Martin and Caz Blake-Symes are delighted to be celebrating their eighth work anniversary today. The business was set up on 21 July 2017. Martin had over 25 years in the Land and New Homes Sector when he decided to go out on his own.

All measures of sales market activity continue to improve as pent-up demand returns to the housing market. Buyer demand is 11% higher than a year ago. A better indicator of market health is sales agreed which are 15% higher than a year ago – evidence of greater buyer confidence and more realism on pricing by sellers. The North East (+17%) and London (+16%) have led the rebound in sales.

Sales hold up in Q4 2023, providing support for prices The final weeks of 2023 have recorded above average levels of new sales, 17% higher than a year ago and ahead of 2019 levels. Market sentiment is improving due to rising incomes and an initial decline in mortgage rates. An increase in available supply, up a quarter on last year, is also boosting choice and supporting sales.

We are really delighted to be celebrating our sixth work anniversary today!

Buyers and sellers are back doing business but the outlook for the housing market hangs in the balance. Our House Price Index looks at the latest housing trends in May 2023 and why recent inflation figures might put a brake on market activity.

Affordability and value for money will be the big key drivers for the housing market in 2023. These two factors are going to flip the flight to rural and coastal areas, which has dominated the housing market in recent years, into reverse. Instead, apartments and urban areas, which lost some of their popularity during the pandemic as the nation began the search for more space in idyllic locations, are making a comeback.

With the current squeeze on people’s incomes and the gloom over affordability at the moment, especially for people seeking to get on the property ladder. I thought I would take a look at what is available to help people into their first home.

We are delighted to be a supporting business for The Brightwell 100. As you may be aware, my wife Caroline has had MS for a considerable time and her type is Secondary Progressive MS, for which there is no cure and unbelievably no treatment and very little support on the NHS.

January 4, 2022- back to work and some sense of “normality”. I expect like so many of us we have all had our festive arrangements changed by the dreaded “Omicron” over the past few weeks, although hopefully we can all get back in front of our laptops, keep looking ahead and get on with what hopes to be a more promising and positive year ahead.