The Twelve Days of Christmas

Projects:

Despite high costs of building materials and tradespeople, those who know what they want in terms of lifestyle, sustainability and future-proofing are looking for projects. Many will sell up in the home counties and seek out a plot or a knock down further from London.”

New vs old:

In the country, more and more buyers who used to say ‘period only’ will be looking at both new and period. There’s an aspirational funkiness to owning a good new eco-home. Downsizers, in particular, will be looking for properties that are low maintenance and have low outgoings.

Listed-liability:

Buyers of Listed properties will be proceeding with caution. They used to come with a cachet and a premium, now estate agents are inclined to hide Listed information away in the small print. Buyers should be aware of the growing challenges associated in getting work done.

Woodland:

Property with attached woodland is becoming increasingly desirable and will start to attract a premium. Everybody used to want a pony paddock; now an area of woodland with mature trees is the new must-have.

Sheds:

Everybody wants an outbuilding – you can never have too many, and a property with a barn or shed, or several of both, will attract a lot of interest from buyers who want secondary accommodation or storage for a myriad of outdoor paraphernalia.

Retro-fitting:

As fuel prices increase and homeowners panic about how much their homes will cost to heat, retro fitting property will become more widespread. Pioneers may have overpaid in the past, but as the industry evolves, prices for adaptations will inevitably start to fall.

Transport:

Forget electric cars, in London nobody wants a car at all. Getting around London by public transport works, while driving gets slower and slower with more and more cycle lanes and less capacity for cars. The premium for property with off street parking is diminishing fast.

Shortage of supply:

Shortage of supply for premium property will continue. If you’re buying for the long term and can afford the property you’ve found, don’t overstress about short term fluctuations in value.

Lifts, stairlifts and handrails:

More and more people are installing internal lifts. People are staying in houses for longer so they’re looking at ways of future-proofing. Lateral space is ever popular, but if you already live in a tall, thin house, an internal lift solves some of the problems.

Hong Kong buyers:

Hong Kong buyers are arriving in flurries that are expected to become a steady stream. The locational draw tends to be based on the availability of good schools. Favoured London locations include Wimbledon, Wokingham, Esher, Cobham, Epsom.

West is best:

As people chase value, there’s a move from east to west: London to Oxfordshire; Oxfordshire to the Cotswolds; then on to South Herefordshire and Monmouthshire; then to West Wales.

Return to London:

Sara Ransom says, “People who moved out of London during the pandemic are returning in significant numbers. They’ve tried country life for two years, moved into local communities but found they miss the bright lights and buzz of one of the world’s great capital cities.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

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