What a month – with two major news stories within hours of each other that are likely to have a positive effect on the UK housing market: the US election result, and the discovery of a Covid-19 vaccine.
We know that stability and confidence underpin so much in the economy – jobs, inflation, interest rates, mortgage approvals,
Showing your home to prospective purchasers can be stressful enough, but children add an extra dimension, and their needs should be considered.
Moving house might be logical and exciting for an adult, but the fear of the unknown can be upsetting for children. That room or corner of the garden that has been their special
We recently came across this poem about investing in property, and thought you might find it interesting. Once you have read it, and only then, take a look at the date of first publication. Makes you think!
“PROPERTY INFLATION”
I hesitate to make a list
Of all the countless deals I’ve missed.
Bonanzas that were
As the evenings begin to draw in, sellers should take stock of their property if they are to maximise their chances of securing an early sale. Buyer activity is traditionally very good at this time of year, but your property still needs to compete well if it is to sell readily. Here are some tips,
Most lessees (nb not tenants) have the statutory right to purchase the freehold of their building, called Collective Enfranchisement, under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
Such a purchase certainly has its appeal if your lease is beginning to look a little light – say 80 years or less. In this instance it may be
To say estate agents are busy would be an understatement. The unprecedented uplift in buyer demand over the past three months certainly bucks any notion of pandemic paralysis. Rightmove tells us that buyer enquiries are up 14% annually and sales agreed are just 5% below this time last year – which is pretty remarkable under the
Many people whose property is on the market now would ideally like to move by Christmas, yet only those who are prepared to price realistically are likely to be successful.
Buyers who are currently active in the market are now getting increasingly keen to move before the end of the year and we have recently
Our last article considered some of the dangers associated with pricing your home in relation to other properties available for sale (ie those remaining unsold). This time we’ll look at pricing in relation to properties which have actually sold.
When considering what asking price to quote, common sense dictates that the price of other homes
When considering the value of a property prior to putting it on the market, many vendors understandably look at the asking price of other properties currently on the market locally, and draw pricing conclusions based on this research.
Whilst this is not an unreasonable way of determining value, there are some traps for which to
We’re not surprised that house prices, according to the Halifax, rose 1.6% last month That’s nearly 20% per annum when annualised (but don’t do that)! The combination of at least three months of pent-up demand, coupled with stalling supply as people hunkered down during lockdown made such an increase inevitable, especially when compounded by the
It seems amazing to us that almost anyone can open up an estate agency and commence trading without any training, qualifications, proof of minimum standards, or certificate of competency.
The sale of your property is far too important to entrust to just anybody. Those who claim to work on your behalf may simply be out
House prices may have risen beyond expectation in recent years but, interestingly, affordability is at a new high too! These factors might seem diametrically opposed, yet the opposite is actually true. Could this be why demand has remained strong throughout the Brexit-related political and economic uncertainties (thankfully now at an end)?
Affordability, or the relationship
For homeowners wishing to sell their property and buy another, it’s the classic dilemma; which do you do first – buy or sell?
Typically, people initially investigate the market to find out what they can buy for their money. Inevitably, during this research they fall in love with the “ideal” property. As they have yet
As soon as the Brexit decision was “concluded” late last year, we were hit by the pandemic. Four years of uncertainty was condensed into a bottle neck of demand, which was then frustrated by three months of lockdown – and longer hair! But three months of hair growth does not require three haircuts – yet
Estate agents’ market valuations are usually free, and because of this, it is very tempting for prospective sellers to invite a number of agents to comment and then select the agent that suggests the highest likely sale price for the property.
However, we advise caution on this issue. Some agency “valuers” are paid bonus on
Friday is overwhelmingly the most popular day of the week to move house as it provides new homeowners with a long weekend of moving “fun” – unpacking boxes, hanging pictures and all the DIY that tends to accompany a move.
Due to this preference, it is therefore quite likely that other buyers and sellers in
It is interesting to note that some sellers are not as committed to moving as they might be, and are prepared to remain on the market until what they regard as an acceptable offer comes along.
Likewise, some buyers, whilst generally remaining committed to a purchase, do not exhibit a great deal of urgency, and
A covenant is a term you might hear when discussing a property during the conveyancing process. Covenants are a form of legal obligation that is binding on the owner of a property and passes from owner to owner whenever the property is sold. They form part of the deeds of a property and are recorded
David Clarke is an award-winning independent family company established for over 50 years.
David Clarke is an award-winning independent family company established for over 50 years.
David Clarke is an award-winning independent family company established for over 50 years.
