House prices are down, but they are really up – July 2020

UK property Prices July 2020

The negative stats were from April through June 2020, with these figures released by the mortgage provider Halifax. Looking at the wider picture and at the yearly figure so far then we have prices rising across Wales and within all regions of England.

When we consider the global crisis that was recently experienced that included a world’s first ever lock-down with people not able to work and the necessary intervention from the government having to support people’s income, then a tiny 0.9% drop, when even the estate agency world was firmly paused, then surely it proves how solid the UK property market really is (only Scotland showed negative years growth figures).

Demand on UK property is still very high and immigration in to the UK is also busy, with the difficulties currently in finding land with permission to build and targets not being met for new house building then for sure there will not be too much of a drop in valuations in the next few months.

the EY Item Club is forecasting a 3 per cent drop over the next few months, before stability resumes at the turn of the year.House prices forecast to fallThis is Money

Many will say, and I agree, that the full effect of Covid-19 is yet to be seen in regards to financial position of government and in turn consumers, but possibly spending in the UK itself will increase especially due to people fearful of travelling such as for holidays, spending happen at home rather than abroad. The will also be no need to pay out to the EU soon substantial daily fees and the chance for big dealings via international trade deals (free trade deals) with countries such as the USA, Australia and New Zealand.

A trade deal between the US and UK will jump start growth…The Daily Telegraph – June 2020

Estate Agencies have mostly reported positive activity following the lock down and the pausing of the UK property market. Speaking with varied agents I know, around the country (England) there seemed to be positive sales / enquiry figures with a slightly slower activity report from within areas of London.

So ahead of us we are still very much in the unknown regarding Covid-19 and it’s overall effect, Maybe it is now all done and dusted and it’s effect will slowly disappear allowing us to get back to normality though of course there are reports that it may re-appear and via a much stronger strain, this of course would be highly damaging to the economy and in turn property prices and sales activity.

One thing is for sure though is that property prices usually remain robust and in all cases they rebound. There maybe a potential doomy and gloomy road ahead, and especially if you read any of the typical politically motivated press, though even a small decline in prices will lead to an increased activity in the market and demand will once again go up!

 

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

How much should landlords earmark for maintenance?

Landlords should earmark a quarter of rental income for maintenance and repairs As the Renters’ Rights Bill is passed into law, increasing the demands and expectations of landlords – not least when it comes to the proper upkeep of their properties – new research from Adiuvo, the UK’s leading provider of 24/7 property management support,…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Breaking News

Developers lose confidence ahead of Autumn Budget

Jonathan Samuels, CEO of Octane Capital, believes that growing uncertainty surrounding the Autumn Budget has left many developers hesitant to progress new housing projects, with confidence falling sharply as fears of new property taxes, rising costs, and ongoing planning challenges weigh heavily on the sector. The latest survey of UK property developers, commissioned by specialist…
Read More
Breaking News

Could the Autumn Budget dent property values?

Autumn Budget uncertainty could see house prices continue to fall The latest research by nationwide cash buying company and quick sale specialists, Springbok Properties, has found that those looking to sell could see the value of their home fall over the remainder of the year, as historic data shows that major fiscal events such as…
Read More
bricks rubble
Breaking News

Westminster Debate Highlights Urgent Need to Tackle Rogue Builders

A Westminster Hall debate yesterday, led by Mark Garnier MP, brought MPs from across the political spectrum together to address the growing problem of rogue builders. The discussion highlighted shocking cases of homeowners losing thousands of pounds, unsafe work being carried out, and rogue traders repeatedly evading justice by exploiting loopholes in the current system.…
Read More
Breaking News

Ombudsman welcomes Renters’ Rights Act implementation roadmap

The Property Ombudsman welcomed the Government’s roadmap for the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 that sets out how the legislation will be implemented. The Government’s announcement today (14 November) follows the Property Ombudsman’s Consumer and Industry Forum on 12 November where Stephanie Kvam, Deputy Director – Private Rented Sector at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

New Legislation is Set to Reshape the Property Industry

Propertymark urges members to book a compliance audit as new legislation is set to reshape the industry. As significant legislative changes roll out across the UK’s property sector, Propertymark is approaching its estate and letting agent members to get them booked in for a compliance audit as it’s “the most effective way to ensure their…
Read More