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Regional Property Market Update Winter 2023: East Midlands

Posted on: Thursday, December 7, 2023

As 2023 draws to a close, the economic backdrop is slowly and steadily uplifting, with the housing market proving its resilience. Mortgage rates are normalising but buyers and sellers remain cautious.

 

Brightening picture

Inflation experienced the sharpest decline in three decades, falling to 4.6% in October from 6.7% in September, now at its lowest rate since November 2021 (ONS). The economy is growing and incomes are rising, with wage growth at 7.7% in Q3 (ONS). With encouraging news, there has been an uptick in consumer confidence, increasing six points in November to -24, with improvements across all measures (GfK Consumer Confidence Tracker). The pace of house price moderation also appears to be steadying, with a net balance of 63% of property professionals reporting house prices falling in October, down from 67% in September (RICS).

East Midlands Winter Report

Across the East Midlands, the most active housing markets are currently those of Newark and Sherwood, Lincoln and Rushcliffe, where close to one in every 30 properties has changed hands in the past year.

The sentiment is that mortgage rates may have peaked, attracting those who delayed moving over the last year. We are in a strong buyer’s market, with sellers becoming more realistic and agreeing to larger discounts. The average discount on house prices reached 5.5% in November, equivalent to £18,000 and its highest level for more than five years. Some sellers are accepting even larger discounts, with one in four sales agreed having more than a 10% discount on the asking price (Zoopla). Given the price sensitivity, understanding local market dynamics and pricing realistically are crucial to successfully securing a sale. 

East Midlandsproperty market

In the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced cuts to employee National Insurance from 12% to 10%, saving the average earner £450 per year. Reductions to National Insurance for the self-employed have also been announced, affecting an estimated 39% of landlords with five or more properties. The government has committed to supporting the building of more homes, extending the mortgage guarantee scheme and increasing the national living wage. Long-awaited reforms to the leasehold system have started their progress through Parliament, with new laws promising ‘significant new rights and protections’ that could be in motion before the next General Election.

 

Average rents continue to rise on an annual basis, reaching £1,279 in November, although there has been a slight month-on-month fall of 0.3% (HomeLet). Void periods increased from 14 to 18 days, indicating a seasonal cooling in demand after a hectic summer period (Goodlord). However, the market remains under strain, with 17% of agents reporting that renters are often offering above asking rent, with a further 44% saying they do so sometimes (Dataloft Poll of Subscribers). In the Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced support for low-income renters by raising the Local Housing Allowance to cover the lower 30% of rents, giving 1.6 million households an average £800 p.a. of support.

 

 

Contact us

Sell your property with your local expert this winter. Contact your local Guild Member today.

 

What Our
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I would highly recommend Hardings. Their knowledge of the local area is outstanding, and they give honest and reliable advice. They have always been my partner of choice when buying and selling.

Rhiannon Prothero

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Have used Hardings for many year on both personal and commercial property deals. Have always found them to be transparent, honest, authentic, and a pleasure to work with. Will continue to use in the future.

TB

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I would highly recommend Hardings Estate Agents. They have excellent knowledge of Windsor and the surrounding areas, and are extremely professional, responsive and courteous. I would not hesitate to using them again the future. I recently dealt with Milica who was instrumental in securing us our new home in Windsor as well as the sale of our existing property. She was a fab negotiator and a real pleasure to work with from beginning to end. Thank you!

Jonathon Beresford

"

Hardings of Windsor managed our purchase with complete professionalism and went over and above in my opinion to manage the transaction and chain, resulting in a really smooth purchase. Milica at Hardings constantly provided timely updates and managed respective solicitors and the chain effectively, always responding quickly to queries. The whole transaction would not have happened without Milicas' focus on making all parties comfortable and satisfying all queries, not only professional but a delightful and welcoming personal approach that was a constant throughout. Thanks Hardings! Thanks Milica!

Stuart Blatch

"

I would recommend using Hardings estate agents when buying or selling your property. Dominic (Scully) was always available, helpful and genuinely interested in my purchase and always calm and compassionate. If I ever move again my first choice will be Hardings.

Cath Powell

"

Dom and the team at Hardings were so helpful and efficient when I purchased my flat - friendly and professional service and kept us up-to-date the whole way through the process. It was my first time buying and so was very nervous but they helped me feel at ease.

Freppell

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We bought and sold through Hardings and can't recommend their professional service enough. The whole Team are really lovely, we were kept informed throughout the process and never had to chase anything.

Natalie Quint

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I used Hardings when I bought my property as well as when I sold it and the service has been fantastic both times. I very much recommend Hardings!

Therese Jouini

"

We recently purchased our new home with Hardings Estate Agents. The whole team there were very helpful and flexible with us, arranging viewings quickly on the same day. They were always quick to respond and if ever our point of contact was not there, the service did not change as they work well together as a team. We received a personalised service, which allowed the sale to proceed quickly. Thank you all and we recommend Hardings Estate Agents without hesitation.

Mike B

"

What a pleasure it was to deal with Milica from Hardings. She sourced the perfect property for me and my family (while we were still abroad) and worked endlessly to put the deal together. I would give more than 5 stars if at all possible!

C D

"

Fantastic customer service and made what could have been stressful a total breeze. Dominic and Louisa were brilliant in helping me and my parents buy and sell our houses - reliable, helpful and thoughtful. Thank you!

Eloise Harris

"

Thank you, Dominic and Louisa - having not moved for over 30 years you helped me all the way, step by step. You were always polite, communicative, reassuring and very supportive. Would recommend Hardings wholeheartedly.

Anna Bowen
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A senior member of our sales team will visit your property to discuss current market trends and how your home; based on size, condition and location should be pitched to achieve the best possible price and buyer. Coupled with an excellent understanding of the local market we do a detailed analysis of what else has sold and what is coming onto the market so we can give you the best chance to capitalise on your biggest asset.

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