Week 45 - Solihull Property Market Update - DM & Co. Homes

Kicking this week off with Kathy Griffiths, Head of DM & Co. Premium…

This week we have looked at what we have both achieved and failed at this year, to help us learn and move forward, to forecast and set goals for next year.

The Premium brand has continued to grow both in terms of volume and value but also in the areas that we are working in, so next year will see us further build upon that. We have retained our dominance in the area that Dominic calls ‘Solihull Prime’ for two years now but there’s still lots of work to maintain that and grow further in the neighbouring postcodes.

The economic climate has and will bring changes to the coming year. We won’t be returning to the artificially low mortgages rates enjoyed, with industry forecasters predicting rates of between high 4’s & 5%. What is interesting is that almost half of house purchases in 2021 within DM & Co. Premium were from cash buyers or those using small mortgages so these changes in interest rates aren’t impacting upon a significant part of the market. If you are thinking about selling your family home, I would absolutely love to meet with you over a cup of tea or a festive gin & tonic!

Moving now over to Gabrielle Argue, Head of Lettings…

It is no surprise to me when I read Zoopla's market update that there has been little growth since 2015 in the supply of new rental properties. I bang on about it most weeks. So when investors approach me saying is now a good time to buy, I promise you I'm telling the truth when I say YES do it! Rents are high and our client base is strong with eligible tenants just waiting for a property to come available.

In other news, I've had 3 landlords approach me that are self managing their properties & have come to the realisation of the complexity that being a compliant landlord involves. Believe me, we wouldn't have a job if it was easy!

The risk of not having a fully compliant tenancy can end in imprisonment if you get it wrong, so for the sake of a few quid I ask those landlords perhaps questioning whether they have all of there paperwork in order to get in touch for a no obligation chat!

A massive thank you to the lettings ladies this week who have been hammering the phones speaking to all of our actively looking clients, seeing what it is we need to be out looking for.

P.S...we need some more 1 & 2 bedroom apartments! I know our sales teams are selling some so get in touch if you are a buyer or investor!

P.P.S. - If you haven’t already - Join The Landlord Club TODAY!

Here we have the latest from Peter Faithful in the Solihull Team…

Well as the festive period fast approaches you may be forgiven for thinking that the housing market may be slowing down or even grinding to a temporary halt, but I’m glad to be able to report; it isn’t!

On the contrary in fact, Solihull has seen a number of new instructions come to market and others being prepared to be launched next week, and on the subject of new instructions lets not forget Warwick House in the centre of Solihull, a development of 32 one bedroom apartments right on the doorstep of everything that the town centre has to offer; If you are looking to get onto the property ladder, or maybe you want to dip a toe into the buy to let market this could be right up your street.

I, and the team I work with, take our roles and responsibilities to our clients very seriously and I get very frustrated when I hear of estate agents letting their clients down, whether it be by giving them incorrect or inaccurate valuation advice, not delivering the promises they have made at the outset, not to mention the general lack of communication and regular contact with their clients.

Having an estate agent acting for you who is completely in tune with the challenging market we are currently working in is crucial at this time – it’s no coincidence that we are regularly receiving calls from vendors who are currently listed with other agents and are needing our advice and assistance.

It is never easy telling a client that their biggest asset may not now be worth as much as they had been hoping, or as much as another agent has led them to believe, but with customer service being our main priority it would be irresponsible and unprofessional to do anything other than be completely honest with our clients and ensure we do everything possible to achieve the very best result for them.

If you have had one of many thousands of leaflets that are being hand delivered popped through your letter box it means that we have buyers registered who want to live in your road! Please do give me a call if you are looking to sell, or currently struggling to sell, and to all those prospective buyers out there get yourself registered with us, because we will keep in contact with you and do all that we can to find you your perfect property.

One thing that I would love more of, three bed semis please across Solihull and Shirley!

And last but by no means least, Lisa Smith, Sales Director…

I have asked the Dorridge sales team to ensure that they sell all our properties by the end of the month – and they have certainly stepped up to the challenge!

You may not realise this, but each member of our sales team has a maximum number of properties they can look after at one time. This is because they are involved from the beginning, right through to the end, from helping with the marketing strategy, conducting the viewings, negotiating the sale, and then progressing the sale to completion.

This ensures our sellers receive the best customer care possible and always have your best interests at heart. With the successes that have been achieved this month so far, we now have availability to sell more properties!

With Christmas drawing closer, we are already preparing to launch some properties on Boxing Day and the New Year. I have had many conversations this week with homeowners thinking of selling in January/February.

It is important to remember that is takes on average 6 months to move, so start preparing now! We understand that you will not be deciding overnight, and with many uncertain about when the best time to move is, honest and unbiased advice is paramount.

Thank you for taking the time to read this weeks market update - if you would like to know about anything property related, we would love to hear from, and help you. If you’d like to book a valuation, that is really easily done - click here!

Let’s be honest - selling your home is never going to be easy, there will always be something that doesn’t quite go to plan - what is incredibly important is how your agent reacts to these instances.

If you would like to learn more about how we operate, please get in touch with the Solihull or Dorridge office on 0121 775 0101 or 01564 777 314 respectively.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Dominic Murphy

Managing Director – DM & Co. Homes

WhatsApp me on 07595 903 811