The property market in the country is shaping to be a sellers’ market - stock shortages as a result of summer holidays and economic uncertainty has meant there are more buyers out there than there are houses available.
This is driving momentum in key areas of the country, particularly safe havens in the British countryside. Savvy homeowners are taking advantage of this activity by using tried and tested marketing events like Open House Day to ensure their property is viewed by the widest possible audience.
Strutt & Parker’s National Open House Day is a biannual event for all properties currently on the market with them. The next one will be taking place on Saturday the 8th October. Simon Backhouse, Partner at Strutt & Parker Canterbury says: "The housing market after the EU referendum has been under scrutiny, facing predictable uncertainty with London taking most of the impact. It is fair to say that the country market has performed resiliently by comparison, with the waterside and downsizer market looking especially buoyant.”
“On the day of the results, we lost one deal from a client who was spooked and wanted to sit tight, but since then he has actually come back to us with the original offer. We are agreeing sales and we are still putting houses under offer; motivated buyers are still out there.There will be clients who have put their plans on hold until September because of summer holidays, so if you are planning to sell, all the more reason to get the wheels in motion now. Using a platform like Open House Day attracts buyers from all over the country and would certainly be an opportunity to not miss.”
Most estate agents use Open Houses for single properties as ‘one offs’. The Strutt & Parker National Open House Day encourages as many people as possible to open their houses on the same day, making it a completely unique event. Prospective buyers that register have the chance to view as many properties as they wish, without the need to make appointments.
“Buyers like it because it gives them the freedom,” says Simon. “It enables those who might just be curious to see houses they wouldn’t normally see, and subsequently to make offers they may not have otherwise made.”
Strutt & Parker had more than 600 properties take part in their event last year, with one in six vendors receiving offers on the day to a combined value of more than £80 million. Please contact your local office to register, or for more details, visit struttandparker.com/openday.