December Newsletter from Durden & Hunt

Reasons to sell right now

 

From apartments to family homes, the average asking price of a property has risen to record levels around every region of the UK.

 

Whilst some people will choose to wait until the 2022 market has officially started, we have four reasons why it's the ideal time to ready your home for your new year sale right now.

 

Your home will be in front of a record number of potential buyers

 

The amount of people looking to relocate continues to outweigh the number of homes available for sale.

 

Furthermore, it's an immensely competitive market following the last year of intense activity and interest, with Rightmove and Zoopla reporting that they see the highest visitor numbers in the days after Christmas year-on-year.

 

You could get a better price for your home

 

Asking prices have hit record heights in 2021, so if it's been a few years since you last learned your home's value, you could see far more than you ever expected.

 

The budget for your next home might have changed

 

Depending on your property priorities, you might find that your dream home is within reach, as location is no longer the most desirable characteristic and demand levels are influencing price points on the market.

 

Favourable mortgage interest rates

 

Mortgage interest rates continue to stay low, and lenders remain eager to propose loans in the competitive market, helping you to secure your next move that much faster.

 

Find out your home’s true value with us today by booking your market valuation.

 

 

UK house prices have climbed on average by £25,000 in the past year alone

House prices rose by 10.6% during August, up from 8.5% during July – bringing the average price to £264,000.*

 

This strong national increase is being fuelled by the perfect storm of high buyer demand combined with low housing stock levels.

 

The stamp duty holiday helped increase house prices in the UK by 9.8% in the year to August, before coming to a close in September.

 

Whilst growth rates were seen to be higher in Wales and Scotland, the average prices are lower at £195,000 and £181,000 respectively.

 

At the same time, London has seen the lowest level of growth across all regions but has reached a new height at £526,000 on average.

 

Even though the stamp duty holiday has finished, experts believe that prices won’t fall due to demand for homes remaining higher than supply.

 

Online property searches spike over the Christmas period, giving you an optimal window to showcase your home and attract buyers in the new year.

 

To learn your property's value and get it market-ready in time for the holidays, contact us.

 

*Office for National Statistics

 

 

Best seller's market in a decade

 

Best seller's market in a decade

 

Over the past year, the housing market has had its fair share of ups and downs.

 

A lot of people were worried about buying and selling, leaving the market vulnerable at times. Yet despite this, market conditions are keeping to a continual high and exceeding expectations, making it the ultimate market for sellers.

 

Why is December a good month for home sellers?

 

The main reason is because the quality of buyers looking to find a home is higher than any other time during the year. If you also combine that with the low supply in available properties on the market, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to grab the attention of potential buyers.

 

This time of the year is a hectic one, with people spending quality time visiting family and friends. On the property front, it’s also busy, especially with homeowners keen to move within the first few months of the new year.

 

The main catalyst behind this is that people experience a change in their property priorities, pushing them to seek a new home.

 

In fact, 78% of UK sellers felt certain that they would sell their property within the next three months and purchase a property during that same length of time.*

 

Are you eager to match your home with serious buyers?

 

Get in touch with our team today to make sure your property journey is a valuable one.

 

*OnTheMarket 

Market predictions for the new year

 

Market predictions for the new year

 

The trio of low mortgage rates, the stamp duty holiday and changes in buyers’ priorities have all contributed to the incredible demand within the housing market in 2021. That is why we’ve managed to see an incredible leap of 30% in buyer interest across the five-year average.*

 

As the new year draws closer, we explore a few factors that are in store for the property market for 2022.

 

1. The return of first-time buyers

 

Whilst the demand is there, the range of buyers has changed.

 

At the start of the pandemic, most buyers were in the wealthier bracket of society and owned higher valued properties. Now that we’re seeing an improvement in mortgage affordability, the door has opened back up to first-time buyers!

 

If you’re a first-time buyer, we don’t expect the market to slow down anytime soon, so you’ll need to ensure you’re prepared to move quicker than normal when you find a property you like.

 

A good way to stay ahead of the game is by getting a mortgage in principle before you start house hunting.

 

Mortgage in principle (MIP) = this is a statement from a lender that they would lend you a certain amount and can assure a seller of your financial standing.

 

2. Race for space continues

 

Another domino effect from the pandemic is how homeowners began to prioritise space as one of their main needs in a property.

 

The combination of being cooped up inside, as well as businesses moving to remote working meant that people naturally discovered how much they valued space.

 

If you’re thinking of moving to find a property with more room, the time is now to get a move on with the process – especially with demand being high and surpassing supply.

 

Stay one step ahead of the game and book your up-to-date property valuation with us this month.

Winter energy costs for homeowners and tenants

 

Winter energy costs for homeowners and tenants

 

According to new data released by Uswitch, almost 60% of households have reported that they are concerned about how they will meet energy bills this winter.

 

It’s estimated that half a million more households will owe money to their providers compared to 2020.

 

With the continued rise of inflation across England causing the cost of essential goods to go up, such as food and energy, it is predicted that many will keep their heating off to keep bills down.

 

The concern is that many poorer households may find themselves not being able to meet payments and will turn to borrowing more or falling behind in an attempt to meet their essential needs.

 

Data from The Money Charity has revealed that households in the UK spend a total of £120 million a day on water, electricity and gas, with a rising proportion starting to experience arrears on their energy bills.

 

Consequently, charities such as StepChange Debt Charity have seen a 388% monthly increase on their gas and electricity arrears web page.

 

As UK households are now going into the coldest time of the year, further research has shown that £510 million will be owed in total to suppliers. This is an increase of £77 million since 2020, as many feel the pressure of the rising cost of energy.*

 

With recent budget announcements introducing measures to help those that need it, StepChange are still concerned that many lower income households will experience a lot of debt problems over the next few months.

 

Are you concerned about paying your energy bills this winter?

 

Charities like StepChange can provide extra guidance for those experiencing financial difficulties, as well as ways you can keep your home warm this winter.

 

There is also further support available through the winter fuel payment, cold weather payment and warm home discount; schemes that involve a contribution of between £100 to £300 from the government towards electricity and heating bills.**

 

Whether you’re a homeowner, landlord or tenant, we’d like to help you with your property needs this winter. Contact us for more information.

 

*Uswitch

 

**GOV.UK

The key home trends across 2021 and 2022

 

The key home trends across 2021 and 2022

 

With 2022 on the horizon, you might already be thinking ahead to next year, whether that’s re-decorating a room, renovating a property or simply wanting to add some finishing touches to a space in your home.

 

In order to plan ahead, we’ve put together some of the key interior home trends that have emerged out of 2021 and what we think you’ll begin to see in the following few months.

 

Top trends of 2021

 

Looking back over this year, we saw many choose to add eye-catching furniture and bold murals, as well as snippets of more traditional materials like gingham and linen.

 

Going bold

 

With countless lockdowns, many of us were bored of being boring and wanted to bring the brightness inside.

 

Bold colours, feature walls, textured walls and neon lightings were all popular choices, adding a pop of colour to bring our homes to life.

 

Panelling

 

One of the biggest trends to make its way through 2021 was adding panelling walls, giving a more traditional charm to rooms.

 

Using architectural panels helps featureless walls stand out from the rest in a subtle yet stylish way.

 

Bringing the outside in

 

We filled our homes with plants and gave our furniture a natural makeover.

 

In came more natural materials, including bamboo, wicker, rattan and cane, with many favouring bringing outside elements into their homes.

 

Emerging trends for 2022

 

With sustainability a high focus at the end of 2021, it’s no doubt that this will run into 2022 and is reflected in our behaviour and elements when looking to decorate our homes.

 

Italian icons

 

Marble and granite were the standout surfaces of choice for 2021, but moving into 2022, terrazzo has seen a surge in demand, predicted to be hot next year.

 

Black accents

 

A great way of adding edge and depth to minimal spaces is black accents and hardware.

 

Choosing light and neutral colours for the main elements of your space and then adding black to certain features such as lamps, handles, radiators and tables is a great way of adding contrast to space.

 

More vintage than ever

 

With many shifting their focus to the environment, vintage finds are a greener choice.

 

Not only is shopping vintage a more efficient and sustainable option, but they can add personality to your home too.

 

Looking to make a change next year?

 

There’s no doubt that all the trends we’ve seen over the past year and those to come are great ways of bringing spaces to life, but it’s clear that the environment and sustainability will play a huge part in people’s decisions and choices in 2022.

 

Have you been thinking about moving house? Contact us to get started.

Christmas Onesie 5K Trail Run

We invite runners of all abilities to join us for what is guaranteed to be a muddy fun morning out. At the finish line, you will be rewarded with a mulled wine or hot chocolate around a roaring fire pit.

Click here to read Christmas Onesie 5K Trail Run.

Christmas Floral Workshop & Festive arrangement workshop

During the workshop, all materials flowers, foliage, etc will be provided.No experience is needed to get you in the festive mood.

Click here to read Christmas Floral Workshop & Festive arrangement workshop.