2020 is going to be an exciting year for Rural View and there are a number of positive changes you will see over the coming months. The first has already happened with the addition of Charlie Stone to our team. He joins us from a well known global property firm following many years of looking after the prime country house market locally for them. The fact that Charlie has chosen to come on board says alot about how highly regarded Rural View are in local property circles. He will bring with him a huge amount of experience, enthusiasm and knowledge and his fellow directors at Rural View; Charlie Graham & Mark Matthews are pleased to welcome him aboard!

Whatever one’s view of December’s general election result and the divided state of the nation, at least the new Government’s substantial Parliamentary majority means that they will be able to progress their legislative programme so as to allow the country to move forward from the previous political impasse with a degree of certainty.
It’s too early to analyse how this and the UK’s forthcoming departure from the EU will affect what has been a subdued housing market but the widespread feeling is one of cautious optimism that it will give the sector a much needed kick start and allow it to get going again.
There are certainly active buyers around looking for their next home and as 2020 gets underway, the expectation is that sellers will find the confidence to put their properties up for sale and in doing so, bring some stability back to the market and boost trade. As we embark on a new decade, let’s hope that this will indeed be the case!

How well do you know South Wiltshire?

Tell us where these 10 local scenes are for a chance to win a magnum of champagne.

Email your answers A – J to admin@ruralview or post to Unit 5, Manor Farm, Chilmark, Salisbury SP3 5AF by 12.00pm Friday 3rd January 2020

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

The answer is NO according to Rightmove who say that the number of daily visits to their website by those looking for a houses for sale doubles over the winter holiday period.

This is partly as a result of there being more time to surf the net but it’s also when people tend to reflect on the year that’s ending and look ahead at their plans for the following one. For some, moving house is a big part of their New Year’s resolutions.

The number of viewings taking place during December and January tends to be less than at other times in the year. However, those buyers who are prepared to venture out on a cold wet, winter’s day when house hunting might not be the most enticing of prospects, are often the most serious and effective buyers. Indeed, we have even agreed sales on Christmas Eve!

Agents will often have one or two properties on their books which are not visible on the usual property portals but are available to buy. This is usually because the house owners would rather sell on a more discreet basis. Over the winter months there’s a generally held assumption that there are fewer buyers around and so sellers whose homes have been on the market for a little while will sometimes ask their agents to put their properties in the ‘bottom drawer’ so as to avoid them becoming ‘stale’ although they are still want to move.

It is true that there are normally fewer viewings during the winter months but actually those that do take place can be more effective. After all, buyers who venture out on a cold, miserable winter’s day tend to be serious, genuine purchasers and indeed, we have agreed sales on Christmas Eve. In 2016, despite it being the year of the Brexit referendum, the last quarter of that year was by far our busiest for arranging sales.

This winter, we are seeing a larger number of houses going under the counter as a result of the general election and Brexit impasse with vendors waiting to see how the political situation resolves itself. Rather than just relying on what they see on Rightmove, Zoopla, OnTheMarket etc., prospective buyers are therefore advised to make a point of contacting agents directly to ask whether they have any suitable houses which are not being featured on the property websites. They might just unearth what they’re looking for!