Thinking of moving or having trouble selling your property?

Ashington Page are running a property advice clinic at our Beaconsfield office on Saturday 25^th February 10am-2pm. Join one of UK’s leading property sales experts, Samantha Jones of HomeTruths for advice that will help get your home selling!

Samantha Jones is MD of Home Truths, the  home sale strategists who advise clients on why they haven’t had a sale and then create a Home Sale Strategy to get you moving. As the top advisors in the business their advice can cost up to £3,000, but Ashington Page are giving you the chance to access Samantha’s expert knowledge, completely free of charge.

Places are limited so please call to find out more or reserve your free consultation slot on 01494 685510.

According to the experts property transactions throughout the UK in 2012 are likely to be flat with predictions ranging from a 2% increase to a 5% fall in property prices.

As in 2011 there will be hotspots of activity where property will be in demand. The ongoing economic uncertainty in the UK and destabilising effect of the eurozone crises will continue to dampen confidence in the market. Mortgage lending is also expected to remain flat this year as the banks have been ordered by the Governor of the Bank of England to beef up their reserves with money earmarked for lending.

The latest credit conditions survey from the Bank of England suggests that although lenders plan to introduce more deals to help those with small deposits over the next 3 months, credit scoring criteria will get tougher limiting the number of borrowers able to secure loans. This approach has been evidenced by a slight fall in fixed rates for those with a 10% deposit with more lenders entering this market.

It is not all doom and gloom as those potential borrowers with a healthy deposit or equity in their home and with a good credit history should be able to secure some extremely competitive deals. For example a number of lenders are offering 5 year fixes under 4%.

One area expected to continue to grow this year is the Buy to Let market with banks and building societies keen to exploit the boom in the rental market.

Rents which already stand at a record high in some locations are expected to rise by a further 5% this year. Tenants unable to secure a mortgage are having to compete for houses to let. With Buy to Let lending accounting for 10% of lending last year this figure is expected to increase this year with new entrants to the market.

After a 3 year absence Santander have re-entered the market which sends out a positive message to the sector. Both rates and arrangement fees are falling as lenders bring out new deals to attract business.

Other positive changes to the market have seen some lenders prepared to lend up to 80% loan to value which was unheard of two years ago. We have also seen a new two tier approach to products and prices for higher income earners earning over £50,000 a year looking to secure Buy to Let finance.

As always it pays to take advice for the most appropriate deal to fit your circumstances.

National housing overview

House prices fell by just over 1% in 2011 and are expected to remain relatively unchanged in 2012, according to the latest Halifax index.

The price of the average house in the UK is now just over £160,000, thanks to a 0.9% fall in prices in December 2011 and a 1.3% drop over the whole of the year.

The findings contrast with that of rival lender Nationwide released just a week ago, which showed that house prices rose by 1% last year. As ever, these indices only give us an overview.

The differences are usually due to variations in the methodology used to collect the data and the definition of the “average house” on which the data is based.

Martin Ellis, Halifax’s housing economist, said: “Whilst there was a modest fall overall in prices during 2011 with an annual decline of 1.3% in December, house prices held up well last year in the face of the difficult and deteriorating economic climate and substantial pressure on households’ finances.

“If the UK can avoid recession we expect broad stability in house prices in 2012. There is, however, considerable uncertainty regarding the prospects for the UK economy which will to a large extent depend on how events in the eurozone unfold.”

The number of completed house sales rose to its highest levels in October and November 2011, according to the Halifax, with the number of sales in November the highest since December 2009. Something also reflected in our local experience, below.

The Beaconsfield property market

As reported nationally, November and December were much busier than usual, with sales continuing strongly right up to the new year. That has meant things are a bit quieter than usual so far in January but the real challenge is a shortage of properties – a happy problem if you’re looking to sell. Demand is definitely outstripping supply again. At the very least this will lead to stable prices in the area, it may even buck the small drop expected nationally.

If you’re thinking about selling, try our free marketing appraisal. We will create a bespoke property marketing plan for you, with no obligation, just good advice on what we think your home can sell for and the best approach to selling it in the current market. Call us on 01494 680018 or just drop into our office.

For the third year running Beaconsfield estate agents, Ashington Page, have won one of the top prizes in the UK’s leading property awards. Taking the prize once again for the region’s best single office agency they have now become the only estate agents in the UK to have won gold for their region three years in a row.

The judges, chaired by the UK Property Ombudsmen, Christopher Hamer, had this to say about Ashington Page’s continued winning streak.

“Ashington Page are perpetually successful at these awards and the judges were pleased to see its exceedingly high standards have been maintained and improved over the past three years, since it first won gold. It offers a consistent combination of great service, technology and training whilst continuing to seek and produce new marketing initiatives. State of the art photography and web technology has been embraced with real results seen through growth in more niche markets. The directors believe that, “small is beautiful”, and this is certainly the case with Ashington Page. Outstanding.”

We’d just like to say a huge thank you to everyone for all their lovely feedback and appreciation which help us keep winning these awards. This industry has always struggled with its reputation, but we have the privilege of helping people through one of the most important, if challenging, times of their lives; and when you get it right it makes a huge difference.

If you’re in Beaconsfield on Wednesday for the Festival of Lights do please pop in and join us for a celebratory glass of bubbly!

Many estate agents focus on just sales or lettings, but at Ashington Page we believe offering both, especially in the current market, brings a benefit to sellers and landlords alike. Many tenants hope to become buyers when the time is right for them, and of course landlords are a great source of demand for properties for sale.
We’re delighted to have brought Steven Cotterell onto the Ashington Page team as our new Senior Lettings Negotiator. Steven grew up in Beaconsfield and is already bringing a fresh and proactive approach to our lettings team.
Now he has had a few weeks to settle in he’s shared his view on the current condition of the lettings market in and around Beaconsfield.
“The demand for lettings is particularly buoyant from professional couples and families especially, but the local market is suffering from a serious lack of supply, making any good properties coming up for rent very sought after.  Two and three bedroom houses and cottages will be snapped up, in fact anything in the £1,000-£2,000 price range is letting quickly, and to good tenants.
The area is also in high demand from corporate relocations and overseas customers looking at the top -end properties, but this is a very seasonal market and demand for those will be much higher come January.”
Steven Cotterell – Senior Lettings Negotiator
Steven brings almost a decade’s experience across both lettings and sales to Ashington Page. He grew up in Beaconsfield, and so has an insider knowledge of the area that helps him sell the benefits of our properties to potential tenants.
Taking the proactive stance that is so important to successful, stress-free lettings; his friendly approach is supported by the specialist knowledge that landlords and tenants require. He’s been a high flyer at several agencies across the area and we’re now delighted to have him heading up lettings for us. Outside of work when he’s not found down the gym or watching football he’ll be socialising with friends and family who live locally.

National housing overview
House prices showed a surprise increase of 1.2 per cent in October, according to the mortgage lender Halifax. The growth means the average property price of £163,311 is marginally higher than at the end of last year.
Halifax’s housing economist Martin Ellis said the prospect of low Bank of England interest rates was supporting the property market.
The other key index by Nationwide also showed an increase, albeit a smaller rise of 0.4%.
Their chief economist said: “Given the challenging economic backdrop October’s data is encouraging, but it doesn’t fundamentally change the picture of a housing market that is treading water. Property transaction levels remain subdued, and prices essentially flat compared to last year.”
The Government’s announcement of the £400m ‘Get Britain Building Fund’ has had a mixed reception, previous schemes have had a very marginal impact.
However,  the strongest welcome was given to a mortgage indemnity scheme that will allow larger mortgage lenders to offer 95% loans on new-build homes, dramatically reducing the deposits people have to save.
The requirement for such large deposits has been holding back many first time buyers and the coalition claims this will advance enough cash to help an extra 100,000 purchases.
The Beaconsfield property market
As is normal in November the market quietens down as people tend to avoid wanting to move too near to Christmas. However at Ashington Page we’ve kept up the volume of sales, with sales equal to last year already as this goes to print, and another week left to go.
The market is always going to be quieter in November and December in terms of viewings but if you’re thinking of selling then it is a key time to get things progressing so that your property can hit the market as the year turns.
If you are thinking of selling then contact Ashington Page for advice on how to get you moving in 2012.
We will create a bespoke property marketing plan for you, with no obligation, just good advice on what we think your home can sell for and the best approach to selling it in the current market. Call us on 01494 680018 or just drop into our office.

It has been another challenging year for the mortgage market in 2011 and next year is expected to see much of the same. At the start of the year bank base rate was predicted to rise in May and yet here we are at the end of the year with no rise expected until possibly 2014 at the earliest.
The current economic climate in the UK and the eurozone crisis have contributed to this latest view amongst analysts. With the squeeze on incomes and rising food and energy costs, middle England’s confidence has taken a bashing when it comes to moving house. What is clear is that there is pent up demand out there but with the squeeze on incomes and an uncertain job market it is little wonder that transaction levels are down in the housing market.
However there is some light at the end of the tunnel. At the recent Council of Mortgage Lenders conference the deputy governor for monetary policy Charlie Bean said that lower inflation next year should both support the mortgage market and consumer spending. He went on to say that as household incomes become less squeezed this will help those saving for a deposit or hoping to move further up the housing ladder.
So with these encouraging words from Mr Bean what is in store for the mortgage market next year? Due to the crisis in Europe banks have tightened up their purse strings and this has resulted in marginal increases on new tracker and fixed rates. However with funding tightening up in the wholesale markets, banks and building societies are battling it out for savers’ deposits to fund mortgages with some of the best rates for almost two years. With a base rate rise now some way off a number of lenders have increased their standard variable rate to help fund savers’ rates.
With no predicted increase in mortgage lending in 2012 housing transactions will remain at or around their current level with little movement forecast in house prices in this area.
It is expected that as lenders increase their standard variable rates then there should be an increase in remortgage activity. It is also predicted that there will be an increase in investor activity as the rental market continues to thrive and a number of new lenders enter the buy to let market.
One thing is for sure in these challenging times it pays to take independent mortgage advice.

James Walton works for Independent Financial Advisors Park Grove Mortgages Ltd – 0208 845 0875.  Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Ashington Page has introduced a new service for sellers, giving you an additional way to promote your property. Audio Tours give prospective buyers a more engaging way to learn about your home than traditional details alone and will help you receive greater exposure and generate even more interest.

What is an Audio Tour?

An Audio Tour is similar to a video of your property, but created using still images plus professional narration of the features and benefits of your home.

1. 1. They give prospective buyers an engaging insight into your property
2. 2. A professional voice over gives a personal tour of the features you need to highlight to buyers
3. 3. High quality images animated as a slideshow maintain interest

The more that can be done to make your property stand out to buyers, the higher the chances of a viewing and quick, successful sale. Video is a medium everyone is familiar with from television through to YouTube, and our Audio Tours give you a simple and engaging way for buyers to view your property in this way.

Having an Audio Tour for your property will:

• Enhance your listing and market your property in the best way to get the most quality viewings
• Communicate to potential buyers the features of your property in a trusted TV style advertisement medium
• Allow buyers to view your property online at a time to suit them, filtering out possible viewees that would never have been interested
• Give you an edge over properties listed with other agents as only Ashington Page offer this service locally

An Ashington Page Audio Tour allows prospective buyers to take a first viewing of your property from the comfort of their own home, giving an enticing reason for them to contact us and find out more.