There is a lot of talk about how average house prices have increased over the last couple of years and there have of course been many factors that may have helped kick start the uplift. Perhaps it was the exemption of Stamp Duty up to £500,000 introduced on 8th July 2020, which not only allowed buyers to increase their budget, but also meant vendors were selling for all time high figures!
I also witnessed COVID have its part to play in this. In March 2020, I was working in a conveyancing firm where I had noticed many of our clients were moving out of London and looking a little further afield to buy a freehold property or a leasehold with outside space (quite a rare find in London!). The pandemic had really shaken things up with people firstly being in lockdown and then adjusting to working from home. Is this when we began to realise that spacious homes and a private garden was just so invaluable, especially as travelling to work in an office really was becoming a thing of the past?
What does that mean for average house prices in England and more specifically the South East?
According to the House Price Index, the average house price in England currently sits at £285,113. And what does this buy you in our wonderful Haslemere? Unfortunately, not too much. You may find a few freehold properties, but mainly leasehold accommodation at this price.
The South East alone comes out at £366,883 - a 10.3% increase on the year before. It seems much more likely you will find a comfortable family home at this level. There are certainly freehold properties available throughout Haslemere and surrounds such as Fernhurst, Chiddingfold and Hindhead. It may require some expert searching, but it is not out of reach!
The obvious benefits of living in Haslemere and the bonus of having a mainline train station straight into Waterloo (under the hour), means our prices are high and will likely stay that way!
All data taken from https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-house-price-index-for-october-2021
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