Your Pressing Christmas-Related Questions Answered

Published: 19/12/2019

Which is best - a real or artificial Christmas tree?

Real Christmas trees are lovely but there is no denying that they can be a bit annoying. Dragging a 7ft living thing into your living room and then having to clean up all those needles for weeks on end isn’t always the best option for busy families and young professionals. Don’t even get us started on the inconvenience it can cause if you own a cat!

According to a recent article in The Telegraph, it’s becoming more popular to opt for a faux tree. There are many advantages of purchasing a fake tree, including: 

  • It will last for years, so save you money. If you keep it for many years, it’s also more eco
  • They are symmetrical, so look great for all angles
  • Less clean up and no needles
  • Less messy if the cat takes a liking to it
  • Available in many different styles, sizes and colours

I’ve decided to go faux. What should I look for in an artificial Christmas tree? 

  • A good size fit for your living room. Most people choose a 7ft tree.
  • Price point. Trees range from around £20 to £8000. Generally, like all things, the more you spend, the better quality it will be and therefore the better it will look. These days, some artificial trees are so well-designed they look real!
  • Tips. Go for a tree with a high tip count. This refers to the number of needles; the higher the count, the fuller the tree will look. If you can afford it, PE tips are also preferred over PVE as these are moulded to look like real needles.

Where should I buy my Christmas tree?

The options are endless! Some popular retailers for artificial trees include: White Stores, The White Company, Hayes Garden World, John Lewis, M&S, Next Interiors, Argos and Homebase. 

If you just can’t resist that real pine smell, a quick Google search or read of your local paper should indicate where you can pick up a real tree.

And what about the decorations?

Of course, there are plenty of stores and online shops selling beautiful ornaments to decorate your choice of tree. However, it can be more fun and better for the environment to opt for homemade festive wears. 

Is the Christmas period a good or bad time to buy or sell a property?

It’s true – the market is generally slow around the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get your property transaction started before Christmas.

Over the past few years, property websites have reported an increase in traffic over the Christmas period and definitely, with the property market becoming increasingly technological (with more and more websites making it easy to browse through thousands of listings), this is a trend we expect will only increase.  Gifting, cooking and other festive activities can just as easily be done between a few quick glances at your iPhone, so there is no reason to think buyers and sellers aren’t still browsing at this time!

Indeed, many such sites such as Rightmove are reporting massive increases in traffic even on Christmas day. This really isn’t that surprising – it’s at this time of year that most people have a proper break from work.

Even if don’t fancy listing your property or shopping for your new one at Christmas, you shouldn’t forget that January is always one of the busiest times for the property market, as many buyers and sellers seek to fulfil New Year’s Resolutions and snag that #dreamhome.

Any type of property transaction is time-consuming and complex. It is best to seek at least the advice of an experienced property solicitor sooner rather than later, if you want to take advantage of what I expect will be a very lucrative property market going into 2020.

Looking to sell or buy a property now or in the New Year? GWlegal has around 35 years’ experience in the property field! Get in touch today.

Who are GWlegal?

GWlegal are a property solicitors based in Liverpool, specialising in buying or selling, remortgage, declaration of trust, bridging and buy-to-let landlords.

If you have a legal matter you wish to discuss don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call us on 0345 373 3737 email us hello@gw.legal with your question.

Who are GWlegal? We’re a national firm with local values.

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Content correct at time of publication.

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