It’s a buyer’s market
We always hear that spring is the best time to sell a house, but it can also mean prices are at a premium, and if you are on the opposite side of the process and buying, you might be better off waiting until autumn.
The shorter days and darker evenings are no longer off-putting to buyers as properties can be viewed online around the clock. When you do view a home, visiting in the colder months could highlight certain issues such as boilers, heating, condensation and drafts.
Typically, with less demand and less competition, buyers will get the best prices on properties around October; asking prices may be slightly lower and there is more room for negotiation. Properties may also have been on the market over summer and not sold, so vendors will likely be more flexible.
Buying ‘off peak’ could also mean solicitors and surveyors are quieter and can speed up the transaction and complete quicker. Removals companies should also have more availability. If making an offer in winter, you’ll need to factor in the time to complete around Christmas and the holidays.
Is now the time to buy?
House prices are falling; Lloyds Banking Group has predicted they could fall by as much as 8% by the end of the year and the Office for Budget Responsibility suggests house prices may drop by 10% over the next two years. In that respect, now is an ideal time to buy – as long as you are in a stable financial situation.
The ONS reported full-time employees in Wales will spend 6.2 times their yearly salary on a home (2022) so buyers need to ensure they have the finances to progress with a sale. UK lenders are gradually reducing their mortgage rates, with the first fixed-rate mortgage below 5% launched last month (September), which shows that things are going in the right direction.
Ultimately, this autumn/winter is a buyer’s market, and if you want to move and have the finances to do so, get in touch to see how we can help. We have a huge range of properties available to buy in north Cardiff right now. We appreciate everyone’s circumstances are different, so let us help advise on the best steps for you. Visit www.thomashwood.com/buying.