Spring 2020

After brief shoots of optimism in the early part of the year,  the property market has been subject to the impact of Coronavirus, and as the #Lockdown is in full force currently in the UK,  the UK property market is once again in uncharted territory.

What we can say is that it provides an unusual opportunity to stop and think carefully about how and where you want to live, and that post-lockdown, there will be a lot of changes happening for a lot of people.

There is plenty of content on the Stacks website to help you navigate those conversations with the family and others during these weeks:  https://www.stacks.co.uk/hot-topics/property-conversations/

Written pre-Corona, this article on what you should and shouldn’t compromise on is still very valid : https://www.stacks.co.uk/hot-topics/lent/

For those realising that  Working from Home is in fact a) a possibility and b) more desirable, start here with the ideal set-up of a dedicated workspace 

For those considering a move to the country, explore the Downsizing or Family  advice sections to understand the choices you can be deliberating over whilst you wait.  Our website has many Client Stories to help you think about circumstances similar to your own, or to give you inspiration.

If this situation has brought the decision to move forward for you, there is a lot you can be doing during lockdown to be ready to put your property on the market and sell quickly once we are freely moving again.

A locally-based Buying Agent will be best placed to start your property search for you, even before we’re fully released from #Lockdown.  We can help you begin your understanding of the area, and the options available and whether property on the web is worth a speedy visit – we may already have viewed it !!   Local vendors frequently let us know of their intent to sell well before they are visible online, and once available, we can swoop in for an immediate viewing, sending you our own video tours – showing you the reality, not the ‘realty’ of a house.

Call for a free no-obligation discussion about your property intentions.

For more information on how Rachel can help you with your property search, please call 44 (0)7502 406688

The Autumn property market for Buckinghamshire & East Oxfordshire has begun, now the schools are back and sales of property are picking up. Canny vendors have priced their properties well, and they are being snapped up by proceedable buyers with decisive speed.

Competition can be strong, so organised finances and solid representation are key to securing the deal ahead of the crowd.

The age old adage applies more so than ever; quality property, realistically priced, sells well, especially due to continued shortage of stock; it also seems that the trend of ‘off market’ sales is continuing to be the preferred way of many Vendors who do not want to commit their property to the open market. Local knowledge and contacts are therefore key in this challenging market.

For now, London prices seem to have steadied in many areas and further political/Brexit uncertainty seems to be the new norm, and life can not be put on hold forever.

So in order to get the most out of the interesting times ahead it is especially important for buyers to undertake thorough preparation and research. Sound buyers with finances and legal advice in place may well be able to make good advantage of an uncertain marketplace. For further help and advice please do contact us for an informal chat.

For more information on how Rachel & Nick can help you with your property search, please call 44 (0)7502 406688 or 44 (0)1628 777991.

Stacks calculates that there may be over six million households living in the wrong property, many because they are anxious about moving home in these politically uncertain times.

Historically the property market stagnates temporarily as we wait for general elections, Budgets, and other major political events. But since the Hung Parliament of 2010 we have been in a permanent state of political flux, and there is no end in sight. A big question mark hangs over the May-led Government, and there will be no resolution to the Brexit issue for several years.

Add to this fear of the unknown, the usual ‘winter market’ assumptions, and you can be forgiven for not knowing where to begin!

We’re expecting a buoyant first half of 2018, with more stock and more movers ‘getting on with it’ and early proactive purchasers already have their Buying Agent on the case!

The story of 2017 has not been people not finding what they want to live in, but not being able to sell their house when they find it, so Rachel’s advice is – get stuck in now! Life carries on, and the alternative is to go on putting your life on hold for years, now that ‘Abnormal is the new Normal’ anyone waiting for the perfect conditions are missing out.

If you have a property to sell, put it on the market. You will soon get a clear idea of what it’s likely to sell for and how quickly. If you need finance, start talks with your mortgage provider and jumping through the now necessary hoops. This will give you further clarity about how your finances will stack up and whether you can be proactive on your price to get a deal that holds together.

Getting an offer on your house will now, more than ever, put you in the negotiating driving seat.

Our clients who have made a move in the last few years are sitting pretty. The market has been relatively stable, there has been plenty of opportunity for good negotiation. Embrace abnormal, and jump in!”