Published: 01/01/2021 By Tam van Wyk
I’m glad to say, we have now said goodbye to 2020 and it can be officially consigned to the dustbin of history! And the good news is that, although 2021 might have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start, there are better times ahead. We have both a Brexit deal and a vaccine - three, to be precise. And, for once, we’re ahead of the game - we’ve already vaccinated more people than the whole of Europe combined! If all goes well, by late spring, we might start getting our lives back. Imagine just being able to go out for a drink or something to eat, or even asking some friends around for dinner. And what about a holiday? Especially come summer. Sweet dreams, indeed.Amongst all the madness, the housing market has been one of the few constants. It has stayed open during most of the crisis and has been reassuringly busy for both lettings and sales. So, what about the next twelve months?
Much will depend on the wider economy, but the stamp duty holiday will ensure sales will be busy until the end of March. And then we may see a wave of optimism and activity after Easter as we ease out of lockdown. Once again, people who have been confined to their homes will be on the lookout for somewhere new/bigger/better/with a garden. Others may decide to move closer to work, wanting to avoid long and expensive commutes as we slowly return to our normal places of work.
As for rental prices, most commentators are expecting them to rise this year. Not by a huge amount, just a bit. Sales prices, on the other hand, are expected to see slight falls, but nowhere near enough to wipe out the surprising gains made in 2020 and they could well pick up again in the latter part of the year! And, things could look even brighter if the government decides to extend the stamp duty holiday.
Well, that’s it from me for this month. All that remains is for me to wish you all a rather belated but very Happy New Year. Here’s to 2021!