The traditional winter slowdown in the local property market started much earlier and more deeply than usual this year. This was as a direct result of speculation since the summer that the Government were going to introduce a raft of measures in the autumn budget that might affect the housing sector. These included an overhaul of the Stamp Duty system, a raid on savers’ pension pots, changes to Capital Gains Tax relief on the sale of main homes, the introduction of a Mansion Tax amongst several other possibilities.

The rumours had a marked impact on the market with a sizable number of sellers and buyers putting their moving plans on hold whilst others made a concerted effort to secure a sale/purchase ahead of the budget. This led to Rural View agreeing a good tranche of sales in September and early October but otherwise activity levels tailed off sharply in the weeks leading up to the chancellor’s autumn statement at the end of November.

Apart from an annual surcharge being levied on homes valued over two million pounds from 2028 and a 2% rise in property income tax, the budget was something of a non-event as far as property is concerned. However, all the speculation leading up to it over several months eroded market confidence leading to weaker demand and prices. Its late timing meant that effectively the property year was already over for new business by the time it came around albeit we remained busy managing the sales we arranged earlier in the autumn to successful conclusions.

Home movers in 2025 could have done without the long build-up to the budget and the associated rumour mill as the year had already got off to a challenging start following the global consternation caused by President Trump’s erratic tariff announcements. Despite the ramifications these had on stock markets and investor confidence, Rural View agreed a good level of sales throughout the year.

Over the late spring/early summer period we were delighted to have been favoured as the chosen agents for a sizable number of sellers with many of these instructions coming as a result of personal recommendations. This led to us having our largest ever register of homes to sell and under offer.

Looking forward to 2026, the thinking is that we will see a return to normality in the housing sector over the coming year and we are quietly optimistic that trading conditions will improve and get back on track again in the spring, possibly earlier. A period of political and economic stability both in the UK and globally would certainly be most welcome!

Mark Matthews, Rural View Dec 2025

At Rural View we are passionate about being involved in the local community, whether it be through sponsorship, donation or active participation. Over the years Rural View has contributed the equivalent of thousands of pounds to community and charity causes, and this summer we have once again been active, with the fine weather drawing large attendances to a variety of events.

Main sponsorships this year, as in past years, have included the wonderful Chalke History Festival, the splendid Fonthill Dog Show and bucolic Teffont Show, packed with entrants and visitors, and summing up what country life is all about in quite gorgeous settings.

In between times we supplied advertising boards for the Chilmark Fete, supported the East Knoyle Flower Show and we were delighted to help again with the Semley Summer Music Festival, itself a charitable event.

At the Chalke History Festival we sponsored a talk by Kevin McCloud, which was very well attended, and the Rural View buggies were again evident, charging around the festival grounds all week.

Across the whole county, meanwhile, we could be widely spotted as sponsors of the Wiltshire National Garden Scheme on the front of their vibrant yellow booklets. This is our third year and we were delighted to again see a cluster of local gardens being opened to the public. Among many, these included Fonthill House, Knoyle Place and Semley Grange. This fantastic charity is UK wide, and to be involved locally is very close to our heart.

We have a budget and can’t support everything, but if you have an event in mind that might benefit from our help, do ask.

The inclement weather in the first half of 2024 was a major delaying factor in the spring market taking off, and it was not until late April that we really saw significant activity, with properties coming to the open market and good viewing numbers. Buyers were readily competing for the best houses  and we agreed numerous deals over a frenetic period before the country went to the polls.

With the likely outcome of the election written in the wind, this activity continued for a while, but it was the end of the summer holidays that signalled a change in the mainstream market. By this stage, we had the new Labour government in place and everyone was trying to understand what changes might be implemented and how these could generally impact the property market. Unfortunately, comments in the press about the “painful budget” that was to be delivered in late October meant that many buyers and sellers decided to sit on the sidelines well in advance. Autumn was therefore quieter than we had hoped, but we still continued to agree plenty of sales.

When it eventually came, the budget delivered an immediate increase in second home stamp duty from 3 – 5%. We have found that since the post-covid boom, second home buying has been subdued anyway, and time will tell whether such a move will dramatically affect our local market. There is also going to be the dropping of the stamp duty relief for first time buyers and a general lowering of the threshold, which is likely to cause a flurry of activity at the bottom end to beat the 1 April deadline.

We hope for healthy levels of demand from good quality buyers in 2025. The outlook for the market and pricing will ultimately depend on how the economy performs and what happens to interest / borrowing rates, but we are looking forward to a better air of confidence to prevail rather than uncertainty, and expect the market and availability of stock to gather momentum throughout the year.

Boutique agent, Rural View has been identified as one of the top 500 estate agents in the UK and now features in the Best Estate Agent Guide 2025 – the most comprehensive review of UK agencies.

The Best Estate Agent Guide was created to help sellers and landlords find the top agents in their area. Each year, the Guide is compiled following a rigorous assessment which analyses more than 11,300 agents against criteria which matter most to homeowners, including property marketing, customer service and results.

This year, Rural View was among the top winners, taking home a Gold Award.

Director, Charlie Graham said

“We are delighted to have been included in the Best Estate Agent Guide 2025. This industry-wide assessment only rewards the agents which meet the highest standards and we are thrilled to have been recognised within the Guide as one of the very best in the UK.

We work hard to achieve top results for our clients in a bespoke manner and it is testament to that effort that the majority of our business comes via personal recommendation.

“If you’re thinking about your next move, then get in touch and we will be delighted to provide you with our expert advice.”

After a long, particularly wet winter, the profusion of daffodils, hellebores, primroses and crocuses we are currently enjoying in our sodden gardens is a most welcome sight and hints that spring is not far off.

Spring is of course that time of year when nature bursts into life, but will it be the same with the housing market?

It may be still relatively early in the year but there are definitely green shoots appearing in the property sector after what has been a fairly dormant few months. We are already seeing increased buyer activity with a rising level of internet visits and direct registrations. This has led to plenty of viewing requests and sales being agreed for realistically priced homes in the best locations.

After a prolonged period when the supply of village and country houses for sale has been limited, we are now being invited to evaluate an increasing number of properties ahead of them going on the market this spring.

The improved sentiment we are seeing is making us quietly confident that 2024 will be a less volatile year with prices remaining stable. Our region will continue to be seen as an attractive destination for buyers drawn to its beautiful countryside, excellent schools and quality of life. With the prospect of an improved supply of homes being put up for sale over the coming weeks, we expect to see an upturn in activity levels and a return to steadier trading conditions.

If you are looking to make a move over the coming weeks, as a buyer you will need to gear yourself up to be in a position to proceed with a purchase once you have found the perfect home so as to be an attractive proposition to the vendor. As a seller, you will need to ready your house for the market by giving it a good spring clean, tidy up the garden and if necessary, declutter and freshen up tired paintwork.

Rural View would be happy to advise on the right steps to prepare your home prior to sale, just give us a call!