The Property Sales People

Interest rates and inflation First of all, let’s get some basics together. Reproduced below is The Times ‘explainer’ with my numbering of reasons and highlighting of the players involved: The Bank of England has warned that it could peak at 13% this year when the energy price cap goes up again. But what is pushing up prices? Energy bills are by far one of the biggest contributors. (1) Gas prices rocketed as economies around the world reopened after the coronavirus lockdowns. (2) The war in Ukraine has exacerbated the problem. In April, average gas and electricity prices jumped by 53.5% and 95.5% respectively compared with a year ago. (3) Average energy bills are now forecast to hit £3,850 by January 2023 after Russia cut gas supplies further. Fuel remains at some of the highest levels seen on record, although pump prices are falling, slowly . Average petrol prices were 182.69p a litre in July . In early June you could expect to pay 186.59p. In May you could expect to pay 160...

 How many bloggers find that it's only something they do when they have found some time to fill, for whatever reason? I admit that there are companies and individuals who will write something for me on a regular basis, but my feeling is that it needs to be authentic and my 'voice'. When I get back to my keyboard to do this it makes me worry that the market may be changing and we'll need to start adapting again to new circumstances, new problems and constraints. The dreaded COVID has not gone away, just adapted itself. My wife Janet managed to pick it up from her 93 year old father after spending several hours with him coughing and sneezing on the way back from a trip to Wales. Her first time contracting it since the pandemic began and it's been 4 days now since she tested positive. My results are negative. I told my colleagues that's because I'm a 64 year old Teflon coated estate agent! But then, who knows when a variant particularly targeted at the property...

It seems hard to believe that this COVID19 situation has been with us for just over 4 weeks. It actually feels like at least 2 months. If you can bear to watch the daily briefings from the government without reaching for a razor blade then you will be hearing that, just maybe, we are reaching the apex of the death rate curve and, just maybe,  there will be a relaxation of movement and a return to economic activity by most of us, subject to social distancing, masks etc. From a property market point of view, I've been decrying the gloom merchants who have been talking about 16% price falls. This is for reasons that beyond economics, people go their own way and predicting human sentiment to situations is not an exact science. I came across this article by a well-respected commentator called Roger Martin-Fagg who seems to see things my way - or I see things his way!  You have the time available so I recommend that if you want a spoonful of positivity then read this post: h...

Renting?  Helpful information here:  https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/articles/property-news/renting-and-not-sure-what-to-do-sign-up-for-our-new-webinar/?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign=news

These are unusual, dare I say unprecedented times. People are losing jobs and being laid off or ‘furloughed’. The latter is an American word and the best definition I’ve found is: 1:  to grant a leave of absence or  furlough  to (someone) a soldier being  furloughed, a  furloughed  prisoner 2 :  to put (a worker) on furlough:   to lay off (a worker) for usually a brief or temporary period Apparently, the earliest use of the word as in case 2 was 1781 ! At least in the 2020 use of the word government are proposing in the UK to pay furloughed workers 80% of their basic pay. The employer needs to pay it then claim it back from HMRC. But not everyone is that fortunate and the self-employed have a more difficult route to follow although they are intended to be supported. If you are a tenant, then we recommend you visit the following webpages: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus  Scroll past the black background page ...

If you would like to see what your conveyancer is being advised by the Law Society on how to deal with transactions at the present time follow this link: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/advice/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-and-residential-conveyancing-transactions/

The following link will take you to that advice: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak

Please see the previous blogpost which has been updated following this evenings statement by the PM, Boris Johnson.

COVID19 / CORONA VIRUS PLEASE READ The office is closed to walk-in visitors in the interest of staff safety. We are OPEN in terms of telephone contact on 01353 665020 or via email sales@clarkhomes.co.uk lettings@clarkhomes.co.uk Direct staff emails are firstname@clarkhomes.co.uk Website: https://clarkhomes.co.uk Plus, all the major portals like Rightmove, Zoopla, OnTheMarket.Com etc If you need to collect keys, we have members of staff who can be in the office, but you will need to make contact by phone first. No accompanied viewings and no face-to-face valuations. We can discuss the automated online valuation available from our website Please bear with us as we try to navigate this unprecedented national emergency

We have been monitoring the developments surrounding the spread of the Covid-19 virus. To protect our clients, customers, contractors and team members it is important that we have in place a policy as to how we mitigate the risks surrounding the impact of the virus. Boris Johnson’s message this evening has generated an update. The following will be reviewed in line with government recommendations as announced. Rental   property visits and sales valuations  will be postponed from 24th March 2020. Sales & Rental V iewings  will be postponed from 24th March 2020 Maintenance requests  will continue to be dealt with as outlined in the Tenant Information Pack, unless tenant(s) or occupiers advise of health conditions. Where staff are required to self-isolate they will be given the tools to work from home, allowing us to be able to continue their pay. In the current circumstances where we have chosen to close the office, we will still be able to operate th...

New electrical safety regulations were presented before Parliament last month. The move by the Government will strengthen electrical safety practices and bring them into line with those  already well established within gas safety regulations in private residential tenancies. The regulations, if implemented, will only affect private residential tenancies – first, new tenancies from July 1  this year, and those tenancies already in existence from April 1, 2021. The proposal will move to ensure all electrical wiring and fixed electrical installations are signed off and  reported by a qualified electrician. This report will be required to be shown at the outset of every new tenancy and renewed at least every five  years, if not earlier, dependent on any electrics or fixed electrical installations that are altered or changed by  the landlord.  If the report highlights any issues, the landlord will be required to remedy the issue within 28...

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CHRISTMAS 2019   The festive season is not far off and we just wanted to take this opportunity to confirm our opening hours over the Christmas holiday period and also to outline a few procedures: We will close for the holiday period at   Midday on 23rd December . Opening on   27th and 28th December between 9am and 1pm . We will open normally from   2nd January 2020 at 09.00 . Day to day issues which could wait until normal office hours resume on the   2nd January 2020 , should be reported then.   Our contractors may be on call but many of their suppliers close down over the Christmas period so parts can be hard to locate. We will not attend any “lockouts” over the Christmas break but can pass on the details of a good local locksmith if this occurs – the cost of which will, of course, be yours. A small request   – if you have   any   problems with your heating and hot water now or maybe an appliance that is a bit temperame...

In the run-up to the General Election on 12th December 2019, we are being offered incentives by the political parties that are wonderful at first glance but are want to raise eyebrows on further scrutiny. I won't get into 'Free Broadband for All' but couldn't let the manifesto pledge of 100,000 social/affordable homes pass by without comment. Housebuilder News reported on 21st November: Labour plans to build 100,000 council homes a year by the end of 2024 according to its election manifesto published today. It will also build “at least” 50,000 additional genuinely affordable homes a year through housing associations by the end of the parliament The party says the homes will be built to cutting edge design and green standards citing the Stirling Prize award-winning Goldsmith Street council development in Norwich as an example of what Labour’s modern council housing could look like. The Goldsmith Street scheme in Norwich has been built to PassiveHaus stan...

Zoopla research, powered by Hometrack, provides some interesting insights as to how the London market 'ups and downs' affect our market here in East Anglia and the South East. If you were wondering why your home may not be getting the interest that creates a sale then read the report. There is an encouraging end interpretation as to where this is leading that proposes better prospects for late 2019 and 2020 onwards. https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A69dc4948-124d-4879-b3d8-2e48f5ba8555

4 Questions You Must Ask if You’re Updating Your Home’s Electrics

October 2019 saw the ‘new’ team at David Clark & Co estate agents taking shape in order to strongly finish a year characterised by concerns over Brexit, Stamp Duty, slow sales and a government ripped apart by leadership struggles. This ‘Cabinet’ is made up of only strong members.   David Clark, as an independent estate agent, has been in Ely for nearly 30 years and began his agency career here 40 years ago. Barbara Harding has worked with David for over 20 years. She has an intimate knowledge of the area and is well known by the local conveyancing lawyers. Want your sale to go through? Put your trust in Barbara’s sale progression skills! Aimee Wing has been with the firm for over two years. Currently the youngest team member but she has worked locally for 2 corporate estate agents and can now boast over 7 years experience, valuing and selling local homes. Don Wheeler moved to David Clark and Co Lettings about a year ago and moved home from Suffolk to...