How to Keep Your Home Safe Whilst You Are On Holiday

In this month's edition, we reveal the average difference between asking prices and selling prices and that UK house prices have seen a 300% rise this millennium.

Also this month, the top ten terms that buyers are searching for have been revealed and we share some top tips for how to keep your home secure whilst you're away on holiday.

What Is The Average Difference Between Asking And Selling Prices?

 

When selling your home, deciding on the right asking price is vital for generating a good amount of interest in your property. Obviously, you want to get the most out of your home, but it’s important that you don’t price yourself out of the market.

But how does the average UK asking price compare to the average selling price? Well, new research has sought to find this out…

According to a recent report, there’s quite a large gap between these two figures, with the average UK asking price currently standing at &414,359, whilst the selling price stands at &226,906 – a surprising 45% difference.

Although this is a shocking statistic at first glance, it does not mean that every homeowner looking to make a sale needs to chop their price by almost half to attract a buyer.

The report discovered that Scotland had the smallest gap between asking and selling price, showing a 16% difference as vendors were asking for an average of &186,371 and homes sold for &156,495.

England was top of the table with the largest gap, as homes were being listed for &323,336 but selling for an average of &243,639, a considerable difference of 25%.

In terms of individual regions, cities and towns, it was South Gloucestershire that saw the greatest difference, with homes selling for 43% less (&267,397) than the average asking price in the area (&470,117).

Inverclyde followed closely behind, with a 41% gap, and East Ayrshire recording the 3rd largest gap of 31% and an average sold price of &93,053.

Although most areas show similar statistics, there are a few locations that boast an increase on the asking price. East Riding of Yorkshire saw a 3% increase on their average &170,981 asking price, Nottingham was up by 2%, and the Orkney Islands and North Somerset both saw a 1% rise.

If you’re looking to make a move and considering selling your home, why not speak to us? We can provide you with an accurate and up-to-date valuation, and our knowledge of the local area can help you price your home appropriately, ensuring that you achieve the highest price possible.

UK House Prices Have Seen A 300% Rise This Millennium

 

 

We’ve all heard just how great an investment property is, but new research has shed some light on the staggering growth in prices throughout the UK since the year 2000.

A study that aimed to find the highest growth in house prices since the turn of the century has discovered that a number of cities and towns have experienced growth by more than 250%.

Based on data from the Land Registry, house prices in Waltham Forest have risen the most since the new millennium. Homes in this area are valued at &436,859 – a massive 364.9% more than they were just 18 years ago.

Similar figures were seen all over London, with eight areas in total rising above the 300% mark, such as Lewisham (331.9%), Southwark (326.5%) and Westminster (318.8%).

The closest runner-up outside of London was Southend-on-Sea, with a 290.9% increase in property prices over the 18-year period, and house prices now standing at an average of &280,984.

In total, there were 19 towns and cities located outside of the capital that saw a growth of 250% or more since the year 2000. These include Luton (276.7%), Basildon (274.7%) and Corby (270.2%), which were all among the top performers.

From these results, it appears that the further south you go, the greatest growth in prices can be seen, as Salford and Sale – both within Greater Manchester – were the only two areas located in the north that managed to break the 250% mark.

The Top Ten Most Common Property Search Terms Revealed

 

When searching for a home, it’s likely you’ll have a list of features and non-negotiables that will help you narrow down your search.

A new study has looked into the most common search terms from prospective buyers, revealing a list of the top ten features that buyers are looking for.

The results of this research found that the most popular search was for ‘Detached’ properties, suggesting that the ideal scenario for most buyers is privacy and not having to worry about upsetting their neighbours.

Coming in second was searches for homes with a ‘Garage’, which isn’t a huge surprise as it offers a little extra security for your car, but at the same time, provides plenty of additional storage space.

‘Bungalow’ takes the third spot, as they come with added convenience for buyers in their later years and provide the opportunity for some to make a profit from downsizing.

In fourth place was ‘Parking’, which many will assume should have ranked higher, as having somewhere to keep the car off the street is a must for a lot of buyers.

Just making the top five was the search word ‘Annexe’. Whilst there are plenty of benefits to owning a home with a separate space for family, or the opportunity to let out, it will be surprising to some to see it rank so highly.

One word that isn’t a surprise to see amongst the most common searches was ‘Garden’, as reports last year found that almost half of prospective buyers wouldn’t even consider a home without one.

At number seven was ‘Freehold’, showing that while many would be happy to just be on the property ladder at all, owning the land outright is clearly the preferred choice.

Rounding out the list, there was a range of similar terms, i.e. with ‘Cottage’, ‘Acres’ and ‘Rural’ coming in at eight, ninth and tenth, suggesting that buyers are on the hunt for a cottage in the countryside with plenty of land.

How to Keep Your Home Safe Whilst You Are On Holiday

If you are one of the millions of Brits who will be jetting off on holiday over the next few weeks, you have probably been busy getting your spending money converted or sorting out your travel insurance. But have you spared a thought for the security of your home?

With the number of burglaries committed in the UK rising by 9% over the last year, you cannot afford to take the security of your home lightly – especially when you plan on leaving it unprotected for a week or two. To help you keep your home safe, we have compiled a list of our top tips.

Keep it off social media

There’s no clearer message to thieves than posting on Facebook about how you are off to the USA for two weeks. In fact, if your home insurance provider discovers that you advertised your empty home on social media, they may refuse to pay out.

Take your spare keys with you

If you usually leave a spare key under a flower pot or inside a porch, you should consider removing it before you go on holiday. When looking for a way to break in, thieves will check the most likely hiding places, and should they find a key, your home and contents insurance policies will be void.

If you have to leave a key for a friend or family member, it is best to give it to them in person.

Move valuables out of view

It's not a great idea to leave valuables on show at the best of times! If you have a television, games console or computer that’s in view of your windows, then it might be a good idea to find somewhere that you can hide them whilst you’re away.

CCTV

These days, homeowners can easily install CCTV around their home for peace of mind. Additionally, it is now possible to install motion-controlled CCTV that can be monitored remotely – either by a third-party or by yourself on a mobile device.

If you don’t have the time (or patience) for installing cameras, you can buy dummy cameras that you can stick to the side of your home, which could deter potential home invaders.

Make it look like someone’s home

This can easily be achieved with a lamp on a timer switch. However, if you are looking for something more sophisticated, you can now purchase items such as lighting and blinds that can be controlled remotely by your phone, which helps give your home a more convincing lived-in feel.