Moving Archives | Williams Of Petersfield

Mature Homeowners Looking To Move

Posted on July 26, 2021 by colin_williams

With so many moves taking place in the housing market these days, it is inevitable that people are thinking about what to do next. If you haven’t moved recently, it is likely to be on your mind, and you might be looking for a move that allows you to enjoy more space, or which better suits your current and future lifestyle.

At Williams of Petersfield, we know why people are moving, and we connect buyers and vendors.

We are pleased to say we have helped many people move home recently. Whether you are of retirement age, or it is something which is on your mind, we are here to assist you. When you are considering your options for the move that will allow you to make the most of your golden years, we are here to help you.

A lot of people are considering their next housing move

Downsizing has become a hot topic for many reasons in recent times. According to a study by a leading insurance company, 12% of people aged 50 or older in the UK plan to relocate.

Areas listed as “retirement migration hotspots” by the Office for National Statistics include:

Dorset
Shropshire
Wiltshire

Cities where the largest number of exits include:

London
Birmingham
Bristol

Why do you wish to move?

A recent study by Legal & General finds that over-50s have been influenced by the lockdown. People in this age group are now planning house moves, with the following reasons being important:

Wanting to live somewhere that provides a better quality of life, cited by 7% of respondents
A desire to live closer to family and friends was said by 4% of respondents
Looking to live abroad was stated by 3% of respondents

Things to consider before location:

The equity on your current home, and how it can be best used
How future proof will your new home be?
How will your living costs be affected by a move?
Will it be easy to maintain (or improve) your current lifestyle when you move?

Claire Singleton, CEO, Legal & General Home Finance, comments: “Relocating in retirement was already a well-observed trend, with older people reprioritising their needs as they enter the next stage of their life. As with many aspects of our lives, the challenges of the pandemic seem to have led many people to take stock of their current living situation. There can be many benefits to relocation, whether it is a better quality of life, more space or even the opportunity to be closer to loved ones. One thing that is clear is that many people will also see their decision informed by how their property wealth factors into their long-term financial planning.”

At Williams of Petersfield, we aim to support the Petersfield community as much as we can, and we know this is an extremely trying time. A lot of people are looking for support and guidance, and if you have any property or housing related questions, we are more than happy to assist you, so contact us today.

Why Are People Moving?

Posted on June 29, 2021 by colin_williams

At Williams of Petersfield, we are pleased to say we speak with many people engaging the housing market. We like to help people, and it is easier to help people when we know what they are looking for.

This is why we are always keen to speak with people and find out why they are moving. This information is invaluable, and it provides us with a great deal of help in assisting buyers and vendors.

We also pay attention to the latest studies in the industry. A lot of people have moved home recently, and there have been many influencing factors. If you want to be informed as to why people are moving home, contact Williams of Petersfield and we will be happy to help.

The pandemic has changed life for many people

GHD, a professional services company, carried out a survey and the findings shine a light on how many people are looking to move, related to the pandemic.

Some of the key findings include:

Up to 40% of respondents, in the UK, are at the very least considering moving home to a different location
Of respondents currently living in an urban area, 51% said they were looking to move
Of respondents currently living in a city centre location, 48% said they were keen to move
Of the respondents living in a suburban area, 34% have highlighted a desire to move
Of the respondents living in a rural area, 28% expressed a desire to move
34% of respondents expect more remote working following the pandemic
Of this group, over half didn’t work from home before the pandemic started

The most commonly cited reasons to move include:

To have more space to allow easier remote working
To live in an aera which had cleaner air
To have better local access to nature

The survey showed people from the UK were more intent on moving than people living in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States of America.

The survey spoke more than 8,000 people in these countries, and over 1,000 respondents were based in the UK.

We are here to help you

GHD executive director Tim Mawhood spoke about the findings, saying; “At the beginning of 2021, some large cities experienced dips in population, demonstrating the extent to which changing work practices, and the prevalence of online shopping, are increasingly making location a choice for some, since proximity to workplaces and physical shops is now less of a consideration. Early signs already suggest that peri-urban areas are growing in popularity, as some turn their back on living in densely populated city centres in favour of local living. What is certain is that town and city leaders must ensure their regions have a long-term vision for living and operating sustainably in order to attract both businesses and residents.”

Moving Home Quickly And Safely

Posted on November 11, 2020 by colin_williams

The stamp duty holiday has encouraged many people to enter the housing market. There is significant demand for homes. Also, with the stamp duty holiday in place, many people are looking to move sooner rather than later.

At Williams of Petersfield, we are here to assist you. We want to ensure you make an informed decision, and that you receive the best standard of support you need from start to end of the sales process. If we can be of any help, please get in touch.

There is growing buyer demand for property

GetAgent, which monitors homebuyer demand across the UK on a quarterly basis based on market data from the major property portals, indicated there was an 8.5% rise in buyer demand in the third quarter of this year compared with the second-quarter.

Colby Short, founder of CEO of GetAgent, said: “The meteoric uplift in UK homebuyer demand in the third quarter of this year demonstrates a market that has well and truly bounced back from pandemic paralysis. More affordable areas were the strongest performing in terms of buyer demand in Q3, with plenty of room for further growth in some parts of the country.”

Colby continued: “It’s fair to say that the current stamp duty holiday in its various forms across England, Wales and Scotland has played a huge part in this revival and should continue to do so over the final quarter of 2020 at the very least. This is great news for home sellers who may have seen the value of their property plateau or even fall during the prolonged period of Brexit uncertainty that plagued the market over the last few years. With buyer demand now seeing a healthy increase, sold prices are likely to follow suit.”

Follow these tips to move home safely

The specialists at Space Station, who offer self-storage solutions and who are highly experienced in the removal sector, have shared leading tips that will help you move:

Get help from the experts
Plan your move well in advance
Clean your items before the moving process
Stay alert and continue to follow COVID-19 guidelines
Use materials from around the home to lower costs and speed up the process
Ensure all removal boxes are secure before you move
Try to avoid using plastic bags and bin liners as best you can
If you can, use vacuum storage bags
If you are moving precious items, a wheeled suitcase is a great solution
Protect the corners of your important items

Vlatka Lake is a Marketing Manager at Space Station, and she said; “Preparation and planning are the most important things movers can do when packing up their belongings ready for a move and this has become even more prominent with the tightening restrictions around the country, which can be a great source of stress and anxiety.”

Vlatka also said; “By planning ahead, you can make sure that this process remains exciting, as well as maintaining the safety of yourself and everyone involved. These simple tips can help you transition from one house to another with minimal stress and costs, whilst also making sure you are adhering to the protocols in place due to the pandemic.”

Prepare Yourself For Cost Of Moving House

Posted on October 13, 2020October 13, 2020 by colin_williams

The stamp duty holiday has encouraged many people to enter the housing market. If you are looking to make a move, we are here to assist you.

At Williams of Petersfield, we are more than happy to provide you with a property valuation. This allows you to enter the market with confidence. It also provides you with more confidence in making your next housing move.

Moving home is an expensive exercise. Agency fees, legal fees and stamp duty all play their part in ramping up the cost of relocating.

We help you prepare for your next move

Research carried out by MoneySuperMarket suggests the average household spends close to £700 in hidden fees when they move home. With the same source finding 19% of British people move a minimum of nine times in their life; the potential lifetime expenditure on hidden fees is over £6,000.

The same study also found 63% of people were unaware that moving home regularly can have a negative impact on their credit score. -impact-

According to the study, the most expensive city for hidden costs when moving was Coventry, with fees of £841. The most affordable city for hidden fees when moving home was Gloucester, with unexpected fees of £360.

What matters to you when moving?

The top six most common additional fees for British home movers are:

Bedding and kitchen utensils, cited by 53% of respondents
New furniture, also cited by 53% of respondents
The cost of having mail re-directed, listed by 39% of respondents
The cost of having Wi-Fi installed, said by 36% of respondents
Having to change bill providers, named by 34% of respondents
24% of respondents listed the cost of removal services

The study also uncovered the three most common reasons for moving:

31% of respondents saying they want to own their own place
29% cited moving in with a partner
28% saying moving to a larger home

Kate Devine is the Home Insurance spokesperson at MoneySuperMarket, and she said; “With the housing market boosted by the Chancellor’s stamp duty holiday, many of us are considering moving home. Whether you’re buying or renting, make sure you’ve factored in all the potential costs you expect to incur.”

Kate continued by saying; “If you’re buying a home, our research shows that it’s not just stamp duty, legal and estate agency fees that should be on your checklist, but also things like cleaning, new household products, temporary storage space and professional movers to make sure your treasured possessions get from A to B safely.”

Kate Devine concluded by saying; “To protect you in case things go wrong when you move, we would recommend you have contents insurance before transporting your items to their new home – most policies will provide cover for your belongings against damage or loss while they’re in transit from one property to the next. But make sure you use a professional removals firm – many of which have their own insurance – to guarantee you benefit from this protection.”