Simon Roberts
Senior Director, Head of Regional Agency - South & East
As I write this article, my phone has just “pinged” from a news alert that the UK economy grew faster than expected in the three months after the Brexit vote, expanding by 0.5% in the last quarter boosted by a strong performance from the service sector, which grew by 0.8%.
This is great timing as our own research at Strutt and Parker also reveals positive news with sales up 18.5% and exchanges up 12.5% on this time last year.
This goes to show that we are a resilient nation of home owners and that perhaps the initial concerns over the Brexit decision are for the moment, somewhat diluted as life clearly goes on!
Another positive is the increase in activity at the higher levels of the market with an increase in the number of buyers registering with a budget of over £2m, resulting in twice the level of sales at this level.
Our prime central London data has shown a small uplift of 4.6% in buyers compared with last year, with this area remaining attractive to overseas buyers with again a slight increase on last year’s buyers who were mostly coming from Western Europe and Asia. This is equally good news for those living in London and potentially looking to relocate to the Home Counties. Historically, these buyers make up over 50% of house purchasers in Gerrards Cross and surrounding areas.
Locally, the rental market remains steady with good demand in the lower to mid-range price levels (£1,000 - £2,500 pcm). In the Home Counties we have recently seen and picked up a number of corporate clients looking for good quality homes to rent and the low supply is resulting in prices staying relatively level.
It has now been over a year since our merger with Strutt and Parker and from my own personal perspective, this marriage has surpassed expectation and has genuinely extended our family and the resources we have available to ensure that we can now reach a much wider network of buyers and tenants.
Strutt and Parker is recognised as one of the most reputable and professional brands in Estate Agency and although a relatively new name to Gerrards Cross, it fits perfectly with the values of Roberts Newby which is why if you call in to the office you will recognise all the familiar faces of the team.
As part of a national network, the Gerrards Cross office is now one of 60 Strutt and Parker offices around the country, including 10 in prime central London, ensuring that each of our properties are seen by the widest possible audience. Our network also extends internationally – as the sole UK affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, we have unique access to high-net-worth buyers from around the world, with representatives in many of the key wealthy capitals such as New York, Hong Kong, Paris, Geneva, Moscow and Dubai. This affiliation ensures that we have unrivalled access to the best buyers in the world, putting each of our properties at the heart of the international market.
In light of this recent news, I am confident that activity will remain good for the last quarter of this year. Our offices in the Home Counties, including Gerrards Cross, are launching some excellent homes onto the market in all price ranges and this, I feel, could fuel a busier winter market than we would normally expect.
Serious consideration to the marketing of each of our properties has never been more critical: price, presentation and photos are everything. For a guide on how to best present your home for sale or for let, whether now or in the future, please call myself or one of my colleagues. We are available seven days a week