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11th December 2020
Bust and boom, doom and gloom, good times and bad - after being an Estate Agent for more than thirty years I thought I'd seen it all. Then 2020 came along...
Perhaps one of the strangest aspects of the year was having
our whole industry shut down by Government almost overnight. Although other
sectors such as hospitality and entertainment were similarly affected,
thankfully we were able to get back to work at the start of the summer and deal
with the pent-up demand that we always expected to result from this enforced
break.
Back to work
One of the core truths of being an estate agent is that at any one time there will always be people who want to sell, buy, rent and let property. Whether that's as a first time buyer, a downsizer, relocation or for any number of other scenarios, the fact is that no matter what the macro-economic picture looks like there will always be personal circumstances behind a move.
Even in the midst of a global pandemic caused by a previously unknown virus this simple fact stays the same, so we knew that the summer was going to be just the start of a very busy period for our industry. However, we also knew it wasn't going to be a return to 'business as usual'.
Changes
We had to make changes to the way we did things, from wearing masks to using social distancing for viewings and valuations, whilst also changing the way we used social media and online tools.
Many people in all walks of life have also taken the opportunity to re-evaluate their situation and decided to make changes. Whether it was working from home for the first time or spending more time in a local area due to social distancing and travel restrictions, new ideas about a life/work balance have become more important due to the strange nature of this year.
The media reported a 'rush to the country' as city dwellers looked for open outdoor spaces and larger indoor ones. Here in Brighton and Hove we have long known that you don't need to live in rural exclusion in order to have that kind of lifestyle. Many new enquiries for homes in our city came from people deciding to move away from London and its suburbs to greener and coastal locations where they can have some outside space to call their own, and of course the Stamp Duty holiday is continuing to be a great help to both buyers and sellers. So it's no surprise that we have been so busy in our three local offices!
New Year, new start
One of our taglines is 'Are You Home Yet?' and that's something that particularly resonates at this time of year. The festive season puts the focus on home, family and friends and thankfully the lifting of some restrictions means that most of us will be able to regain some sense of normality over the Christmas break.
With hopes that next year will see something much closer to the old normal we were happy with before, the effects of this year still mean that many people will be looking for a new home to make their own personal version of a 'new normal'.
As always, the best way to ensure that you find your perfect property is to get the help of a local estate agent who really knows their area and puts people before profit. That's another of our mottos here at Maslen Estate Agents, and we pride ourselves on making sure our clients have our total support throughout their buying, selling or renting journey. We're incredibly proud to be the only estate agent in Brighton to receive the top rating of Exceptional for our sales service in the new Best Estate Agent Guide for 2021, which rigorously assesses over 25,000 branches nationwide with both in depth data analysis of their results and marketing, along with high levels of 'mystery shopping' to help you feel confident that you've chosen the most trustworthy, professional and successful agent in your area.
Whatever you plans for 2021, I wish you a very Happy
Christmas and a safe and healthy New Year.
David Maslen M.N.A.E.A., M.A.R.L.A. - Director