BM Rural Outlook - Flipbook - Page 36
34 | Rural Outlook Issue 21
Sales & Lettings | 35
Statistics for June 2020- May 2021
compared to the previous 12 months
Lifestyle shift creates
sellers’ market
Alongside the profound and in some cases tragic effect
it has had on so many lives, the Covid-19 pandemic
has prompted many of us to rethink our priorities and
look again at what we want for our families.
In many cases that rethink has included
looking carefully at where we live and the
environment in which we want to spend
our spare time, together with an evaluation
of that all-important work/life balance.
It has sparked an unprecedented
migration from commuter belt towns
to the countryside. Driven in part by
the home working that was enforced
for many during lockdown, it has
now increasingly become a choice
made by employers and employees
who have discovered that sitting in
a central office does not necessarily
improve productivity.
For Batcheller Monkhouse’s agency
team, that migration has been reflected
in a remarkable increase in demand
for homes across Kent and Sussex as
people have reassessed their priorities
and shifted their focus.
better, with the imbalance of supply and
demand also increasing the asking price
for properties, not just in the rural areas
traditionally associated with the agency
but in larger villages and towns.
Spring of 2021 saw the
team record the greatest
excess of demand over
supply seen in the past 10
years, with the number
of buyers enquiring about
each available property
34% higher than at the
same period a year ago –
a record level.
Spring of 2021 saw the team record
the greatest excess of demand over
supply seen in the past 10 years, with the
number of buyers enquiring about each
available property 34% higher than at the
same period a year ago – a record level.
Batcheller Monkhouse has offices in
Tunbridge Wells, Pulborough, Haywards
Heath and Battle, with all four locations
seeing a huge increase in enquiries
from those seeking to move away from
London and the commuter belt.
As a result, opportunities for local home
owners looking to sell have never been
Buyers who previously would not have
considered moving this far away from
the city are increasingly placing this
part of the south east at the top of their
list, valuing the quieter pace of life, the
beautiful surroundings and easier access
to the countryside that has become so
important during lockdowns.
For those working permanently from
home, the choice is an easy one, with
the chance to get out of the city and buy
somewhere in the heart of the countryside
proving persuasive. Those who still need
to commute to London once a twice or
week are increasingly deciding that they
can cope with the occasional journey in
return for the rewards of a rural lifestyle.
They know their money will go further
in the south east than in London, while
they will also benefit from more green
space and fresh air, increased leisure
opportunities, the chance, perhaps, to
grow their own vegetables and a better
environment for their children.
The challenge now is to find enough
stock to meet the needs of those who
are looking to move out of town. With
prices rising steadily this year, it has
become a sellers’ market, and Batcheller
Monkhouse is keen to hear from anyone
with a property to sell, from town houses
through to village or country properties.
The Statistics speak for themselves.
Batcheller Monkhouse recorded that
across its four offices the number of
properties sold rose by 54% in the year to
April 2021. Enquiries from city dwellers
123%
INCREASE IN WEB TRAFFIC
62%
INCREASE IN SALES AGREED
73%
RISE IN BUYERS
RELOCATING FROM LONDON
Batcheller Monkhouse research
interested in village and rural property
more than doubled and the number of
new buyers registering increased by over
46% in the same period.
A more subtle
approach to selling
Those who have sold their homes through
Batcheller Monkhouse have increasingly
taken advantage of the agency’s ‘offmarket’ strategy, which allows them to
dip their toe in the water without telling
the world that they are selling.
This more discreet approach has a
number of advantages, not least of
which is the fact that potential buyers
Changes in the way people work...
selected from the firm’s extensive
database feel a sense of exclusivity
and have an early opportunity to buy a
suitable property.
The process also allows sellers to
test the market, obtain feedback from
potential buyers and establish the
correct launch price before, if necessary,
putting their home on the open market.
Increasingly, using our database of
serious potential buyers sees the house
sold quickly without the need for it to be
publicly marketed.
For those who prefer a more traditional
approach, the agency uses a range
of well-proven tools to attract buyers,
including physical mailshots and
telephone calls to potential buyers as
well as digital marketing methods.
The company is also well known for the
way it looks after the interests of buyers
as well as sellers, keeping everyone
fully informed in order to ensure a
smooth transaction.
Wendy Stirk
w.stirk@batchellermonkhouse.com
James Maule
j.maule@batchellermonkhouse.com
...and a desire to get closer to nature have fuelled demand.