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Robinson Jackson News
New buyers registering with Robinson Jackson are up a massive 20% compared to this time last year. This is fantastic news for anyone considering selling their property. There has been a rise in young families looking to move into the area, where property is good value-for-money compared to central London prices.
Very encouragingly, a growing number of first-time buyers are also active. In fact, Dartford was named the 2nd most popular first-time buyer hot spot in a recent report by Experian. Impressed by this, BBC Kent actually interviewed Dartford’s Branch Manager Robert Browning to find out more – click to hear his live interview.
John Browning, Senior Partner at Dartford says that demand has been growing for some time: “In some cases our branches are reporting five to ten families chasing a particular property and even rumours of ‘sealed bids’. If you have been thinking about selling for a while but are not sure if the market is active or not, our experience suggests it is! Sellers are benefiting from a constant stream of viewings and many find offers are being put forward within a week.”
During the first quarter of 2012 almost every one of our branches across the Robinson Jackson Group sold more homes than the national average. In fact, over half of our branches sold twice as many homes as the average, and in some cases, three times as many. On another positive note, property sales for the first quarter were up 13% when compared to the same period of last year, which is great news for local residents looking to move. Our news comes off the back of the National Association of Estate Agents’ (NAEA) February 2012 report, which found the number of sales made per month by the average estate agents is seven.
Spring traditionally sees a peak in the property market and this year is no exception. Momentum is gathering and already we’re selling more homes than we did last year – in fact we sold 10% more homes during the first 3 months of 2012 than we did in the same period of 2011. Demand is continually strong, with growing ‘hot lists’ of buyers at every one of our 30 branches and departments. Clients who have tried to sell their home in previous months (and even years) are now suddenly being overwhelmed with viewings and offers within a week of coming on to the market with us.
Reflecting on the Budget announcement this March, Alan Robinson, co-founder of the Robinson Jackson Group, says the Chancellor missed an opportunity to help ordinary people realise their home moving dreams. Failure to extend or improve the stamp-duty holiday for first-time buyers and no encouragement for lenders to make mortgages with smaller deposits available has left the masses feeling overlooked. Alan Robinson, comments: “I find it particularly galling that so little of the Budget statement relates to helping ordinary people buy a decent home, especially those who are trying to take their first step on the property ladder.
Positive property news continues, with reports of a strong market and good financial conditions flooding national newspapers. Michael Utchanah, one of the Senior Partners within the Robinson Jackson Group, comments that the agency’s own figures point to a resurgence in buyer confidence:
“We’ve just had our sales figures in for the first two months of 2012 and the initial signs are very encouraging. There’s been a year-on-year rise in transactions – with an average of 25% more homes in London and Kent being sold across the Robinson Jackson Group when compared to last year.”
Research from two different sources has shown that confidence among first-time buyers is increasing. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) reported an increase in loans to first-time buyers towards the end of 2011.
We are currently experiencing the best buy-to-let conditions for years. The favourable conditions are being powered by a growing number of new tenants, better buy-to-let mortgage availability and lower rates of interest on buy-to-let mortgages.
If you are thinking of moving or investing in a buy-to-let property in 2012, then you are making the right decision. 2012 is a very special year, with the prospect of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics setting an optimistic tone for the next 12 months.
Some may enter this year full of caution but there’s every reason to be enthusiastic, says estate agency Robinson Jackson, which has 30 branches and departments in London and Kent. They’re a company who had a fantastic 2011 and have started 2012 with a bang, brimming with enthusiasm that will help their thousands of clients who depend on their service every day.
The National Association of Estate Agents recently issued its guide to selling a property in winter. Here are some of their top tips, as well as our own useful advice. For more information contact your local branch.
- Keep your house warm – not only does it make viewers feel comfortable, it also displays that your heating system works.
- Check your outside lights – make sure any porch and exterior lights work for visibility and security reasons. Also turn on garden lights so viewers can see your outside space in the dark without having to go outside.
- Think about running an open house day – some viewers won’t want to visit after dark in the cold, so an all-day event allows them make a viewing during the warmer daylight hours.
- Offer a warm drink – this will put viewers at ease and break the ice with them, especially if you’re conducting the viewing yourself.
- De-ice and grit – if the temperature drops make sure you keep paths free of ice and snow so people can walk easily to your door safely.
- Light any gas, coal or wood-burning fires – they really do create an inviting environment.
Mortgages as a percentage of disposable income are at their lowest level since 1997, claims new research from the Halifax. In the fourth quarter of 2011, typical mortgage payments stood at 27% of disposable earnings. Mortgage payments have in fact halved since the third quarter of 2007.
Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, commented: "The prospect of an exceptionally low Bank of England base rate over the foreseeable future should maintain affordability at favourable levels in 2012. This should support the market over the coming 12 months." To find out about how much repayments would be on a property you wish to buy, contact our in-branch independent mortgage advisors.