Boris Johnson announced a third national lockdown on 4th January 2021, however, in England the housing market is remaining open during these latest restrictions, allowing people to continue the process of moving home.

However, people outside of your support bubble should not assist you with moving home during the restrictions, and the services of removal firms who remain open (and COVID secure) and are ready to assist should be sought instead.

Further details on the guidelines for moving home safely during this latest lockdown can be found here.

Although some elements of the process may remain in person such as property valuations (with strict social distancing rules being followed), where possible other aspects can be successfully completed online such as liaising with a professional, obtaining a mortgage quote or searching for your next dream property.

Estate agents remain open during these latest restrictions providing advice and support for all clients and prospective owner’s; however, the use of contact-free communications is strongly encouraged where possible to minimise risks of spreading the virus.

By using the latest technology, Ashton’s estate agency can provide extensive support via our modern website including:

• Housing market advice
• Trends and news
• Property listings & marketing
• Multiple ways to contact us
• Virtual tours & listings

Housing market during coronavirus pandemic

Despite the challenges that COVID-19 have brought, including many rounds of restrictions, the UK housing market has remained strong over the past year.

According to Halifax, (as reported by the BBC), house prices soared during the second half of 2020, driven by an active market as buyers seek to move out of cities, the dream of more space or simply make the most of stamp duty holiday incentives, especially while interest rates remain low.

Halifax reported that the year on year change on UK house prices was up by 6% last year.

In addition, the Bank of England reported in September 2020 that the number of mortgage approvals had increased to the highest level since September 2007, indicating that the property market remained prosperous despite the pandemic, including a high appetite from both lenders and buyers.

There are factors at play that are likely to be assisting with the positive trends seen within the property market over the past year such as the stamp duty holidays that were announced last summer.

Currently, the stamp duty break legislation is due to end on 31st March 2021, and therefore many potential buyers are aiming to secure their first property or take the next step on the property ladder before this deadline.

Even during lockdown restrictions, we have experienced a large increase in footfall on our website, along with an increased number of property enquiries which clearly illustrate that the demand within the property market remains high.

Why not visit or contact your local Ashtons branch?

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Online Marketing

During the prolonged coronavirus restrictions, potential buyers have increasingly used online platforms to search, virtually view and shortlist properties of interest.

The increased footfall seen on our website over the past few months would also confirm this trend, and therefore the use of high quality, accurate online marketing has been seen to be vital to the selling process during such times when it is not appropriate to travel or view property in person.

For this reason, it is imperative that an estate agent’s website is of a high standard, with a user-friendly layout to enable potential buyers to access property information and agent contact information easily to seek further support during times of restrictions.

We here at Ashton’s have heavily invested in our digital presence, across our website and other media platforms, to provide both our client’s and potential buyers with high-quality information.

Our website has been extensively tested to ensure that is easy to navigate and that our search facilities have a wide range of filters so that our available properties can be refined to meet specific requirements.

Through our website, virtual viewings of properties can be undertaken, the latest property news can be read, or our amazing team can be contacted. We also have a great blog that provides topical content on a range of matters impacting the housing market from guidance regarding the current restrictions to mortgage trends.

You will find a range of communication methods to contact our team of experts, who will ensure that your enquiries are answered promptly and professionally. Appointments can also be booked online via our website as required.

Here at Ashton’s, we take the health and safety of our staff and clients very seriously and therefore we ask that in-person appointments are kept to a minimum, following the recent stay-at-home advice.

Virtual viewings

We have also invested in our technical equipment to undertake virtual viewings in the most stunning quality.

Vendors who have selected a virtual viewing to be undertaken on their property to be sold will be visited by our professional filming team who will create a 3D digital of the property.

Once the property has been filmed and the images have been edited, the final result will be approved by the vendors before being uploaded to our website for potential purchasers to view.

Virtual viewings provide an excellent, interactive visual representation of a property to allow potential buyers to explore from the comfort of their own home, or anywhere in the world!

Throughout the viewing, potential buyers will have access to a range of tools enabling them to pause a tour, explore features within the property or measure distances, for example, to see if their furniture will fit.

These virtual viewings are priceless during times of restrictions. It has even been known that properties have sold solely from a virtual viewing only!

Summary

We can reassure you that despite further coronavirus restrictions, people are still buying, selling and renting property. We remain committed to supporting our clients and potential clients throughout the pandemic, via a range of lines of communication whilst always keeping health and safety at the forefront of our minds.

We will continue to monitor the latest Government advice and will update our website pages with any developments.

If you’d like to find out more about how Ashtons can help you in marketing your property, contact one of our branches for further information.