Charles Eden are delighted to have been judged as Best Estate Agents in Beckenham in the British Property Awards 2018
Approved By Trading Standards
We are unique as an Estate Agent in Beckenham that all of our team have undergone training which has been “Approved by Trading Standards” through the Guild of Property Professionals.
The Guild Associate Training Scheme is a comprehensive programme covering all aspects of Estate Agency practice & legislation.
“Regular training is essential to keep up to date with the latest legislation as well constantly refreshing our knowledge. The fact that the Guilds scheme has been recognised by Trading Standards is very rewarding and hopefully gives confidence to the public that they are dealing with Property Professionals when they deal with Charles Eden” said Director Justin Flanagan.
Location Location Location
It was great to see one of our flats feature in the last episode of Channel 4’s Location Location Location and very amusing seeing Kirstie testing out the corner bath.
The property is currently for sale and can seen on our website at the link below.
Charles Eden Responsive Website & Instant Valuation Tool Live
Always looking to improve our offering we now have our new website up and running.
The website is responsive meaning that it adapts itself to the type of device on which it is being opened making it a much better user experience being more readable on smaller screens such as phones.
The search facility not only identifies our properties for sale locally but also using the national search there is access to properties from our network of partner offices through the Guild of Professional Estate Agents
We have also incorporated an instant online valuation tool which gives a rough idea of price based on limited information based on other sales data available. This of course is just an approximation and certainly should not replace the Free Market Appraisal which we provide by actually visiting a home and discussing in person based on a more detailed inspection.
If you are looking to sell a property just give us a call as we’d be delighted to display you r property on our website and our Free Appraisal will not only advise you on price but also show you in more depth the service we provide.
Charles Eden of Beckenham Win Prestigious Guild Award
Record-breaking Annual Conference & Awards Ceremony
Once again, The Guild Conference took centre stage at the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square, Mayfair on 29th January. A record number of over 350 agents were inspired by a fantastic range of speakers including Google, Santander, Sticky Marketing, Teads and many more.
The conference venue was transformed for a sumptuous Gala Dinner, which included the announcements of the winners of the Guild’s Annual Awards for excellence. The awards are always a very closely fought affair and the standards of entries were “simply phenomenal” this year.
Marcus Whewell, CEO of The Guild of Professional Estate Agents, presented the awards, commenting ‘Rewarding outstanding achievement within our network is an honour and a privilege. The quality of award entries this year is the highest ever, reflecting how our organisation is moving forward and assisting its agents to provide a truly unique and exceptional service to the public.
Charles Eden of Beckenham were delighted to be acknowledged again in the presentation receiving the Silver Award for the South East region.
Pictured here are Justin Flanagan MD of Charles Eden and Paul Stone the Charles Eden Sales Manager receiving the award from Guild CEO Marcus Whewell.
Justin commented ” We are very proud to have been appointed and maintained exclusive membership of the Guild for Beckenham & Shortlands for many years. The national representation through over 780 offices including Park Lane, Mayfair is a real asset to our marketing and to be recognised by such a prestigious body for our own service & professionalism is very rewarding especially when considering the quality of agents we were up against. It is a testament to the professionalism and hard work of the team at Charles Eden that we have achieved this accolade.”
Stamp Duty Reforms as of 4 December 2014
Stamp Duty Reform of residential property stamp duty so that rates apply only to that part of the property price that falls within each band
0% paid for the first £125,000
Then 2% on the portion up to £250,000
5% up to £925,000
Then 10% up to £1.5m
12% on anything above that,
This is a link to a useful HMRC stamp duty calculator – http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tools/sdlt/land-and-property.htm
Mortgage Advice Crucial as Mortgage Market Review Draws Closer
Many of us will be more familiar with MMR when referring to a vaccine but anyone in the mortgage industry knows it only as the Mortgage Market Review. This has been years in the making and will lay down new rules around the sale of mortgages in a bid to prevent a return to the lax lending practices at the peak of the market.
As a result the MMR will provide a framework for mortgage lenders and advisers when it takes effect on 26th April. But what will it mean for borrowers?
Much of the focus of MMR is on lenders showing that a mortgage will be affordable for the borrower, not only now but also in the future. Although self certification died out years ago the new rules ensure it won’t return and all income must be proven.
Affordability models have been used by lenders for some time rather than a straight forward income multiple, but borrowers should expect to be asked more detail around their monthly budgeting and expenditure. Having a good idea of how much the household spends on food, utilities, travel and childcare will be required when applying for a mortgage.
Lenders will also apply a stress test to make sure that the mortgage will be affordable as rates change as well as on day one. That will see lenders apply assumptions based on how rates are expected to move over the next 5 years.
Although many of these approaches are already part and parcel of the mortgage market there will be tweaks and changes to come. It may even see lenders step off the gas as they look to bed in new systems, so mortgage rates may even edge up slightly as a result.
What it does do is underline the need for advice. Tailoring the right mortgage deal to the right borrower is vital. It is now about much more than simply finding the lowest rate, and ensuring that the borrower is likely to meet the lender’s criteria will help save time, money and heartache.
Using The Guild’s fee-free mortgage advice service will help borrowers find a solution tailored to their individual needs, as well as reduce hassle by providing assistance with the mortgage process from start to finish.
Contact Charles Eden and we can put you in touch with an adviser – 020 8663 1964
Charles Eden Estates celebrate 20 years in Beckenham.
Opened by Justin Flanagan in 1994 Charles Eden quickly became a name recognised as a professional Beckenham Estate Agent. Still under original ownership the company continues to thrive.
The professional nature of Charles Eden was soon recognised by the Guild of Professional Estate Agents who selected Charles Eden as their exclusive representatives for the Beckenham & Shortlands area in 1995, a position they continue to hold. This has given Charles Eden a national network of over 750 offices as well as a valuable London presence.
With modern marketing methods, extensive internet presence and traditional values Charles Eden offer a First Class Service with every member of the team not having just been trained and passed exams in Estate Agency but also having bought and sold a property themselves (which few, if any other agents in the area can boast) giving them personal experience and empathy with their clients
If you are looking to sell Charles Eden offer a Free Market Appraisal Valuation Service so just telephone to find out more.
020 8663 1964
Charles Eden enter all full time staff into The Guild Enhanced Training Scheme
Leading independent estate agent Charles Eden have sponsored all full time staff to partake in The Guild Enhanced Training Scheme, a comprehensive course which is run in partnership with TM Training, to improve and ensure best practice, and develop their skills and knowledge of the industry.
Charles Eden is eager to further develop and enhance their service and reputation and The Guild Enhanced Training Scheme enables them to do so, “Although our staff are very experienced you can never be too highly trained. Our priority is to ensure the customers receive the highest possible level of service from our company, and therefore our staff participation on The Guild Enhanced Training Scheme is a must,” says, Justin Flanagan MD of Charles Eden who is himself undertaking the training along with his colleagues
Speaking on behalf of The Guild, CEO Marcus Whewell explained: “We know that our biggest asset is our people and their expertise – there can be no better way of improving the performance of your business than enhancing the knowledge and qualifications of your teams.”
The new and exclusive training scheme delivers skill based education through a combination of e-learning and classroom sessions, consisting of four semesters a year, with a total of 40 individual modules. The first four semesters will encompass four key segments: The Fundamentals of Effective Selling; Valuing and Property Appraisal Skills; Marketing and Property Promotion and Developing your Estate Agency Skill Set.
The e-learning sessions provide participants with weekly video training modules and their progress is then tested through online examinations. To summarise learning and discuss best practice, participants also attend four classroom training sessions per year, hosted by Peter Chapman and Julian O’Dell.
If you are looking for a highly trained and experienced sales team to sell your property then do contact Charles Eden on 020 8663 1964
Lease Extension Service
Charles Eden are pleased to have teamed up with the National Association of Estate Agents to provide a Lease Extension Service
Did you know:-
•If your lease has less than 99 years left to run, the value of your property may fall as the lease gets shorter
•With less than 80 years left the value drops faster and you may not be able to sell, get a mortgage, or remortgage
•The longer you wait, the more it will cost you and the more your property will drop in value
Using the link from the Lease Extension Service link from the “Our Services” menu on our website http://www.charleseden.co.uk there is a wealth of information on the subject and the opportunity to get expert advice and guidance to take you through the process.
With so many leasehold properties in and around Beckenham we think this is a really useful service to be able to offer and hope it helps anyone who may be concerned by what initially can seem quite a daunting subject.
Charles Eden of Beckenham 