People are playing the Price Is Right
What do you mean you haven’t got your street party organised? This week marks the first anniversary of Gordon Brown moving to Number 10. Yet, there’s little chance of my local Spar running out of bunting. After the events of recent weeks, home owners appear reluctant to get out their party hats and streamers. Higher fuel costs, energy bills and falling house prices taking their toll on most families.
With the ever increasing price of diesel, it’s now cheaper to hop to Lancaster than travel by car. British Gas have put up my electricity direct debit to £171 per month on the pretence my daughter has GHD hair straighteners. And mortgages are rationed like red meat in Cold War Russia. This is undoubtedly the weakest market I’ve seen for 10 years. But there is a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.
People will buy if the price is right. The problem is the local property market has more than its share of vendors who only want to sell at their price. It’s swamped with unsold homes and Rightmove also this week reported that on average agents have 15 properties for every buyer - double compared to this time last year. Motivated sellers counteract this by raising the bar on presentation and lowering their price, say up to 10% from what they’d have expected in 2007.
It’s not a message many want to hear. A bit like mine to Gordon Brown. For his anniversary, I’ve sent him a stick of Morecambe Rock. No doubt it will be returned, unwanted. Gordon’s already got his own – with “Northern” running all the way through it.
Take a look at my PROPERTY OF THE WEEK - 19 Robin Crescent, Heysham. This is a Persimmon built 3 bedroom detached house with all the whistles and bells you expect from this top quality builder. Constructed in 2006 on Windermere Park, you're well placed for Heysham Village, schools and the by-pass road to Lancaster. For the price ticket you get a lounge with arch to a separate dining room, cloaks/WC, fitted wardrobes and en-suite shower to the main bedroom and a terrace back garden. And with the price reduced by £10,000 to £169,950, I feel this is a great deal not to be missed. See the VIDEO TOUR on the website.
NIGEL HIGGINSON, Managing Director
