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!

When to Sell, When to Buy?

At this time of spring chickens and Easter eggs, when it comes to moving house the perennial question is: ‘do I sell my current home or find the next one first’?

The fear of some sellers who have yet to have another property in mind is that they will sell their present property before they are ready and come under pressure to buy another one that is not ideal or end up doing a double move by going into temporary accommodation.

The flip side is that if a buyer finds and falls in love with their dream home but is not in a position to proceed, their interest will not be taken seriously and are likely to lose out to a better placed rival.

There is no perfect right or wrong answer and personal circumstances such as work, finances, health or family matters may determine when to start marketing. An agent is always delighted when a vendor client says they are prepared to rent as it helps speed the sale process along. It also means that the seller can take their time searching and puts them in a stronger buying position but this is not always a practical proposition.

Having made the decision to move, what most people do is to commence a property search and marketing campaign at the same time in the hope of dovetailing the two.

Property Chains

Life becomes more complicated when one’s own buyer is dependent on selling a property or the vendor of the house one wants needs to buy one themselves leading to a ‘chain’ situation. The shorter this is, the better as the fewer number of related sales in it reduces the risk of everything collapsing.

With chains of related sales or purchases, it is vital that honest and regular communication is spread up and down its length via the agents so that everyone involved has a true idea as to how things are progressing and expectations can be managed accordingly. In most cases, both exchange of contracts and completion of the sale have to fit in with everyone else so all parties may need to compromise on timing.

The Spring Housing Market

Despite the economic uncertainty caused by domestic and World events in recent months, the local property market has remained remarkably resilient. Indeed, we at Rural View have just had a particularly successful winter, usually a dormant period in the property year.

There are good numbers of people looking for homes at the moment but there are not many actually available. This is being exacerbated by some prospective vendors holding back on putting their houses on the market for fear of not finding another one leading to a self-perpetuating chicken & egg conundrum. To reverse this trend, we need a few brave sellers to take the plunge as it would encourage others to do the same. Happy Easter!