Recent Articles

Properties are more affordable today than 12 years ago (in: Tenant and Landlord Property Checklists)
Oct 3, 2019

I never quite understand why many property companies and much of the media think that only ‘bad news’ stories about property sell.  I also don’t understand why very few property companies, charities or property organisations aren’t telling people how affordable property is today, particularly for first time buyers, and still insist on making tenants feel so ‘miserable’ if they rent. I was asked to present at the recent RICS Housing Hub and chose the topic ‘how we can afford to put a home over everyone’s head’. To me that’s a question we should be asking and answering, rather than constantly shoving out ‘bad news’ stories. To find out more, read my article.

Create your own Grand Design (in: Buying and Selling Property Checklists)
Sep 24, 2019

Up until the credit crunch, in the main, agents could make a good living from just letting and selling property that came ‘through the door’ - even if it was a digital one. The market then crashed. Prices fell by 18-20% in most areas but worst still, transactions fell by 50%, with many property businesses and jobs being lost. Although we have seen a good recovery in many places, according to the RICS, the number of properties available for sale is still at an all-time low. With Brexit, talk of a recession and possible Stamp Duty changes, the likelihood of transactions recovering anytime soon is low. And, with the Nationwide reporting just 5% of existing homes coming onto the market, without access to new build properties, it’ll be tough for agents - and you - to secure the homes you and your family need to buy and let.

Why buyers' and sellers' decisions need to be based on local expert advice (in: Buying and Selling Property Checklists)
Sep 18, 2019

Whether you are ‘up north’, ‘down south’, in Scotland or Northern Ireland the market is now completely different. Pre-credit crunch, property markets tended to move in a ‘ripple effect’ but this trend appears to have stopped for now so it’s vital buyers and sellers make their decisions based on local expert advice rather than national or regional headlines.  What we do know is that across the board, since 2005, property price growth has slowed dramatically versus previous years, and now moving in line with inflation as opposed to above, impacting on those looking at investing in property for a pension or living.   

Latest London market report - falling or Brexit bounce? (in: Buying and Selling Property Checklists)
Sep 10, 2019

Latest news from the Land Registry shows what an amazingly diverse market property is in London. With average prices ranging from just under £300,000 in Barking and Dagenham to an astonishing £1,254,715 in Kensington and Chelsea. What’s interesting though is when you break away from London averages and dig down deep into what’s actually being sold, things never look quite so bad. For example, in Kensington and Chelsea although the average is over a million, one property - and it was just a flat! - was sold for a staggering £13,375,000 while I found a ‘bargain’ (!) property which had been sold for just £298,000 - the average price you would pay in London’s cheapest borough.

How often are we moving? (in: Buying and Selling Property Checklists)
Aug 19, 2019

The Nationwide has done some fascinating analysis this month on the changes to the proportion of different movers, together with the time each take to move home. For me this kind of analysis is essential in today’s quite difficult market when we are back to so much uncertainty over the coming 12 months, as I reported last month. So how many people in your area should be moving at any one time? Is your area more or less active than the average?