House sales go well in Uckfield
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Residential property sales in Uckfield and surrounding villages are remarkably buoyant despite a long period of economic recession, writes Paul Watson.
Agents in the town report a good 2009 and say this year is off to an excellent start.
After prices fell in 2008, the market stabilised and there were small increases last year.
This gentle upward movement of prices could continue this year as, in many areas, demand outstrips supply.
Agents are looking for quality properties - sensibly priced - to market.
There is one cloud on the horizon, it seems: the General Election.
Elections, say agents, create uncertainty and people tend to delay making important decisions until they see the outcome of the poll.
Petra Edwards, head of the residential property department at Dawson Hart, said the housing market was very localised and the picture in Uckfield was much more positive than some other places in Sussex.
She said 2009 proved to be consistently good and this year the signs were that it would continue in a similar vein.
Residential sales, she said, were affected by the economic mood. At the height of the banking crisis in 2008 the number of new instructions they took plummeted on bad news but rose on the back of any good news.
She said there were still be difficulties with getting mortgages from banks with criteria often changing. However, if one bank appeared to tighten up, often at the same time another would be slightly relaxing lending.
She summed up by saying: “On the whole things are very positive.”
Richard Taylor, of Taylor Tofts said: “If you look at last year demand picked up in the spring off the back of a tough 2008. Last year was better than anyone could have hoped for.
“The market is fine. We could do with a bit more stock. We have plenty of viewings. Uckfield is very popular.”
Mr Taylor said a number of factors would determine how the market performed this year.
Election periods were traditionally quiet as people waited to see what was going to happen.
Interest rates would prove crucial.
Lending for mortgages was gradually “freeing up”, he said, although large deposits were needed. First-time buyers could be asked to find a deposit of 25 per cent, meaning parents were helping their children get on the property ladder.
Cubitt and West – which a survey showed has around one-third of the local market* - saw a near record 2009.
Adrian Hole, branch manager, said: “The last six months were exceptionally busy.”
Over the Christmas and new year period the firm’s offices were refurbished, helping to get the business off to a flying start with agreed sales on properties and new marketing instructions.
Mr Hole said: “It has continued as it left off at the tail end of last year. It looks like possibly being even a better year than last year.”
Adrian Baxter, associate partner at Rowland Gorringe, said: “There is a relative shortage of properties at the moment. It’s about getting people to know that it is a good time to sell.
“There is demand from hot buyers and demand is greater than supply. If I can get good quality properties on the market at the right price, then they will sell.”
As always, he said, the market was price sensitive. He also reported a good 2009.
“Last year was a surprise, Mr Baxter said. “We did not expect it to be so good.”
Steven Goddard, who has just become area manager at Fine and Country, said November and December had been unexpectedly very busy.
“The snow took the sting out of the market but as soon as it disappeared things picked up,” he said.
Fine and Country, which deals with higher-end properties, said they expect to become even busier as spring arrives. Many of the properties they sell have magnificent gardens and vendors tend to hold back until they are looking at or towards their best.
Lynda Clayton-Smith at Duke Letting said the rental market tended to remain steady, whatever was happening in the more general economy.
She said: “People still have to move, for whatever reason. We found a lot of people were renting while they looked to buy their next house, rather than selling and buying in one transaction.
“People are still looking at houses to buy to rent out – not as much as they did but it is still going on.”
The most popular property for rental was the two-bedroomed house – “it fits several different criteria”, she said.
Freeman Foreman were quickly into their stride in 2010 and report things are “busy”.
They too are looking for quality properties and the right price to market.
Avin Jay, senior negotiator at Mansell McTaggart, said once the snow went the market had “really kicked off” this year.
Many people had been visiting the office, even in these times where the internet is extensively used for browsing properties.
New instructions were coming in and he was hopeful 2010 would be at lest as good as 2009. “That would be fantastic,” he said.
There is a mood of optimism at the Uckfield office of Lampons. The estate agency, part of a network of East Sussex offices operated by the county’s leading independent sales and lettings specialist, is seeing more valuations, more instructions and a marked increase in applicants looking for homes to buy and rent in the area.
This, underpinned by the low interest rates and greater confidence as the UK emerges from recession, makes for a very positive outlook, says office Manager, Michael Green.
“We’re optimistic about the coming months. We saw the level of sales rise significantly from March to September last year, culminating in a strong autumn.
“Uckfield and its surrounding villages offers an excellent variety of homes across all price ranges. Property is more affordable and people realise once again that moving home is a sound investment. As we head towards the spring and the market gains momentum, we’re expecting an even greater increase in sales.”
For Lampons, the lettings market outlook is rosy too. Dominic Harris, Area Lettings Manager, said 2009 was a record year for rentals at the Uckfield branch: “Lampons is letting more homes than ever before and our property portfolio now features a wider choice of property styles.”
* In a survey carried out by For Sale Sign Analysts on December 17, 2009, Cubitt and West was the estate agent with the highest number of For Sale and Sold signs displayed with 32.2 per cent of the total.
News in Brief
Lawson Commercial has sold an industrial unit with trade counter opposite Halfords in Bell Lane, Uckfield, for more than half-a-million pounds.
Lawson Commercial partner Chris Lawson said: “This building of some 4,000 sq ft had been available for over 12 months and there had been a couple of abortive transactions on the property.
"I am pleased to say that it has now been sold for a figure in excess of £500,000 to someone who will make good use of the trade counter facility.”
* There is a free networking event at the East Sussex National Golf Club and Spa on February 24. It is being organised by Uckfield BNI. If you would like to know more please contact Mark Hallett, of BWN Telecom, on 0800 258 5252.
* The next Wealden Business Breakfast is on Tuesday, February 23. Topics include Managing your Business through Uncertain Times and a presentation by the Valuation Office on Business Rates.
The breakfast meeting is from 7.30 to 10.30 am at Barnsgate Manor Vineyard, Herons Ghyll. Cost: £5 per head (including breakfast) Bookings by February 5. Contact Claire Moran, Economic Development & Tourism, Wealden District Council, Council Offices, Pine Grove, Crowborough, East Sussex. TN6 1DH Tel: 01892 602887.
* Town council decides not to fund an Uckfield town co-ordinator.
* Coach hire firm’s plans approved.
* Read about Uckfield High Street in our Personal Shopper column
* The Uckfield Town Crier is mascot of the Uckfield News website. Read more about him.
(Added to site Monday, February 1st, 2010)
