Data released by The Office for National Statistics states that house prices in the UK have, on average, increased by 1.3%; a strong position considering the political uncertainty sweeping the UK in 2019. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland saw an average of 3% with England averaging at 1%, with a quick comparison to last year showing an average price rise of £3,000.

Region, Region, Region
Regionally, the strongest locations continue to be across North of England with a predicted rise amongst the South of the country over the next few years. London is still slightly behind in terms of price growth but is predicted to catch up over the coming years.

The effects of Brexit
As the year ends, it is fair to conclude that Brexit has influenced the growth of house prices, even with this noted increase. August and September saw the same growth figures reducing further, but October saw those figures start to creep up slightly again with a 0.3% rise. This positive result and the outlook for the future of UK property seems to have been supported by current levels of employment and low borrowing costs for buyers. This appears to have offset the reduced confidence in the property market and should reinforce trust for the New Year.

New Homes surge
New build houses are rising at an accelerating rate compared to the existing housing stock. This can be down to them having better features and more amenities. The current property shortfall also contributes to this with newly built homes being in high demand resulting in a higher asking price. This trend currently leaves the average price of a new build property at £316,789, with existing homes currently sitting at £245,173 according to data provided by Zoopla.

Interestingly, homes located in leave voting areas have seen an average of 9.97% overall growth since 2016, with remain voting areas growing on average of 8.13%. However, this should be viewed as a coincidence instead of a direct correlation as many other local factors contribute to this. The position of both leave and remain areas shows another positive result for price growth over these last few uncertain years.

Election season
Even with the General Election looming, which could serve as a light at the end of the tunnel for the stagnation of Brexit, the market’s continued success is some good news to hold onto over the festive season. Christmas time is usually associated with a slight slowdown in the buying and selling process, but this year sees the market slowly aligning to others as a busy period. More valuations and home improvements from sellers shows that people are choosing to use their time at Christmas to take hold of a great opportunity and get their house on the market. It’s a solid place on the Good List this Christmas for the property sector this year!

There is often speculation as to when is the best time to sell your home. Sellers often wait for certain times in the year that may be construed to be better than others. If you feel like you are ready to sell, you should seek a valuation and consider whether it is the right time for you, as it may well be right now.

The imminent general election has caused mixed feelings about the housing market with many waiting for the outcome of the election to see whether policy changes (such as stamp duty reforms), will be put in place. However, if you are considering selling your home, now is a good time to put your property on the market. There will always be other circumstances that can affect the housing market, but none of that should prevent you from getting a full market appraisal.

House prices have continued to increase throughout these uncertain times so you may be surprised at how much your home is worth. But no matter what time of the year it is, there are a few checks that you can run through to ensure that your home is in its optimum condition. High spec homes are attracting the attention of serious buyers, so if your house is well presented and organised, it will help potential buyers believe in your home.

Photos
Photos, photos, and more photos! If there was one factor alone that could attract potential buyers to your home, this is it. It’s key to make a good first impression, so ensure that photos are of a high specification, in natural daylight and show the full room to its full potential. Check that your home is neat and tidy so that buyers can visualise living in the home themselves.

‘Tis the season!
Leading on from photos, we have Christmas. It might be tempting to make your home a festive feast for the eyes, but you should ensure that you have photos of your home without decorations up. This is so that those viewing can see how the space in the home could look throughout the year.

Christmas time is where we can really show off our homes and display how inviting it is, giving viewers a lasting feeling about your home. The festive spirit is a great tool but be mindful to use tasteful festive décor without too many different colours. Everybody has different tastes so a more neutral Christmas touch will work best if you have viewings over the Christmas season. Potential buyers will also be able to see a sense of community and good spirits in the neighbourhood.

Declutter
It should go without saying, but your home needs to be clean and tidy when on the market, both inside and out; you never know when a potential buyer may be driving past the home unexpectedly! Keep leaves swept off the garden and ensure that doorbells and outside lights are working, which will show that the home has been well maintained. Inside, you want to prove that there is ample storage space, so anything that is left out on tables, sides or shelves should be there for a reason. That way potential buyers can see that there is plenty of storage to maintain a tidy home.

Paperwork
Remember all that important paperwork that you keep in that ‘safe place’? Now’s the time to dig it out! Important paperwork relating to deed titles and guarantee certificates for any work you have had done are essential during the selling process; collate any paperwork that you have for the home into a folder so that you can show prospective buyers that everything is in order.

Furnished properties can vary in the level of furniture and furnishings offered, making it extremely important that prospective tenants find out exactly what is being included in furnished properties before signing any contracts. When viewing rental properties on the market, remember that the furniture and decor may all belong to the current tenant, and shouldn’t be the sole decider for signing the contract.

What’s included?
An indicator of varying levels of furnished property is if it is advertised as ‘part-furnished’. This will often mean that white goods (such as fridges and washing machines) are included as they are the essential appliances needed to live in a home. When a property is advertised as fully furnished, this would usually include the white goods as well as basic furniture such as a sofa, bed, and wardrobes. However, this is not a consistent list so please always check this information with the landlord or agent so that you are clear on what is on offer.

Furniture First
The advantages of taking a property that is already furnished is that it’s ready for you to move straight into. This makes the often-stressful experience of moving to a new house a breeze with no additional costs of hiring transport to move furniture.

One downside for some could be that it takes longer to make the house your home because the furniture is not owned by you. Another thing to consider is that as you will be responsible for the furniture, any damage or faults to this at the end of your tenancy will be taken off your deposit. So, look after it as you would your own.

Your blank canvas
With unfurnished lettings, you can make the space your own as all the furniture that you move in will be yours. If you have the financial means, then this can be more exciting when you move in, but also requires a lot more co-ordination. However, if you are saving to purchase your first house, you can take your new furniture with you which can keep your costs lower later down the line. Buying new furniture when purchasing your first home is the second most common home improvement new homeowners focus on, so starting to gather furniture earlier on can be a wise decision.

But which is more popular? There are no rules or specifications that landlords must follow when listing a property for rent so it is entirely up to them what furnishings (if any) to include. General insights show that furnished properties are more attractive to younger tenants who often are yet to buy any furniture of their own whilst simultaneously provoking greater competition between prospective tenants, so be prepared for these properties to be popular.

Older tenants or families tend to move into unfurnished properties, which can act as an indication that the tenants are set to stay for longer due to the investment they have made. One thing also worth noting is that landlords are not obliged to take out content’s insurance (unless it is a contractual condition such as in buy-to-let schemes). It is up to tenants to take out contents insurance to cover their own furnishings, so make sure to protect your possessions.

It is clear to see that the younger generation are becoming more and more conscious of their spending habits and begin to plan for their futures earlier, which often encompasses purchasing that first property.

There are many savvy saving techniques that prospective first-time buyers have taken advantage of to step onto the property ladder. For example, the ‘paying yourself first’ method is the smart new way to budget throughout the month after being paid, allowing lifestyles to come after saving so that the money pot can grow.

Recent findings from Post Office Money suggest that first-time buyers are typically taking 3.6 years t save for that first deposit, which is down over one month from 2018.

What’s driving this change? The employment sector and modern attitude to work is very different to what is was ten years ago, with many new opportunities available and jobs that previously would not have been heard of. On top of that, a third of savers have an additional job to help in their journey, and a quarter of the first-time buyer group used the internet to their advantage to generate more income.

Worldwide Opportunity
Speaking of which, the internet has allowed the option of having a side hustle and remote working as an everyday option, meaning that people are working harder and smarter to reach their goals. This phenomenon has taken over with more job opportunities using the internet as an integral tool offering flexibility and connectedness across the globe. The number of opportunities to make a fast buck is gigantic and ever growing, offering more opportunities for first-time buyers to save more money faster.

The Bank of Mum and Dad
As well as clever and sensible saving, there is still the ongoing support from parents and other family members giving considerable contributions towards house deposits to further fast track the process. A large proportion of first-time buyers have used the assistance of family to fast track their saving with 69% having the help of others to reach their totals. Many families are offer support to their loved ones to obtain a pre-Brexit housing steal so the generosity still growing.

High rates from lenders
Mortgage lenders are also more willing to lend at present offering desirable fixed term rates including low interest rates. Add on the help-to-buy ISA that also supports first time buyers, with the Government giving a maximum of £3000 toward a first-time purchase, the saving picture is clear and in rude health.

Properties for rent are in particularly high demand as we come to the end of 2019, with the shortfall in available housing triggering a continual increase in rental asking prices.

The Royal Institute for Charted Surveyors suspect that the growth in asking rents will continue into next year, with the south of England seeing a staggering 3.5% rise and steady national average increase of 1.3% backing up their claim.

Nationwide changes
With the rental market in such good health, Wales’ National Assembly has taken steps to support tenants in the process of securing a rental property by writing an information checklist that landlords and agents must abide by. The checklist, set to hit the market in mid-December is a list of information that must be supplied to the prospective tenant prior to them paying the holding deposit.

This isn’t the first law change in support of tenants this year; in the summer, English legislators introduced the Tenancy Fee Act 2019, which prevents landlords charging additional fees other than those outlined. Despite the increase in rent prices, tenants have seen the Government introduce lots of support for their rental rights this year that is set to continue through 2020.

Build to Rent
Created to incentivize landlords to purchase lettings properties and to satisfy demand from renters, the Build to Rent scheme is expected to take off over the next few years. There’s plenty to consider for both, with property investors placing heavy consideration on location and transport links, being conscious of convenience as a key factor when choosing a home to rent.

It’s a massive assistance to renters who have different priorities to buyers and like the flexibility that renting provides. For example, a massive 85% of tenants are happy renting with no immediate urge to get onto the property ladder, with other life milestones being prioritised before purchasing property. 560,000 households are expected to be in the private rental sector by 2023 increasing the proportion of rental property by 2%.

Keep your eyes open
Concerningly, a further indication of the demand for rental housing can be shown in the rise of subletting scams seen in the market this year. Increased media coverage has exposed the frequency of homes that are secretly subletting and overcrowded; as well as causing issues for the landlord, it presents grave safety risk breaching several health and safety regulations. Regular property visits and inventory checks can help prevent this issue. Further support for landlords is to be considered in the future to refresh the justice process in the current system.

Yes, it really is that time of year again. Decking the halls is practically obligatory for all of us during the Christmas period, and with so much pressure on presenting a perfectly preened pine tree and creating a winter wonderland so festive that reindeer land on your roof, here are a few tips to help you create a Christmas to remember.

The Tree

For many of us, the focal point of the Christmas decorations is the tree itself and that presents a few initial decisions – the first being the choice between real or artificial. In recent years, the difference between real and artificial trees has narrowed quite substantially, meaning that many of us are now opting for the longer-lasting artificial tree. However, if you like the traditional option of a fresh tree then consider delaying putting it up by a week or so to ensure that it is still looking its best on Christmas morning – one traditional suggestion would be to wait until 12 days before Christmas on December 13^th.

Chic or classic

The next decision for that all-important tree is around the decorations themselves; do you go for a chic colour scheme straight from the pages of Vogue or for the traditional charm? If you choose to go for a colour scheme, then keep it clean and simple – whites and silvers are understated and elegant, lending themselves to most homes. Also, to ensure that your tree has maximum impact then extend the theme in to its surroundings and decorate the rest of the room in the same colour palette as your tree. If you shy away from ‘fashionable’ trees and colour-matched accessories, then the traditional Christmas accoutrements of home-made baubles, paper snowflakes and vintage accessories are probably more in-line with your Christmas aesthetic. Dust off those tree decorations given to you by friends and family, made by your children or passed down through the generations and showcase them on your tree of choice; just make sure that they are evenly distributed so they get the admiration that they deserve.  

Twinkle, Twinkle

When it comes to Christmas decorations, one thing that never goes out of style is a little bit of sparkle! Having lots of reflective decorations around the home really helps to set a festive atmosphere – think lots of candles of different sizes (it’s nice to play with heights of candles for a little more interest) and tealights in crystal glasses. All of the sparkling candles and crystal reflections will set a truly magical tone throughout your home and turn even the most Scrooge-like guests in to Christmas converts.

Stairway to Christmas Heaven

Don’t neglect surfaces such as mantlepieces and staircases, if you really want to have the maximum impact whilst decorating for Christmas. Using offcuts from real trees, lining the handrail of your staircase with branches decants an intoxicating smell of Christmas around your home. When it comes to surfaces such as mantlepieces, use fruit centrepieces to create a feeling of decadence, with very little expense.

Light it up

For many of us, decorating outside of the home seems like an awful lot of effort for such a short period, however when it comes to adding that touch of festive flavour to the outdoors it doesn’t have to be a lighting extravaganza. Thanks to the homemade delights of Kirstie Allsopp, the Christmas wreath is storming back in to fashion for 2018, with ever-more people opting to create their own wreaths. Simply pick out some choice items for your door wreath – such as pinecones, pine tree branches, fruit and ornaments - and adhere them to a wire frame in the shape of a circle and voilà – your outdoor decorations are complete.

Of course, that’s not to say that seeing a home adorned with many a Christmas light doesn’t still stir up that feeling of childhood Christmas excitement in all of us, so if that’s your plan for the exterior of your home, then we insist that you go ahead and light it up!

Picture perfect

The average time that a buyer takes to look at a picture on a property advert is three seconds, so having the perfect image is essential in your quest to sell your home – especially at Christmas. When having your home photographed, it is important to think about the staging; ask yourself whether the clutter around your home has been put away, can you remove some of your personal items in order to create more space or give everything one last polish? Once you’ve ticked off those basics, think about the Christmas factor – do not include heavily decorated rooms in your photographs as they will detract from the space and may age your property if your home remains on the market in to January.

Keep the pine in line

Of course, at this time of year the Christmas tree has taken its place in our living rooms and other communal spaces, but make sure that the tree isn’t dwarfing the space it is in. We can all get carried away with the festivities, but this may not be the year to get the 7-foot Nordic spruce of your dreams – in the same way that cramming a king-size bed in to a single room will make the room appear cramped, an over-sized tree will also make your room seem smaller than it is. Buyers like to imagine their own furniture in potential new homes, so allow them the space to do so.

Serious offers only

Although some may suggest that Christmas is a difficult time to attract buyers to your home, what the period does provide is serious buyers. You can make the most of the serious buyers in December by ensuring that you see each property viewing as the optimum chance to sell – making sure that your home is in pristine shape and you are welcome and positive about the property and the area. Potential buyers can glean an image of what it may be like to live in the area from their interactions with you as the homeowner, so ensure that you are up-to-date about local schools and solely positive when they ask you any questions. Similarly, being flexible may bag your buyer as an accommodating vendor, who allows for viewings at irregular hours for example, could help clinch that crucial sale.

Preparation is key

Being organised could be the key in securing your Christmas sale. Make sure that your fixture and fittings list is put together, you have the legally required energy performance certificate and, if you have had work completed on the house, make sure you have the relevant consents. Solicitors can be the make-and-break in a sale scenario, with a slow solicitor frustrating both buyer and seller, so take recommendations from your estate agent and have an efficient solicitor all lined up, ready for a sale.

Being in a new home by the New Year can seem to be an impossible task, however by showing restraint with your festive decorations, and taking the appropriate steps to being prepared and organised you can certainly sell your home this Christmas and start your 2019 with the perfect gift – a new home.

The autumn leaves have fallen leaving an army of frosty branches, we’ve had our fair share of rain and an extra few minutes are needed at the start of your commute to scrape the frost from the windscreen. All sure signs that Christmas and winter are on their way!

A fresh winter morning can make it harder to get up each day, with many of us wanting to sink into our duvets and hibernate. But work must go on, and the best way to do that is to take care of our homes, keep the warmth in, and adopt those cozy habits we’ve been waiting for all year. See below for some tips and traditions for a warm and Merry Christmas:

Keep the heat in
It may sound obvious but keeping the doors to rooms closed really helps to keep the heat in. Rooms near the front door often have a draught which brings the cold air in and older homes often lose heat due to windy weather that creeps in. This simple tip can save you from continually cranking up the heating!

If you home is not insulated it may be worth considering having this installed to save on your future heating bills, with plenty of Government loans available to help as the march towards eco-efficiency continues.

Dig the blankets out
Sadly, we’re not talking about sausages lovingly wrapped in bacon but your army of warm blankets. Although we all have heating, sometimes there’s nothing better than cosying up on the sofa in front of the fireplace watching your favourite Christmas show. Not only is it particularly wholesome; it can be more comfortable and give your heating a break. Not only that, but it can make for a great Christmas scene for the whole family to sit together in festive or even matching jumpers!

Christmas tipple
It’s fair to say that mulled wine has become a staple winter warmer over the years. They are commonly found at Christmas markets across the UK, but they can also be made in your very own kitchen and it’s easier than you may think! The ingredients consist of red wine, a cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, orange, lemon and brown sugar, most of which we already have in our cupboards.

The added bonus to mulled wine is that it is served warm, so it’s a perfect way to get comfortable in the festive season. Just remember to serve it in a heat-proof glass! Even if you don’t drink alcohol you can still get the same feeling this favourite winter warmer provides by switching the red wine for pomegranate and apple juice. Voila!