The recent establishment of the new coalition government has seen one major change in the property market. The abolition of the much maligned HIP widely received across the property spectrum as a positive step.

At the same time interest rates have remained at 0.5% continuing a 15 month run, with a broad consensus that they will remain at this level or very close for the remainder of this year.

To gauge an accurate reflection of the overall property market remains an area fuelled by conflicting signals. The plethora of statistics provided by the market analysts whilst providing a barometer for general trends across the board, often do little to spotlight the nuances in area and price level. This can only really be understood through local knowledge and a comprehensive picture of vendor circumstances.

Whilst there are encouraging signs that the trend in the market is positive in terms of properties available and prices achieved, the overall picture is far from robust.  Whether we are fully out of recession and into clear water is debatable and it wouldn’t take too many negative  economic reports to destabilize the housing market.

Parts of Sussex and Kent have shown a modest increase in liquidity, with a slight upswing in volume of housing stock coming to the market.  At the higher end of the spectrum the availability of desirable and individual houses still remain sluggish and those that do come up for sale attract a significant amount of interest if correctly priced.  The current market remains patchy, blighted properties or those that are over priced take time to sell. It remains true that a quality home correctly priced will sell quickly at full asking price and sometimes above.