property for sale Archives - Fleet, Hartley Wintney, Odiham McCarthy Holden Estate Agents

Early Signs Of High End Property Sales In the Blue Triangle Area

February 26, 2026February 26, 2026 by John Holden

PEATMOOR BLUE TRIANGLE SOLD MCCARTHY HOLDEN

“There are some impressive house sales occurring in early 2026 in the Blue Tringle area of Fleet, witnessed by two completions which have happened in recent days, one guided at £2.350m and the second £1.75m. It appears that the 2025 uncertainty around top end stamp duty is well and truly consigned to history now,” reports director at McCarthy Holden Richard Ebsworth.

Why Fleet?

As a company, we know that Fleet is a fantastic place to live with and we always see a good level of people moving out of London to settle in Fleet. High buyer demand is not surprising because not only is the town a great place to raise a family, but for those working from home or for those buyers who commute into the City, travel connectivity is great with the M3 or Fleet mainline railway station on our doorstep. Once established in Fleet, people continually up-size and downsize but tend to remain within the area.

Highly Sought After Blue Triangle Area

The outlook for house sales in the Blue Triangle in 2026 is one of a stable market with increased interest from buyers. For those contemplating a house sale, vendors can be confident in the potential of finding plenty of buyers willing to secure their dream home.

So if you are thinking of a house sale this year, please do consider inviting McCarthy Holden to provide you with a free no obligation valuation / property appraisal.

Experience Makes The Negotiating Difference

Our research shows that experienced personnel and high quality marketing, combined with a competitive fee level are the main reasons why house sellers chose McCarthy Holden, so below is a reminder of just a few of the reasons why we remain the agent of choice in the Blue Triangle.

• Experienced property professionals
• Property video tours – increased web engagement
• In The Country & Town Magazine
• In branch TV marketing
• Social media marketing campaigns
• Email campaigns to our 5,000 strong database
• Well connected – Mayfair Office London
• Established level of buyers
• Professional integrity and honest service delivery

Experienced personnel make a significant difference to the delivery of estate agency services, from the initial marketing through to the judgements needed around negotiating a sale and getting the transaction to exchange of contracts.

At McCarthy Holden in Fleet we have a long established and very experienced team.

Richard Ebsworth (Director): Lives in Fleet and has worked at McCarthy Holden for 22 years and has around 30 years of estate agency / property experience.

Victoria Davies (Manager): Lives in Fleet and has worked at McCarthy Holden for over 15 years and is one of our top performing managers year in year out.

Amalia Moruzzi-Lee (Property Consultant): Has worked at McCarthy Holden for 6 years and is one of our top performing house sale personnel.

Pedro Barros (Assistant Manager): With over 10 years of local knowledge in Fleet and the surrounding areas, Pedro combines 24+ years of sales negotiation experience to deliver outstanding results for his clients.

Henry David (Negotiator): Having grown up in Fleet, Henry has a good knowledge of the local area and he is confident and focused on achieving a high level of house sales.

Joanne Byford: Lives in Fleet and has worked at McCarthy Holden for over 14 years as a property viewer / sales negotiator.

Louise Looijestijn: Lives in Fleet and has worked at McCarthy Holden for over 12 years as a property viewer / sales negotiator.

Candice Walmsley: Lives in Fleet and has worked at McCarthy Holden for 12 years as a property viewer / sales negotiator.

Candice Walmsley: Lives in Fleet and has worked at McCarthy Holden for 12 years as a property viewer / sales negotiator.

Marianne Hascher: Lives in Fleet and has worked at McCarthy Holden for 5 years as a property viewer / sales negotiator.

Sophie Roberts: Lives in Farnborough and works at McCarthy Holden as an Administrator.

Harriett LLoyd: Lives in Fleet and works at McCarthy Holden as an Administrator

Our long established and experienced property sales team at our Fleet branch

Telephone 01252 62024

Budget Insights For Landlords & Homeowners

November 28, 2025November 28, 2025 by John Holden

This Autumn Budget was like no other, because the leaky lead up to it had a negative impact on the property market and the wider economy. So much uncertainty was generated in recent months and many people simply shut down and did nothing. So the Budget day is over and people can now plan their property moves and investments with the knowledge of what’s to come as a result if this Budget.

There were no rabbits pulled out of the hat and the only surprise was that the government’s financial position is nowhere near as bad as had been suggested in the run-up.

Property & Taxes

Landlords were further impacted if their investment property is held by them as an individual as opposed to a limited company.

From April 2027, property income (e.g. rents), as well as savings and dividend income, will be taxed 2 percentage points higher than today. That brings property income tax bands to 22%, 42% and 47%.

The Budget stops short of replacing or abolishing Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). Stamp duty remains in place for now, despite earlier speculation.

The so called “mansion tax” has now arrived and it’s worth remembering that Labour previously voiced this intent back in 2019 and in part it impacted on them losing that General Election. In early 2025 rumours abounded about a forthcoming “mansion tax” and for the remainder of this year the top end of the market has been on hold.

Now we know that for owners of high-value homes, a new “mansion tax” — formally a high-value council tax surcharge — was confirmed. From April 2028, properties valued at £2 million and above will face an annual surcharge.

The tax will differ depending on the value of a property and will be determined by the following four bands.

£2 million to £2.5 million– You will pay £2,500.

£2.5 million to £3.5 million– You will pay £3,500.

£3.5 million to £5 million – You will pay £5,000.

More than £5 million – You will pay £7,500.

This will be an annual tax and the charge will be imposed on top of the existing council tax. The money will go to the Treasury rather than the local authority.

What It Means For The Property Market & Landlords / Tenants

The decision not to scrap stamp duty means there is no relief for home buyers and no increased incentives to move or buy.

For landlords, higher taxation on rental income (from 2027) will erode net returns. But one thing is for certain, this added cost will be passed on to Tenants so this move alongside the Renters Right Act earlier this year will cost Tenants more for their rented homes.

There is much speculation about the new “mansion tax” suppressing demand at the very top end of the market, but we don’t believe this will be the outcome.

The buyer demand will now return because the level of the “mansion tax” is known and whilst it might keep a lid on prices in this sector, at least transaction numbers will return.

The tax isn’t coming in until 2028 and by then another General Election will be on the horizon so disgruntled home owners wary of property taxes in general will take their discontent out at the ballot box.

Summary

From a property perspective across all price sectors, the Budget has little or no impact and any “bounce back” is likely to be moderate, not a dramatic boom. The weight of new taxes and limited reforms means we’re more likely to see steady growth and cautious investor re-entry rather than a surge in building or housing-led economic growth.

In other word, a steady business as normal outlook for the short to medium term.

Overall, expect steady demand property sales and rentals, modest rental growth in strong micro-markets, and continued importance of quality and location.

Time To Start House Hunting?

A good place to start your 2026 house move could be to check out out latest property magazine, which came out today.

This 122 page property & lifestyle magazine is full for properties for sale from £295,000 to £2.0m., a selection of properties to rent and some engaging editorial such as cookery tips for Christmas from Rick Stein and Dr Clare Mosley.

To enjoy a full read of our digital magazine In The Country & Town just click the image below.

8 ways to weave summer blooms into your space

May 15, 2025 by John Holden

A beautiful bouquet is one of life’s pleasures… and embellishing your home with florals, botanicals and ditsy prints is an imaginary way to reinvent your existing scheme.

Whether it’s through soft furnishings, romantic accents or pretty pottery, think a timeless, mood-enhancing aesthetic inspired by a secret garden… without the need for a patch of green grass.

To get the look, these hand-picked bouquets are ready to mix and match…

1. Emma Bridgewater Garden Flowers French Bowl, £24; Garden Flowers Half Pint Mug, £25, Emma Bridgewater

With a country cottage vibe, these brilliant blooms will bring colour, texture and panache to tea parties.

2. Laura Ashley 2.8L Stovetop Kettle China Rose, £59.99, Boots

With a delightful whistling sound and designer print finish, this stovetop kettle combines function with flair.

3. Botanist’s Scroll Vivant Wallpaper, £95 per roll; Trellia Orange Wallpaper, £95 per roll, Graham & Brown

A flowery feature wall in vibrant shades of pink, purple, fuchsia and orange has dopamine décor written all over it – and is an appealing vista with character and charm. For a cohesive scheme, pair with this co-ordinating Trellia print for a grand display.

4. Ditsy Floral Seat Pad – Dusky Pink, £19.99, Rucomfybeanbags

This sweet seat pad will style up a spindle chair, or garden seating.

5. Wimbledon in Bloom Tea Towel, £14; Wimbledon in Bloom Large Mug, £19; Wimbledon in Bloom Drinks Tray, £24; Wimbledon in Bloom Apron, £26, rest of items from a selection, Shop.Wimbledon

An exciting new homeware collection themed to ‘tennis in an English Garden,’ this floral range features iconic Wimbledon motifs such as strawberries, tennis rackets and winner’s trophies, strewn with pretty petals and greenery.

6. Cornflower Pitcher Jug Vase, £16, Dibor

With peony season coming into swing and tulips teasing us with their rich hues, this vintage style vase will enhance your petal power.

7. Lucy Tiffney Floral Pencil Pleat Campion Blackout Lined Curtains, from £50 to £145; Lucy Tiffney Pink Wildflower Embroidered Cotton Cushion, £24; Lucy Tiffney Pink Floral Diamond Jute Rug, from £60 to £280, rest of items from a selection, Next

A fantastic way to make everything feel fresher is with a new set of curtains… especially a playful floral print you can have lots of fun with. Set against a neutral background, these pops of colour can be picked up with statement scatter cushions, whimsy accessories, and a colourful throw rug to spice things up.

8. Habitat Confetti Glass Reed Diffuser – Pink Jasmine & Amber, £11, Habitat

The easiest way to scent the home for summer… a decorative diffuser. Think sweetish aromas of pink jasmine with woody hints of amber, to mirror those blossom patterns and cute collections.

Year End & New Beginnings

December 28, 2023 by John Holden

In our January 2023 edition of the magazine In The Country & Town we predicted, despite the widespread media gloom about the house market at the time, that the year would end with house prices not greatly changed in our area of operation. We are pleased to say that this has proved to be the case with house prices only slightly down, impacted by buyer demand steadily improving as the year progressed. The Autumn of 2023 saw the first positive upturn in house buyer activity this year, and there was clear evidence confirming the market had stabilised as we approached the final quarter of this year.

There’s no better test of a market insight than some real life examples of property transactions during what most will agree was a challenging 2023 market place, so McCarthy Holden are taking this opportunity to provide our readers with some real life examples of property transaction which have taken place during 2023. You can see from the following that the general resilience and activity in the market was evident in all prices sectors.

Fleet - £1.750M.(sale agreed two weeks, contracts exchanged in six)

This 3,600 sq. ft. property came to the market with McCarthy Holden in the early part of 2023, but at that time the owner decided to remove the house from the market, perhaps considering it might be the wrong time to sell. However, so impressed were the vendors with our Fleet team that they came back to us to re-market the property in September of this year and after a full re-launch, we secured a cash purchaser for the property within 2 weeks, with an exchange of contracts in an impressive 6 weeks.

Odiham - £395,000 (buyer after first viewing + sale over guide)

This charming two-bedroom Grade II listed cottage in The Bury, central Odiham went on the market for a price of £395,000. Our Odiham office achieved a very quick sale on the first day of viewings and achieved over the guide price.

Blue Triangle, Fleet - £1.5M.(14 viewings, 5 offers, full price sale agreed)

Within a week of bringing this substantial six bedroom home to market in October of this year, our Fleet team had secured 14 viewings and 5 offers, resulting in the vendors accepting an asking price offer, confirming that there is still plenty of activity from excellent buyers who are looking to secure properties at the end of 2023 and going into 2024.

Using drones aerial photography and video marketing helped create significant interest.

Fleet - £465,000 (online only versus local with online)

Having had been marketed by an online only agent for 3 months without success, McCarthy Holden came on board and within 7 days had found the perfect buyer, resulting in some very happy vendors. When is comes to property marketing, a High Street premises is still a vital part of the marketing mix. .

Finchampstead - £2.250M.(Early year equestrian property sale with video marketing)

Many equestrian property owners would consider a property sale in February risky, especially because the condition of paddocks are not looking their best after a winter of use by horses. However, we encouraged the owners of this property to go to the market early because we felt the demand for country property was good and the supply / demand relationship of available property to buyers looking was more in their favour early in the year. This is because buyers start their early stage house hunting over Christmas / New Year and usually there are few country house properties on the market in the early new year. In the spring however, all the country house properties tend to come to the market around the same time when their grounds are looking their best, however, this timing to go to market improves the supply / demand relationship in favour of the buyer who has more choice by then.

This particular property example is a useful nudge to country house vendors to consider going to market early in the year. In this case McCarthy Holden achieved a tiny amount under 100 % of the £2,250,00 guide price.

Odiham, Hampshire - £900.00 p.c.m.(A sell or let decision - which way to turn)

Our Odiham office tasked with marketing a retirement property after the previous agent had failed to secure a buyer. We were working on securing the perfect buyer for this lovely home, but the age restriction on a purchase was taking time to overcome. Over to our Lettings team who stepped in and suggested joint marketing for sale and let. Within a short time, a tenant was found and they promptly moved in. Not only is the tenant extremely happy in their new home, they also plan to purchase the property much to the current owners delight.

Now that looks like a bit of serendipity as well as good agency marketing and advice!

Manley James Close, Odiham - £695,000

This beautifully presented four-bedroom property within close proximity to the high street was brought to the market in September of this year, achieving full asking Guide Price on the launch day. Further proof that with advice from a knowledgeable team and a great marketing strategy, properties are still moving quickly.

Berkshire - Offers in Excess Of £2m. guide (Many offers after marketing with video)

The success in agreeing a sale of this property in 42 acres was down to a realistic pricing strategy and high profile video marketing, which combined to get considerable buyer interest in September with many viewings and multiple offers. Each viewing took about 1.5 hours due to the need to take potential buyers on a tour of the 42 acres boundaries in a 4×4 vehicle, as well as the time needed to see the vast amount of outbuildings.

Several offers were made well in excess of the guide price and a sale to a cash buyer was agreed in October.

A Good End Of Year for 2023

As we are now in the final days of this years market, we are able to report that house buyers are still on the hunt for their ideal property, so a later year up-tick is providing opportunities for those wishing to sell their property now despite this being an uncharacteristic time of year for house sales activity. There is no doubt that December 2023 saw a respectable level of house buyers viewings, a fact that was notable especially in the top end sector which bodes well for people on the move to new beginnings in 2024.

Will Labour In Government + Interest Rates Down = Market Up-tick By December 2024?

The likelihood of a Labour Government being in power by this time next year is very high and in the past, such a change has had a positive outcome on the house market in the short to medium term. Add in the prospect of interest rates tumbling in the second half of next year, then there can be little doubt that the best in house buying opportunities for savvy buyers will be during the first six months of 2024. Our advice to house buyers is to start their property search early in the New Year and don’t delay.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if 2024 was a year of less warfare and conflict, replaced with more kindness to each other and the environment, so we end this year in that spirit of hope and optimism and wish all our customers past and those of the future we haven’t yet met all the very best for 2024.

Why having good neighbours can save you money

January 10, 2021 by admin

Good neighbours at McCarthy Holden estate agents

The importance of good neighbours came to the fore in 2020 and it is highlighted further, with this insight from the Press Associations finance correspondent Vicky Shay.

A priceless benefit

For many people, having friendly and helpful neighbours in their community is a priceless benefit. But according to a new report from Halifax, having good neighbours can translate to actual financial savings too.

Halifax estimates that those benefiting from neighbours’ acts of kindness save £165 per year typically.

From lending a lawnmower to picking up the shopping and looking after pets, it seems the benefits of having a good relationship with neighbours really can add up financially.

The survey of over 4,000 people found that the most common deeds performed by kind neighbours that save people money on their doorsteps include collecting groceries (12%), watering plants (10%) and looking after pets (8%).People said they receive some form of help from their neighbours three times a month typically, the bank’s ‘Community Counts’ report found.

On average, those who are getting neighbourly help receive 10 hours of support a month, with this increasing to 12 hours since the start of the pandemic. On average, the most time-consuming favour that people do for their neighbours is helping out with DIY, which typically takes 42 minutes.

The highest cash savings were found to come from neighbours looking after kids (with those benefiting make a saving £313 per year on average), helping out with cleaning (a typical £276 saving) and pet-sitting (saving £248 on average).

Saving money on taxis and public transport, nearly one in eight (12%) people surveyed have had a lift from a neighbour when they’ve needed one.

There are also benefits of convenience, as well as cash savings from having good neighbours.
More than half (52%) say their neighbours have taken in parcels for them when they’ve not been there to open the door, and more than a quarter (27%) get help with taking their bins out.

The types of tasks neighbours help out with have changed since the pandemic started, however. Halifax found people are now more likely to get support from neighbours picking up shopping, but less likely to need help watering plants, as more people have been staying at home – so can take care of these tasks themselves.

It’s likely that neighbours will increasingly help each other out in the future too.
A quarter (25%) of people surveyed say their relationship with their neighbours has improved since the Covid-19 crisis started. Only 3% said it had deteriorated.
A third (32%) would have found it harder to cope during the pandemic without their neighbours, rising to two-fifths (38%) of those aged 18-34.

Good neighbours would also be a strong factor for people in any future house moves, the research found. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of people say that if they were looking to buy a new home, having good neighbours and a strong community would be important, increasing to eight in 10 (81%) among people aged over-55.

To find your perfect new neighbour, why not start your property search here.

Stamp Duty Changes To Boost House Market

July 8, 2020July 8, 2020 by admin

Prior to today’s announcement the market was doing rather well post lockdown, so the new stamp duty announcements will boost house sales further.

Nearly nine in 10 people getting on or moving up the property ladder where stamp duty applies will not need to pay the tax at all while a temporary holiday applies.

From July 15 until March 31 2021, buyers will pay no stamp duty on the first £500,000 of their purchase when they move home.

The measure, which temporarily increases the “nil rate” band of stamp duty from £125,000 to £500,000, will reduce the average stamp duty bill for a main home from £4,500 to zero. Buyers can potentially save up to £15,000.

Announcing the move, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Nearly nine out of 10 people buying a main home this year will pay no stamp duty at all.”

Stamp duty applies in England and Northern Ireland and people usually pay the tax on homes priced above £125,000. Some stamp duty discounts were already in place for first-time buyers.

There are already signs that the stamp duty holiday is helping to reboot the property market.

In the first half hour after the announcement was made on Wednesday, traffic to property website Rightmove jumped by 22%.

See this range of recommended properties for purchasers looking up to around £500,000

Start your property search here.

Now that wasn’t Expected!

June 3, 2020May 22, 2020 by admin

The first week of Estate Agents being allowed to conduct house viewings has been a real eye opener, with the level of buyer activity much higher than anticipated which hopefully bodes well for a quick bounce back in the house market.

No doubt there will be some readers who will think, well you would say that wouldn’t you, in the hope of pepping up the market, but I can counter any such thought with some hard facts and examples, so here are a few case notes from the first week back.

New House Eversley – Under offer in three days

This fine new home by Aspire was placed on the open market on Monday 18th May at a guide £1,125,000.

By Thursday 20th May a sale was agreed to a proceedable purchaser.

Country House Eversley – Emerging Buyer Interest around £2.0m. guide

We took this property to the market a few weeks before lockdown, so viewings went on hold during the lockdown period.

Yesterday we had multiple viewings at the house and two offers have already been submitted. This home is typical of the kind of property that will be sought after in the emerging market of house buyers leaving London and other major towns and cities for rural living.

Do you have a country house for sale? We have a waiting list of buyers looking right now.

Right now the short to medium term outlook is positive and the biggest demand is for rural / semi-rural properties in all price ranges, but especially in the £1.5m. to £6.0m. sector.

So if you live in a country house and are looking to sell, this summer could be the best time to go to market. If you would like a free and confidential market appraisal contact your nearest McCarthy Holden branch.

Fleet – On £750,000 guide

With marketing help by way of a vendor inspired video tour during lockdown, this stunning detached house has gone under offer.

Blue Triangle, Fleet – Exchanged on guide £1.5m.

In just over one acre in one of the most desirable roads in Fleet, this imposing property was built by the renowned local builder Pool & Son in the 1930’s.

As we said in last week’s market update, the prospect of house sales in the short to medium term is relatively easy to judge, because we are working with house buyers and sellers alike every day, so their motivations and the drivers of the market conditions are there for us to interpret.

House Viewing Protocols Working Well

The new way of conducting house viewings is going well, with strict social distancing protocols and excellent co-operation from vendors and purchasers alike.

Some of the social distancing protocols include the following.

• Only one viewer can be present at a time, no children will be allowed in a property (this is because avoiding the touching of surfaces is difficult with young children).
• The owner/tenant will leave property for the viewing.
• We will supply the viewer with disposable gloves and mask, subject to our supply allowing for this.
• The viewers will be allowed to walk around and asked not to touch anything.
• In order to maintain social distancing, the agent will not be able to enter every room with the viewer.
• When the viewing is completed, the agent will lock up the property and leave, then dispose of gloves and use hand sanitiser.

The House Market / Buyer Attitudes

We are impressed with the resilience of house buyers, who continue to remain upbeat about their moving plans. Furthermore, 95% of the sales arranged we had in place at the start of lockdown, continue to remain in place and in the past week many of those have moved forward to exchange and simultaneous completions..

Emerging Markets

In the last week there has been increasing signs of the biggest emerging market being driven by people wanting to leave London and other large cities or towns, to find a new home in a rural or village setting, yet remain within reasonable distance of London etc. That is a positive for the home owners we act for on the Hampshire / Surrey / Berkshire borders, especially those who live in property worth between £1.5m. and £6.0m. in our area of operation.

If you are selling a rural property, contact your nearest McCarthy Holden branch for a free and confidential property appraisal.

The Weeks Ahead

Simply making hay whilst the sun shines!

John Holden – Chairman

Preview Property For Sale Finchampstead

June 3, 2020May 22, 2020 by admin

WELLINGTONIA AVENUE PROPERTY FOR SALE FINCHAMPSTEAD

We are pleased to bring you a preview of this property in Wellingtonia Avenue, which is due to go to the open market soon at a guide price around £1,500,000.

Wellingtonia Avenue is a sought after area on the cusp of Crowthorne / Finchampstead in Berkshire.

Take A Video Tour of the Grounds and Setting

This character five bedroom house is set in beautiful grounds of around 1.5 acres and full details will be available soon. For now please take a look at the video tour of the grounds and outside of the property, and we will soon be able to access the property again to obtain interior photographs and video content.

This character home is in a prime location less than a mile from Wellington College.

You can always arrange to view early by telephoning 01252 842100.

Do you have a country house for sale?
We have a waiting list of buyers looking right now.

Moving On During Covid-19

June 3, 2020May 13, 2020 by admin

The prospect of house sales in the short to medium terms is relatively easy to judge, because we are working with house buyers and sellers alike every day, so their motivations and the drivers of the market conditions are there for us to interpret. Much harder is the outlook beyond six months or a year.

We can therefore say with confidence that the initial period post lockdown is likely to show positive levels of house sales activity, which given the impact on society of Covid-19 is an outcome I would not have predicted about two months ago.

Will There Be A V Shaped Recovery?

People appear to have a determination to defeat the virus by following through with their ambitions and dreams, as if demonstrating their defiance of it in their actions. I have also seen other wider economy indicators, simply based on discussions I have had with business leaders based in Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire. From local builders who are seeing new commissions for house extensions, to web designers who can’t cope with the level of new work coming their way there are more and more business people saying their order books are filling up once more.

The irrepressible human spirit to fight back is not something to underestimate, so there might be a better initial recovery that first anticipated. Perhaps not a capital V shaped recovery, but at least a snappy lower case one. That doesn’t mean we are not in for a long haul in the broader economic sense, but I am nevertheless convinced that people will strive to make the best of their lives especially as Covid-19 has reminded us just how fragile and even fleeting life can be.

House Viewings Recommence

The Governments announcements today has given the green lights to allow house viewings to recommence, but these will occur with strict social distancing protocols.

House buyers will soon be able to view their houses of choice and some of the social distancing protocols will include, and once a viewer has confirmed that they have no symptoms or have had no contact with anyone with symptoms for the past 14 days the following protocols will apply.

• Only one viewer can be present at a time, no children will be allowed in a property (this is because avoiding the touching of surfaces is difficult with young children).
• The owner/tenant will leave property for the viewing.
• We will supply the viewer with disposable gloves and mask subject to our supply allowing for this.
• The viewers will be allowed to walk around and ask not to touch anything.
• In order to maintain social distancing, the agent will not be able to enter every room with the viewer.
• When the viewing is completed, the agent will lock up property and leave and dispose of gloves and use hand sanitiser.

The House Market / Buyer Attitudes

You might be surprised to hear of the level of buyers who have agreed a property purchase on houses they viewed pre-lockdown, especially on new homes. From around £400,000 to £3.5m. house sales have been agreed so I remain impressed with the resilience of house buyers, who continue to remain upbeat about their moving plans.

Furthermore, 95% of the sales arranged we had in place at the start of lockdown, continue to remain in place with vendors and purchasers keeping focused on the opportunity to exchange and complete sometime soon.

Emerging Markets

The biggest emerging market is likely to be from people wanting to leave London and other large cities or towns, to find a new home in a rural or village setting, yet remain within reasonable distance of London etc. That is a positive for the home owners we act for on the Hampshire / Surrey / Berkshire borders, especially those who live in property worth between £1.5m. and 6m. in our area of operation

Do you have a country house for sale? We have a waiting list of buyers looking right now.

Re-Opening High Street Branches

We will gradually open our high street property showrooms, but this will be done cautiously and with strict social distancing protocols. Currently we are able to get houses to the market and conduct viewings without the need for our branches to be open, so we are planning the physical openings around the 1st June.

The biggest lesson during lockdown, was just how effectively we can operate with technology such as Zoom and Skype, so any gradual return to the high street branches will not interfere with our productivity uptake.

The Weeks Ahead

In the week ahead we will be giving special focus to our new homes selection of properties for sale, and also cater for the emerging market of house buyers leaving London for rural living.

So if you are thinking of selling a home in the rural or semi-rural areas of Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire, then contact us by email for a free no obligation property appraisal.

John Holden – Chairman

Property Market Insight During Lockdown

June 11, 2020April 5, 2020 by admin

market comment image mccarthy holden estate agents hampshire

We have all witnessed another harrowing week of bleak headlines about the impact of Covid-19, and I was especially moved by the distressing news of the loss of life for some frontline NHS staff.

In many ways to write a few lines about the property market right now doesn’t seem that important in the current circumstances, but I know that house sellers, landlords, buyers and tenants are seeking insight, because the prospect of needing to move house is still a journey they will embark on post lockdown.

Market Insight and Working From Home

The transition to home working has been a relatively smooth operation. This was made all the more easy with the use of technology such as Zoom, and the ability of suppliers such as johnjoe.co.uk being able to create video and online brochures for marketing our clients properties.

We are also able to devote time to upgrading the McCarthy Holden web site, with the services of Servon Design who will be designing bespoke new homes pages on our site as well as improving the overall look of how our clients properties are showcased. We hope to have the new homes pages up and running by the end of this month, and be able to show off the amazing range of new homes we have on offer in many locations such as Virginia Water in Surrey through to Upton Grey in Hampshire.

Our negotiation staff are keeping closely in touch with buyers on our books, by phone, email, newsletter and even video presentations. This means that post lockdown we are already creating a list of buyers who want to view specific properties as soon as we are released from lockdown.

Our property management services continues with remote home workers, resulting in landlords being paid promptly as normal. Regular inspections have however been put on hold. As with house sales, the creation of new tenancies is very much on hold due to lockdown.

Are Contracts Exchanging On House Sales?

Many solicitors are now working successfully from home, and the intent appears to be that the parties proceed to exchange and agree a late completion date. Most existing sales are managing along these lines and we are expecting a few more existing sales at the under offer stage to proceed to exchange this week.

Vendor Inspired Video Gains Momentum

As we mentioned last week, the biggest surprise during lockdown was in the form of many clients asking if we could produce video content of their property if they sent us video clips and still photographs.

This is working out very well and below is a selection of the latest collaborative results.

How This Works

Vendors send us the video clips, and then with some editing help from johnjoe.co.uk a promotional video tour is created.

We are now issuing guidelines to our video focused vendors, which includes the specification of 1920 x 1080 size, landscape video preferred and MP4 output.

The ideal duration for a full property video tour online is 4 minutes. This means the file size is suitable for quick streaming online and also, it is at the maximum time a potential buyer is likely to watch a video.

We look forward to many of these collaborative home grown marketing initiatives in the weeks ahead.

The Week Ahead

As we enter a time of reflection in Holy Week, I have no doubt many in the country will stop to think deeper about the NHS workers and other key workers who keep society on track. Some will think and reflect and some will pray about these people and the risks they face each day at these times. There is no doubt they are very much in our minds and hearts as we all face into another week when the Covid-19 pressures are due to escalate.

The week ahead is also a good time to reflect on the work of political leaders such as Health Secretary Matt Hancock. I hope a positive from these events will be to hold such people in respect for the good they do, and that we don’t return to the corrosive politics and media coverage of the recent past.

We will provide another market update in a week or so, and you are of course welcome to subscribe free to our newsletter (just click the link near the bottom of our home page).

John Holden – Chairman and Managing Director

Why Fleet?

Highly Sought After Blue Triangle Area

Experience Makes The Negotiating Difference

Property & Taxes

What It Means For The Property Market & Landlords / Tenants

Summary

Time To Start House Hunting?

Fleet - £1.750M.(sale agreed two weeks, contracts exchanged in six)

Odiham - £395,000 (buyer after first viewing + sale over guide)

Blue Triangle, Fleet - £1.5M.(14 viewings, 5 offers, full price sale agreed)

Fleet - £465,000 (online only versus local with online)

Finchampstead - £2.250M.(Early year equestrian property sale with video marketing)

Odiham, Hampshire - £900.00 p.c.m.(A sell or let decision - which way to turn)

Manley James Close, Odiham - £695,000

Berkshire - Offers in Excess Of £2m. guide (Many offers after marketing with video)

A Good End Of Year for 2023

Will Labour In Government + Interest Rates Down = Market Up-tick By December 2024?

A priceless benefit

New House Eversley – Under offer in three days

Country House Eversley – Emerging Buyer Interest around £2.0m. guide

Fleet – On £750,000 guide

Blue Triangle, Fleet – Exchanged on guide £1.5m.

House Viewing Protocols Working Well

The House Market / Buyer Attitudes

Emerging Markets

The Weeks Ahead

Take A Video Tour of the Grounds and Setting

Will There Be A V Shaped Recovery?

House Viewings Recommence

The House Market / Buyer Attitudes

Emerging Markets

Re-Opening High Street Branches

The Weeks Ahead

Market Insight and Working From Home

Are Contracts Exchanging On House Sales?

Vendor Inspired Video Gains Momentum

How This Works

The Week Ahead

Find a Property

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