Interview boydens.co.uk 46 light being switched on; it was so successful, so I started offering the service to other clients. You wrote The Street-wise Guide to Buying, Improving and Selling your Home – what are some of the biggest lessons to be learnt from this book? I am often told by people trying to get on the property ladder that they are scared and just don’t know where to start. There is so much you don’t even know you need to know, and the stakes are high! So, I decided to write a guide that covers every small detail of the journey with a handy ‘to do’ list at the end of each chapter. I think the biggest lessons are about having a plan beyond your first home. If you can’t afford your ideal home in your ideal place, you need to start elsewhere and gradually inch closer, property by property. The only way you can do this is by buying in a savvy way and spending the right amount of money on the things worth improving that will increase the value of your property – rather than blowing the budget on improvements that won’t see the return. So, I give tips on these kinds of ideas, including styling to sell and on a budget. It also has all the details of mortgages and conveyancing you need to know so you can go in like you’ve done this all before! Tell us about your passion for upcycling – how did it start and what tips can you share? Oh, this dates back to when I was a child as I was always upcycling – it just didn’t have a name! What I love though is that it isn’t just a really fun and satisfying hobby, it’s actually incredibly important we move away from the throwaway habit we have accepted as the norm as a society if we are to have any chance of true sustainability. I just can’t believe how lucky I am that I get to combine it with my TV career on This Morning now! If you’re new to this, and you’re just about to throw out furniture, search the internet and social media to see what other people are doing with similar items, and you will be inspired. When you need new furniture, try out second-hand stores, Freecycle, FaceBook Marketplace and Gumtree first. You will save yourself and the environment, plus when you upcycle them, they become unique. You will also get the best sense of satisfaction every time you look at them, which is good for the soul. Which simple home improvements do you think can add most value to a property? If you’re looking to sell, just having freshly painted walls in a neutral colour can work wonders. I would also always make sure there is nothing wrong with the flooring. Be classy, but not extravagant with fixtures and fittings. Always make sure the front of the house looks clean, tidy, without anything broken. What are your top dos and don’ts for buying/selling a new home? Go with your gut feeling. I think you always know if there’s something right or wrong about a property. Unless it’s your forever home (and even then), go for something that has room for improvement, not one that has been refurbished in the past few years. When selling, make sure it’s immaculate. Strip it back, so it doesn’t feel too cluttered and don’t have too many family photos about as you want potential buyers to be able to visualise themselves living there. It needs to be clean and tidy for the photos and every single viewing.
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