The latest news from Wood & Pilcher

Have you met the lettings department?

Started by Jackie Morris, Wood & Pilcher's Letting & Management Department was initially a result of John Pilcher selling new build properties to citizens of Hong Kong with British nationality status, who wished to own a property in the UK. Nearly 30 years later we are still letting property for clients in Hong Kong, but also clients in 53 other countries, which is quite a formidable statistic and proof of the quality of service that we aim to provide.

Our Letting & Management Department has grown significantly over the years from being a two woman operation to today being a team, now headed by Nick Davy, of 7 permanent members of staff having the ability to call upon the experience of a Partner and the current MD of Wood & Pilcher. As our own Letting & Management operation has grown so has the ability to work closely with all of our Residential Sales branches to provide practical advice on selecting suitable investments. We can professionally manage either individual properties or a large portfolio on behalf of Clients. Our specialist team of experienced staff can offer a comprehensive range of services from all offices and consider your property to be one of your most valuable assets.

In more recent times we have navigated ourselves and our Clients through a myriad of ever-increasing legislation to ensure that properties, Clients, and Tenants remain safe and meet all necessary legal obligations. We have recently increased our housing stock by acquiring another independent estate agency’s letting portfolio and in February this year, Wood & Pilcher were proud to be chosen to receive the South East Lettings Bronze Award at this year's Guild of Property Professionals awards evening. This is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication over the past year as well as being a symbol of our commitment to excellence within the property industry.

So if you, a friend or colleague have a property to Let, please do not hesitate to speak to a member of our team today on 01892 528888 to find out how we may be of service to you, or click here for more information.

A guide to your property valuation

When it comes to selling your property, it's only natural you want to know all of the facts before beginning.

For the majority of us, owning a property will be one of the largest financial commitments we'll make in our lifetime, so making sure that you optimise on its value is really key in order to step further up the property ladder and afford that next dream home.

As your leading local expert, we've taken a moment to break down some of the important areas of your market appraisal, so that should you decide to ask an agent to value your property, you'll know exactly what you're getting from them.

What do we mean by property valuation?

A property valuation is an assessment of your property’s value, which takes into account a wide range of factors from the property type and size, to its condition and location, as well as seasonal and national trends.

Having a local agent conduct your appraisal can be a really useful advantage, as they'll know the local market and be able to target buyers within that area with the right marketing strategy to generate more viewings for your home.

Whilst it's estimated that a seller will have appraisals from two to three agents on average, it's vital that you choose representation based on their service proposition and success metrics, rather than opting for the highest valuation.

The aim here is to competitively price your property to achieve the best sale price in the best time frame possible.

Set the price tag too high, and you'll elongate your stay on the market whilst deterring otherwise interested buyers. Set it too low and you'll lose out on its full potential value.

Why is it important to get an up-to-date valuation, even when you're not thinking of selling?

The market is constantly changing, so whilst you might not be ready to sell right now, it's recommended to keep an eye on how properties are faring near you.

If a lot of your neighbours are selling quickly, it can be a really good indicator that you'll be in a prime position to find a buyer at a price and time to suit you.

Prices have been increasing year-on-year, so knowing your home's value can also mean that when it does come time to sell and move on, you're already informed and ready to instruct an agent, saving yourself time and energy from the very start of your property journey.

Whether you're looking to sell right now or sometime in the future, find out exactly how much your home could be worth.

Land Required for Development Opportunities

UK greenfield and urban values increased by nearly 2% each, marking the strongest growth since 2014, while a shortage of immediate land opportunities created further upward pressure. Its latest report reveals that limited stock has caused pent-up demand and increased competition for sites. It is noted that there is still a shortage of development land across the country despite more new sites being brought to the market over the last quarter.

The rolling annual total of planning consents in the UK fell by 14% * in Q1 compared to the same period in 2020, while this pipeline of new homes is not distributed across the country in line with the areas where new homes are most needed and demand is strongest.

The impact of Covid, Brexit and a global surge in construction demand have all driven build cost inflation. Global demand for raw materials has outstripped supply, resulting in disrupted supply chains and inflated prices. However, these rising pressures have so far largely been offset by strong house price growth over the last year.

If you think you may have a development opportunity, contact wood & Pilcher Land & New Homes today on 01892 511211 to discuss how we may be of service to you.

*Statistics reported by Savills