during the break

t is nearly time for the May half-term holidays, why not spend it somewhere a little bit different this year? For those thinking about perhaps jetting off to experience a bit of fresh culture, while learning something new and dining on fantastic cuisine, a city break is always a great choice. The only issue is deciding where to go.

An iconic piece of architecture in the Spanish city is the massive Sagrada Familia basilica, designed by famed architect Antoni Gaudi.

Europe is blessed to be home to so many fantastic cities to visit, with Paris, Berlin and Lisbon stunning places to spend some time. We have broken down three more cities we think you would enjoy spending your next holiday in.

Barcelona sits on a coastline stretching around 4.5 kilometres and hosts a variety of beaches to relax on and truly soak in the Spanish sun, with a beer or glass of sangria in hand.

BARCELONA

The capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, Barcelona, is a destination almost every traveller should have on their bucket list. Whether looking to shop, eat, drink or enjoy deep and fascinating historic culture, Barcelona is the ideal city to pick when trying to learn about and experience a whole new way of life. The coastal city is home to a number of beautiful pieces of architecture, churches, museums and parks.

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The unfinished church, which sits in the Eixample district of the city, is known for its eye-catching exterior, spires and beautiful interior.

The city is home to one of the world’s most famous and successful football clubs, FC Barcelona, with a trip to the side’s famed ground, Camp Nou Stadium, providing a fascinating insight into the history of the team, ideal for keen football fans.

ROME

Another popular choice of a city to be the next stamp on your passport is the capital of Italy. Rome Culture, entertainment and historic structures

are around every corner in this city, which houses a number of iconic structures which features which are in many European travel guides. From the Colosseum, an ancient Roman gladiator arena, to the Pantheon, one of the city’s most recognisable churches and historic tombs, there is so much to see during a break. However, just as “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, everything the city has to offer cannot be experienced in just 24 hours. As a city, Rome can be likened to one big museum, transporting visitors into how the great Romans once lived and houses more than 900 churches. Art lovers will be able to appreciate the stunning decor in each of these religious buildings, which offer different views, structure and fascias. For those wanting to head abroad in May to experience warmer weather, Rome could be the place to go, with average temperature ranging between 11C and 23C, making it warmer than the UK, while not too warm to deter you from grabbing your backpack and strapping on your walking boots to explore everything the Italian city has to offer.

NAPLES

From one Italian city to another, our final suggestion for a May holiday city break abroad is Naples.

Located in the Campania region, Naples is the country’s third largest city, behind only Rome and Milan, but offers equally as beautiful views and fascinating history as the previously mentioned cultural hotspots. The centre of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has a range of significant sites nearby such as the Royal Palace of Caserta, which once housed kings, as well as the Roman ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii. Nearby islands can be visited within an hour from Naples, such as Capri, Ischia and Procida, making the city an ideal place for a longer stay to then venture out and see even more of Italy and experience as much as you can while there.

An iconic piece of architecture in the Spanish city is the massive Sagrada Familia basilica

Lovers of Italian cuisine are certain to enjoy Naples, as the city is credited to be where pizza was first invented. The delicious cheese and tomato dish, which is now enjoyed across the globe, was created as a fast and affordable meal for Neopolitans to eat on the go. When emigrating Italians took the dish with them to America in the 1900s, it developed worldwide popularity, but why not taste the original during your next visit to the city?

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

MONTHLY GARDENING GUIDE It’s a busy month in the garden

ay is typically one of the busiest months in the garden, with plenty to do to ensure productive plant growth and high yields on the vegetable patch. It is also a month with two international days that you can get involved in outside: World Bee Day and the International Day for Biological Diversity.

Most seed packets now have a symbol of a bee which showing which plants are great for pollinators, and simply adding a few of these to your garden will help your garden become more biodiverse and a haven for pollinators. If you want to go bigger, you could create an entire wildflower meadow. Wildflower meadows are perfect for all pollinators and gives them an exclusive habitat to call their own.

Biodiversity simply means the variety of plant and animal life in a particular habitat, in this case our own gardens. With the Most garden nurseries and online retailers necessity for the helping hand we can offer wildflower seeds in mixed packets give nature it is which you can sow direct more important in prepared soil in spring than ever to or autumn. One of the You can’t plant or have a biodiverse best ways to create a sow them direct into garden. This wildflower meadow is grass, as they won’t could be planting to start them in pots grow, so you will something that in the greenhouse or need to dig an area you wouldn’t somewhere warm before for them to go. normally plant or transplanting them into adding a pond the prepared area. You to increase the can’t plant or sow them number of animals in your garden. Overall, direct into grass, as they won’t grow, so the main aim is to turn your garden into a you will need to dig an area for them to go. thriving place for nature. When established, remember a wildflower World Bee Day raises awareness about the meadow is exactly as the name suggests threats to pollinators like bees by human wild. Which means once in the ground you activities. Without bees, our world would don’t have to do anything. Just let them be a lot worse place to live. We need these spread. There isn’t anything quite like beautiful creatures to carry on pollinating sitting near your established wildflower our plants, and it is easier than you think meadow with a cup of tea, a book or to help bees and other pollinators in your magazine and listening to the busy own garden. pollinators as they do their thing.

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OTHER JOBS FOR THE GARDEN IN MAY Tomato plants are ready to go to their final position, whether that is somewhere sunny and sheltered outside or in a warm and sunny greenhouse. Give the compost a good fertilizer feed, 6X chicken manure pellets are great, and a mulch, followed by a water and then keep checking them as they grow. Don’t forget to plant them deep as roots will start on any area of the stem. Sow sunflower seeds in pots of compost. A range of varieties will give your garden lots of interest as well as height throughout later summer. If May is particularly warm, you can sow the seeds directly into the ground.

Do some instant gardening. If you have a border that is looking slightly bare, then May is a great time to head to the garden centre to pick up some plants. Simply transplant the plants to where they want to live and give them a good soak. Check the temperature of your greenhouse. You should be able to gauge how hot your greenhouse will get during the summer by checking the temperature now. If you are worried it will get too hot, then now is the time to create some shade. You can also set up an automatic irrigation system to water the plants for you in the morning and evening. Mulch your borders. Your borders will need a good mulch to keep moisture in and pesky slugs away from your plants. Strulch is a good option, however, you could also use bark or compost. Remember when mulching to lay the mulch at least two inches thick.

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

DON’T SCREAM

WITHOUT

YOUR SCREEN

GET AWAY FROM YOUR SCREENS THIS MAY

his year, Screen-Free Week runs from 2nd May to the 8th of May. Did you know that on average we spend 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media? Now, we all know that social media has its uses, but even then, over two hours is an incredible amount of time to be staring at a smartphone, and this doesn’t even take into account TV screens. Now, think about what you could achieve in those extra (let’s even it out to) four hours a day with TV included.

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In four hours, you could go for a long walk, with plenty of time to stop and consider the beauty of the surrounding world. That DIY project you’ve been putting off could be completed within a week. With one hour of writing a day you could complete a book within three months, depending on how fast you type… The list of things you could get done, instead of sitting in front of the TV or on your smartphone, is simply endless. And there are other benefits

too. By not being on your smartphone you will be more ‘in the room’ when spending time with friends and family, living in the real world and not the virtual world, and at the same time, by getting off your phone you’ll be setting a better example for your children, after all, how can we tell them to get off YouTube if we’re then sitting on our smartphones – a bit hypocritical of us, no? Do what we say, not what we do. Another benefit of getting off social media, is that you will jump back into actual reality and not a world of unrealistic filters. You’ll feel happier in yourself without that constant barrage of filtered images telling you what you should look like, how your home should look, and what gadgets you need in your life. Now, that’s not saying social

media and TV are all evil, they definitely have benefits. Social media helps you keep in touch with friends and family, which was the original aim of it, while TV and gaming gives you that escape from reality when you need it most, but just remember, as with cake and wine, ‘everything is best in moderation.’ So, this Screen-Free Week, why not test yourself, and find out, not only how addicted you are to your smartphone, but just how nice life can be without it for a little while. Screen-Free Week starts on the 2nd May and runs till the 8th May, find out more at https://screenfree.org/

SIMPLY MARVEL-LOUS DOCTOR STRANGE RETURNS, BUT WHO ELSE WILL SHOW UP?

his month, one of the most anticipated Marvel movies arrives in cinemas. Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is hoping to pick up where Spiderman: No Way Home left off earlier in the year with an outrageous number of surprise cameos thanks to the Marvel Multiverse. In Spiderman: No Way Home, Marvel surprised everyone by bringing back not just one incarnation of the web slinger, but two in Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield which led to one hell of a lot of gushing reviews, and a lot of fun especially with the return of previous villains such as Dr Octopus, Electro and the Green Goblin. With Avengers: Endgame a distant memory, Marvel seems to have struggled to bring the remaining members back together in any synchronicity

with the previous releases, such as Black Widow, ShangChi and the Eternals which were all okay in their own right, but not showing any real sign of how the future looked for the MCU. That, however, changed with Spiderman: No Way Home, and with the new Dr Strange, they are looking to expand on the Multiverse which all looks hugely exciting. Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is released on the 5th May 2022. The Internet has been awash with rumours ever since the first trailer, and that only increased with the Super Bowl trailer that was released in February. It’s quite clear that there will be numerous versions of the main character, and looking even closer, there could well be some huge surprises, which we will look at now.

• Zombie Avengers. Seems far-fetched, however, there are rumours that all the original Avengers will appear as zombie versions of themselves. • The X Men. At the end of the trailer, that voice definitely sounds like Professor X, as played by Patrick Stewart, so does that mean any of the original X Men are going to show up? Maybe even Wolverine? • The Fantastic Four. It’s been so hard for even Marvel to get a good Fantastic Four film off the ground. However, could we see the beginnings of one here. • Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool would add a humourous x-rating to proceedings, which would make it so great if he did appear.

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

A FRENZY OF

FOOTBALL FINALS

It’s May, which means some of the biggest football competitions come to their conclusions It’s been an epic football season. With supporters back in stadiums, it’s been a riveting 10 months of action, with plenty of shocks, thrashings, and manager sackings to keep us all entertained, but alas, like all good things it must come to an end at some point. This month sees some of the world’s biggest clubs competing in cup finals abroad and at home, and we have all the info you need about the upcoming games.

THE FA CUP FINAL There have been some barnstorming games in the FA Cup this season, with some major upsets along the way. Cambridge United knocked out Newcastle in the third round, and Nottingham Forest did the same to Arsenal. Then in the fourth round, Middlesbrough knocked out the mighty Man Utd, while Forest were at it again against Leicester City. Boro and Forest made it all the way to the Quarter Finals before finally succumbing to the two finalists, Chelsea and Liverpool. Liverpool are battling on three fronts to win

an unprecedented Quadruple, having already won the League Cup, meanwhile, this could be Chelsea’s second piece of silverware after winning the Club World Cup in February. So far this season, the teams have met three times, with each game ending in a draw, although Liverpool did win the League Cup against the blues on penalties.

Prediction: 2–2 Draw with Liverpool to win on penalties.

THE CHAMPION’S LEAGUE FINAL At the time of writing, neither semi-final has played the first leg. There are two English teams still in the Champion’s League, Liverpool and Man City, and if results go the right way it could be another all-English final. But first Man City have got to get past a rejuvenated Real Madrid, while Liverpool face fellow Spaniards, Villarreal. Real Madrid have ran away with the La Liga title, however, they are still an ageing team up against a Man City side boasting an incredible pedigree of youth and experience. Meanwhile, even though Villarreal are only seventh in La Liga, they save their best

performances for European Competitions, knocking out the mighty Bayern Munich in the quarter finals, Juventus in the round of 16, and winning the Europa League last year. With the Champion’s League being the last piece of silverware Pep Guardiola has yet to win with Man City, and with Liverpool fighting on three fronts, it is highly probable that Jurgen Klopp’s side will finally come undone against a street-smart Spanish side managed by Unai Emery.

Prediction: Man City and Villarreal to reach the final. Man City to win the final 2–0

THE EUROPA LEAGUE As with The Champion’s League, at the time of writing the first leg hasn’t yet taken place, so we are looking at all four teams remaining in the competition. West Ham, under David Moyes, have looked invigorated in Europe. Their 3-0 win over Lyon was an incredible game of football, that has gone a long way to making them favourites to win this year’s Europa League. However, they come up against one of two German sides in this year’s semi-finals, Eintracht Frankfurt, who knocked out Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

Domenico Tedesco after Jesse Marcsh left to become the new Leeds Utd manager. Since then, though, RB Leipzig have been on a good run of form, reaching third in the Bundesliga and are in the semi-final of the DFB-Pokal (Germany’s equivalent of the FA Cup)

In the other semi-final, Glasgow Rangers will go head-to-head with the second German team, RB Leipzig, who are now managed by

Prediction: West Ham and RB Leipzig to reach the final. RB Leipzig to win the final 2-0

Rangers, meanwhile, are fighting to keep their Championship dreams alive, albeit with a depleted squad after injuries to Aaron Ramsey, Alfredo Morelos and Ianis Hagi, which could spell trouble for the rest of the campaign.

This month sees some of the world’s biggest clubs competing in cup finals

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KNOWLE T: 01564 777284 | E: knowle@xacthomes.co.uk SOLIHULL & SHIRLEY T: 0121 712 6222 | E: solihull@xacthomes.co.uk | E: shirley@xacthomes.co.uk BALSALL COMMON T: 01676 534411 | E: balsallcommon@xacthomes.co.uk

Blossomfield Road £1,200,000

* Impressive Victorian Six-Bedroomed Detached With Self-Contained One-Bedroom Annexe * Easy Access To All Amenities * Versatile Accommodation *Gas Central Heating * Double Glazing * Internal viewing essential * Off-road parking to the front for up to six cars * Porch * Impressive Entrance Hall With Minton Tile Floor * Cellar * Three Reception Rooms * Guest Cloakroom/Utility * Extended Breakfast/ Kitchen * Six Bedrooms * Dressing Room * Two Bathrooms * En-Suite Bathroom * Second Kitchen To The Second Floor. * Mature Easily Maintained Rear Garden * Self-Contained Annexe With Entrance Hall * Lounge/Kitchen * One Bedroom And Wet Room * Early Viewing Essential * EPC Rating C *

Dorothys Gate £1,250,000

* Bespoke Five Bedroom Modern Detached * Private Road * Gated Entrance * Easy Walking Distance To Solihull Town Centre * Tudor Grange Academy Catchment * Immaculately Maintained & Decorated * Internal Viewing Essential * Underfloor Heating * Double Glazing * Canopy Porch * Impressive Entrance Hall * Spacious Living Room * Dining Room * Study * Luxury Fitted Breakfast Kitchen * Utility Room * Five Double Bedrooms * Three Re-fitted Modern Ensuite Shower Rooms * Luxury Family Bathroom * Double Garage * South East Facing Rear Garden * Early Viewing Essential * EPC Rating TBC

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

KNOWLE T: 01564 777284 | E: knowle@xacthomes.co.uk Garden Close £650,000

** NO UPWARD CHAIN ** Beautifully Presented Four Bedroom Detached Property Located Within A Quiet Cul-De-Sac of Knowle * Resin Driveway * Open Plan Breakfast Kitchen * Living Room / Dining Room & Conservatory * Utility & Garage * Principal Bedroom With Ensuite * Three Excellent Double Bedrooms & One Single * Easterly Facing Landscaped Rear Garden * Superb Family Home Within Arden Academy Catchment Area * EPC Rating C *

Warwick Road £700,000

* Beautifully Presented & Extended Four Bedroom Traditional Detached Property * Located A Short Walk Away From Knowle Village & All Local Schools * Superb Cul-De-Sac Location Just Off Wychwood Avenue * Scope For Further Extension STPP * Three Reception Rooms * Breakfast Kitchen With Large Side Store & Utility * Four Bedrooms & Family Bathroom With Separate WC * Large Easterly Facing Rear Garden * Arden Academy Catchment Area * Viewing Essential * EPC Rating D *

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

Widney Road £750,000

** NO UPWARD CHAIN ** Three Bedroom Detached Bungalow Conveniently Located Midway Between The Villages Of Knowle & Dorridge * Set Behind A Wide Frontage With Block Paved Driveway Providing Parking For Multiple Vehicles * Benefitting From Double Garage * Modernised & Updated Throughout * Large Living Room * Separate Dining Room * Breakfast Kitchen * Principal Bedroom With Ensuite * South Facing Rear Garden * EPC Rating D *

Hampton Road £395,000

** NO UPWARD CHAIN ** Two Bedroom Mid Terrace Property * Located In The Heart Of Knowle Village Just A Short Walk From Knowle High Street & All Local Amenities & Schools * Spacious Living/Dining Room Leading To Garden Room * Fitted Kitchen * Two Double Bedrooms (Formerly Three Bedrooms) * Large Principal Bedroom * Shower Room * Rear Patio Garden * Single Garage & Parking To Rear * EPC Rating C *

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

KNOWLE T: 01564 777284 | E: knowle@xacthomes.co.uk Kenilworth Road £695,000

* Significantly Extended & Absolutely Immaculate Three Double Bedroom Property Set Within Easy Walking Distance To Knowle Village & All Local Amenities * Formerly Four Bedrooms & Easily Converted Back Into The Same * Secure Double Gated Entrance With Recently Laid Tarmacadam & Block Paved Driveway Providing Ample Parking * Modern Fitted Breakfast Kitchen * Large Living Room * Open Plan Entrance Hallway & Dining Room & Garden Room All With Karndean Flooring & Underfloor Heating Throughout * Stunning Principal Suite With Walk In Wardrobe & Large Luxury Ensuite * Two Further Double Bedrooms One With Ensuite & Also Family Bathroom * Low Maintenance South Facing Garden With Gated Access To Kenilworth Road * Ideal Property For Those Wishing To Downsize & Be Close To All Local Amenities * EPC Rating C *

Arden Leys £800,000

* Well Presented Four Bedroom Detached Property Which Affords Three Reception Rooms Including Conservatory * Located Within A Quiet Cul-De-Sac of Tanworth In Arden * Large South Facing Rear Garden Backing Onto Open Fields * Large Open Plan Living Room & Dining Room * Breakfast Kitchen With Granite Worksurfaces * Study & Utility * Double Garage * Four Bedrooms & Three Bathrooms * Significant Scope for Extension (STPP) * EPC Rating C *

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

Hanbury Road £950,000

* Significantly Extended & Absolutely Stunning Five Bedroom Traditional Detached Property Located Within Easy Walking Distance To Local Schools, Dorridge Station & Village * Magnificent Open Plan Kitchen / Dining & Family Room With Bi-Fold Doors To Rear Garden & Large Feature Central Island * Two Further Reception Rooms Including Living Room & Sitting Room * Five Bedrooms & Two Luxury Bathrooms * Large Block Paved Driveway * Landscaped Northerly Facing Rear Garden * EPC Rating C *

Old Warwick Road £699,950

* Significantly Extended & Beautifully Presented Four Bedroom Traditional Semi Detached Property Located Within The Heart Of Lapworth Village * Benefitting From Large South Facing Rear Garden With Potential For Development STPP Or Potential For Separate Annexe * Two Reception Rooms Plus Extended Modern Kitchen With Amtico Flooring & Modern Base Wall & Draw Units With Quartz Worksurface Over * Large Conservatory * Utility * Principal Bedroom With En-suite * Three Further Bedrooms Serviced Via Family Bathroom * Sought After Village Location * Viewing Essential * EPC Rating F *

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

SOLIHULL & SHIRLEY 0121 712 6222 | E: solihull@xacthomes.co.uk | E: shirley@xacthomes.co.uk

Ashlawn Crescent £825,000

Pinley Way £775,000

* Sought After Location * Five Bedroom Extended Detached * Immaculately Maintained & Decorated * Internal Viewing Essential * Gas Central Heating * Double Glazing * Enclosed Porch * Entrance Hall * Large Through Lounge/Dining Room * Modern Re-Fitted Breakfast Kitchen * Conservatory * Five Bedrooms * Ensuite Shower Room * Family Bathroom * Garage * Large Established Rear Garden * Early Viewing Essential * EPC Rating D *

* Six Bedroom Extended Detached * Popular Hillfield Estate * Tudor Grange Academy Catchment * Early Viewing Essential * Spacious Family Accommodation * Canopy Porch * Entrance Hall * Guest Cloakroom * Living Room * Extended Dining Room * Fitted Kitchen * Breakfast/Family Room * Utility Room * Six Bedrooms * Two Ensuite * Family Bathroom * Double Garage With Electric Door * West Facing Rear Garden * EPC Rating D *

Chivington Close £360,000

Knowlands Road £385,000

* Three Bedroom Modern Semi Detached * Large Corner Plot * No Upward Chain * Plenty Of Room For Extensions (STPP) * Immaculately Maintained * Internal Viewing Essential * UPVC Double Glazed * Gas Central Heating * Brand New Carpets * New Doors * Easy Access To All Amenities * Entrance Hall * Living Room * Breakfast/ Kitchen * Three Bedrooms * Shower Room * Single Garage * Private Well Maintained Gardens * EPC Rating D *

* Popular Monkspath Estate * Three Bedroom Extended Semi Detached * Early Viewing Essential * Gas Central Heating * Double Glazed * Ideal For A First Time Purchaser * Enclosed Porch * Entrance Hall * Fitted Kitchen * Living Room * Dining Room * Conservatory * Three Bedrooms * Modern Re-Fitted Shower Room * Garage * South Facing Garden * Early Viewing Essential * EPC Rating C *

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

Sharmans Cross Road £699,950

Mollington Crescent £485,000

* Impressive Four Bedroom Victorian Semi Detached * Original Features With A Contemporary Twist * Internal Viewing Essential * Spacious Family Accommodation * Walking Distance To Solihull Town Centre And Railway Station * Early Viewing Essential * Double Glazed * Gas Central Heating * Fitted Breakfast/ Kitchen * Four Good Sized Bedrooms * Bathroom * Garage And Large South Facing Garden * EPC Rating D *

* Spacious Extended Three Bedroom Semi Detached Bungalow * Corner Plot * Immaculately Maintained * Early Viewing Essential * Gas Central Heating * Double Glazing * Entrance Hall * Living Room * Luxury Fitted Kitchen * Main Bedroom With Double Opening Doors For Wheelchair Access * Dressing Room * Ensuite * Two Further Bedrooms * Off Road Parking To the Front * Rear Garden * Early Viewing Essential * EPC Rating C *

Bishopton Close £475,000

Three Acres Lane £219,950

* Quiet Cul-De-Sac Location * Two/ Three Detached Dormer Bungalow * Easy Walking Distance To All Amenities * Early Viewing Essential * Gas Central Heating * Double Glazing * Enclosed Porch * Entrance Hall * Living Room * Dining Room/Bedroom Three * Fitted Kitchen * Downstairs Shower Room * Two Double First Floor Bedrooms * Shower Room * Double Garage * Large Well Maintained Rear Garden * EPC Rating D *

* Ground floor maisonette * Two Bedrooms * Kitchen * Spacious lounge * Bathroom * Off road parking * Garage * Prime location * Ideal for first time buyers * Shared rear garden * EPC rating C *

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

BALSALL COMMON T: 01676 534411 | E: balsallcommon@xacthomes.co.uk

Common Lane

Hill Rise

£700,000

£950,000

* Detached Bungalow with Separate Annexe * No Onward Chain * Four Bedrooms * Solar Panels * Gated * Views Over Open Fields * Large Breakfast Kitchen * Lounge * Games Room * Three Ground Floor Bedrooms * Family Bathroom * First Floor Suite with Bathroom * South Facing Rear Garden * Double Garage * Annexe * Storage Area * Secure Off Road Parking for Multiple Vehicles * South Facing Rear Garden * EPC Rating C *

* Significantly Extended Seven Bedroom Property * Over 3500 sq ft * Two Bedroom Ground Floor Annexe * Well Maintained Throughout * Conveniently Located for Meriden Primary School & Village Amenities * Solar Panels Generating Over £1500 Annual Income * Three Reception Rooms * Large Breakfast Kitchen * Office / Utility Room * Two Bedroom Ground Floor Annexe with Kitchen & Bathroom * Five First Floor Bedrooms (2 x en-suite) * Large Fitted Office *

Needlers End Lane

Meadow Rise

£750,000

£420,000

* Traditional Detached House * Four Bedrooms * Large Plot Front & Rear * Three En-Suite Bedrooms * No Upward Chain * Walking Distance to Village Centre * Breakfast Kitchen * Lounge * Dining Room * Utility Room * Office* Storage * Extensive Off Road Parking * Large South Facing Rear Garden * EPC Rating C *

* Four Bedroom Three Storey Property * Overlooking Lavender Hall Park * Close to Village Centre & Berkswell Train Station * Lounge * Breakfast Kitchen * Ground Floor Bedroom / Study * Shower-room * Three Top Floor Bedrooms * En-Suite Principal Bedroom * Bathroom * Garage * Off Road Parking * Garden * EPC Rating C *

Visit our website xactlettings.co.uk for more details.

Hawkswood Drive

Brook Green Lane

£729,999

£945,000

* Executive Four Bedroom Detached Property * Over 1500sq ft * Entrance Hallway * Guest Cloakroom * Living Room With Inglenook Fireplace * Dining Room * Extended Breakfast kitchen * Study * Utility Room * Four Bedrooms * En-Suite Principal Bedroom * Family Bathroom * Double Garage * Off Road Parking * Private Rear Garden * EPC Rating C *

* Grade II Listed Cottage * Stunning Rural Location * Fully Renovated Throughout * Detached One Bedroom Annexe * Solar Panels Installed Generating Approximately £750 per annum * Outbuildings * Approximately Four Acres Fronting onto River Blythe * EPC Exempt * Cottage Accommodation Provides * Farmhouse Kitchen * Utility Room * Lounge / Dining Room * Shower Room * Double Bedroom *

Marsh Lane

Burrow Hill

£220,000

£440,000

* First Floor Apartment * Over 55’s Development * Centre of Hampton-InArden * No Upward Chain * Tastefully Decorated Throughout * Gas Central Heating * Double Glazed * Internal Viewing Essential * Dual Aspect Lounge * Refitted Kitchen * Double Bedroom * Re-Fitted Bathroom * Allocated Parking Space * Communal Outside Patio Space * EPC Rating C *

* Well Presented Three Bedroom Detached House * Built by Cala Homes in 2019 * Midway Between Balsall Common & Kenilworth * Large Living Room * Modern Fitted Breakfast Kitchen * Low Maintenance Rear Garden * Three Bedrooms (1 x En-suite) * Family Bathroom * Driveway Parking for Two Vehicles * Garage * Balance of NHBC Guarantee * EPC Rating B *

Visit our website xactlettings.co.uk for more details.

LETTINGS T: 01564 781781 | E: knowle@xactlettings.co.uk

Brightwell Crescent

Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common

£3,250 PCM

£995 PCM

Extended Detached Property* Immaculately Presented Throughout* CulDe-Sac Location*Four Double Bedrooms* Lounge* Dining Room* Open Plan Fitted Dining Kitchen* Utility* Cloakroom* Modern Family Bathroom* Modern EnSuite Bathroom* Detached Double Garage* Large Driveway* Low Maintenance Rear Garden* Sonus Speaker System* Alarm Facility Available* EPC Rating C* Unfurnished* Available 13th May.

Extended Mid Terrace Property * Three Bedrooms* Lounge* Open Plan Dining Kitchen* Downstairs Cloakroom* Garage to the Rear* En-Suite Shower Room* Bathroom* Parking to the Rear* Walking Distance to Balsall Common Centre* EPC Rating C * Unfurnished * Available Now*

Temple Road

Cotsford

£4,500 PCM

LET AGREED

Executive Detached Property* Set within Dorridge’s Golden Triangle * Gated Development * Five Bedrooms* Three Reception Rooms * Open Plan Kitchen/Diner* Cloakroom * Utility * Main Bathroom* Two En-Suite Shower Rooms* Walk-in Wardrobe * Double Garage * Private and Attractive Rear Garden* EPC Rating C * Unfurnished* Available Now

Ground Floor Apartment * Well Presented Throughout * Two Bedrooms* Lounge/Diner* Fitted Kitchen* Shower Room * Gas Central Heating * Patio Area * Ideally Located for Solihull Town Centre* Walking Distance to Solihull Train Station* EPC Rating C * Unfurnished * Available Now *

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

KNOWLE TEAM

BALSALL COMMON TEAM

SOLIHULL & SHIRLEY TEAM

MORTGAGES TEAM LETTINGS TEAM

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

LETTINGS T: 01564 781781 | E: knowle@xactlettings.co.uk The Pavilion £1,595 PCM

Recently Constructed Apartment* First Floor with Lift Access * Fitted to a High Specification Throughout* Offered as Furnished/Unfurnished* Two Bedrooms with Fitted Wardrobes * Fitted Kitchen with Appliances* Lounge/Diner with Balcony* Enclosed Garden to the Rear* Two Allocated Parking Spaces* Communal Electric Charger Point* Gas Central Heating* Walking Distance to Hampton In Arden Train Station* EPC Rating B * Available Now *

Berkswell Hall £1,250 PCM

Ground Floor Apartment* Conversion Development* Spacious Accommodation* Two Double Bedrooms* Lounge/Diner* Fitted Kitchen* Shower Room* En-Suite Bathroom* Garage in Separate Block* Communal Grounds * Gas Central Heating* Unfurnished* EPC Rating D* Available 30th May

Visit our website xactlettings.co.uk for more details.

Summerfield Road £1,250 PCM

Semi Detached Property* Well Presented Throughout * Through Lounge* Fitted Kitchen* Downstairs Cloakroom* Modern Bathroom* Garage* Attractive Rear Garden* Gas Central Heating* Off Road Parking* EPC Rating C* Unfurnished* Available 5th May*

St Bernards Road

£2,100 PCM

Traditional Detached Property * Refurbished to a High Standard Throughout * Four Bedrooms* Lounge* Dining Room* Refitted Kitchen* Downstairs Cloakroom * Re-Fitted Bathroom* Re-Fitted En-Suite Shower Room * Garage* Landscaped Rear Garden* Walking Distance to Local Schools* EPC Rating D * Unfurnished* Available Now

Visit our website xactlettings.co.uk for more details.

LETTINGS T: 01564 781781 | E: knowle@xactlettings.co.uk

Meet our Lettings Team

Sarah Bent HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH XACT? Over 6 years WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? Meeting people SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW? I once appeared in a play at the Birmingham Rep when I was in a youth theatre group FAVOURITE FOOD? Chocolate FAVOURTIE TYPE OF HOLIDAY? City break, New York

Lisa Davies

Wendy Clarke

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH XACT? 3 weeks

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH XACT? 4 years

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? Looking forward to learning all about the industry and meeting new people

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? The people I work with

SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW? Has an O’Level in Latin

SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW? Been cautioned by police for demonstrating about women’s rights

FAVOURITE FOOD? Chinese

FAVOURITE FOOD? Crème Brulee

FAVOURTIE TYPE OF HOLIDAY? Villa Mora in Portugal

FAVOURTIE TYPE OF HOLIDAY? I like historic sites in Italy

Visit our website xactlettings.co.uk for more details.

Sara Cope

Andrea Jones

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH XACT? Nearly 2 years

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH XACT?

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? Meeting people

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? The people I work with

SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW? I used to sing in a choir for 20 years FAVOURITE FOOD? Curry/spicy food

5 years

SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW? I am double jointed FAVOURITE FOOD? Curry or anything spicy

FAVOURTIE TYPE OF HOLIDAY? Anywhere in the Carribean

FAVOURTIE TYPE OF HOLIDAY? The Algarve or Vegas

Jacob Endley

Jane Evans

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH XACT? Since September 2020.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH XACT? 15 months.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB? Finding clients homes and the great team that I work with.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? The team I work with.

WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I am always hungry.

WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I write poetry and can do the splits... sometimes at the same time!!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD? Everything!

FAVOURTIE TYPE OF HOLIDAY? Cruise.

Visit our website xactlettings.co.uk for more details.

Here’s what some of our clients say...

”

Laura & Matt

We absolutely recommend Xact to any family or friends looking to buy or sell a house and we have done on numerous occasions. You watch the market, you see a house go up with Xact and it sells and it completes and that’s our experience, there’s lots of reasons why that happens, they get jobs done basically.

”

Beth

I decided to use Xact for both selling my property and eventually buying, simply because I had used them 20 years ago when I bought my first house in the area and that experience had been a positive one so it seemed sense to go back to them again. Also I am aware of the fact that they are a very popular estate agent within the village and everybody that I had spoken to recommended them highly.

”

Peter

Without doubt I would recommend Xact without any equivocation, they’ve done a great job for us.

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

”

Tony

Yes, wholeheartedly I would recommend Xact to anyone who seeks my opinion.

”

Jon

We contacted a couple of the old firms and they came to see us and gave us their advice and their marketing strategies and the prices were very similar. But we noticed with Xact more and more signs were going up and one of my neighbours had sold his property with Xact and he was really pleased with them, so I thought we’ll give them a chance.

”

Kathy

I found them a very approachable estate agent, they had plenty of staff, they were all very polite, they were proactive, very empathetic with the sale, when I had any issues they were dealt with very quickly, they were always willing to answer my questions. I just thought they kept me up-to-date on a weekly basis, sometimes more often where necessary. I like their attitude towards sales really, they made me feel very comfortable.

”

Anne

I would definitely recommend Xact to friends, family and my colleagues and I have already done that.

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details.

SELLING YOUR HOME With Xact Homes

EXCLUSIVE FREE Personalised Property Website

Marketing your property

TRADITIONAL MARKETING FOR SALE BOARD Our boards are highly visible

ENERGY PERFORMANCE

and one of the most

If an EPC is required we can

effective marketing tools

offer this service the same

which is available 24 hours

time as your floorplan is

a day.

produced.

PHOTOGRAPHY We will arrange to come

PROPERTY PARTICUALRS

and take professional

We will design and print a

photography to showcase

detailed set of property

your home to its best

particulars for your property

potential.

to be sent to our database of potential buyers.

FLOORPLANS We will produce

PROPERTY PORTALS

professional floorplans so

We will advertise your

your buyer can see a clear

property on Rightmove to

layout of your property

make you you receive

before viewing.

maximum exposure.

Marketing your property

When you choose to market your property with Xact Homes, you can

EXCLUSIVE TO XACT HOMES

be confident that we’ll ensure that everything goes smoothly. The name Xact Homes is synonymous with trust, excellence and integrity. With decades of experience, specialising in all aspects of residential property, our friendly, enthusiastic and professional service ensures that our clients

Video microsite on our website

continually return to sell and buy through us. Our qualified database of home buyers will be notified of your property coming to market on their dedicated search websites

Rightmove featured property advertising* Feature in our monthly magazine

Comparables of houses SOLD and price guides

where they can book viewings and offer feedback. Quite simply we endeavour to sell your home for the best price, in the shortest possible time, providing you an outstanding service, with a

ACTIVATE

Print marketing: Property brochure, photography, floorplans and newspapers

RECEIVE YOUR VERY OWN

We also recognise the importance of marketing, so your property will be advertised on the major online property portals, our website and social media sites, as well as traditional placement in our window display. Exclusively to us in our area, your property will receive its very own FREE Property Website showcasing a property video, OFSTED reports, and a property brochure. Sharing your personalised website across the social networks widens the audience for your property, to find the right buyer and increasing the chances of a quicker sale.

EXCLUSIVE

COMMON MARKETING

PERSONALISED

personal and friendly approach.

PROPERTY WEBSITE

Tech gimic (Drones, 360 tours) SOLD

SELL Portals and websites

Feature on our Facebook, Twitter and Google+

Property video

All our applicants receive your property on their own search for a home website

THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA PROPERTY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

With social media being such a powerful marketing

We can feature your property in the next edition of

tool, we actively advertise

our fabulous monthly publication to further widen the

our properties on Facebook

exposure of your property being marketed in the local area.

and Twitter.

We distribute our magazine to local businesses in the High

We can also boost your

Street as well as when we visit peoples homes for property

posting to reach a wider

valuations... and we value a lot of properties in the area!

but targeted audience.

Introducing our brand-new website We are constantly updating our business to ensure YOU sell quicker than ever!

Your Personal Property Website is delivered with a property video which is linked from all major property portals such as Rightmove.

hen you’re looking to sell your home, you want an estate agent that prides itself on being up to date when it comes to innovation and technology, and one that works in perfect synergy with what we consider to be the basics of estate agency: customer service, local knowledge, and experience. We already have the local knowledge, experience and customer service and we’re proud to now show off our incredible new website which will help you move, fast.

Design With so much time spent online nowadays, you need a website that will hold people’s attention to ensure your property gets seen by the most people possible. Our new video-based websites do exactly that. Our new website grabs people’s attention and more importantly holds it, so that more people browse through all the useful information it contains as well as using the new and improved search bar to find available properties. The daily news feed, featuring national and local blogs, is perfect for browsers looking to keep up to date with hints and tips for your home, DIY, sports, movies and local news, and at the same time, they may just see your property…

Fuctionality

Personal Property Website

The property search bar has been upgraded so that it is easier than ever for prospective buyers to find your property. There is now a search radius field for potential buyers looking in a certain area, as well as a new and improved user interface.

This has been a real groundbreaking tool. With so many people now finding more buyers through social media, the ability to share your property on these sites simply gives you a higher chance of selling fast. You can personalise your website with its best selling features and share your website with your family and friends on Facebook to widen the exposure to your home... you never know where the buyer of your home could be!

We know it’s important for you to build trust in us which is why we have new pages featuring up to date details for the whole moving process, as well as a Meet the Team page so you can always put a name to a face. The whole website has been streamlined so it is easier for you and your potential buyers to find your property and all the details they need. Making the website easier to use will help your prospective buyers find your property, and using our new tools you will be able to see if it gets the thumbs up or down, which helps to differentiate between buyers and potential time-wasters. Keep up to date with the most recent national and local news with our integrated social media feed, and use it share your own property. And with the new WhatsApp integration, it’s now easier than ever to get in contact with us.

So, if you’re looking to move in the future, please contact us today to see what we can do for you. KNOWLE

LETTINGS

T: 01564 777284 E: knowle@xacthomes.co.uk

T: 01564 781 781 E: knowle@xactlettings.co.uk

SOLIHULL & SHIRLEY

BALSALL COMMON

T: 0121 712 6222 E: solihull@xacthomes.co.uk

T: 01676 534411 E: balsallcommon@xacthomes.co.uk

Property Video Your Personal Property Website will also come with a property video which is linked to the website from all major property portals such as Rightmove. On your own personal property page, you will also find easy to use share links for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatApp. With correct use of your Personal Property Website, you’ll see the benefits it makes yourself.

Present your house for sale by de-cluttering... Maximise your home’s potential and create spacious rooms enticing potential buyers – simply by de-cluttering!

De-cluttering allows you to… maximise your space, emotionally prepare you to move, and will allow you to focus your buyers on what is important

f you are looking to sell your house, or have had your home on the market for a while now, then you probably want to get the maximum sale price in the quickest time. There are a few things you can’t control – but the one thing that is in your control, is the look and feel of the interior and exterior. While it’s worth spending time fixing and cleaning your house before potential buyers come and view, it’s also important to de-clutter. This creates spacious rooms and also allows you to decrease and organise your personal items before you move yourself. Of course it’s understandable that you don’t to want spend money, time and energy on a home you are about to leave, however, a lot of people are looking for a house in which they can move straight into. Maintaining your

property might even save you thousands of pounds; it could even reduce added expenses of living in your home whilst waiting for a sale. And it might even help avoid possible reductions in the asking price. The main reason in which people move house tends to be because they lack space in their current home. They want a home that is spacious and in which they can grow into. If a potential viewer comes to your home and sees that there is lack of space, then this will turn them away. De-cluttering allows you to remove any unnecessary items in an untidy or overcrowded place. It will help maximise your space, emotionally prepare you to move, and will allow you to focus your buyers on what is important.

So where should you start? You need to create a great first impression and focus on the rooms themselves. You will notice that the first things you see in each room are personal items. Where possible you want to create the look of a

them into things you want to keep and things you want to get rid of. You may even find that you have collected a cupboard full of paper work. Get yourself organised! Don’t just throw it all away, but file it and go through it thoroughly. This will also make it easier when you move.

De-personalising can also be a great way to declutter. Too many personal effects can be distracting to buyers. They want to see a house in which they can make their own memories rather than seeing yours. Again, personal items can be stored away. Remember

Where possible you want to create the look of a lifestyle that the potential buyers want lifestyle that the potential buyer want. This usually has a ‘show home’ feel, rather than a ‘lived in’ feel. Minimising your things is the quickest way to do this: you want to ensure that potential buyers can do simple things, like, open any doors easily, ensuring that there are no obstacles. So, what do we mean by clutter? There are two types: genuine clutter, and items that you want to keep but don’t work for the sale of your property. Genuine Clutter: You need to go through the space and sort out each item, categorising

You also want to focus on little things like DVDs, books and trinkets. These items may have some small value so sell them or donate them to charity. Get rid of any old shoes and coats that are lying about in your porch or hallway. You might want to hide away the coats and shoes you do currently wear. Store them in your wardrobe, while you have viewings. Items that you want to keep but don’t work for the sale of your property: You may want to consider putting some items in storage while you sell your home. Sometimes items are too large or even too small for some spaces and can make the room look odd. If you want to keep these particular items, then store them until you move into your new home.

that this is only a temporary way of living and hopefully it won’t be for long! If you find you are keeping more things than you are throwing out, then think about whether or not it’s in the right room or do you even need it now? As previously mentioned, you can attempt to sell some of the things you have acquired over the years. Use sites like eBay, Gumtree and social networking sites to try and sell items. You may want to even hold a house sale for the remaining items that you can’t sell. Failing that, why not donate to charity. The end goal is still the same and it’s important to help potential buyers envision your house as theirs. So remember, decluttering will make your home more spacious and entice potential buyers!

Top Tips! If you are throwing away paperwork, shred anything that is confidential

De-clutter before agents come and take photos of your property. This will help attract more potential viewers online and get that first good impression

Don’t spend too long on certain items and don’t get distracted. Keep yourself motivated and race against the clock!

Make it fun! Play some music or watch TV while you de-clutter

Your step-by-step guide to the conveyancing process

nce a sale has been agreed and is in the hands of your solicitor, it will go through the following stages. Sometimes additional work will be needed – for example, if the property is leasehold or is yet to be registered with the Land Registry. It is also important for buyers to discuss the availability of their deposit with their solicitor early in the transaction, and we strongly recommend that you contact your solicitor regularly so that they can keep you fully up-to-date with the progress and the latest timescales.

Seller’s solicitor’s steps • O btain a copy of the Title Deeds (or office copies if the title is registered) • Obtain a copy of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) (if applicable) • The seller(s) will return a completed Property Information Form and a Fixtures, Fittings and Contents Form to the solicitors • Copies of the above documents, plus a draft contract – this is known as an ‘Information Pack’ – will be sent to the buyer’s solicitor • Answer the buyer’s solicitor’s additional enquiries (for example, specific questions about fixtures and fittings) and obtain copies of any planning consent documents • Agree the contract and arrange for the sellers to sign it in readiness of the exchange (below) • All parties agree completion dates and the contracts are exchanged

Between exchange and completion • O btain redemption figures from the mortgage lender and reply to requisitions on title • Approve the transfer and arrange for the seller(s) and buyer(s) to sign • Receive the agent’s fee account and seek the seller’s consent to settle this out of completion funds

Completion date This is the date the ownership of the property passes from the seller to the buyer, and it follows the successful transfer of funds. It’s the date that the whole process works towards.

Upon completion • Receive completion funds and (only when this has been completed) instruct your estate agent to release the keys to buyers. Redeem mortgage and forward the financial statement. Forward any surplus funds (unless these are being used to fund an onward purchase). Ensure all outstanding bills are paid • Forward transfer documents and deeds to the buyer’s solicitors • Forward evidence of ‘discharge of mortgage’ to the buyer’s solicitors

Buyer’s solicitor’s steps • O btain the Information Pack, including a copy of the EPC (if applicable) from the sellers’ solicitor and raise any additional queries • Initiate any specialist searches (for example: a coal search). Submit local, environmental and water searches and a chancel check. This takes about 10 working days in total, and enquiries are then usually raised from the results • Approve the contract when all enquiries are satisfactory and complete. (At this stage, a mortgage transfer deed will need to be signed and witnessed) • Receive a mortgage offer and instructions from the lender and deal with any conditions set out by them. Make sure that life cover and buildings insurance is being arranged • Request the deposit, report back to the buyer, and arrange for the contract to be signed. Place buildings insurance and life cover in force • All parties agree completion dates and the contracts are exchanged

Between exchange and completion • Raise ‘requisitions on title’ and prepare the draft transfer deed • Report on title to mortgage lender and obtain funds for completion, including Stamp Duty (if appropriate) • Prepare accounts, obtain signature to mortgage deed and undertake final Land Registry and Land Charges searches

Upon Completion • F orward to the seller’s solicitors the balance of funds − it is only then that they can authorise the release of the keys. Receive from the seller’s solicitors, the transfer document deeds • Stamp the Transfer Deed, register the buyer’s ownership with the Land Registry and forward the deeds to the lender or client (where appropriate)

Contract - The agreement that sets out the main terms that have been agreed − for example: price, address, names, etc. Two copies are drawn up, and each party signs one in readiness for the exchange of contracts. Deposit - The part of the purchase price (usually 10%) which the buyer pays on exchange of contracts. Exchange of contracts - The swapping of signed contracts by the solicitors (together with the buyer’s deposit). After this, the contract is binding. Energy Performance Certificate - This contains information on energy use, energy performance, carbon dioxide emissions, and fuel bills. Land Registry - The Government department that records who owns what land, and under what conditions. Local Authority Search - A list of questions that are specific to the property and intended, for example, to discover if there have been any planning applications on the property, if the road to the house is maintained by the council, etc. Mortgage Redemption Figure - The amount required to repay the outstanding capital/ interest of a mortgage. Property information form/fixtures, fittings and contents form - Standard forms about the property that the seller answers for their solicitor (for example: what will be left behind, details of guarantees, etc.) Title Deeds - Legal documents that prove ownership of land/buildings, and the terms on which they are owned. Transfer of Title - The document that passes the ownership from the seller to the buyer. Stamp Duty for buy to let investors and second home owners - An additional tax, paid by the buyer purchasing an additional property that is not their main residence. It includes buy to let landlords and those buying second homes and holiday homes. The higher rates will be 3 percentage points above the current rates of duty shown below. Requisition on title - An enquiry relating to the completion arrangements. Seller’s Pack - This comprises a Property Information Form, a Fixtures, Fittings and Contents Form, a copy of the title deeds and the draft contract. Stamp Duty - Currently, the Stamp Duty threshold for residential properties is £125,000. For first-time buyers, you’ll get a discount as long as the purchase price is £500,000 or less. However, how much you pay is also dependent on whether you already own another property or if you’re a non-UK resident.

Moving house? From meter readings to removal companies, there’s so much to remember when moving house. Here’s our checklist of what to do and when

irst of all, congratulations on your new home! The excitement has probably now kicked in but moving home can also be one of the most stressful and emotionally draining things you can do. However, careful organisation and planning can help decrease the stress and anxiety of moving. This comprehensive and essential checklist will help you do just that.

Eight weeks – Research Ideally, you want to start packing away any non-essential items as early as possible. This includes any items stored away in the loft, garage and shed. If you are not using it, pack it. Looking into your new area is also important, try to do this around eight weeks before you move. You might need to think about transferring your children to different schools and ordering new uniforms too. At this point, ensure you are also documenting all your important information away: that includes contact details, dates, contracts and information regarding your solicitor.

Six weeks – Removal companies or do it yourself? Now would be the perfect time to decide on a local removal company. Or if you don’t have too much to move, you may want to do it yourself. You could even look into different van hire companies. At this point you’ve probably started packing away some bits, but if there is anything you decide not to take, then look into selling these items or donating them to charity. This will also give you an idea on the volume of items you have to move.

Four weeks – Notify utility companies This would be a good time for you to notify utility companies and inform them about your move to switch over. This includes gas and electricity, council tax, internet, phone rental and TV. You should also consider changing any car insurance, tax, memberships, phone contracts and inform your bank about the move. Now’s the time to also arrange a date to have your new house cleaned before you move

The buyers of our homes receive their very own property website to share via

Checklist Eight weeks Pack non-essential items Research your new area (transfer schools and order new uniform) Keep all important documents

Six weeks Decide on a local removal company Clear out any unwanted items Keep packing

Four weeks

It will be worth packing a night bag each to help everyone settle in, which means you won’t have to rummage through everything to find your toothbrush! in, and start ordering any new furnishings for your new property. Start packing away more items, that being, out of season clothes, books, dvd’s and even bulky items, like TV’s that aren’t used often.

Two weeks – Confirm all details Confirm your move with your removal company or van hire, estate agents and schools. If possible, try to organise someone to look after your pets and children for the day of your move, as this can also be a stressful time for them too. If your removal company doesn’t disassemble any furniture or sort out the un-plumbing for the washing machine, then now would be the ideal time to organise these. Remember to also cancel any local services you receive: this could be window cleaners, gardeners and newspaper deliveries. You should now also think about re-registering to vote and getting your post re-directed after your moving date. Continue packing away more furnishings, kitchen appliances and crockery that you won’t be using for the next couple of weeks.

24 hours – Final check and walk round You now have only 24 hours before you move, so double check that everything is packed away and ready for transit. It will be worth packing a night bag each to help everyone settle in, which means you won’t have to rummage through everything to find your toothbrush! You may want to create an inventory of your boxes and

furniture to help you keep track of what you have and to help you ensure it doesn’t go missing.

Moving day Today is the day! You need to be ready for when your removal company comes. Ensure that you let them know if there are any fragile boxes that need extra care when handling. If you’re moving yourself, then pack up your car or van and work out how many trips it may take. Before you leave, also take note of your final meter readings and send these off to your provider. Don’t forget to leave your keys for the new owners!

You have arrived at your new home! Give your removal company instructions of which boxes go in which rooms and make sure you are happy with everything that has arrived. Ensure you check for any damage before the movers leave. Read your new utility meters and send your readings of to your supplier. Taking photos of them will also ensure you have the correct reading if you need them again in the future. Unpack your essentials such as bed linen and clean towels. Don’t worry about the rest, it isn’t going anywhere! Order a takeaway, have a cup of tea and enjoy your first night with your family. Right, so now you’re all moved in, it’s time to settle down, unpack and enjoy your new place. Remember, planning is essential to ensure your move runs stress free.

social media with its address and personal message!

Notify utility companies Start preparation for your new house Keep packing

Two weeks Finalise all details Organise pet and child care Cancel local services Keep packing

24 hours Check every room and ensure everything is packed Pack a night bag so everything is to hand Collect your new keys Make sure your phone is fully charged so you can get in touch with the estate agents or removal company

Moving in Prepare for the arrival of the removal company and give them directions/ your contact details Ensure everything is ready to move Record meter readings

On arrival Give removal company instructions of what goes where Check for any damage before they leave Read your new utility meters and send them off to your supplier Check if the previous owners have left anything behind Unpack essentials Order a takeaway and sit back and relax!

“We lead,

never follow.

“

Solihull's leading agent according to Rightmove.

Visit our website xacthomes.co.uk for more details. KNOWLE

SOLIHULL

BALSALL COMMON

LETTINGS

T: 01564 777284 E: knowle@xacthomes.co.uk

T: 0121 712 6222 E: solihull@xacthomes.co.uk

T: 01676 534411 E: balsallcommon@xacthomes.co.uk

T: 01564 781 781 E: knowle@xactlettings.co.uk