Having enjoyed time with loved ones, lots of food and drink, films, and festivities, the time to start searching for a new home now begins. January is traditionally an off-peak time for property sales, but perhaps for this reason, more and more potential buyers start searching in the hope of finding a bargain. 

Housing markets differ from county to county and from postcode to postcode. Some regions enjoy constant demand. If there is an area you are interested in, there is a chance that January after the lull of Christmas can give you a chance of securing your ideal home before the rush of summer! 

There are some good deals to be had 

The secret is out, and it’s not just buyers seeking a great deal. Sellers are realising that getting an early start is a good way to get ahead of the competition before the summer rush. Getting an offer accepted for a little less than you anticipated is always a nice feeling, and it will give you a little more budget for decorating or renovations. 

 
Houses re-entering the market in 2023 
Many predict that house prices will fall during 2023. With this in mind, many sellers have been busy preparing their homes for the market in 2022, knowing they were too busy relaxing over Christmas. 
 
A considered approach 
Though the housing market is still dealing with the hike in interest rates, the low supply of houses on the market compared with the number of buyers means the market remains buoyant. With interest rates stabilising, many buyers are taking the long-term view that house prices will begin to climb again in the next five years. The slowdown also gives buyers and sellers a little more time to take a more considered approach when making their choices. After all, if you are selling, you are most likely moving, which also makes you a buyer. 
 
A nice way to relax 
Christmas might be over, but it’s still cold outside. A nice way to spend an evening is to sit by the fire and do a property search online. You have access to everything from simple starter homes to your dream home. So enjoy your property search and make it a pleasant experience for you and your partner. Inspiration may come from all sources in the hunt for your new home, and it will find you as it leaps from the screen as soon as you set eyes upon it! 
 
New homes 
There are many new and exciting developments underway and due for completion this year. Buyers have a good choice of options with low deposits and energy-efficient homes, whether a property is finished, or you want to pre-reserve it. As these homes sell, they also help stabilise the market. This is good news for home movers, as it helps reduce surges in demand and rapidly inflated prices. 

 
Don’t forget to get in touch 
With so many potential buyers searching for their new home in January, the sooner your property goes online the better, then buyers can start looking. If you have prepared your house well, or even if that is something you have chosen not to do, the more people that view it, the more likely you are to sell. 

 
Searching for a new home? Browse our properties today 

Another New Year, a new beginning. If you've been thinking about renovating your home for a while, you can finally make your house dreams come true now that the festivities are behind you. 

Outdoor living 

Spring will soon arrive, and your garden and emphasis on outdoor living can finally begin to take shape. You want the best outdoor living space you can create; you've read all the magazines, watched all the programmes, and your mind is teeming with visions. Try adding an eating area, an outdoor working space, a pond, an orchard, and some sleepers, and see what else happens along the way! 

Working from home space 

If you would rather develop an indoor workspace, now is your time to get cracking. With more people working from home, inspiration for this trend can be found anywhere. Often, it’s about making it yours with individual touches while creating a comfortable place to work. 

Going green 

Perhaps you would like to increase the energy-efficiency of your home. Installing solar panels is a great way to do your part for the environment while saving some money. In some cases, you may even be able to sell the electricity you produce to your local energy supplier. This could mean your solar panels will pay for themselves, but typically the only cost after installation is for annual servicing. If you work from home, you might consider installing insulation to reduce your ever-increasing heating bills. 

Creating extra living space 

You could create another bedroom, a dwelling space for an elderly relative, or a new family. Alternatively, removing walls to modernise or create extra space is still challenging and will remain so in 2023, given the cost of raw materials and the shortage of good tradespeople available to carry out this work. So careful planning is essential, or it might not happen until next year! 

Bathrooms 

January is a great time to get an awesome deal on a new bathroom, despite the waiting lists to get it fitted with large, branded suppliers or individual bathroom fitters. There is nothing to stop you from buying and booking now, and with some luck, the design of your choice could become a reality in time for summer, or even spring! 

A new kitchen 

Buying a new kitchen in January leads to huge discounts and when completed, adds real value to the value of your home. As the central hub for any home, bright spaces and light colours are on-trend, as are natural material surfaces matched with metallics. Seamlessness and fluidity between rooms with open-plan living or blending outdoor areas with the heart of any home are still on the to-do list of many this year. 

An exciting year 

Whatever you decide to do in 2023, whether you are renovating then selling or buying a newly renovated property, there is no doubt that there are some interesting and exciting ideas waiting to be implemented and already in place in many homes. 

Searching for your perfect new home? Browse our properties today. 

Whether you’re letting or living in your home, maintenance can be a pain to deal with and not very exciting. More work especially if you do it yourself, but property is most likely your biggest investment, and you want to protect it.  Cold wintry nights bring with them; Jack Frost trying to bite chunks out of your pipes, the wind stealing tiles from your roof and heavy rain and sometimes snow bringing the potential of floods. While you can’t stop nature, you can certainly protect against it with the right winter maintenance plan. So, what can you do to help keep your property safe against the assaults of winter? 

Pipes 

During the winter your pipes are going to get a lot of use. Repeated heating and cooling combined with a vicious frost can cause cracking. An easy step to take is to carry out a visual inspection, particularly of any external pipes.  Make sure they are insulated to protect them and potentially your bank balance from any large bills.    

Roof 

Run your eyes (do this from the ground) along the roof, check if there are any missing tiles, and make sure the gutters are in working order and draining and not creating an expensive and damaging pool up on the roof!  

Boiler and Radiators 

Check the boiler, make sure it’s serviced annually. Bleed the radiators, the more efficiently they work, the better it will be for your heating bill.  

Wood Burners and Stoves 

If you are lucky enough to own a wood burner, make sure the chimney is clear and it’s all in good working order. When did it last have a service? This will keep the heat flowing efficiently and safely.  

Draughts 

Do any internal doors need adjusting or replacing due to the hot and cold cycle of the seasons? Is there a draught coming from the seals around the fireplace? Or is there a draught coming from somewhere else? 

Insulation  

It could be there is a draught coming from the attic. One reason why is that you need to insulate your attic. For a messy job, make sure you are wearing protective clothing and a mask, but do not take on a job requiring skilled tradesmen. Better insulation will enable you to save massively on your heating bill. 

Salt and Shovels  

If you have a lot of exposed concrete paving or tarmac make sure you dig out your shovel, sand or salt so you can be prepared for snow and ice.  

Stock up 

Build up your reserves of wood, or whichever fuels you burn on the fire. 

Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors   

With so many fuels and energy sources in use, make sure your warning alarms are in good working order. One minute of your time to check the batteries is always time well spent. 

Insurance  

Check your policy. If the winter is going to be particularly bad with storms, ice, snow or floods then use it as a reminder to check in fine detail what you are covered for. Some policies might not cover for wind for example and the finer detail may state that only a certain amount of compensation is paid in the event of damage.  

Remember, if you spend a lot of time away for work or in a partner’s house, to adjust your policy accordingly as the house could be classified as unoccupied, even if it’s only for a certain period of time.  

Now That You Are Protected, Relax 

If you ready your property for winter, hopefully you will never have to use your insurance. But if the worst happens, you can sleep soundly at night knowing you are protected not just by bricks and mortar! 

Thinking about moving? Get a valuation today