Making things simple when buying a house
In the third regular column from our Co-Director Russell Griffin in our local regional daily paper, the Shropshire Star, Russell, who is also the Midlands Regional Executive on the Propertymark Board, discusses making things more simple when it comes to house buying.
"I think most people can agree that the last 500 days or so have tested us, our businesses and our family life.
This phrase keeps coming up ‘the new normal,’ as we are told by the media that we must get to grips with how things have changed as we emerge from lockdown (or several)!
Things have certainly changed, and most people would agree that the enforced change in circumstances has caused us to look at how we do things and do them differently. And often, many of us have found we like some of the changes.
Less travel as we work from home, a slower pace of life as we spend more time on cooking, certainly we know that there has been a huge spike in spending on and tending to our gardens and being outside more.
So, what about the property market? Yes, that too has faced some monumental changes and the changing requirements in property have forced buyers to get back to basics and make things simple.
Once upon a time, estate agents noted down a short and straightforward list of buyers’ requirements, such as the ideal number of bedrooms, central heating, large garden, garage and nearness to a good school.
Times have changed. Requirements had already altered significantly in recent years. But post-Covid, the list of demands has become yet longer and even more complicated.
A typical new wish list might look something like this:
A Zoom room for homeworking; homecation facilities for lockdown pleasure; intergenerational living space for offspring or parents; gourmet kitchen for that newfound hobby, garden oasis for a sun lounger, heating, lighting, entertainment and security smart technology for one-touch living; county town living – for more intimate, less stressful amenities; health and wellness areas for, well, health and wellness; pet-friendly living for the new pet gained during lockdown…
But all these new demands make finding an ideal home even more complicated. So, to help you, here is our list of essential post-Covid house hunting questions:
Does it tug at the heartstrings? Is it in the right place? Does it face the right way? Is it structurally sound? Is it big enough? Are the doors and windows mainly in the right places? Is it affordable? Are there the funds to put in the Zoom room, intergenerational facilities, gourmet kitchen, garden oasis, smart technology, health and wellness area and space for pets? Answer yes to all the above, and you’ve probably found yourself the ideal home – it’s that simple.
And when you think about it, a good estate agent helps to show that something fiendishly complicated can be realistically possible. From complication comes clarity."
To discuss your sale or purchase, please contact us here at Samuel Wood Estate Agents on 01743 272710 and we will be happy to assist you.