Homelife. PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE WINTER 2016 FREE In this edition. Super storage solutions Top picks for clearing away the clutter. Family fitness Start planning your 2017 regime. Competition Win an evening with Mike Doyle and his live band at the New Theatre. Property pages The best places to buy and let. The new property tax Be prepared for the changes to come. PLUS MUCH MORE... nº04 The all-new Audi Q7 The Legend continues. Few cars have what it takes to become a legend. But the all-new Audi Q7 is one of them. It’s lighter, more agile and more advanced – with seven seats, a luxurious interior and quattro® all-wheel-drive designed to take on the most challenging conditions. The Legend continues on a test drive at Cardiff Audi. Book yours now. Cardiff Audi Wagtail Close, Cardiff Gate Business Park, Pontprennau, CF23 8RT Tel:029 2054 7555 www.cardiff-audi.co.uk Official fuel consumption figures for the Q7 range in mpg (l/100km) from: Urban 42.2 (6.7) – 44.8 (6.3), Extra Urban 47.1 (6.0) – 53.3 (5.3), Combined 45.6 (6.2) – 49.6 (5.7). CO2 emissions: 163 – 148g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Range of figures stated reflect optional downgrade from the standard 19” alloy wheel to 18” wheel. Other optional wheels may also affect emissions and fuel consumption figures. Homelife. Brought to you by Moginie James Residential Sales. Lettings. Management. Mortgages. Relocation. Auctions. PONTCANNA CYNCOED ROATH 02920 344 434 02920 761 999 02920 484 898 CATHAYS CARDIFF BAY 02920 345 345 02920 460 294 www.moginiejames.co.uk Homelife. INSIDE Welcome to the fourth edition of Homelife by Moginie James. In this festive edition we show you ways to keep your home cosy this winter and provide practical tips to getting fit in the New Year. If you’re one of the many people that will be making ‘moving house’ your New Year’s resolution, then our handy guide to selling your 06 home in 2017 will be right up your street. A welcome from Nick James We also let you know why Moginie James has been rated the 6th best estate agent in the whole of the UK and share all the best festive activities going on across the city this Christmas. 12 Super storage We do hope you enjoy. Please feel free to let us know solutions if you have any exciting news or events coming up Our top pics for clearing in Cardiff we may be able to include or if you would away the clutter. like to advertise with us. Please contact: 14 Moginie James Stay fit together Head Office Our tips for exercising First Floor Thorens House as a family. Cardiff Gate Business Park Cardiff CF23 8RP 02920 730 888 [email protected] 4 | Winter 2016 Winter 2016 | 5 Contents. 18 26 32 53 30 Years of guide Recipe feature What’s on Fine & Country dogs in Wales From Penylan Pantry A higlight of the events Delve into the luxurious Find out about the in and around Cardiff properties available guide dogs that Ted left this winter. from our exclusive behind. 28 property label. The Red Dragon Centre 40 20 The ultimate family Ted’s column 62 Our national winter day out. How to deal with New property treasures property viewings as a tax to replace We love to talk the lingo. dog owner. stamp duty 30 What does this mean Selling your to you? 22 home in 2017 45 Getting the ball rolling. Property pages Keeping warm this The best homes across winter all of our offices. Protecting yourself from the harsh conditions. 4 | Winter 2016 Winter 2016 | 5 Homelife. A WARM It’s coming to the end of a very eventful year, WELCOME which saw some shocks and surprises. The Brexit vote and American Presidential Election both provided unexpected results causing a little uncertainty and a slowdown in the economy. Apart from some minor local adjustments sales and lettings number have remained strong and for the second year running, Moginie James It really is a massive have ended the year with amazing Rater Agent Awards, confirming Moginie James as one of achievement to be the best thought of estate agency companies in voted No.1 estate the whole of the UK. agency in Cardiff. No.1 It really is a massive achievement to be voted No.1 estate agency in Cardiff. No.1 agency in agency in Wales and Wales and an outstanding 6th in the UK out of an outstanding 6th in nearly 11,000 agents. the UK out of nearly I am immensely proud and look forward to 2017 with confidence and optimism and once 11,000 agents. again assisting hundreds of local people to achieve the best possible price for their homes. It is indeed humbling that so many customers feel we are the safest pair of hands for their most valuable asset. I wish you a very Happy Christmas and prosperous and successful 2017. 6 | Winter 2016 MOGINIE JAMES... AT HOME 4 5 ALL THE LATEST FROM MOGINIE JAMES HQ TEAM TALK Joining the Moginie James family at our Cardiff Gate head office is Michelle Davies in the role of PA to Nick James! IT’S BEEN AN INTERESTING FEW MONTHS SINCE THE PEDAL POWER! Alyson, Max and Chloe from our Roath office got back in Contents. the saddle again in aid of 2 Wish Upon A Star, a wonderful LAST ISSUE OF MOGINIE charity that the office has supported for several years. The team cycled an impressive 120 miles in total to Taunton back to Miskin. JAMES AT HOME… Max Girdler from our Cyncoed office explains: “Day One comprised 50 miles to our overnight stop in Tauton – although it started in driving rain, we finished in glorious sunshine! Day Two was a little stop-start, but for a good Director Nick James said: “There is certainly an increased purpose – we re-grouped just outside Cardiff, and cycled confidence in the property market since the May general en-masse (240+ cyclists all in matching jerseys!) straight election result. We have seen an uplift in activity all around through the city centre and past the castle to raise the including viewing appointments/valuations and instructions. charity’s profile. A further re-grouping just outside Miskin allowed everyone to finish together, to a rapturous Companies working within the property sector were all reception in such a small village! viewing the possibility of a Labour Government with a great deal of trepidation and some of the core manifesto We’re proud to say that Team MJ hit their fundraising policies would have been hugely detrimental to the target of £450 helping the charity to smash their target property market. of over £36,000! “ The election of a majority Conservative government will To find out more and donate visit provide stability for all those working within the sector www.2wishuponastar.org and many clients and customers, who have been holding back on either selling or purchasing their properties, will now have the confidence to proceed. Here at Moginie James, we’re anticipating a buoyant property market this Summer and beyond…” A BLOG TO BRAG ABOUT… Here at Moginie James, we firmly believe that we’re not “Welcome to this very festive edition of Homelife.” just here to help you buy, sell, let or rent…our remit is to advise our clients on the complete A – Z of all property related matters. Hence the recent launch of the Moginie James blog, an invaluable repository of information via which you can read all about a diverse range of top tips and topics spanning everything from legislation & compliance to interiors & design. We’re always keen to hear from property related contributors, so if you have news & views to share, then please get in touch with our Client Relationship Manager Alexandra Carroll at [email protected] Homelife. 02 NEWS ROUND All the ins and outs of office life at Moginie James. 01 02 Happy Birthday to us! Congratulations to our very own beauty queen, Charlotte Perkins, 03 Becoming Cardiff’s leading who recently won the prestigious independent estate agency and title of Miss European Wales the Cardiff Life Awards’ Cardiff 2016/17. Charlotte has been part Estate Agent of the Year 2016, of the team at Moginie James for didn’t happen overnight – in fact over three years and has always it’s taken us 15 years to get to had a keen interest in pageants. where we are. Congratulations! 15 years of late nights. 15 03 years of working around the clock. 15 years of dealing with whatever the property market Well done to all of the Moginie throws at us and emerging even James branches who together stronger because of it. And, most raised £500 for this year’s 04 importantly, it’s been 15 years MacMillan Coffee Morning. of seeing our sellers, buyers, landlords and tenants smiling 04 when we make their property dreams come true. We welcome three new starters We held a little party to mark the to the Moginie James team; Craig momentous occasion and say Baldwin, manager of Cyncoed, thank you to all our wonderful Chris Hart, our new financial members of the Moginie James advisor, and Luke Trezise, our team. sales valuer in Roath. 01 8 | Winter 2016 Contents. Name: Andrew Trinick MNAEA Age: 34 Title: Senior Sales Valuer Branch: Cyncoed LETTING YOU IN Favourite room in your house: Interesting fact about you: Favourite thing to do in Cardiff: Lounge.