BREAKING NEWS – 5 top stories 26/01/2021

Estate Agent Networking Breaking News

CAN AGENTS SMOKE ON A ZOOM CALL IN THEIR OWN HOME?

It is not clear what if any fallout can come from smoking in your own property, but if you are undertaking company business on a video conference call and you light up, will you fall foul of company procedures and be reprimanded?

An owner of a property company contacted us recently and put this point forward, we are unsure if it was a hypothetical or an actual situation, anyone who has the knowledge, please reach out and contact me. So I can pass the intel on, my assumption is that, when on calls if a person is not on the screen, they may be availing themselves of a cigarette break, or maybe it is more a pyjama scenario.

NEW HOMES DEVELOPER SEIZES ON OPPORTUNITY

In what may prove to be a trend, Galliard Homes are offering in effect their own extension of the SDLT holiday scheme dreamed up by the Chancellor on specific units they have on offer. Meaning that if completion is by the 31st of October 2021, buyers can save on stamp duty payments as the developer will foot the bill; investment buyers would have to pay more.

Interestingly, it may have been forgotten that homebuilders who traditionally horse trade on sale prices of their homes, by often ‘contributing towards the buyer’s SDLT’ have of course been having their cake and eat it. As the shortage of property has meant they have sold at top line rates, without the need to give away chunks of cash as buyers have been availing themselves of the Rishi stamp duty discount.

FIRST TIME BUYERS WILL NEED TO FIND AN EXTRA £10,000 FOR THEIR DEPOSIT

Due to house price inflation, according to analysis by the Halifax building society the typical deposit saved and then paid as a deposit on a first home was over £57,000 in 2020, up by a staggering £10,000 on the previous year, more than a 20% increase.

The Managing director of the Halifax though still felt that sentiment from first time buyers is still on an uptick though, ‘Despite the obvious challenges presented by soaring house prices, not least the need to raise an even bigger deposit, first-time buyers still accounted for half of all home purchases, a reassuring statistic given their overall importance to the market.’

ARE PEOPLE USING VIEWINGS AS A RUSE TO HAVE A HOLIDAY BREAK OUT OF AREA

It has been reported that agents are getting requests to physically view properties, from buyers out of area, sometimes 200 miles out of area, which possibly would require an overnight stay. Though anecdotal at present, some agents are reporting a growing volume of such requests. Some agents are taking the view this is a way of having a ‘holiday break’ out of zoned areas.

CONNELLS GAIN MORE SHARES IN COUNTRYWIDE

For the Connells acquisition to go forward, they need 75% or more of the shareholders to vote yes, and they have just secured the minority shares held by Alchemy, who had looked to steer Countrywide forward with their plan.

Even with these shares, they are still around 20% short of having the target shares either in their portfolio or promised to back them, so it will still hang on the actual vote on the 15th of February.

Andrew Stanton

CEO & Founder Proptech-PR. Proptech Real Estate Influencer, Executive Editor of Estate Agent Networking. Leading PR consultancy in Proptech & Real Estate. Want to contact me directly regarding one of my articles or maybe you'd like a chat about future articles? Email me via editor@stagingsite.estateagentnetworking.co.uk

You May Also Enjoy

Letting Agent Talk

The pros and cons of renting to students: is it the right choice for you?

Student properties are no different in term of quality and facilities than any other type of private rental. And although landlords may have to spend a fair amount on setting up and properly maintaining student lets, they can also charge a good market rent. To help you decide whether letting to students might be worthwhile…
Read More
Finance

Autumn Budget Misses Mark on Housing Reform: UK Rental Market Squeezed by Shortages and Rising Rents

The UK rental market faces mounting pressures, with a recent Rics survey revealing a critical shortage of properties and surging rent prices. Landlord instructions, a key indicator of properties available to rent, fell to a net balance of -29%, marking this the lowest level since 2021. Strong tenant demand is driving rents higher, with 33%…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Save a house deposit faster than ever in THESE areas!

Save a house deposit faster than ever in THESE areas! Aberdeen City in Scotland is named the best place to live if you want to save for a house deposit fast, saving in as little as a year and a half Inverclyde is second, whilst Burnley is third Average salaries and house prices in each…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Finding Your Dream Home: Expert Advice from Camberley’s Top Estate Agents

Finding the right estate agent is crucial when navigating the competitive housing market in Camberley. With local expertise and in-depth market knowledge, these professionals can guide you toward your ideal property, saving you time and effort. Their understanding of the area’s nuances, from property trends to community relationships, positions them as indispensable allies in your…
Read More
Breaking News

Zoopla reveals most affordable towns in Britain

With the average home valued at nearly four times average household incomes, Zoopla reveals the most affordable towns in Britain   An average property in Britain is valued at 3.8 times the average annual household income (assuming 2 full-time workers) Cumnock in Scotland, is Britain’s most affordable town to buy in 2024 with average property…
Read More
Software & Tech

The Evolving Nature of Real Estate and Strategies for Agency Success

Real estate agents are used to working with fluid market dynamics. Adapting their sales strategies and responding to new industry demands is almost second nature to most agencies today. However, while making the necessary adjustments when following housing market trends is important, it’s also important for agencies to consider new business innovations that become available…
Read More