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It was only two months ago that the property market was lauding the return of the Boxing Day bounce – the seasonal influx of buyers and sellers at the end of the year. Now, we’re interested to know if the intent to move home has translated into concrete action.

At one point in time almost every landlord will find themselves with an empty property. Normally, it’s only for a matter of days or weeks until a tenant moves in but there could be some unavoidable circumstances that leave your property unoccupied for a prolonged duration.

Whether you’re freshening up the interior of your property ahead of a sale, or have just moved into a new home and want to make your mark, paint will probably form the backbone of your decorating.

Wood panelling is the interior design detail that’s here to stay. In fact, it’s a trend that’s never been out of fashion, with the Tudors, Elizabethans, Jacobeans and Victorians all putting their own spin on timber décor.

The ups and downs of property prices continue to fascinate many. After spectacular rises during the pandemic, and a temporary sense of panic when Liz Truss was in power, January shows how a more stable landscape has affected values. New data from Zoopla offers a great perspective.

It may be the year of the dragon but it could also be the year of the property investor! Headwinds have quickly turned to more favourable tailwinds, with mortgage rates decreasing, optimism increasing, and the potential for a Spring Budget bonanza to assist budding and existing landlords.

The kitchen is often described as the heart of the home – especially with our fondness for open plan living - so it makes sense to spend time and money on a room that’s well used.

As estate agents, we stay up-to-speed with finance news, as mortgage rates have a huge impact on buying and selling activity. As a rudimentary reminder, the lower the mortgage rate, the cheaper monthly repayments become. We know many home movers have delayed buying a property until mortgage rates eased and that has definitely happened as we start 2024.

December marked a year when we returned to what agents call ‘normal’ sales conditions. But what is normal? It means historically average mortgage rates, sellers having to be realistic when it comes to pricing and an absence of cataclysmic events.

The lettings market in 2023 was extraordinary. When it analysed its figures, Rightmove found there had been an average of 20 individual enquiries for every rental property available. For context, only six tenants were chasing each rental in 2019.

Are you sitting comfortably? There’s lots to digest! Property announcements happened from the very start to the very end of November, affecting buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords. First, let’s set the scene with prices.

Pink isn’t going anywhere, with an updated version of the colour recently announced as the Dulux Colour of the Year 2024. Thankfully, Sweet Embrace™ is a very pale, muted pink that does not bring Barbie to mind.