How To Sell And Move In By Christmas

Moving home can be a lengthy process, sometimes taking several months. A lot of buyers use Christmas as a self-imposed deadline, often so they can host the festivities in their new home and start the new year in their new house.

However, if you’ve still not put your house on the market then don’t fret, as it’s still entirely possible to sell up and be moved into a new home in Warrington and move into a new one in a matter of weeks rather than months.

Prep Your Property

If you want a quick sale then now is the perfect time for a clearout, so you can showcase your property in its best light.

At a minimum, it’s a good idea to declutter and tidy the house and garden. Improving your property’s kerb appeal by cutting the front lawn and putting a couple of plants out the front can also make a bigger difference than you might think.

And if any rooms are looking tired or outdated then a lick of paint could do just the trick. Go for neutral colours too, because when combined with a room that’s been decluttered, it gives potential buyers a far clearer idea of how they’ll use the space if they move in.

Get Your Finances In Order

To give yourself the best chance of moving quickly you’ll need to have everything in place as soon as possible, particularly when it comes to finances.

Speak to a mortgage broker about how much you can borrow, and what your options are regarding porting your mortgage. You should also get your mortgage in principle arranged in plenty of time too.

You’ll also need to have at least three months’ wage slips available, as well as your most recent P60. Another thing you’ll need to check is that you have instant access to all of your funds, as many savers will often deposit large amounts of savings into an account that doesn’t provide instant access in order to get a better interest rate. So make sure you’re able to access your funds when you need them.

Weigh Up All Offers

If you’re fortunate enough to get multiple offers on your property then you may have to compromise a little on price in order to meet your Christmas deadline.

For example, first-time buyers and cash buyers are ideal when you’re looking for a quick sale, but they might be offering less than someone else who is part of a lengthy chain.

Ultimately it comes down to how important your Christmas deadline is, but if it’s absolutely vital to you, then you may have to accept a slightly lower offer to get the ball rolling quickly.

Make Sure Your Property’s Being Marketed Properly

It’s highly likely that your estate agent will advertise your home on the major property websites, on their website and social media too, but it’s worth double-checking that this is the case.

Make sure you have a ‘for sale’ sign put up outside too, as you never know who might be looking around the area on the off chance of seeing a place they like on the market.

Basically, you want your property to be seen by as many people as possible, so when you’re speaking to estate agents, find out how and where they plan to advertise your home, to ensure it’s getting plenty of exposure.

Don’t Cut Corners

Just because you’re in a rush to move into your new place, don’t allow it to cloud your judgment when it comes to the important things.

For example, it’s always a good idea to get a survey carried out on the new property, even if it could mean a slight delay in completing the purchase.

Surveys can flag up some pretty big issues, so it’s better to find out about them before you’ve committed to buying a place than after you’ve moved in.

And on the subject of cutting corners, don’t fall into the trap of choosing the cheapest solicitor and estate agent to handle your property transaction. Although it might take some extra time, it’s always worth speaking to a handful of agents and solicitors to get an idea of their timescales and their professionalism. After all, it’s important to deal with professionals that you can trust and who’ll look to meet your deadline, rather than those who don’t pick up the phone and leave your file on the bottom of a mountain of case files!

Talk To The Experts

Here at Hamlet Homes Warrington, we will do our utmost to get you moved into your new home by Christmas – but you’ll need to get in touch quickly!

Contact us today on 01925 235 338 or email us at manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
Hamlet Homes Warrington LinkedIn Page
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Has Buy-to-Let Changed the Warrington Property Market?

The ‘Buy-To-Let’ Mortgage is celebrating its Silver Anniversary (25 years) this autumn.

Isn’t it fascinating that a decision between a group of letting agents and bankers all that time ago to offer ‘Buy-To-Let’ (BTL) mortgages has changed the face of the Warrington (and national) property market?

But has it been a good thing? Or has it ruined the dreams of many 20 somethings wanting to get on to the property ladder in the last couple of decades?

Let’s look deeper at the whole story, then I will let you, the reader, decide.

As soon as the BTL mortgage was launched, it was clear there was an enthusiasm and a need for this mortgage product. So much so the size of the Warrington private rented sector has grown exponentially.

According to my analysis…

there are 8,189 private rented homes in Warrington,

worth £1,932,538,000.

So now we are in 2021, it seems farcical that banks and building societies once thought that properties rented out to private tenants would not create a steady income or increase in value, yet this thought was conventional back in the 1990s.

It’s no wonder BTL landlords have been given a hard time, with numbers like this.

Yet before we burn every landlord at the stake,

let’s just look at the background story.

The Conservatives introduced the right of a council house tenant to buy their own council house in the early 1980s. Fantastic news for council tenants, yet when a council tenant bought their home, that meant that council housing was taken away from future generations to rent and therefore eroding the council housing stock available. Meaning from the mid 1990s /early 2000s, people who would normally be eligible to rent from the council, yet who couldn’t buy, had only one option … rent from a private landlord.

Meanwhile, in the early/mid 1990s we had 15% mortgage interest rates, unemployment rates of 9% and the 1989 housing crash fresh in people’s memories. Repossessions were rife, making home ownership not the most attractive prospect for 20 somethings.

Warrington house prices dropped by

10.2% between 1989 and 1993.

This meant as we entered the mid 1990s, the Warrington property market entered a period of stagnation. There were many Warrington homeowners that bought their home in the property boom of the late 1980s who were disinclined to sell their home for a loss. They were in negative equity (i.e. they owed more than what the house was worth) yet needed to move because of their growing families.

Renting their home out could have allowed them to buy another home for their growing family, but most banks and building societies were still mostly unreceptive to the notion of these homeowners becoming accidental landlords. Most mortgage terms and conditions usually included clauses that prohibited homeowners from renting out their homes.

So, with growing demand from potential tenants, supply reduced from the sale of council houses and many homeowners in negative equity, all bound up by the semi-deregulation of the private rented sector with the Housing Act 1988 – you can see that the BTL mortgage came along at the right time.

Early take up of BTL mortgages was slow in the first couple of years.

By the Millennium, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, there were 

just over 120,000 BTL mortgages, with a total value of £9.1 billion.

Yet as we entered the 2000s, they really took off, with every man and his dog jumping onto the BTL bandwagon. So much so that today in the UK, there are…

4.4m private rented homes, 2.1m of them with BTL mortgages

totaling £234.1bn, which is 11.9% of the UK’s GDP!

That’s more than a 1,650% increase in the number of BTL mortgages to landlords and a 2,470% increase in the value of those BTL mortgages.

Since 2001, the number of privately rented households in the UK has grown 

from 8.3% to 19%.

On the face of it, you could say with the growth of these BTL landlords with their cheap BTL mortgages and often unkempt properties, it has pushed potential homebuyers into squalor. Yet, let’s look a little deeper.

Most Warrington landlords are very fair with their Warrington tenants providing them with clean, well presented and affordable housing. Of course, there are the rogue landlords but with TV shows such as ‘Landlords from Hell’, the British public are given a distorted and uneven view of private landlords as a whole.

Private sector landlords have played a critical role in providing homes to millions of Brits in this country, let me expand.

The UK population has grown by 405,000 people per year (for the last 20 

years), yet only 22,750 council/social houses have been built per year in the 

same time frame.

If it wasn’t for the rented sector, who would have housed all the extra people in the country over the last 20 years?

What about the exorbitant rents? Would it surprise you that rents have risen below inflation between 2008 and 2019?

Also there has been a drive to tax BTL landlords more comprehensively and 

regulate the private rented sector to develop better housing conditions

for tenants.

Unlike owner-occupier homes, tenants get the benefit of new regulations from Gas Safety Checks and Electrical Safety Reports. Also, BTL landlords will need to improve their Energy Performance Certificate Rating to at least a C rating by the end of 2025 for all new tenancies, and by end of 2028 for all existing tenancies, all at no cost to the tenant and directly saving them money on their heating costs – something that is very important considering the recent rises in gas prices.

Warrington landlords have also had to pay more tax on their Warrington BTL properties, paying 3% Stamp Duty tax supplement for the last 5 years, and higher rate tax relief on mortgage interest was taken away four years ago.

Landlords have also had to deal with the financial fallout of the pandemic. It is estimated 1 in 5 tenants in the private rented sector have some form of rent arrears.

Interestingly landlords that don’t use a letting agent to manage their property 

are 272.5% more likely to be 2 months or more in arrears.

Also, evictions for rent arrears were banned during the pandemic, meaning some tenants ran up arrears of 12 months or more. According to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), this has left around 210,000 private tenants in the country facing a court order for rent arrears. That would equate to…

439 Warrington private rented households

with a court order for arrears.

The idea that Warrington landlords are middle-class establishment types who are out to take advantage of Warrington tenants who can’t afford to buy their own Warrington homes is, in my opinion, just wrong.

Of course, there are some rogue Warrington landlords, yet there are plenty of rogue tenants. Just because you are a Warrington landlord, it doesn’t mean you are quaffing champagne and rolling in cash.

1,471 Warrington landlords own just one BTL property.

And just under half of those use their rental income to supplement their pensions, and according to the NRLA, a third of landlords have a gross income (excluding income from the BTL property) of less than £20k per annum.

It’s hard work being a Warrington BTL landlord and I still believe the burden of 

housing just under a fifth of the UK population isn’t appreciated or taken 

seriously by Government.

Notwithstanding the challenges, most Warrington BTL landlords are in it for the long run. BTL mortgages can be secured for less than 1% and demand is on the rise (with rents rising at the highest rate for 10+ years). Of course, Brexit caused a few issues with some Warrington landlords losing some Eastern European migrants. Yet once things settle down, we will have an influx of people coming from Hong Kong and Afghanistan, wanting to settle down, get jobs and ultimately require a home to live in, which will be a private rented house.

I know the Stamp Duty tax holiday has cleared out the Warrington landlords who were on the fence for staying in the private rented sector or selling up, but those Warrington landlords that are left will be more professional and will run their BTL portfolio as a business, not a hobby.

My final piece of advice to anyone thinking of becoming a BTL landlord in Warrington for the first time is that you have to have a strategy and plan ahead. Those who stumbled into the BTL market in the early 2000s made a lot of money without any strategy or tactics.

Moving forward you need the guidance and support of an agent who can tell you the best places for investment, be that for better yield or better capital growth.

They will also be able to tell you what tenants demand to ensure that you attract the right sort of tenants who won’t trash the place and leave you in arrears. If you would like some advice, do not hesitate to drop me a line or pick up the phone.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
Hamlet Homes Warrington LinkedIn Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Facebook Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Twitter Page

What Makes a Good Estate Agent? 4 Things to Look For in an Estate Agent to Sell Your Home

Selling your home is a huge life decision. Finding the right person for the job is one of the most important things you can do.

A good estate agent is honest, reliable, and easy to talk to. They can be the sole reason your home sells at the right price and the right time.

But how do you know who’s good and who’s not? Here are four things you should look for in an estate agent to sell your Warrington home.

1. Communication

Strong communication is one of the most important qualities of a good estate agent. If they aren’t communicating with you from the get-go, this is a bad sign. It’s easy to lose trust in someone that’s keeping you out of the loop. The last thing you want when selling your home is to feel like something shady is going on.

At the point of enquiry, monitor things like how promptly your calls are returned and whether promises are delivered. If an agent says they’ll send you information tomorrow and you don’t hear from them for a week, avoid at all costs.

2. Expertise

Your home is one of your biggest assets. Selling it is a skill and you want your estate agent to be an expert. That means they should be up to speed on the local area and can answer any questions you have about the selling process. An agent that knows what they’re doing will be able to reassure potential buyers and get you the right price for your home.

To check expertise, quiz your estate agent on things like local crime rates, local schools, nearby amenities and ask whether they have local area guides.

3. Good Reviews

Good reviews speak volumes. They can provide insight into an agent’s expertise, professionalism, and overall ethics.

Check the agent’s website for links to their reviews, success stories or testimonials. A good estate agent will be proud of their social proof, so they shouldn’t be hard to find.

4. Listening Skills

When you first enquired with your local agent, who did all the talking? If you couldn’t get a word in, this is a huge red flag. If your estate agent isn’t listening to you or acting very interested in what you have to say, how can you trust that they’ll take concerns seriously? Or that they’ll get things done the right way?

While you should expect an agent to pitch their services and sell, sell, sell, you should be doing most of the talking. A good estate agent will ask you questions and listen intently. It’s a sign that they want to understand your property and how they can help.

About Hamlet Homes Warrington

At Hamlet Homes Warrington, we pride ourselves on our high standards. Our team can help sell your home with the expertise and professionalism it deserves.

If you’re selling your Warrington home, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us today for a chat on 01925 235 338 or via email at manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
Hamlet Homes Warrington LinkedIn Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Facebook Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Twitter Page

Will Warrington house prices fall in the Autumn?

The stamp duty tax holiday is over, furlough finished at the end of September, unemployment is due to rise and inflation is rife … is this the end of the post lockdown Warrington property boom?

Surely, we are heading for house price correction?

Forecasting what will happen in the Warrington property market this Autumn may not be as simple as it first appears.

It’s true the Warrington property market is starting to settle down after the all-time number of property deals were completed in June.

More Warrington people will have moved home in 2021 than in any year since 2007, with an estimated 1.5 million home buyers nationally having bought a property.

Roll the clock back to last Christmas, and the Government’s Office for Budget Responsibility, projected that national house prices would drop between 6% and 8%.

By Christmas, the price of the average home

in Warrington will be about £240,700,

up 3.1% on last Christmas.

Let us not forget there were so many ambiguities at the start of 2021. We were about to start a 5-month lockdown, hospitals were bursting at the seams with patients, the vaccines hadn’t started, 4 in 10 employers had furloughed their staff and we had just had Brexit ... things didn’t look good.

Yet, nothing could be further from the truth 10 months later – the Warrington property market has been on fire. But after a heated summer in the Warrington property market, things certainly can’t carry on as they have been since the end of lockdown.

So, where are we with the Warrington property market as it stands? Taking reference from historical data on the website The Advisory (I would certainly recommend you check it out) …

78% of properties on the market today in Warrington

are sold subject to contract (stc).

How does this compare to October 2019 and October 2017?

In October 2017, 46% of Warrington properties were sold stc,

whilst in October 2019, 45% of properties were sold stc ...

Yet how does that compare to the national picture?

In 2017, 39.72% of the country’s properties for sale were sold stc whilst in 2019, that figure was 38.11%.

Now I love a good league table, so then decided to compare our locality to the rest of the Country.

So, I chose to look at the WA1 postcode specifically. For information, there are 2,234 postcode districts in the Country.

The 2021 sold stats put WA1 in at 98th place in

the Country, 877th in 2017 and 195th in 2019

… meaning we have improved from the 2017 and 2019 figures.

As we enter the last 3 months of the year, there are not so many uncertainties as there were at the start of 2021. On the good news front, 49 million Brits have had at least one jab (45m two jabs) and the UK will be the world’s fastest growing advanced economy this year according to the IMF.

Conversely, the furlough scheme ended at the end of September and with energy prices going through the roof, a real shortage of homes for sale (as I have discussed a number of times in recent blogs) and rising inflation on the back of a shortage of raw materials and trained staff, forecasting this and what will happen to Warrington house prices might not be as easy as it seems.

Post stamp duty tax holiday, it is now recognised that the majority of the demand for people moving home is focused by a profound unhappiness and frustration with the homes we live in, revealed during the first lockdown in 2020.

Buyers (and tenants – so take note Warrington buy-to-let landlords) want space ... in fact, three types of space … and they will pay handsomely for them!

• Office space (be that bedroom or study)
• Outside space (gardens or proximity to green areas)
• Broadband with ‘outa-space’ download speeds

And whilst there is a shortage of properties coming on to the market, demand and supply 

economics mean …

Warrington house prices should remain relatively stable going into 2022.

The number of properties coming onto the market in Warrington is slowly improving, yet not enough to diminish house values.

Also, don’t forget Warrington first-time buyers still have stamp duty relief all to themselves again and mortgages are cheap. At the beginning of the 2020 lockdown (spring 2020), mortgage providers removed their higher risk 5% deposit mortgages for fear of a housing market crash. Currently, the vast majority of these low 5% deposit mortgages are back, together with the Governments own 5% deposit mortgages.

Yet many Warrington homeowners are concerned about inflation

and its effect on their mortgage payments.

Inflation is important because if inflation gets too high, the Bank of England will need to raise interest rates to reduce inflation. Because mortgage payments are based on the bank of England interest rate, higher mortgage payments will affect what people can afford. Normally the higher the mortgage rate, the less likely house prices are to increase (and in fact if interest rates are too high, house prices will fall).

Whilst I can’t give you advice, with the Bank of England base rate at a 300-year historic low of 0.1%, I’m still surprised that nearly 3 in 10 Warrington homeowners with mortgages are not on a fixed rate mortgage. There has never been a better time to get a fixed rate mortgage, as there are deals out there with interest rates as low as 1%. This means even if interest rates do go up in the short term, you will be protected from higher mortgage costs. Anyway, back to inflation.

Inflation did rise quite quickly and steeply in 2008/9

but came back down within a year.

This was because of a shortage of staff and raw materials during the Credit Crunch of 2008/9, the very same issues we are experiencing at the moment in Q4 2021. The type of inflation (yes, there are types of inflation!) in 2008/9 was called ‘push inflation’. Whilst inflation is not great, ‘push inflation’ could be described as the better type of inflation (as long as is it doesn’t go on for too long).

The economic crippling hyper-inflation seen in the 1970s was ‘pull inflation’. The circumstances that create ‘pull inflation’ are not being experienced at the moment in the UK. This is good news because ‘pull inflation’ is bad inflation, which in turn would create massive problems to the UK economy as a whole.

Therefore, whilst inflation will probably rise to 4% - 5% by Christmas, I don’t believe the Bank of England will raise interest rates substantially as the message we are hearing from them is they see this as a short-term blip.

Opportunities for Warrington buy-to-let landlords?

Ultra-low mortgage rates and a booming rental market is encouraging more Warrington buy-to-let landlords to expand their rental portfolios, yet their strategy is changing. Yields are increasing as there is a shortage of rental properties, driving up rents. Also, there are Warrington landlords looking to exit the rental market, often because they want to liquidate their portfolio for retirement. These portfolios don’t make it onto Rightmove and get sold ‘off market’.

Therefore, if you are a serious Warrington buy-to-let landlord and you’re looking to expand your own portfolio, it’s really important to put yourselves on the mailing list of estate agents and also build up great one-to-one relationships with the same agents to ensure that you’re at the front of the queue for these off market rental portfolios and not at the back.

To conclude, nobody knows the answer to what will happen to the property market in Warrington as we go into 2022. There are many factors that could affect the market in a positive and negative way, yet buying property is always a long-term investment (be it for yourself or to rent), so if you need any advice or opinion on what you should do, drop me a line or pop into the office and we can discuss the options you have over a cup of coffee.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
Hamlet Homes Warrington LinkedIn Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Facebook Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Twitter Page

How To Sell a Home in Need Of Repair in Warrington

Just because your home is a fixer-upper, that doesn’t mean you can’t sell it for a great price. There is a huge market of family DIY-ers and developers that would love to snap up your home and give it a refresh.

Here at Hamlet Homes Warrington, we can help sell any property, no matter the condition. But if you’re worried about buy-ability, check out these tips on how to sell a home in need of repair in Warrington.

1. Make Small Updates

Are there small things you can fix that won’t make the house look so broken? Like a wonky door handle or a missing lightbulb?

If there are little, cheap things you can fix around your home, and you have the time, just do it. While these issues may seem small in comparison to the bigger deals, they can stand out in the photos.

2. Clean Up

Even though your home needs investment, a clean home is always more attractive than a messy one. Cleanliness may not matter much to a developer. But if your buyer is a DIY family that’s looking to live in your home while fixing it up, cleanliness will make the house appear more homely and liveable. Plus, a tidy home can make the repair work seem less daunting and overwhelming.

3. Be Honest

When meeting your estate agent, be honest about the repair work you know is needed. Just because your home needs investment, that doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get a great price. But lying about the issues or covering things up can break trust – not just between you and your agent, but with potential buyers, too.

If an estate agent is going to sell your home to the right buyer, they need to know everything. So don’t scrimp on the detail and make sure you’re being as honest as possible.

4. Highlight The Positives

A good estate agent will automatically be able to draw on the positives. But it’s still good to share the small things they may not know. Like the fact that you get a great sunset from the master bedroom. Or that the garden is south facing. All these things can help highlight the potential of your home.

5. Manage Expectations

If your home needs repair, it can still have great saleability. But it’s a good idea to manage your expectations, especially if your home needs a lot of investment.

Consider that your home may be valued at the lower end of the price range. Or that you may get a few offers under the asking price from interested buyers. If a buyer undertakes a survey, be prepared that they may renegotiate if any major work is thrown up. This may not happen, but it’s good to manage your expectations before you enter the process.

Want More Tips From An Expert?

At Hamlet Homes Warrington, we pride ourselves on getting the best value for you. We’re always looking for new homes and new challenges – and we’d love to hear from you if you’re selling your Warrington home!

Give us a call today on 01925 235 338 or send us an email at manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk to request a valuation.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
Hamlet Homes Warrington LinkedIn Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Facebook Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Twitter Page

Warrington Homeowners to be Made Homeless?

The number of properties for sale in Warrington has fallen by 68% since this time two years ago (October 2019). One of the reasons is that many Warrington buyers feel overwhelmed and fearful they will be made homeless if they sell their home and can’t buy another. So, I have decided to look again at the facts and give them to you in greater detail in this article.
My research has found the number of Warrington properties for sale started to decline last autumn (2020).
Nationally, the same story is being written as the average UK estate agency office now has around 16 properties on their books to buy, compared to 43 a couple of years ago.

So why is this an issue? Many Warrington homeowners are wanting to move home and are worried they will put their current home on the market, it sells quickly and then be unable to find another home to buy – thus they believe they will then be making themselves homeless.
The fact is that most Warrington home buyers need to sell before they can buy their next home, meaning they need to place their property on to the Warrington property market before they can buy their next home.
Yet because of the low supply of properties for sale and the current high demand, there is an imbalance in the Warrington property market. This means some Warrington house sellers are nervous to put a ‘for sale’ board outside their house.
So, let me look at the Warrington numbers in greater detail. According to the three main property portals (Rightmove, Zoopla and On-The-Market) …

In October 2019, there were 562 properties for sale in Warrington. 

Today, there are only 178 properties for sale, a reduction of 68%.

When I break it down into bedroom numbers and type it gets even more interesting (note things like building plots and part commercial/part residential etc., won’t be in these numbers so the stats below won’t precisely match up to those above).

	# Properties on the Market in Oct 2019	# Properties on the Market in Oct 2021	Percent Change
5+ Bedrooms	22	8	-64%
4 Bedrooms	85	17	-80%
3 Bedrooms	202	50	-75%
2 Bedrooms	200	66	-67%
1 Bedroom	50	33	-34%

.. and when I looked at the type of properties ... it got even more interesting …

Type of Property	# Properties on the Market in Oct 2019	# Properties on the Market in Oct 2021	Percent Change
Detached	99	23	-77%
Semi	162	35	-78%
Terraced	136	34	-75%
Flat	133	73	-45%

As you can see, there have been some interesting changes in the number of properties on the market in Warrington over the last few years, depending on the type and the number of bedrooms, yet all types of housing are down considerably.

So, if Warrington homeowners do sell, will they be made homeless 

if they can’t find their next ‘forever home’?

The answer is quite simply ... NO!
Warrington properties are coming on to the market all the time, yet the buyers have got to be in the game, in it to win it so to speak. If you keep looking at properties, without even having your property on the market, let alone sold (subject to contract), then you will fall into a self-fulfilling prophecy of not being able to buy another home and will always be chasing your tail.
And it’s those magic words of “subject to contract” that are your get out of jail card.
The average time taken from agreeing a sale to it being legally binding (i.e. exchange of contracts) is about 19 weeks.
During those 19 weeks, you are ‘sold subject to contract, which means you have four or five months to find your new home and the likelihood of not finding your next forever home is very small.
And even if you can’t find anywhere, you will never be homeless as the sale is not legally binding until you exchange contracts, so you can withdraw from the sale up to that point, without penalty.
One final word of advice to all Warrington home movers.

Around 6 in 7 Warrington homebuyers could

have missed their ‘forever home’ in 2020/21.

Let me explain, in a study of various UK estate agents 84.8% of homebuyers were not on the estate agent's mailing list before they contacted the agent to view the home according to Denton House Research.

Yes, 6 out of 7 buyers (84.8%) waited until the property came on to the market on one of the portals (e.g. Rightmove, Zoopla or On The Market) before asking to view it. But would it surprise you that depending on the location and type, up to one in five houses don’t actually make it on to the portals for sale.

This means if the homebuyer hadn’t registered themselves on the agents mailing list, they would’ve missed out on their ‘forever home’, because they would not have known the property was for sale until it was too late.

Quite simply, if you are serious about moving home in Warrington, get yourself on the mailing lists of all the agents in Warrington.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
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How To Choose a Home In Warrington

When you start browsing homes, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of opportunity. It’s even easier to get swept up in the moment and end up making bad choices!

Taking time to decide what you want in a Warrington property before you start viewing can help you quickly find the right place.

If you’re struggling to choose a home, here are our tips on how to find the right place to buy in Warrington.

1. Decide What’s Important and What’s Not

When thinking about your new home, you may have a mile-long list of hopes and dreams. It’s great to know what you want before you start looking. But it’s also a good idea to know what’s important and what’s not. Finding the dream home with everything you want can be tricky, if not impossible.

Make a list of your top priorities and split things into a list of ‘essentials’ and ‘nice-to-haves’. This will help make choosing your Warrington home much easier.

2. Consider The Long-Term

If you’re moving home or buying your first place, make sure you’re thinking about the long-term. Knowing how long you’ll stay in your new home can help you decide what’s needed.

For example, if you want to stay for at least ten years, will you need a school nearby, good transport links or a spare bedroom?

You don’t need to plan your entire life. But it’s good to have a rough idea of what you need long-term when choosing a new home.

3. Think About Investment and Resale Value

If you’re thinking about investing in renovation work when you move, consider the resale value and future development of the area.

Ask your estate agent for information about things like extension potential or projected resale value in five to ten years. This can help you decide whether you’d rather choose a property that needs lots of work or one that’s ready to move into.

4. Think About What You Want To Be Close To

When looking for a home in the Warrington area, think about what amenities you want nearby. Is it important that you are near the station or a bus stop? Or is it more important that you have access to the local schools or parks?

Deciding what amenities are important can help narrow down your search. Just make sure you’re not being too specific with your search, The more specific you are, the harder it’ll be to find your new home!

Ask An Expert

Can’t decide what you want from your new home?

Here at Hamlet Homes Warrington, we can help you figure out what you need and what area is best to buy in.

Check out our listings in Warrington to see what we have on offer. Or get in touch with a member of our team. We’d love to help!

You can reach us on 01925 235 338 or via email at manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
Hamlet Homes Warrington LinkedIn Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Facebook Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Twitter Page

5 Reasons Why Autumn is the Best Time to Sell Your House.

If you’re in Warrington and are looking to sell your property, then autumn could well be the perfect time for you to sell up and move on.

Yes, spring is often seen as the best time to sell, and that’s undoubtedly true, but we at Hamlet Homes Warrington also find that autumn proves to be a buoyant time in the property market.

If you were thinking of writing autumn off, stop. Think about it. Autumn could absolutely be the season for you to show your house off to a potential buyer.

Here, we look at some of the reasons why. When you’ve had a read, give us a call on 01925 235 338 and we’ll be pleased to help you sell your property in Warrington this autumn .

1. Summer’s out, and Christmas is around the corner

During August, many people’s thoughts are preoccupied with lazing in the summer sunshine, or going away on holiday than they are about selling their home. But once holidays and school breaks are over, and people take a good look around where they are living, they often think about it being the time to move.

When people think about a move, they then look at timescales and realise that they could just about be in their new home by Christmas, giving them time to settle in and get the new place ready for the festivities.

So, it makes perfect sense that autumn is the ideal time to put your house on the market.

2. Seasonal scents

Setting the stage for a potential house buyer is crucial in making the right impressions. Remember, you’re not just selling a house, you’re selling a dream or a lifestyle.

That’s why autumn represents an excellent time to sell your house.

The changing colours of the leaves, light drizzle and cooling air make it a perfect time to prepare your home. Imagine someone coming in out of the crisp coldness into a cosy house, with autumn fragrances in the air and a display of cherry and brown leaves, fir cones and berries beautifully arranged on a table. Imagine the warm thoughts they will have if you set your fire on low, with perhaps a couple of table lamps casting shadows in a living room.

You should see autumn as a season of opportunity, knowing that someone will fall in love with your property.

3. Remove the stresses, lower the costs

It’s a fact that spring going into summer is traditionally the busiest period for the property sector. This means that all the professional help you need, including conveyancers and removal companies, will be exceptionally busy.

In summer, the market drops off, only to rise again in autumn, but not to the levels seen earlier in the year. This means that you are more likely to get the removal company of your choice and on a date of your choice.

There is some talk that removal businesses lower their prices in autumn to attract customers. This may well be true, so it seems you could reduce your moving costs too – and isn’t that a good thing when you have so much to think about and pay for.

4. Attract serious buyers

As we mentioned earlier, it is after the summer lull that people think about moving, and they consider being in their new home before Christmas.

We at Hamlet Homes Warrington see autumn as the time we see the more serious potential buyers getting in touch. These are the ones who will want to see properties to actually move to – they won’t be the tyre-kickers, just having a nose round to see what’s happening, with no real intention to buy.

After all, you don’t want to waste your time, you want to get moving. When we speak with potential buyers, we always ascertain how serious they are. We can’t always promise, but we do have many years of experience and knowledge so we can get a good feeling for people.

5. Stand out

If your property goes on the market in the autumn, it’s more likely to get noticed, compared to the traditional spring influx of properties to the market. This is particularly true when you see how our exceptional photography will show off your home to its best advantage.

We think it’s best to stand out from the crowd, and autumn is the ideal time to do that.

Our team at Hamlet Homes Warrington are always available to offer advice so, please don’t hesitate to call us on 01925 235 338 or email us at manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk. We will be delighted to offer our words of wisdom on all things property.

If you are looking for an agent that is well established, professional and communicative, whether you’re buying, selling or looking for an investment opportunity, then contact us to find out how we can get the best out of the Warrington property market.

Email me on manoj@hamletwarrington.co.uk or call on 01925 235 338 – we are based on the Warrington Business Park, Long Lane, WA2 8TX. There is plenty of free parking and the kettle is always on.

Don't forget to visit the links below to view back dated deals and Warrington Property News.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR WARRINGTON HOME IS WORTH FOR FREE
Hamlet Homes Warrington, your local Estate Agent
Follow my Warrington Property Market Blog
Hamlet Homes Warrington LinkedIn Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Facebook Page
Hamlet Homes Estate Agents Warrington Twitter Page