Spring is traditionally one of the best times of year to sell a country house. People are feeling happier with blue skies, lighter warmer days and a bit more sunshine in their lives rather than the dark cold days of winter. Families also begin their house search in time for the new September school year. Combine this with today’s very active market as a result of ‘pandemic buyers’ flocking to the countryside, Spring 2022 is a great season to be selling …
Buyer demand is still very strong causing record prices
Demand over the last two years has been truly remarkable, causing far more buyers than there are homes for sale. Rightmove have recently reported there are twice as many buyers as there are sellers and when compared to this time three years ago, sellers are twice as likely to find a buyer within the first week of launching. Meanwhile, house selling weather forecast, PropCast, has found buyer demand is very strong in our area. Anything over 50° is considered a very hot sellers’ market so in Grantham for example, the market heat temperature is 74°, meaning 74% of homes for sale are under off or subject to contract. In Stamford it’s 73°, The Deepings it’s 72°, in Rutland it’s 67° and in Bourne it’s 67°. This indicates sellers in our area have a very good chance of selling their home quickly – as long as you make sure your chosen estate agent has priced and marketed your home correctly of course.
As a result of demand outweighing supply, house prices keep on rising. Rightmove’s latest Index says the average house coming onto the market jumped by 1.7% last month to £353,545, in the biggest month-on-month increase since the mid-noughties. Meanwhile Nationwide reports annual house price growth increased 14.3% between February and March this year.
Beautiful gardens
Your garden is more important than ever before now, being a big priority for those looking for a country house. The joy of this time of year is that gardens are starting to look very pretty with lots of colour and greenery. This makes for a stunning setting not just on viewings but also in photographs. If you’re lucky enough to have a south facing garden as well, prospective buyers will be able to see just how much sun they can enjoy during the day if they live there themselves.
More light and warmth
This time of year brings longer days, which is great news when selling a home. This is because a brighter home has a much better chance of selling than a darker one. Our professional photographer can really maximise the natural light to create amazing photos as well. Also, given the choice between moving home in the freezing cold and pouring rain, or the warmth of the sun, most buyers will choose the latter.
Families are looking for schools now
The new school year starts in September and for some families, this means their children are starting at primary or secondary level. With school places now secured, such buyers are now looking for a family home close by, usually within a twenty minute drive. We are very lucky in our part of the country as the region boasts some outstanding schools such as Oundle School, Uppingham School, Casterton College, Oakham Primary, Prince William, Spalding High and Grammar and Stamford Junior and High School. Homes with three plus bedrooms, two bathrooms house and a good sized garden close to these schools are highly sought after.
Find Out More?
Contact Jan or Ildi on 01780 750 200 – we would be delighted to explain further the benefits of selling in Spring.
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