Reasons to be positive!
The mini budget of late September 2022 is now over a year ago. I was in holiday in Turkey at the time! It didn’t ruin my holiday, but it did make me fearful of what I would arrive back at my desk to in both the short, medium, and long term.
The short term wasn’t too bad. The fact that interest rates had risen meant that many buyers wanted to see their purchases through to keep the low fixed rates they had been offered rather than pulling out due to the uncertainty created.
The medium term…well by the time I was back at my desk it was October and October 2022 in terms of new sales agreed at Aldreds was ‘OK’. We exceeded by one sale our target for the month. We expected November and December to be slow and they were.
The long term has been more challenging with 2023 so far being a year where the volume of sales has fallen back to levels seen about a decade ago. However, looking at October 2023 against October 2022 there are reasons to be positive. We have a very strong Gorleston Office that covers most of the NR31 postcode. In the first 16 days of October 2022 31 sales were agreed in the NR31 postcode. So far this month there has been 38 sales agreed. An approx. 20% increase. OK this is a small window, but it shows that things may have very much found a level.
In the words of Winston Churchill after the battle of El Alamein – This isn’t the end, it isn’t the beginning of the end, but it may be the end of the beginning!
We are always delighted to support the super guys at Circus Starr!
We have again sponsored a child and carer to attend this marvellous event!
If you aren't familiar with Circus Starr in their own words 'We bring all the fun of the circus to children of families who may have found this difficult in the past'.
A fantastic thing to support if we may say so ourselves!
Opportunity in our lettings department!
Are you an outstanding individual in lettings? Or are you already an accomplished sales lister looking for your next step?
We are hiring!
Aldreds are looking for a branch manager/associate director to head up our lettings and property management department. Based in Great Yarmouth office but covering a wide area with a fantastic established team to work with you.
We already have a large portfolio under management but want to grow by utilising the traction that our sales offices give us.
Sound interesting? Get in touch in confidence This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 01493 844891.
The Lettings and Property Management Team
On the ground floor in our Great Yarmouth office, you will find our lettings and property management department.
With over 100 years experience between them Susie, Sue, Michelle, Steph, Claire and Vicky assist our clients with all aspects of residential property letting and management.
Fully managed is our most popular service that does exactly what it says on the tin! We advertise the property, find the tenant, do all the checks and help the tenant with the application. We then move the tenant in, take care of logging the deposit and start collecting the rent whilst at all times making sure all statutory requirements such as right to rent checks and gas certificates are taken care of. When the tenant leaves we check them out, take care of the inventory and re advertise!
We also offer a ‘Let only’ service. Where we find the tenant and look after the process until they have moved in then it is over to you!
If you have a property to let give them a call now on 01493 849111 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tim Wicks joins Aldreds!
We are delighted to announce that Tim Wicks has joined Aldreds as Branch Manager in our Gorleston office.
Tim joins Director Dan Crawley in our market leading office covering NR31 bringing his 37 years’ experience to this already very successful branch. Having dealt with all property types from terraced houses to luxury homes and rural property, Tim’s expertise will be a great benefit to local sellers.
Tim will work alongside Dan and the rest of the team in continuing to deliver a first-rate professional estate agency service to customers and clients old and new.
Well done Louis!
Congratulations to Louis Sansom Williams in our Gorleston office who oversaw his first sale to completion last week.
Louis joined us in June and has excelled in his new role becoming popular with both customers and his colleagues with his enthusiasm and can do attitude!
We all remember our first sale and completion! Louis will remember this one!
Congratulations to Michael in our Lowestoft office who has just completed TM training 'Stars of Tomorrow' course! Michael is making great strides in our Lowestoft branch and especially enjoys meeting the customers at accompanied viewings and getting those sales tied up in the field! Well done Michael!
Autumn Bounce?
Traditionally September and October have always been busier months in the housing market.
Families can put their plans to move off through the summer break whilst kids off schools and flights to sunny destinations take priority.
Listing your property or starting your search in the autumn means you still have time to complete a move before Christmas.
If you are thinking of selling or buying call us today to discuss your options!
Inflation falls again – could this be good news on interest rates.
This morning the latest inflation figures have been released and show a fall back in the annual rate from 7.9% to 6.8%.
This is coupled with the news over the last fortnight that lenders have started to reduce their fixed rate mortgages on the presumption that the Bank of England base rate may be nearing its peak.
What does this mean for the housing market? Higher interest rates and the cost of living will continue to have an effect but a stable rate of borrowing and a more favourable out look can only be a good thing.
Many buyers are still seeking to purchase and move. We have had a healthy start to August and some well priced properties are attracting good levels of interest.
Thinking of selling? Call your local Aldreds office today!
Sales Progression – The most under rated thing estate agents do.
When house sellers choose an estate agent, they will often consider their experience at selling houses, their marketing package, how they present their properties and where they advertise.
Many sellers pay little or not attention to what procedures agents have in place after the all important sale is agreed.
At Aldreds we pride ourselves on pro active and thorough sales progression. When a sale is agreed the negotiator who handled it will see that sale through to completion. Initially they will check that the person offering is in a strong position by checking out any chain of sales and making sure they are all in place, by asking for mortgage agreements or proof of cash and by getting ID for the buyers. They will then instruct solicitors to go ahead. Routine monitoring is carried out to avoid fall throughs such as making sure mortgage valuations are instructed and talking to solicitors and estate agents involved with the chain to ascertain that searches etc are applied for.
By carrying out these checks we hope to cut out fall throughs as much as possible and make the process as smooth as possible for buyers and sellers alike. If problems or hurdles crop up we can help by acting as a go between and talking to solicitors and agents in the chain to find resolutions.
Although cancelled sales happen, we know that the approach of our fantastic staff and the procedures we have in place helps to keep them to a minimum.
