How to be housing market Sherlock
Quoting James Greenwood and Emma Barkes of Stacks Property Finders
Look for houses with similar amenities, roughly the same size and number of bedrooms and bathrooms and similar-sized gardens or land. However, as north Cotswolds property search agent Emma Barkes of Stacks Property Search says, two houses that look very similar can be dramatically different in terms of value: “The price will be significantly affected by state of repair, especially expensive items such as roofs and windows, period features, state of kitchens and bathrooms, and criteria that can’t be changed such as aspect, view and sometimes ergonomics.”
Study the subtleties carefully, Barkes says: “For example, end terrace is usually desirable and worth more than mid-terrace, but not necessarily if there is a public footpath alongside it or access to garages behind.”
Also, consider facilities such as transport, shops and schools. “A bus stop right outside the house detracts from value, but 50-plus metres down the road adds to value,” says James Greenwood, regional director of Stacks Property Search in the Forest of Dean and Monmouthshire. “The same philosophy goes for schools, pubs and other amenities. Local facilities are great, but not if they adversely affect your immediate surroundings.”
In a “cold” market a property may be sticking around because of low demand or some other factor such as disruption from public works or local development. “If the property is on the edge of an estate overlooking countryside, always check the likelihood of further development negating the view and access to the footpaths and fields,” Barkes says.
If you are interested in buying a property in Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire and Cardiff, please contact James / 01594 842880 / jamesgreenwood@stacks.co.uk
If you are interested in buying a property in North Oxfordshire, North Cotswolds and Warwickshire, please contact Emma / 01608 661427 / emma@stacks.co.uk
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Old Severn Bridge House
Purton, Blakeney
Gloucestershire
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