What Might 2020 Hold for the World of Property?

03 January, 2020

Goodbye to 2019 – it’s been a roller coaster. I think there are as many estate agents out there who feel as battered and bruised by 2019 as there are politicians! You see, every time there was uncertainty, upheaval or just plain argument, buyers and sellers across the land had one simple thought...

“If I don’t really, really have to move, is now the best time?”

And to be honest, looking back, it probably wasn’t.

Yes property was still selling but buyers had more choice and were looking to strike a tougher deal.

Sellers were thin on the ground and we hesitating about finding a buyer then committing to another purchase, especially if that involved an increased mortgage.

So for many, 2019 was a year of wait and see.

Well if you were one of them – you waited. You saw.

As we begin this new year it seems to me that whatever your politics, there does now seem to be a sense of calm with (hopefully), much of the turbulence and upheaval now behind us.

So What About the Property Market?

It’s still too early to be sure but I have a strong feeling that the brakes are now off the roller coaster and we’re beginning to build up speed. Our Christmas inboxes were full of enquiries from first time buyers and investors, yes, investors – the very people who were so quiet for the last year or so.

There is a pent-up demand for property and once that gets going it will build it’s own momentum. It’s very possible that we’re going to see unusually high levels of sales before the first daffodils appear – the signs are already there.

But there is also a rational worry about quite where we are heading after the latest Brexit date of 31st January and what will be in the February Budget. So long as neither of these two crucial events are a disaster, we can look forward to one of our busiest years ahead.

How Sure Are We?

Quietly confident I’d say. In fact, we’ve even taken on new colleagues in readiness.

So here’s to a busy, happy and healthy 2020 for everyone ad if the market gets going like we think, don’t forget... You heard it here first!

Tom Cranenburgh,

Partner at Get An Offer.