PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE

TALKING HOMES WITH

JASMINE HARMAN

WIGWAM INSIGHT. WHAT WILL THE PROPERTY MARKET DO IN 2021?

Property experts Ross Sutton (Richard James), Chris Dewhurst (Dewhurst & Co), Richard Whatton (Miles Byron) and Rob Derry (Brunel Mortgages & Loans) give Wigwam the lowdown.

1. What is your forecast for the property market in 2021?

We’re hoping that things will be resilient this year. Nationwide, Savills and RightMove are predicting things to be positive, but perhaps there will be a few bumps in the road. (RS).

We expect the market to continue at a steady pace through the year although it will be somewhat dictated by the current pandemic. A shortage of available stock could mean prices remain stable overall. (CD)

It very much depends on whether the stamp duty holiday is extended past March 31st. If it is I assume the property market will remain very strong. (RW) I think house prices generally will be fairly stable. There may be a drop off when the stamp duty holiday ends. (RD)

2. Will the Swindon area follow national trends?

I know we are seen as an island of good value along the M4 corridor, so that always stands us in good stead, but I imagine we will follow the national trends. (RS)

Swindon usually follows trends, however the ease of commute to London and the attractive prices may mean we see the gap narrow in relation to surrounding towns on the M4 corridor. (CD)

I believe Swindon is very much a hot spot for buyers wanting to live or invest here due to the town being along the M4 corridor. (RW)

All local markets have their own intricacies and Swindon is no different. There is a lot of building activity going on and new developments selling quickly so I think that is where the local market will be slightly different to the national picture. (RD)

3. There has been lots of talk of an exodus from London and other big cities. Are we seeing this kind of buyer moving to the Swindon area?

The short answer is yes, particularly the outlying villages where we do a lot of our business - Wroughton, down towards Marlborough, out towards Wanborough, towards Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. We have seen quite a few enquiries from people in London, and actually quite a few people complete. (RS)

We are certainly seeing this happening in the villages surrounding Swindon and Cirencester. (CD)

We have been seeing an exodus from London and other big cities coming to both live and invest in Swindon. (RW)

TALKING HOMES WITH A PLACE IN THE SUN PRESENTER

JASMINE HARMAN