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Property Market Place Musings

Is the sales process taking too long?

The estimated cost of property sales falling through was estimated to be a staggering £1billion, in 2022. Nationally, a sale falls through every two minutes, according to Twenty CI group, and the average time nationally for an exchange to take place is now sitting between 120-150 days. This is the figure recently issued by HBB

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Bideford District Photography Group

April seems to have flown by and a full programme of talks, competitions and practical demonstrations have passed in a flash. The AGM on the 25th managed to complete all the club business and election of officers, before we moved on to the programme covering the rest of 2023.

The ‘Chairs Challenges’ will continue throughout the summer, so some weird, wonderful, intriguing and totally perplexing subjects are likely to be set to keep everyone’s creativity going.

Lots of variety and places have been incorporated into a packed programme including:

2nd May: Evening at Bucks Mill.

6th May: A Saturday trip to see The Western Counties Print Exhibition at Bovey Tracey, lunch and exploring the area.

9th May: Back for a Tuesday evening in and around Mortehoe.

16th May: Spend the evening photographing at Mouthmill.

23rd May: Members’ Night at the Blue Lights Hall Appledore

30th May: Tuesday evening at Fremington Quay.

6th June: Tuesday at Wistland Pound

10th June: A Saturday at Meeth Nature Reserve.

So, there is a good mix coming up to serve the membership whatever their tastes.

We welcome photographers of all abilities; from complete beginners to more experienced practitioners. Most of these trips are completely free.

(House Buying Bureau). I would suggest the fall throughs have been exasperated by events around September/October last year, when interest rates rocketed at an alarming rate, and the whole sale process is taking too long.

What is the answer?

Well there is no panacea but everyone can play their part to speed it up. Certainly, as agents we have always been focussed on getting as much information as possible from prospective buyers upfront, before taking client instructions to agree a sale. For some buyers they see the questions that a true agent will ask as invasive, but by being upfront at the beginning with information, it can save a lot of heartache a few weeks down the line. Yes, we can all go onto a comparison website or a lender’s website direct and punch in some figures on what we earn and what our outgoings are and be issued a ‘Decision in Principle’. It is a very exciting feeling to be able to contact agents and, if questioned, tell them you are in possession of a DIP. However, if you are offered the chance to have a free conversation with a whole of market mortgage brokerage, do not shun the chance. These people are a gold mine of knowledge. Yes, they are more than likely to initially ask deeper questions about income and expenditure, but when the time comes to submit a mortgage application, they are likely to have a better success rate of getting it placed, especially if more information is required by the lender, as they will be able to put it across in the best light, as they know how the system works. Often these brokers will also have a line into the lender to be able to speak to them, rather than as a direct applicant, being beholden to emails or even text requests for more information, that going direct often produces. How you answer these emails and texts will have a bearing on the decision to lend or not. Also, using a brokerage does enable the agent to have a loose conversation with the advisor, so when it comes to putting the offer forward, they can do so in the best light, informing the client they have had a talk with the advisor who is likely to place the mortgage. What a positive message to give to a homeowner to accompany the offer! Once a sale is agreed, a line of communication to the advisor as part of the onwards sales process can cut down the time taken to be being handed over the keys. That has got to be good news for all involved.

For further information, or if you need encouragement, email Tim at sanderst99@ gmail.com or enquiries@bidefordcameraclub.co.uk, or visit bidefordcameraclub. co.uk.

Another development within the industry is something being trialled in various parts of the country - Reservation Agreements, that require a seller to have certain information available upfront before marketing a property for sale. When a sale is agreed, a binding reservation agreement is put in place between the buyer and seller right at the beginning, with the express aim of speeding up the transaction by both parties committing to the sale and purchase. There are penalties on both sides if they withdraw. The process of buying and selling looks to be changing over the coming months and years, which is no bad thing.

Adrian Hardwick, Webbers Local Director

Does the word ‘diet’ make you think about being controlled and restricted?

At my Torrington group, we’ve ditched the diet mentality to focus on making enjoyable, sustainable lifestyle changes that work in the real world. It’s a switch from ‘I shouldn’t’ to ‘I want to’, because Food Optimising is all about choice –and it puts you back in control.

Discover the difference at my supportive group on Wednesdays at Castle Community Centre, Torrington, at 5.30pm or 7pm or call Tracy on 07787 010 400.

Gt Torrington Water Forum

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Astrange couple of months! February the driest for 30 year, March England’s wettest since 1981 and the third wettest on record, which goes back to 1836 - April is starting very wet. Rainfall in March has helped water levels improve, but it follows on the heels of a very dry February, so there is a need to remain vigilant – especially in areas that have not recovered from the drought last year. As ever, it is important that we all continue to use water carefully to protect our precious rivers, lakes and groundwater, and the environment and wildlife that depend on it. Now is the time to plan ahead: fit water saving devices and water butts- check South West Water’s website (www.southwestwater.co.uk) for freebies.

Recently, two national newspapers, The Times and the ‘i’, launched campaigns to improve the nation’s rivers and seas. This is really important, it’s right that the state of our waterbodies gets this kind of attention. Our rivers are better than in previous decades – but their ecological quality is still far too low, improvements seem to have plateaued, and there is little attention on public health as an objective for investment and regulation. This will only improve if water companies, agriculture, government and regulators, all take action – so press attention can help accelerate progress.

The Times’ main points are:

1. Jail and other criminal penalties for water chiefs under the beefed-up Environment Agency

2. Bring forward the target date for improving three quarters of overflows discharging near sensitive sites

3. Hundreds of clean bathing sites by the end of the decade

See our Facebook page to follow the ideas.

Being a member of the United Nations World Water Quality Alliance (UNWWQA), we support these objectives and in terms of quality, see the river Torridge as an issue.

The river Torridge was clean enough to swim in once, unfortunately it is no longer. We need it to be designated a swimming river again. We realise this will not happen overnight, but constant monitoring of the river to determine what is polluting it will help identify the source of the pollution and thus help eliminate it. We will approach our local councils and other environmental groups to help achieve this. Please support us.

‘Integrated Plan for Water’ is a newly announced Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) policy document, which promises more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement on water companies. The plan covers both the water environment - how clean it is – and water resources, how much of it we have. It tackles every source of pollution, including from storm overflows, agriculture, plastics, road run-off and chemicals - as well as the pressures on our water resources as a result of hotter, drier summers and population growth. Again, see our Facebook page and Crier articles for further details. Water bills must reflect use, which means they will increase, with protection for the vulnerable. Big users must be discouraged by financial incentives. One idea is that a base use of water is set and charged at one rate, with use above that being charged at a higher rate. Another idea is to charge an annual fee for home hot tubs, swimming pools and jacuzzis. New homes must be built as both energy and water efficient. The use of smart water meters must be pursued, with direct read out to an app, not some plug in device. SWW installed 103 smart water meters in Great Torrington, as part of the project which led to our creation, we also helped create an app. Unfortunately SWW are still coming round and reading them – what a waste!

Contact us @ gtwaterforum@gmail.com

Fancy a Run?

Now’s a great time to consider joining us at Torrington running club/Torrington Amateur Athletics Club (TAAC) – with a strong emphasis on ‘amateur’. Due to the way the membership cycles work, this is the best time of year for value for money, with annual membership costing no less than 60p per week (£31 for the year if signed up by 30th April). If you could buy a chocolate bar for 60p, I would say this was a better way of spending it, but we’ll have to make do with about half a chocolate bar for this analogy.

Why join up, aside from value for money? A few reasons:

• Weekly coached sessions for members starting at GTS, Wednesdays 6.15pm. This session is engineered so it caters for all our members and mindsets – you can push yourself one week, with perhaps a more social pace the next. Whatever works for you. The only requisite we have is that you can already run 5k/3miles (doesn’t have to be quick). This is just so we can ensure cohesive sessions.

• Once-a-month club ParkRuns and Long Runs (Sunday mornings)

• Affiliation to England Athletics – this has various perks, but importantly offers you £2 off race entries for any UK licenced race, including our own Christmas Caper and Round The Tree events.

• Pretty sure you were aware that running is healthy. It is. Arguably, it’s as good for mental health as physical health, though the two are linked. Anyhow, you pretty much always feel good after a run. And doing it as part of a Club community makes it more fun! More to be found www.torringtonaac. co.uk/membership and you can contact us via this website and the Facebook page www.facebook.com/ TorringtonAmateurAthleticsClub.

CAB Advice Column

With three Bank Holidays coming up in May this seems to be particularly timely!

“I recently started a new job where my boss has told me I will have to work on Bank Holidays. This was never the case in my old job. Can my employer really make me work on a public holiday and should I get paid extra if I do?”

Unfortunately, when it comes to Bank Holidays, whether or not staff have to work is up to their employer, and you don’t have to be paid more if you do. The situation will vary from job to job, and will depend on a number of factors, such as whether your place of work is open on Bank Holidays, your hours of work and, crucially, what your contract of employment says.

Take a look at your contract. It may say that you will always get Bank Holidays off, or it may say that sometimes you will be required to work them. If your place of work is open on Bank Holidays you may be asked to work some, but if your contract clearly says that you get Bank Holidays off you shouldn’t be asked to work them.

Your contract may say “In addition to bank and public holidays, your annual holiday entitlement is x days” This means you get public holidays off in addition to your annual leave entitlement, but might not mean you are entitled to take specific days off. You may be required to work on a Bank Holiday in which case you should get another day off instead.

Alternatively, it may say something like “Your annual holiday entitlement (inclusive of bank and public holidays) is x days.” This means that you have to take Bank Holidays off as part of your annual leave allowance (so you’ll have to book all Bank Holidays as paid time off) or counted as additional holiday days.

A common misunderstanding is that employers have to pay you extra when you work a Bank Holiday. This is not the case unless your contract specifies otherwise. Your employer needs to stand by what is in your contract of employment. In the absence of a contract, the legal default position is that your employer can tell you when you can and can’t take time off. If you wish to take a Bank Holiday off you should request it in the usual way within your organisation. If this becomes an issue with your employer, you should try and resolve it via an informal chat in the first instance and if that doesn’t get you anywhere, raise a formal grievance. If you need help and advice with this, please get back to us!

CA TNMWD is available on its free, local AdviceLine on 0808 27 87 999 or you can visit our website www.ruraldevoncab.org.uk and click on ‘Get Advice’.

1st Torrington Scouts

The Beavers ended term by making cards and coupon booklets for Mother’s Day, and a night walk around town to learn about their local area. Just before we finished for the Easter holidays, they got a chance to play in the park and all received a little Easter Egg

After the Scouts planned and budgeted for the ‘Come Dine with Me’ challenge, over the next three weeks each patrol took it in turns to make their choices. The Stags made bolognaise with pasta, alongside an orange and lemonade drink. The Eagles made a giant tray of nachos for everyone to share, and a few different crumbles. Finally, the Panthers made macaroni cheese and pancakes; all of the meals were very tasty. The Scouts very much enjoyed this challenge, especially eating all the food, not so much the washing up afterwards. To finish the term the Scouts completed a round robin of life skills, including cleaning, sewing and ironing. They also wrote the quiz for our fundraising ‘Curry and Quiz’ event, which they then helped to run, including table service. The event raised an amazing £530, to go towards refurbishing the Scout HQ toilets. We would like to thank the local community for supporting us.

If you can spare an hour, or feel you could help/support within the hall committee and the groups, please contact the Group Scout Leader, Jordon via email on jordon.whitear@gmail.com.

Fridays 1.30-3pm Email to book your space hello@wellbeingmethods.co.uk

Come join our very gentle class & stay for tea! For limited mobility, injury recovery, disability & seniors

Blackberry Farm Shop

* Open 7 days a week, & s�ll producing our home cooked food

* Please order in advance & use our fully contactless collec�on or delivery service.

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* Delivery service now reaches out to those who are isolated or wan�ng to stay at home.

For full details & a stock list: Call 01409 261440 • Email: lizzy@lizzyslarder.co.uk or Visit our Facebook page Blackberry Farm Shop Stay Safe everyone. Lizzy’s Larder, Blackberry Farm Shop, Milton Damerel, Holsworthy, EX22 7NP