Simpsons Estate Agents, Abingdon

The Chinese New Year officially starts on Tuesday 5th February, welcoming in the Year of the Pig. The Chinese zodiac is a repeating cycle of 12 years and the Pig is the twelfth of all the zodiac animals.
Since 2007, the last Year of the Pig, the average price of a property in the UK has risen by 30.1%, the equivalent of over £53,000. The largest increase however, happened between 1995 and 2007, when average prices tripled. Since 1971, price growth in the Year of the Pig has a...veraged 6.2%.
HM Treasury latest consensus forecast for 2019 is for average prices to rise 2.2%.
In Chinese culture, pigs are a symbol of wealth, have a beautiful personality and are blessed with good fortune in life. They are also realistic. This last characteristic may well prove fitting for the housing market of 2019.
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New figures from the Bank of England released today (Wednesday), indicate that gross mortgage lending in December 2018 was £23.3 billion, its highest monthly total since March 2016

Just below 1.2 million residential properties changed hands throughout 2018 according to data from HM Revenues and Customs.
Despite talks of a slowdown in the market, this is in fact just 30,520 fewer than during 2017.
The end of the 2018 provided some seasonal cheer. 204,800 sales are estimated to have taken place in November and December the highest bi-monthly figure since March/April 2017.
... Despite the current uncertainty, sales volumes remain considerably higher than during the economic crisis. Transaction levels in 2018 were 41% higher than in 2009.
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Close to one in three home hunters know the specific house or street they want to live in before starting a property search, according to new research by Zoopla.
Londoners are most likely to have a definite idea of location, virtually half (48%) have a specific street or house in mind. This compares to less than one in five across Wales and the South West.
If it’s not a specific street, then it’s most likely house hunters have an idea of what town they have in mind. A third o...f house hunters across the East of England, East Midlands, South East and Wales know which town or town(s) are of interest.
With just one in sixteen prospective home hunters having no clue as to their location of choice, as an agent, knowing the ins and outs of your local area is critical.
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Some photos of a few great Abingdon Pubs - Courtesy of Guy Henstock. #pubcrawl

COMING SOON - Guild View is a selection of brand new 1 and 2 bedroom apartments TO LET in Abingdon Town Centre.
Monthly rentals from £850 to £1,050 per month.
Register your interest with Simpsons Lettings now - 01235 520079 / move@simpsonsproperty.com.

This weekend (26th to 28th January) is the 'RSPB’s Big Garden Watch', an event which encourages the public to take part in an annual survey of birds to monitor specifies that are thriving or in decline.
Our love of the nation’s birds has inspired both street and home names across England and Wales 'Robin' was the most commonly featured bird in addresses for homes sold in 2017 and 2018 at 1,670 sales.
... However, it is addresses incorporating the names ‘wren’, followed by ‘gull’ and ‘magpie’ which have commanded the highest values, with premiums over other popular bird names.
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With renting offering more flexibility than ownership, some tenants have traditionally used the sector as a way to get to know a new area before committing to buying.
Indeed, the majority of tenants stay within their local area when moving home.
In 2018, over a quarter (27%) of tenants moved within a mile of their previous rental property, and two thirds (68%) stayed within ten miles.
... At the other end of the scale, 8.1% of tenants starting new tenancies in London in 2018 moved from overseas.
Despite political and economic concerns, this is actually an increase from 7.3% in 2017.
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This event was attended by 250 people last year and there is always a great atmosphere - to reserve a table, please email move@simpsonsproperty.com - more details to follow.

After the success of last years Pub Quiz in aid of The Amber Phillpott Trust where we raised just over £4,000, we are pleased to announce that we will be repeating the event in 2019 on Thursday 18th April (the evening before bank holiday Friday). The event will be held at The Crown & Thistle, Abingdon, more details to follow nearer the time. To reserve a table, please email move@simpsonsproperty.com with your name and number of entrants. £10 per team entry plus raffle with some fantastic prizes!

The impacts of Brexit, stamp duty reform and mortgage regulation have all created a low transactional environment in the housing market, which both buyers and sellers have had to adjust to in recent years. During the second half of 2018* the average rate of turnover (sales as a proportion of private housing stock) across England and Wales stood at 2%.
However, there are markets which are more active. We assessed the rates of turnover for every local authority and have highlig...hted the top performers in each region. Each exceeds the national average and appears to be located in more affordable locations in their region and/or areas of new housing supply.
Daventry in the East Midlands has the highest rate of turnover of any LAD (local authority district) across England and Wales at 3.2%, followed jointly by Wychavon and Bromsgrove both in the West Midlands at 3.1%.
The highest rates in London and the South East are the relatively affordable commuter locations to London of Basingstoke and Deane (2.7%) and Tandridge
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Brexit continues to make long-term and strategic decisions difficult for UK-based businesses and homeowners. Yet both the UK economy and its housing market registered around 3% annual growth in each of the first three quarters of 2018.
Since the last troughs in GVA* in Quarter 4 2009 (Q409) and house prices (Q109), both indicators have risen a similar magnitude of 36% and 42% respectively. The relationship between the two indicators, using annual % change on a quarterly basis..., suggests a correlation of some form does exist, with changes in house prices lagging by approximately three months.
GVA recorded a slight uptick in annual change in Q318 (4%) yet Gross Domestic Product (another measure of economic performance) indicated that the economy was starting to slow.
The consensus of economic forecasters (OBR, IMF, NIES and OE**) for total GDP growth in 2019 to 2022 is however positive at 7.2%, with 1.8% expected to be confirmed for 2018. Ernst and Young's Regional and City Forecasts for GVA predict that London and the South East will continue to outperform in terms of annual GVA growth until at least 2020.
*One widely used indicator of overall economic performance is 'Gross Value Added (GVA)'. It measures the increase in the value of the economy due to the production of goods and services. ** Office for Budget Responsibility, International Monetary Fund, National Institute of Economic and Social Science, Oxford Economics.
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As 2019 begins, housing market commentators publish their predictions for the year ahead. An average of the views places house price growth at 0.1% for 2019, although HM Treasury's average forecast is more optimistic at 2.2%.
Both the agent research departments and the Treasury forecasts become more closely aligned in 2021 at between 2.8% and 3% growth in average UK house prices. The overall trend is for growth every year.
The agents are predicting a total of 10.9% growth aft...er five years, with HM Treasury's average forecast expecting that will be achieved after just four years (end of 2022).
All of the forecasts are based on a set of assumptions, namely that a Brexit deal is agreed and that there is a transition period. Also that this will remove the uncertainty that has hung over the market since the referendum and it should help to ensure that the UK's economy continues to grow, and consumer confidence will be reinstated. These factors would fuel an appetite for house purchases.
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The UK has been crowned by Forbes, for the second year running, as the best country for business following its latest survey published in December 2018.
A total of 161 countries are assessed on 15 different criteria.
The UK is the only country to land among the top 30 in all 15 metrics, including property rights, innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, freedom and workforce.
... Forbes states that although sterling plummeted 9% against the US dollar the day after the EU referendum result and remains down, the economy has ‘held up relatively well’. With the official exit from the EU scheduled for this March, Forbes recognises that uncertainty remains.
Some UK companies are holding off investments to see how Brexit affects trade relations, but on balance the business climate remains attractive, with a globalised economy that is more open than most in terms of trade, investments and capital flows.
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Looking to sell in 2019?
A property was sold somewhere across England and Wales every 9 seconds of working hours between January and July of 2018.
With 10 regions in the country, assuming an even distribution, this would equate to a property sale in every region within a minute and a half period. However with regional differences including the number of available properties and volume of housing stock, there are variations.
... In the South East and North West, a property was sold during every working minute of the day.
In the North East where fewer properties are sold than in other, more densely populated regions, there was still a sale every 3 minutes.
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The UK are high spenders on Christmas gifts, the average spend per person £243.77 in 2017, compared to just less than £142 in France, £194 in Germany, £202 across Canada and £217 in the US

They've been an absolute pleasure to work with, been very helpful, easy to get hold of and accommodating of all requests

They do go that extra mile and are prepared to work with other estate agents when required - our purchase was with another estate agent. They understand the stresses involved in selling your house and hold your hand guiding you through the whole process. I can't thank you enough Stewart for looking after us.

Thank you so much to everyone at Simpsons! �. We were very pushed for time and although the constant (and annoying) emails and telephone calls from us, the team (esp Matt) was very patient, kept us positive and in the loop the whole way through. We have moved and will be recommending Simpsons to everyone in the future.



Many thanks again.



Rosie and Matt

Simpsons were fantastic to deal with when it came to the sale of our house. At every step of our sale, from the start to the finish, they were there and lead us through the whole process. They were even more on the ball when it came to dealing with the purchase of our new home which wasn't been sold/bought through them! They were professional and knowledgeable, and Matt is to be recommended, very thoughtful and honest. They were always in communication with our solicitor too. Definitely not your typical high street chain. Thank you very much Simpsons!

Simpsons Estate Agents in Abingdon has truly arrived with a bang, absolutely nailing their launch and setting out their stall as an outfit that is definitely here to stay. They have a fantastic looking office in a great central position, superb advertising and a different sort of marketing and fee offer to property owners who may be fed up of the way that the old crowd does things. Well done Stewart, what a great job!

Really appreciate the honest help and advice that was given to me and my family by Adam Dewar. Thanks

Many thanks to Stewart and the team for their first class, friendly and efficient service from start to finish. Stewart kept me informed at every stage of my house sale and his personal attention to detail was fantastic. I would highly recommend this local estate agent. Thank you.

I was recommended Simpsons by a family member when I was looking for an estate agent in Abingdon to help sell my house earlier this year. I had previously used another local agency and wasn't entirely satisfied with my experience and was very happy I moved to Simpsons! From the beginning, Stewart and Matt (who I had the majority of contact with) were proactive and helpful. They understood my requirements and kept me updated on progress. I rarely had to chase them for any information as they managed the viewings and feedback in a professional and organised way. It's all ended well with my house being sold and fingers crossed we will exchange this week! I appreciate how Simpsons made this sometimes stressful process much smoother and easier, adding a personal touch along the way - they were transparent and honest and I really felt like they cared about what was important to me and the outcome I was looking to achieve. I would definitely recommend them to people looking to buy or sell locally.

Excellent service,massive thanks to Stewart and his team for a hassle free sale.