Winter 2010
Christmas is almost upon us and the snow has brought much of the country to a standstill, so it comes as no surprise that the housing market is also amost at a standstill. However, these are not ‘normal’ times; the property market has been uncertain for sometime now and no-one really knows when it is going to pick up. There is still a distinct lack of stock as people are holding off of putting their house on the market for fear of further price slumps, and they may well be right. Some areas will be affected more than others, and it’s fair to say that Dorset and the New Forest will probably see some further decreases in prices, but we are certainly weathering the storm better than some. Only time will tell.
However, all is not lost; some people will continue to market their property but more and more are being marketed quietly in order to whittle out the ‘window shoppers’ and ‘time wasters’. If the right buyer comes along these vendors will sell, providing an agreement can be reached on price. So, if you are embarking on a property search how do you find out about their property in the first place? And how do you know what it’s worth? My advice to you is this; in order to hear about properties that are being marketed quietly you need to have forged a very good, very trusting, relationship with the local estate agents. They will only tell you about them if they really believe that you are a serious buyer. If you are not confident that you can achieve this relationship yourself then enlist the services of a buying agent. We will always hear about a property if it is being marketed quietly as agents know that our buyers are paying us and that they must therefore be serious. They also know our buyers will not mess around or pull out of a sale without very good reason; and this gives them an advantage over other buyers, sometimes even if their offer is lower. With our local knowledge we will also be better placed to ascertain the value of a property and will advise accordingly.
Stay warm, be safe and have a wonderful festive season.
Merry Christmas!
