mather marshall

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:39:00 +0000

The team at Mather Marshall wish you all a very happy Christmas. We hope you all get what you wish for in your Christmas stocking this year.

If your are hoping for a new house for 2012 why not give us a call. We cannot promise to fit it in your Christmas stocking this year, but we can help make it a reality for the new year.

International Traditions of Christmas Stockings

Children all over the world continue the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings or a similar custom.

In Hungary children shine their shoes before putting them near the door or a window sill.
Many believe that the Dutch introduced Christmas stockings to America. During the 16th Century children in Holland would leave their clogs by the hearth. They would fill them with straw for the reindeer or "donkey" as the reindeer were called. A treat for Santa was left in the house near the warm fire. In return "Sinterklass" would leave the children treats. Later the clogs would become Christmas stockings and the Saint known to all as Santa Claus.
In France the children place their shoes by the fireplace, a tradition dating back to when children wore wooden peasant shoes.
Italian children leave their shoes out the night before Epiphany, January 5, for La Befana the good witch. La Befana fills good children's shoes with toys and candy and those who have been bad receive rocks and ashes.
In Puerto Rico children put greens and flowers in small boxes and place them under their beds for the camels of the Three Kings.
In Quebec and Acadia, children traditionally put their shoes close to the fireplace so that the Infant Jesus, and later "Père Noël" (Father Christmas), could put gifts there on Christmas Eve. This custom, which probably came to us from European countries where it was a common practice in the 19th century, does not seem to have survived this period.
In some Quebec families, children hung their Christmas stockings at the end of their bed rather than hanging them close to the fireplace or putting out their shoes. This custom ended during the 1930s when Christmas trees started to be set up in houses with gifts placed underneath.
Japanese oranges have a special meaning to the people who live in the Canadian Prairies. A gift from the East, their arrival at the coldest time of the year has brightened many homes and Christmas feasts for 110 years. To many, the festive season begins when Santa Claus welcomes the first major shipment of Japanese mandarin oranges at the Port of Vancouver, accompanied by young Japanese girls dressed in tradition kimonos. On Christmas morning the flavorful fruit find their way into many children's Christmas stockings.
In North America, the first images of Christmas stockings hung by the fireplace were drawn by the illustrator, Thomas Nast, and by the writer, George Webster, in a story about Santa.

Whatever the legend, finding a Christmas stocking on Christmas morning is magical and joyful enjoy your Christmas.

Jeremey Godfrey

Mather Marshall

Haunted

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:16:00 +0000

It’s that time of year when our thoughts start to turn towards the grizzly. Although Britain doesn’t quite go to the extremes of our American cousins when celebrating Halloween most of us will be stocking up on sweets, making outfits for our kids (big and small), and carving pumpkins in honour of all that is spooky and ghoulish.

Britains bloody history has supplied our Islands with a wealth of haunted properties, here are just a few:The Tower of London: This must be the most haunted building in Britain. The white tower is the oldest section of the structure and is said to be haunted by a ‘White Lady’ who will stand at the window and wave at people in the building opposite. Guards in many of the other sections of the tower have reported feeling a heavy weight on their chests when walking through.Oystermouth Castle

: Another White Lady haunts local castle in Oystermouth, Swansea. She is sometimes seen crying and with open wounds on her back. Legend has it that she was a medieval prisoner held at the castle and whipped to death on the whipping post still found in the castle’s dungeon.

The Rising Sun, Cloth Fair EC1: Situated close to St Bartholomew’s hospital this establishment is said to have been a popular meeting place for body snatchers hunting for cadavers to sell to waiting research doctors in the early 19th century. The establishment has many ghostly experiences associated with it, the most spooky being a that of a landlady taking a shower in the 1990s. She reported hearing the bathroom door open and close before the shower curtain was pulled back slowly and she felt an icy hand on her back. When she turned around she was alone in the room.

The Mill Hotel in Sudbury: The hotel is situated over the river and still showcases the old mill wheel in it’s restaurant. When the building was still an active mill it is said a lady fell into the wheel and drowned. Her ghost still haunts the older parts of the hotel to this day.The Lord Crewe Arms – Blanchland: Haunted by Dorothy Foster whose brother, Tom, commanded the Jacobite forces in the 1715 uprising. Tom surrendered to the government army without so much as a clash of weapons and was imprisoned in Newgate before escaping to France days before his trial for high treason. Dorothy still appears before patrons and staff of the Lord Crewe Arms asking for them to deliver Tom a message that it is now safe to return to home shores.

Of course many supernatural events go unreported in homes up and down the country.

Have you ever had to sell a Haunted home?Happy Halloween.

How to make the most out of your home

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:41:00 +0000

As we approach the Christmas period, you traditionally expect to see the house market become a little quieter. People understandably do not want the stress of having to move house as well as cook Christmas for 20 members of the family!

However, there are still buyers looking to secure properties in this period that need to make purchases early in the New Year. In fact it normally tends to be only serious buyers viewing this time of year. Therefore you need to make sure your property stands out and be as attractive as possible in order to sell at this time.

It doesn't take much to make your property as presentable as possible, the key factors are:

Clean and tidy - it seems very simple but is probably the most important thing to remember, but to have minimal clutter, polished work surfaces and hovered floors make great first impressions.
Decoration - touch up any scuff marks or small parts of wear and tear in order to make your property look more presentable. Given the time of year, Christmas decorations are bound to be abundant in most households, just try to keep it as least cluttered with decorations in order to make the most of the size of your property.
Lighting - with it being dark at 4pm already, make sure all your light bulbs are working to prevent any potential lighting issues when agents are showing buyers around. If you would prefer for lamps to be used in preference to the main lights as it makes the room look more attractive, let your agent know so they can prepare for this before a potential buyers arrives to view.
Scent - there is an old cliche in estate agency that people buy houses where they can smell freshly baked bread and coffee which was brewed 10 seconds before they walked through to door. The thing to remember is that it only takes a plug in air freshener and the job is done, and spending £3 on something which will last months compared to opening a bakery in your kitchen is going to a lot more hassle free!

Try to remember all of this and these slight improvements will make your property stand out and attract more buyers at this slightly quieter time of year.

Testimonials

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:42:00 +0000

I have recently asked our clients and business associates to write testimonies to let us know how they feel about the service we provide.

" As a first time user of an Estate Agent i can honestly say that i was very pleased with your service overall.
I was impressed that Paul took the time to personally value and measure up even though i know my little place was small fry compared with some properties you must have go through your books.
It was nice to feel as important as someone generating you huge commission something as a sales person myself i do with all my customers, treat the all the same.
I was also very grateful that Paul was willing to negotiate the fee understanding how tight budgets were for us.
Stevan, i found you great to deal with, you kept me updated all the time and than needing to chase you i knew you would call me with news. You were also friendly and good to have a laugh with which is always a plus for me.
I hope i don't need to move for some time but if i do i will certainly be in touch."

Sharon Robson.

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"Just moved house with Mather Marshall... they make everything easy. Great service."

Sian Graham.

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"You deserve a big pay rise and companies should have more people like you. Keep up the good work Stevan, you are a credit to Mather Marshall and i hope they know that!"

Nathalie Ferriera

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To Stevan

We would like to take this opportunity to thank for all of your help and assistance regarding the supply of your advertising on a weekly basis. It is without doubt that you demonstrate a high level of care and attention to detail when supplying your copy thus making our job at The Advertiser a great deal easier. You are always extremely pleasant to deal with, adhere well ahead of our deadlines and remain both loyal and supportive of our publications within the North Herts area.

We look forward to a continued successful working relationship.

Yours sincerely,

Joanne King
The Advertiser Series

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Dear Jeremey,

Following our recent house move, for which Mather Marshall acted as agent for us in selling our old house, and also secured the purchase of our new home, I am writing to express our gratitude to your staff in the Knebworth office, namely Laura, Charlotte and Karen. Having dealt with several firms of estate agents, both local and national, over the years, and having been disappointed time and time again with the service received we were very sceptical about dealing with yet another estate agent. However, we cannot speak highly enough about the service we received from your staff. We found that, refreshingly, throughout the whole selling and buying process we were given a first class service, yet with a very friendly, personal and honest approach. We would definitely use Mather Marshall again and would not hesitate in recommending your firm to any potential house sellers or buyers.

Regards,

Kim Homer

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Hi Stevan,

Following our successful purchase of 58 Lancaster Road through Mather Marshall we just wanted to (belatedly) thank you for all your help. Our apologies for taking so long to contact you but it has been a bit of a manic month!!

We found you and your company to be exceedingly friendly and courteous and very efficient in keeping us up-to-date with any progress big or small. We were obviously keen to see the house a number of times following the agreement of the sale and you were always More than happy to accommodate our requests even with short notice.

If your professionalism and customer service to your vendors is as good as it was to us as buyers we wouldn't hesitate to use you in the future for the sale of our own property (we hope this won't be for a while though!) We will certainly be recommending you to any friends or family that decide to move in the future.

Once again, many thanks for all your hard work.

Best regards,

Tom and Victoria Hall

Confusing Times

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:13:00 +0000

With the vast media coverage on the housing market and current state of the economy, one of the most widely used tools for measuring the growth of the housing market is being manipulated by many media sources to create dramatic headlines. This tool is known as a house price indice.

House price indices work on the basis that over the same measurable length of time they track results in house sales or demand to ascertain whether the market is in growth or decline.

However, there are many ways in which this can be misconstrued and distorted, especially in the hands of the media.

A well publicised result from the Halifax indice recently showed that prices had in fact taken the biggest single monthly drop on record, 3.6%. This created a very shocking headline and was one of the lead stories in many of the national newspapers. However, what they fail to mention in many of the articles is that in fact this is a bias survey in favour of houses which have been purchased using a mortgage provided by Halifax. This means the survey results are being generalised to the whole of the market, which is a vast misrepresentation of what is truly happening.

An independent survey by Acadametrics showed that in fact during September there was a 0.2% INCREASE in house prices. This survey takes it's source information from Land registry figures, which documents every property transaction in the country, taking into consideration purchases where a mortgage has been used from every lender and also from cash purchasers.

This survey gives a far more accurate guide to prices because it is not bias and it does not generalise it's results.

So why would a newspaper or another media source give such precedence to a bias and misrepresentative article? Because headlines sell newspapers!

What would grab your attention more? " HOUSE PRICES DROP 3.6% IN SEPTEMBER, THE LARGEST SINGLE MONTHLY DROP ON RECORD" or "House prices rise 0.2%"

The newspapers single biggest agenda is to sell the most amount of copies in order to make the largest possible profit. Whether it is positive or negative, the most dramatic headlines will always sell more newspapers! They do not take into consideration if they misrepresent information all falsify information as long as it sells more copies. An example of this in a different context is the recent debacle over Wayne Rooney signing a new contract. So far in different newspapers i have read he earns £160,000 a week, £200,000 a week and even £250,000 a week! That is a £90,000 a week difference, almost £5million a year differential! The fact is, none of these publishers truly know how much he earns, they can only speculate, but the more astonishing the figure, the more likely somebody is to read it.

The point i am trying to convey in this article is that you should not always believe what you read in the media as it is often bias information, misconstrued in order to gain more attention and achieve more sales. For the best advice, you should consult several well known and trusted agents in your area as well as local solicitors and financial advisers, as these are the people on the property front line who know what is really going on.

Housing Market Status

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:46:00 +0000

Recently the media has focused negatively on the current state of the housing market stating fears of low mortgage approvals, a lack of buyers and the potential of a double dip recession. However, at Mather Marshall, we have found this not to be the case. Recently we achieved sales on two new properties within just 10 days of marketing, one of which sold at full asking price.

Having looked further into the current set of properties which are under offer we found we had achieved over asking price for a property in which we had over four interested parties! This goes to show there is still high demand for quality properties and that there is a lack of supply in the current market.

We have also sold a unique property set on the southern border of Hitchin which became under offer within a week achieving very close to the asking price again this is consistent with every property that we have sold.

What we are trying to express to you is that you shouldn’t believe all you read in the press because it rarely gives a true reflection of the state of affairs and without a bold headline of something terrific or terrible, who would buy newspapers?

Mather Marshall Team

Update on the property market

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:39:00 +0000

Speculation over the property market in the last month has varied dependent on which newspaper you have read or what news channel you are watching.
We thought that this would be a good time to bring together several different articles in order to clarify the current market and to give yourselves a clearer understanding.
Figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders that repossessions are declining, down by 2,400 from the same quarter last year. This shows two things: mortgages are only being Lent to customers who are in more secure jobs and are not "high risk" as previously seen before the recession and also mortgage rates are lower and therefore the repayments are easier for people to make. Positive news that the banks are not taking bigger risks with our money by lending to people who struggle to make repayments. What it may also show is that there are less redundancies being made so people are more secure in their jobs and not facing financial uncertainty which can often lead to missed payments.
House prices dropped by 0.5% last month according to one lender. However, this is taken by an average of properties sold. This simply means that there are more lower priced houses selling, which means the lower end is performing well... if the lower end is selling then the chances are you will see a rise in prices next month when those people make their next move upmarket. It is easy to see the negative side in this but you have to understand it is only an average and with the World Cup and school holidays happening, the market is also bound to be quieter this time of year.... like it is also around Christmas time, every single year!
Another thing to bear in mind is that house prices have been going up over the last 12 months and are now just 0.7% less than what they were at the height of the market in Hertfordshire according to a study conducted by Zoopla.co.uk.
Buy-to-let lending in the second quarter reached its highest level since the end of 2008, rising 13% on the previous quarter, and 15% on the same period the previous year.
Buy-to-let mortgages accounted for 12% of all new mortgages, the highest proportion since records began!
Whilst writing this blog however, i have just seen research conducted by Acadametrics which show that the 0.5% loss in June has been followed by a 0.1% rise in July.... looks like some of those people have started getting offers accepted on their move upmarket!

KIDS HAVE BROKEN UP!

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:39:00 +0000

Kids have broken up!

Finally the kids have broken up for the summer holidays and its around this time that we realise , with all the family at home for this extended period, that they need larger accommodation or a bigger garden. Well now could be the time to consider your next move!!

Over recent weeks the supply of properties in to the market has increased allowing buyers far more choice when looking for their next home.

This has also allowed house prices to settle down again and keep them to a “sensible level” rather than some of the larger increase already seen this year.

Its fair to say that there is still an element of uncertainty within the economy, but when it comes to accommodating ones family this to many people takes priority. With enough deposit or existing equity in your home, mortgage rates are still very competitive, making this a great time to secure your future home.

Finally there are a high level of investors once again looking to purchase properties as they are returning very little on interest from the banks, and again with prices settling down again returns on rental returns are very attractive.

Enjoy the holidays !

No More Home Information Packs!

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Thu, 20 May 2010 16:46:00 +0000

Another boost to the housing market today with the announcement that HIP's have been suspended with immediate effect, with the view to abolishing them. Under European legislation EPC's will still be enforced, however this still means a huge saving for those thinking of moving, potentially saving hundreds of pounds! Also better for vendors, it means that properties can be on the market within 24 hours!

OPENING OF NEW HITCHIN OFFICE

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:40:00 +0000

Mather Marshall are pleased to announce the opening of their Hitchin Office to compliment their existing chain of offices in Hatfield, Knebworth and Stevenage.

Independently owned, Mather Marshall are expanding their network of offices along the AI(M) corridor and mainline railway line to assist Vendors and Landlords in buying, selling and letting of properties within Hertfordshire’s prime commuter belt.

Having had a major increase in instructions across the Easter period please visit mathermarshall.com to see the extensive range of properties now available.

With recent announcement by the Government to assist First Time Buyers on purchases up to £250,000 and what appears to be the end of the Winter cold spell, Mather Marshall are expecting a very busy Spring period leading into the Summer.

If you are contemplating a move or just need some property advice or thinking of letting your home then please call Mather Marshall on 01462 420277

Paul Mather

STAMP DUTY AND HOUSE PRICES

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:37:00 +0000

With recent announcement by the Government to assist First Time Buyers on purchases up to £250,000 with the removal of stamp duty, and what appears to be the end of the Winter cold spell, Mather Marshall are expecting a very busy Spring period leading into the Summer.

People are slowly returning from their Easter Break and we can already see the level of enquiries on the increase.

The announcement that the General Election is to be held on May 6th 2010 will also have an effect on the property market. With each of the potential parties offering various incentives to house buyers and sellers alike, 2010 is looking to be a good year throughout the county.

Houses prices have started to recover from the lows of 2008/2009 and with the freeing up of mortgage monies it’s fair to say the housing market has started the road to recovery. On saying that we would still strongly advise people to do “their homework” before agreeing a purchase and make sure funds are available and that they have sufficient monies to fulfil their agreement to purchase. We at Mather Marshall have in-house mortgage advisors who are able to have an informal chat with you regarding finances before you start the buying process so that you are fully aware of the costs involved and the size of deposit required

Once again let’s hope the new found confidence in the housing market continues and if you are contemplating a move, require some property advice or thinking of letting your home then please call Mather Marshall Hatfield on 01707 270777 Knebworth on 01438-813337, Stevenage on 01438-748007 or Hitchin on 01462-420277

Paul Mather

Happy New Year and Prosperous 2010

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:57:00 +0000

Firstly I would like to wish all clients old & new a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year

After what can only be described as a record breaking December for both sales and Letting alike at Mather Marshall, January has so far bought us record breaking snow and school closures!!!

As I look out of the window from my Stevenage Office the snow has once again started will it never end!

On a serious note, the market appears to be somewhat warmer than the weather with a significant increase in valuations and viewings coming thick and fast

Hopefully with election year upon us, it will bring a turning point in the market place and with a bit of luck the banks will ease their lending criteria which will allow more people to be able to buy and sell with smaller deposits.

Watch this blog for further updates!!!!!

Interest rates were put on hold again at 0.5% and retailers announcing positive post Christmas results so here’s to a more buoyant 2010.

All the best

Paul Mather

Christmas is Coming

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Christmas is Coming

At this time of the year most vendors have one goal in common, to move before Christmas. The idea of being settled into a new home to host the friends and family gathering proves irresistible to many.
The problem that remains for most vendors is the lack of property currently on the market. According to the National Association of Estate Agents, who only ever get it right and tell the truth, an average of five homebuyers is chasing each and every property on the market.
This is certainly being experienced locally with most new property instructions being snapped up by a plethora of waiting applicants.
Worryingly, the number of new buyers traditionally coming onto the market this time of year will be down, causing demand to further increase for available properties. We can only remain hopeful that as confidence and lending abilities improve, more people will be in a position to come on to the property market.
A positive sign is that some of the biggest building societies have recently announced reductions in their home loan rates. This is good news for the recovery of the market and for the UK economy in general.
At the end of the day our thoughts on the housing market are. “That it could be a lot worse out there! In fact, it has been and it was.”

Jeremey Godfrey

FEEL GOOD FACTOR IN THE PROPERTY MARKET

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:24:00 +0000

We are now firmly into the summer holidays the weather has been kind to us (well most of the time) and the continued feel good factor in the property market appears to be continuing.

SALES ARE UP!-Sales numbers have increased dramatically giving further evidence that prices have finally bottomed, which in turn has led to a shortage of available properties on the market.

WE NEED YOUR HOME!-Due to the increase in sales this has led to a shortage of available properties therefore if you have been considering selling in the last few months it may be the time to take advantage of there being more buyers than sellers at the moment. You may be pleasantly surprised at our valuation of your home!!!!!!!

ARE PRICES ON THE RISE?- In some cases we have noticed that prices have risen and we are informing all clients past and present that it is worth getting an up to date valuation of their home to see if this renewed interest in the property market will enable them to move.

IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO MOVE?-****YES**** If you are looking to move up market then this really is a fantastic time to move. The cost of moving up market in percentage terms has fallen considerably with the drop in house prices and therefore now is the time to contact us so we can help with arranging a new mortgage and providing you with an up to date valuation.

MORTGAGE UPDATE!- There is no getting over it, the mortgage market has been on its knees for some time, but there are signs of recovery. The Bank of England base rate is on a record low, and we are now seeing mortgage interest rates at less than 3%, albeit subject to status, but with high street lenders and without huge arrangement fees. Deposit remains key, but there are mortgages available with a deposit as low as 10% and lenders appear to have a more relaxed attitude to lending money and we appear to have lost the situation where lenders have no money to lend, all positive news !

I hope you find some of the above information of use and should we be able to offer any further help please do not hesitate to contact me

Here’s hoping to continued confidence in the market throughout 2009

Paul Mather F.N.A.E.A.

CONTINUED SHOOTS OF RECOVERY

noreply@blogger.com (MatherMarshall) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:28:00 +0000

My initial concerns that this small recovery may have been a short lived one have now abated with sales across all four offices exceeding all of my expectations!

We have found a significant increase in sale and a firming up of prices and even though prices are lower than those of two years ago we have found that some property prices have started to rise.

We are constantly looking for more houses to sell so why not take this opportunity to call us for a free no obligation valuation to update you on the price of your home and the service that Mather Marshall can offer.

All the best

Paul Mather