With lockdown’s now feeling like a common seasonal occurrence affecting our behaviour and way of thinking, how does it play on our desires to buy or sell our homes and scan you still move house during lockdown?

Luckily the housing market is one of the industries that are operating safely and adopting the guidelines in order to securely provide viewings and sales of properties.

Open for Business

Many people are understandably worried about putting their homes on the market during this period, fearing that valuations may be affected and the ability to hold in house viewings will play at a disadvantage.

Whilst it may play into concerns on a small number of concerned buyers who choose to hold off, there are many that feel the urge to get out and view whilst sticking to safety guidelines.

Safety in Appointments

If you prefer in-house valuations over the many offers of virtual valuations that some people opt towards, they can be undertaken with the fullest extent of safety taken into account.

By ensuring face coverings, social distancing and sanitisation is done with every property, the team at Joules can undertake the task of valuing your home without you being in the property. We recommend that all internal doors are left open and lights are on prior to our agents entering the property, to limit the amount of contact required within the property.

In order to make the process as uncomplicated as possible, it is recommended that anyone in the household either wait outside or in separate rooms away from the work being done in photographing the spaces and measuring up the area. It helps to have the property ready to be photographed ahead of the work being done on our behalf.

Hostings

Before any viewings by our agents and interested parties, it must be clear that the property has not been host to any Covid-19 cases, or any self-isolating cases as well as if you or your family have been shielding.

These cases in point will have an effect on viewings and valuations. Anybody who has also suffered symptoms relating to Covid-19 will not be eligible to view properties during this time. The property agent is responsible for the maintaining of social distancing for clients and no touching of the property upon viewings.

Can I Still Move During Lockdown?

The Government has backed that house moves can still take place, but it is advisable that you handle your own packing and move with one trusted party if possible.

So many people have been wondering ‘can you still move house during lockdown’? With the high demand for people wanting to buy property in Stockport and successful movements on how to sell a house during this time, working with the team at Joules Estate Agents Stockport is the best move for your situation in 2021.

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Those scrambling to get their future homes realised before the stamp duty on houses holiday ends have been granted a glimmer of hope as the Northern Research Group has put forward a request to extend the stamp duty holiday for a further year – a request that has seen the backing of over 50 Conservative MP’s from the North of England.

The group has highlighted in the request that families and businesses are dangling on a cliff edge over the upcoming months with the end of existing support programmes.

Necessary Motion

With extensions to the holiday deemed a necessity in order to protect families and individuals caught up in the pandemic’s economic fallout, the group feels that the extension should apply to properties selling under £500,000.

The request has lined up with various media outlets showing that Rishi Sunak is considering the holiday extension due to many factors, which may also lead to long term tax changes on the fundamental property, with one new tax replacing the current stamp duty and council tax levies.

All eyes are on the government setting the date and time to discuss the extension following the large numbers of online petitions.

Local Concern

With 2021’s lockdown playing an extra level of concern for the many homebuyers completing their discovery and finalisation of new properties, comfort is assured that estate agents in Stockport are open for business as usual and sticking to the strict guidelines set down by the government.

As the countdown to the stamp duty holiday deadline gets increasingly close, many people may feel that buying a property advice at this time may be frivolous when it is actually as good a time as any to get things into motion.

At the same time, those looking into avenues of how to sell a house may also be feeling that the market is too congested to get the sale they want at this time, which is also not so true.

As the very real talks and motions to extend the stamp duty holiday continue to warrant attention, an extension will no doubt see another surge in activity for those looking to buy and sell properties. An extension may be granted but it is not a sure thing that it will be extended again following it.

Talking with an Independent

In discussing the current landscape of the housing sector with independent estate agents Stockport, you will get the localised reliable insight that pertains to your needs. As different areas of the UK may get variations on how the market is affected, engaging with the team at Joules in wanting to buy property in Stockport gives you the service that you need and the news first hand of any change that occurs, and the best advice for stamp duty on houses.

Now is the best time to consider your purchase or sale with a possible extension on the horizon, in order to avoid being at the end of the line by the next intended deadline that is imposed.

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With the new year now in effect and people feeling the impending stamp holiday deadline looming, some positive sunshine for those looking to find avenues for a new home in 2021 is poised to break through the gloom, especially if you’ve been keeping an eye of the UK mortgage market.

Brighter Outlook for Homebuyers

The Bank of England has set about reviewing the affordability tests that are imposed on borrowers in an effort to open avenues of relaxation of rules that were introduced in 2014. In this period, a series of stress tests were introduced by the Bank as a way to avoid borrowers suddenly being unable to pay their debt with the advent of significant interest rate increases.

Though at the time a product of the credit crunch, these tests are currently set to be under review as to how they are calibrated. The focus is on taking into account the so-called reversion rate, levied by mortgage lenders following introductory periods, which is now at a much lower level than its 2014 period.

The rate was called into question in the current era, where the Bank of England base rate is extremely low.

Plans in Motion

The Financial Policy Committee pointed out that consistent with the above factors, option-implied distribution of the future interest rates highlights lower probabilities of a 300 basis points rise over 2014.

What this means is that household capacity to be able to pay the debt is of a higher likelihood when supported over prolonged periods of lower interest rates in comparison to 2014. This review will also fully examine how household income changes and unemployment plays towards mortgage affordability.

Back in October of 2020, the Prime Minister called for action towards easier affordability of mortgages with the focus to aid first time buyers get a solid foothold on the property ladder, including those with very small deposit savings to achieve. The relaxation of stress tests was also on the agenda as well as calls for 95% loans in a motion which labelled low-deposit mortgages as “revolutionary” in its inception.

The Prime Minister has also motioned that work with the government is underway with lenders to execute new long-term fixed-rate mortgages that are actionable with 5% deposits.

Relief on the Horizon

This comes as a sigh of relief to those looking to buy property in Stockport, as well as those currently sweating the deadline of the stamp duty holiday. With the advent of yet more tier system restrictions and a possible national lockdown again on the horizon, people are desperate to find their new residence as soon as possible to avoid lockdown blues in housing that has outgrown their needs.

This also provides a bright outlook for those currently struggling with the decision on how to sell a house in the current climate with uncertainty surrounding the UK mortgage market.

This news is a bright light in an uncertain new year and those looking for the best guidance on buying, selling or renting a property can talk with the team at Joules Estate Agents today, for a future with the premier independent estate agents in Stockport.

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As the third national lockdown happens around us, there is a positive for those planning to buy or sell their properties during the new year in that the housing market and its agents are still in business, including your dedicated local estate agents team at Joules.

Continuing the Drive to Get People Housed

Whilst many feel that the journey to mid-February is a long and arduous one for those looking to move into a new property, and government guidance tells people to stay at home as much as possible, it has stated that people can still move house but you should avoid having people outside your household aid you in moving as much as possible unless an absolute necessity.

This also involves the ability to continue to view properties utilising the safety guidelines we have all grown accustomed to. This means that estate and letting agents can continue to allow viewings of properties as long as guidelines such as social distancing, face masks and sanitiser are present for each viewing.

Guidelines in Play

Whilst most services will be closed over this lockdown period that is expected to last until mid-February, and strict guidelines will be in place for gatherings of people, being able to continue the process of house hunting and processing sales of people’s homes provides a positive in the government’s decision to keep the housing industry active during this period.

At Joules we will be working with the most strict measures when it comes to viewings of our properties to help reduce the spread of the virus and will be consulting with all clients prior to viewings and meetings in regards to conditions and any additional requirements our clients would need towards them.

In order to maintain accordance with government guidelines in regards to anyone wanting to buy property in Stockport, the team will be continuing to work in keeping movers and buyers safe at all times. We see it as a duty to our industry and our clients to uphold this important requirement during this point in time to ensure things continue positively for the housing market.

Sales to Continue

As this is a pivotal moment in time for the housing industry, those seeking guidance on how to sell a house are still in good stead to seal the sale and don’t have to feel like they have to wait until this period tides over.

Those also looking for advice on renting a house can also find plenty of help is still available from estate agents in Stockport during this period, so whilst it may feel like things should be at a standstill there is still plenty of movement to be had with your independent estate agent.

As your local estate agents, Joules continue to provide unbeatable service and support for our clients during this time and when it comes to buying and selling your home it is business as usual for the team in yellow and blue.

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