Market Trends January 2021

22nd January 2021

Market Trends January 2021


At the start of a new year it's always very tempting to make predictions that stretch out over the whole twelve months ahead, but after the events of 2020 you'd have to be brave (or foolhardy!) to attempt that right now.

What we can do is look at what's likely to happen in the short term and how that will affect those who want to buy or sell in the next few months.

Activity

Following what turned out to be an extremely hectic six or seven months for the UK property sector after the first lockdown was lifted last year, things are still incredibly busy. Many people are still expecting to complete before the end of the Stamp Duty holiday on March 31st and unless they run into any unforeseen delays things should go smoothly for the vast majority.

In all honesty, it's probably too late to expect to benefit from the current holiday if you are only just having an offer accepted on a property. However, having said that it's not impossible especially if you can find a pro-active solicitor who can be enticed to give things an extra push in certain circumstances.

With large numbers of people having signed a petition asking for the government to extend the deadline to later in the year it is still too early to say whether this will happen, but as other measures such as furlough arrangements have been lengthened past their initial runs it is something that is a possibility. Watch this space...

Local attractions

The longer lasting effects of last year's events are likely to mean that our local property market in Brighton and Hove remains a hotbed of activity. The fact that many had the time to take a long hard look at their life/work balance and reassess some very basic areas of life means that the appeal of our 'city by the sea' has become even more attractive.

The 'rural rush' that hit the headlines throughout last summer definitely had an effect for us, with the number of potential buyers from London in particular showing a significant rise. Although some might think of Brighton as simply an urban centre on the coast, the proximity of the South Downs and residential areas such as Woodingdean, with its own distinct semi-rural appeal, means that there is a lot of scope for those seeking new home living arrangements.

Finances

As always, the bigger the deposit the better your chances are of getting an affordable mortgage put in place, and although some reports point towards times being tough for first time buyers the range of properties that our offices in Fiveways, Lewes Road and Woodingdean offer means there really is something for everyone.

We've found that our specialist mortgage advice services have really helped many potential buyers. If you'd like more information and fee-free assistance talk to our independent mortgage advisor Stuart Gulvin today.

 Lettings

Of course we don't just help sellers and buyers, we are also extremely active on behalf of landlords and renters. This side of our business continues to be enormously busy, with new properties being snapped up as soon as they become available.

We're inundated with enquiries on a daily basis from people looking to rent in the area, so if you are thinking of renting out your home rather than selling or taking the plunge and buying your first buy to let property now is a great time to do so. From fully managing your property to simply introducing the right tenants, our highly rated Lettings team offer a range of services and would be happy to help.

Leasehold Reforms

Many people are of course concerned about how the much talked about Leasehold Reforms might affect them and the truth of the matter is that it's too early to come to any firm conclusion.

It does look like there will be some major legislation coming along that will have a significant impact and there's no doubt that in some cases the existing laws are outdated. It's our job to make sure we know what's likely to happen and to be fully informed when new rules come into force, so if you do have any queries feel free to get in touch and we can give you the latest updates as they happen.

Life goes on...

Although at the time of writing we are still in lockdown, there is now definitely light at the end of the COVID tunnel and the general consensus seems to be that around Easter things might really start to return to some level of normality.

Thankfully as estate agents we've been able to continue to work throughout the latest round of restrictions, whilst of course taking all the necessary PPE precautions . So that means we are here for you if you are thinking of moving.

The lifting of lockdown might well coincide with the end of the Stamp Duty holiday, so the expected upswing in activity with more people keen to put their plans for the year into action should outweigh any possible negative effects there. Likewise, longer and warmer days in spring always tend to make people think of making their move to a home by the coast or to one with where they can enjoy their own outdoor space. So with infection rates on the decrease and lots of new found positivity in the air we fully expect to be keeping busy.

If you are thinking of selling, buying, renting or letting in Brighton and Hove in the coming months get in touch now - it's never too early to start putting those plans for the New Year into action.

Let's get you moving!




Testimonials

  • A very committed team who made the sale process very easy.

    Ms Rees Brighton

  • All staff extremely helpful and polite. They made our move very smooth and less stressful.

    Mr & Mrs Gosling Woodingdean

  • Maslen's were very good at keeping in touch an...

    Penny Ashby Brighton

  • Maslen's were extremely helpful and profession...

    Bridget Allen Brighton

  • I found the service to be courteous, friendly and efficient.

    Mr Upton Brighton

  • All very professional, kept updated throughout. Very pleased - Would recommend. 

    Mrs Hammond Brighton

  • Maslen made the selling of my flat as easy as...

    Victoria Bradley-Barnard Brighton

  • Your advice, support and understanding whilst dealing with the property were invaluable, making everything so easy.

    Janine Suttner Brighton

  • Very helpful and patient team.

    Mrs Shea Brighton

  • Delighted with the service provided. Very professional and skilful.

    Nicky Conlan Hove

  • All agents at Maslen were extremely helpful and polite from the beginning to the completion of sale. 

    Mr Johnson Brighton

  • Several leagues above any other estate agent I have had contact with. Kept fully informed every step of the way.

    Paul Cade Haywards Heath

  • It was an amazing experience, everyone involved were fantastic. 

    Mr & Mrs Knight Brighton

  • Very professional and friendly. The only estate agents I would trust and recommend.

    Jean Hurley Brighton

  • Donna was such a friendly and helpful support...

    Victoria Lander Brighton

  • Very comprehensive and professional. Nice people to work with and highly recommended. 

    Mr Alderton Brighton

  • Very impressed with the efficient and friendly service, the staff were a pleasure to deal with. 

    Mr & Mrs Gill Brighton

  • You are the best estate agent I have ever dealt with and we will be recommending you to anyone moving!

    Hazel Young Hove

  • I was new to the area and viewed a lot of properties with a lot of different agents. Maslens were by far the best I came in contact with, so when i...

    Mr & Mrs Heer Brighton

  • First class service. Friendly and professional.

    Mr Thorne Brighton

  • Excellent communication and advice throughout. It felt very reassuring to be in good hands.

    Mrs Brooker Brighton

  • Please thank Paul at Lewes Road - Excellent service. 

    Mr & Mrs Nuthall Brighton

  • Thank you Maslens, you were all excellent!

    Miss Jasper Brighton

  • A completely painless experience from start to finish. Thank you.

    Mr Woolven & Mrs Bessant-Woolven Brighton

  • The team worked very hard over a long period to ensure my sale went through - excellent service!

    Mr Patrick Brighton

  • Had a great experience with the purchase of ou...

    jennifer Willson Brighton

  • The whole team were very committed from start to finish.

    Mr Pilgrim Brighton

  • Maslen's were amazing estate agents. Through,...

    Sarah Goodfellow Brighton

  • In my situation, moving the sale of my home to Maslen Estate Agents really was a case of third time lucky!

    Lise Henderson Hove

  • Service exceeded my expectations overall at all stages of the process - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you. Thanks. 

    Ms Greene Brighton

  • I have bought and sold 7 properties, and this was the best experience of an estate agents services I have found.

    Mrs Shepherd Brighton

  • Compared to your rivals, your service was excellent

    Ms McGrigor Brighton

  • Estate agents generally have bad reputations b...

    Dan Harris Brighton

  • I wish we had used you to sell our property! Nice to meet honest people, who are genuinely interested in helping. Very pleased.

    Mrs Porter Brighton

  • The sale was dealt with swiftly, professionally and successfully. Thank you Maslen!

    Mrs Lincoln Brighton

  • From first valuation to completion day the Mas...

    Sam Brighton

  • Sold within 2 weeks for asking price "excellent!"

    Mr Grundy Hove

  • Excellent Service from start to finish.

    Mr T Mole Hove

  • Everyone at Maslen's were amazing, from Sam's...

    William Slingsby Brighton

  • An efficient, professional and friendly service. Helpful and a pleasure to do business with.

    Mr Beddington Brighton

  • Thanks for all your help and assistance. Very friendly and professional service.

    Lisa Downary Brighton

  • Excellent customer service throughout. I will definitely recommend you, and use you again. Thank you.

    Ms Longley Brighton

  • A really good experience.

    Mr Tibble Brighton

  • This was the best experience I’ve ever had of estate agents. Professional, calm and understanding.

    Elinor James Hove

  • Paul Wilkinson was extremely helpful and efficient. The only problem was the vendors solicitor and Paul warned me of this. A good transaction all r...

    Mr Lavender Brighton

  • Paul was absolutely brilliant. 

    Mrs Tasker Brighton

  • Best Estate Agents ever experienced - professional, approachable, competent and exemplary. 

    Mr & Mrs Guest Brighton

  • Really pleased with the service and will definitely recommend to others.

    Ruth Kendall Brighton

  • The best estate agents we have ever used. Friendly, efficient and above all truthful! You are in danger of giving estate agents a good name!

    Jacquie Ellis-Jones Shoreham

  • In what could have been a very stressful situation it has been a pleasure dealing with you and I can’t speak highly enough of the service provided.

    Gill Frost Hove

  • Best Agents in Brighton.

    Mrs Field Brighton

  • Good team. Straightforward. No nonsense.

    Mr Standing Brighton

  • Thank you to all the team at Maslen, especiall...

    Gabrielle Gardner Brighton

  • The staff were very helpful, an excellent service. I would recommend you to others.

    Miss Hockly Brighton

  • Quality advice about when and how to sell, which was spot on. Thank you.

    Miss Coleman Brighton

  • I would recommend Maslen to anyone. 

    Mrs Tripp Brighton

  • Very, very happy we chose you, felt right from the start! Thank you!

    Miss Blackadder Hove

  • Very happy with the service we got from you guys, everyone we dealt with was extremely friendly, professional and helpful. Thanks!

    Mr Brown Brighton

  • Great service, always polite and friendly. Excellent contact and info all the way.

    Mr Wells Hove

  • Thanks for an excellent service. 

    Mr King Brighton

  • Very pleased with the experience. I would definitely recommend you and use you again.

    Ms D Edmonds Brighton

  • Thank you for your service, I would (and have) recommended you to my friends.

    Liz Dean Brighton

  • Very polite, good communication, excellent service.

    Alicia Van der Sluis Surrey

  • Thank you. We found all the staff knowledgeable and really pleasant to deal with. 

    Ms Ansloos Brighton

  • All the staff were professional, cheerful and supportive throughout the long process.

    Mr R Turner Shoreham

  • These guys are the real deal, highly experienced, no nonsense, honest and by far and away the most reliable we have encountered. 

    Sarah Studd Hove

  • Donna was our vendors sales progressor. We cou...

    Allan Da Silva Brighton

  • The team provided the best service I have ever received from an estate agent. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

    Nicki Myers Woodingdean

  • Already recommended you! Thank you.

    Mr Edwards Brighton

  • Fantastic service. By far the best agents we have ever used, I cannot recommend you highly enough.

    Mr Field Brighton

  • First class service from a first class team.

    Mr & Mrs English Brighton

  • Superb service as usual, I would always recommend you.

    Ms S Hike Brighton

  • As always, an excellent service. 

    Mr & Mrs Field Brighton

  • Excellent service as always

    Mr Field Brighton

  • I found everyone helpful, positive and courteous.

    Jean Wooldridge Evesham

  • We were delighted with the service received from all the staff with whom we had contact,

    Dr Crichton Brighton

  • Very thorough & very informative.

    Mr Michnowicz Brighton

  • You were amazingly helpful throughout - a real pillar of strength with a very difficult sale.

    Mrs Parkin Brighton

  • Very pleased with the excellent service throughout. Professional, friendly, efficient and no hard sell. Achieved above asking price. Thank you!

    Mr Witten Brighton

  • It was a long, drawn out process that the people at Maslen helped me through, without the impression that it was a chore. So extremely professional...

    Mr McLagan Brighton

  • From start to finish the sale was dealt with in a thoroughly professional manner.  

    Mr Gibbs Brighton

  • Thank you for everything!

    Ms Tucker Brighton

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