Smart Apps: Picture it before you paint it
Property hunting, interior design and money management. Here are our pick of the best apps to help you with interior design and controlling your home.
1) Property Searching
(Around Me app example)
Around Me – So you have been to see a house and you love it but you don’t know the area very well? Well this app gives you the information about all the essentials you will need to know about to live – so the places to eat out, places to do you food shop and the nearest petrol stations, even schools. Before you go for a property make sure you look what is around you, especially if you are trying to move closer to amenities. (FREE)
Sunseeker Lite – a question we get asked regular which you wouldn’t believe is “which way does the sun come up?” “will I get regular sun light through the windows?” – with this app you are able to find out exactly where the sun is at each time of the day and which way the garden faces. If you pay for the extra add ons you can get 3D visuals. (FREE but can pay for add ons)
Open Signal – Do you rely on good Wi-Fi and good mobile phone coverage? Of course this is one of the many things that you ask when you go look at properties. “What is the signal like?” well this app pinpoints on a map of the coverage in the area and the UK. (FREE)
Zoopla, Rightmove and FindaProperty – Getting your dream property before anyone else gets their hands on it you need to be alerted before the competition. These three apps are the must-have apps if you are searching for a property for sale or to rent. They all offer listings of what is available as well as local information and property history. You are able to adjust it to your budget, location, how many bedrooms – if they accept pets – you name it! (ALL FREE)
2) Interior Design
(Dulux Visualizer app example)
Pinterest – One of the best apps to empower your inner designer. This app has everything from fashion pieces, food, hairstyles to interior design ideas! This visual discovery app allows you to create your own collections of images that inspire you and to help you with your plan to redecorate, DIY, craft or garden design. You can follow other peoples ideas and add them to your collection for when you are in need of a hand. (FREE)
Dulux Visualizer – Want to change your colour scheme around? Fancy a new feature wall? This app simply lets you zoom your phone around a room to try different shades of paint. You can create your own schemes and order samples too! (FREE)
MagicPlan – When you visit an empty property it is something hard to imagine what it could look like with furniture. This app allows you to bring the home to life – adding furniture and objects to see what it looks like. You want a new art piece but you don’t know what size to get or what will go with the colour scheme, this is the perfect app to show you whether the piece you are after goes in the place you want it! You can also measure the rooms and draw floorplans to create your very own indoor map. (FREE)
3) Property Maintenance
(ihandy level app example)
Photomeasures – Buying curtains? With the photomeasures app you can take a photograph of your window and then add on the measurements so that when you go to the shop and you forget the piece of paper with the important measurements on it you will have it saved on the app with the rest of your measurements from around the home. (COST £3.99)
ihandy level – This is the solution to all your wonky picture frame problems! This app provides you with your very own spirit level. Just place it on top of the picture you are hanging up and it shows how far out you are. (FREE)
DIY Flooring Designer – Getting a new floor? Costs can rise with the amount of wood you need for a new floor. So this app is worth investing in. It allows you to choose from all manner of templates around the room you are getting the new floor – customise it and make the calculations. (COST £2.99)
Wallcoverings – Want a new feature wall? Want new wallpaper? A new feature wall that is easy peasy! This app is a simplified wallpaper estimator. It lets you calculate the wall space that needs to be covered and then tells you how many rolls you will need! (COST £1.49)
4) Money Management
(On Trees app example)
Mortgage Mentor – For those who are looking into mortgages – you can compare mortgage deals, see the difference between repayments and interest only and check how quickly your mortgage will be paid off if you pay it each month. (COST £1.49)
Kirstie and Phil’s House Hunter – This app is useful for planning your money and alerting you to hidden costs. This helps you manage your budgets and keeps your wishlist up to date. I mean having Kirstie and Phil on your side could never be a bad thing. (COST £2.99)
On Trees – Backed by moneysupermarket.com this works with majir banks such as Lloyds, NatWest, Barclays and Halifax to gather all your financial information together so you can see EXACTLY how much is coming in and going out. It is really helpful if you are not organised with your money – it gives you a breakdown on everything you spend so what you spend averagely on eating out, clothes shopping, travel and bills. (FREE)
Money Dashboard – Similar to On Trees, this pulls all your banking and money but it helps you set up goals to save up big – such as a house! (FREE)
Buying, renting and setting up a home has never been easier! With the power of phones and tablets these apps save you time and stress. Just tap, download from your app store for everything you need to know.
Take care,
The Alexanders Team.