East Molesey is 75 per cent Victorian says Luke Stagg of Townends estate agents

“East Molesey is 75 per cent Victorian,” says Luke Stagg, of Townends estate agents.
The town also has its share of 1930s homes, as well as houses and flats built in various periods and styles after the Second World War. Its modern history, and its prosperity, begin with the railroad, which steamed into town in 1849. Family homes, many of them large, appeared on previously barren meadows and fields. Hampton Court Palace is on the north side of the Thames, whereas East Molesey’s high street, train station and residential areas are clustered on the south. Cited in the Domesday Book, Molesey has mostly been a small, anonymous village that flooded occasionally.

The train station says Hampton Court, and a nearby palace answers to that name But the town is East Molesey. Another is to approach a lender used to arranging self-build mortgages, as they may be prepared to arrange financing based on the expected value of the property. A further option would be to use short-term financing, or savings, to fund the work and to remortgage, based on a new valuation, when it is complete.. But they are not guaranteed to recoup the cost.This can complicate matters when it comes to arranging financing for improvements. Homeowners who already have substantial equity in their properties can remortgage, or arrange a further advance, in order to release that money.

Those who do not have the equity, or whose project will push their loan to 90 per cent or more of the property’s value, should discuss the work with their lender or a good mortgage broker.Revaluing the property after the work has been completed is one option. Homeowners with less accommodating lenders might want to consider remortgaging. The cost of doing so has risen in recent months, with arrangement fees of almost £600 common for some fixed-rate mortgage deals. But as rates are currently attractive, remortgaging can still be worthwhile.Surveys on home improvements suggest that most people carry out work for their own benefit, but the right improvements can add substantial value to a property. This is one reason lenders will tend to be more flexible about remortgages and further advances to fund home improvements than they are when it comes to lending for other reasons.Improvements that add space are the most likely to add value. But other improvements, such as adding central heating, should more than recoup their cost. Some improvements, including expensive kitchens or garden landscaping, may make it easier to sell a property.