It’s been a turbulent year for the housing market with prices flat lining or falling, much to the misery of homeowners wanting to sell. Better mortgage deals and a rise in mortgage approvals have failed to give the market the kick start it really needs.
This has affected certain parts of the country more than others, which has been summarised by MSN as the ‘UK property winners and losers 2012’.
Based on data from property website Zoopla, let’s start with the bad news first.
The three worst hit towns include Egham in Surrey (-8%), Dalton-In-Furness in Cumbria (-9.7%) and rolling in at an unfortunate first place is Houghton Le Spring in County Durham. Homeowners here have experienced a 11.6% decline in just 12 months, which means you could get your hands on a two-bedroom semi-detached for £124,995 – what a steal!
But it’s not all doom and gloom in other parts of the country. The three towns that got to enjoy a welcome rise in house prices was Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire (+10.8%), Malvern in Worcestershire (+10.9%) and top of the list is Cirencester in Gloucester. The market town’s properties rose by more than 11%, resulting in an average value of £351,356.
And there’s even more good news, as the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors have predicted that house sales are set to climb in 2013 to their highest level since the market crashed in 2007.
If you’re going through the process of selling your period home or intend to, it may be worth considering renovating your timber sash windows and doors. Using the restoration expert Ventrolla and its unique perimeter sealing system can add extra value and a selling feature that is becoming more recognised by estate agents and potential buyers.
If you’d like to find out more, just give our friendly advisors a call for free on 0800 0277 454 or click www.ventrolla.co.uk to arrange a FREE no-obligation survey. They will be more than happy to talk through the issue and discuss the options available.