RuralMatters&
PropertyReview
Forourresidentpropertyexpert,thegreen
shootsofthehousingmarket’srecoverymight
words | PAUL DALTON of Roger Parry & Partners, Oswestry.
bestartingtoemerge.Butisitstilltooearlyto
In association with Parry Lowarch Residential.
startbranchingoutonnewproperty?
Out of one’s tree?
EASTER WEEKEND traditionally heralds the start any property’s availability.I’m told thatTrading
of spring,a time when home and garden Standards see this as a wonderful opportunity of
experience their annual makeover.It’s usually generating business! Some firms are already
harvest time for garden centres across the country running the gauntlet by erecting a sale board
and this year was no exception,with good weather before the HIP is available.
throughout the UK. Estate agents’ hands are tied when it comes to
Historically this is also the time for some people marketing as they’re dependant on the HIP
to call out an estate agent with a view to putting provider supplying the appropriate information.
their house up for sale. The pressure is on providers from both the vendor
This year,more so than I can remember,we have and estate agent to react quickly and supply the
experienced a plethora of opinion as to the state of appropriate documentation.I rather fear the
the property market and no matter which independent HIP providers,which have sprung up
newspaper you read,house sales were the in numbers in the last two years,are going to
favoured topic. suffer badly in this so-called‘tidying up’ of house
Three weeks ago we read the amusing situation selling.Having said that,there are some traditional
of the Nationwide Building Society saying house solicitors who similarly haven’t moved with the
prices had risen by 0.9 percent and Halifax saying times.For those solicitors the prospect is losing
they were still falling.And these are the so called their client,unless they’re able to provide the
heavyweights of the property business! More information quickly.
recentl,y in one weekend property supplement,a Having being in the property industry for
junior hack proffered that“the buds of the housing over 35 years I’m certainly one person
market are starting to burst.”Then on the who will not put my head on the block
following page an opposing journalistic comment and offer opinion as to the state of the
claimed“house prices continue to spiral down.”(!) market – but I would say,following a
If nothing else this can add a light-hearted significant fall in property values,the
moment to one’s weekend reading and,of course, decline is slowing and any time
offer the prospective house-seller the opportunity within the next six to 12 months
of jumping on whichever bandwagon takes may well be a good time to
their fancy. consider buying a property.
The reality is it’s only an honest opinion from However,if you’re selling and also
your local estate agent which offers the true state buying,then of course – provided the
of the market in your particular area.Having said transaction is carried out within the
that,finding an estate agent may not be as easy as same timeframe,and provided all
it was two years ago,with national statistics parties are realistic as to price
confirming that over 30 percent of estate agents – there’s no reason why you
have left the industry – a situation likely to remain shouldn’t at least contemplate
for some time. getting onto the market.
The house selling process of the future will be What will have changed for a
very different,not only from the point of view of generation,however,will be the ability
the reduced number of agencies but also due to to borrow money to purchase property,
the fact that from the beginning ofApril 2009 all which will have more regard to the
properties require a Home Information Pack before value of property and the ability of the
marketing can commence. borrower to pay.Meanwhile those of us
To summarise,each property requires an Energy who are happy and comfortable to still be in
Performance Certificate (EPC),included within the the house selling industry at all (and who are
Home Information Pack (HIP) and this pack must able to adapt to changing market conditions)
actually be in the hands of the estate agent before will see the recently pruned tree eventually
the agent is permitted to breathe a word about blossom,fruit and hopefully flourish.
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