Happy New Year!
People still need to move and here at Finlay Brewer we continue to sell and rent properties. Sellers are beginning to understand the market and we are seeing far more sensible asking prices. From the buyers’ perspective, many of them are utterly fed up with the never-ending Brexit negotiations and are simply ‘moving on’ with their lives. An increasing number of buyers are raising their heads above the parapets and are actively looking AND more importantly . . . offering. It’s still ‘their market’ and they want properties to tick all the boxes but the bottom line is, and has been for some time, that if a property is priced correctly there are going to be (and have been) competing offers.
We experienced our first “seasonal sales” year for a long time in 2018. Our two best months for completions were August and December with buyers making sure they move in time for the summer holidays and Christmas. These are the family moves – the larger houses. Meanwhile the flat market was steady throughout the year with a small increase in December, which is consistent with other years. SO there is undeniable evidence that people are still buying and as the economy wakes up to 2019 it will be interesting to see whether property market activity follows political news or sticks to it’s own pattern – we simply don’t know but we have experienced a wide range of market conditions since we first opened in 1992 so we are prepared for whatever the market throws at us.
The lettings market has started 2019 reasonably strong and although the supply seems to be increasing in the 1-2 bed market as we get into the year, there is still a good demand. The house rental market is usually a bit sleepy at this time of year, which is reflected by the low number of houses available but there is an unusual amount of activity at this level too, so the signs are there that 2019 could be a much wanted improvement on 2018 – for lettings at least.
We have just launched a very interesting opportunity in the South of France. A fantastic opportunity to purchase a sizeable and well-located hotel that has become available in the charming medieval town of La Turbie in Provence and close to the Principality of Monaco. Hôtel Napoléon covers 1,220m2 and boasts 24 private rooms with an expansive restaurant space. It has also been granted planning approval to add a further two storeys, which would allow for 12 extra rooms covering 234m2 and additional amenities. With a full refurbishment, remodelling and repurposing of the ground floor amenities, the hotel will be a unique destination for travellers and locals alike. Click here for more details.
So, if you think that 2019 could be the year to make your move, now would be a good time to give us a call and let us help you get the ball rolling. I’ll see you next month – that’s if I don’t hear from you before!
