First Week Reopen a Success
Samuel Wood report first week ‘reopen’ a success.
We have been officially 'reopen' for a week following the UK lockdown and pleased to report a successful first week with a good number of exchanges and completions.
We've received a high number of viewing enquiries and our co-Director, Russell Griffin, says the company has received fantastic support from clients during lockdown, many of whom saw their plans to sell, buy or move thwarted and put on hold for many weeks.
He said that with robust health and safety conditions in place, the company had managed to successfully reopen its flagship offices in Shrewsbury and Ludlow and that with safe social distancing, enquiries could be handled, and viewings take place.
"As with all companies, the Covid pandemic has thrown up many interesting problems and we have had to quickly adapt and find new ways of working," he said. We pride ourselves on always being on the end of the phone for our clients. My partner Andrew Cadwallader and I are contactable all the time, even at weekends, so communication has never been an issue.
“We have adapted to home working and our sales and lettings advisors and negotiators can still provide this same level of friendly service, even if people don’t want to meet face to face. We are ramping up our virtual tour capability and finding that currently, people only want to view when they are very serious about buying, which assists the buying process in many ways. We have had positive new sales results in the last week.”
Mr Cadwallader added: “Although many people are wondering what will happen to the housing market, with many wondering if now is a good time to buy or sell, it really is too early to tell as much will depend on the country’s ability and speed in bouncing back.
“It is the view of many in the industry though, that if the economy recovery is V-shaped we can be hopeful for only minor turbulence.
“While the lockdown has thwarted many plans to move, some people have found that post-virus working life promises the chance of more freedom.
“Many people in future will work from home, the need to commute may finally be over - so a move to a rural or coastal location or to be closer to their families will be possible and even preferable.
“Many of these buyers will also be looking for properties with work-from-home space; others will want multi-generation family options.
So we see a great deal of cancelling-out between sectors; which brings us back to price. In this nothing has changed. The first thing an estate agent learns is that whatever the price quoted on a property, it will in the end find its correct level. A property is worth what someone will pay for it. An invisible hand called the market is not affecting property prices; people are affecting them.
We have sold properties on Christmas Eve. We have sold properties at the very depths of the great recession and in all parts of several boom-and-bust cycles. And even now through the Covid19 pandemic we have seen sales through to completion.
No matter what the trend is across the country, throughout this pandemic our area has proved to be resilient and popular and Shropshire is a destination county with so much beautiful countryside and access to Wales and the midlands. Coronavirus has not altered that.”
Mr Griffin added that in the property sector “realism” will move the country out of this crisis.
For advice about marketing your property call Samuel Wood on 01743 272710 or 01584 875207 or email shrewsbury@samuelwood.co.uk