Month: November 2021

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How To Embrace Online Viewings: A Guide To House Hunting Online

Black woman taking online video for viewing

Online property viewings have become more and more common over the past few years as coronavirus restrictions have made it difficult to meet in person. Luckily, here at Pilkington Estates, we have a fool-proof process to make sure your property is represented well online.

We’ve had to adapt and overcome challenges in the past few years, which have led to our high-quality online property marketing services. From 3D tours to drone footage, we make sure your home looks irresistible for virtual viewing.

Keep reading to discover how we make the most of buying and selling online.

How to make the most of an online tour

While Pilkington Estates have always been ahead of the trends when it comes to online property marketing, the coronavirus pandemic made us fine-tune our tools to ensure clients that our services are the best available. Here’s how we embrace virtual property tours to make sure your home gets the highest price possible.

Well-Staged Photos

Photography will always be an essential part of marketing your property, but we take this process seriously. Unlike other estate agents, we work with in-demand production companies to make sure we capture the best of your home.

When lockdowns hit and you can only view properties online, it’s important that your house is captured at its best. We integrate industry-standard home staging with our photography process too. Our team has years of experience in highlighting the best features of homes, and they’re always excited to take on a new project.

The property photography is the first glimpse potential buyers will get of your home, so we make sure this first impression is a good one.

Video Walkthroughs

It’s true that photos are the first impression potential buyers get, however, a premium video of your home guarantees the sale. Our videography services always show the full extent of the property’s space and capture the unique atmosphere too.

We work with experienced creatives to capture any aspects of your home that the photos miss, for example, the feel of the space and the different lightings. While it’s always best to view the home in person, our video packages offer the second-best experience.

Drone Footage

If your home isn’t completely captured by photography and videos, our additional drone footage services will make sure potential buyers can see the scope of your land. This luxury technique is ideal for getting the customer’s attention and shows the full size of the property in question. Drone footage is a must-use if you want to make sure buyers can understand the layout of the property and any other land features from an online property viewing.

Get your home ready

Making sure your home is ready for viewings is an important step of the selling process, but this takes an extra layer of preparation when you have to embrace online house viewings too. Here at Pilkington Estates, we have a lot of experience in virtual viewings and we’re ready to get you the best sale possible for your home.

Do you want to know more about our services? Read about our luxury property marketing tools here.

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The Perks of Living By The Plymouth Waterfront

Aerial view of Plymouth's waterfront

Plymouth is getting more and more popular every year. But, why are so many families choosing to relocate to this city?

With seaside views, urban life, and excellent amenities, Plymouth offers residents all they need to live a comfortable life. It may be a smaller city than others in the UK, but Plymouth is full of charm and friendly people. Not only that but it has excellent transport links too.

One of the most popular areas of the city is the bustling waterfront area. This coastal spot is a favourite for locals and tourists alike! This area has a cosmopolitan atmosphere and lots of charm too, so it’s no surprise houses nearby get sold quickly!

Keep on reading to explore why the Plymouth waterfront area is so popular.

Urban life meets the seaside

The waterfront area is extremely popular for those that love the historical charm and the quaint British seaside feel. With a mix of historic buildings and modern developments, the waterfront feels different to other English cities. Plymouth offers a sophisticated take on the traditional seaside down, resulting in it being dubbed the “Ocean City”.

This waterfront area boasts a range of cafes, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs too. If you need exciting hospitality amenities in your life, the Plymouth docks area is perfect for you. A wide range of cuisines and businesses are found here, giving you an urban feel in a different setting.

Plymouth also boasts two universities, plus the Plymouth College of Art. These highly ranked schools add an extra buzz to the area, whilst bringing in more tourism and an emerging arts scene too.

The best area in England to invest in

As many of us look at alternative areas to live in, Swann Security has created a list of the best areas in England to invest in property. This list is curated from data including property prices, crime rates, people’s relationships with their neighbours, and more. The city at the top of this list was none other than Plymouth!

In the list, Plymouth was named the best overall city to live in and invest in, as well as the city with the highest number of residents that have a good relationship with their neighbours, too. The investigation also found that the city has an average price for a 3-bed at £185,000 and a low crime rate too. There’s no surprise that many are moving away from bustling megacities when you can have it all in an area like Plymouth.

The Swann Security lift featured Belfast in second place with an average house price of £164,000 and Cardiff came in third place with an average house price of £225,000. When inner-city rents are sky-high, there’s no surprise that families are looking for quieter cities to raise children in. 

Natural beauty at your fingertips

While the proximity to great nightlife and academic institutions always puts central Plymouth properties on the map, one of the main reasons these homes get snapped up so quickly is for their great views. A range of these waterfront-based homes offers a sea view, something you just can’t find in other cities!

Plymouth is surrounded by beaches, coves, and other areas of natural beauty, however, nothing beats watching the sunset over the water from your bedroom window.

Interested in Plymouth?

Plymouth is a unique city with a completely different atmosphere to other cities in the UK. If you’re interested in experiencing a new pace of life in Britain’s Ocean City, make sure you contact us to find out more about our Plymouth-based real estate services.

Are you looking to move to Plymouth? Let us help you find your new property. Explore our expert buying services here.

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Plymouth Named Second Best UK City To Start A Family

Happy family having fun in an new house

Whether you’re looking to start a family, or perhaps you already have children, Britain’s Ocean City should be on your list of cities to research when you’re thinking of buying a family home. Plymouth is popular with young parents, offering them all they need for a thriving family life.

Plymouth has recently been voted the second-best city in the UK to raise children in, beating out other large cities like Bournemouth, Manchester and Birmingham. Let’s take a look and see what makes this area so great for family life.

The second best UK city to raise children in

Only beaten by one city, Plymouth did extremely well in PlayLikeMum’s ranking of the top UK cities to start a family in. This research was conducted by looking at factors like schools, things to do, eating out, earnings, safety, and affordable housing too.

Plymouth came out at second best in the UK, only beaten by Liverpool. However, Plymouth did win two categories, including Things to do and Cost of Childcare. Unlike other UK cities, Plymouth offers 20.63 kids attractions per 100,000 people and the average cost of childcare is £525 per month for private services. Liverpool had the highest number of schools deemed “Outstanding” and Brighton and Hove had the most child-friendly restaurants per 100,000 people.

In third place was Newcastle upon Tyne and in fourth was Bournemouth. Bolton came in fifth place, followed by Birmingham and Manchester too. Surprisingly, London came in last in 25th place with the lowest scores for childcare costs, safety, housing prices, and the lowest overall score.

What does Plymouth offer?

When it comes to great attractions for kids, Plymouth is up there as it has a range of indoor and outdoor activities. From the Plymouth Mystery Treasure Trail to the National Marine Aquarium, there’s never a dull weekend if you’re growing up in this coastal city. There are also the docks and waterfront too, perfect for taking the kids for an afternoon out by the seaside.

The Plymouth area boasts a range of primary and secondary schools with great Ofsted ratings. Whether you want a city-centre school or a school in a quieter area, there are lots of high-quality educational institutions to choose from.

Another benefit to raising children in Plymouth is the great leisure and sports facilities available there. Kids benefit from being active, so parents in the city love visiting the multiple swimming pools, the lido and the Plymouth Life Centre.  This centre is one of the country’s leading leisure venues that offers a 12-court sports hall, indoor bowling, climbing walls, and an Olympic size swimming pool.

Great fun for all the family

From exciting attractions to well-rated schools, Plymouth has all you need when raising a family. Not only that, but the bustling waterfront area has lots of restaurants and bars for parents too! If you’re interested in buying family homes in Plymouth moving to the best city to raise children in the south of the UK don’t hesitate to contact our team today.

Let us handle the hassle of moving for you. Find out more about the Pilkington Estates services here.

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Welcome To Saltash: Introducing Pilkington Estates’ Newest Office

Saltash view from river

We’re excited to announce the opening of our new Saltash office! The new Pilkington Estates office is located in the heart of Saltash, just across from the Tamar bridge. Our team is excited to be working in this area, and we can’t wait to help you find your dream home by the Cornwall border.

Are you interested in a property in the Saltash area? Keep reading to find out more about the “Gateway to Cornwall”!

A Rich History

When you arrive in Saltash you’re greeted by the Royal Albert Bridge. This impressive landmark was completed in 1859 and adds some historic character to the coastal area. You can also find the impressive 11th century Tremonton Castle which looks over the valley, a must-visit for anyone who loves architecture and history.

When you move to Saltash you’re living in the beauty of the past. The market town was established in the 12th century by the lord of Trematon and the town has been a popular residential town ever since. Residents and visitors can learn more about the town’s impressive history in the Saltash Museum and the Local History Centre too.

Modern Elements

While Saltash has an impressive historical presence, it also features a diverse range of restaurants, hotels, and businesses too. Saltash sees a lot of tourism in the summer months and the town has accommodation and shops to make sure the local population has everything they need.

If you want exciting nightlife, Plymouth is just across the river and you can also visit the nearby resorts of Polperro and Looe. This is ideal for anyone who likes to dine out and enjoy drinks as hospitality is only a short journey away.

Everything You Need

Alongside exciting bars, restaurants, and historic sites, Saltash offers necessities like a hospital, a leisure centre and transport links. Saltash railway station is managed by the Great Western Railway and can take you to London Paddington if you make a quick change at Bristol Temple Meads. You can also find an extensive range of bus routes within the Saltash area too.

If you’re looking to raise a family in the Saltash area, there are a range of schools including St Stephens Community Primary School and the Brunel Primary school which are all within walking distance of the centre of the town. For higher education, you have access to the Saltash Net Community School and the Cornwall College Saltash.

Saltash is a popular residential area, offering high-quality amenities and natural beauty too. Other facilities in Saltash include a range of dentists, banks, gyms, post offices, and even a golf course. Everything you need to live a comfortable life is available in this gorgeous coastal town!

Contact Pilkington Estates To Start Your Moving Process

If you’re ready to start your moving process, don’t hesitate to contact our expert team today. With premium property marketing and exclusive listings, we’re here to make the buying and selling process stress-free. You can also visit us in person in our new Saltash office too! Are you ready to move? Contact us here to learn more about our buying.

Located in Keast Mews behind Fore Street in Saltash, this branch will be there for our neighbours over the bridge. To celebrate the opening, for a limited time we will be welcoming back our £500 referral scheme for Cornwall. Do you know someone looking to sell or already trying to sell a property in Cornwall? Recommend them to us and earn yourself a £500 referral fee when we successfully complete on selling their property.

Please contact us on 01752 982773

Pilkington estates office