Edward Ashdale Estate Agents

Boris Johnson considers asking SELLERS to pay stamp duty.
Boris Johnson has expressed an interest in switching the stamp duty burden from buyers to sellers.
Until now Johnson’s comments on the stamp duty issue - mostly delivered through his columns in the Daily Telegraph - have suggested he wants a cut in the duty but not a shift in who should pay it.
... Johnson wrote in the Telegraph last month: "I think particularly in London there is clearly a problem with stamp duty and it needs to be addressed … I’m not going to put a figure on how much we’re going to cut but we will certainly be looking to do that because I think actually you can do that in such a way as to increase revenues if you get it right because the market is locked up at the moment."
But now a trade body - the Association of Accounting Technicians - claims Johnson is considering adopting its policy of switching the burden to the seller.
Earlier this month, Johnson met with AAT and agreed to examine their stamp duty recommendation further, requesting further information.
AAT is naturally pleased that Boris Johnson has agreed to look at our long-standing proposal … this will save the taxpayer £700m a year by rendering first time buyers relief redundant. It will also protect the £9 billion of revenue stamp duty generates as it will still be paid in full, simply by different people. It is also much more progressive as it will be paid on the lower priced property being sold rather than the higher priced property being bought” says an AAT spokesman.
Earlier this year figures produced by HMRC and analysed by investment consultancy London Central Portfolio suggested that stamp duty receipts fell 8.5 per cent in 2018 compared to the previous year.
The duty gathered for HMRC some £8.669 billion, some £802m less than a year ago. Since 1999 successive governments have changed stamp duty levels 13 times, almost all in an upwards direction, but not everyone is delighted at the prospect of a possible Johnson government reversing the trend with a cut.
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Edward Ashdale 21st century agents with old fashioned values. WINNERS of British Property Awards 2019 for Sales!
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We are DELIGHTED to announce that Edward Ashdale have been crowned British Property Award WINNERS 2019 for Sales!
Use the nationally acclaimed best in the area - for all your local sales & lettings needs in the Bromley, Beckenham & Dulwich areas - or recommend us to your family and friends! https://buff.ly/2jFMYYP

UPDATE: North-South divide in house prices
A North-South divide has opened up when comparing house prices, according to official figures.
Property values fell by 1.9% in London in the year to March, but rose by 3.6% in Yorkshire and Humberside, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
... House prices in Scotland recorded a 3.3% increase over the same period, the data shows.
But a home in the South East of England - and particularly London - still costs more than elsewhere in the UK.
The ONS also said that rent paid by tenants to private landlords in the UK rose by 1.2% in the year to April.
The national and regional variations in house prices reveal the differing picture for property buyers and sellers in different parts of the country.
While there is a North-South divide at the top and the bottom, there has also - for example - been a drop in prices over the last year in the North East of England.
Commentators have said that Brexit uncertainty has particularly affected London, with some putting such a major purchase on hold.
Some areas of London with the most expensive homes have seen the biggest falls in average house prices in the last year.
Keep in the know with your local leading property experts for sales and lettings in Bromley, Beckenham & Dulwich areas. https://buff.ly/2jFMYYP
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Boris Johnson's plans to reverse stamp duty changes could help to kick start the prime property market.
A reversal of stamp duty changes made at the top end of the market in 2014 could boost prime prices by over £700,000.
Stamp duty rises have had a significant impact causing a decline in transactions and average prices in the prime property market, particularly in London. Should he become Prime Minister, Johnson described stamp duty as a 'problem' and said tax cuts could get... the 'locked up' market moving.
As well as cuts to high-end stamp duty, Johnson also mooted cutting tax further at the lower end of the market with the aim of helping first-time buyers.
A change in stamp duty would benefit residential buyers, however investors would still be required to contend with the 3% stamp duty surcharge on the purchase of additional homes.
A reversal of stamp duty changes could provide the boost that is needed to entice more buyers back to the prime and super-prime markets and this will hopefully strengthen what is now a weak market.
- News from our Property News Team at Edward Ashdale https://buff.ly/2jFMYYP
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Top Tips Number 7: Pricing.
Researching how much you can reasonably expect for a home in your neighbourhood, pricing competitively and ultimately being prepared to negotiate is more likely to make the odds of selling in your favour.
... Visit our website today for more information on your leading local sales and lettings specialists in the Beckenham, Dulwich & Bromley areas. https://buff.ly/2jFMYYP
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Top Tips Number 6: Be Accommodating.
It can sometimes be difficult to have the owner in the property when buyers are taking a look around. It helps to be as accommodating as possible, which sometimes means simply going out and leaving your agent to it.
Visit our website today for more information on your leading local sales and lettings specialists in the Beckenham, Dulwich & Bromley areas. https://buff.ly/2jFMYYP

Top Tips Number 5: Advice.
Estate agents may not give you the advice you want to hear when you're preparing your home for sale, but it may well be the advice you need.
Please our website today or drop by to see our team for more information on your leading local sales and lettings specialists in the Beckenham, Dulwich & Bromley areas. Visit us at: https://buff.ly/2jFMYYP

Top Tips Number 4: Pets. Pets and property viewings rarely mix – make sure dogs and cats are well out of sight when potential buyers are around. Visit our website today for more info on your leading, local sales & lettings specialists: https://buff.ly/2jFMYYP

Top Tips Number 3:
De-clutter. It's important to help buyers picture themselves in your home, but that can be hard to do if there are toys lying around or family photos covering the walls. De-clutter your home and let potential buyers imagine themselves making it their own.
... Visit Edward Ashdale for your local sales and lettings specialists in the Beckenham, Dulwich & Bromley areas - https://buff.ly/2jFMYYP
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OPEN HOUSE VIEWINGS Saturday 1st June - Between 10:30am and 2:30pm The Restoration Apartments
All interested parties are invited to attend The Restoration Apartments on Saturday 1st June, where we are holding open house viewings between 10:30am and 2:30pm. Refreshments available on the day.
... These brand new properties, rarely available one bedroom houses are available on the Help to Buy scheme and located within walking distance of Bickley Station and Bromley Town Centre.
Designed to a contemporary style, retaining the character of the site's original use and in a secure gated development.
For more information contact Edward Ashdale T 0208 466 8445 E info@edwardashdale.com
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Top Tips Number 2: First impressions. First impressions really do count for buyers anyone viewing will make an initial assessment before they've even walked through yours. Be sure to spruce up the outside of your house consider painting the front door, and giving the garden a tidy.

Don't rush to put your home on the market. If your listing isn't ship shape then it could affect your ability to sell the property. The majority of listings will receive 70 per cent of interest in the first two weeks of being on the market, make sure you have good quality photos, a floor-plan and a well-crafted description of the property before it goes online.

If it feels like selling your home is taking forever you're not alone. New research from has found that more than a quarter of properties currently for sale have been on the market for at least six months.
House sales have been sluggish for the past year thanks to tax changes, mortgage restrictions and high prices being compounded by Brexit uncertainty. There are changes a seller can make to entice potential buyers — without dropping the asking price.
If you’ve failed to find... a buyer after several months of marketing, then it could be that overall demand in your area is low due to market conditions. However, if some properties are selling and yours is not, then you either have a property with limited appeal or the price is too high.
Read our top tips over the coming days to get your home in the best state to market.
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Over the next few days we're going to be sharing with you our top tips to make sure your property finds a buyer as quickly as possible! Be sure to keep checking our social pages to get these insights!

Read all of our 5 STAR reviews of our services on Trust Pilot! Thanks for all your support.
We're an independent, 21st century company with old fashioned values, our focus is on delivering the highest standards of service through knowledge, both technical and practical, experience and customer focus. Our agents are highly regarded in presenting property across a wide spectrum, from studio flats to executive homes.
Why not put us to the test for your property sales & letting ...needs. We cannot wait to be of service to you.
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Stamp duty revenue collapses by over a quarter as transactions tumble
A new and comprehensive analysis of the housing market shows a jaw-dropping collapse in stamp duty revenue going to the Treasury as a result of transaction volumes falling away - and the blame is being put on Brexit.
Investment consultancy London Central Portfolio has looked at transaction numbers and stamp duty payments across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and has drawn some damning conclusions on t...he impact of stamp duty and related property taxes.
Firstly it reveals that in the first quarter of 2019 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland stamp duty receipts fell by 26.2 per cent just in three months.
They now stand at £1,757m, which represents a drop of £623m since the final three months of 2018.
Meanwhile transactions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland fell 21.4 per cent in Q1 2019 compared to the previous three months, and now stand at 237,240.
Receipts from the Higher Rate for Additional Dwellings - that’s the formal term for the additional three per cent stamp duty surcharge on buy to lets and second homes - fell by 24.6 per cent in the first quarter of this year to £372m.
This is because transactions in those additional homes dropped by 14.7 per cent to 54,160.
First time buyers’ relief transactions have fallen by 23.0 per cent with only 46,800 claiming relief of a total of £110m, a fall of £34m for the same periods under review.
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Our news team thought this made for an interesting read for you today. You can read the full article here: https://buff.ly/2Y33nsm
Snippet: "James Munro, in an exclusive interview with Estate Agent Today, admits that some online agencies have “sailed close to the wind” with some of their activities, but he says his team treats issues surrounding ‘disruptor’ agencies in exactly the same way as any other."

Where to buy in south-east London: Bromley is becoming a property star with good-value homes, great schools and a fast city commute. The regenerating south-east London suburb where David Bowie was raised is a great-value bet for upsizers and first-time buyers. Read the full article here: https://buff.ly/2U0gzf3