Page 22 - The Local Eye - Issue 131 - September 2016

22
Derek J.Rolls

Independent Estate Agents & Valuers

ASK THE AGENT...

Q. With the market starting to pick up, should I put my home on the market now or wait till
Spring?

A. You have no idea just how often we estate agents get asked this question whatever the
time of the year, and whatever the state of the market!
And the answer, as always, is a resounding ‘NO! You do not need to wait till Spring’

You are right insofar as the market certainly has started to pick up. In fact, the past 6-8
months have seen an almost uninterrupted flow of good, positive news. But with prices
starting to creep upwards again, does that mean the canny vendor should wait a while longer
before coming to market in order to get the best possible price? No it doesn’t!

The simple fact is that there is rarely, if ever, anything to gain from waiting before putting
your home on the market. You mention Spring and certainly the period around Easter, in
particular, is traditionally supposed to bring the buyers out in their hoards. But that very fact
also tends to attract large numbers of vendors, eager to capitalise on what they optimistically
imagine is going to be the resulting feeding frenzy.
There is a philosophical point here as well. With prices on the increase, you could
theoretically wait forever in order to get top price for your home! Indeed, the only way you
could ever be certain of having got the best possible price, in this cycle at least, would be if
you sold just before values started falling again. And unless you were extremely lucky with
your timing, that would be unlikely to happen!

The longer answer to the question is you should move home when it suits you rather than try
to play the market.

Besides which, the one thing that just about every estate agent in the land is saying at
the moment is that there is a serious shortage of properties for sale right now. Buyers are
registering in their thousands, buoyed up by growing confidence in the state of the economy
as a whole, increasing availability of a wider range of mortgage products, and continuing
low interest rates. Yet agents don’t have enough stock on their books to satisfy them.

So, my advice is: “Go for it!”

01202 525778
958 Wimborne Rd, Bournemouth BH9 2DG
www.derekjrolls-estateagents.co.uk

To advertise <> 08000 430485 <> email: info@thelocaleye.com <> www.thelocaleye.com

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