It's official, Estate agents have gone bonkers! Well that is
how I see it anyway. Rightmove report rapidly rising asking prices. Where do
asking prices come from? Estate agents who need new instructions of course.
If Rightmove report next month that house sales have picked
up and the new instructions are all selling and the new inflated prices then I
will have to eat my words but until then I will assume that the increase in
asking prices are down to ambitious pricing to attract those valuable new
sellers.
It is fair to say that at Bradleys we have been reasonably
pleased with our sales made to start 2013 and we have high hopes that the small
improvement we are seeing in terms of market activity will continue into the
year, but, the sales we are agreeing are all of realistically priced property
and the vendors who want to push the valuation up to see if there is interest
are finding the answer is a firm no!
The way to sell in the current market is to present the property
to the best of its ability, give comprehensive marketing to expose it to the
greatest number of buyers as is possible and then above all get the price
right. In the days of property portals a house which is too expensive stands
out like a sore thumb and will remain unsold.
Rant over, what am I up to this week? I am meeting with our
Mortgage advisors tomorrow and they have had a very good start to the year so I
am looking forward to that. On Wednesday I am meeting with Brian to update him.
On Thursday I am in West Cornwall visiting offices and on Friday I am visiting
Liskeard and Callington.
Francis Marshall FNAEA
Managing Director
Bradleys Group
